Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

All_in_Flynn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120359425#Comment_120359425

Styles make fights. England are nowhere near as bad as they were against France. They got away from what what they have been doing and it snowballed on them. They should/will kick chase on Saturday and it's an area they can get some success against us if it goes well for them We're no slouches under the highball ourselves but Steward is very good at it.

Like I said though, I still expect us to win but I don't think it will be a blow out like some are expecting.

UAEguy2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120359612#Comment_120359612

I don’t see how England’s style of play work’s effectively against Ireland. They may not be as bad as they were against France but that doesn’t mean they’re particularly great either. The issue is what they were doing beforehand wasn’t particularly effective either so I don’t see how reverting back to it helps much. The issue is England aren’t even a particularly good kick chase and even their best player under the high ball Frdddie Steward isn’t a great attacking player when it comes to the high ball, he’s more defensive in this regard.

So you expect England to be more competitive than France were in Dublin, you think they will turn last weeks **** show around and become as competitive as France in the space of a week?

The whole 6 Nations almost the most common phrase before an Irish game has been “Ireland won’t win as comfortably as people think”…before they inevitably win…just as comfortably as people feared if not even more comfortably. I’m at the point where I think we have to accept that the bookies and expectations are spot on and Ireland will win and win just as comfortably as expected and predicting otherwise is based on no logic and based soully on theoretical possibilities and baseless assumptions.

Bogwoppit

I think nerves could be a big factor counting against us on Saturday.

First time going for a slam at home and England have nothing to be nervous about as they’ve pretty much been written off.

England will bring a power game, it’s something they’re pretty much always capable of no matter what and they can hurt us with it.

Podge_irl

What nerves?

If nerves aren't a factor down half your starting pack and the opposition putting it up to you in a big game away from home in a cauldron of a stadium then I don't think that is going to be a factor at home.

Also England have another hammering to be nervous about. sport is sport, but sometimes you are just playing a much worse team.

All_in_Flynn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120359669#Comment_120359669

I'm not sure how you managed to derive from my posts that I said England were going to be more competitive in Dublin than France were? Nor have I said they were in anyway good.

All I've really said is that they do have a way into the game against us and that I expect they will be very very physical. Again, I expect us to win but I wouldn't be confident of a blow out. I'd love nothing more than to put 50 on them.

UAEguy2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120359733#Comment_120359733

The handicap is 15.5 at the moment. If it’s closer than expected then that like saying they’ll be more competitive than the French were.

The way they have into the game is if every potential advantage they have goes in their favour and they execute everything perfectly inspite of the fact it hasnt come together thus far in any game really. The reality is their pack got monstered by a French pack that Ireland got on top of afew rounds ago. Again theoretically it all could work for England but realistically there is little evidence so far to suggest that things will work out for England in this regard.

UAEguy2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120359685#Comment_120359685

Again your posts lack any sort of evidence to support any argument you made. Where is the evidence there will be nerves? This is an Irish side that’s won a series in NZL and has won at least 2 big games this championship despite all the adversity facing them, why all of a sudden will they feel nerves?

Could you point to me where this power game is because if the French pack couldn’t get in top of Ireland I struggle to see how this English pack will bare in mind with the Vunipola’s it’s not that powerful a pack.

The issue here is for anyone backing England to bring it to Ireland or must be said the evidence supporting it is essentially all mental and being fired up and very little to do with tactics or game plan and that’s the final nail in the coffin really as if anyone thinks that will be anywhere near enough on Saturday will be in for quite a shock.

kuang1

My prediction for last Sunday was that we would win by in the region of 22-25 points.

No cockiness involved in that. Just based on what I'd seen from Scotland and Ireland in the last 12 months.

The 6ns is always capable of throwing up a surprise result, but all logic points to a comfortable Irish win on Saturday.

Anyone suggesting otherwise doesn't seem to be able to back up their opinion with anything sound or solidly based on reality.

It's going to be a very emotional day with regards to Sexton. His (probably) last competetive game in the aviva in a green Jersey. He'll likely break ROG's record on the day, whilst winning a triple crown and grand slam if things go to plan.

I wonder will they have a 900 metre high banner of him to unfurl at full time? 😂

Annoyed I can't be there as I'll be out of the country!

Ireland by 27-30 points.

AbusesToilets

I think the team will want to lay down a marker with a view to the WC. I think this will be the most complete performance we'll have seen since NZ.

Ireland by 18-21 pts.

Akrasia

Team sheet for Saturday is in advanced negotiations

hold my beer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120361090#Comment_120361090

Yeah hard to see anything but a comprehensive Irish win. We always go up a gear against England (well most years ha). Lets hope this year's no different.

SaoPaulo41

As per Cian Tracey on twitter both Sheehan and Doris trained which is great .

All_in_Flynn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120360200#Comment_120360200

Ye look maybe I'm being too kind to England and we will hammer them. For all the talk of a reaction, last week will have had an effect on them and an early score by us could see them go into hiding.

Am I right in saying France were only 2 point favourites last week? England are not as bad as last week suggests in my opinion but they do have a lot of problems. They look all over the place defensively but they are capable of playing a kicking game which if they get on top in can be suffocating.

