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

Trojan

Deleted User wrote: »

South Africa are a much more competent team than they've been the last few years. Australia were poor but they still have plenty of talent and would trouble most teams. With the names missing from South Africa I think the tests between them and NZ are going to be wars.

That first pool game has huge consequences for our world Cup but I'm no where near as confident about facing South Africa in a (quarter-final) and I'm not even certain it will be them at all.

Agreed 100%. An ominous performance from South Africa.

On the flip side, this QuadNations could be pretty entertaining this year.

schmoo2k

salmocab wrote: »

Oh we were undercooked squad wise alright then. Think we’re in a much better place now. Those injuries were nearly all the worst possible positions for us. It was freakish.

If our entire squad hasn't had match time together during the group stages, then we will always be in trouble by the quarters with forced player changes.

My hope is that we will see very different player combinations for each of the group games that play as a single unit, then when changes are forced it won't be the same shock...

Eod100

It's probably been posted already and tried googling with no joy but anyone know of the warm-up games will be televised?

The Lost Sheep

Eod100 wrote: »

It's probably been posted already and tried googling with no joy but anyone know of the warm-up games will be televised?

channel 4

Former Former

Eod100 wrote: »

It's probably been posted already and tried googling with no joy but anyone know of the warm-up games will be televised?

RTE and Ch4. Twickenham game on Sky.

Eod100

Former Former wrote: »

RTE and Ch4. Twickenham game on Sky.

Cheers lads! Need to plan those and the rugby championship

Leinstertomas

Eod100 wrote: »

Cheers lads! Need to plan those and the rugby championship

Handy site here for TV details https://liveonsat.com/x-rugby-union.php

kingofthekong

The biggest concern for the World cup is who will we have left injury wise by the time the quarter final comes,

I think South Africa, New Zealand and England have the most depth and ability to take a few injuries and not be overly weakened

A number of our players are also prone to injury like VDF and Sexton - Irelands biggest battle this time around is trying to win games without bashing teams to bits in the pools and trying to spare our players for a few big knockout games after the pool - but its a WC so every game will be tough..

I don' think Ireland can win without using such high ruthless intensity like they did against NZ recently, sadly I don't think that play style is not sustainable for 3 WC knockout games in a row...

In the last WC if we played against Argentina with the same intensity we played France the week before the result would've looked different imo, its all about when you use your blood and guts all in performance - we used ours against France and Argentina used theirs against us.

aloooof

kingofthekong wrote: »

its all about when you use your blood and guts all in performance - we used ours against France and Argentina used theirs against us.

The comparison to Argentina is an interesting one because our fixtures for 2019 fall much like theirs did in 2015, namely the most important fixture first up. In 2015 it was building towards the France game, and obviously injuries in that game took a massive toll on the QF. Lets hope it can be different this time round!

Shefwedfan

kingofthekong wrote: »

The biggest concern for the World cup is who will we have left injury wise by the time the quarter final comes,

I think South Africa, New Zealand and England have the most depth and ability to take a few injuries and not be overly weakened

A number of our players are also prone to injury like VDF and Sexton - Irelands biggest battle this time around is trying to win games without bashing teams to bits in the pools and trying to spare our players for a few big knockout games after the pool - but its a WC so every game will be tough..

I don' think Ireland can win without using such high ruthless intensity like they did against NZ recently, sadly I don't think that play style is not sustainable for 3 WC knockout games in a row...

In the last WC if we played against Argentina with the same intensity we played France the week before the result would've looked different imo, its all about when you use your blood and guts all in performance - we used ours against France and Argentina used theirs against us.

Any team loses a couple of big names players and they are gone


You mention Sexton, what would happen to England with Farrell? etc etc....


The injury toll after France was too much for any top side to take.....also we might forget but Argentina where a good team. IN the first game they nearly got the better of NZ, probably ran them as close as any of the rest of the team.

