Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread V

WarZ

I think you start Madigan, we know he's in good form and is match ready.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Bazzo wrote: »

Based on his performance vs France it would be very unfair to start Jackson ahead of Madigan. As you said if we need Madigan to cover somewhere else he can just shift out.

WarZ wrote: »

I think you start Madigan, we know he's in good form and is match ready.

I suppose it depends too on if Sexton can't play at all or they'd rather not risk him if they don't have to, in which case he may be on the bench?

WarZ

I suppose you could have Earls on bench to cover the backline, his knock on was costly and I don't think he should start again because of it. it was quite possibly the worst knock on I have ever seen. Players of Keith Earls calibre should never knock on like that. I couldn't believe it when I saw that ball clumsily slip from his hands and onto the floor where it moved forward causing a knock on with the french try begging. We need to lessen our knock ons if we are to progress.

Keith Earls, 'The Knock on King'

MJohnston

WarZ wrote: »

I suppose you could have Earls on bench to cover the backline, his knock on was costly and I don't think he should start again because of it. it was quite possibly the worst knock on I have ever seen. Players of Keith Earls calibre should never knock on like that. I couldn't believe it when I saw that ball clumsily slip from his hands and onto the floor where it moved forward causing a knock on with the french try begging. We need to lessen our knock ons if we are to progress.

Keith Earls, 'The Knock on King'

WarZ

leakyboots

WarZ wrote: »

I suppose you could have Earls on bench to cover the backline, his knock on was costly and I don't think he should start again because of it. it was quite possibly the worst knock on I have ever seen. Players of Keith Earls calibre should never knock on like that. I couldn't believe it when I saw that ball clumsily slip from his hands and onto the floor where it moved forward causing a knock on with the french try begging. We need to lessen our knock ons if we are to progress.

Keith Earls, 'The Knock on King'

If anyone is the Knock On King it's Cian Healy spilling the ball in contact a couple of times a game in this WC, lest we forget the one in Cardiff in the Six Nations.

WarZ

leakyboots wrote: »

If anyone is the Knock On King it's Cian Healy spilling the ball in contact a couple of times a game in this WC, lest we forget the one in Cardiff in the Six Nations.

Keith Earls is a knock on merchant.

Clearlier

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Not to get into a full on Madigan vs Jackson debate but who should start if Sexton can't play?

The only reason I ask is because of Madigan's ability to play multiple positions. If he starts and Jackson is on the bench (along with Reddan) you've really only got one position covered on the bench. I suppose Madigan could shift position if someone else had to go off injured so you're still technically covered....

I'm not sure that you can ask that question without quickly seguing into a Madigan v Jackson debate. If the question is simply should he bench because he can cover more positions than Jackson then the answer is no.

I do think that he should bench though because I think that he plays much better when coming off the bench than when starting. Even within this world up I thought that he played extremely well when coming off the bench against Canada but followed it up with a very average performance against Romania when starting. Perhaps the French match will mark a turning point in his career and I certainly hope so but on the available evidence Jackson would be my starter.

bilston

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Not to get into a full on Madigan vs Jackson debate but who should start if Sexton can't play?

The only reason I ask is because of Madigan's ability to play multiple positions. If he starts and Jackson is on the bench (along with Reddan) you've really only got one position covered on the bench. I suppose Madigan could shift position if someone else had to go off injured so you're still technically covered....

I'm a biased Ulster fan who rates Jackson very highly but there is no debate here. Madigan starts all day long.

rrpc

bilston wrote: »

I'm a biased Ulster fan who rates Jackson very highly but there is no debate here. Madigan starts all day long.

Impressive!

I would have been in the 'Jackson starts if Sexton's injured' camp too, but have had to revise my opinion after last week.

I'm now in the 'hope Madigan can do it again if needed' camp

WarZ

Clearlier wrote: »

I'm not sure that you can ask that question without quickly seguing into a Madigan v Jackson debate. If the question is simply should he bench because he can cover more positions than Jackson then the answer is no.

I do think that he should bench though because I think that he plays much better when coming off the bench than when starting. Even within this world up I thought that he played extremely well when coming off the bench against Canada but followed it up with a very average performance against Romania when starting. Perhaps the French match will mark a turning point in his career and I certainly hope so but on the available evidence Jackson would be my starter.

