Six Nations 2023 - Wales v Ireland, Sat 4th Feb, KO 2:15PM - TV: VM1, BBC1, S4C

Interested Observer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202680#Comment_120202680

When did you say that? What post? Can you quote yourself there?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202725#Comment_120202725

They were relentless in the second half. Came out with a fire lit under them and we still had their number.

We're in very good shape.

Interested Observer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202213#Comment_120202213

He is absurdly good. He's heading for the absolute top tier of Irish players of the pro era on this trajectory. He could end up as good or better than Heaslip.

Cosmo Kramer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202737#Comment_120202737

He's already better than Heaslip. Like you say, he's heading for that top tier of Irish players in the pro era - it depends where you draw the line I suppose, but if you define "absolute top tier" as a top 10 or thereabouts, Heaslip never quite got there whereas Doris is already thereabouts.

Clegg

What encourages me is that Wales tried to target the ruck and slow down our ball, but failed miserably. France made a mess of our ball last season and completely threw our attack out. Today we protected our ball excellently, generated sub three seconds ruck ball on many occasions and essentially win the game in 30 minutes.

France are a far better side than Wales, but we showed that we are aware of where we're susceptable to disruption and made sure we weren't hit unawares. France will definitely have more success at slowing down our ball, but the fact we've worked to shore up that area gives me confidence.

cadaliac

We'll see how the French play tomorrow and how they manage (like we did playing an inferior team).

I thought Shane Horgans comment that we were "mature" in the way we handled things was interesting, and right.

Dallagio's comment that it was over after 25 minutes was also correct.

Nature took its course after that and of course Wales had a purple patch - that was to be expected - akin to night following day.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202731#Comment_120202731

Murray was extremely good, to the point we didn't miss JGP

he was sharp, crisp and defended dominantly. No idea how anyone saw him as having a poor game

Water John

Murray had basically to alter his style of play as in quick ruck ball and quicker passing. Fair measure of the man that he's adjusted.

FrancieBrady

Do we know how long Gibson Park is gonna be out for?

Interested Observer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202766#Comment_120202766

Imo Heaslip is right up there with POC, SOB, ROG, etc. In the group of whoever comes behind Sexton and BOD. I personally wouldn't be saying he's better than Heaslip yet, because Heaslip did it for 10+ seasons, 100 international caps, test Lion on two tours, bucketload of trophies, etc.

Watching the sheer scale of deflation is really what the six nations is all about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyXiR32ifI8&ab_channel=RugbyPass

irelandrover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202766#Comment_120202766

Heaslip definitely was there. Doris is getting there.

Heaslip is a test lion. And was nominated for player of the year twice.

Cosmo Kramer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202852#Comment_120202852

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202833#Comment_120202833

Possibly prioritising longevity over quality there though.

This would be my list, for all it's worth (not necessarily in exact order:

BOD

Sexton

POC

Furlong

Wood

ROG

Flier

Doris

SOB

Kearney

Murray, Heaslip and others in the next tier just below.

Nice geographic spread on that list incidentally - I think 9 different counties. No Ulsterman though.

Keenan would be close to breaking in there also.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202675#Comment_120202675

The point is, when Ireland weren’t on their game, Wales were a match for them, the patches where Ireland were on their game they did make Wales look poor, which is great to see.

If Ireland were after scoring 4 tries by half time and had started substituting players off early and adopted a relaxed game plan, eg kick long and soak tackles, and run down the clock, then I’d agree, but that wasn’t what happened, Ireland did struggle for about 40 minutes to clinch the bonus point try, while Wales had a few chances to score but for very good defending.

The coaches will have a lot to go over on Monday morning, and France will be a much better team. My main concern is I don’t think Ireland switched off, I think they struggled to score and Wales found a way to stifle them, so France might see something in that to work on for next week.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202899#Comment_120202899

Agree with last paragraph for sure.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202912#Comment_120202912

I don’t think Ireland will get much insight from the Italy v France game, so France will have an advantage in that regard.

naughtyboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202731#Comment_120202731

Ireland are a very forward orientated team, when our forwards are on top we play really well.