AbusesToilets

Our inability to match another team's intensity worried me the most. Whatever you want to believe about How keeping the game plan simple for the last 6Ns, we failed miserably to deal with how England and Wales went after us. That's been a consistent failing of the team for years, repeatedly in 1/4s. There hasn't been one good knockout performance since 91, all the more falling after topping our group for the last 2 tournaments.

aloooof

AbusesToilets wrote: »

Our inability to match another team's intensity worried me the most. Whatever you want to believe about How keeping the game plan simple for the last 6Ns, we failed miserably to deal with how England and Wales went after us. That's been a consistent failing of the team for years, repeatedly in 1/4s. There hasn't been one good knockout performance since 91, all the more falling after topping our group for the last 2 tournaments.

It's not been a consistent failing of the team under Schmidt's tenure though in terms of results which, imo, is far more salient in regards the upcoming RWC.

Shefwedfan

AbusesToilets wrote: »

Our inability to match another team's intensity worried me the most. Whatever you want to believe about How keeping the game plan simple for the last 6Ns, we failed miserably to deal with how England and Wales went after us. That's been a consistent failing of the team for years, repeatedly in 1/4s. There hasn't been one good knockout performance since 91, all the more falling after topping our group for the last 2 tournaments.

Ireland was always the plucky underdog

Even the last WC it was like a WC final to beat France in the group. Similar to Aus in the group stage in 2011.


At this stage the team has changed, these are players who have only known winning. Playing with U20 or with clubs. Then with Ireland.



Beating a France in group stages? who cares sure we beat them majority of years in 6 nations etc etc.....

I think the mind set has changed. Ok we didn't have a great 6 nations but how many playersgot used?



I would prefer to take the positives. We need to forget about 2007, who cares now. Ireland is a different rugby nation now, we are not one of the top sides in theWC consistently for 6 years. Our provinces are top teams in Europe.

Christy42

kingofthekong wrote: »

The biggest concern for the World cup is who will we have left injury wise by the time the quarter final comes,

I think South Africa, New Zealand and England have the most depth and ability to take a few injuries and not be overly weakened

A number of our players are also prone to injury like VDF and Sexton - Irelands biggest battle this time around is trying to win games without bashing teams to bits in the pools and trying to spare our players for a few big knockout games after the pool - but its a WC so every game will be tough..

I don' think Ireland can win without using such high ruthless intensity like they did against NZ recently, sadly I don't think that play style is not sustainable for 3 WC knockout games in a row...

In the last WC if we played against Argentina with the same intensity we played France the week before the result would've looked different imo, its all about when you use your blood and guts all in performance - we used ours against France and Argentina used theirs against us.

It does seem like we can't really catch a break. Remember England vs France quarter 8 years ago? Both deserver to go home. Now we have a quarter against a side with good odds of winning the entire thing.

We get 3 world class 7s that could walk onto most tier 1 international sides and somehow two get injured before the world cup.

Podge_irl

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Ireland was always the plucky underdog

Even the last WC it was like a WC final to beat France in the group. Similar to Aus in the group stage in 2011.

Was it though? We were surely favourites going in and I never really expected us to lose that game.

AbusesToilets

aloooof wrote: »

It's not been a consistent failing of the team under Schmidt's tenure though in terms of results which, imo, is far more salient in regards the upcoming RWC.

We've been better, certainly but there's still been occasions where we've been caught flat in big games. Test against NZ after Chicago, 2nd test against SA when we were up by 2 scores, Argue 1/4, this past 6Ns. There's of course nuance to those games, but I still have doubts about them facing a fired up SA.

Shefwedfan

Podge_irl wrote: »

Was it though? We were surely favourites going in and I never really expected us to lose that game.

Ahh come on now, it was huge for Ireland to beat them in WC. Trying to play the old "i knew".....


Go back to the scene after the game etc...

