Ireland vs England, Sunday 1st March 3pm; RTE/BBC

thomond2006

Ireland:
R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ulster), J Payne (Ulster), R Henshaw (Connacht), S Zebo (Munster); J Sexton (Racing Metro), C Murray (Munster);
J McGrath (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster); D Toner (Leinster), P O'Connell (Munster); P O'Mahony (Munster), S O'Brien (Leinster), J Murphy (Leinster).

Replacements:
S Cronin (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), M Moore (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), T O'Donnell (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster), I Madigan (Leinster), F Jones (Munster)

England:
A Goode (Saracens); A Watson (Bath), J Joseph (Bath), L Burrell (Northampton Saints), J Nowell (Exeter Chiefs); G Ford (Bath), B Youngs (Leicester Tigers);
J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton Saints), D Cole (Leicester Tigers); D Attwood (Bath), G Kruis (Saracens); J Haskell (Wasps), C Robshaw (captain, Harlequins), B Vunipola (Saracens).

Replacements:
T Youngs (Leicester Tigers), M Vunipola (Saracens), H Thomas (Bath), N Easter (Harlequins), T Croft (Leicester Tigers), R Wigglesworth (Saracens), D Cipriani (Sale Sharks), B Twelvetrees (Gloucester).

Ireland host England in the biggest fixture in this year's Six Nations. The winner will have a Grand Slam firmly in their sights, while the loser will have to hope for the consolation prize (albeit a good consolation!) of a Championship title. It is the fixture that excites like no other for Irish supporters. England have won the last four meetings against Ireland, dating back to their World Cup warm up win in Dublin in 2011 so there is more than enough incentive for Ireland to win on Sunday and prevent a 5-0 record!

Ireland have not tickled the taste buds in terms of entertaining rugby that had become the hallmark of Joe Schmidt's Leinster side in their prime, but they have found a means of winning games. Against a poor Italy side it was a case of taking the opportunities when they presented themselves in the second half and putting the foot down to secure the win. The French win was ground out with solidity in discipline and defence, with the French proving themselves too ragged to truly threaten Ireland's victory at Aviva Stadium. The team is slowly building a culture of winning under the current management and at end of 2015 we may be pointing to the heartbreaking loss to New Zealand in Dublin as a turning point of Irish rugby.

England began their Six Nations with a surprise victory against Wales. We were treated to the attacking talents of some of their new guard of players in the Bath trio of Ford, Joseph and Watson. Wales simply had no answer to England's combination of flair and physicality. Despite some hairy moments against Italy, eventually England pulled away and put up a considerable score. The pressure is immense on the management with the World Cup looming large and the difficult group stage prospect with Wales and Australia to come. One big name will fail to make it out of that group and for it to be England would be unacceptable for the nation.

Selections:

Ireland have made just one change to the starting XV that won against France and it is enforced: Jordi Murphy comes in as a straight swap for Jamie Heaslip. Since Murphy has already started in Heaslip's absence against Italy it is not a major surprise but with Tommy O'Donnell and Iain Henderson in form there were other possible choices. On the bench Eoin Reddan replaces Isaac Boss. Reddan was disappointing in his return against Zebre and if called upon will need to improve his performance.

England have made two changes to the starting XV and both come in the back three. Alex Goode replaces Mike Brown who has failed to complete the return to play concussion protocols in time for Sunday. Exeter wing Jack Nowell, who start every match in last year's tournament, replaces Jonny May. Both players are potential targets for Ireland, Alex Goode in particular has made some poor decisions in defence (notably against France last season) and doesn't offer the same pace and running ability as Mike Brown. On the bench Henry Thomas comes in as replacement tighthead.

Key Battle: The Centres

The centre partnerships for both teams remain inexperienced partnerships. While Jared Payne and Robbie Henshaw have offered strong defence, they have yet to combust in attack. Both have displayed ample attacking talent for their province and England may be the opponent where Ireland's centres are pushed to express themselves.

In the absence of Manu Tuilagi, England's partnership of Luther Burrell and Jonathan Joseph has been an exciting addition to the team. Burrell offers a bosher role of straight line running and strength in contact while Joseph brings more subtle skills to the game, in evidence with his dazzling try against Wales. Both partnerships are still a work in progress and something may give on Sunday.

Prediction:
Ireland are on a roll since last year's Six Nations and are looking for their 13th consecutive win since Scotland in 2014. England are playing more running, exciting rugby this season but this may play into Ireland's hands with the home team's impressive defence. The loss of Mike Brown, England's star of last year's tournament, is a crucial blow to the visitors. If Sexton continues in this rich vein of form and Ireland's kicking game isn't wasteful (which on occasions proved costly against France) then Ireland should have the edge. Ireland by 6.

