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France V Ireland – Stade de France, Paris. Sunday 4th March 15:00 RTE2 & BBC2

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    #32
    Tox56
    Registered Users Posts: 11,636 ✭✭✭✭Tox56


    leftleg wrote: »
    Really i thought Scotalnd have a rather classy backrow; Denton looks really really mobile and quick; Rennie managed to rip ball out of at least 3 players grips (1 being hairydonkey iirc) and Barcley is well Barcley; another class act; I dont see Scotland as being easy at all; They gave all the other teams (France, England and Wales) a right good go and if we dont play well they will easily beat us.

    I think it's the best chance to test players. The players that would be tested (POM being one) are quality players.


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    #33
    Fireball07
    Registered Users Posts: 13,264 ✭✭✭✭Fireball07


    leftleg wrote: »
    Really i thought Scotalnd have a rather classy backrow; Denton looks really really mobile and quick; Rennie managed to rip ball out of at least 3 players grips (1 being hairydonkey iirc) and Barcley is well Barcley; another class act; I dont see Scotland as being easy at all; They gave all the other teams (France, England and Wales) a right good go and if we dont play well they will easily beat us.

    I don't disagree. Scotland have an excellent back row and were very unlucky against France.

    But if we lose against France and SOB has another merely okay game, then we're not going to lose anything by POM. He always brings a ferocious intensity to his game, something which the Irish team is lacking. And I'm not just blaming SOB for that, none of the forwards are playing with the ferocity they're capable of.


    Of course change is probably unlikely under Kidney, but I'd give POM a game.


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    #34
    leftleg
    Registered Users Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭leftleg


    Tox56 wrote: »
    I think it's the best chance to test players. The players that would be tested (POM being one) are quality players.

    I know hindsights great but shouldn't we have done that against Italy; Wasnt that the best time to do it;


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    #35
    marco_polo
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 10,076 Mod ✭✭✭✭marco_polo


    leftleg wrote: »
    I know hindsights great but shouldn't we have done that against Italy; Wasnt that the best time to do it;

    On the initial fixture leist it would have been a good idea but there was no chance of that happening after the postponment of the French Game (and probbaly no chance of some rotation anyway truth be told), as heading to Paris with no rugby played for three weeks would be a recipe for disaster.


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    #36
    BoardsMember
    Registered Users Posts: 4,436 ✭✭✭BoardsMember


    Let's face facts here. We're playig France in Paris with a confused and what appears to be a conservative game plan, and we're going in without BOD, and with certainly two of the bench playing better rugby than the starting lineup. We have not got a hope in hell. The best we can hope for is a moral history - a good last 20 mins, when the French know it's over and are tiring after playing 5 out of the last 6 weeks, and we get ER and DR onto the pitch. End of story.


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    #37
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    BoardsMember wrote: »
    Let's face facts here. We're playig France in Paris with a confused and what appears to be a conservative game plan, and we're going in without BOD, and with certainly two of the bench playing better rugby than the starting lineup. We have not got a hope in hell. The best we can hope for is a moral history - a good last 20 mins, when the French know it's over and are tiring after playing 5 out of the last 6 weeks, and we get ER and DR onto the pitch. End of story.
    We are still on for a moral grand slam in fairness


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    #38
    molloyjh
    Registered Users Posts: 24,745 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    Fireball07 wrote: »
    But if we lose against France and SOB has another merely okay game, then we're not going to lose anything by POM.

    The only issue here being that if we lose to France and then lose to Scotland (at home) we'll be going into the England game with 1 win from 4 and absolutely no guarantees that we'll win over in London.

    If (when) we lose to France Kidney will need a win against Scotland. Otherwise his neck will be on the chopping block (you'd hope). He'll be even less inclined to take risks in that game than he is now. The only changes I can see is Ryan for DOC and Reddan for Murray. Possibly ROG for Sexton and Ferg in for one of Trimble/Bowe/Darce but not likely.


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    #39
    totallegend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭totallegend


    irishbucsfan wrote: »
    We are still on for a moral grand slam in fairness

    I'm sure we'll find some reason to pin the blame on Dave Pearson. He should have recommended a red for Bradley Davies you know, I'm surprised no one commented on that on boards.ie...


