Ireland v Wales Sat 2.15

[Gearzbox2]

The selection Stinks of Joe Schmidt 2.0, not bagging joe by saying that but more his selection policy
Seems like it’s the first big name that Farrell could include got the nod because on form this season D Kearney should be in ahead of Earls

Not a ounce of football in that back row which worries me, I’d nearly have included max but I can see the reasoning as he’s so inexperienced but I think we’ll struggle to carry again the weekend
Healy Furlong Ryan had a mountain of work last week and need other options to carry this week which I’d worry about

I’d have looked to bring in Dev too to get the maul going which was poor last week
Back line is powerful but will it be enough to put muscle this welsh side, only time will tell I suppose

[paddyor]

I get the feeling of being underwhelmed but we have actually seen quite a few changes from last year.

New hookers (and not just because Best retired)
Dev back.
Doris and Deegan.
Cooney benching and getting a decent amount of time last week.
Conway ahead of Earls.
Larmour at fullback.

Tactically we saw a change when we got into the 22 and scored a nice try because of it. Larmour was obviously given freedom to run off Sexton and was allowed to counter attack. I thought we held defenders inside quite well and created more space in midfield too.

I was disappointed with the performance last week too and would have made another two or three changes for this game, but I don't think things are as bad as they feel. Combine all of that with mitigating factors for the performance last week (time together, the ref, injuries) and maybe we're all being too pessimistic and just need something to spark a bit of excitement.

Look at Sexton's try here against France last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-TlEozlZ3w

Two dummy runners close in [Stockdale and Aki], lovely hands from Sexton and Ringrose, a great hard line with loads of animation from Larmour at FB and a runaround and in for Sexton. It's a different move, but tactically there is very little difference from what we did against the Scots – we used deception, accurate passing and running from depth instead of trying to bash our way over.

In my opinion some of the hacks are trying to spin Sexton's try against the Scots as something that Schmidt's teams never did [or the mild version, didn't do in 2019] and it's a bit ripe.

Tbf, the42 called it as a rehash last weekend.

[Ruckedtobits]

For decades, yes literally decades, Ireland's game plan in the 5N and even 6N revolved around disrupting the opposition plans, particularly England and France, and then hoping to pick up sufficent scraps to score points with individual excellence.

We used try occassionally to beat Scotland and Wales by fiery rucking and clever backline play based around players like Gibson, Duggan, Grace, Mullen or Geoghegan. But essentially the overall outlook was disruption of our opponents. I believe that this is the outlook that we should now adopt.

Let's clinically analyse how to stop Wales playing and focus all our attacking outlook on scoring points within their green zone. I know this sounds like a defensive outlook but at this point our Squad has the experience and ability to pick opponents apart first rather than try to impose our attacking game on them. I am becoming convinced that our attacking abilities are insufficient to overcome decent international teams and we need to evolve our attacking game over a longer period than the next 6 weeks. So let's stop our opponents first by aggressive defence and deconstructive rugby and work from there.

[Twist]

I get the feeling of being underwhelmed but we have actually seen quite a few changes from last year.

New hookers (and not just because Best retired)
Dev back.
Doris and Deegan.
Cooney benching and getting a decent amount of time last week.
Conway ahead of Earls.
Larmour at fullback.

Tactically we saw a change when we got into the 22 and scored a nice try because of it. Larmour was obviously given freedom to run off Sexton and was allowed to counter attack. I thought we held defenders inside quite well and created more space in midfield too.

I was disappointed with the performance last week too and would have made another two or three changes for this game, but I don't think things are as bad as they feel. Combine all of that with mitigating factors for the performance last week (time together, the ref, injuries) and maybe we're all being too pessimistic and just need something to spark a bit of excitement.

Look at Sexton's try here against France last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-TlEozlZ3w

Two dummy runners close in [Stockdale and Aki], lovely hands from Sexton and Ringrose, a great hard line with loads of animation from Larmour at FB and a runaround and in for Sexton. It's a different move, but tactically there is very little difference from what we did against the Scots – we used deception, accurate passing and running from depth instead of trying to bash our way over.

In my opinion some of the hacks are trying to spin Sexton's try against the Scots as something that Schmidt's teams never did [or the mild version, didn't do in 2019] and it's a bit ripe.

We really shouldve put a record score on them that day.

[neiliog93]

It's so hard to be enthusiastic about this. Based on home advantage and Wales having a new coaching team (more change than our own), we might be able to huff and puff our way to a narrow victory. Or maybe not..

[TMC]

On the day the squad needs 5 backrows: 3 starters, 1 sub and 1 sub-sub.

Connors is probably not that far off the team and with Doris possibly out we need him as sub-sub at the worst.

Connors??? Jesus wept.
He has only ever played Pro14 and even then they‘re minding him and playing him primarily in the home games to allow him to cut his teeth and ease into it. Maybe let him start a few Heineken games and see how he copes at that level first? He has potential for sure but he was brought in as a development player like the others were and it was badly reported by his fanboys in the media.
Not within an asses roar of the Irish team. Not even in the same postcode as having done enough to merit being in the conversation, way too soon.

