RWC 2023 Ireland v Romania Buildup - Sat 09th Sep 14:30 Bordeaux

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121069787#Comment_121069787

As it should be.

Given McCarthy's youthful exuberance and consequential penalty count though, I'd be opting for Henderson for that fixture. His leadership and experience immense too. McCarthy has another 3 World Cups in him if happens that he does not get much game time in France this time out. But I'm very glad he's there.

molloyjh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121072494#Comment_121072494

Did McCarthy not concede just a singular penalty in his 2 appearances in the warm-ups? He gave away 1 vs Italy IIRC and is down for 0 against England (I have the official match stats for that one but not the Italy one).

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121072761#Comment_121072761

He had a clean sheet iirc. Penalties being the biggest knock against since his debut.

leakyboots

Killer, Conan and Sheehan out for this one

swiwi_

Gonna be honest I’m not going to watch this game. It’s one if the duds of the opening round. It’s the equivalent of NZ vs Namibia in Pool A.

Ireland will put out a strong side then quickly bring on the subs once the score blows out.

Main goal will be no injuries.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121074233#Comment_121074233

Yeah if I wasn't Irish I probably wouldn't bother. There are some great games this weekend all the same. France v NZ obviously the major fixture but Scotland v South Africa a huge game, and due to recent form Wales v Fiji and England v Argentina are now major pool games. Going to be a very unproductive few days.

Following weekend by contrast is nothing to write home about - Aus v Fiji and England v Japan the only two games that aren't more or less foregone conclusions.

Crash

This is my spreadsheet of "matches I might want to watch".

Funnily enough, there's literally nothing on week 4 that I care about. Probably a couple of things i could watch if really bored (Japan vs. Samo, Fiji vs. Georgia) but nothing really of any real interest.

(Note, my sister-in-law is English, hence "England vs. Chile" being in there).

Podge_irl

To be fair, England vs Chile could be absolutely hilarious if Chile do well.

salmocab

Given how England celebrate a penalty I can imagine how they’ll celebrate slaying the mighty Chile

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121074636#Comment_121074636

They could become England's Hoodoo Chile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121074846#Comment_121074846

They're gone fierce Tim Henman alright.

Tennis fan: 'Tim, what did you win?'

Tim Henman: 'Nothing'

Tennis fan: 'Then why are you celebrating?

Tim Henman: 'TIM HENMAAAAAN'

walshb

Get ready for the usual "we're sh1te" if we don't win by minimum 50 points.

Buer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121075644#Comment_121075644

That's too clever for this place. Post reported.

thebaz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121066841#Comment_121066841

They are only in the tournament cause of a technicality with Spain -will be a run around, get lads fit and game time , like Sexton , Tonga will be a big step up, similar to Samoa game , thats where it starts for me. But we really are not going to learn much from Romania game , maybe a gauge where Sexton is at .

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121074155#Comment_121074155

I really think the match against Romania is a fixture we just have to fulfil and it’s the lowest possible concern, I reckon we will put out a completely weakened side plus whoever needs a run, and will still win by out 50 points.

So, I’d say as those three are still injured it will be something like:

Loughman, Kelleher, O’Toole,

Henderson, McCarthy,

Baird, Doris, O’Mahony,

Casey, Sexton,

O’Brien, McCloskey, Henshaw, Earls,

Crowley.

R: Herring, Porter, Bealham, Beirne, Van der Flier, Murray, Byrne, Aki.

Expect someone to replace Doris after around 45 minutes.

We might see Beirne come on for Doris and slot in at blind side and Baird might push over to 8, and Van der Flier to come on after around 50 minutes to relieve O’Mahony.

sydthebeat

key goals for romania game:

1. TBP win
2. No serious injuries
3. not to be overpowered up front ie maul defense should be top notch. at least parity at scrum time
4. clean first phase running lines and guys hitting their marks.
5. get 50 mins at least in johnnys legs, crowley for the last 30

The Parish King

Interestingly, Murray Kinsella is reporting that it should be close to a full strength team, with Joe McCarthy starting as well.

