Ireland v England Grand Slam Decider 2023

Quin_Dub · 16-03-2023 4:36pm

Team as expected.

Former Former Former · 16-03-2023 4:36pm

No Kelleher, probably for the best, Herring a top-notch replacement.

SaoPaulo41 · 16-03-2023 4:38pm

Very very strong team

accensi0n · 16-03-2023 4:42pm

Considering all the injuries recently, that's a serious team.

Feel for McCloskey, he's played really well.

16-03-2023 4:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120366581#Comment_120366581

Supposedly at 5pm - no idea why so late.

salmocab · 16-03-2023 4:49pm

Delighted with that team, little bit surprised at Jimmy O a brien but delighted with Sheehan and Herring as the two hookers. Was worried we’d have two risky picks at 2 & 16

Quin_Dub · 16-03-2023 4:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120366723#Comment_120366723

The loss of Ringrose reduces the coverage of the other backline positions , so JOB just gives more flexibility.

But you are right , he's done nothing wrong.

All_in_Flynn · 16-03-2023 5:05pm

Very strong team. You'd just hope Doris in particular is at full power. Slight concern about the bench but hopefully the game will be won before they're required.

Larbre34 · 16-03-2023 5:14pm

I don't think they'd be playing Doris if he wasn't hitting every marker with room to spare. It was being said, even by Monday, that he was fine, just as with Sheehan.

I have to say, I might nearly have started Murray again just to give an option of a big gear to move through by bringing on JGP, but the latter has been excellent and thats rightly rewarded.

16-03-2023 6:02pm

Arundell starts, Farrell at 10 as expected, Tuilagi back in the centre. Dave Ribbans called into the second row as well.

England team named:

England team (vs Ireland, Saturday – 5:0)

15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 21 caps)

14. Anthony Watson (Leicester Tigers, 54 caps)

13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 55 caps)

12. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 50 caps)

11. Henry Arundell (London Irish, 6 caps)

10. Owen Farrell (C) (Saracens, 105 caps)

9. Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 11 caps)

1. Ellis Genge (VC) (Bristol Bears, 47 caps)

2. Jamie George (Saracens, 76 caps)

3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 60 caps)

4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 66 caps)

5. David Ribbans (Northampton Saints, 4 caps)

6. Lewis Ludlam (VC) (Northampton Saints, 18 caps)

7. Jack Willis (Toulouse, 9 caps)

8. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 13 caps)

Replacements:

16. Jack Walker (Harlequins, 3 caps)

17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 78 caps)

18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 99 caps)

19. Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, 10 caps)

20. Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, 4 caps)

21. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 4 caps)

22. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 21 caps)

23. Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 14 caps)

Quin_Dub · 16-03-2023 6:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120366942#Comment_120366942

So Farrell and Arundell are the only non injury enforced changes to the starting 15.

At least Borthwick resisted the urge to make wholesale changes.

I thought he'd bring Jonny Hill back in for a bit more dog up front...

16-03-2023 6:31pm

Borthwick seems to think changing around his 10, 12, 13 will unlock this teams fortunes but when they're getting picked apart defensively and are second best at the breakdown having someone in the 12 channel that has no continuity with those around him and not making any notable changes to the back 5 seems a bit daft.

Maybe they'll be a different team with the two changes, but Tuilagi seems like a desperation pick and I don't see that pack making inroads against Ireland.

16-03-2023 6:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367032#Comment_120367032

Plus, I wouldn't say many of his players are brimming with confidence. He's dropped both of his 10 options during this Championship (twice in Smith's case).

Every conceivable bit of rugby logic will tell you Ireland should be more than comfortable here, but weirdly it's exactly that sort of feeling that is making me uncomfortable!

Clegg · 16-03-2023 6:38pm

Borthwick going with the same pack that started against France, bar one injury enforced change.theyre clearly looking for a huge performance to make amends for last weekend. If we can match their intensity for the opening 20 we should be good.

ujjjjjjjjj · 16-03-2023 6:44pm

Bring it on, Tuilagi pick kinda shows where England are atm.....

The quality difference in lots of place very significant but in the back row it is a yawning chasm !! Suspect our backline will be very much looking forward to running at every possible opportunity.

JGP express pace from moment 1.

ersatz · 16-03-2023 6:58pm

Englands only hope here's a flying start and a couple of early scores. Scotland managed to keep Ireland in check early on and with a few injuries resulting from the frantic pace they put themselves in a strong position. It certainly raised questions in fans' minds but they just couldn't hang on. If England manage the early part of the game as well their confidence will lift. I still don't see it being enough as Ireland seem like a team you'd need 20+ points on to feel comfortable and if we get an early score it could be a long day in Dublin for England.

SaoPaulo41 · 16-03-2023 7:08pm

Looking at the teams head to head , the only player that I might pick is Itoje over Baird and even then its a tight call.

English bench is stronger though

Hippo · 16-03-2023 7:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367171#Comment_120367171

I'd take the Itoje of a season or two ago alright but he's been very ordinary recently. I'm not sure that their bench is stronger - Cole is very one-dimensional and Marcus Smith has shown little or nothing at test level.

16-03-2023 7:40pm

Manu Tuilagi has won all six of his games against Ireland. We're fucked

UAEguy2020 · 16-03-2023 8:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367171#Comment_120367171

Is it stronger? I can only see 1 or maybe 2 I’d potentially take on our bench.

stephen_n · 16-03-2023 8:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120366942#Comment_120366942

Our backrow will have them for breakfast. Ludlam and Dombrandt were so far off the pace last week, they may aswell have stayed in the dressing room.

It looks like England are setting up to play rugby in 2019.