It's looking like Sexton will be unavailable.

If, and its a big if, we get past Argentina with this team then it will be a massive boost for the team morale to see Sexton and Sean O'Brien back for the Australian match. Both will be fresh as well.

Lets hope Australia ship some injuries against Scotland and Ireland have a miracle game against Argentina.

To lose Paul O'Connell, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony, Jared Payne, Jonathan Sexton (one third of our starters) in the space of 2 weeks is a huge blow.

JPCN1

WarZ wrote: »

I suppose you could have Earls on bench to cover the backline, his knock on was costly and I don't think he should start again because of it. it was quite possibly the worst knock on I have ever seen. Players of Keith Earls calibre should never knock on like that. I couldn't believe it when I saw that ball clumsily slip from his hands and onto the floor where it moved forward causing a knock on with the french try begging. We need to lessen our knock ons if we are to progress.

Keith Earls, 'The Knock on King'

Harsh. He has otherwise played well and Luke can cover the rest of the backline positions.

rrpc

WarZ wrote: »

It's looking like Sexton will be unavailable.

Where are you getting that from? According to the statement today, he did a 3.5k run yesterday and is taking part in training tomorrow.

It's certainly possible he won't be available, but there are no signs yet (that I know of) that say he won't be playing.

ken76

Part of Joe's job brief is a to get to a semi. IF Sexton is anyway fit he will play. This is not like resting players against Canada etc

noway12345

We might get to see what many of have wished for on Sunday. Fitzgerald at 12 and Henshaw at 13.

BoardsMember

I'm getting more and more worried about Madigan. I'm a fan, and was delighted for him last week. I knew he has games in him like that, I've seen him play like that. But....he always really struggles off slow ball. I hope the pack gives him the platform he needs. Where his weakness shows up is when he drops into the pocket and tries to control the game with shrewd tactical kicking. He just does not possess that game. If he starts, Argentina will be doing everything to put pressure on him, to force him backwards. C'mon Mads...you can do it!!

BoardsMember

noway12345 wrote: »

We might get to see what many of have wished for on Sunday. Fitzgerald at 12 and Henshaw at 13.

There's no chance that is happening. As long as Henshaw is fit he stays at 12. Why would he change both centres?

noway12345

BoardsMember wrote: »

There's no chance that is happening. As long as Henshaw is fit he stays at 12. Why would he change both centres?

Fitzgerald outside centre? Cave? Henshaw played both positions against France anyway.

AbusesToilets

BoardsMember wrote: »

There's no chance that is happening. As long as Henshaw is fit he stays at 12. Why would he change both centres?

He's a better 13 than 12 I would've thought, given he plays there for Connacht. It's much of muchness anyway, either player is comfortable at both positions.

irishbucsfan

noway12345 wrote: »

We might get to see what many of have wished for on Sunday. Fitzgerald at 12 and Henshaw at 13.

Posting the same thing over and over and over again doesn't increase the chances of it happening unfortunately.

Henwin

anyone feel that paul o connell was deliberately injured on sunday, it looked like a french player stretched his leg so much that he tore his hamstring

Pudsy33

Henwin wrote: »

anyone feel that paul o connell was deliberately injured on sunday, it looked like a french player stretched his leg so much that he tore his hamstring

Most definitely not, no.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

noway12345 wrote: »

We might get to see what many of have wished for on Sunday. Fitzgerald at 12 and Henshaw at 13.

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Posting the same thing over and over and over again doesn't increase the chances of it happening unfortunately.

Nor does it make one (specifically you, Norway) many.

case885

WarZ wrote:

I suppose you could have Earls on bench to cover the backline, his knock on was costly and I don't think he should start again because of it. it was quite possibly the worst knock on I have ever seen. Players of Keith Earls calibre should never knock on like that. I couldn't believe it when I saw that ball clumsily slip from his hands and onto the floor where it moved forward causing a knock on with the french try begging. We need to lessen our knock ons if we are to progress.