But when teams match parity with our forwards we struggle, and when teams like Wales beat us at the breakdown , or France and England beat up our forwards we struggle.

Our back play today was poor, Murray Sexton and mccloskey did not play well as a unit regardless of what people say on here. Their poor play was the main reason the backs never got going

Murray and Sexton as a pairing are finished, they are too slow and Wales showed that today for 50 minutes

crossman47

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202152#Comment_120202152

I agree about Murray. All his critics are quiet to night. Not only could he attack at speed but his defensive work in the second half was top class.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202964#Comment_120202964

EVERY SINGLE TEAM who's forwards struggle will find it hard to win games

We just beat the most forward orientated team on the world last November by matching then up front

There's nothing wrong with our forwards. England haven't been anywhere near our forwards strength for a long while now

AccidentallyOnside

Keenan is a ridiculous player- the sort of player that only NZ used to produce: massive work rate and just does EVERYTHING right.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202964#Comment_120202964

Our record since Wales won the 6N is won 15, lost 2.

The 2 losses were to NZ in Eden Park (where they’ve never lost a game since the game went pro) and France in Paris (who are favourites for the RWC).

So I’m not really seeing these games where we’ve struggled tbh.

And if Murray and Sexton are finished, and we can still win by 24 points in Cardiff, the rest of the team must be phenomenal.

Really enjoyed that win.

I'm glad that for once it went as expected. I had said on the Ireland Team Talk thread I couldn't see a scenario where we weren't considerably better than that Welsh side, and all the indicators told you we should win well.

A key thing for me about that Irish side was the professional and business-like like way we went about winning it, and how lowkey and composed we were after winning in Cardiff for the first time in 10 years. Hugo Keenan's post match interview was like it was after a routine TBP win for Leinster over the Dragons or someone shite in the URC. Massive contrast to the exuberance of the Scots after winning in Twickenham.

A lot of what they seemed to be trying to do this week (and some things we wouldn't have planned) - the camp in Portugal, trying to play in a hostile atmosphere with the roof closed etc and then the two late injury withdrawals, are exactly the sort of adversity you encounter in a RWC.

Weren't really any bad performers for Ireland today, but I thought Sheehan, James Ryan, Conor Murray, Stuart McCloskey and Hugo Keenan were all superb. Caelan Doris was the best player on the pitch. Bench brought good impact too - Henderson had about three big carries in the lead up to JVDF's try, Bundee brought huge energy and Ross Byrne had a nice shape on our attack in those closing minutes.

Good win - hopefully no fresh injury concerns and on to next week.

naughtyboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202984#Comment_120202984

I agree out forwards are good but when they struggle we struggle, really struggle

Our back play is not built to score tries from nothing , there is no bit of magic

The main reason for that is that Sexton is not very mobile and other teams know he can't strike himself, problem is you add in Murray and that's 2 players who offer no real running attack play

naughtyboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202996#Comment_120202996

To be clear i said Murray and Sexton as a pairing are finished, Sexton is still first choice 10, he just needs someone like Park or a casey beside him

phily2002

Anyone get the Rob Kearney WhatsApp, not sure if facial exercises or a bit of white confidence!!

Lil Fred

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120202737#Comment_120202737

All in all heaslip was no great shakes in retrospect

kuang1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120203024#Comment_120203024

You're such a naughty boy 😂😂😂

Personally? I'm getting very fcuking drunk because my team (Ireland) beat a Wales team that was hyped up (by some, not all) during the week as a potential banana skin for us.

Didn't fcukin happen, didn't nearly fcukin happen.

Natural order is still in effect.

Hmph.

Edit.....

I am already drunk.

AbusesToilets

Happy to have been proven wrong with regards Murray, one the best games I've seen him play.

naughtyboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120203056#Comment_120203056

Enjoy

Water John

It's a very old adage, that forwards win matches and backs decide by how much.