Water John · 16-03-2023 8:49pm

England need to win the 6,7,8 battle. Don 't see that happening. With GP Ireland will play a fast game. I presume they will also aim to keep the ball in play.

Ardillaun · 16-03-2023 8:50pm

Dombrandt wasn’t great against France. I thought he might not make this team.

SaoPaulo41 · 16-03-2023 9:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367511#Comment_120367511

All close calls on bench also, but would take , Smith, Marchant, vunipola, Curry , and maybe Mitchell. Again all close calls and could equally see reasons for Irish being better subs, but I do think Eng bench is good and has a lot of impact .

I'm just nit picking as we are the better team and hopefully it won't come down to bench and if it does, no doubt Murray, Conan etc will have huge impact .

sprucemoose · 16-03-2023 9:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367526#Comment_120367526

i only saw the highlights but it looked shocking that he was barely jogging to the ball for penauds kick-pass try, gave the impression that he was making no effort to actually challenge or get in a better defensive position. granted he did speed up a bit when penaud actually got the ball in his hands but it was too little too late

UAEguy2020 · 16-03-2023 9:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367563#Comment_120367563

Surely you are joking about Mitchell and Curry (just a reminder, it’s Ben Curry on the bench not the Lion Tom Curry). Smith is the only one I’d probably take, although with Ross Byrne’s performance this 6N it’s alot closer than I thought it would be afew months ago. Vunipola in his prime I would take over Healy but the last few years he’s really gone backwards a little similarly to Healy so both are much of a muchness really. If anything overall the Irish bench has more proven impact whereas the English bench has a look of a bench trying to hold on and a mix of a bench designed to only come on if England are playing Italy or are well clear, no way Borthwick will throw in Smith or Mitchell of its still a close contest.

16-03-2023 9:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367526#Comment_120367526

Dombrant at eight for England is a bit of a weird one. He's a player for a team who want someone reading the game and picking great lines in the wide channels. If their pack can't put in a big physical performance and their attack can't fluently get into space then they'll see very little of his major strengths, and potentially leave the backrow unit at a disadvantage when they're losing a battle. Maybe I'm wrong and he's far better in the tight work than I think but I see him as a bit of a luxury for the England team right now.

Ironically, the one time we remember him being in those wide channels for England he was too exhausted to track back and got burned by Penaud.

SaoPaulo41 · 16-03-2023 9:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367719#Comment_120367719

Haha 😄 I thought it was Tom Curry

pickarooney · 16-03-2023 10:00pm

Dombrandt did manage to tap both Penaud's ankles. It's a miracle Penaud stayed on his feet and Dombrandt would have got a lot of plaudits for saving the try.

sprucemoose · 16-03-2023 10:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367775#Comment_120367775

he was almost walking when the ball was up for grabs though, fair play for getting back but if he had put a bit more effort in he might not have let penaud make so many metres

fitz · 16-03-2023 10:15pm

I reckon that English team will get tonked, tbh. An early try or two and they're heads will drop. They don't believe they can win, that's obvious from their comments. If we get at them early, I think they'll implode.

16-03-2023 10:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120366163#Comment_120366163

Consolation: It'll be the highest points total to ever win the title, overtaking... ourselves from 2018.

Also, something to chase in 2024

17-03-2023 12:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367288#Comment_120367288

At 31 years of age a centre whose game is based on explosiveness might not have a huge amount of time left at the top table of professional rugby so I'm glad Borthwick has given us the opportunity to have the last word on this particular statistical anomaly.

standardg60 · 17-03-2023 1:02am

Can't see anything other than a 20+ win here. When you have the opposition captain saying they've made a 'pact' that it's not going to happen again rather than anything constructive in how they might approach it, tells me they actually haven't got a clue.

ersatz · 17-03-2023 6:26am

Am I the only one who likes Farrell jnr more than I used to?

FrancieBrady · 17-03-2023 8:47am

Can't believe Dombrandt kept his place. He could be in for a testing evening.

pc7 · 17-03-2023 8:48am

God I wish it was Saturday already.

AbusesToilets · 17-03-2023 9:18am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120368522#Comment_120368522

He comes across as a pretty sound bloke, which makes sense given his Dad

pc7 · 17-03-2023 9:20am

Know lots of Irish players all speak highly of him after time with him on lions.

Poorside · 17-03-2023 9:30am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120368656#Comment_120368656

Well, they're not going to slag the bosses son now are they?

😉

lawrencesummers · 17-03-2023 9:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367526#Comment_120367526

They dont have anyone else.

Doris is ten times the player dombrandt is.

lawrencesummers · 17-03-2023 9:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120367775#Comment_120367775

Did you see his effort at tackling VDM for his try?

It was an embarrassment and you would be pissed off if a player did it in a club game.

flatface · 17-03-2023 10:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120368610#Comment_120368610

+100. A whole day off today to wait too!

stephen_n · 17-03-2023 11:23am

I reckon Farrell the younger and Sexton are fairly similar characters. For the most part, they’re on pitch and off pitch personas, seem very different. They both have issues with tackling too. Though Sexton ends up injuring himself, while Farrell ends up injuring others.

17-03-2023 11:29am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120368970#Comment_120368970

From more recent interviews I think Sexton is a more severe and critical character than Farrell. By all accounts Farrell senior has tasked Sexton with reigning it in a bit and being a more measured individual, but he demanded that from Sexton whilst making him captain at the same time. Next level man management.

stephen_n · 17-03-2023 11:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120368993#Comment_120368993

I think from what we have heard, that Sexton is like that in the moment but is quite different off the pitch. It certainly looks like he would give himself a bollocking when he’s fired up. Though I’ve heard Ross Byrne mention how much he has helped him. So I assume there is another side to it.

Owen Farrell does seem a little less intense off the pitch though.