Ireland Team Talk X: The Long Hard Road to a Semi. MOD WARNING POSTS #1, #1474, #5707

Rockbeast2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLoRPIsTgBs

ozzyo

Captain_Crash wrote: »

Someone was telling me today that there is a suspicion our sluggish play has been due to the squad bulking up big time before the tournament. The thought process behind it was that for the first month when temps and humidity are sweltering the players would be losing a lot of weight, meaning when the knock outs come around, the squad are the optimum size and strength to perform in the slightly cooler late Oct temps.

He said its common in cycling for high endurance racers to start out a little too big knowing they will lose most of it during the race.

Na, that sounds ridiculous

Rockbeast2

"there is a suspicion our sluggish play has been due to the squad bulking up big time before the tournament."

No, there is not. It is a fact that a lot of "weight" was cut by the Irish squad.

The situation still remains the same. Beat New Zealand or South Africa to reach the semi-final.

AbusesToilets

Niallof9 wrote: »

Except that you can see clearly that some of the players have lost weight. Aki is a prime example, said himself lost about a stone. Furlong looks leaner. Less bulk to move around in these conditions. Yet we look underpowered, even to the Japanese. I think we like NZ and Australia have made the wrong choice. I think England's bulk, power will see them over the line.

It could be the optics of the o carrolls jersey though.

We're not playing a style that takes advantage of being leaner and faster, it's highly attritional. It works for NZ because they look to move the ball and run far more than we do. We're trying to be physically dominant against teams that are bigger than we are. Madness imo.

Shefwedfan

AbusesToilets wrote: »

We're not playing a style that takes advantage of being leaner and faster, it's highly attritional. It works for NZ because they look to move the ball and run far more than we do. We're trying to be physically dominant against teams that are bigger than we are. Madness imo.

We have had less rucks than before, more off loads than before and passing more.....all in this WC


We are moving the ball more than ever.....watch the Scotland game, first 20 mins in Japan and first 30 in Russia


The game plan is evolving.....

Wegians89

Shefwedfan wrote: »

We have had less rucks than before, more off loads than before and passing more.....all in this WC


We are moving the ball more than ever.....watch the Scotland game, first 20 mins in Japan and first 30 in Russia


The game plan is evolving.....

Yeah it certainly is evolving but probably too slowly or started too late. Should be peaking at the World Cup, not starting to see changes

Shefwedfan

Wegians89 wrote: »

Yeah it certainly is evolving but probably too slowly or started too late. Should be peaking at the World Cup, not starting to see changes

Should be peaking in Qtrs....not in group

Wegians89

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Should be peaking in Qtrs....not in group

I’d love that to happen but think there’s serious pressure on the players now thanks to to poor run.

Henry Ford III

Shefwedfan wrote: »

We have had less rucks than before, more off loads than before and passing more.....all in this WC


We are moving the ball more than ever.....watch the Scotland game, first 20 mins in Japan and first 30 in Russia


The game plan is evolving.....

If it's all as good as you say how come we are so utterly unconvincing and struggling to get out of the easiest group in the tournament?

Adjust the green/blue tints for once.

Shefwedfan

Wegians89 wrote: »

I’d love that to happen but think there’s serious pressure on the players now thanks to to poor run.

This year
L
W
W
W
L
W
L
W
W
W
W
L
W


Doesn't look like a poor run to me

Former Former

I think the Samoa game will give us a good idea of where we are. An almost fully fit squad, a long rest since the last day, an opposition who should be tricky but ultimately inferior. We don't really have many excuses.

If we can put them away with conviction I'll be happy enough going into the QFs.

Just need a bit of help from Scotland and the weather to avoid NZ and the hype train can start up again.

schmoo2k

I wonder if Ireland will play a B team if the Scotland game gets cancelled?

https://www.ultimaterugby.com/news/world-rugby-set-to-cancel-both-england-v-france-%26-japan-v-scotland/620970

Wegians89

Shefwedfan wrote: »

This year
L
W
W
W
L
W
L
W
W
W
W
L
W


Doesn't look like a poor run to me

Reading any comments on line or media, you’d swear it was a melt down. Look results have been good but form has left a lot to be desired, so yeah it’d call it a poor run. There’s been so much negativity since the six nations.

VegetaIRL8e

Think itll be a relatively strong team named. Team will be announced before they make the call on Scotland game anyway.
I'll go with something like.

Larmour, Earls, Stockdale.
Henshaw, Aki.
Sexton, Murray.
Healy, Best, Furlong.
Henderson, Ryan.
Beirne, van der Flier, Stander.

sydthebeat

If they play Nanai-Williams at 15 I hope we drop bombs on him all day.....

Shefwedfan

Wegians89 wrote: »

Reading any comments on line or media, you’d swear it was a melt down. Look results have been good but form has left a lot to be desired, so yeah it’d call it a poor run. There’s been so much negativity since the six nations.

