6 Nations 2021

[fourthirtythree]

We are desperate for sponsors. Ask BoI what they think.

I think that scoreline flattered us. France were unfortunate and we got lucky with Kelleher's try. I think he showed in the run up to that why the Irish management aren't willing to trust him and also why we need him. Herring is a fair bit off the required standard.

No way was Earls going to have a mate like last week, his mental alertness in comparison to say, Stockdale was really noticeable on Autumn. He appears to be finished as an attacking threat at all levels though. On the other hand there is no reason to think Lowe wouldn't put in another performance of poor defensive reads because that's what he has done since he came here. Schmidt would not tolerate that. Given all our other wingers are good for tries for the opposition you can see why they stick with Earls though, if he were playing for Leinster you'd pick Dave Kearney ahead of him in the last year.

Trying to think of positives. O'Connell seems to have got our lineout and maul working, it seems to be system as our defensive lineout had thrown up Ryan, Beirne, OMahony, Ruddock for steals. I think Healy has come into some form after a whole year off the boil, Porter is now a serious international tighthead. And even with a relatively lightweight second row we've done well in the scrum. Substitutes have mostly played well.

That's about it. How many teams we are up against would play any of our wingers? Our back rows would struggle for a place too. It's a long way from wondering, before Wallace's injury, which of Ferris, O'Brien, Heaslip, or Wallace was to miss out. A lonnnnnnnnnng way.

Worrying number of head knocks too.

[ronk]

I miss Rob Kearney.

[hugonaut]

I thought JGP's kicking was really good personally, and thought he got loads of hangtime on kicks.

His passing was much, much quicker than Murray's and his blindside probing was good.

I agree on his kicking. It has improved so much since his first season at Leinster, and it's now a real strength of his game.

Just with regards to selection at scrum-half: I'm like a broken record on this, but how much stronger would our bench have been with Cooney on it ... or Cooney starting to get a better goalkicker in the team once Farrell had decided to start with BB at outhalf? Instead we had a very small 21 year old who Farrell was essentially scared of putting on the pitch, because he would have been going up against the best scrum-half in the world. Just a silly selection.

There hasn't been a better player more wilfully ignored by Irish coaches than Cooney. He was nominated by his peers last season as one of the best four players in the country [source: https://www.irishrugby.ie/2020/10/07/no ... announced/ ] and was longlisted as one of the 15 nominees for European Player of the Year [source: https://www.ultimaterugby.com/news/euro ... ees/630018 ] ... and he can't get in the squad.

[blaker]

Murray Kinsella and Three Red Kings have put up a series of clips of occasions where poor passing or decoy running ruined overlaps. It’s astonishing stuff - head height passes, behind the shoulder passes, grounded passes, lads running “decoys” that suggest somebody at home is more likely to get the ball than that are.

There’s then a bunch of occasions where Burns / Byrne / JGP hoofed the ball with no consciousness of the actual situation - overlaps ignored, space wasted.

Our problem is primarily / solely in our attacking set up.
- our scrum is very good
- our lineout is solid and improving

Our defence isn’t a problem, it’s not world beating but it’s not a problem. However Ignoring the tremendous french try today - world class, will happen - we’ve conceded 3 tries so far where we’ve ended up with wingers having to make 50/50 all or nothing calls where almost damned if they do, damned if they don’t. Wales last week with 14 was possibly understandable but this week again! Seems a weakness which is exacerbating Lowes weakness!

the starting wingers / FBs in Ireland are 12 in total. We have “decided” that Lowe Kearney and Stockdale are all useless defenders so can’t be trusted. This is a mindset problem - they are our highest scorers / most attacking names - if we were better at attacking and getting the ball into their hands they’d have opportunities to “balance” the books. So many other countries emphasise the positive attacking aspect over the negative defence aspect - we should do the same.

There’s a crop of POTENTIALLY exciting players coming up; Baird, Harry, Frawley, Casey, Coombes, Wycherley etc. But they’ve dock all evidence to back up - they’ve all got potential for now. If they’re gonna get picked for Ireland they need SOME first line testing. Dictat needs to come down from on high that they are guaranteed starts for rest of the league

[Dave Cahill]

I don't thnk things are as bleak as some are making out. We lost at home, which is disappointing, but we lost by two points to a much lauded French side without as many as six first choice players.

