6 Nations 2023 - Ireland

[suisse]

I met Warren Gatland in CDG the morning after Ireland beat France in 2000. The Ireland team was on the flight back home. Gatland was 36 years old, leading an Irish team featuring some young guys who backboned a decade of success thereafter, like BoD, RoG, Stringer, Dempsey. I'm older now than Gatland was then but I've never achieved anything like leading a team in the 6N.

I wonder how things would have turned out for Ireland and Gatland had we held on to that big lead over NZ early in the secondary half the following year.

[suisse]

Yeah, it is Wales and it is Gatland etc. But I really hope we can park this bizarre fear of being favorites and just embrace being the number one ranked team in the world. We should beat that Wales team by 15 points, possibly getting a TBP. A season of promise should not start with a defeat to Wales in Cardiff.

[Flash Gordon]

I met Warren Gatland in CDG the morning after Ireland beat France in 2000. The Ireland team was on the flight back home. Gatland was 36 years old, leading an Irish team featuring some young guys who backboned a decade of success thereafter, like BoD, RoG, Stringer, Dempsey. I'm older now than Gatland was then but I've never achieved anything like leading a team in the 6N.

I wonder how things would have turned out for Ireland and Gatland had we held on to that big lead over NZ early in the secondary half the following year.

He was hugely instrumental in the transformation of Irish rugby - not just the national team but also the way the provinces developed with his influence. I also wonder what would have happened had the IRFU not made the decision to get rid of him. He went on to make the worst team in the English premiership league winners and European Champions. He won the Heineken Cup, the Challenge Cup, the NPC, the 6 Nations/Grand Slam and has been one of the most successful Lions coaches ever - and he did that with teams that nobody really backed. Similarly, he took the worst Irish team record in history and took us to joint top on points in the 6Nations, genuine contenders again. O'Sullivan didn't take us any further. I've no doubt that Ireland would have been better if they'd kept him and I have massive respect for him....I just hope he has a shocker at the weekend....

[cormac]

I met Warren Gatland in CDG the morning after Ireland beat France in 2000. The Ireland team was on the flight back home. Gatland was 36 years old, leading an Irish team featuring some young guys who backboned a decade of success thereafter, like BoD, RoG, Stringer, Dempsey. I'm older now than Gatland was then but I've never achieved anything like leading a team in the 6N.

I wonder how things would have turned out for Ireland and Gatland had we held on to that big lead over NZ early in the secondary half the following year.

The knives were out for him after the debacle at Murrayfield a couple of months before that New Zealand game.

[Avenger]

When is the team being named?

[neill_m]

When is the team being named?

Thursday, unsure what time. Usually lunchtime etc.

[Dave Cahill]

I met Warren Gatland in CDG the morning after Ireland beat France in 2000. The Ireland team was on the flight back home. Gatland was 36 years old, leading an Irish team featuring some young guys who backboned a decade of success thereafter, like BoD, RoG, Stringer, Dempsey. I'm older now than Gatland was then but I've never achieved anything like leading a team in the 6N.

I wonder how things would have turned out for Ireland and Gatland had we held on to that big lead over NZ early in the secondary half the following year.

The knives were out for him after the debacle at Murrayfield a couple of months before that New Zealand game.

The knife wielder was Eddie and George Hook!

[CiaranIrl]

Yeah, it is Wales and it is Gatland etc. But I really hope we can park this bizarre fear of being favorites and just embrace being the number one ranked team in the world. We should beat that Wales team by 15 points, possibly getting a TBP. A season of promise should not start with a defeat to Wales in Cardiff.

Yeah, I agree to be honest.

Healy, Herring, Bealham, McCarthy, Henderson, Baird, Conan, Coombes, Casey, Byrne, Stockdale, Aki, Osborne, Larmour, Jimmy O'Brien.

I'd be pretty confident that our second team would have a good shot at beating Wales. If we lose to them, it's a disaster. They have a new coach and they have an aging team with their best years behind them.

[Experimental]

Very surprised Tomkins isnt starting in the center, (he is an excellent defender, and underrated) You could be on to something with Gatland wanting us to start people we wouldnt otherwise, also annoucing the team early to try give us headaches. Personally Id go McCloskey, he played well in the autumn and Aki hasnt played much rugby. We should be aiming to steam roll them in the center with either McCloskey or Aki, Osbourne will get his chance.

[wixfjord]

I'd imagine the starting 15 for next weekend is pretty set barring any late injuries:

Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Beirne, Ryan, POM, VDF, Doris, JGP, Sexton, Lowe, McCloskey, Ringer, Hansen, Keenan

Could be quite a few different variations on the bench based on injury & selection choices:

Herring, Kilcoyne/Healy, Bealham, Hendo/Baird, Conan, Murray/Casey, Byrne/Crowley, Aki/JOB

Both Thornley & Murray K predicting this will be the starting 15 at the weekend. Subs less clear but GT predicts Murray, Ross Byrne & Aki to bench.

Can't say I see the logic in having Aki in 23 jersey if that's true. Surely JOB is a far better option there.

[backrower8]

I'd imagine the starting 15 for next weekend is pretty set barring any late injuries:

Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Beirne, Ryan, POM, VDF, Doris, JGP, Sexton, Lowe, McCloskey, Ringer, Hansen, Keenan

Could be quite a few different variations on the bench based on injury & selection choices:

Herring, Kilcoyne/Healy, Bealham, Hendo/Baird, Conan, Murray/Casey, Byrne/Crowley, Aki/JOB

Both Thornley & Murray K predicting this will be the starting 15 at the weekend. Subs less clear but GT predicts Murray, Ross Byrne & Aki to bench.

