RWC Pool C: Ireland vs USA Eagles, Sun 11 Sep 7am; Pre/During/Post Match Thread.

theboss80 · 07-09-2011 12:10pm

Ireland by less than 20

mrboswell wrote: »

EDIT: my predictions v USA are that Murray will start and Sexton will play 12...

Sexton at 12 is not gonna be done

mrboswell · 07-09-2011 12:13pm

USA

theboss80 wrote: »

Sexton at 12 is not gonna be done

They have been doing it in training.
So we'll see...

JustinDee · 07-09-2011 12:18pm

mrboswell wrote: »

Just to clarify re: team announcements.

Team announcements are (all at 13.15 local time):
Friday 9th, Wednesday 14th, Friday 23rd, and Friday 30th.

Time difference up to September 24th +11hrs 
Time difference after September 24th +12hrs

Will be released in time for our press.

theboss80 · 07-09-2011 12:31pm

Ireland by less than 20

mrboswell wrote: »

They have been doing it in training.
So we'll see...

Link?

mrboswell · 07-09-2011 12:35pm

USA

theboss80 wrote: »

Link?

Nice try

Can't give you anything on that though.

I know it was something that they were trying out and it happened against England. Sexton played fine at 12. Also D'Arcy is only rated at 30-odd%.

I could be wrong but I have a gut feeling on it.

irishbucsfan · 07-09-2011 12:36pm

Think we'll see

Court, Best, Ross, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Ferris, O'Brien, Heaslip
Reddan, Sexton/O'Gara, Trimble, Wallace, O'Driscoll, Bowe, Murphy

Perhaps Flannery will start for game time. Perhaps O'Brien will be rested. Couldn't guess what Kidney is thinking at 10.

trackguy · 07-09-2011 12:38pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Couldn't guess what Kidney is thinking at 10.

I suspect that Kidney's masterplan on how he wants the team to play includes Sexton at 10 but you'd have to say ROG shaded it in the warm-up games. Very hard to call imo

irishbucsfan · 07-09-2011 12:41pm

trackguy wrote: »

I suspect that Kidney's masterplan on how he wants the team to play includes Sexton at 10 but you'd have to say ROG shaded it in the warm-up games. Very hard to call imo

Personally think O'Gara at 10 is the right way to go, especially with Wallace outside him to assist him creatively.

theboss80 · 07-09-2011 12:45pm

Ireland by less than 20

mrboswell wrote: »

Nice try
Can't give you anything on that though.

I know it was something that they were trying out and it happened against England. Sexton played fine at 12. Also D'Arcy is only rated at 30-odd%.

I could be wrong but I have a gut feeling on it.

I'm calling bulls*it on that one so :rolleyes:

You can't state he is training at 12 on a gut feeling

07-09-2011 12:50pm

Ireland by less than 20

JustinDee wrote: »

Will be released in time for our press.

cheers Justin, I know you get a fair amount of grief on here, but we'll definitely need your mole-ing during the WC and surrounding madness.

molloyjh · 07-09-2011 1:08pm

USA

mrboswell wrote: »

They have been doing it in training.
So we'll see...

mrboswell wrote: »

Nice try
Can't give you anything on that though.

I know it was something that they were trying out and it happened against England. Sexton played fine at 12. Also D'Arcy is only rated at 30-odd%.

I could be wrong but I have a gut feeling on it.

Kidney has categorically said that he will not be playing Sexton at 12 again. We can't have our 2 OHs on the pitch at the same time. Sexton may have filled in at 12 for training, but even if he did that doesn't mean we'll see him in the centre. With Darce unavailable it could just have been to facilitate other training options.

mrboswell · 07-09-2011 1:29pm

USA

theboss80 wrote: »

I'm calling bulls*it on that one so :rolleyes:

You can't state he is training at 12 on a gut feeling

I was saying that they had been doing some training with Sexton at 12.
My gut feeling is that he might just do it v Usa.

Anyway what I have actually heard is that there will be 1 or 2 surprises and that is my guess for 9 and 12.

molloyjh wrote: »

Kidney has categorically said that he will not be playing Sexton at 12 again. We can't have our 2 OHs on the pitch at the same time. Sexton may have filled in at 12 for training, but even if he did that doesn't mean we'll see him in the centre. With Darce unavailable it could just have been to facilitate other training options.

I hadn't heard that Kidney had said that, but before the England game they were trying in training, somewhat regularly. Could even be Bowe at centre... We'll know for sure around midnight on Friday...