Our scrum, lineout and maul look much improved over our last campaign in the autumn. Our defensive system looks okay (although we missed far too many tackles), individual errors aside. Our kicking game was pretty much spot on.

Our attacking game is nowhere though. We have scored two tries in our two games, neither of which were due to coherent attackign play as a team. I can't see any pattern or system in what we're trying to do. We box kicked well yesterday, used it to gain ground, regain possession, disrupt the opposition defense - all the things you're supposed to use it for - but after that, what?

[wixfjord]

I thought JGP's kicking was really good personally, and thought he got loads of hangtime on kicks.

His passing was much, much quicker than Murray's and his blindside probing was good.

Definitely quicker than Murray, but quick ball fired too high or two low where the catcher has to reach is no better than slow ball.

Well Murray tends to fire out slow ball that's either too high or too low.

Can't say I saw much evidence of what you're saying from JGP yesterday.

[the spoofer]

Lets be honest lads and ladies. Does anyone really think that our coaching set up are capable of getting more out of the Irish squad than Joe did?

[blaker]

Lets be honest lads and ladies. Does anyone really think that our coaching set up are capable of getting more out of the Irish squad than Joe did?

Not at all. And I think that’s what underpins the frustration people have. At a macro level, running Wales close, away, with 14 men and losing by 2 v a much better France despite loads of injuries isn’t the end of the world.

But deep down you know that we have regressed quite a bit and the above is kind of papering over the cracks. Our coaching ticket is materially worse than why went before and, arguably, worse than 2 of the 4 provinces while individual unit components of Conn and Ulster are better too.

[Oldschool]

What the french said.
Bien le bonjour à "jonnysextoy" qui, il y a qq jours, excusait le 10 remplaçant de Sexton pour son foirage de la pénal-touche (coûtant peut-être la victoire c/ Galles) à la hauteur... Quel flair... Le mec foire une pénalité (8m à droite des perches) et déséquilibre constamment son équipe par ses approximations (jeu au pied) et son manque de vitesse et de flair (jeu à la main)...

Not sure what it means exactly but it's not complimentary.

[Dave Cahill]

Lets be honest lads and ladies. Does anyone really think that our coaching set up are capable of getting more out of the Irish squad than Joe did?

Depends what you mean. From the start of 2019 until the World Cup's completion? Absolutely. Up 'til the start of 2019? Not a chance.

[blaker]

Lets be honest lads and ladies. Does anyone really think that our coaching set up are capable of getting more out of the Irish squad than Joe did?

Depends what you mean. From the start of 2019 until the World Cup's completion? Absolutely. Up 'til the start of 2019? Not a chance.

That’s a fair distinction but, arguably, with most of our tickets having been part of that “wheels off” situation driven by - in part - stagnation and over reliance on key performers - all the more argument for fresh and new voices?

[tingman]

Poor game management with Le Roux in the bin - no more so than at the end of the 10 mins. We had a penalty on the half way line with about 20-30 seconds left on it and allowed the clock run down before we kicked it. With a well functioning lineout and maul it was a decided advantage frittered away.

[munster#1]

So 2 games and 2 losses means that we are done for this years 6 nations.
We should now be looking to use the remaining 3 games to look to the future.

JGP, while he did have a reasonably good game, is not the long term solution.
Same can be said for BB and RB on the evidence to date.

Granted Harry has yet to show his wares at HC level, but if he is the talent that we keep hearing about, then he should start outside Casey for the Italian game.

Ruddock, while he didn’t have a poor game, he is probably at the peak of his powers right now at at 30 now, he is unlikely to ever become a regular starting international.

For me he deserved his spot, and if we were in contention for the 6 nations, should probably retain it, but looking forward, Coombes looks like a long term solution at 6/8 alongside Dorris and one of the many 7s available.

Lowe, for all he does well, is a defensive liability, and he doesn’t appear to be making any progress there.
His positioning and tackling are below international level.

