Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

a lot of this is incorrect at most SA can get is 15 points. So all teams on 15 points means points diff comes into play.

I'd be shocked if we made more than a few changes for Scotland. I've seen some proposed selections calling for 6-7 changes to be made with every area of the team being disrupted. There's not a hope. We're not qualified at this stage. Field a changed side and then get a silly moment of head contact leading to a red card and we're in massive trouble.

I can see Sheehan being restored to the line up. Conan might get a start to get him up to speed but I wouldn't be certain of it. Then I'd say there might be a change where either Murray or Henshaw comes in to the team.

Anything else is unlikely, I'd guess nor should they be trying to muck around with things now.

Excellent point, I hadn't realised that before now.

2. Tournament Format

...

3. Rankings at the completion of the pool phase

At the completion of the pool phase, the Teams in a pool are ranked one through five based on their cumulative Match points, and identified respectively as winner, runner-up, third, fourth and fifth.

If at the completion of the pool phase two or more Teams are level on Match points, then the following criteria shall be used in the following order until one of the Teams can be determined as the higher ranked:

1. The winner of the Match in which the two tied Teams have played each other shall be the higher ranked.
2. The Team which has the best difference between points scored for and points scored against in all its pool Matches shall be the higher ranked.
3. The Team which has the best difference between tries scored for and tries scored against in all its pool Matches shall be the higher ranked.
4. The Team which has scored most points in all its pool Matches shall be the higher ranked.
5. The Team which has scored most tries in all its pool Matches shall be the higher ranked.
6. Should the tie be unresolved at the conclusion of steps 1 through 5, the rankings as per the updated. Official World Rugby World Rankings on October 14, 2019 will determine the higher ranked Team.

For clarification, in the case of a tie between three or more Teams at the end of the pool phase, once the highest ranked Team has been determined following the above criteria, to determine the next higher ranked Team the process would repeat, starting at criterion 1.

Changes I see for Scotland maybe

conan onto the bench along with mc Carthy, wouldn’t be surprised to see Henderson start though

Sheehan starting

maybe Henshaw in to start.

possible that there might be a bit of a backrow shuffle but I don’t think so.

It really has to pi$$ of Scotland that they are in a group with the top 2 teams in the world, while the sh!tshows that are Wales and England stroll into the (probable) semifinals.

as much as it pi$$es us off that we have to face NZ or France in a quarter.

I sometimes wonder if some of the posters on here are actually watching the matches

I’d give him a 7. He runs the lineout so bears some responsibility for the early issues, but also deserves credit for sorting it out.

He was quiet carrying but he often is, that’s not why he’s picked. SA targeted our rucks to slow them down and had some success with it, Ryan was probably the leader in hitting them and securing ball. SA only got 3 turnovers, Ryan was instrumental in keeping that number low.

Henderson had a big impact when he came on but he’s nowhere near replacing Ryan as a starter and to claim so is quite telling.

James ryan is working very hard at breakdown and working well in that department,but that's his job. but every other department of his game has been poor this tournament.. South Africa match for example. A couple of Terrible line out calling 5 metres out from try line( kelleher threw perfect throws so cannot be blamed) completely changed the dynamics of the game in a negative way. Dropping the ball in try scoring position, giving away a turnover penalty. No carrying threat.

Any news on how Cian Healys rehab is going?

I know it would also require someone else to pick up an injury for him tk be called up but if we were to face the Boks again id feel a lot better with him back up Porter..

I had a read through the various press pieces rating the players, one of them had him at a 6 and a couple of them had him at 8. Most had him as 7/10.

They all pretty much comment the same as I said in my previous comment so forgive me if I think your rating and your opinion on Ryan is only fit to spread on my tomatoes.

A club game where he was replaced by ambling Jason Jenkins - not really relevant to the RWC.

I'd rather Henderson coming off the bench if things are getting sticky, to be honest. Whatever about their respective forms, I think in this form his ability to up the intensity and his brand of leadership is really valuable, especially if Johnny is off before or shortly after his arrival.

"Not allowed to have a poor game NOT THAT HE DID"

The impudence! The disrespect! The outrage!