Ireland V Wales, Six Nations 2014

[TerenureJim]

Right so first weekend down, a lot done a lot to work on. Clearly options abound across the park and on the bench and people are pushing for places.

Reckon POC and Darce to come in and maybe McCarthy onto bench. Also maybe I'm mad but I'd argue to start Moore and bench Ross. Moore has had the measure of Jones several times now and we can tire him out early doors it'll hit Wales hard with Ross to come on fresh to rub salt in the wound.

Healy was immense today but again I'm thinking rotate with McGrath as he's just coming back from injury and looked to pick up a knock today so spring him from the bench with 30 mins left.

Back row was perfect today, they each ticked the boxes they needed too.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Moore wouldn't be scrummaging against Jones, think you're thinking of McGrath.

Why would you bring McCarthy in?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Oh and Healy absolutely has to start! He's our one big ball carrier!

[JB1973]

Right so first weekend down, a lot done a lot to work on. Clearly options abound across the park and on the bench and people are pushing for places.

Reckon POC and Darce to come in and maybe McCarthy onto bench. Also maybe I'm mad but I'd argue to start Moore and bench Ross. Moore has had the measure of Jones several times now and we can tire him out early doors it'll hit Wales hard with Ross to come on fresh to rub salt in the wound.

Healy was immense today but again I'm thinking rotate with McGrath as he's just coming back from injury and looked to pick up a knock today so spring him from the bench with 30 mins left.

Back row was perfect today, they each ticked the boxes they needed too.

Ireland scrum and driving line out were excellent today, youll go at us hard there. O ther plus points were kearneys all round play and Your defence was also v good but Wales will bring a lot more threat than Scotland in that area.


I'm hoping Wales bring in biggar and Warburton for Priestland and and Tupric and if Davies and Gethin are full fit they should replace james and scott williams

Ireland have to start faves imo

[JB1973]

Oh and Healy absolutely has to start! He's our one big ball carrier!

hibbard and lydiate have to hit this fella as soon as he touches the ball, the guy is a monster

[TerenureJim]

Moore wouldn't be scrummaging against Jones, think you're thinking of McGrath.

Why would you bring McCarthy in?

Yeah sorry you are of course correct re scrum but he still has a good run against Welsh front rows. I'd bring McCarthy in for the bench as he's a hugely frustrating player to play against in terms of his hold up turnover tackles. Something absent today and I think you give O'Connell 60 mins to just give them mad eyed hell.

I know that's harsh on Tuhoy but you bring him back against future opposition. We have decent depth and players should be rotated in/out to lessen knocks and niggles and build the squad so that like today when we loose a totem the whole thing doesn't come apart.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Oh and Healy absolutely has to start! He's our one big ball carrier!

hibbard and lydiate have to hit this fella as soon as he touches the ball, the guy is a monster

That's my biggest worry. You've managed to shut us down in the past when we had Healy, SOB and Ferris and now the latter two will be missing. If you get us on the back foot then I don't think we'll be able to cope. I am hopeful that we were holding back today in attack though. There was very little in the way of runners off the halfbacks or in midfield and we'll need plenty of that next week or you'll just swarm us in midfield...again.

[BlueStreak]

Oh and Healy absolutely has to start! He's our one big ball carrier!

Any chance Healy could play in the back row? Would love to have him and McGrath on the pitch at the same time!

[jimbobjoe]

Oh and Healy absolutely has to start! He's our one big ball carrier!

Any chance Healy could play in the back row? Would love to have him and McGrath on the pitch at the same time!

I would pay good money to see that. Didn't he do a short stint at backrow at the end of a leinster match a season or two ago?

[desperado]

McCarthy does bring something different; but personally I think Tuohy was superb today and can't see him being dropped out of the 23. Healy was immense.

