Ireland v Wales 07/09/2019

CMcsporty

Birdie Num Num wrote: »

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Correct, my mistake only once has a team Won the WC not ranked top.

Hardly a statistic to give credence to anyhow considering the rankings are younger the tournament, only starting in 2003 with England. So that’s just 3 RWCs out of 4.

One of the better ones is that the winner in 99, 03, 07 and 2011 all got knocked out in the previous WC 1/4 finals.
So it’s Ireland’s to loose!

Tigerandahalf

CMcsporty wrote: »

Any updates on Earls?
I didn’t think he looked great today. Heard Andy Farrell say he hit his highest speed in training this week. Hadleigh Parkes outpaced him today for the Sexton pass to Biggar. Albeit Earls had to turn and recover.
If Earls is/gets injured who would start? Larmour probably and call up Addison?

Parkes is no slouch, has a real turn of pace. Remember him catching Stockdale on the wing in Cardiff and making a try saving tackle.

Earls has good pace but poor hands.

I would start Larmour at 14, Stockdale at 11 and Conway at 15. And give them the licence to counter attack. We have zero counter attack threat at present. Kearney sets up a ruck every time, safety first.

Clegg

Kearney is even more underappreciated than Heaslip was. Which is rather staggering really.

Bridge93

Anyone who suggests dropping Kearney in the aftermath of today’s game is not to be taken seriously

Cork Boy 53

CMcsporty wrote: »

One of the better ones is that the winner in 99, 03, 07 and 2011 all got knocked out in the previous WC 1/4 finals.
So it’s Ireland’s to loose!

The most relevant stat as far as Ireland are concerned is that, in 8 editions of the WC, they have never got further than the quarter finals. I would be fearful that this stat will continue this time around. They don't handle expectation well in the tournament.

declanflynn

Portsalon wrote: »

Naggdefy wrote: »

It's easy surmise what you'd do in a given situation when not involved. He obviously thought Jackson was innocent.

Not the forum to go further into this matter, but it was then and remains my view that he acted inappropriately as Irish rugby captain.

And that's all that I'm going to say about it on this thread.

It showed that he stands by his friends (innocent man) when the going gets tough, one of the reasons he is a great captain

Midlife

cavemeister wrote: »

Can we talk about the elephant in the room? Our wingers (or lack of)

We must be one of the few teams in the world without class out wide.

Larmor scored a screamer a few years ago but these days, whenever he gets the ball, he dances on the spot till he's tackled and Earls is too fragile now - Also, why was he played on the left wing when he is a right wing.

Ringrose is a center so he's out of position on the wing.

it is because of this, we are not scoring out wide.

Thoughts?

We don't bring the wings into the game like other teams.

Joe doesn't like his rugby played out near the sides.

Tigerandahalf

Clegg wrote: »

Kearney is even more underappreciated than Heaslip was. Which is rather staggering really.

If Heaslip was so good he would have been a starting Lion. Decent reliable player but offered no threat.

Kearney is the same. He is very solid under the high ball but offers little else. Liam Williams is far superior.

Ireland are fine playing this physical possession game when they are up for a one off match but back to back weeks during a WC the gameplan will be found out. You have to be scoring tries much easier especially off turnover ball.

Cookiemunster

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

If Heaslip was so good he would have been a starting Lion. Decent reliable player but offered no threat.

You mean like the first and second tests in 2013 which Heaslip started both of? And all three on the 2009 tour. What about his world player of the year nomination in 2016? #clueless

Clegg

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

If Heaslip was so good he would have been a starting Lion. Decent reliable player but offered no threat.

Kearney is the same. He is very solid under the high ball but offers little else. Liam Williams is far superior.

Ireland are fine playing this physical possession game when they are up for a one off match but back to back weeks during a WC the gameplan will be found out. You have to be scoring tries much easier especially off turnover ball.

Heaslip was the starting number 8 for five Lions tests, across two tours, under two different head coaches. What on earth are you on about?

Tigerandahalf

Clegg wrote: »

Heaslip was the starting number 8 for five Lions tests, across two tours, under two different head coaches. What on earth are you on about?

Faleatau was the preferred 8 when fit.

Faugheen

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Clegg wrote: »

Kearney is even more underappreciated than Heaslip was. Which is rather staggering really.

If Heaslip was so good he would have been a starting Lion. Decent reliable player but offered no threat.

Kearney is the same. He is very solid under the high ball but offers little else. Liam Williams is far superior.

Ireland are fine playing this physical possession game when they are up for a one off match but back to back weeks during a WC the gameplan will be found out. You have to be scoring tries much easier especially off turnover ball.

Heaslip was a starting Lion!

You literally have no idea what you’re talking about.

Bridge93

Time for some to put the internet away for the day

dh1985

Faugheen wrote: »

Heaslip was a starting Lion!

You literally have no idea what you’re talking about.

I am glad someone said it. Hasn't a notion

lawrencesummers

When people are done grinding their own particular heaslip axes then this thread would be more interesting if it came back to 2019.

lawrencesummers

Bridge93 wrote: »

Time for some to put the internet away for the day

I blame the parents allowing them to stay up so late.

irishbucsfan

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Faleatau was the preferred 8 when fit.

