Ireland vs Argentina, Millenium Stadium, KO: 13:00 [MOD WARNING POST #1]

Tox56

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01: Cian Healy |01: Marcos Ayerza
02: Rory Best |02: Agustin Creevy
03: Mike Ross|03: Ramiro Herrera
04: Devin Toner|04: Guido Petti
05: Iain Henderson CAPTAIN |05: Tomas Lavaninni
06: Jordi Murphy |06: Pablo Matera
07: Chris Henry |07: Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe
08: Jamie Heaslip |08: Leonardo Senatore
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09: Conor Murray |09: Martin Landajo
10: Jonathan Sexton|10: Nicolas Sanchez
11: Dave Kearney |11: Juan Imhoff
12: Robbie Henshaw |12: Juan Martin Hernandez
13: Keith Earls |13: Matias Moroni
14: Tommy Bowe |14: Santiago Cordero
15: Rob Kearney|15: Joaquin Tuculet
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16: Richardt Strauss|16: Julian Montoya
17: Jack McGrath |17: Lucas Noguera Paz
18: Nathan White|18: Juan Pablo Orlandi
19: Donnacha Ryan |19: Matias Alemanno
20: Rhys Ruddock |20: Facundo Isa
21: Eoin Reddan |21: Tomas Cubelli
22: Ian Madigan|22: Jeronimo De la Fuente
23: Luke Fitzgerald |23: Lucas Amorisino

“Puedo decir lo que quiero aqui porque la mayoría de la gente en irlanda solo hablan ingles, cabrones perezosos.”

- Ancient Argentinian proverb

Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross vs Ramiro Herrera, Agustin Creevy, Marcos Ayerza

It’s a sign of the quality we have throughout the team at the moment that we have here one of the best Irish front rows of all time, and it seems like nobody really gives a shít. Mike Ross is one of the most talented fat men we have ever seen in Ireland, and Rory Best has quietly shed his “iffy darts” tag, been ferocious over the ball and carried well when asked, certainly one of the best hookers in the world at the moment. Healy hasnt come from his injury with the same sharpness, but don't forget how devastating he can be, and hopefully he will remind us on Sunday.

Iain Henderson, Devin Toner vs Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti

This was always likely to be the future of the second row and unfortunately we are seeing it earlier than planned. Simply put though, Henderson has been playing better than O’Connell this season, and while he cannot replace his leadership, throughout the team experience is not something we lack for, and in a purely playing capacity he is capable of impacting the game at least as well as O’Connell could, arguably even at his best.

Jordi Murphy, Chris Henry, Jamie Heaslip vs Leonardo Senatore, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Pablo Matera

Evidence of the depth of our squad with our backrow still strong (Rhys Ruddock is also lying in wait), and it is needed after SOBs brutal assault and POM out of the tournament after testing positive for levels of pashun experts previously didn't think possible. Lobbe has managed the burden of having 4 names pretty well in his life so far, but Chris Henry is another largely unsung hero of whom it almost seems insulting to say has "delivered" for us in the past, his performances in the 2014 Six Nations contributed hugely our eventual victory.

Conor Murray, Jonny Sexton vs Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo

Madigan played well last week, but realistically we need Sexton. Even if his fitness is a risk, it is a risk worth taking.

Rob Henshaw, Keith Earls vs Matias Moroni, Juan Martin Hernandez

I don’t know why I volunteered to do this preview and Im running out of steam here, but I gave you a glorious table so shut up (if someone wants to give a more detailed description of the Argentinians they are welcome to).

Both Earls and Henshaw might sniff blood in Moroni, a man with limited experience in the centre, and limited experience full stop, replacing the suspended Bosch.

Dave Kearney, Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe vs Joaquin Tuculet, Santiago Cordero, Juan Imhoff

The Argentinian back 3 is danger. They need to be cut off at source, because if they are given space to run, we are in trouble.

Man up lads

Let’s just be honest here. We’re not the plucky underdog anymore. We’re not going into this game with more hope than expectation, we won’t be happy with a good showing and a close game, and we don’t need to feign modesty to appease the mocker gods. We’re the better team with better players, we have won two Six Nations in a row, we’re the team with the experience of playing and winning on the big stage with the biggest pressure. We are the danger, and Argentina are the ones who have to prove they can live with us. Thats the position Ireland are in with the success they have achieved, and it is a mindset I would like Irish people to be more comfortable with.