[Laighindown]

We will need Fitzy back next week. Any news on him? He and POC will give a serious lift. I wouldn't change a whole lot else. Might bring Madser onto the bench as if a game needs chasing, he might be the more likely to drive that. TOD will likely hold bench slot for next week given Wales will have a 7 at back up and we might need to counter two sevens with two sevens. Today was a cameo for that. Maybe Schmidt sending a little message to Gatland that he's ready for the breakdown swarm.

Touhy has to be pushing Toner for the start, brings great physicality, and Henderson offers more off the bench, so a straight shoot out perhaps between Toner and Touhy? Allthough I know Touhy was the original bench plan.

[pip14]

Thought Tuohy was very good today. There's no way he should be dropped!! We didn't miss OConnell at all....

[paddyor]

Thought Kearney brought that bit of x factor to get the ball down for the disallowed try. Shame the ball had hit the line. Lovely piece of magic. Would have been a contender for try of the championship. Think he'll keep his place for the Wales game. In fact I don't think anyone did anything particularly wrong to dropped from the 36 man squad. Marshall though solid in defense was excepting Murray the least prolific of the backs(MR, CB, DB, OL). I think D'Arcy will come in for him in the Wales game.

Outside of McGrath none of the bench made much of an impact but at the same time did nothing so terribly bad they'll be dropped.

[Laighindown]

Thought Kearney brought that bit of x factor to get the ball down for the disallowed try. Shame the ball had hit the line. Lovely piece of magic. Would have been a contender for try of the championship. Think he'll keep his place for the Wales game. In fact I don't think anyone did anything particularly wrong to dropped from the 36 man squad. Marshall though solid in defense was excepting Murray the least prolific of the backs(MR, CB, DB, OL). I think D'Arcy will come in for him in the Wales game.

Outside of McGrath none of the bench made much of an impact but at the same time did nothing so terribly bad they'll be dropped.

Yeah, I forgot about D'Arcy, he'll have to come in. Marshall did well, good cap and brilliant experience, but we'll need our best defenders on the pitch next week. Marshall didn't do enough to hold off D'Arcy for this one. We will match, or more than match Wales up front. We have the Sexton factor at 10. We have the capacity to exert that little bit more control than Wales, I reckon this could be an arm wrestle and we'll need to defend exceptionally well. Kicking of goals to be crucial, but the line out maul could be a serious weapon also. That's why I'd nearly retain Tuohy.

[suisse]

Ireland have to start faves imo

I disagree. Wales are a better team with a very successful coach at this level. It would represent a good win for Ireland to beat Wales this weekend. Oddly, it would be disappointing if we didn't, as the game is in Dublin and we have high expectations, but I still think Wales are, just, the better team.

[JB1973]

Ireland have to start faves imo

I disagree. Wales are a better team with a very successful coach at this level. It would represent a good win for Ireland to beat Wales this weekend. Oddly, it would be disappointing if we didn't, as the game is in Dublin and we have high expectations, but I still think Wales are, just, the better team.

Home advantage , a stronger scrum, more players in top form and the BOD factor will come into play.

It'll be tight but I'd expect and Ireland win by 5 to 7 points

[suisse]

Ireland have to start faves imo

I disagree. Wales are a better team with a very successful coach at this level. It would represent a good win for Ireland to beat Wales this weekend. Oddly, it would be disappointing if we didn't, as the game is in Dublin and we have high expectations, but I still think Wales are, just, the better team.

Home advantage , a stronger scrum, more players in top form and the BOD factor will come into play.

It'll be tight but I'd expect and Ireland win by 5 to 7 points

Home advantage doesn't count for much in the Aviva, sadly. We have don't have a good record there, and Wales won on their only visit.

[simonokeeffe]

McCarthy brings the potential for some timely violence

[slarty]

Wales are favorites for this.
There's no spin, or Welsh rollercoaster mood to counter this fact.
However, this might suit us.

[sid]

I still think Wales are, just, the better team.

Let's not kid ourselves here - Wales are a way better team.