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

Interested Observer · 02-03-2015 8:13pm

Neil3030 wrote: »

Just watching the game again - we are a bloody good team, people.

If the attacking play can ever click we're going to murder somebody.

Swiwi. · 02-03-2015 8:18pm

Interested Observer wrote: »

If the attacking play can ever click we're going to murder somebody.

Scotland will probably oblige for you there IO. Wales would be a lot more satisfying though.

.ak · 02-03-2015 8:19pm

LorMal wrote: »

Maybe I just don't know what I am talking about (very high possibility), but don't other full backs eg Hogg, Halfpenny, ometimes beat a couple of tacklers and then pass/off load in order to start a counterattack?
RK always seems to get smothered up by the first tackler.

No, you're right, but RK isn't the type of fullback who can step around defenders. If he was in sure he would pass. But there's no point in passing to another player when a defence is set. He's pragmatic, and it works.

LorMal · 02-03-2015 8:19pm

SaveOurLyric wrote: »

When you really think about though, you'd have him first choice.

None of those 3 can recover attacking kicks as well as Kearney. Or run fielded balls as neatly back to the safety of their teammates to win a ruck.

The dream back line would be 3 Robs, and 2 Tommys. And one of each on the bench.

We do tend to get a tad over excited about our players:). Suddenly every Irish player is 'the best in the Northern hemisphere' in their respective positions.
We love a good gloat. The Indo runs a big article today about how the English papers praised us and slated their own team. We don't make good winners.
Of course the same players will be castigated if we get thumped by the Welsh.
A bit of humility and less chest thumping would seem wise at this juncture.

.ak · 02-03-2015 8:23pm

Gits_bone wrote: »

When you think about it, I'd have RK 4th choice in the 6 nations.

Hogg/Halfpenny/Brown all would be ahead of him for me. He's reliable and steady.

For me he's better than those, except halfpenny when he's on form.

But it depends what you want from your fb I suppose. He's a specialist at what he does really.

Gits_bone · 02-03-2015 8:25pm

SaveOurLyric wrote: »

When you really think about though, you'd have him first choice.

None of those 3 can recover attacking kicks as well as Kearney. Or run fielded balls as neatly back to the safety of their teammates to win a ruck.

The dream back line would be 3 Robs, and 2 Tommys. And one of each on the bench.

Not sure if serious?

If you are Tommy Bowe has been ineffective and I think if you had Dave Kearney in there he'd have done the same job.

Wang King · 02-03-2015 8:26pm

LorMal wrote: »

We do tend to get a tad over excited about our players:). Suddenly every Irish player is 'the best in the Northern hemisphere' in their respective positions.
We love a good gloat. The Indo runs a big article today about how the English papers praised us and slated their own team. We don't make good winners.
Of course the same players will be castigated if we get thumped by the Welsh.
A bit of humility and less chest thumping would seem wise at this juncture.

.ak · 02-03-2015 8:26pm

Interested Observer wrote: »

If the attacking play can ever click we're going to murder somebody.

Jesus I hope not. We just want to win a game of rugby, killing someone might be a bit much.

Tox56 · 02-03-2015 8:27pm

Gits_bone wrote: »

Not sure if serious?

If you are Tommy Bowe has been ineffective and I think if you had Dave Kearney in there he'd have done the same job.

It seems like you're basing your entire opinion on players based on the last 3 games

Micky Dolenz · 02-03-2015 8:27pm

LorMal wrote: »

We do tend to get a tad over excited about our players:). Suddenly every Irish player is 'the best in the Northern hemisphere' in their respective positions.
We love a good gloat. The Indo runs a big article today about how the English papers praised us and slated their own team. We don't make good winners.
Of course the same players will be castigated if we get thumped by the Welsh.
A bit of humility and less chest thumping would seem wise at this juncture.

Speak for yourself. Most rugby folk I know are quite humble boarding on pessimistic when it comes to the national team, even now. I think most are wary about our trip to Cardiff.

twinytwo · 02-03-2015 8:37pm

Neil3030 wrote: »

Just watching the game again - we are a bloody good team, people.

But yet if sexton gets injured we are stuffed

SaveOurLyric · 02-03-2015 8:39pm

LorMal wrote: »

We do tend to get a tad over excited about our players:). Suddenly every Irish player is 'the best in the Northern hemisphere' in their respective positions.
We love a good gloat. The Indo runs a big article today about how the English papers praised us and slated their own team. We don't make good winners.
Of course the same players will be castigated if we get thumped by the Welsh.
A bit of humility and less chest thumping would seem wise at this juncture.

Didnt make my point well then. It wasnt that Bowe and RK are the best out there. Its that they are the best for the game we are playing. Hogg is a lovely runner, with a guile that would have made him a huge star back in the amateur era of lower fitness and less sophisticated defences. Brown and Halfpenney are very rounded and fine players.
But with chasing kicks being the greatly dominant gameplan, Thomas and Robert are the guys you want jumping for the catches.

Gits_bone wrote: »

Not sure if serious?

If you are Tommy Bowe has been ineffective and I think if you had Dave Kearney in there he'd have done the same job.

Most certainly serious. See above. Agree though that Dave on form would probably not have changed matters so far to any great extent. Thats the beauty of the current system - it is far less reliant on particular players and their talents or strenghts, and so much more about the collective : each player acting as a cog in the machine. Witness the back row disruption both last year, in the AIs, and this 6N : who would have though Murphy, O'Donnell, O'Mahony (you could argue that with O'Donnell, we are playing a 7th choice backrow) being a back row that would not only not let us down, but seriously gain the upper hand over the English pack?