May be an indication of the coaches thinking, and could also be a great chance for him to lay down a marker and work his way in to the 23 for the more challenging tests along the way!

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121076251#Comment_121076251

I’d add “improved lineout” to that but that looks pretty spot on.

Must love hardship

Gerry T is not taking any chances with his squad.. not sure he left out anyone fit.. maybe casey?

IRELAND (possible): Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Johnny Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher/Rob Herring, Tadhg Furlong; Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan; Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.

Replacements: Rob Herring/Rónan Kelleher, Jeremy Loughman, Finlam Bealham, Joe McCarthy, Ryan Baird, Conor Murray, Ross Byrne/Jack Crowley, Stuart McCloskey/Robbie Henshaw/Keith Earls/Jimmy O’Brien

I'd like to see McCarthy start with Bierne at 6 and Baird at 19 and Pom in the no. 20 Jersey.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121078115#Comment_121078115

Serious curve ball there, potentially full strength for Romania as a warm-up for SA and the second string out against Tonga? Mad stuff

Neil3030

Get Sexton a hit-out with the first-teamers and assess things.

If we're seriously rusty, go full-bore again against Tonga.

But if we look sharp, start seconds against Tonga with a stacked bench in case of emergency.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121078180#Comment_121078180

If Ireland go full-strength I would expect about 6 tries in the first half, and about 6 substitutions at half-time.

pickarooney

I think we're going to go close to full strength all the way and count on our replacements being up to it if we get injuries or suspensions. We won't be risking losing any games.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121078218#Comment_121078218

In that case, if anyone has a niggle they would likely be dropped for the next match?

Just seems risky coming into the SA or Scotland matches.

pickarooney

Everything is a risk, fortune favours the brave and all that

Pete_Cavan

If planning to have lads performing well late into the tournament, the first choice lads have to go out against Romania. If they played Tonga, they would have to play SA the following week, Scotland two weeks later and then every week after that. It would be 6 games in 7 weeks, there is no chance of maintaining the intensity required given the quality of the teams we'd be playing.

I'd assume that they maintained a heavy training load later than they normally would coming up to a game. Realistically we don't have to do a huge amount of specific preparation for Romania. Between training hard and the temperatures this weekend, it'll still be a good workout even if we destroy the Romanians.

The firsts then get recovery while the second string prep for Tonga. The firsts can then start building towards SA without the distraction of Tonga. They'll have to go all out against SA but should be fresh going into it and they have recovery time after before attention turns to Scotland.

Only a weeks turn around to the quarters but the lads will be battlehardened by then but hopefully plenty left in the tank. France/NZ will have had a few nothing games before then, that may be an advantage or a disadvantage. We'll have to go full steam for three weeks on the trot through the knock out stage. Injuries will play a huge part in it but we have cover in most positions.

Brief_Lives

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121078215#Comment_121078215

thats my fantasy rugby team sorted

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121078248#Comment_121078248

I know Farrell has said that the Samoa game was set with the Tonga game in mind, but I wonder if the team for Tonga will be very similar to the team that played Samoa?

Which suggests to me that the Samoa game was a 'can we go second string and win' and I'm not sure the squad quite answered that.

kuang1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121078391#Comment_121078391

Well yeah they did... They won. In bad conditions with a lot of "easy fix" mistakes. So if we lengthen your question ever so slightly to "can we go second string and win against Tonga" then I think that was answered. (Not emphatically mind.)

We know Samoa bring more to the table than Tonga do at the moment. So I reckon second string does a fairly comfortable number on Tonga.

A counter to that is that it's Tonga's first game in the WC.

noc1980

We can batter Romania with whatever team we put out. It's the Tonga game we need to be at full strength for to amass a healthy points difference and if we didn't get a BP win it would be a disaster. We need to play our 1st team 3 games in a row to get out of the pool and with the recovery period from the 2 week break after the South Africa game we should be ok. If we stutter against Tonga with our 2nd string it could come back to bite us and wouldn't be great for our confidence heading into the SA and Scotland games.