Going into the Wales game we could have won the 6 nations......:eek:


Still you would swear we won the wooden spoon with the carry on of the press and some posters in here......

Former Former

I can't see Japan v Scotland being definitely cancelled tomorrow. Tomorrow is Thursday, game is Sunday, the typhoon could weaken or change direction in that time, it would be mad to call it off now. Likely we'll just hear contingency plans.

ClanofLams

There’s possibly been an over reaction but acting like we are going along grand is equally bizarre. We were beaten comprehensively by the only two high calibre teams in the six nations and beaten by Japan in the World Cup. It’s definitely been a poor run.

sydthebeat

sydthebeat wrote: »

If they play Nanai-Williams at 15 I hope we drop bombs on him all day.....

Because he's so entertaining with the ball in hand?

Eod100

ClanofLams wrote: »

There’s possibly been an over reaction but acting like we are going along grand is equally bizarre. We were beaten comprehensively by the only two high calibre teams in the six nations and beaten by Japan in the World Cup. It’s definitely been a poor run.

Welsh result is 7 months ago at this stage. Yes it was a poor 6N especially after winning the GS the year before but bar Japan game have had a maximum return of 2 tbp wins. Hopefully we get another one at weekend and push on from there.

sydthebeat

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Because he's so entertaining with the ball in hand?

Cos he's a slight, flaky full back who can be rattled easily.... I'd love see some competition between him and Stockdale in the air...

But he's also entertaining with ball in hand

ClanofLams

Eod100 wrote: »

Welsh result is 7 months ago at this stage. Yes it was a poor 6N especially after winning the GS the year before but bar Japan game have had a maximum return of 2 tbp wins. Hopefully we get another one at weekend and push on from there.

Hopefully but hope has replaced the confidence that would have been there last year in relation to Ireland’s performances. I’m sure there has been an overreaction, I haven’t followed the media too closely, but the facts are that Ireland currently look a long way off their best, and have done all year.

If they can get back close to that best, which despite all he has achieved, would be close to being Schmidt’s finest achievement yet they will give anyone a game.

Some of the posts on here are needlessly negative but on the other side some look a bit deluded in their optimism implying that all is going to plan.

bilston

VegetaIRL8e wrote: »

Think itll be a relatively strong team named. Team will be announced before they make the call on Scotland game anyway.
I'll go with something like.

Larmour, Earls, Stockdale.
Henshaw, Aki.
Sexton, Murray.
Healy, Best, Furlong.
Henderson, Ryan.
Beirne, van der Flier, Stander.

Pick the strongest team we can. Which to be fair is close to the above. Personally I'd look to start Ruddock at 6, but that isn't going to happen, so POM at 6. Centre is a tough call, but given Ringrose has started loads of games recently I'd probably go with your pairing assuming Henshaw is fit. I don't think there is an obvious pecking order between the three of them anyway.

Hard to see Kearney not being at 15.

Henry Ford III

We're out of options. We have to go full on and with the strongest team and subs available.

Fail to win big and it's over.

The loss to Japan was an iceberg.

Cookiemunster

Henry Ford III wrote: »

We're out of options. We have to go full on and with the strongest team and subs available.

Fail to win big and it's over.

The loss to Japan was an iceberg.

We don't need to win big. We just need 4 trys. After that points difference doesn't matter.

ionadnapokot

sydthebeat wrote: »

Cos he's a slight, flaky full back who can be rattled easily.... I'd love see some competition between him and Stockdale in the air...

But he's also entertaining with ball in hand

Stockdale’s aerial skills - He’s a big man but does he have good aerial skills?
I haven’t seen Ireland utilise him in the air and often seen him struggle defending the high ball

Former Former

Cookiemunster wrote: »

We don't need to win big. We just need 4 trys. After that points difference doesn't matter.

Well, playing well enough to rack up a big score is badly needed.

If we get the bare minimum of what we need, it's not going to do much for squad confidence.

davedanon

Former Former wrote: »

Well, playing well enough to rack up a big score is badly needed.

If we get the bare minimum of what we need, it's not going to do much for squad confidence.

I really don't think it works that way. That's a fan's way of looking at things. YOU will feel confident if they beat them 50-0. The team won't give a sh*t, as long as they come out with 5 pts.

Professor Genius

Rumour is that henshaw won’t be risked.

Former Former

davedanon wrote: »

I really don't think it works that way. That's a fan's way of looking at things. YOU will feel confident if they beat them 50-0. The team won't give a sh*t, as long as they come out with 5 pts.

This is completely at odds with pretty much everyone else in the world, but I guess there's no such thing as a wrong opinion.

davedanon

Former Former wrote: »

This is completely at odds with pretty much everyone else in the world, but I guess there's no such thing as a wrong opinion.