Baggy Trousers · 02-03-2015 8:46pm

Gits_bone wrote: »

When you think about it, I'd have RK 4th choice in the 6 nations.

Hogg/Halfpenny/Brown all would be ahead of him for me. He's reliable and steady.

Hogg was rubbish against Italy.

Gits_bone · 02-03-2015 8:48pm

SaveOurLyric wrote: »

Most certainly serious. See above. Agree though that Dave on form would probably not have changed matters so far to any great extent. Thats the beauty of the current system - it is far less reliant on particular players and their talents or strenghts, and so much more about the collective : each player acting as a cog in the machine. Witness the back row disruption both last year, in the AIs, and this 6N : who would have though Murphy, O'Donnell, O'Mahony (you could argue that with O'Donnell, we are playing a 7th choice backrow) being a back row that would not only not let us down, but seriously gain the upper hand over the English pack?

So why did you say the dream back line is 2 Tommys?

SaveOurLyric · 02-03-2015 8:55pm

Gits_bone wrote: »

So why did you say the dream back line is 2 Tommys?

Tommy is quicker. Play him on the wings, better at chasing kicks to the corner or in open field.
Two Robs in the centre, and one at full back. Safe under any high balls, fearless and great at leaping and plucking balls in a crowded midfield.

Anyway, until the availability of human cloning, we have strayed a long way on my effort to make a point !

Gits_bone · 02-03-2015 8:57pm

SaveOurLyric wrote: »

Tommy is quicker. Play him on the wings, better at chasing kicks to the corner or in open field.
Two Robs in the centre, and one at full back. Safe under any high balls, fearless and great at leaping and plucking balls in a crowded midfield.

Anyway, until the availability of human cloning, we have strayed a long way on my effort to make a point !

But you said the players don't matter?

SaveOurLyric · 02-03-2015 8:58pm

Gits_bone wrote: »

But you said the players don't matter?

Within reason. Thats why we're still doing OK even though we dont have three Robs.

Neil3030 · 02-03-2015 9:03pm

England

twinytwo wrote: »

But yet if sexton gets injured we are stuffed

When will Jackson be back does anyone know?

Interested Observer · 02-03-2015 9:06pm

Neil3030 wrote: »

When will Jackson be back does anyone know?

I think he's back in training shortly, probably won't be up to speed for this 6N.

Baggy Trousers · 02-03-2015 9:06pm

I wonder at this stage will Darcy ever play for Ireland again.

jspuds · 02-03-2015 9:07pm

Neil3030 wrote: »

When will Jackson be back does anyone know?

April
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro12/paddy-jackson-returns-to-training-and-will-be-back-before-april-1.2123440

total former · 02-03-2015 9:13pm

Baggy Trousers wrote: »

I wonder at this stage will Darcy ever play for Ireland again.

I think if Henshaw got injured, I'd be surprised to see anyone else playing 12 in Cardiff or Edinburgh.

Looking forward though, the form Henshaw is in and D'Arcy's inability to play anywhere other than 12 mean the World Cup is probably a long shot for him. He'll probably play in the August warm ups and that could be his last caps.

Whosthis · 02-03-2015 9:19pm

LorMal wrote: »

We do tend to get a tad over excited about our players:). Suddenly every Irish player is 'the best in the Northern hemisphere' in their respective positions.
We love a good gloat. The Indo runs a big article today about how the English papers praised us and slated their own team. We don't make good winners.
Of course the same players will be castigated if we get thumped by the Welsh.
A bit of humility and less chest thumping would seem wise at this juncture.

That has nothing to do with us being good or bad winners, it has everything to do with the Indo being a ****e newspaper.

LorMal · 02-03-2015 9:27pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Speak for yourself. Most rugby folk I know are quite humble boarding on pessimistic when it comes to the national team, even now. I think most are wary about our trip to Cardiff.

Ah now, I know you are the epitome of deprecation, Micky, the very essence of grace and dignity in victory. I am not referring to your good self or your fellow humble rugby folk at all - indeed I have never had the pleasure of your company.
I am referring to those in the Meeja and on discussion forums (e.g. the Journal) who lose all sense of balance or reason when we are playing well. Indeed, many go onto the Guardian Rugby Forum to have a good old gloat.
Have a look at the Player Ratings in the Indo for the match - Jebus, we would beat the ABs by 50 points in a canter by that reckoning.

LorMal · 02-03-2015 9:30pm

Neil3030 wrote: »

When will Jackson be back does anyone know?

I prefer Madigan

wp_rathead · 02-03-2015 9:45pm

TommyOM wrote: »

Anyone know what position he played at for Leinster schools??

Robbie played center in schools I believe (and, as been pointed out, played in Connacht Schools)

Zzippy · 02-03-2015 9:50pm

England

SaveOurLyric wrote: »

Tommy is quicker. Play him on the wings, better at chasing kicks to the corner or in open field.
Two Robs in the centre, and one at full back. Safe under any high balls, fearless and great at leaping and plucking balls in a crowded midfield.

Anyway, until the availability of human cloning, we have strayed a long way on my effort to make a point !

Jaysus, centre is the last place I'd want Kearney. Centres require a decent ability to tackle. Kearney's a decent fullback, and that's about it. In that position he's rarely exposed in a 1-on-1, which is just as well. I shudder to think what he'd be like at 12 or 13...