Match Thread: Ireland v Wales [2.30pm 29/08/15 Aviva Stadium] Guinness Series

awec

I don't think a back row of POM, Murphy and Heaslip works. Especially with no Best on the pitch. We just miss a real nuisance at the breakdown.

Maybe awful is harsh but Murphy was at least the worst back row on show today.

It's not a back row trio I'd like to see finish out a tight game or if we were chasing a game.

Stheno

Deleted User wrote: »

Heaslip was, by a substantial margin, the best back row.

POM and Murphy had largely similar games.

Yeah agreed, I thought Heaslip was a real busy body today, seemed to pop up a lot.

aimee1

twinytwo wrote: »

Ah here, you might as well call a spade a spade... while he was on the pitch POM was easily the best of the backrow.

yeah whatever. Heaslip was very good today. He just never stopped working.

awec

awec wrote: »

I don't think a back row of POM, Murphy and Heaslip works. Especially with no Best on the pitch. We just miss a real nuisance at the breakdown.

Maybe awful is harsh but Murphy was at least the worst back row on show today.

It's not a back row trio I'd like to see finish out a tight game or if we were chasing a game.

Murphy destroyed the English backrow during the 6N. Him and O'Donnell worked them off the pitch. POM Murphy Heaslip is fine, today they weren't on song and honestly, and I hate to say it, but Joubert was a complete disgrace and whilst he got things wrong for Wales also, he made 3 - 4 fairly significant errors today that cost us penalty scoring opportunities.

Sour grapes and all that, but it's not the first time matches (not just irish teams) have been spoiled by officials not observing half of what is going on.

Still, lots of our guys looked rusty today or were minding themselves. I also fully believe that we will see our armed and fully operational battle squad in the tournament and not before. Expect a similar outing next week.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Sexton was pretty poor today, no? Quite a few mistakes, blunders you might call them. First match of the season for him and all so no need to panic but still.... Jackson didn't make as many mistakes in the first match against Wales and he hadn't played internationally for quite some time, is all I'm saying

Stheno

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Sexton was pretty poor today, no? Quite a few mistakes, blunders you might call them. First match of the season for him and all so no need to panic but still.... Jackson didn't make as many mistakes in the first match against Wales and he hadn't played internationally for quite some time, is all I'm saying

Rusty I'd say, I can see himself and Murray starting next week to gel more.

errlloyd

Madigan is our only in form 10, this is a concerning state of affairs.

Rightwing

I'm beginning to think France look like great value to top the group. Schmidt's rugby is just far too conservative.

Squidgy Black

errlloyd wrote: »

Madigan is our only in form 10, this is a concerning state of affairs.

Depends on how you describe "in form", I'd still rather an out of form Sexton than Mads.

phog

errlloyd wrote: »

Madigan is our only in form 10, this is a concerning state of affairs.

In form maybe but definitely below par for an international outhalf.

Stheno

errlloyd wrote: »

Madigan is our only in form 10, this is a concerning state of affairs.

He's had more game time than any other though no?

Rightwing wrote: »

I'm beginning to think France look like great value to top the group. Schmidt's rugby is just far too conservative.

I don't agree, I think Schmidt is being clever here and using the warm ups for what they are, warm ups

PTH2009

Probly the worse game I saw ireland play in the aviva was today's . Both teams were bad and there was no atmosphere.

England will win handy next week

If Italy pull a Argentina 2007 on it then we are in trouble if we don't improve. France are in a good place

Our international soccer counterparts are playing there final Euro 2016 qualifier vs Poland on the 11th October just after our potentially huge game vs France. Could be a dark day for irish sport

phog

PTH2009 wrote: »

Probly the worse game I saw ireland play in the aviva was today's . Both teams were bad and there was no atmosphere.

England will win handy next week

If Italy pull a Argentina 2007 on it then we are in trouble if we don't improve. France are in a good place

Our international soccer counterparts are playing there final Euro 2016 qualifier vs Poland on the 11th October just after our potentially huge game vs France. Could be a dark day for irish sport

Today was a warm up game, we knew players would be rusty.

I still think we'll top our group.

total former

PTH2009 wrote: »

Probly the worse game I saw ireland play in the aviva was today's . Both teams were bad and there was no atmosphere.

England will win handy next week

If Italy pull a Argentina 2007 on it then we are in trouble if we don't improve. France are in a good place

Our international soccer counterparts are playing there final Euro 2016 qualifier vs Poland on the 11th October just after our potentially huge game vs France. Could be a dark day for irish sport

It's hard to know where to start with this.

You may want to check the results from today and then let us know if you think Italy are a threat.

PTH2009

phog wrote: »

Today was a warm up game, we knew players would be rusty.

I still think we'll top our group.

I have a feeling joe knew his 31 for the World Cup before the game and told the players

thomond2006

PTH2009 wrote: »

Probly the worse game I saw ireland play in the aviva was today's . Both teams were bad and there was no atmosphere.

England will win handy next week

If Italy pull a Argentina 2007 on it then we are in trouble if we don't improve. France are in a good place

Our international soccer counterparts are playing there final Euro 2016 qualifier vs Poland on the 11th October just after our potentially huge game vs France. Could be a dark day for irish sport

Are you ever not pessimistic? This is really worst possible scenario stuff. Italy are not going to pull an Argentina 2007. It's a bit early to say that France are in a good place, they were 1-1 in their matches against England. I'm certain that leaving out FTD is going to cost them. Since you seem to believe warmups matter, Italy got murdered today in Scotland...