[hugonaut]

On the day the squad needs 5 backrows: 3 starters, 1 sub and 1 sub-sub.

Connors is probably not that far off the team and with Doris possibly out we need him as sub-sub at the worst.

Connors??? Jesus wept.
He has only ever played Pro14 and even then they‘re minding him and playing him primarily in the home games to allow him to cut his teeth and ease into it. Maybe let him start a few Heineken games and see how he copes at that level first? He has potential for sure but he was brought in as a development player like the others were and it was badly reported by his fanboys in the media.
Not within an asses roar of the Irish team. Not even in the same postcode as having done enough to merit being in the conversation, way too soon.

He's in the full squad and trained with them yesterday [Monday 4th] when the other development players were sent home [source: https://www.irishrugby.ie/2020/02/03/up ... for-wales/ ].

Given that Doris is injured and Deegan is on the bench, only Connors and Jack O'Donoghue remain as unused backrows in the squad. One of them will definitely feature in the four players who tog out in the pre-match warm-ups. Connors is pretty close to the Irish team, whichever way you cut it.

[ronk]

7 is a bad position for injuries for us. There aren't many good fit opensides.

There are guys who can cover there but it's not their best position. On form Connors is at least as good as any of them.

It makes a lot of sense to have him in the squad.

[Ruckedtobits]

We could have a new and very significant player by Saturday with the likely arrival of Storm Ciara. If UK Met Office predictions are more accurate than those of Met Eireann, Ciara will bring very strong winds and heavy rain at, or close to, kick-off time on Saturday.

Which team is better equipped for extreme bad weather? A close call at this point but my money is with Sexton and Murray rather than Williams & Biggar but I do worry about Larmour positionally and the absence, yet again, of somebody capably of dominating the ball on the deck like Tipuric. PO'M is a smart operator and given the role of doing nothing ecept keeping the Welsh No 7 away from the ball, he could do so.

This new wrinkle could be just what Ireland need to give them an advantage.

[MylesNaGapoleen]

I think, apart from strong winds (40kph) on sat evening, the match might dodge storm ciara...looks like it hits the east coast late saturday and early sunday https://www.rte.ie/weather/22259-dublin/

Stay out of the sea, lads!

[dropkick]

Last weekend Italy looked like a team who were in a pre season match, trying to get used to new patterns. It was the tamest performance I have seen in a 6N match in a long time so it's hard to know where Wales are because they haven't been tested.

[wixfjord]

15. Leigh Halfpenny
14. George North
13. Nick Tompkins
12. Hadleigh Parkes
11. Josh Adams
10. Dan Biggar
9. Tomos Williams

1. Wyn Jones
2. Ken Owens
3. Dillon Lewis
4. Jake Ball
5. Alun Wyn Jones (captain)
6. Aaron Wainwright
7. Justin Tipuric
8. Taulupe Faletau

Replacements:

16. Ryan Elias
17. Rhys Carré
18. Leon Brown
19. Adam Beard
20. Ross Moriarty
21. Gareth Davies
22. Owen Williams
23. Johnny McNicholl

Not a huge amount between the sides on paper.

Their backrow looks a lot more dynamic and dangerous though, which I think might swing it.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Faletau was quiet last weekend and is still making his way back to full fitness but I agree that they're better on paper.

I think the Tompkins selection and moving North makes them a lot stronger than last week. I was looking forward to us getting at North in the 13 channel but that's out the window now.

We really do need our front five to carry much better than last weekend. I watched the Blues against the Chiefs and they both had two or three options for the scrumhalf to pass to and always came onto the ball at pace. I'd love to see us do that and it would make such a big difference.

If we win then we're pretty much guaranteed to be in the mix on the final weekend, would take another performance like last week and a 3-0 win tbh.

[nc6000]

Not exactly a hive of activity in here, is it? Everyone must have a dose of post-RWC indifference.

[Peg Leg]

Ireland by 11, pity North not still at 13 though.

[Twist]

Not exactly a hive of activity in here, is it? Everyone must have a dose of post-RWC indifference.

I think there just isn't that much to say about this game. It's too soon to say what kind of game Andy Farrell wants us to play, there was nothing new in the Scotland game to pore over, there's no exciting new selections, not much hope of winning the championship..... I mean, what is there to talk about?

Personally, I'm more interested in keeping Leinster players out of harm's way at the minute

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Maybe Taoiseach Mary Lou can inspire the crowd at half time?

[johng]

After you remove the Taoiseachship from Leo and Micheál's cold dead hands.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

After you remove the Taoiseachship from Leo and Micheál's cold dead hands.

That reminds me that on Newsnight on Wednesday a reporter referred to the latter as "Mikael"

[Fireworks]

After you remove the Taoiseachship from Leo and Micheál's cold dead hands.

Even some cold they would be preferable.