Podge_irl · 07-09-2011 1:33pm

Ireland by less than 20

trackguy wrote: »

I suspect that Kidney's masterplan on how he wants the team to play includes Sexton at 10 but you'd have to say ROG shaded it in the warm-up games. Very hard to call imo

Mind you, Sexton was playing with a scrum half who was so poor he managed to go from first choice to out of the squad.

Would imagine whoever starts against USA will start against Aus. About the only position where it's unclear who'll start I would think.

bamboozle · 07-09-2011 1:39pm

Ireland by 20-40

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Personally think O'Gara at 10 is the right way to go, especially with Wallace outside him to assist him creatively.

take it you dont believe in having a defence so...

i'd love to see Sexton, McFadden, BOD at 10 12 13 but Deccie will go with Sexton Wallace BOD if Darcy is fit.

hope to see Flannery starts, our lineout was very slick v England, best came on and threw his first crooked.

theboss80 · 07-09-2011 1:40pm

Ireland by less than 20

Healy is supposedly the only major doubt now according to twitter reported there following team, that's a line from management.

Podge_irl · 07-09-2011 1:44pm

Ireland by less than 20

theboss80 wrote: »

Healy is supposedly the only major doubt now according to twitter reported there following team, that's a line from management.

He was never expected to make this game was he? Desperately need him back for Aus if we're gonna have a chance.

theboss80 · 07-09-2011 1:49pm

Ireland by less than 20

Podge_irl wrote: »

He was never expected to make this game was he? Desperately need him back for Aus if we're gonna have a chance.

Therein lies the problem, we can assume that Healy is definitely not playing this weekend at this stage I'd say,and with it being the USA it's not a big problem but what happens next week? Do we play Healy who might be only 50% at that stage or do we stick with who is picked this weekend and has a game under his belt???

For me we have to play our best players this weekend and then again for Oz game. BUT I would not fancy playing anybody who has a knock that if aggravated against a poor USA team would rule them out for the rest of the pool games.

Podge_irl · 07-09-2011 1:58pm

Ireland by less than 20

theboss80 wrote: »

Do we play Healy who might be only 50% at that stage or do we stick with who is picked this weekend and has a game under his belt???

Healy at 50% is better then Court of Buckley at LH. Besides, it was an eye injury - he should be fine fitness wise if he's able to play.

mrboswell · 07-09-2011 2:01pm

USA

Podge_irl wrote: »

Healy at 50% is better then Court of Buckley at LH. Besides, it was an eye injury - he should be fine fitness wise if he's able to play.

Not worth the risk. Besides the others could do with game time.

irishbucsfan · 07-09-2011 2:03pm

bamboozle wrote: »

take it you dont believe in having a defence so...

I believe that we had a pretty good defense when we won against France in '09 on the way to a Grand Slam. Certainly managed to get through the game without a missed tackle as embarrasing as D'Arcy's attempt to bring down Rougerie earlier this year.

Maybe you're right. However could we expect the pairing that helped us beat a team like France manage against the crushing might of USA.

irishbucsfan · 07-09-2011 2:04pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

Healy at 50% is better then Court of Buckley at LH. Besides, it was an eye injury - he should be fine fitness wise if he's able to play.

The fact that Healy at 50% is better than anyone else we have is exactly why we shouldn't be taking risks with him. Especially in a game where our scrum shouldn't be under a huge amount of pressure

Podge_irl · 07-09-2011 2:11pm

Ireland by less than 20

I was talking about the Aus game guys. Of course he's not gonna play against USA.

Conas · 07-09-2011 2:12pm

Ireland by less than 20

The team that Kidney is going to pick for the Australia game will start this one. I would expect him to be able to empty his bench early though to get through it injury free. But it's vital that he starts his strongest 15. Any resting can be done for the Russian game. The time for tinkering with the team is over. Time to let it set now.

Condon · 07-09-2011 2:14pm

USA

id imagen its gonna b a tough physical game, USA will be highly pumped up for this, think well win by 15 but wont b easy! would like flannery to cement his place in the team. dont rate best!

totallegend · 07-09-2011 2:16pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I believe that we had a pretty good defense when we won against France in '09 on the way to a Grand Slam. Certainly managed to get through the game without a missed tackle as embarrasing as D'Arcy's attempt to bring down Rougerie earlier this year.

Maybe you're right. However could we expect the pairing that helped us beat a team like France manage against the crushing might of USA.

