Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

sydthebeat

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

You couldnt pick a harder draw if you tried.

ah you certainly could

UAEguy2020

And the winner of Wales/Australia's group gets to play Japan in a QF... why cant we ever get a predicament like this? Its either we play NZL or a team in top top form liek Argentina in 2015 or SA who won the RWC 2019...

Its laughable how in a random draw you can get the exact same scenario every single tournament.

Buer

It's 3 years away. People need to relax. Some of the teams that are in tier 1 will be vulnerable by 2023. Some of the teams in tier 2 or even tier 3 might be a lot better.

If we ever want to get to a SF, we need to beat a couple of big teams and not rely on a soft draw as a workaround.

Pudsy33

The group itself isn't so bad, its how we're aligned with other groups for the QF is the issue IMO.

bilston

Feck that...I wouldn't even focus on a WC cycle...concentrate on winning the 6Ns and wing the WC...if we're good enough the great...but I don't see it...

Jump_In_Jack

Pool A
New Zealand
France
Italy
America 1
Africa 1

Pool B
South Africa
Ireland
Scotland
Asia-Pacific 1
Europe 2

Pool C
Wales
Australia
Fiji
Europe 1
Final qualifier winner

Pool D
England
Japan
Argentina
Oceania 1
Americas 2

magic17

UAEguy2020 wrote: »

And the winner of Wales/Australia's group gets to play Japan in a QF... why cant we ever get a predicament like this? Its either we play NZL or a team in top top form liek Argentina in 2015 or SA who won the RWC 2019...

Its laughable how in a random draw you can get the exact same scenario every single tournament.

Might just have something to do with the fact that only about 9 teams play the sport at a decent level

errlloyd

sydthebeat wrote: »

ah you certainly could

Could you? Maybe add Argentina into the pool.

France is the best team in Tier 2.
New Zealand is the best team in Tier 1.

South Africa is the second best team in Tier 1

So I don't you can do worse.

eigrod

Wales got it handy.

ArmaniJeanss

UAEguy2020 wrote: »

And the winner of Wales/Australia's group gets to play Japan in a QF... why cant we ever get a predicament like this? Its either we play NZL or a team in top top form liek Argentina in 2015 or SA who won the RWC 2019...

Its laughable how in a random draw you can get the exact same scenario every single tournament.

In fairness the 2015 and 2019 draws were regarded as relative gimmes at the time the draw was made. 2019 especially - win the softest group possible and then come up against a shambolic South Africa in the quarter finals.

Buer

UAEguy2020 wrote: »

And the winner of Wales/Australia's group gets to play Japan in a QF... why cant we ever get a predicament like this? Its either we play NZL or a team in top top form liek Argentina in 2015 or SA who won the RWC 2019...

We did. We had a pool with Scotland and Japan and we blew it.

We got a QF against a good but not great Argentina side (who were then comfortably beaten by Australia) and blew it.

We got a QF against Wales (who finished 4th in the 6N that year) and we blew it.

It's not a conspiracy or bad luck. We just haven't delivered when required.

sydthebeat

errlloyd wrote: »

Could you? Maybe add Argentina into the pool.

.................

So I don't you can do worse.

you answered your own question

UAEguy2020

Buer wrote: »

It's 3 years away. People need to relax. Some of the teams that are in tier 1 will be vulnerable by 2023. Some of the teams in tier 2 or even tier 3 might be a lot better.

If we ever want to get to a SF, we need to beat a couple of big teams and not rely on a soft draw as a workaround.

Would be nice if for once we had a team in a QF that we would be confident of beating like Wales did with France in the last RWC, no matter what we always end up with an extremly difficult draw for the QF. We **** the bed, France/NZL play like men possesed, we sleep for 30 mins and go 20+ points down and then fight back when the match is over and go back home. Rince repeat.

Bazzo

Buer wrote: »

It's 3 years away. People need to relax. Some of the teams that are in tier 1 will be vulnerable by 2023. Some of the teams in tier 2 or even tier 3 might be a lot better.

If we ever want to get to a SF, we need to beat a couple of big teams and not rely on a soft draw as a workaround.

I wasn't at all bothered by who we would draw in the group either way but drawing a potential quarter final against the all blacks or france at home at the world cup is a bollix no matter what way you look at it.

UAEguy2020

Buer wrote: »

We did. We had a pool with Scotland and Japan and we blew it.

We got a QF against a good but not great Argentina side (who were then comfortably beaten by Australia) and blew it.

We got a QF against Wales (who finished 4th in the 6N that year) and we blew it.

It's not a conspiracy or bad luck. We just haven't delivered when required.

Yay we could play South Africa in a QF instead of NZL...that makes things a whole lot better. Argentina in 2015 up until the Australia SF were in excellent form and as usual we got the best version of them in a QF. You never see us get a group with the 2019 version of France for instance its always NZL or a team in excellent form.

Buer

Bazzo wrote: »

I wasn't at all bothered by who we would draw in the group either way but drawing a potential quarter final against the all blacks or france at home at the world cup is a bollix no matter what way you look at it.

Fortunately the match is 3 years away.

You'd get short enough odds on France managing to fabricate a situation where they shoot themselves in the foot in 3 years, sack their coach, players revolt etc.

Of course, we might be claiming the wooden spoon in the 6N by then. Who knows.

UAEguy2020

eigrod wrote: »

Wales got it handy.

In other news, water is wet.

awec

Buer wrote: »

We did. We had a pool with Scotland and Japan and we blew it.

We got a QF against a good but not great Argentina side (who were then comfortably beaten by Australia) and blew it.

We got a QF against Wales (who finished 4th in the 6N that year) and we blew it.

It's not a conspiracy or bad luck. We just haven't delivered when required.

Exactly. We have underperformed at WCs and it's not due to bad draws.

Ireland need to **** or get off the pot.

bilston

Buer wrote: »

It's 3 years away. People need to relax. Some of the teams that are in tier 1 will be vulnerable by 2023. Some of the teams in tier 2 or even tier 3 might be a lot better.

If we ever want to get to a SF, we need to beat a couple of big teams and not rely on a soft draw as a workaround.

The pool is fine...we have no reason to fear Scotland, and while SA are world champions they can blow quite hot and cold at WCs, particularly in the pool stages.

It's the fact we will play either France or NZ in the quarter finals. Ridiculous as it seems, but right now we would probably prefer NZ than France.

swiwi_

Wales, Australia, Fiji...have those guys got something going on? Think that is at least 3 consecutive world cups they are in the same pool.

As for NZ, we always get Italy. Would have loved something a bit more spicy. France will be well up for this on home soil, that pool game should be great value.

ionadnapokot

bilston wrote: »

Feck that...I wouldn't even focus on a WC cycle...concentrate on winning the 6Ns and wing the WC...if we're good enough the great...but I don't see it...

At least we can go to France and enjoy the country and the craic!
Zero expectations now.

I think France will have the beating of NZ by then.
SA are not unbeatable. But I doubt Ireland will be capable of beating them with the current or potential halfbacks available.
Kolbe v Stockdale again!

UAEguy2020

Buer wrote: »

Fortunately the match is 3 years away.

You'd get short enough odds on France managing to fabricate a situation where they shoot themselves in the foot in 3 years, sack their coach, players revolt etc.

Of course, we might be claiming the wooden spoon in the 6N by then. Who knows.

The one benefit would be it would potentially be a home RWC with a side with little to no experience of success at a RWC with all the pressure on their shoulders of doing well at their own World Cup, might not be the worst scenario.

Former Former Former

UAEguy2020 wrote: »

In other news, water is wet.

They've had much harder pools than us at the last two tournaments. These things balance out and any suggestions that this is rigged are ridiculous, to be honest.

Leinstertomas

Wales, Austrlia and Fii again.
Every wc since 2007 has had these three together apart from 2015 which still had Wales and Fiji in same pool.
Strange

sydthebeat

swiwi_ wrote: »

Wales, Australia, Fiji...have those guys got something going on? Think that is at least 3 consecutive world cups they are in the same pool.

As for NZ, we always get Italy. Would have loved something a bit more spicy. France will be well up for this on home soil, that pool game should be great value.

im predicting a drop off by the ABs to being eminently beatable come 2023

France / ABs to be a bone crunching game (hopefully a week before the QFs) which will drain both teams both physically and mentally

England with a relatively comfortable path through to the Semi Final based on current form.

We've the strongest tier 3 team and the World Champions. On current form we make it out of the pool but likely lose to France at home or New Zealand.

Early prediction:

A
1.NZ
2. France

B
1. South Africa
2. Ireland

C
1. Australia
2. Wales

D
1. England
2. Argentina

Quarters
NZ v IRE (NZ)
SA v FR (SA)
AUS v ARG (AUS)
ENG v WAL (ENG)

Semi
SA v NZ
AUS v ENG

Final
SA v ENG

Could well see a repeat of 2019. Ultimately based on current form I think it will be either France, NZ or SA on one side and almost certainly England on the other.

Edit: fixed an error

sydthebeat

Deleted User wrote: »

England with a relatively comfortable path through to the Semi Final based on current form.

We've the strongest tier 3 team and the World Champions. On current form we make it out of the pool but likely lose to France at home or New Zealand.

Early prediction:

A
1.NZ
2. France

B
1. South Africa
2. Ireland

C
1. Australia
2. Wales

D
1. England
2. Argentina

Quarters
NZ v SA (SA)
FR v IRL (FR)
AUS v ARG (AUS)
ENG v WAL (ENG)

Semi
SA v FR
AUS v ENG

Final
SA v ENG

Could well see a repeat of 2019. Ultimately based on current form I think it will be either France, NZ or SA on one side and almost certainly England on the other.

youre quarters are wrong if france and ireland come second in their groups

Sexton to captain us to victory

aloooof

UAEguy2020 wrote: »

You never see us get a group with the 2019 version of France for instance its always NZL or a team in excellent form.

It really isn't always NZ tho. Wasn't last year the first time we met them in the RWC since 1995? The second time we've ever come up against them?

UAEguy2020

Former Former Former wrote: »

They've had much harder pools than us at the last two tournaments. These things balance out and any suggestions that this is rigged are ridiculous, to be honest.

They played France in a QF and we got NZL in the last RWC...says it all.