The only effect today will really have on RWC are the injuries and we have quality players available to replace Earls and/or Fitzgerald. A lot of the key starters were playing their first match today for 3 months, there was some rustiness... quelle surprise!

Stheno

PTH2009 wrote: »

Probly the worse game I saw ireland play in the aviva was today's . Both teams were bad and there was no atmosphere.

England will win handy next week

If Italy pull a Argentina 2007 on it then we are in trouble if we don't improve. France are in a good place

Our international soccer counterparts are playing there final Euro 2016 qualifier vs Poland on the 11th October just after our potentially huge game vs France. Could be a dark day for irish sport

Wow I was in the Aviva today and the atmosphere was much better than against Scotland when it was dire.

Dunno that England will win handy next week at all, after a first defeat in close to two years, Ireland will be gunning for it I reckon

The Lost Sheep

PTH2009 wrote: »

Probly the worse game I saw ireland play in the aviva was today's. Both teams were bad and there was no atmosphere.

England will win handy next week

If Italy pull a Argentina 2007 on it then we are in trouble if we don't improve. France are in a good place

Our international soccer counterparts are playing there final Euro 2016 qualifier vs Poland on the 11th October just after our potentially huge game vs France. Could be a dark day for irish sport

Ah don't go overboard....
I don't see any reason why England will "win handy next week". Italy wont pull anything like Argentina in 2007
Are France really in a good place?
Today was a warm up. Very different to 6N/AIs... hard to get atmosphere going for games like todays...

PTH2009 wrote: »

I have a feeling joe knew his 31 for the World Cup before the game and told the players

That's rubbish.
He wouldn't have tried out so many guys in different areas if he did.....

thomond2006

PTH2009 wrote: »

I have a feeling joe knew his 31 for the World Cup before the game and told the players

What's the benefit of doing that?

kenmc

awec wrote: »

I'm not on the Fitz hype train either. Though I am not a card carrying member of the Earls hype club either.

thank christ, I thought I was the only one seeing Fitz thinking the emperor has no clothes. even as a Leinster fan, I just can't see what he brings ahead of say zebo.
likewise rory best, dodgy darts is his calling card in my opinion.

clsmooth

PTH2009 wrote: »

Probly the worse game I saw ireland play in the aviva was today's . Both teams were bad and there was no atmosphere.

England will win handy next week

If Italy pull a Argentina 2007 on it then we are in trouble if we don't improve. France are in a good place

Our international soccer counterparts are playing there final Euro 2016 qualifier vs Poland on the 11th October just after our potentially huge game vs France. Could be a dark day for irish sport

Slight over reaction to a preseason friendly. Italy lose 48-7 to Scotland and you think they might pull an 'Argentina 2007'? We admittedly don't play well against a close to full strength Welsh team who need to be peaking earlier than us in a few weeks, and we still come that close to beating them.. And yet we're the ones in trouble?

And where are you getting England will win handy next week from? Did you see them vs France last week? They were appalling and even then that French team (in such good place) nearly threw the game away. They're glorified preseason friendlies. A result would be nice, but avoiding injuries and giving the squad minutes is the priority. All the teams have been poor so far. Let's see whose firing on all cylinders in October. I'd put good money on Ireland clicking. The past two years backs that up.

Stheno

kenmc wrote: »

thank christ, I thought I was the only one seeing Fitz thinking the emperor has no clothes. even as a Leinster fan, I just can't see what he brings ahead of say zebo.
likewise rory best, dodgy darts is his calling card in my opinion.

I didn't think Fitz did much at all today either.

As for best, dodgy throws aside, I do think he brings a lot to the side.

clsmooth

kenmc wrote: »

likewise rory best, dodgy darts is his calling card in my opinion.

As opposed to Cronin who is guaranteed line out ball?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I thought Best was a bit dodgy during the 6 Nations. Strange we haven't seen him at all so far.

Ceadog

clsmooth wrote: »

As opposed to Cronin who is guaranteed line out ball?

Best is by far our best scrummaging hooker, is extremely effective on the ground, and is one of the squad leaders.

Cronin is a very good player coming off the bench and is a devastating carrier but Best is a far more rounded player.

kenmc

clsmooth wrote: »

As opposed to Cronin who is guaranteed line out ball?

might be blinkered, but don't remember ever fearing either Cronin or Strauss about to throw into the lineout, either for Leinster or Ireland, but every time best picks up the ball I reckon its at best 50/50. Cronin and Strauss both better carriers IMO, although I worry about Strauss and the number of concussions he's had

clsmooth

Ceadog wrote: »

Best is by far our best scrummaging hooker, is extremely effective on the ground, and is one of the squad leaders.

Cronin is a very good player coming off the bench and is a devastating carrier but Best is a far more rounded player.

Agree with you 100%. Best is incredibly underrated. As good as Cronin can be off the bench, I'd be worried to see him starting one of the bigger games, his thowing is the least consistent of the 3. I'd probably have Strauss to start ahead of him. Cronin is an ideal impact player.

Stheno

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I thought Best was a bit dodgy during the 6 Nations. Strange we haven't seen him at all so far.

Did he not play in the first Welsh game?

Any highlights

digzy

Rightwing wrote: »

I'm beginning to think France look like great value to top the group. Schmidt's rugby is just far too conservative.

I'd be inclined to agree with you.
Gatand said earlier that we don't play much rugby....he's bloody right. I'd be shocked if we beat France. Even more so if we make a semi.