So every other Irish fan on here, not to mention all Irish fans everywhere, are saying only a thumping, multi-try bonus-point win against Samoa will do to restore collective faith in Ireland's campaign, are they?

Must have missed that memo.

But then there's no such thing as a wrong opinion.

Paul Smeenus

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/gordon-d-arcy-ireland-need-johnny-sexton-s-body-to-hold-up-for-crunch-games-1.4044103

"Hi. My name's Gordon D'Arcy. You may remember me from such teams as Ireland and Leinster. You know who's crucial to Ireland? Sexton, Henshaw, Ringrose. Did I mention I was a back from Leinster? Sexton. Leinster. Lovely."

ionadnapokot

GT in ITimes reporting the starting XV
Larmour; Earls, Henshaw, Aki, Stockdale;
Sexton, Murray;
Healy, Best, Furlong;
Henderson, Ryan;
Beirne, VdF, CJ.

Reps: tbc

“It transpires that Rob Kearney was also managed in training in the early part of the week so Jordan Larmour...”

ionadnapokot

Really like the look of that team.
Samoa have attacked allot of ruck ball and it’s great to see Beirne in there with VdF.
Possibly indicating a Ruddock, POM & CJ for the QF

Nigzcurran

So if the Scotland japan game is cancelled we can only get second place?

techdiver

Nigzcurran wrote: »

So if the Scotland japan game is cancelled we can only get second place?

Correct

Former Former

ionadnapokot wrote: »

GT in ITimes reporting the starting XV

I don't see that on the website, wonder if it was pulled?

Nigzcurran

techdiver wrote: »

Correct

I’m not sure if first or second is all that important to be honest, a bit like a man united supporter wondering weather it’s better to play Liverpool or man city! If we can play to our best we have a decent chance of beating either AB or SA

troyzer

I'm

Nigzcurran wrote: »

techdiver wrote: »

Correct

I’m not sure if first or second is all that important to be honest, a bit like a man united supporter wondering weather it’s better to play Liverpool or man city! If we can play to our best we have a decent chance of beating either AB or SA

Yeah. Except the All Blacks will have had two weeks off.

It's a joke.

irishbucsfan

Former Former wrote: »

I don't see that on the website, wonder if it was pulled?

I wonder if the cancellation of the New Zealand game means they're going to throw caution to the wind and put out a 2nd XV?

Shefwedfan

So if NZ game cancelled does that mean SA can jump them totopspot?

padser

troyzer wrote: »

I'm


Yeah. Except the All Blacks will have had two weeks off.

It's a joke.

I honestly don't think our chances of beating BNZ are materially altered by how many days off they have (provided they have at least a 5 day turnaround).

We will be circa 1/6 against them anyway

padser

Shefwedfan wrote: »

So if NZ game cancelled does that mean SA can jump them totopspot?

Nope.

BNZ took top spot by one point

troyzer

padser wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

Yeah. Except the All Blacks will have had two weeks off.

It's a joke.

I honestly don't think our chances of beating BNZ are materially altered by how many days off they have (provided they have at least a 5 day turnaround).

We will be circa 1/6 against them anyway

Have you watched rugby before? Having an extra week off with no chance of injuries or suspensions is probably bigger than any tactical gap.

You saw how we struggled against Japan and Russia with the shorter turn around.

The All Blacks will be swanning around while the Irish players are getting battered by islanders with a point to prove.

It has a huge material effect.

sydthebeat

The points have already been awarded if anyone wants to check the tables

irishbucsfan

padser wrote: »

I honestly don't think our chances of beating BNZ are materially altered by how many days off they have (provided they have at least a 5 day turnaround).

We will be circa 1/6 against them anyway

Ah c'mon, it has a huge impact

The Rape of Lucretia

troyzer wrote: »

I'm


Yeah. Except the All Blacks will have had two weeks off.

It's a joke.

Yeh. They were going down, and they knew it, but this extra weeks off puts them back in the driving seat. Joes has to go with a pure second string for Samoa now to try to even things back as far as possible. Hopefully the Scotland game is cancelled, then we can just go for a jog and let Samoa have their win.
Anyone know is there a minimum number of players you have to field for the game to continue?

clsmooth

No Rhys Ruddock in the 23?

D.Q

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Yeh. They were going down, and they knew it, but this extra weeks off puts them back in the driving seat. Joes has to go with a pure second string for Samoa now to try to even things back as far as possible. Hopefully the Scotland game is cancelled, then we can just go for a jog and let Samoa have their win.
Anyone know is there a minimum number of players you have to field for the game to continue?

Hahahahaha

sydthebeat

clsmooth wrote: »

No Rhys Ruddock in the 23?

Saving him for starting the QF at 6