Ire v wales match tread ! 14.15 Feb fifth

ersatz

POM always seems to make a big momentum play in the last 15 minutes. How many turnovers inside our 22 does he make towards the end of tight games. I can see why any coach would love to have him to come in. Yes there are guys who are bigger carriers but there’s something very intelligent about his contributions as a sub.

Neil3030

I thought JGP had a fairly average showing. Far too many passes over lads' heads or at their knees. Hope that's just a bit of rust that he has now blown off before Paris.

molloyjh

Have seen a few of the “that’s not the Wales we’re used to seeing” comments in the media. Yeah they were bad, but what have people being watching since Pivac took over. We won 24-14 here 2 years ago with them getting 7 beyond the 80 when the game was over. Then in the Autumn we beat them here 32-9. We had a red card and a bunch of errors last year in Cardiff and still could have won it in the end.

All last year they were scraping through games with the benefit of red cards (sometimes combined with other yellows too) and dodgy refereeing decisions.

They aren’t a good side. And they haven’t been in years despite the Championship win last season.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118587938#Comment_118587938

They had a heap of injuries to deal with, they were missing six starters.

pickarooney

They won a slam three years ago and won it last year with a 5th place in between. So, yeah, it's exactly the Welsh team we're used to.

Neil3030

It was a very depleted Welsh team. But I actually thought they played reasonably well, particularly in defense. Welsh D is seriously under-rated. We frequently struggle to break it down.

awec

It was a middling performance from us really, but we won comfortably because Wales are absolutely mince.

molloyjh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118587970#Comment_118587970

But they weren’t for all those previous games. Wales aren’t great so missing those guys they were always going to struggle.

Ardillaun

Wales had a decent scrum as it turned out but their backs, from whom I expected more, looked like they’d just met. Adams in particular was terrible. We messed up quite a few chances out there although our passing was generally excellent. Porter was everywhere. He always seems to tackle a wing at some point. Statistically, are place-kicks missed equally to left and right? Sexton seems to have a slicing tendency.

France will be a big step up.

OldRio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118588038#Comment_118588038

Our middling performances are a damn site better than other teams good performances. That is where we are.

Strand1970

I really enjoyed how they used Hanson today. Especially watching sexton, aki and hanson having a chat while a scrum was being form. It was like watch a QB in the NFL before a play. Thought Hanson was good on the ball and will keep defenses guessing. He was a bit lost positional wise on a good few occasions but that's to be expected. I wrote off Sexton years ago but I was 100% wrong and really hope he plays in the world cup, he is just class.

Dubinusa

Mixed bag. Lots of talking points. Thought JGP was poor. Furlong quiet and Kelleher too. Good discipline though. Hanson was good and that's a great debut. I thought Conway and Ringrose were superb.

jimdemp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118587901#Comment_118587901

Actually if JGP gets injured who would be the next in like or the most like for like?? he was very poor today and Murray should not start games for Ireland

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118588469#Comment_118588469

JGP did have a few poor passes and a couple of moments where he looked lost but he has a lot in the bank after November. It was nice to see Murray sniping but god he's slow. Maybe time for Doak to come in?

jimdemp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118588396#Comment_118588396

Ya Aki and Hanson took on the playmaking roles today, throw in lowry or keenan and thats a lot of options. Aki gave some great passes today and as Joe always said he is a great playmaker, although Bod and Ruairi oconner always slated him saying he cant pass, he just has power. But i put that down to provincial bias

jimdemp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118588486#Comment_118588486

Yes i agree with you. I always said Marmion should be in the squad but if you watch how Doak has improved from the munster game they lost with 14 to the Connacht game Friday i think Doak needs to be given a chance. Goes to show what gametime can do for a young player

sydthebeat

Poor Jim can't make a comment without a leinster angle

Makes him the definitive LOTM then

Strand1970

Ireland have plenty of options at scrum half. Murray was a world class player, I just don't understand why he is in the squad now. But Farrell has a made alot of good calls on players and has credit in the bank.