OH FOR F**K'S SAKE. D'Arcy missed a tackle on Rougerie and suddenly everyone has forgotten the years and years of rock-solid defensive work that D'Arcy has put in.
And I can't believe you're quoting the Ireland v France 2009 game; road-to-grand-slam-glory-1680026.html

mrboswell · 07-09-2011 2:16pm

USA

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I believe that we had a pretty good defense when we won against France in '09 on the way to a Grand Slam. Certainly managed to get through the game without a missed tackle as embarrasing as D'Arcy's attempt to bring down Rougerie earlier this year.

Maybe you're right. However could we expect the pairing that helped us beat a team like France manage against the crushing might of USA.

To be fair, Wallace was used to being back up for O'Gara down the 10 channel and he's out so the dynamic may not be the same now

irishbucsfan · 07-09-2011 2:24pm

totallegend wrote: »

OH FOR F**K'S SAKE. D'Arcy missed a tackle on Rougerie and suddenly everyone has forgotten the years and years of rock-solid defensive work that D'Arcy has put in.
And I can't believe you're quoting the Ireland v France 2009 game;

Noones criticising D'Arcy. He's a great player.

But to criticise Wallace's defense and selection in a year when D'Arcy was one of our worst performers in the 6 Nations (undeniably) and missed a tackle that arguably lost us a game is too much. Wallace may not hit people like Sonny Bill Williams, but he is a competent defender and had a few great hits in the warm ups.

He is worth his selection, especially beside O'Gara. He can defend far better than his begrudgers here give him credit. Not only that, but against a team that is weaker than us we shouldn't be worrying about what they will do to us but about what we can do to them, and Wallace's gainline distribution coupled with O'Gara's game control has shown itself to be effective in the past.

leincar · 07-09-2011 2:36pm

USA

Just arrived back at my hotel. The weather forecast for Sunday is heavy rain in the morning followed by showers in the late afternoon. Its supposed to be pretty windy as well.

Stev_o · 07-09-2011 2:52pm

Ireland by less than 20

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Noones criticising D'Arcy. He's a great player.

But to criticise Wallace's defense and selection in a year when D'Arcy was one of our worst performers in the 6 Nations (undeniably) and missed a tackle that arguably lost us a game is too much. Wallace may not hit people like Sonny Bill Williams, but he is a competent defender and had a few great hits in the warm ups.

He is worth his selection, especially beside O'Gara. He can defend far better than his begrudgers here give him credit. Not only that, but against a team that is weaker than us we shouldn't be worrying about what they will do to us but about what we can do to them, and Wallace's gainline distribution coupled with O'Gara's game control has shown itself to be effective in the past.

No offence but D'arcy has been off form the best part of 2 years but their seemed to be a refusal to admit it. He's not the same player he once was. It's just flavour of the month now to jump on that band wagon.

Makes you think about the serious lack of Irish 12's in Ireland though, it's one area we are struggling to bring players through at.

totallegend · 07-09-2011 3:07pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Noones criticising D'Arcy. He's a great player.

But to criticise Wallace's defense and selection in a year when D'Arcy was one of our worst performers in the 6 Nations (undeniably) and missed a tackle that arguably lost us a game is too much. Wallace may not hit people like Sonny Bill Williams, but he is a competent defender and had a few great hits in the warm ups.

He is worth his selection, especially beside O'Gara. He can defend far better than his begrudgers here give him credit. Not only that, but against a team that is weaker than us we shouldn't be worrying about what they will do to us but about what we can do to them, and Wallace's gainline distribution coupled with O'Gara's game control has shown itself to be effective in the past.

Yeah, you're right, Wallace is a better defender than people give him credit for and I assume he will play against USA regardless of who is at out-half (and I think that will be Sexton). The only other option is McFadden and DK has shown no inclination to play him at 12. D'Arcy will play against Australia if fit though.

For me, the only contentious selection is likely to be at hooker, whether Best holds on to the jersey or DK sees if Flannery can last more than 20 minutes, and there's a call to be made over sub scrum-half.

I reckon the team will be:
Court
Best/Flannery
Ross
DOC
POC
Ferris
SOB (can't see DK picking Jennings)
Heaslip
Reddan
Sexton
Trimble
Wallace
BOD
Bowe
Kearney

Bench: Buckley, Best/Flannery, Cullen, Leamy, Boss, ROG, Earls

RWC Pool C: Ireland vs USA Eagles, Sun 11 Sep 7am; Pre/During/Post Match Thread.

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