Look at any of the coverage pre game and people said yes Ireland should win but nobody was jumping around saying it was certain

Shefwedfan

AbusesToilets wrote: »

Our inability to match another team's intensity worried me the most. Whatever you want to believe about How keeping the game plan simple for the last 6Ns, we failed miserably to deal with how England and Wales went after us. That's been a consistent failing of the team for years, repeatedly in 1/4s. There hasn't been one good knockout performance since 91, all the more falling after topping our group for the last 2 tournaments.

aloooof wrote: »

It's not been a consistent failing of the team under Schmidt's tenure though in terms of results which, imo, is far more salient in regards the upcoming RWC.

I am not sure what the point of these two comments are.

Joe had one game in 1/4 final and lost it, but a huge hole was in team and it was unlucky. It has been pointed out a few times if any top team lost those critical players they would struggle....


So aloooof when have they consistent failed? under Joe?


In regards to original, yes we struggled against Wales and England this season, but then again they struggled against us last season. You would think Ireland winning in Wales was easy, Wales are fairly decent and extremely good at home. It is very very hard to win away from home, as all the teams find and normally it is outside the norm for the big teams to win away from home, hence why a Grand Slam is so big

The bad result was the England at home but still with 20 mins left Ireland where still in the game.

irelandrover

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I am not sure what the point of these two comments are.

Joe had one game in 1/4 final and lost it, but a huge hole was in team and it was unlucky. It has been pointed out a few times if any top team lost those critical players they would struggle....


So aloooof when have they consistent failed? under Joe?


In regards to original, yes we struggled against Wales and England this season, but then again they struggled against us last season. You would think Ireland winning in Wales was easy, Wales are fairly decent and extremely good at home. It is very very hard to win away from home, as all the teams find and normally it is outside the norm for the big teams to win away from home, hence why a Grand Slam is so big

The bad result was the England at home but still with 20 mins left Ireland where still in the game.

I think you need reread alooof's post. He said its not a consistant failing

AbusesToilets

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I am not sure what the point of these two comments are.



Joe had one game in 1/4 final and lost it, but a huge hole was in team and it was unlucky. It has been pointed out a few times if any top team lost those critical players they would struggle....


So aloooof when have they consistent failed? under Joe?



In regards to original, yes we struggled against Wales and England this season, but then again they struggled against us last season. You would think Ireland winning in Wales was easy, Wales are fairly decent and extremely good at home.


The bad result was the England at home but still with 20 mins left Ireland where still in the game.

It's not the loses, it's the manner in which the team played. They were markedly 2nd best, never even in those games. Compare that to NZ, for example. In the games we've won against them, we've played at an absolute zenith of intensity. NZ didn't wilt under that pressure, they kept coming at us and could've won. Those were end of season matches for them, with only pride at stake.

To me, that's where the team is lacking. We're poor at chasing games, and upping our game to match a motivated team, that isn't France anyway.

aloooof

Shefwedfan wrote: »

So aloooof when have they consistent failed? under Joe?

irelandrover is spot on.

irelandrover wrote: »

I think you need reread alooof's post. He said its not a consistant failing

aloooof wrote: »

It's not been a consistent failing of the team under Schmidt's tenure though in terms of results which, imo, is far more salient in regards the upcoming RWC.

Podge_irl

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Ahh come on now, it was huge for Ireland to beat them in WC. Trying to play the old "i knew".....


Go back to the scene after the game etc...

Look at any of the coverage pre game and people said yes Ireland should win but nobody was jumping around saying it was certain

We hadn't lost to France in 5 years at the time. No one thought it what a dead cert of course, but Ireland were comfortably favourites for that match.

sydthebeat

Podge_irl wrote: »

We hadn't lost to France in 5 years at the time. No one thought it what a dead cert of course, but Ireland were comfortably favourites for that match.

we were 2 point favs

Shefwedfan

irelandrover wrote: »

I think you need reread alooof's post. He said its not a consistant failing

Sorry misread

Shefwedfan

Podge_irl wrote: »

We hadn't lost to France in 5 years at the time. No one thought it what a dead cert of course, but Ireland were comfortably favourites for that match.

