Ireland Team Talk XI: Team of nervoUS MOD warning Post 1

OneLungDavy

Clegg wrote: »

BOD was talking about this in a recent interview with Murray Kinsella. This is a gem for a few reasons. BOD playing at outhalf, wearing the 17 jersey and looking like a baby. And there's an utter lack of rush defence. So alien in the modern game.

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1319669914425176064?s=19

Why on earth did he take the drop goal there?

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1319633026377199618?s=19

randomname2005

OneLungDavy wrote: »

Why on earth did he take the drop goal there?

It looked like a 2 on 5

kingofthekong

randomname2005 wrote: »

It looked like a 2 on 5

2 on 5 against Romania = an overlap

realhorrorshow

OneLungDavy wrote: »

Why on earth did he take the drop goal there?

Because he had made a bet with David Humphreys that he would score a drop goal.

Losty Dublin

Match Thread up

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=115042269#post115042269

Bogwoppit

sydthebeat wrote: »

On your behalf I'm throwing a tenner on Keenan to score a try on Saturday....

Well well well........

sydthebeat

wittycynic wrote: »

Happy and all as I am to see prospects handed a cap, is it really a good idea to start Keenan on the wing, a guy who has just one try to his name at provincial level (scored back in 2018) in a game where we need to rack up a massive score to have even the remotest chance of remaining in the hunt for the championship?

Hummmmmmmm........

Clegg

Hard to rate that performance. We were decent in the first half of a bit rusty at times. Think our backrow was very important in asserting our dominance and will almost certainly be retained for the France game.

The opening 20 of the second half was awful. Couldn't keep hold of the ball and passive in defence. Final 20 minutes was great fun. Found soft shoulders in Italy's defence and offloaded for fun.

Buer

France will comfortably beat us if we play like that again. Good to see guys get a shot and experience but our error count was huge and the opposition poor.

Not sure any changes will happen for next week. Back row was very good individually. Healy will be there due to lack of options. Herring will probably retain his spot but no qualms if Heffernan got in.

Henshaw straight in obviously. He looked good and his physicality will be useful next week.

Exclamation Marc

Balls

https://twitter.com/RuaidhriOC/status/1320047976878931968?s=19

Larbre34

Thats an exaggeration I think Buer.

The signs were there for an ambitious but positive gameplan, keeping the ball, bringing players onto the ball at speed, backing the offload as a skill, no box kicking, rush defending. Its higher risk, sure and Sexton himself acknowledged the few errors it can bring about, but these players want to be playing this way, they have the skills and the mindset for it and it energises a team, which bear in mind never played together before today with debuts and combination changes.

France will have some rust next week just like we will, but I'm very happy to back a team willing to die with their boots on. Longer term, this looks really positive.

Clegg

Ringrose injury is a huge blow. He's our only centre that offers something a bit different. Henshaw will never shirk the physical battle, but our midfield was a creative blackhole with he and Aki.

Clegg

With the caveat of Italy being crap, it was good to see our bench making an impact. Our front row replacements didn't drop the physicality of the starters one bit. And JGP's service was accurate and very quick. Also saw a few playmaking snippets from him with his chip for Sexton to regather.

Exclamation Marc

Clegg wrote: »

With the caveat if Italy being crap, it was good to see our bench making an impact. Thought our front row replacements didn't drop the physicality of the starters one bit. And JGP's service was accurate and very quick. Also saw a few playmaking snippets from him with his chip for Sexton to regather.

And good to see the box kick being limited.

sydthebeat

Happy enough that what I was hoping to see happen took place.

While possession was 50/50 our ruck numbers were right down on last year.
130 versus 95.
We played through contact a lot more, obviously off loaded so much more, even if it didn't always go to hand. The jackler laws now mean there are a lot more turn overs on possession so it's less punishable to throw a slightly risky off load.

We made 10 clean breaks, off loaded 11 times and beat 25 defenders. Our best attacking stats since the 58-15 game in 2016 I would suggest.

Not perfect by a long shot, and we won't get those easy opportunities against France..... But if we stand up in defense I think there's enough variety in our attack to cause France trouble. If we can continue to play through the contact and keep that defensive line on the back foot, their physically will be weakened.

Should we go a score or two ahead near half time, who knows where the French heads might go to

Bazzo

Clegg wrote: »

Ringrose injury is a huge blow. He's our only centre that offers something a bit different. Henshaw will never shirk the physical battle, but our midfield was a creative blackhole with he and Aki.

That's way OTT, a centre partnership of Aki Henshaw is a million miles from the worst of Ireland's problems.

kingofthekong

Murray was the 3rd best Irish scrum half today, Jgp speeds up everything Ireland do, his pass is far more powerful which reaches the man faster, his decision making his faster and he offers a sniping threat that Murray no longer does

bilston

I'm feeling pretty positive about Ireland after today.

Sexton's try and was a wonderful combination of power, pace but great handling as well.

The back row were superb. The defence wmsmothered Italy all day, except for the final seconds of the match. The set piece was strong, the lineout was very impressive, all round it was good.

There were mistakes as well, but you can see that Ireland have changed things up a bit. Next week will be a real test though. The back row battle will be crucial.

CMcsporty

Yeah the backrow were good.
I’d go same again next week v Cros, Ollivon & Aldritt.

