Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Clegg

I expect a similar performance to the last time we played England. Our forwards will play well for the most part, eke penalties out of England and then we'll spend 50 minutes trying to batter through them in their 22, but to no success.

Our set piece and accuracy at the breakdown is possibly the best in the tournament. Our forwards match up pretty well to any side in the Six Nations. It's everything outside that which is the problem.

irishbucsfan

TRC10 wrote: »

Baird has been our reserve 2nd row the last 2 games. And in both games he's come on dome everything that's been asked of him and more. Now we have an injury in the 2nd row and he's earned his shot.

We were right to start POM in the Wales game because he was the form back row coming into the tournament. But now he's been out for 7 weeks and there are 3 or 4 guys playing better. I know he hasn't been injured but match fitness is a thing.

But Baird has played like 15 minutes or something (not sure of the total amount, may have been more against Italy).

Maybe you're right, and that amount of international rugby over the course of a 2 month tournament is the difference between being match fit and not.

Clegg

Mathieu Raynal is the referee for Saturday's match. Poite is TMO.

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1372501093905743872?s=09

Interested Observer

thomond2006 wrote: »

Beirne's jersey number doesn't matter.

Well it does, because someone else needs to fill in one or the other of them.

phog

TRC10 wrote: »

Baird has been our reserve 2nd row the last 2 games. And in both games he's come on dome everything that's been asked of him and more. Now we have an injury in the 2nd row and he's earned his shot. He also has buckets of potential and England won't know much about him. They know all about POM and his weaknesses.

We were right to start POM in the Wales game because he was the form back row coming into the tournament. But now he's been out for 7 weeks and there are 3 or 4 guys playing better. I know he hasn't been injured but match fitness is a thing.

If match fitness is your concern can you link me to your posts on your concerns for the match fitness of the likes of Lowe and Furlong who came straight back into the team after long lay offs

The Inbetween is mine

Daly in for Slade is the only English change.

sebdavis

POM is starting, end of story. As I said already once he was rolled out to the press the conversation was over.

More interesting will be who replaces Ringrose

irishbucsfan

The Inbetween is mine wrote: »

Daly in for Slade is the only English change.

I actually hadn't realised Slade would be missing.

That's great news for Ireland IMO

kilns

phog wrote: »

If match fitness is your concern can you link me to your posts on your concerns for the match fitness of the likes of Lowe and Furlong who came straight back into the team after long lay offs

Wasnt Furlong on the bench for the first two games and got game time that way?

bayern

aloooof wrote: »

Daly at 13? I don't follow the Premiership much, but has he been playing there much lately?

Daly plays for Saracens so he hasn't been playing at all.

aloooof

bayern wrote: »

Daly plays for Saracens so he hasn't been playing at all.

Brain fart. Even when Saracens were in the Prem, I don't remember him playing much at 13 at all.

thomond2006

Interested Observer wrote: »

Well it does, because someone else needs to fill in one or the other of them.

It doesn't in the sense that it won't impact Beirne's performance.

arsebiscuits1

phog wrote: »

If match fitness is your concern can you link me to your posts on your concerns for the match fitness of the likes of Lowe and Furlong who came straight back into the team after long lay offs

Furlong played a half of Rugby against the Scarlets prior to the 6N.

And then was benched for the first 2 games....

VANG1

Pity Ringrose would have loved to come up against Daly. He is not a centre and 13 is difficult to defend.

TRC10

phog wrote: »

If match fitness is your concern can you link me to your posts on your concerns for the match fitness of the likes of Lowe and Furlong who came straight back into the team after long lay offs

I didnt think either of them should start against Wales. Just because I didnt post about it doesn't mean I didnt think it.

If you think the Earth is round, please link me to your posts where you said it wasn't flat.

TRC10

VANG1 wrote: »

Pity Ringrose would have loved to come up against Daly. He is not a centre and 13 is difficult to defend.

13 has always been Daly's best position

Made his first England start there and played all his rugby for Wasps at 13.

RugbyLover123

13 is Daly’s preferred and his best position according to a lot of English media. Played a lot there for Wasps.

VANG1

Glad you’re such an expert on him. I didn’t know that he has been playing out of position for Saracens and England. Hope he’s a bit rusty then

TRC10

VANG1 wrote: »

Glad you’re such an expert on him. I didn’t know that he has been playing out of position for Saracens and England. Hope he’s a bit rusty then

No need for the sarcasm friend. He was played in the back 3 for England because he's a class player and they had guys like Joseph, Te'o, Tuilagi and Slade in the centre. But 13 has always been his preferred position. Stay safe x

phog

TRC10 wrote: »

I didnt think either of them should start against Wales. Just because I didnt post about it doesn't mean I didnt think it.