It doesn’t mean we definitely will win, or have any divine right to win, and I don’t by any means underestimate the ability of this Argentinian team, who are certainly capable of beating us. But winning should be our expectation, and anything less will be unacceptable. There’s no winning on points difference, no chance at redemption, no consolation for playing with style; we simply have to win the next 3 games, by any means necessary. And there’s no reason why we cant

Prediction:

Ireland by 5.

Moflojo

Who are you calling lazy?

Sanjuro

Tox56 wrote: »

testing positive for levels of pashun experts previously didn't think possible.

Gold!

sjb25

Can't waiiiit thinking Ireland should do it but it will be close

All My Stars Aligned

Wow, very surprised that Henderson had been named as captain.

This game stands on a knife edge. We've lost serious talent and with doubts around Sexton it could get worse.

We have a terrific coach and a great squad but -5 from our list of "first names on the teamsheet" can't be ignored.

We won't have the same cohesion or structure as we've seen, it just won't come together for us like that with that many losses.

If we win this it really will require 23 men to achieve a performance level that they haven't collectively reached together any time before. I really hope they all find something within themselves to reach the next level.

If that isn't working they should grab arses and milk yellow's until we're bossing it...!

This game stands on a knife edge. We've lost serious talent and with doubts around Sexton it could get worse.

We have a terrific coach and a great squad but -5 from our list of "first names on the teamsheet" can't be ignored.

We won't have the same cohesion or structure as we've seen, it just won't come together for us like that with that many losses.

If we win this it really will require 23 men to achieve a performance level that they haven't collectively reached together any time before. I really hope they all find something within themselves to reach the next level.

If that isn't working they should grab arses and milk yellow's until we're bossing it...!

Flipper22

All My Stars Aligned wrote: »

Wow, very surprised that Henderson had been named as captain.

Well there ya go. Joe is all about consistency and systems which minimise disruption when we lose a guy.

philstar

All My Stars Aligned wrote: »

Henderson had been named as captain.

so when we win the WC will he get POC on stage to lift the cup with him ??

sjb25

[Deleted User] wrote: »

This game stands on a knife edge. We've lost serious talent and with doubts around Sexton it could get worse.

We have a terrific coach and a great squad but -5 from our list of "first names on the teamsheet" can't be ignored.

We won't have the same cohesion or structure as we've seen, it just won't come together for us like that with that many losses.

If we win this it really will require 23 men to achieve a performance level that they haven't collectively reached together any time before. I really hope they all find something within themselves to reach the next level.

If that isn't working they should grab arses and milk yellow's until we're bossing it...!

Plan B
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nC_abUffrcE

Duckworth_Luas

sjb25 wrote: »

Plan B
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nC_abUffrcE

Those sneaky Bastareauds have got that covered already. We're going to need a Plan C

sjb25

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Those sneaky Bastareauds have got that covered already. We're going to need a Plan C

Snakes they are!!

CatFromHue

philstar wrote: »

so when we win the WC will he get POC on stage to lift the cup with him ??

he's going to lift POC who'll be lifting the cup

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Why is this on at 1 o'clock? Seems a weird time to have a match. The Saturday ones are 4 and 8, why not the same on Sunday? Is it because Downton is on at 9?

marco_polo

I think we have a good chance if Johnny is genuinely close to 100÷ fit, from what I have seen of Argentina there are vital meters to be made in a what looks like a porous enough defense, and I think our defence is good enough to limit the impact of their offloading game.

I do think they are a very good team and it could go either way on the day, but I am very optimistic we can finally break our quarter final hoodoo.

Hermy

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Why is this on at 1 o'clock? Seems a weird time to have a match. The Saturday ones are 4 and 8, why not the same on Sunday? Is it because Downton is on at 9?

Because it's Sunday and people need time to travel back home for work on Monday?

Cronin The Destroyer

Wow. Amazed that Henderson is Cpt. Assumed it would be Heaslip. Our young Manchild is going to be a big deal for Ireland isn't he. Future legend in the making.