WarZ wrote:

Keith Earls, 'The Knock on King'

Having watched New Zealand's group games and their unusually high rate of knock ons I think Keith has studied this and realized it lulled the opposition into a false sense of security so decided to employ this tactic against France.
We can now see this bold move paid off.
Fair play to Keith for his heroic action.

marco_polo

noway12345 wrote: »

We might get to see what many of have wished for on Sunday. Fitzgerald at 12 and Henshaw at 13.

We heard you the 1000th time.

phog

WarZ wrote: »

I suppose you could have Earls on bench to cover the backline, his knock on was costly and I don't think he should start again because of it. it was quite possibly the worst knock on I have ever seen. Players of Keith Earls calibre should never knock on like that. I couldn't believe it when I saw that ball clumsily slip from his hands and onto the floor where it moved forward causing a knock on with the french try begging. We need to lessen our knock ons if we are to progress.

Keith Earls, 'The Knock on King'

In what way was it costly? We won the game, comfortably in the end. Was it any more costly than SOB's knockon in a similar position on the field or Henderson losing the ball forward a few metres from the try line?

Recently, twice at least you've been extra harsh in your critisim of two Irish players for their actions during a game but ignored similar or worse actions by other Irish players. I'd love to know how you measure your annoyance of unforced errors by players.

Flipper22

phog wrote: »

In what way was it costly? We won the game, comfortably in the end. Was it any more costly than SOB's knockon in a similar position on the field or Henderson losing the ball forward a few metres from the try line?

Recently, twice at least you've been extra harsh in your critisim of two Irish players for their actions during a game but ignored similar or worse actions by other Irish players. I'd love to know how you measure your annoyance of unforced errors by players.

Ah come on, ultra defensiveness has made your posts look silly once today already.

It was an awful mistake from Earls (who otherwise played well) at a key point in the match that cost us a probable 5/7 points. The pass was perfect too. It's the type of thing that often makes the difference between winning or losing a close test match.

SOBs was bad too, but definitely not a likely try butchered. So yes, much more costly. Hendersons I dont even remember. You don't mean his knock on around the french 22 in the play before the last scrum, do you?

It'd be easier for you to just accept justified criticism and refute the unjustified stuff, rather than the scattergun defensiveness to any criticism of those particular players.

Edit- btw I don't think he should be dropped at all, don't agree with that at all. But it was the worst knock on I've seen in ages.

phog

Flipper22 wrote: »

Ah come on, ultra defensiveness has made your posts look silly once today already.

It was an awful mistake from Earls (who otherwise played well) at a key point in the match that cost us a probable 5/7 points. The pass was perfect too. It's the type of thing that often makes the difference between winning or losing a close test match.

SOBs was bad too, but definitely not a likely try butchered. So yes, much more costly. Hendersons I dont even remember. You don't mean his knock on around the french 22 in the play before the last scrum, do you?

It'd be easier for you to just accept justified criticism and refute the unjustified stuff, rather than the scattergun defensiveness to any criticism of those particular players.

Edit- btw I don't think he should be dropped at all, don't agree with that at all. But it was the worst knock on I've seen in ages.

It has nothing to do with ultra anything.

I've no difficulty in saying I shared the annoyance of others when Earls knocking on that ball, but I groaned just as much when SOB did it and again when Henderson lost the ball. Sh1t happens though. None of them meant to do it.

I certainly haven't harped on about one of them losing the ball while completely ignoring the others.

Bazzo

Lads people have been joking about Earls knocking on for about 2 pages now.

phog

phog wrote: »

In what way was it costly? We won the game, comfortably in the end. Was it any more costly than SOB's knockon in a similar position on the field or Henderson losing the ball forward a few metres from the try line?

Recently, twice at least you've been extra harsh in your critisim of two Irish players for their actions during a game but ignored similar or worse actions by other Irish players. I'd love to know how you measure your annoyance of unforced errors by players.

In fairness, it was at least as much Earls's fault for SOB's knock on, he threw it over his head.

Henderson was at least going into contact. Earls did a lot of things great and I reckon he single handedly prevented a try scoring situation for the French.

But jesus he absolutely butchered that try and we were lucky to get away with it in the end.