Strand1970

MrTea

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118587901#Comment_118587901

he made a few mistakes, and wasn't as phenomenal as he has been, yet he steadied himself in the second half. It was brutal out there weatherwise, and Wales D was up and on him at times. First game of a 6n after a break, and his debut start in a 6n (i think?) so a lot of nervous energy. As you say, hopefully it's rust that'll be gone for next weekend. I really love how he plays for us, he's crucial to our play.

molloyjh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118588717#Comment_118588717

Yeah, he started badly, but settled and ended up doing grand overall.

Ardillaun

When Basham broke for the line, Murray was clearly unable to match his pace. Is he the slowest of our top scrum-halves?

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118588516#Comment_118588516

What’s an LOTM?

Did you mean Leinster Obsessed Munster Fan, LOMF?

kuang1

Haven't read through the thread so I'm unlikely to be the first to say it... But Hansen being given MOTM was a feckin joke.

He played very well don't get me wrong, but I had Porter nailed on for it myself, with Ringrose a close second.

Would have put Sexton in 3rd place. Ok he wasn't as accurate off the tee as we've been spoiled with in the past, but Christ he was ferocious in his defencive duties.

Nonetheless well done Mack. Great debut.

And Donal Lenihan...you're a twit.

Burkie1203

Hansen had a really fine game and put some lovely passes in the build up to scores. He got a fairly meaningless sponsor driven award. Think too much being made of it tbh

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118589293#Comment_118589293

Leinster obsessed turnip muncher

Jim gets a acronym all for himself

Burkie1203

Kelleher off the deck, superb stuff

https://twitter.com/brettruganalyst/status/1490056040980832260?t=7GsaZFT3aYFXiCF-RN7vXg&s=19

sydthebeat

Some notable stats.

We only conceded 6 pens to their 14

We won 15 of our 16 lineout and disrupted 4 of their 12

Interestingly they are down for throwing 8 off loads to our 6. Didn't seem like that at the game, but I suppose a pass off while Ireland are trying to hold you up for a maul is considered an off load, and there was a few of them.

We beat 22 defenders though, to their 10, which is the most telling stat imo

Dubinusa

They certainly missed Tipuric and AWJ. For the most part their forwards looked, slow, not very athletic and low on skill. Their 2nd row are big men with nothing much going for them. Beirne and Ryan are several grades above them.

Which leads to the fact that the skills our forwards have are extraordinary. Everyone can make their passes, tackle well and get right back into position. It's telling that the evolving structures of our play is helped by a mobile, skillful and fast set of forwards. The tempo employed by our lads is wearing other forward packs down. A slower mudslinging arm wrestle would suit Wales.

It was also nice seeing us put in some crunching tackles. Ryan had a couple and I think Kelleher had one also. A surprising thing for me, was I thought our scrum wasn't as good as it was 3 months ago? I can see us struggling against France.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118589563#Comment_118589563

The sorts of tries we were absolutely not scoring in the last few years especially under Schmidt. Don't think I realised it was straight from a turnover. Everyone does so well, love the way Hansen straightens and gives the pass.

AbusesToilets

Porter getting a lot of credit, but he was very poor in the scrum. Another ref would've blown him off the park in the 1st half.

lawrencesummers

Im looking forward to seeing the analysis of the game.

The amount of times Aki took the ball at first receiver is a new innovation and makes a lot of sense.

It makes the defense worry about his carrying ability into the opposite 10, keeps sexton out of trouble and allows sexton to get ringrose and the back 3 into the game a lot more.

Teams have known for a while that if you stop sexton then you stop ireland and this makes it a lot harder to get the cheap late hits that NZ put in on him during the autumn.

france might look to combat it next week once they watch the video and ireland might be better at it having done it in practice this weekend

Dave_The_Sheep

Between this thread and the Six Nations main one, I am disgusted at the slipping standards in terms of thread titles. I know the site upgrade has a lot against it but surely we can do better than this.

