Ireland vs Canada RTE 2 7:15

Buer

Felix Jones is God wrote: »

Ratings are subjective, but I didn't find any of his marks excessively harsh, can't see why anybody would be getting too bothered about this

Agreed. It was an extremely mundane and unexciting game and the ratings represent that. All 5-7 aside from an 8 for Dillane. The individual marks are subjective and there's nothing too controversial. A bit scappy on Bealham but, as I said at half time, none of the front five should be feeling too happy with themselves based on their tight game.

Buer

connachta wrote: »

Kearney won't last 3 more years (Don't get me wrong, he was excellent against N-Z but)
And TOH made a huge step for the 15 jersey yesterday. He's on the radar now

He's was alright. It was something of a no win situation for him. If he tore it up, it's a case of him playing against poor opposition. If he struggled, it would be a case of him not being near the required standard.

As it stands, he was good in attack with a couple of very impressive moments. However, he'll also have a mark against him for misjudging two high balls in the first half. He's still 4th choice for the full back jersey.

Bazzo

Buer wrote: »

He's was alright. It was something of a no win situation for him. If he tore it up, it's a case of him playing against poor opposition. If he struggled, it would be a case of him not being near the required standard.

As it stands, he was good in attack with a couple of very impressive moments. However, he'll also have a mark against him for misjudging two high balls in the first half. He's still 4th choice for the full back jersey.

It's unfortunate he was poor under the high ball in the first half because it's actually pretty uncharacteristic for him.

ionadnapokot

Bazzo wrote: »

Something like 17 or 18 hard carries, himself and Bealham did a demolition job on the Canadian scrum after a shaky start, hit rucks like a train. Everything you'd want from you loosehead.

Sounds good. I hope he is on the path back to https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DndXw2PkVK4

Bazzo

Buer wrote: »

Agreed. It was an extremely mundane and unexciting game and the ratings represent that. All 5-7 aside from an 8 for Dillane. The individual marks are subjective and there's nothing too controversial. A bit scappy on Bealham but, as I said at half time, none of the front five should be feeling too happy with themselves based on their tight game.

He was definitely way too harsh on Bealham, even suggesting dropping him for next week. In his 47 mins on the pitch he made 6 tackles missing none, 2 of which were massive hits that overturned possession, and smashed in to the line and got a lovely offload loose to set O'Halloran up for a try. Not sure what he was on about with the scrum, the Canadians won a penalty at 1 scrum(the fist of the game?) but besides that were being penalised all day at Irish put ins and going backwards at their own.

Buer

ionadnapokot wrote: »

I was at the game and struggled to see the close exchanges. Can you tell us more about Healy please.
I thought he was poor last week and started worrying was he going back to his shadow

Hungry and carried a massive amount.

On mature reflection though, I think we'd have been better served by him letting Jackson take some of that ball on. He took it up 12 times in the first half which is a massive amount and I think the bulk of those would have been in the opposition half.

He's looking good and his fitness and sharpness is coming back. McGrath is still undoubted first choice, however.

ionadnapokot

Jack Mc has got you covered

former total

Buer wrote: »

He's was alright. It was something of a no win situation for him. If he tore it up, it's a case of him playing against poor opposition. If he struggled, it would be a case of him not being near the required standard.

As it stands, he was good in attack with a couple of very impressive moments. However, he'll also have a mark against him for misjudging two high balls in the first half. He's still 4th choice for the full back jersey.

TOH got a 9 out of 10 from Peter O'Reilly in the ST if that counts for anything, but you're dead right, he is in exactly the same position as he was yesterday morning. He won't feature again until the summer.

ionadnapokot

former total wrote: »

TOH got a 9 out of 10 from Peter O'Reilly in the ST if that counts for anything, but you're dead right, he is in exactly the same position as he was yesterday morning. He won't feature again until the summer.

Anything Peter Oreilly rates counts for absolutely nothing.
However, I respect your posts here on d rugby

nice_guy80

look, its all about building options for WC 2019

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

former total wrote: »

TOH got a 9 out of 10 from Peter O'Reilly in the ST if that counts for anything, but you're dead right, he is in exactly the same position as he was yesterday morning. He won't feature again until the summer.

I'd imagine the same can be said for a few of the guys who played yesterday.

Last week's match day squad is arguably our best squad. You can replace Carbery with Jackson, and argue the toss between SOB, POM, Henderson, Murphy, VDF, Dillane and Toner. Personally I don't think the squad gets a huge amount better/worse with any combination of those players, which is a good position to be in. I'd imagine the 23 shirt is also a toss up between Earls, Ringrose, Olding and Marshall.

Barring another massive injury crisis I can't see the likes of Gilroy, TOH, Adeolokun, Holland, Leavy, JOD etc. featuring again until the end of season tour.

Interested Observer

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I'd imagine the same can be said for a few of the guys who played yesterday.

Last week's match day squad is arguably our best squad. You can replace Carbery with Jackson, and argue the toss between SOB, POM, Henderson, Murphy, VDF, Dillane and Toner. Personally I don't think the squad gets a huge amount better/worse with any combination of those players, which is a good position to be in. I'd imagine the 23 shirt is also a toss up between Earls, Ringrose, Olding and Marshall.

Barring another massive injury crisis I can't see the likes of Gilroy, TOH, Adeolokun, Holland, Leavy, JOD etc. featuring again until the end of season tour.

I would take one issue with that, I think the squad gets quite a bit worse if you take out Toner. He's so good in the set piece these days. He was always a guy I thought would get to a certain level with Leinster and never really trouble the national side but imo he's vital now.

In the backrow I think VdF will start because he has form and fitness on his side, and I don't think either POM or SOB are demanding selection at the moment. In the short to medium term I genuinely believe Dan Leavy will take that 7 spot for Ireland. The guy is a machine.

Henderson needs to buck up his ideas imp, he doesn't get into the 23 on form this season imo. I can't see a case for him to be ahead of Ryan or Dillane at the moment.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Interested Observer wrote: »

I would take one issue with that, I think the squad gets quite a bit worse if you take out Toner. He's so good in the set piece these days. He was always a guy I thought would get to a certain level with Leinster and never really trouble the national side but imo he's vital now.

In the backrow I think VdF will start because he has form and fitness on his side, and I don't think either POM or SOB are demanding selection at the moment. In the short to medium term I genuinely believe Dan Leavy will take that 7 spot for Ireland. The guy is a machine.

Henderson needs to buck up his ideas imp, he doesn't get into the 23 on form this season imo. I can't see a case for him to be ahead of Ryan or Dillane at the moment.

Fair point about Toner.

Henserson has been injured and/or sick most of the season so while you're probably right about his form not being deserving of a spot I don't think it's about "bucking up his ideas". Much like Healy last season he needs a long uninterrupted spell of regular game time.

Interested Observer

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Fair point about Toner.

Henserson has been injured and/or sick most of the season so while you're probably right about his form not being deserving of a spot I don't think it's about "bucking up his ideas". Much like Healy last season he needs a long uninterrupted spell of regular game time.

Yeah ok, probably a bit unfair on my part. He has the talent but needs to be playing every week now.

bilston

Aye I don't see Henderson featuring this Autumn now. However at his best he will be an integral part of the Irish squad so hopefully he gets back to Ulster and plays well. He has had an infected cut in his arm which is bound to have had an impact, he also,suffers from being Ulster's only ball carrier of note, and some will curse me for this, I think he will go a lot further in the game playing second row than 6, but with Coetzee out Ulster need him at 6.

JPCN1

Happy enough with that and most acquitted themselves very well and great to see so many new caps.

Holland did well, glad he was capped but won't be seeing him again you'd imagine.

O'Donoghue certainly has talent but at 6'2 and only 15.2 he'll need to put on a fair few pounds to stay in the mix.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Interested Observer wrote: »

I would take one issue with that, I think the squad gets quite a bit worse if you take out Toner. He's so good in the set piece these days. He was always a guy I thought would get to a certain level with Leinster and never really trouble the national side but imo he's vital now.

In the backrow I think VdF will start because he has form and fitness on his side, and I don't think either POM or SOB are demanding selection at the moment. In the short to medium term I genuinely believe Dan Leavy will take that 7 spot for Ireland. The guy is a machine.

Henderson needs to buck up his ideas imp, he doesn't get into the 23 on form this season imo. I can't see a case for him to be ahead of Ryan or Dillane at the moment.

Leavy needs a run and with the congestion in the Leinster backrow and players like SOB Murphy and VDF ahead of him at 7 someone needs to move.

Adbrowne

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Leavy needs a run and with the congestion in the Leinster backrow and players like SOB Murphy and VDF ahead of him at 7 someone needs to move.

Leavy has been getting good gametime this season and with Jordi's season over I expect to see him play plenty this season in both comps.

Heaslip, SOB, VDF will be away a fair bit too, and will also be managed a fair bit.

typhoony

Leavy is a different type of layer to VDF but I'd be surprised if he was'nt the long term no.7 for Ireland, just think he has plenty of scope for improvement whereas VDF will show limited improvement

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

typhoony wrote: »

Leavy is a different type of layer to VDF but I'd be surprised if he was'nt the long term no.7 for Ireland, just think he has plenty of scope for improvement whereas VDF will show limited improvement

Can you explain your thinking on that.

He's only in his second full season and has been continually improving in that time. He's better now than he was when he was given his Ireland debut against England last year. How do you know what his limit is?