Six Nations 2023 - Ireland v France Build-Up Thread, Sat 11th Feb KO 2:15PM - TV: RTÉ2, ITV, France2

OK its the most important part to the defense is making your tackles. He made 5 and missed 1 which was poor

This. The team needs to be merit based. If POM isn't hitting the levels he was last season, then his place should rightly be threatened.

I didnt say he should be dropped because his stats are bad. You brought up the stats and said he had the best ones but didn't show anything to back it up. I showed one area of the stats(tackling) where he was our poorest performer.

I said he should be dropped because others are playing better than him. He was brilliant in the second NZ test but hasn't come close to that level of performance since. If he recapture that form I'd be happy for him to start.

Again I didn't say POM played poorly, I said his tackling was low numbers which it was and he missed one. His last 3 games his tackling stats have been poor. I said he was 6-7 out of 10. He was grand but had none of his big moments that he was getting frequently last year. I also think others are playing better and he's not doing enough keep his spot.

Ringrose always has the most missed tackles because he's the shooter, he comes flying out of the line to break up the opposition attack, if he makes the hit, great, but it's not a big deal if he misses.

As for POM, he has never put in big numbers on tackles or carries, yet he's closing in on 100 caps so it doesn't seem to be an issue for him either.

Hardly attacking the poster? Aloooof doesn't rate Conan which is fine and he's questioned his place a number of times which he's entitled to do.(It would be boring here if we all agreed). Pointing this out is hardly attacking anyone. I can't image he took this as an attack on him...

You think he should be dropped because there are three other players playing better.

One of which cant cover 6 the way Ireland setup, one who is on the bench and one who is vastly inexperienced.

Doris is nailed on at 8, and vdf at 7. So i dont for a minute see what Conan brings to 6 that POM cant do, Coombes doesn't have the speed and isnt a lineout option on both balls and baird who might be the best option is way back on experience.

I would suspect that even an injury to POM wouldnt bring any of those players into a starting jersey either, hendrson would start and beirne move to 6 is more likely.

I didnt say he had the best stats, just that the rugby analyst on offtheball said he did, and i dont think that he was our best player but saying he should be dropped is hilarious.

why dont you find the missed tackle that has you dropping pom and see what the story is with it

I'm not rewatching the match to find the miss tackle, I just posted the stats from espn. If you want to do it knock yourself out.

What makes you think he'd move Beirne to 6? I'm pretty sure he's never done this. He has move Dorris to 6 to put Conan at 8 which he could also do with Coombes. Baird he could put straight in at 6.

Why would it be hilarious to think of dropping him. Farrell done it before.

I'm not saying he's playing badly, but he's been outperformed by Dorris and Josh in every game since the NZ 2nd test and hasn't hit the heights of last season. Backrow is one of our strongest positions with lots of players putting their hand up and in better form. It's hardly a crazy decision to give one of them a shot...

Murray and Sheehan both doubts for the game, that's a serious test of depth in those particular positions.

Is Kelleher back? Herring would be grand to start as well.

Could be some chance for Blade if Murray is out. Be great for Casey to get a start but I'd say Blade had nearly given up on getting an opportunity. Crazy how quick things can change

The french are coming to dublin from Rome diretly, Two weeks away from home may not make for a lot of happy french rugby players.

I think home advantage swings this one.

Pity the KO time isnt a few hours later.

scotland wales should be the curtain raiser at 4:30 and Ireland france at 7pm. Place would be rocking

If you offered me the option to keep Sheehan in exchange for losing Murray I would take it. I don't mind Casey starting at 9 if Sexton is next to him whereas against a team like France its not ideal to lose any more forwards than we already have.

And I watched the 2021 game from aviva. The same was true, we got a flukey try from kelleher to bring us back into it, but before that France kept us at arms length. And even in the end game, with a point in it, France were well in control.

Totally true (whatever about personnel, even playing style) , you could see hints of the Farrell/Catt style but there was also a lot of dross in there. Sure, some said Farrell and Co were under pressure for his role until the England game a few weeks later.

Although I think the level of change is exaggerated somewhat by injuries. If JGP and Henshaw were fit, they'd be in this week bringing the level of change between the teams to a more comparable level. 8 changes v 6.

I was really just re-enforcing the point that in a lot of ways France have had Ireland's number the past few years, so it would be a nice time to change that!

Im just accepting Sheehan's out as we seem to have 0 luck at the moment when it comes to injuries, if ever there's a doubt about a players availability they almost always end up being out, my hope at the very least is Kelleher can start at 2 as that at least.

I mean we are just bang out of luck aren't we if that is the case...

"Hangtime" is just kicking it up very high, right?