If you think the Earth is round, please link me to your posts where you said it wasn't flat.

You're the one jumping up and down trying to be right about one player but expressing zero opinion on others that had far less game time. It doesn't make sense.

TomsOnTheRoof

Baird is a wonderful prospect but I don't know why so many are keen to throw him in againt England. His form coming into the tournament wasn't spectacular and whilst he had a good block down when ge came on against the Scots he missed a fair amount on tackles. He's still very green and O'Mahony, suspension aside, has been in great form.

Clegg

Tom Curry will win his 33rd cap for England at the weekend.

He's 22 years old. Think we sometimes take for granted what a phenomenal player he is for his age.

kilns

Clegg wrote: »

Tom Curry will win his 33rd cap for England at the weekend.

He's 22 years old. Think we sometimes take for granted what a phenomenal player he is for his age.

And the post above sums up Ireland attitude to young players. We do we always go for the older player who's been there and not necessarily done that

errlloyd

OT: But would you rather be Ben Warburton or Ben Curry?

Accomplished rugby player, but nowhere near as good as your identical twin who is one of the best in the world.

Or never even really tried rugby, but your identical twin was one of the best in the world.

theVersatile

TomsOnTheRoof wrote: »

Baird is a wonderful prospect but I don't know why so many are keen to throw him in againt England. His form coming into the tournament wasn't spectacular and whilst he had a good block down when ge came on against the Scots he missed a fair amount on tackles. He's still very green and O'Mahony, suspension aside, has been in great form.

4 made 2 missed - according to Six Nations official stats - for context.

irishbucsfan

errlloyd wrote: »

OT: But would you rather be Ben Warburton or Ben Curry?

Accomplished rugby player, but nowhere near as good as your identical twin who is one of the best in the world.

Or never even really tried rugby, but your identical twin was one of the best in the world.

Which is the one where you get to tag along and just have free drinks while your sibling does all the hard work?

TRC10

phog wrote: »

You're the one jumping up and down trying to be right about one player but expressing zero opinion on others that had far less game time. It doesn't make sense.

Jesus christ nobody is "trying to be right" about anything, I just have an opinion so get down of your height horse for a minute. Anyway Furlong was only on the bench for the Wales game and had played 40 minutes the week before, I don't think anyone had an issue with that.

And as you know, the game time issue is just one of a few reasons why I wouldn't start POM (I'd have him on the bench). You also must consider that his replacements are playing really well.

The Lowe selection (while I wouldn't have done it) was a bold and exciting selection because we were desperately in need of some flair and creativity. Also, the other wingers weren't exactly setting the world alight.

Starting POM is neither bold nor exciting. It's a terribly conservative step in the wrong direction. And POMs replacements (Beirne, Conan, Baird, Connors, VDF) are all playing excellently.

The game time issue was only one of multiple issues. But of course you cherry pick that one so that you can go back to week one and say "gotcha"

TomsOnTheRoof

theVersatile wrote: »

4 made 2 missed - according to Six Nations official stats - for context.

Not as bad as I first thought but it's still a third of his tackles. The point about form still stands too. Like most people here I hope he goes on to deliver on his promise but I wouldn't be throwing him in against England.

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I mean, Baird has had a handful of minutes off the bench for Ireland. Maybe that'll come into it, but I'd be surprised if POM isn't in good condition, its not like he's been injured.

Why not just pick the reserve second-row when you have an injury to the second-row?

Or does the reserve have to wait until he has accumulated more minutes off the bench, in 10 minute chunks, over the next few years, mostly against Italy and the like, until he's "seasoned" (i.e. turning 30).

arsebiscuits1

TomsOnTheRoof wrote: »

Baird is a wonderful prospect but I don't know why so many are keen to throw him in againt England. His form coming into the tournament wasn't spectacular and whilst he had a good block down when ge came on against the Scots he missed a fair amount on tackles. He's still very green and O'Mahony, suspension aside, has been in great form.

2 missed within a few seconds of each other at 79 minutes against the Scots.

1 Hogg stepped inside him running laterally. Baird held his line and stayed connected with his team mates after a good read by Garry and CJ to force him back in. Good read of the situation. Needed marginally better execution but not a negative outcome by any means. Good defending of passive attack

2 came 10 seconds later. Bounced by Hamish Watson in a double tackle with CJ. Completely stopped his momentum in an obvious exit strategy for the Scots. Given Baird went high and CJ went low, he did more than enough here. Tackle assist often will bounce off and pillar. Baird probably went a bit further than expected.

Missed a good few tackles is overstated. As is the missed tackle stat imo