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    #40
    JustinDee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,684 ✭✭✭JustinDee


    Flippin' hell. Doomsayers Utd.

    The team are absolutely gunning for this game. Don't be surprised if they do cap off a top performance with a win.


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    #41
    prospect
    Registered Users Posts: 4,791 ✭✭✭prospect


    Games played: 89

    Games won by Ireland: 29
    Games won by France: 55
    Games drawn: 5

    Most wins in a row for Ireland: 6
    Most wins in a row for France: 15

    Largest points for Ireland: 31 (43 - 31)
    Largest points for France: 45 (45 - 10)

    Largest winning margin for Ireland: 24 (24 - 0)
    Largest winning margin for France: 39 (44 - 5)

    Total points for Ireland: 1,014
    Total points for France: 1,447

    Average points for Ireland per game: 11.39
    Average points for France per game: 16.26
    Average points difference per game between Ireland and France: -4.87


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    #42
    MungBean
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,915 ✭✭✭MungBean


    JustinDee wrote: »
    Flippin' hell. Doomsayers Utd.

    The team are absolutely gunning for this game    . Don't be surprised if they do cap off a top performance with a win.

    How many times have we heard that one ? That argument no longer holds any water in regards to this team.

    Dont be surprised if we lose yet another game we "could have won".


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    #43
    Darsher
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭Darsher


    I don't see why Declan Kidney or "Mr Conservative" as he is known up here in the North doesn't change around the captains role , i mean how many times does Sexton need to produce a man of the match performance before he gets to put on the captains armband?


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    #44
    Tox56
    Registered Users Posts: 11,636 ✭✭✭✭Tox56


    Darsher wrote: »
    I don't see why Declan Kidney or "Mr Conservative" as he is known up here in the North doesn't change around the captains role , i mean how many times does Sexton need to produce a man of the match performance before he gets to put on the captains armband?

    http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzh2b9hOCE1qe4kh8.png


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    #45
    JustinDee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,684 ✭✭✭JustinDee


    MungBean wrote: »
    How many times have we heard that one ? That argument no longer holds any water in regards to this team.

    Dont be surprised if we lose yet another game we "could have won".

    Its not an "argument". Just the way they are at the moment.
    Chin up.


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    #46
    leftleg
    Registered Users Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭leftleg


    JustinDee wrote: »
    Its not an "argument". Just the way they are at the moment.
    Chin up.

    We were like that once too, i think


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    #47
    leftleg
    Registered Users Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭leftleg


    JustinDee wrote: »
    Its not an "argument". Just the way they are at the moment.
    Chin up.

    We were like that once too, i think


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    #48
    WeeBushy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,572 ✭✭✭WeeBushy


    Darsher wrote: »
    I don't see why Declan Kidney or "Mr Conservative" as he is known up here in the North doesn't change around the captains role , i mean how many times does Sexton need to produce a man of the match performance before he gets to put on the captains armband?

    Why do you think the MOM awards should have any bearing on who is chosen as captain?


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    #49
    paulbearer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭paulbearer


    to be honest, bit sick of conservative kidney at the moment! why are we so afraid to say "you know what, we fecking reckon we will beat the ****e out of france and have a right craic at this championship"? i know it would cause a stir but it might inspire the players, just look at what gatland has done!!


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    #50
    chancer12
    Registered Users Posts: 702 ✭✭✭chancer12


    Darsher wrote: »
    I don't see why Declan Kidney or "Mr Conservative" as he is known up here in the North doesn't change around the captains role , i mean how many times does Sexton need to produce a man of the match performance before he gets to put on the captains armband?


    He'll never get the Captain's armband from POC - MUNSTER! For what it's worth, I'd love to have seen Best with it. Think he might bring more to the role than O'Connell, but its a case of 'dream on'.


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    #51
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    WeeBushy wrote: »
    Why do you think the MOM awards should have any bearing on who is chosen as captain?

    not to mention that there's plenty more contenders for captain before Sexton would be near the front.
    Best, Ferris, Heaslip, SOB all far more likely candidates.