Dubinusa

It's funny how your perception changes after watching the match several times. I originally thought that Furlong had a quiet enough shift, by his standards! I was mistaken! He put in a good solid shift. Same with Kelleher and Porter. All 3 were exceedingly good.

Beirne and Ryan both played very well. They both carried well and were put about all over the field. Ryan was really good tackling.

Vdf, Conan and Doris were decent. Doris started strong but went off the boil. VDF,outstanding and Conan was good, if not spectacular.

Not to be a langer but, JGP was very poor, imo. A lot of mistakes and some poor options. I am not singling out the IQ player! Hold onto your knickers boys, but he was pretty poor. That's after watching it 3 times. If Murray made these errors, I know I would be dumping on him.

Sexton is eons ahead of everyone else. Bad day off the tee, but he was class.

Hansen very good! Great effort and he looks the business, Conway was excellent. I think he's underrated and is our best wing. Keenan a mixed bag. But still made his tackles and adds so much to the attacking platform. Aki and Ringrose were superb.

The bench was decent, if not spectacular. Farrell got lads off early which will benefit us next week. A decent start for us and a he'll of a tilt coming up! Wales are gash, just so poor in so many area. The line out was poor and the defense was a shambles. Their best weapon was Biggar hoisting contestable garryowens. The forwards were low on skill compared to us. I suppose missing Navidi and Tuperic is tough, as they are very good and skilled. I think the Scots can beat them. Privacy has an uphill climb to get these lads functioning.

lawrencesummers

A large element of the welsh problem is the over reliance that have had on a key leader and decision maker in AWJ.

Let us not get to far ahead of ourselves here because we have our own aging key leader and decision maker who is prone to injury.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118589601#Comment_118589601

We only conceded 6 pens to their 14

We were only penalised 6 times by a ref that missed a few by us, the most notable being James Ryan's entry to a ruck in the first half.

But yes. Our discipline was better than the Welsh but then again they seemed to be under pressure in defence so were using the slowing the ball down tactic which can catch up on you with penalties.

pc7

I was same with furlong, was at the match and texted home at half time saying are they saying anything up with furlong. Then rewatched it and was much easier seeing what he was at.

How were people thinking that Furlong was not at the races? He was everywhere

pc7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118594098#Comment_118594098

Think it was where we were sitting, just couldn’t see it as most was middle of pitch. As I said when I rewatched it was so different. I may need to go to spec savers as with Conan and Kellehers heads looking same it was confusing me more than once .

OldRio

I said a while ago I would be disappointed if we didn't put 40 on them.

With a caveat that the weather was atrocious I still was dissapointed. The second and final quarters of the game were so so.

When the bench was emptied the impact was non existent for the team. Yes the game was won but camped on their line you would expect better results.

Saying all that, we utterly took them to pieces. A great win with plenty to work on.

Dubinusa

I think I missed Furlongs involvement because of the pace of our rucks. We were out of the rucks and off down the field. I guess that I picture Furlong carrying hard into the defensive line. Furlong was top notch! My eyes deceived me. For the most part we played at an extraordinary pace and it wore Wales down eventually. The penalty count for Wales paints a picture of a side under stress. I think our confidence in playing a fast paced game was killing any hold that Wales had to get into the game. When Wales did have a purple patch, they were repelled quite easily.

Furlong has a workrate that is quality. Compare his involvement to Tom Francis! Francis is a good scrummaging player, but is not on Furlongs level is open play.

Ardillaun

There’s lots to praise in our open play - how about those unopposed tries - but I hope our scrum holds up against France.

