Celtic Symphony: Ireland v Scotland. 8pm Saturday 07th Oct. Paris. RWC 23

With whom would you replace Henshaw?

Exactly. Let him stay, rehab him, reassess after the QF.

English arrogance is historically based on ignorance of their opposition, being unaware of their form, star players, the way their clubs are playing and presuming themselves superior by right of being English and with no actual logic behind it.

I haven't seen anything like from Irish fans. We're very familiar with Scotland since we play them every year and compete against them in the URC. Our record is overwhelmingly positive against them at any level and there's nothing in recent form to suggest we shouldn't be heavy favourites for this. It's completely logical and not at all arrogant to believe Ireland are very likely to win.

If Scotland have the game of their lives and win then well done to them, but it'll be a shock upset if they do.

I'm just going to leave my favourite Kiwi pisstake ad here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6c4Nupnup0

Ireland 35 Scotland 16

Ireland to win by at least 2 tries with 5 HIAs and at least 2 yellow cards against the scots

Not good - I'm overly confidend - and you know what happens - My firrst world cup memory awakens, Calder talking out Staples in '91 and Scotland beating a good Irish team, before heartache against Aus.

Yeah, that's obvious. It's all hypothetical.

If Ireland were to lose to Scotland, it would be an outlier, and you would expect them to revert to their usual standards the week after. Unfortunately, once the pools are over (or indeed sometimes in the pools), you don't get that chance.

Has to be an injury otherwise very strange, he would at a minimum be on Irish bench

The only nerves I’m going to have is watching Sexton, Porter and Ringrose.

They get injured and we loose to NZ.

Ireland 23 - 7 Scotland

At halftime

Tadhg Beirne is incredulous at this comment.

We'll I'm incredulous at this comment for him!

Beirne : Ball is Buer comment

He was wrecked alright....but you can’t discount the situation (Smith & 4 other forwards were already off the bench in that example) and that was before Hendo was even sprung from the bench. He put in a huge shift.

The only fresh SA forward that came on after Henderson was the TH and ‘Hooker’.

Henderson deserves a start and Beirne deserves a rest. Surprised they didn’t start Ryan and bring McCarthy onto the bench in a game where Scotland are going to be mauled (literally) to pieces.

Lads! It will be a close game. A score in it.

Idk what lesson we would have taken from Japan that would say we need to rest our big players during the pool stage...

But we haven't rested our big players so his point is wrong isnt it?

Farrell wasn't a great selector in his first couple of years. Consistency of selection & the complex nature of their game has been the hallmark of this sides rise to No.1 in the world.

I do think he has made an error in selection for this game but its very hard to argue against picking the best possible 23!

Farrell is infallible right now. I trust him...but not quite the full 100% trust!! I just cant bring myself to believe that Ireland can make it to a final and win it with the first XV having played in every game.

Porter and Ringrose had to start this game. Even without Sexton, Beirne and POM Ireland would win this easing up.

Ireland aren't just going to win this game, they are going to smash Scotland.

They will capitulate once Ireland get 7 points ahead.

Hopefully that's in the first 20-25mins. We need ALL of the big guns to take down NZ.