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    #52
    paulbearer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭paulbearer


    i dont know guys, think sexton could be a decent captain, not afraid to get in peoples faces and tell them "get going or sling your bloody hook!" that attitude he showed to ogara might have been a bit arrogant but a bit of arrogance does no harm when you need to back yourself


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    #53
    leonard7
    Registered Users Posts: 556 ✭✭✭leonard7


    just read the line up there and can only say i was furious at the lack of change in the team...is declan even watching the matches?


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    #54
    Quint2010
    Registered Users Posts: 5,178 ✭✭✭Quint2010


    Deleted User wrote: »
    not to mention that there's plenty more contenders for captain before Sexton would be near the front.
    Best, Ferris, Heaslip, SOB all far more likely candidates.

    I disagree. I think Sexton is very much captain material. Didn't he give the HT team talk in the HC final last year and then go out and lead by example?


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    #55
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,328 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    JustinDee wrote: »
    Don't be surprised if they do cap off a top performance with a win.

    In fairness, it would be hard not to be surprised. It would be only the third time in 40 odd years the team would have managed that feat. It would be a surprised regardless of the general state of the team and their recent results.


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    #56
    Kayless
    Registered Users Posts: 817 ✭✭✭Kayless


    seen this on another forum

    "I can make an argument [that I don't really believe]: DOC is a far more experienced player who has probably started 8/9 tests against France over his career [a number of them in Stade de France] and can be relied upon not to freeze or lose his cool in the huge waves of attack that the French typically throw at us in the first quarter. He makes a lot of tackles close in. He's a heavier-set type of lock who will be able to stand up well in the scrum to an always-powerful French set-piece.

    When O'Callaghan has put in a big shift and taken the sting out of the French pack, Donnacha Ryan can come as part of a battery of lighter, quick subs [Reddan, O'Mahony, McFadden, Cronin] when the game is breaking up in the second half. Ireland will try to up the tempo and take it to aged French team who by now will be featuring 35 year old Nallet and 34 year old Servat up front"

    makes sense...


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    #57
    Tox56
    Registered Users Posts: 11,636 ✭✭✭✭Tox56


    Kayless wrote: »
    seen this on another forum

    "I can make an argument [that I don't really believe]: DOC is a far more experienced player who has probably started 8/9 tests against France over his career [a number of them in Stade de France] and can be relied upon not to freeze or lose his cool in the huge waves of attack that the French typically throw at us in the first quarter. He makes a lot of tackles close in. He's a heavier-set type of lock who will be able to stand up well in the scrum to an always-powerful French set-piece.

    When O'Callaghan has put in a big shift and taken the sting out of the French pack, Donnacha Ryan can come as part of a battery of lighter, quick subs [Reddan, O'Mahony, McFadden, Cronin] when the game is breaking up in the second half. Ireland will try to up the tempo and take it to aged French team who by now will be featuring 35 year old Nallet and 34 year old Servat up front"

    makes sense...

    This is the reason DK has to go, he has this philosiphy with too many players.

    I understand the reasoning behind "upping the tempo", but more often than not France are out of sight by half-time anyway.


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    #58
    leftleg
    Registered Users Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭leftleg


    Kayless wrote: »
    Ireland will try to up the tempo and take it to aged French team who by now will be featuring 35 year old Nallet and 34 year old Servat up front"

    makes sense...

    Really well seeing as Nallet and Servat are on the bench, they will have just come on as well so should be fresh and full of energy so that reasoning is pretty worthless. They are also, when fresh, pretty much better than anything we have on the bench.


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    #59
    MungBean
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,915 ✭✭✭MungBean


    JustinDee wrote: »
    Its not an "argument". Just the way they are at the moment.
    Chin up.

    Just find it a pity that we have regressed back to the era when we hope for a surprise performance to win the odd match.

    Can you not lock Deccie in a cupboard or something for a few weeks ?


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    #60
    leftleg
    Registered Users Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭leftleg


    MungBean wrote: »
    Can you not lock Deccie in a cupboard or something for a few weeks ?

    and throw away the key as well


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    #61
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    Quint2010 wrote: »
    Deleted User wrote: »
    not to mention that there's plenty more contenders for captain before Sexton would be near the front.
    Best, Ferris, Heaslip, SOB all far more likely candidates.

    I disagree. I think Sexton is very much captain material. Didn't he give the HT team talk in the HC final last year and then go out and lead by example?
    Giving a team talk and being captain are not necessarily related.


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