Ah Jaysus, stop digging

Tigerandahalf

Faugheen wrote: »

Heaslip was a starting Lion!

You literally have no idea what you’re talking about.

Actually didn't realise he started that many tests. I still stand over what I said about him. Scotland or England had no quality 8s up against him either at that time. He was never a player that offered much off the back of the scrum. Solid and reliable but offered little else.

Cupp3r

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Faleatau was the preferred 8 when fit.

Your having a mare. IF HEASLIP WAS GOOD?

Dave_The_Sheep

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

https://twitter.com/RTErugby/status/1170351608514760704

For anyone who, like me, missed the game and our post match interviews, here's Rory Best's. Great servant, all the best.

These damn onions

Faugheen

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Faugheen wrote: »

Heaslip was a starting Lion!

You literally have no idea what you’re talking about.

Actually didn't realise he started that many tests. I still stand over what I said about him. Scotland or England had no quality 8s up against him either at that time. He was never a player that offered much off the back of the scrum. Solid and reliable but offered little else.

“If Heaslip was so good he would have been a starting Lion.”

“Heaslip started 5 tests”

“Didn’t realise it was that many, but he wasnt good anyway!”

Have a day off, mate.

Clegg

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Faleatau was the preferred 8 when fit.

So you'll just ignore the three tests Heaslip started in 2009? Good to know. Fwiw Faletau was fit the entire 2013 tour. He started 3 warm up games prior to the first test, yet Heaslip started the first two tests with Faletau benching.

salmocab

Well he may have started 5 lions tests but he did wear headphones, so he was a terrible player.

Clegg

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Actually didn't realise he started that many tests. I still stand over what I said about him. Scotland or England had no quality 8s up against him either at that time. He was never a player that offered much off the back of the scrum. Solid and reliable but offered little else.

Heaslip was nominated for world player of the year twice.

Bridge93

It’s like a crescendo of the arguments that have terrorized this site for the last 4 year cycle just in time for the WC. All we need is ‘Zebo should be picked from france, he brings that X Factor’ and we have the Holy Trinity

Clegg

Feck it I'll wade into Zebo territory too. He was never great for Ireland. Solid and dependable for sure, but he wasn't that superstar attacker some people have made him out to be. His performances for Ireland were never good enough for him to be an unstoppable player. Earls and Stockdale have been far better in green than Zebo ever has.

Wildly off topic now so I'll stop.

sydthebeat

Larmour wins a jackle.....

End thread

steves2

When Jackson's trial is brought up, then it's time to stop reading an Ireland thread. Then people saying Heaslip was no good just takes the biccie.

Neil3030

Missed the game, how did the midfield look? Bundee and Henshaw, wasn't it?

lawrencesummers

Neil3030 wrote: »

Missed the game, how did the midfield look? Bundee and Henshaw, wasn't it?

They were both crap, as you will soon learn from where this thread is going we would be far better served with a midfield of heaslip and Zebo. Heaslip obviously at 13.

whatawaster81

Neil3030 wrote: »

Missed the game, how did the midfield look? Bundee and Henshaw, wasn't it?

Henshaw in particular was excellent including a fantastic try saving tackle running back towards his own line. Aki was good as well but could possibly be critiscised for the try as he was the defender on his outside channel. Ringrose came on - on the wing when Earls came off injured.

thomond2006

sydthebeat

Neil3030 wrote: »

Missed the game, how did the midfield look? Bundee and Henshaw, wasn't it?

Good off the line, bundee still drawn inwards a few times when he should be trusting his inside defender.

Henshaw scrambled magnificatly, but was more of a battering ram going forward. Our most creative plays were when Sexton wasn't first receiver or when kearney stepped into the line.

I didn't see anything today against a passive enough Welsh defense to think that's the starting 12 / 13 in our first two games.

leakyboots

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Wales where all over ball and disrupting it....

Nothing McGrath or any 9 could do in that situation,....

I would suggest watch it back, maybe I'm wrong but I was seeing him dither most of the time

Rockbeast2

I'll take that result, guys.

Rob - the SILVER FOX - had his best game in two years.

Rory Best is 37

Sexton is not the player he was, carrying an injury* IMO.

*Sue me IRFU

Stander looks great at 6.

Bridge93

Selection headaches are at center, wing if Earls doesn’t make it, and backrow perhaps? Backrow went well today and stander played as well as he has in ages at 6. But we offered nothing on defensive line outs and with no toner, given the shakey nature of the lineout POM May become more important.

OldRio

OK..... That was a test match. Both sides wanted it. Players gave it 100%. Very happy from an Irish perspective. Players coming into form at the right time.
I would imagine lots of moves held back for the World Cup. Although offensive lineout was a cause for concern. (The ref copped onto the Welsh tactics eventually) Very passive in defence but that could be deliberate.

Rockbeast2

* The Hooker doesn't HAVE to throw to the lineouts.