Can't say I see the logic in having Aki in 23 jersey if that's true. Surely JOB is a far better option there.

I believe that Ruaidhri O'Connor/ Indo were first to post the unanimously predicted team.

Agree re Jimmy over Aki.

[CiaranIrl]

I'd imagine the starting 15 for next weekend is pretty set barring any late injuries:

Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Beirne, Ryan, POM, VDF, Doris, JGP, Sexton, Lowe, McCloskey, Ringer, Hansen, Keenan

Could be quite a few different variations on the bench based on injury & selection choices:

Herring, Kilcoyne/Healy, Bealham, Hendo/Baird, Conan, Murray/Casey, Byrne/Crowley, Aki/JOB

Both Thornley & Murray K predicting this will be the starting 15 at the weekend. Subs less clear but GT predicts Murray, Ross Byrne & Aki to bench.

Can't say I see the logic in having Aki in 23 jersey if that's true. Surely JOB is a far better option there.

I believe that Ruaidhri O'Connor/ Indo were first to post the unanimously predicted team.

Agree re Jimmy over Aki.

I don't think it required any great I sight to predict the first 15. Bench is slightly uncertain in a couple of slots is about all the journalists can attempt to spin into a story.

[Flash Gordon]

I met Warren Gatland in CDG the morning after Ireland beat France in 2000. The Ireland team was on the flight back home. Gatland was 36 years old, leading an Irish team featuring some young guys who backboned a decade of success thereafter, like BoD, RoG, Stringer, Dempsey. I'm older now than Gatland was then but I've never achieved anything like leading a team in the 6N.

I wonder how things would have turned out for Ireland and Gatland had we held on to that big lead over NZ early in the secondary half the following year.

The knives were out for him after the debacle at Murrayfield a couple of months before that New Zealand game.

The knife wielder was Eddie and George Hook!

Exactly right. Karma is a thing, look at what Gatland went on to achieve and then there's Eddie and George.....

[munster#1]

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 25 caps
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht) 8 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 47 caps
12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 9 caps
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 15 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 109 caps (c)
9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 23 caps

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 13 caps
3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 27 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 36 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 89 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 45 caps
8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 23 caps

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 31 caps
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 121 caps
18. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 4 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 68 caps
20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 33 caps
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 100 caps
22. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 4 caps
23. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 41 caps

[ronk]

Ross Byrne on 4 caps? Hope they fix that soon

[suisse]

I met Warren Gatland in CDG the morning after Ireland beat France in 2000. The Ireland team was on the flight back home. Gatland was 36 years old, leading an Irish team featuring some young guys who backboned a decade of success thereafter, like BoD, RoG, Stringer, Dempsey. I'm older now than Gatland was then but I've never achieved anything like leading a team in the 6N.

I wonder how things would have turned out for Ireland and Gatland had we held on to that big lead over NZ early in the secondary half the following year.

The knives were out for him after the debacle at Murrayfield a couple of months before that New Zealand game.

Sure. But I think had they beaten NZ for the first time ever he would have unsackable

[backrower8]

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 25 caps
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht) 8 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 47 caps
12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 9 caps
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 15 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 109 caps (c)
9. Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 23 caps

1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 13 caps
3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 27 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 36 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 89 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 45 caps
8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 23 caps

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 31 caps
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 121 caps
18. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 4 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 68 caps
20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 33 caps
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 100 caps
22. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 4 caps
23. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 41 caps

Approximately just 7 of the team and 6 of the bench have played in Cardiff with the crowd in attendance.

Paddy Power has trimmed the spread by 1 point to +6 for Ireland since the team was announced.

Squeaky bum time.

[suisse]

Oddly disappointed with that Ireland 23. The starting team is fine but the bench suddenly looks old and the type of bench you use if you're defending a lead/don't use much at all. I like Ross Byrne but he's only getting on if Sexton if injured or, he'll be sprung in the 78th minute with the game well won or lost. I don't think Ringrose is a live option for the back 3 at this level. It seems weird to me to have an aging and underperforming sub scrum half, a back up 10 who only plays with (covering a 10 who only plays 10) and a 23 who's only a centre covering two guys who are only centres. At least with Carbery there was a back 3 option there. If you're going with Ross Byrne on the bench (which I would have) they need a different player wearing 23. In the pack, there is very little impact in the front row subs and Jack Conan has done little to deserve his place. I'd much rather we went for Baird or Coombes. Henderson is just back from injury and Aki hasn't played much rugby. Great if we're 16 points clear with 10 to go but if we're not, that's not a lot on that bench to turn the game. I expect Aki and Henderson to see the most amount of game time. Some might none at all.

[ronk]

I'm all for versatility at 22 but the overriding need is someone who can take over and perform.

Ross Byrne is the form player and hopefully the right bet at this stage of his career.

Aki is a risk for versatility but probably one we need to make with Henshaw out. We can cover any position. Given unfit/still injured players it was really a shoot out between Aki and O'Brien, I can see why they'd want Aki to make the 23 given everything else going on.

[wixfjord]

With Tadhg out, that's probably the 1-22 I would've gone for. There's an absolute mountain of experience on that bench and bar TOT all of those guys will have no nerves qualms coming into the last 20 mins in a full Mill Stad.

Aki call doesn't make a huge amount of sense to me, but Farrell seems to like him at 23 and he would definitely pack more of a punch than JOB.

I think even without Tadhg there's way more carrying ability and athleticism in our pack than Wales and I think our lineout could cause them trouble too.