As posted above, 2 points is hardly comfortable.



Trying to go back now and say beating France in WC was not an achievment for the team is odd. It was a massive win for Ireland. The previous WC France had got to the final.



I know I celebrated it that day.....

sydthebeat

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I know I celebrated it that day.....

We absolutely shot our load that day.

We couldn't match the emotional pitch for the Argentina game, and the injuries we shipped were awful.

At least this time our main pool rival game is first up, so as we play the bottom feeders we have a chance to R + R.

joseywhales

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders", the mockers gods love us already.

joseywhales

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders", the mockers gods love us already.

joseywhales

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders", the mockers gods love us already.

joseywhales

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders", the mockers gods love us already.

joseywhales

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders", the mockers gods love us already.

swiwi_

joseywhales wrote: »

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders"

joseywhales wrote: »

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders"

joseywhales wrote: »

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders"

joseywhales wrote: »

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders"

joseywhales wrote: »

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders"

...all the more so if you have a bad case of verbal diarrhoea...

Brief_Lives

it's still a sh!tty term... only a fool would use it...

Shefwedfan

joseywhales wrote: »

It does stress me when Irish fans use terms like "bottom feeders", the mockers gods love us already.

Not a saying I would use seeing as most countries probably put Ireland in that category up TIL recently, probably some stilldo in a WC sense

sydthebeat

Brief_Lives wrote: »

it's still a sh!tty term... only a fool would use it...

Whatever... It's a realistic term.

Do you want to bet any money that Samoa and Russia WON'T be at the bottom of our group come the end of it???

Russia are going to be eaten alive by Ireland Scotland and Japan, and I can see Samoa putting a good score on them too....

aloooof

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Sorry misread

Apology accepted.

kingofthekong

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Any team loses a couple of big names players and they are gone


You mention Sexton, what would happen to England with Farrell? etc etc....


The injury toll after France was too much for any top side to take.....also we might forget but Argentina where a good team. IN the first game they nearly got the better of NZ, probably ran them as close as any of the rest of the team.

If Farrell goes out they have Ford and others - I think Englands gameplan revolves around dominating the gainiline and sprinting up in defence

If Farrell goes they can still do this to a large degree - if we Lose sexton we lose most of our attacking structure - Sexton is far more valuable to us then Farrell is to England,

Also if we pick up injuries to Ryan or VDF i think thats us goosed also - England have Underhill, Vunipola, Curry brothers, Lawes, Launcheburry, Itoje, Cruise

Far more depth in the pack for you to even suggest we have similar depth to England is laughable and green tinted...

Shefwedfan

kingofthekong wrote: »

If Farrell goes out they have Ford and others - I think Englands gameplan revolves around dominating the gainiline and sprinting up in defence

If Farrell goes they can still do this to a large degree - if we Lose sexton we lose most of our attacking structure - Sexton is far more valuable to us then Farrell is to England,

Also if we pick up injuries to Ryan or VDF i think thats us goosed also - England have Underhill, Vunipola, Curry brothers, Lawes, Launcheburry, Itoje, Cruise

Far more depth in the pack for you to even suggest we have similar depth to England is laughable and green tinted...

Look at the results of England without B Vunipola....

stephen_n

kingofthekong wrote: »

If Farrell goes out they have Ford and others - I think Englands gameplan revolves around dominating the gainiline and sprinting up in defence

If Farrell goes they can still do this to a large degree - if we Lose sexton we lose most of our attacking structure - Sexton is far more valuable to us then Farrell is to England,

Also if we pick up injuries to Ryan or VDF i think thats us goosed also - England have Underhill, Vunipola, Curry brothers, Lawes, Launcheburry, Itoje, Cruise

Far more depth in the pack for you to even suggest we have similar depth to England is laughable and green tinted...

Think you’re vastly underplaying the depth we have in our pack too. If Ryan’s out Henderson comes in. I’d agree we are going to be light on backrow cover if VDF is injured but I’d take Ruddock ahead of the curry brothers or Lawes any day of the week.