The Pheasant2

I could be wrong here but I'm pretty sure Heaslip is captain

Cronin The Destroyer

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

I could be wrong here but I'm pretty sure Heaslip is captain

It does seem a bit absurd. Amazingly talented, but being Cpt is all about exp.

PTH2009

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Those sneaky Bastareauds have got that covered already. We're going to need a Plan C

throw in the towel lads. the big man is on there side

if we win we are guranteed 2 more matches either way. semi final and final/bronze final

Irish_rat

If we don't get to the last 4 this year we never will.

The French win will be meaningless if we don't win Sunday.

dtpc191991

Cronin The Destroyer wrote: »

Wow. Amazed that Henderson is Cpt. Assumed it would be Heaslip. Our young Manchild is going to be a big deal for Ireland isn't he. Future legend in the making.

Heaslip is Captain according to Murray Kinsella's report.

Vorsprung

Heaslip is captain, can't have imagined anyone else leading the side.

http://www.irishrugby.ie/mobile/ireland/35956.php

stephen_n

I would assume that's a miss print, the table was probably copied from a previous game, with the names updated, without moving the captain part down. Heaslip is captain.

.ak

stephen_n wrote: »

I would assume that's a miss print, the table was probably copied from a previous game, with the names updated, without moving the captain part down. Heaslip is captain.

You've been rumbled Tox! Pure laziness

stephen_n

.ak wrote: »

You've been rumbled Tox! Pure laziness

Or intelligent recycling, an important part of the modern writing game.

vienne86

OK, so Heaslip is captain, but nice preview anyway.

So here we are - two matches today and two tomorrow. Only one more sleep until 1 p.m. tomorrow. I fancy us to win, but it will be another bruising encounter.

I would dearly love boards.ie to be working properly for these matches. Anyone know what the problem is?

Ed The Equalizer

.ak wrote: »

You've been rumbled Tox! Pure laziness

Cabron perezoso!

Edit: PS great write up!

rrpc

Murray Kinsella has some words of comfort regarding our rucking stats.

The first one is that (surprisingly for me anyway) we were the fastest to rucks in the world in 2014 with an average 2.83 seconds per ruck. We also broke the 3 second mark in the French game.

Although we'll miss POC and SOB at rucks, POM is more of a carrier. Their replacements are a mixed bag as Henderson (again primarily a ball carrier) doesn't do much ruck work but Jordi Murphy hit a massive 50 rucks in the England game in the 6N and Chris Henry managed 18 in the 25 minutes he was on the pitch.

Top performers were:
Heaslip: 49
Best: 46
Toner: 43
SOB: 35
Ross: 34

Subs/Injuries
POM: 22
POC: 20
Henry: 18
Henderson: 17

So if Murphy can match his England performance and Henry continues at the rate he set against France, we will have no problems in that department.

wittycynic

Despite my crowing for Henderson to be moved to 6 and Ryan brought into the row, on reflection I think installing Murphy at 6 is the right call. Murphy is 24, has bundles of talent, and importantly is very mobile and therefore able to get to the breakdown quicker than some of the other options. Denying them quick ball to their back three will be essential if we hope to win this, as their back three is by far their most important threat.

Targeting their centre should be a focus for us. Martin Hernandez, while a supremely talented player, is now 33 and doesn't have gas he once did, while Moroni is inexperienced. Certainly I am a big fan of Payne's, but in Earls we have the best 13 option for exploiting a defensive frailty.

A lot obviously hinges on Jonny's fitness level. He is one of the best 10s around and will direct attacks intelligently, but it is also clear from interviews that he is one of the most integral leaders on the pitch, and that currency is more important than ever in the wake of O'Connell's loss. Jamie Heaslip also needs a big day out. The pack is missing two massive leaders and that void needs to be filled.

Overall though i think we have the quality throughout the team to do this and the forging of this degree of squad depth is one of the aspects that has marked Schmidt out so clearly from his predecessors. In Joe we trust. Win this and we can start dreaming.

Tox56

stephen_n wrote: »

I would assume that's a miss print, the table was probably copied from a previous game, with the names updated, without moving the captain part down. Heaslip is captain.

No, Henderson is captain I've decided. And I wrote the match preview on boards.ie, so I think I have some authority in this area. Hendo has 40% more honesty than Heaslip and 100% less Beats headphones