Conway had an excellent game. Although he’s not going to beat too many defences at this level on the outside, and they must know that, he’s a good all-rounder otherwise.

pickarooney

Conway has quietly gone about the job of becoming Ireland's best winger. It's very hard to find a weakness in his game and he rarely has an off-day. I think he deserves recognition as our first-choice winger on either side at least until someone does something extraordinary to dislodge him. I'm a big fan of both Baloucoune and Larmour but they need to earn their spots.

Dubinusa

Conway is excellent. A complete player and definitely has earned his place.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118596509#Comment_118596509

He beat the last defense he came up against on the outside, all the more impressive when you consider he was on one knee when he took the pass.

ersatz

Yeah, Conway is incredibly consistent and works his arse off every game. Would he have had the same career if he’d stayed at Leinster, I doubt it.

Anyone know whether Hansen has played ten as a pro? And has he played exclusively on the wing for Connacht or has been used at FB also?

salmocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118602527#Comment_118602527

I’ve often said if players like Beirne had stayed in Leinster (or indeed any player that moved from a club and became successful) they may not have become the player they did but in Conways case I suspect he would have. My memory of him leaving is that he played a lot and very well in the last few months at Leinster.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118602527#Comment_118602527

Never started as a 10, but has come off the bench to play that position for the brumbies, filling in on 2 or 3 occasions. He's a decent place kicker as well.

His preferred position is actually full back, though I'm not sure if he's played there for connacht

leakyboots

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118593505#Comment_118593505

Fair analysis, I thought Sexton, the front row, centres, Hansen and Conway were in fine form. Hansen, much like Lowe in the AIs, wasn't tested too much defensively so I'll still withold judgement on that aspect of his game but I loved how much he went looking for work. There were a couple of times I was wondering what he was doing infield SO much. Conway could take a leaf out of his book and come infield a bit also to be honest. Second row and backrow were industrious without being spectacular (maybe excluding VdF who was very busy, posted some brilliant stats).

I thought it was a quiet game too for Doris after a bright start and also Keenan but then I see Doris making a lot of team of the weekends... so...?

JGP was poor though. Had a couple of kicks charged down, throw some awful passes and just looked very indecisive at times. Murray would have gotten absolutely slaughtered for that performance like you said. He improved in the second half without being spectacular. I thought Murray did well like you said, looked to keep them honest around the ruck with some nice little breaks but threw a dodgy one to Beirne - but Beirne should still not have tried that offload.

I don't think there's anything Murray can do to convince some people on here that he can play this tempo, I've read him being 'glacial' and all this nonsense in matches very recently when he clearly hasn't been. Murray can play quick tempo, go back and watch the most recent last couple of Munster matches. His tempo was fine when he came on the other day. I don't think he's done enough to start and I'd still start JGP as it could be just ringrust but I don't think there's too much between them. I do think the 9 jersey is up for grabs in a wider context if someone really puts a run of form together for their club side and get the nod for NZ and go well.

On Conway, he works his socks off, he's earned his slot I think. Can cover all back 3 positions too, not sure if any of the others do that, Earls mayyyybe but it's been a long time since he wore 15. Larmour could too I guess. I remember seeing Conway score a wonder try against Munster A years ago and wondering who the hell this guy was, he destroyed half the team.

People rave about the skills of our fatties but the French are well stocked in that departément too, their props showed lovely flashes against Italy of handling and pop passes and being there for multiple carries in phases. I think it'll be quite the slog up front. I just wonder can our sub front row have the same sort of impact as Demba Bamba etc. It's going to be a right battle!

penybont exile

Very impressive win for Ireland last week ..... score flattered us TBH.

Been busy this week so haven't been able to comment though from our perspective it was a bit of a horror show from minute 2 onwards.

Big challenge against the Scots tomorrow. Must win otherwise Pivac will see the pressure really ramp up. He's made some questionable selections over his tenure which is not helping his perception with the public.

I didn't think we would win last week though I expected better from the team. Ireland are a tough nut in Dublin ..... it will be interesting to see how they go tomorrow without JS. Big opportunity for JC.