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Logos property of Irish Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football Union.

Images taken from independent.ie, bbc.co.uk, zimbio.com

Everything else is my own work.

bilston

Ireland by less than 5.

Borders no.2

Just to correct the title, tomorrow is the 1st of March!

blade1

England

bilston wrote: »

Ireland by less than 5.

This!
and hanging on for dear life for the last 10min

thomond2006

England

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Just to correct the title, tomorrow is the 1st of March!

haha thanks!

Wang King

25 hours to go and I'm bricking it!!

Swiwi.

Ireland host England in the biggest fixture in this year's Six Nations. The winner will have a Grand Slam firmly in their sights, while the loser will have to hope for the consolation prize (albeit a good consolation!) of a Championship title.

Take Wales lightly at your peril IMO, especially at Cardiff. If England win this weekend, I'd be pretty confident they would take down the current version of France at Twickenham, and Scotland at Edinburgh; and while I'd rate Ireland to win the last 2 games too, I wouldn't be taking a GS for granted at all. Scotland would love to beat England at home, and ditto for Wales with Ireland.

Borders no.2

Swiwi. wrote: »

Ireland host England in the biggest fixture in this year's Six Nations. The winner will have a Grand Slam firmly in their sights, while the loser will have to hope for the consolation prize (albeit a good consolation!) of a Championship title.

Take Wales lightly at your peril IMO, especially at Cardiff. If England win this weekend, I'd be pretty confident they would take down the current version of France at Twickenham, and Scotland at Edinburgh; and while I'd rate Ireland to win the last 2 games too, I wouldn't be taking a GS for granted at all. Scotland would love to beat England at home, and ditto for Wales with Ireland.

England have Scotland at home this year. If they win tomorrow, I think we can take it as a given they have the grand slam in the bag.

Swiwi.

Borders no.2 wrote: »

England have Scotland at home this year. If they win tomorrow, I think we can take it as a given they have the grand slam in the bag.

So they do, my bad. And yes I agree.

Tox56

Swiwi. wrote: »

Ireland host England in the biggest fixture in this year's Six Nations. The winner will have a Grand Slam firmly in their sights, while the loser will have to hope for the consolation prize (albeit a good consolation!) of a Championship title.

Take Wales lightly at your peril IMO, especially at Cardiff. If England win this weekend, I'd be pretty confident they would take down the current version of France at Twickenham, and Scotland at Edinburgh; and while I'd rate Ireland to win the last 2 games too, I wouldn't be taking a GS for granted at all. Scotland would love to beat England at home, and ditto for Wales with Ireland.

I don't think the implication was the Slam is a formality for the winners of this game at all, but obviously if Ireland (or England) win it's going to be all about the grand slam, let's not kid ourselves

irishbucsfan

Tox56 wrote: »

I don't think the implication was the Slam is a formality for the winners of this game at all, but obviously if Ireland (or England) win it's going to be all about the grand slam, let's not kid ourselves

The Wales game will be one of the most difficult of the Championship. Wales in Cardiff are a huge challenge and Gatland relishes playing us when we're doing well.

Swiwi.

Tox56 wrote: »

I don't think the implication was the Slam is a formality for the winners of this game at all, but obviously if Ireland (or England) win it's going to be all about the grand slam, let's not kid ourselves

Yeah, I agree. I'm going to go against my better instincts here and predict a narrow English victory, but it really is a 50/50 call.

I reckon this is the biggest test of Schmidt's career to date, not in the sense that the result would mean yet as much as the victory in Paris last year, but a bad loss would call all sorts of things (not least the selection policy) into stark consideration. Really, Ireland should expect to win this game, being a home fixture, but unlike the Italians who are just poor, and the French who have a poor coach, England have decent players and a good coach, and don't fear travelling IMO.

Maybe I'm being a purist, but I wouldn't actually mind if it finished Ireland 6 v Eng 3, the nature of the contest and the intensity should make for a thriling contest, even if tryless.

Tox56

irishbucsfan wrote: »

The Wales game will be one of the most difficult of the Championship. Wales in Cardiff are a huge challenge and Gatland relishes playing us when we're doing well.

Of course they are, but if we go there having beat England there will be loads of talk of the grand slam that week whether we like it or not, and if we beat England, even at home, we should go to Wales expecting to win. I think we should go into most games expecting to win at this stage

Western Pomise

England

Is Kickoff 3:30pm?

duckysauce

England

3

Zzippy

England

Western Pomise wrote: »

Is Kickoff 3:30pm?