** It's the one thing that has vexed me (LOL) over last 15 years (I'm less than 40!) it's that no team has executed the obvious to defeat the opposition's lineout...


I believe Mullet was our percentage King Thrower...


*** SB is a great guy, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkX4TgDMyZc

Shefwedfan

leakyboots wrote: »

I would suggest watch it back, maybe I'm wrong but I was seeing him dither most of the time

Well I think and some other posters said similar so I would suggest you might be wrong

It wouldn’t be like wales to spoil the ball

Shefwedfan

cavemeister wrote: »

Can we talk about the elephant in the room? Our wingers (or lack of)

We must be one of the few teams in the world without class out wide.

Larmor scored a screamer a few years ago but these days, whenever he gets the ball, he dances on the spot till he's tackled and Earls is too fragile now - Also, why was he played on the left wing when he is a right wing.

Ringrose is a center so he's out of position on the wing.

it is because of this, we are not scoring out wide.

Thoughts?

At this stage over the last few weeks so many elephants are in the room it’s full

Every time this elephant seems to be in the wrong room....on the wing we have
Earls: top class winger and huge experience
Stockdale: most exciting young winger in world
Conway: in form of his life and excellent player
Larmour: quality player and could be a star

Not a bad selection at all

Aidric

Very encouraging controlled performance by Ireland today. Henshaw, Kearney, Stander and Ryan were outstanding. Hopefully Carberry can get back to full fitness before the WC because Sexton is a liability at this stage.

Shefwedfan

Aidric wrote: »

Very encouraging controlled performance by Ireland today. Henshaw, Kearney, Stander and Ryan were outstanding. Hopefully Carberry can get back to full fitness before the WC because Sexton is a liability at this stage.

How is sexton a liability?

It’s his first start of the season and he had a decent second half till taken off

Is he supposed to turn up at the first game and unless he gets a 10 out of 10 he needs to be dropped?

ClanofLams

The good:

James Ryan - Phenomenal player, when O’Connell retired after 2015 RWC, there was a fear it would be a long time before a second row of his ability came along. Amazing that Ireland are going to the next World Cup with one. Astonishing that he’s only 23.

Rob Kearney - Best game in a long time. His ability to deliver a performance when needed has rarely let him down. Big game player.

Aki & Henshaw - Linked really well, best performance together for Ireland and could get better yet. Highly likely to be combo that starts as first choice.

Best/Schmidt farewell - Appropriate send off for two giants of Irish rugby.

CJ Stander - Not at the peak he has previously reached but his most effective game in a fair while all the same. Conan improved from last week but not sure he did enough to earn a starters spot against Scotland.

Dave Kilcoyne - What a vein of form he has come into, maybe I don’t watch enough of Munster but genuinely didn’t think he had these levels to his game.

The bad:

Line out - Not the clusterf**k it was against England but not reliable either. Going in the right direction I guess.

Half backs - Murray was a bit better but still very average by his high standards, Sexton was poor. Whether they can rediscover their best is likely to decide Irelands fate. No wish to reignite the scrum half debate but still don’t understand how Luke McGrath was brought. Slow to get ball out of the ruck and some inaccurate passing. Not what you want off the bench.

Shefwedfan

Shefwedfan wrote: »

How is sexton a liability?

It’s his first start of the season and he had a decent second half till taken off

Is he supposed to turn up at the first game and unless he gets a 10 out of 10 he needs to be dropped?

That poster has a very weird Sexton obsession. Ignore.

Anyway I thought that was decent enough. The attacking game was fairly turgid as it has been for the past 12 months or so but as an overall performance it was far more cohesive than we've seen up to now. That was a good Wales team, we shouldn't understate that. There were a couple of really good spells in defence. Thought Ryan and Henshaw made a huge difference, the latter has an amazing ability to come back into the Leinster/Ireland team after a layoff and instantly hit top gear.

Peregrine

This thread has been great for updating my ignore list before the World Cup.

Shefwedfan

Myla Early Schwa wrote: »

Anyway I thought that was decent enough. The attacking game was fairly turgid as it has been for the past 12 months or so but as an overall performance it was far more cohesive than we've seen up to now. That was a good Wales team, we shouldn't understate that. There were a couple of really good spells in defence. Thought Ryan and Henshaw made a huge difference.

Our attacking is turgid but we scored tries against a team who won the 6 nation by defending. I think I read somewhere they scored the same amount of tries to win the Grand Slam as Italy scored last season......


Also the ref didn't clamp down on penalties in the red zone, I have said this a few times but unless they start the World Cup will be ruined....anytime a team gets into a try scoring position the defending team just kills the ball....


I first noticed it when Australia played against us but it has seemed to continue


I don't think it was turgid, needs some work but like everything we need to get defence sorted and then attack

Shefwedfan

Peregrine wrote: »

This thread has been great for updating my ignore list before the World Cup.

Make sure you dont ignore yourself :P:P

Clegg

The replacements all made a great impact. Kilcoyne was obviously great, but Ringrose and Ruddock adapted to the pace of the game immediately and made a positive impact.

It's amazing what can happen in the space of a week. Feeling quite optimistic about this world cup now.