The news that Sheehan and Doris have trained has me more confident now though.

UAEguy2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120361636#Comment_120361636

You don’t say huh? The issues that England are far bigger than just last weeks drubbing. Their attack,defense,breakdown is all average at best. I don’t see how “being up for it” makes those issues go away, by being up for it it might mean they don’t ship 50 points again but it doesn’t mean they will suddenly go from that loss to being competitive in the space of a week.

Maybe they aren’t as bad as last week but I think last week showed just how far they really are from the top 4 in the world, the other games this campaign helped paper over cracks and it took a team like France to put into context how relevant their previous results were. But that’s the issue, where is the evidence it’s been suffocating so far? The only thing England have is a reliable set piece.

Ardillaun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120359324#Comment_120359324

For the Ireland clash? How would that be achieved in a week? I see someone beat me to it.

Given our recent performances, I have to be a little less pessimistic than usual but any team is one high tackle away from disaster these days. If England up their physicality they may be more at risk of that than we are.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120363134#Comment_120363134

For the Ireland clash? How would that be achieved in a week?

Woodward didn't say anything about how to beat Ireland. He's talking about medium to long term fixes.

fitz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120363296#Comment_120363296

I don't know why anyone listens to Woodward any more, he's forever spouting rubbish.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120355893#Comment_120355893

Good job, it could be we'll win the world cup by default of having more players than anyone else then!

Ardillaun

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120363296#Comment_120363296

Well, let’s just say somebody screwed up here:

Sir Clive Woodward: Two ‘drastic changes’ England must make for Ireland clash

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364616#Comment_120364616

Nobody screwed up. It's clickbait, deliberately misleading, and it worked.

In the Mail, Woodward identifies long-term fixes needed to improve England, all very reasonable and balanced.

ruck.co.uk took this, ripped a few selective quotes from it, slapped a more sensational and completely misleading headline on it and waited for people to fall for it.

Did it not seem odd that a world-cup winning coach would think a team could get faster in the space of a week?

Yeah_Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120364713#Comment_120364713

Did it seem odd? Hmmmm. Well going by some of the shìte Sir Clive has spouted since winning the RWC, it isn't completely unbelievable 😁

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120363134#Comment_120363134

Well he could give his players a fitness test and anyone who doesn't make the grade gets dropped in favour of someone who's up for the task. Keep the strategy simple, take their points when on offer, go after our scrum and you never know what might happen on the day.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120365048#Comment_120365048

What if the fitter players are the weakest scrummagers? What if Farrell with his dire kicking percentage this tournament is the fittest outhalf?

Bit reductive.

Jump_In_Jack

I think Ireland are attacking in layers, there are always a few things happening to make the defence make a decision, and then Ireland have gotten better at choosing an option to unlock the defence.

I don’t think any team can just figure out and copy that during the 6 nations.

it would take time to learn individually and collectively and grow confidence.

Farrell bases everything on his defence being paramount, and attack being fast, direct and with options that the players have to decide in real time or “heads up rugby”.

I can’t see that coming together for England in a week.

They may well settle for a marginal improvement in key areas, and may simplify their plan and go for maximal execution, and they may be able to win the match that way.

I expect Ireland to dig deeper into the squad but produce a similar level of performance and ultimately win by about 10 points or more.

I’m hoping for a test of character, Ireland would only grow more from adversity, a few injuries or a few early conceded tries may put them under enough pressure to really test the depth of the squad to be able to deal with it.

It’s our last big test ahead of the World Cup, so win well or win despite setbacks, I’d take either.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120365392#Comment_120365392

Agree with this. Fringe lads getting minutes is key. That said, our back ups are at an extremely high level! It's night and day from just a couple of years ago.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120365067#Comment_120365067

Scrums don't really matter anymore the way the game is being played. When was the last time a team lost because their scrum got dominated? Porter is a poor scrummager who gives away a load of scrum penalties, but his qualities elsewhere mean he's still a highly valuable player

The english team seem to be missing the superstars they had in the past, and those who were the big game players are now past their prime, so Borthwick could go for a team to play a simple strategy and keep the tempo up for the game. If Fitness is his priority as he mentioned this week

Yeah_Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120365889#Comment_120365889

Didn't Leinster lose a QF to Sarries a couple of years ago pretty much due to the scrum?

As for England's superstars being past their prime, I disagree. In the forward pack Genge, George, Sinckler, Itoje, T Curry are all fantastic players pretty much in their prime. The problem is their form. Its average at best.

In the backline Farrell, Slade, Watson, Lawrence are all quality players but same problem.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120365889#Comment_120365889

Then why would a simple strategy of going after our scrum matter:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120365048#Comment_120365048

Quin_Dub

Englands Strategy will be to kick the cover off the ball for contestable kicks with their back three chasing all day.

I don't think they'll get a whole lot of purchase from it , but it's really all they've got.

They aren't organised enough to take Ireland through multiple phases to try to narrow our defence which is when we are at most risk and they don't have the forwards to take us on in an old school pick and drive type game.

Hansen , Lowe and Keenan will be getting bombs dropped on them all day , but they are more than up for it in my view.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120366797#Comment_120366797

Sounds like a terrible game to watch.