No, 3pm kickoff

corny

England will dominate in the scrum and will win on the back of it.

pc7

Warren Gatland

Enjoyed the write up, shocked at the optimism In the poll. Heart wanted to vote Ireland but just couldn't even with the Joe factor I still think England will nick this one, really hope I'm wrong.

mojesius

England

I can't wait to see the tullow tank clear out the English back row

stephen_n

England

Ireland by one score in a squeeky bum encounter. Think it's going to be a nervy encounter for both teams though.

johnny osbourne

ireland going to win this impressively

Dave0301

I really want to say Ireland win, but unless we get the scores in first and early, like Italy did, I can see England winning this.

Dave0301

johnny osbourne wrote: »

ireland going to win this impressively

Just don't see how you can think this given our recent record against England, not to mention our lack of try scoring in the tournment to date.

johnny osbourne

Dave0301 wrote: »

Just don't see how you can think this given our recent record against England, not to mention our lack of try scoring in the tournment to date.

i can see the tries already

Dave0301

johnny osbourne wrote: »

i can see the tries already

I envy your belief!!

seankb

Dave0301 wrote: »

I really want to say Ireland win, but unless we get the scores in first and early, like Italy did, I can see England winning this.

Think back 3 weeks ago when wales got the scores in early England then beat them off the pitch.

duckysauce

England

Irelands bench will win this , target Goode;s confidence and Nowell's defensive positioning in the first 20 and rattle them. Healy Hendo Cronin are cracking players to spring off the bench

CatFromHue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atW7b_NX1cs

SaveOurLyric

duckysauce wrote: »

Irelands bench will win this

Have you had a look at the England bench?


Anyway,
Ireland 45% win chance.
England 55% win chance.

Even if Ireland are deserved winners and generally control the game they will only win by less than a score.
If England win with similar control they will win by 8-12. Ireland will be unable to chase them once England get more than a score ahead and the contest will be over.

By playing an ostensibly low risk game: of minimal/no off loads, no risky 3/4 moves, and kick everything in their own half, in a sense, Ireland are taking risks by gambling on making very few or no score conceding mistakes. But England will likely shade us in forward posession, particularly in the scoring zone, and letting in one or two tries will leave us unable to catch up. Our policy of winning turnover/pressure penalties, or kick recoveries to either score tries directly or by pulling the English defence short of men, will no yield enough points in that scenario. Joe, of course, being Mr. Preparation N Detail, will have plan B in situ to handle that, but the players are picked to maximise Plan-A, and not optimal for a change of tactic. And England are unlikely to concede a useful lead to a team trying to play a game that is not their preferred one.

Ireland 9 - 18 England.

I will still not give up on the championship though - take Wales by a reasonable margin, and on todays evidence, our pack could crush the Ecossais and we could run up enough of a score to have a shout at it.

AngeGal

johnny osbourne wrote: »

ireland going to win this impressively

Equally optimistic here. Our defence is very solid and Henshaw/Payne partnership is improving with every game, can see us getting a couple of tries tomorrow.

Ireland 26 England 12

duckysauce

England

SaveOurLyric wrote: »

Have you had a look at the England bench?


Anyway,
Ireland 45% win chance.
England 55% win chance.

Even if Ireland are deserved winners and generally control the game they will only win by less than a score.
If England win with similar control they will win by 8-12. Ireland will be unable to chase them once England get more than a score ahead and the contest will be over.

By playing an ostensibly low risk game: of minimal/no off loads, no risky 3/4 moves, and kick everything in their own half, in a sense, Ireland are taking risks by gambling on making very few or no score conceding mistakes. But England will likely shade us in forward posession, particularly in the scoring zone, and letting in one or two tries will leave us unable to catch up. Our policy of winning turnover/pressure penalties, or kick recoveries to either score tries directly or by pulling the English defence short of men, will no yield enough points in that scenario. Joe, of course, being Mr. Preparation N Detail, will have plan B in situ to handle that, but the players are picked to maximise Plan-A, and not optimal for a change of tactic. And England are unlikely to concede a useful lead to a team trying to play a game that is not their preferred one.

Ireland 9 - 18 England.

I will still not give up on the championship though - take Wales by a reasonable margin, and on todays evidence, our pack could crush the Ecossais and we could run up enough of a score to have a shout at it.

yep 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Nick Easter, 20 Tom Croft, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Danny Cipriani, 23 Billy Twelvetrees.



whats special about that 12'3s had one great game , Easter is past it and will give away a load of penos from trying too hard , cips will either be class or rot that's if he comes on , wiggle is :rolleyes: mako is class croft is off the boil .

Would rather our bench any day of the week.