6N thread

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Well that was awful. All the failings we've exhibited over the past couple of years and little of the aptitude. Again we see the weakness of picking a "trier" like Ferg McFadden because even Plisson (who's quick but no flier) runs around him with ease. Again we see the problems of picking a trundler like McCarthy when his hands just aren't up to Test rugby. All that ball in the first half and we did so little with it.

[UKHamlet]

I was going to ask what happened - the last I heard was Ireland were 3-9 up - but I guess it wasn't great. Oh well, the title is in France or England's hands...

[Eugene Wrayburn]

I was going to ask what happened - the last I heard was Ireland were 3-9 up - but I guess it wasn't great. Oh well, the title is in France or England's hands...

If you win the rest of your games - and Wales are certainly capable of doing so - then you've got it.

Our handling was seriously sub-par and once we lost SOB no one stepped up to do the ball carrrying that he would have done and TOD got slightly overpowered at the breakdown so our ball was slower than it shoul have been. Yes it's difficult when you lose vital players to injury but those who remained are better than they played

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Oh and it's time to put Paddy on the bench. I'm sick of watching through my fingers when Madigan comes on. I couldn't give a monkeys that he can cover the whole backline.

[UKHamlet]

Oh and it's time to put Paddy on the bench. I'm sick of watching through my fingers when Madigan comes on. I couldn't give a monkeys that he can cover the whole backline.

Yes, he's a problem, but only because of the gulf in class between him and the incumbent.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Oh and it's time to put Paddy on the bench. I'm sick of watching through my fingers when Madigan comes on. I couldn't give a monkeys that he can cover the whole backline.

Yes, he's a problem, but only because of the gulf in class between him and the incumbent.

It's really not just because of the gulf in class. It's because he's plain bad at running a game the vast majority of the time and doesn't have the defensive chops to not need handholding by the back row and is nowhere near as good a runner at Test level as he appears to think he is. Paddy's now absolutely miles ahead of him but has no experience of playing 12, 13 or 15.

[Which Tyler]

I was going to ask what happened - the last I heard was Ireland were 3-9 up - but I guess it wasn't great. Oh well, the title is in France or England's hands...

If you win the rest of your games - and Wales are certainly capable of doing so - then you've got it.

Unless France or England also win the rest of their games except the Welsh one - in which case they'll win.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

I was going to ask what happened - the last I heard was Ireland were 3-9 up - but I guess it wasn't great. Oh well, the title is in France or England's hands...

If you win the rest of your games - and Wales are certainly capable of doing so - then you've got it.

Unless France or England also win the rest of their games except the Welsh one - in which case they'll win.

Or not. Because Wales will have 4 wins and a draw and France and England will have 4 wins.

[Which Tyler]

Or not. Because Wales will have 4 wins and a draw and France and England will have 4 wins.

D'OH! for some reason I thought you were talking about Ireland.

I guess the first half of Italy v England had put me half to sleep

[Eugene Wrayburn]

So, whose services can we dispense with for the next squad selection?

Dave K. Thanks but no. You're just never going to be quick enough to play on the wing and as much as your effort goes some way to mitigating that, it doesn't go anywhere near far enough. Replace in the squad with Tiernan O'Halloran.
Fergus McF. Thanks for your service but no. See Dave K. Replace in the squad with Craig Gilroy (no such thing as too many Windy Gappers in the squad) or Andrew Conway.
Ian Madigan. Tbf he's not done much wrong, but Paddy's just far better and is wasted during the 6N pulling Ulster's nuts out of the fire for 40 minutes every match. It's not just Jackson's game organisation which is superior, but his ability to bring others into the game with a pass and his physicality is just completely on a different level. Madigan should certain stay in the squad, but the 22 jersey should be Paddy's.
Mick McCarthy. As an old school 2nd row who is never expected to touch the ball he;d be fine but rugby just isn't like that any more. Ryan would be a substantial improvement in the starting 15 and bring a bit of needed aggression.

[Peat]

Personally I think pulling Ulster's nuts out of the fire is a far better service to Irish rugby than a 10 minute trot around the paddock after it's finally admitted Sexton has taken enough injuries for one match, nevermind a far far far better service to Ulster rugby...

Am very unimpressed by this current Ireland back line and as an England fan would be far more worried by the upcoming match if Schmidt decided to simply drop the Ulster backline in en masse (with Conor Murray starring in the role of Ruan Pienaar). Quite serious about that, particularly if Sexton's actually injured. My fingers are double-crossed that Schmidt stays on his current path.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Personally I think pulling Ulster's nuts out of the fire is a far better service to Irish rugby than a 10 minute trot around the paddock after it's finally admitted Sexton has taken enough injuries for one match, nevermind a far far far better service to Ulster rugby...

Am very unimpressed by this current Ireland back line and as an England fan would be far more worried by the upcoming match if Schmidt decided to simply drop the Ulster backline in en masse (with Conor Murray starring in the role of Ruan Pienaar). Quite serious about that, particularly if Sexton's actually injured. My fingers are double-crossed that Schmidt stays on his current path.

Which version of the Ulster backline though? Ireally enjoyed McCloskey with a rejuvenated Marshall but reckon that Cave is the better centre and would always be tempted to find room for Olding.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

New Squad:
Ireland squad: Forwards: Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Rory Best (Ulster), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Ultan Dillane (Connacht), Dave Foley (Munster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), Jordi Murphy (Leinster), Tommy O'Donnell (Munster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), CJ Stander (Munster), Richardt Strauss (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Nathan White (Connacht).

Backs: Keith Earls (Munster), Craig Gilroy (Ulster), Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Ian Madigan (Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Connacht), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Jared Payne (Ulster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Simon Zebo (Munster).

[Eugene Wrayburn]

From that lot:

Kearney
Trimble
Henshaw
McCloskey - It's time. It would be interesting to see us with twin physical
Gilroy
Sexton - just shades it from Jackson who on form should actually be starting.
Murray
McGrath - if Healy reclaims his place I'll be actually annoyed. That cost us during the RWC when McGrath was clearly better than a half fit Healy
Best
White - went really well against France and Wales. It was the substitute thp which was the problem. Ross is unlikely to be ready for a full 60 minutes
Toner
Ryan - we'll need his aggression
Stander - by name... It's like the apocalypse in the back 5 of the scrum and he's in good form. Rhys Ruddock is a bit unlucky but doesn't hve the ball carrying or the game on the ground that Stander does
TOD - he's going to have to show that he can live with the power game that the likes of England and France bring to the breakdown.
Heaslip - we need to let him do more ball carrying because others aren't pulling there weight and he's about the best we've got left.

Cronin - the epitome of an impact hooker
Healy - assuming he's fit enough
Ross
Ruddock - I've really no idea how good Dillane is but Ruddock will do a good old job and it would not be the first time he was capped at lock.
Murphy - tempted as I am to throw the Flier in, the bearpit of Twickenham is not really the place.
Reddan - and can we actually use him to inject tempo please
Jacko
Payne - covering 15 and 13