I find it extremely hard to gauge any performance v Italy.
Suppose it was better than last years shambles.

They talked ALLOT about the energy they would bring and they did.....but it’s Italy!!

Still think France will give us a good beating.

Fair play to Connors and Keenan. Probably the two best performances and earned the right to start again next week. But Stockdale at FB? No thanks.

UAEguy2020

CMcsporty wrote: »

Yeah the backrow were good.
I’d go same again next week v Cros, Ollivon & Aldritt.

I find it extremely hard to gauge any performance v Italy.
Suppose it was better than last years shambles.

They talked ALLOT about the energy they would bring and they did.....but it’s Italy!!

Still think France will give us a good beating.

Fair play to Connors and Keenan. Probably the two best performances and earned the right to start again next week. But Stockdale at FB? No thanks.

Considering France couldn’t even give this Italy side a good beatings today a good beating I would say that’s unlikely

I must ask what French team have people been watching? They have been decent but for example if Ireland played the way France did vs Scotland and Italy we would give them a rinsing yet when France play like that they get a free pass.

France for all we know may give us a bashing but it’s not based on anything we have seen so far.

bilston

CMcsporty wrote: »

But Stockdale at FB? No thanks.

I just disagree with this sentiment so strongly.

Was he perfect? No. Was anyone? No

Did he drop one high ball? Yes

The positives outweighed the negatives quite comfortably IMO.

The clearance kicks were very effective and the running from deep was superb as well.

I'd 100% be persevering with him there. Come the 2021 6Ns with a run of games behind him I think he will make the position his own.

I don't know why people get so down on him to be honest.

Buer

Dumping Stockdale from FB would be a waste. He clearly has potential there and we have no established option. If it was a few years ago and we had RK waiting to come back in then fine but we can't just hop from option to option without giving anyone a run to show their ability there.

CMcsporty

bilston wrote: »

I just disagree with this sentiment so strongly.

Was he perfect? No. Was anyone? No

Did he drop one high ball? Yes

The positives outweighed the negatives quite comfortably IMO.

The clearance kicks were very effective and the running from deep was superb as well.

I'd 100% be persevering with him there. Come the 2021 6Ns with a run of games behind him I think he will make the position his own.

I don't know why people get so down on him to be honest.

That’s ok to disagree!

The reason I don’t see him as a FB is not because he wasn’t perfect but because he is a winger who has difficulty defending and is playing FB.
Not everyone can play FB.

We also had 2 wingers playing today who are superior FB’s to Stockdale.

My solution for today’s game and France would have been to play Keenan at FB.

Obviously Farrell sees it different!
But his logic seems a little skewed. Unless he is willing to persist with Stockdale as a FB going forward.
Which would mean dropping or moving the incumbent FB (Larmour) to wing. Continue playing an excellent FB (Conway) on the wing.
I even think Lowry is a better FB option for Ulster!

So that’s my logic.

And leaving aside his poor attempt today at catching. The primary reason Larmour might be moved is because he also isn’t great in the air. Just like Stockdale!
He also ran the ball from his 22 today and luckily duck hooked his kick and it bounced before going out on the full.
He also kicked ahead today and his piss poor tackle attempt on the chase was easily avoided.
Again he has bad history of missing those tackles.
So not only was it the wrong decision to kick he is a liability trying to chase it down and nail the receiver.
I also noticed in the the 1st half that Keenan had to roar at him (twice!) before the penny dropped that he had to cover the backfield.

Solution to me would be to move Keenan to FB and keep Stockdale at 11.
That’s where would keep him long term.

D15er

Stockdale is poor in the air but has plenty of other qualities. I'd give him another run.

Not sure why people keep talking about Conway at FB, I don't know when he last played a meaningful game there.

Keenan could use another couple of games on the relative safety of the wing to get to test intensity.

sydthebeat

We've essential equal winger / fullback qualities between Conway, stockers, and Keenan.

Each of arguably as good on the wing as per 15.

I do like the threat Jacob presents from broken play, even though his left foot chip gets telegraphed so early..

Conway has the aerial ability but his kick return is the most non threatening of the 3

Keenan really impressed me today, qualities of Jacob 2018. That ability to drive through contact after fielding was so good today.

If Stockdale can get 10% more secure under the high ball then I'd be quite happy with that back 3

thomond2006

So Ringrose is out and Earls was training with the squad today.

Well it's obvious isn't it? Earls at 13 against France.

WhoamI2022

Conway played maybe 2 years ago if not more at Fullback. He is not an option. If the Irish management felt he was an option he would have got minutes prior to the start of the internationals.

It was clear from the restart of this season they had picked Stockdale to be an option at 15, nothing from the game today would suggest they will drop Stockdale

WhoamI2022

thomond2006 wrote: »

So Ringrose is out and Earls was training with the squad today.

Well it's obvious isn't it? Earls at 13 against France.

Now that is a fishing post. Watch boards melt down at the mention of Earls at 13 :P

PTH2009

Roll on super saturday

Looking like a bonus point win will be are only chance of getting the title (unless in a freak result with Italy beating England, in which a normal win for us is enough)

The result in the Scotland vs Wales game is irrelevant and England could slaughter Italy and get the BP win. At least we know what we have to do