Squidgy Black

I'm honestly more concerned about the warm up games than the group games for potential injuries.

England and Wales, granted the intensity will probably be a step down, but they're still two fairly physical sides and players will be fighting for spots.

I'd prefer no warm up games at all. We can beat Scotland coming out of the cold. The rest of the games are basically warm ups for the quarters.

Shefwedfan

Deleted User wrote: »

I'd prefer no warm up games at all. We can beat Scotland coming out of the cold. The rest of the games are basically warm ups for the quarters.

We thought that a few years ago and got our ass handed to us in the first half.....Scotland are better now, so are we but we need to be prepared.

Zzippy

Are the squad training this week or off today? Just spotted one of the squad down Shop St in Galway...

The Lost Sheep

Deleted User wrote: »

I'd prefer no warm up games at all. We can beat Scotland coming out of the cold. The rest of the games are basically warm ups for the quarters.

no we cant. No side can go into a world cup cold
We need to get players up to speed and fill out rest of squad of 31

RugbyLover123

Zzippy wrote: »

Are the squad training this week or off today? Just spotted one of the squad down Shop St in Galway...

Off week. Cian Healy was on OTBAM this morning explaining it was a down week away from the hotel.

arsebiscuits1

kingofthekong wrote: »

If Farrell goes out they have Ford and others - I think Englands gameplan revolves around dominating the gainiline and sprinting up in defence

If Farrell goes they can still do this to a large degree - if we Lose sexton we lose most of our attacking structure - Sexton is far more valuable to us then Farrell is to England,

Also if we pick up injuries to Ryan or VDF i think thats us goosed also - England have Underhill, Vunipola, Curry brothers, Lawes, Launcheburry, Itoje, Cruise

Far more depth in the pack for you to even suggest we have similar depth to England is laughable and green tinted...

For you to suggest our depth is not close is just bizarre

Locks and Back Row players that we have available to us this RWC:

VDF - One of the best opensides in Europe - Phenomenal workrate

POM - Captain of a test Lions side. Has his disbelievers but there's few teams in the world he doesn't start against

Conan - Reached a different stratosphere of standards the tail end of last season. One of the best 8s in Europe

Stander - One dimensional but what a dimension that is. Can build a test game plan around his physicality. Test capped Lion

Ruddock - Outstanding player and would have 30 more caps to his name if were not for how good a player POM is. Some unbelievable showings for Leinster this season

Jordi - Probably the best 6,7,8 in the world at the moment. I can't think of another player who has played all 3 positions to as high a standard as he has

Henderson - A freakishly gifted athlete with an unbelievable workrate and power game. Excellent skills and speed too.

Ryan - James. Ryan

Toner - The ruck hitting, line out gathering, hard scrummaging machine.

That's not to totally dismiss the players England have at their disposal. They're excellent. But your making it sound as if we've only got JCT players to pick from. We've got Lions, Pro14 & European Cup champions to pick from.

Honestly mate, it wont kill you to be at least a little positive. You'll live longer

Eod100

Squidgy Black wrote: »

I'm honestly more concerned about the warm up games than the group games for potential injuries.

England and Wales, granted the intensity will probably be a step down, but they're still two fairly physical sides and players will be fighting for spots.

Presumably there will be fair bit of rotation. 4 games seems like a lot but need some test level prep. Last Test game was in March otherwise.

The Lost Sheep

Eod100 wrote: »

Presumably there will be fair bit of rotation. 4 games seems like a lot but need some test level prep. Last Test game was in March otherwise.

2 games before squad is named so 2 games for final positions in 31 man squad to be decided and then 2 for anyone in final squad to get game time as necessary

Shefwedfan

They will do similar as last time.....

First match will be used to cut the squad of players.....

P.Walnuts

Healy said in that interview he was 127kg at the 2015 WC......that seems exceptionally high for him :eek: