Doom and Gloom ahead for Ireland??

flsghujslkuo

Having watched the munster v leicester game, my fears for Ireland have quadrupled: since the front 5 of ireland where totally dominated yesterday to devestating effect, I can see all teams that play Ireland will employ a similar tactic. With teams playing specialist scrummaging players, our scrum will be destroyed and with no platform for possesion we will be living on the scraps.

With 6-8 made redundant with such a dominating pack, leicester (not a great team) made munster look poor, this coupled with terrible tactical decisions from POC handed the game to the tigers.

With this, I think England and Italy will be really tough games, I don't think England will beat us, but it will be very close, with maybe a score the difference in most games.

Danger_Dave

Can anyone say knee jerk reaction !? . For one calling leicester not a great team, thats putting them down. so that your point seems more realistic They have a great pack, cant deny that, super front row, second row is a bit weak, back row strong, Scrum-half well all depends on the Harry ellis that shows up. some good backs. When meatloaf is on form and fit hes a good kicking 10, Ian humphreys (sp?) seems to be growing into the number 10 shirt more this season, some of his GP games have been very good.

Listen munster are struggling because for one Frankie Sheehan cant throw a ball, or do anything for that matter, they'll be much improved when flannery starts games, and i must say they are a very weak team without Halstead at 12, mafia and murphy both excellent backs, but there not going to break the advantage line everytime.

Ireland are favourites for the 6nations and rightly so, are scrum for the past 6+ years has been weak, but can manage most games to sustain a level that stops any sin binnings or penaltys every time we have scrum. Are pack in general is munster superb a pack that plays with each other year in year out, couldnt ask for more, one of the reasons id wouldnt dream of dropping Wallace for Gleeson. Munster played badly, Leinster played badly, its a good thing, going to go into 6nations with the heads deflated a bit and an urge to win after such a recent loss.

Chin up, we'll have the grandslam in no time all. famous last words?

mikedragon32

flsghujslkuo wrote:

Having watched the munster v leicester game, my fears for Ireland have quadrupled: since the front 5 of ireland where totally dominated yesterday to devestating effect, I can see all teams that play Ireland will employ a similar tactic. With teams playing specialist scrummaging players, our scrum will be destroyed and with no platform for possesion we will be living on the scraps.

With 6-8 made redundant with such a dominating pack, leicester (not a great team) made munster look poor, this coupled with terrible tactical decisions from POC handed the game to the tigers.

With this, I think England and Italy will be really tough games, I don't think England will beat us, but it will be very close, with maybe a score the difference in most games.

I refer to the point I made earlier today in the "Bright Side" thread. Leicester is made up of players from many nations and not too many will start for any of the 6N teams in the coming weeks.

Comparing HC with 6N is not comparing like with like. Rumours of our demise are greatly exaggerated.

Down with the naysayers!

Erin Go Brath

No gloom ahead for our 6N chances:

So the provinces had a bad day at the office, no big deal theres still 2 of them in the QF's. I'd echo what a previous poster said, about how Munster missed Flannerys thowing big time, Sheahans not up to the mark by my reckoning either.

With Flannery throwing the darts, O Connell, O Callaghan, Hayes, and a choice of top drawer back rows in the lineout thats a quality set piece setup. The equal or better of anything in the 6N's imo.

Backs the like of Driscoll, Darcy, Hickie, Trimble are all world class, we'll hardly even miss Horgan here with the strength we have.

Scrum wise, we've not the biggest pack in the world, but most of them play for the same province and are used to each other inside out. Possibly wont be driving the English or Italian pack too far backwards admittedly, but get the ball back quickly to the ever improving ROG who'll pull the strings and we're sorted.

I've never been so optomistic about our chances. If win don't win it, we'll certainly be close to winning the championship this year. This has to be one of the best Irish teams of all time. Have faith!!!