I would probably limit the tinkering at that, because the young and inexperienced players would benefit more from having experience around them.

For me the team V Italy would be:
Killer
Herring
Furlong
Ryan
Beirne
Coombes
Stander
JVF
Casey
H Byrne
Conway
Henshaw
Ringrose
Earls
Keenan

[wixfjord]

Don't think Conway has done anything to be parachuted in ahead of Larmour!

We need to start Kelleher for Italy game too.

My team v Italy would be:

Killer, Kelleher, Furlong, Ryan, Beirne, Ruddock, Connors, CJ, Murray, H. Byrne, Larmour, Henshaw, Ringrose, Daly, Keenan

Herring, Healy, Porter, Hendo, Coombes, Casey, R. Byrne, Earls

[Flash Gordon]

I don't thnk things are as bleak as some are making out. We lost at home, which is disappointing, but we lost by two points to a much lauded French side without as many as six first choice players.

Our scrum, lineout and maul look much improved over our last campaign in the autumn. Our defensive system looks okay (although we missed far too many tackles), individual errors aside. Our kicking game was pretty much spot on.

Our attacking game is nowhere though. We have scored two tries in our two games, neither of which were due to coherent attackign play as a team. I can't see any pattern or system in what we're trying to do. We box kicked well yesterday, used it to gain ground, regain possession, disrupt the opposition defense - all the things you're supposed to use it for - but after that, what?

Our pack is in great shape. We disrupted France's lineout, had them on the back foot at scrum time and won 18 turnovers. A this point the game plan kicks in and the problem starts. I can recall at least 3 examples where Burns, Ringrose and Lowe had space and men outside and we booted the ball fairly aimlessly. If those situations had occurred at Leinster we would have run the ball and at least one of them would likely have ended in a try. Mike Catt has no proven track record at England, London Irish or Italy and he is destroying a potent attacking force. It's really depressing to watch to be honest.

[heno]

To those who say we don't have an attacking plan, we do. At a ruck, stand where you expect to recieve the ball. When you do, look up and then decide what to do. I'm not saying it's a good plan, but given everybody is doing it, it must be the plan.

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

[cormac]

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/sta ... 25378?s=20

Facepalm

[Flash Gordon]

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/sta ... 25378?s=20

Facepalm

The Burns overlap is unbelievable and Ringrose blows one too with a kick. Lowe had acres ion the backfield and didn't hesitate to boot the ball. These players are good players who have been drilled to play this way.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I think the improvement in the pack really highlights how badly the backs are doing. Nobody is talking about Tadgh Beirne not being big enough after yesterday’s game and that’s because they’re really well drilled.

The backs quite clearly aren’t in the same boat. They seem to hesitate when they go to do something that isn’t just kicking it away and either the alignment or passing (or both) ends up being way off then as a result.

I think confidence might play a role in that too tbf. For example if we’d managed to get a win last week then I suspect Burns wouldn’t have been so pre programmed to kick yesterday and blow big chances to move the ball. Maybe Lowe’s effort being awarded would have set us free but it ended up being a hammer blow when France scored shortly after.

I don’t think we’ll make wholesale changes in the backs and there’s no chance we’ll see Casey and Harry Byrne starting but I hope they’re both involved against Italy. My own choice would be to start Casey and Sexton and then bring Harry off the bench. If Murray is fit then I’d have him benching. I thought JGP played quite well yesterday but I’m with Hugo in thinking Cooney should have started. I think it’s a bit pointless to discuss him though because I just can’t see the coaches picking him any time soon.

We need to develop halfbacks but outside of that I don’t see any glaring omissions in the backs, it’s coaching and confidence that’s the issue IMO. No matter who we pick I think we just have to accept that there’ll be a weakness somewhere and try and cover it as best we can. I’d like to see a second receiver in the 23 but there’s no obvious candidate right now. Frawley isn’t far off but don’t think he fits the bill just yet.

[ronk]

We're overusing screen passing. With a big enough overlap the screen slows you going wide and gives the defence time to fold. It looks lime it was precalled and thus harder to back out of.

But a straight skip can do it too.