Ireland v Italy - Sunday 15:00. VM1.

ujjjjjjjjj

Pretty classic result v Italy, never in any doubt and played at 85%. Finding it hard to get too excited as this Grand Slam is pretty much done barring the usual caveats, red cards etc. Have seen absolutely nothing from Scotland, England or Wales which says anything but a slam.....

Development time for the likes of McCarthy, Nash, Crowley etc.

Great place to be in. 😀

kowloonkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754212#Comment_121754212

Worst performance in a grand slam. What a thing to be worrying about.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754215#Comment_121754215

I thought Ireland were roughly at the level i expected them to be at with the amount of changes and disruption but i expected incorrectly that the Italians would be better, they never threatened, or moreso we never allowed them to.

Norrie Rugger Head

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754212#Comment_121754212

6 first teamers not playing, entire bench emptied in the 50-60 min, players back on the pitch after years. Causing massive disjointed spots

36 points and a shut out. Of course there are things to work on but it was an easy run out

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754234#Comment_121754234

Yea thats about it.

Of all the positions we have depth in FB is probably the only one where we have near none, but its 2 weeks until wales so should be fine.

Norrie Rugger Head

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754237#Comment_121754237

It being a rugby song or not... It's definitely not muck, especially given it's reason for being

TomsOnTheRoof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754209#Comment_121754209

Not a bit of it. His first touch was to knock the ball on from a simple wrap around. Crowley was excellent. Consistently releasing players around him behind the Italian defensive line.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754209#Comment_121754209

Genuinely interested if you've changed your opinion from last week about Crowley not taking it to the line?

Fwiw, I don't think there's any chance of him starting ahead of Crowley the next day out, bar injury.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121753764#Comment_121753764

The Gavin Coombes express!

StevenToast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754243#Comment_121754243

That Italian team were so bad, they deserved a far far bigger beating....

Norrie Rugger Head

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754239#Comment_121754239

I know yeah. If we're to have a game where we rest/experiment and still come away with a 36-0, I'm happy

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754199#Comment_121754199

Was thinking that. He's leagues ahead of really all 9s in the NH right now.

ujjjjjjjjj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754249#Comment_121754249

Crowley had a solid 50 mins at 10 but Harry noticeably better and flatter for his 30. Crowley does not take the ball flat to the line or pass as flat as Harry. Nothing today changes my mind on that.

Is Harry better I don't know and open doors for me but for me I think they both need lots of gametime and then we see. Personally I see Harry opening up quality defences more but that remains to be seen.

Would like to see Harry start v Wales and then make a call after that who starts the next one.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754248#Comment_121754248

Pass was above his head.

Thought they blended well together on a few attacking phases, especially the Nash try, could be another option going forward

KaneToad

Crowley had a good outing today. A stodgy game against a poor Italy and he managed to control it quite well. Kicking from tee will hopefully improve.

Byrne did ok with his short cameo but he didn't outshine Crowley.

Park still significantly better than other SH options. I still think Murray is a better SH than Casey - not many agree with me though!

We really miss Mack Hansen. He would have made the difference between it being an easy win and a cricket score.

ujjjjjjjjj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754261#Comment_121754261

Think he is the best 9 playing atm (while Du Pont does his Olympics stuff anyway).....

theVersatile

Won in third gear really.

James Ryan seemed very quiet, which inevitably means that when the stats come out I'll look like a fool when they show he hit 50,000 rucks.

McCarthy has been exceptional the last two games and I'm happy to take my initial skepticism and shove it up my rectum.

Lineout continues to be faultless.

McCloskey had a solid game. He's well up to the level, but just unlucky to be caught beneath Henshaw and Aki (who's playing his best ever rugby).

Crowley excellent. Casey mixed the great with the dodgy execution wise. Henshaw and Lowe outstanding.

Hopefully Keenan is alright. Would Larmour be next cover?

walshb

No surprise with some a the negativity here. 36/0 and we aren’t good enough for some.

ujjjjjjjjj

POC deserves more plaudits, lineout is humming atm. I know he copped some criticism during the WCup but its been flawless in the 6 nations so far.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754280#Comment_121754280

Did you see Beirnes try against france?

Did you see Crowleys try today where he offloaded out of the tackle, got up and finished it?

kowloonkev

The only thing I'd say as a negative was probably Casey. He's a decent replacement but it's too much of a fall off from JGP. I'm no expert at all, and maybe he has scope to improve, but he doesn't seem to have the instincts to really make things happen. He just looks run of the mill and I don't think right now if JGP was out for a significant amount of time, I don't think he is good enough to come in and keep us going. I'm assuming Farrell would still turn to Murray if such a thing transpired.

fitz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754280#Comment_121754280

I honestly don't know what game you were watching. What you're attributing to Byrne is exactly how Crowley played.

Byrne coming on corresponded with us becoming a bit disjointed...I wouldn't put that all on Byrne, but he seemed to be forcing it for a while when he came on, took a few of what looked like the wrong options. He put players directly into big contact for no gain a few times, for example, I honestly didn't see him start putting players into space I until the last few minutes. Now, that could be cause we tightened things up and he had more platform, but this was absolutely not a game to demonstrate he's a better option than Crowley. Byrne did nothing today to show that, and there was a clear drop off from Crowley, imo.

Leinster fan here btw, before someone brings provincial bias into it.

phily2002

Got to be happy keeping them scoreless. We put out a power pack and totally dominated Italy. Italy were poor but we never let them have a sniff. Lineout was excellent again, Baird has really turned a corner this year in his lineout defense, great seeing him do it in Green as well.

Crowley and Byrne both went well with a few mistakes as to be expected. Crowley growing nicely into the position and these games will really stand to him. Casey was good, a couple of wrong options but I thought he provided nice quick ball.

McCloskey and Henshaw went really well. Great seeing McCloskey get a chance to show off his offloading game.

10 points from 10 and no other team looking very good.

ujjjjjjjjj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754333#Comment_121754333

Just don't see it like that. Crowley had a good 50 minutes, some nice touches and happy he is progressing but Byrne is so flat to the line and his passing is so much more likely to cut open a quality defence. If you watch Crowley his instinct is not to go flat but he ships it on more often than not. I haven't made my own mind up who is better as Harry far from perfect but would like them both to share the remaining gametime in this six nations and we may know more then.

Dick phelan

We Scored 6 tries could have had several more. Kept them scoreless. Can't really complain about that. If Keenan is injured it gives an opportunity to someone else, we do need to develop some cover at that position.

Danny Drier

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754361#Comment_121754361

That’s nonsense. Harry Byrne is only in 23 due to injury and it’s v Italy. He is way down pecking order for 10 and unlikely to get another second this 6 nations and rightly so. He is v flaky

fitz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754361#Comment_121754361

Fair enough if you see it that way. Byrne is noticeably less flat to the line imo. To me he usually looks like a more athletic version of his brother. He clearly doesn't play as deep as Ross, but I dunno, the criticisms you have of Crowley line up exactly with how I see Harry's game. I'd love to see him kick on too, but Crowley is well ahead atm for me.

ujjjjjjjjj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754391#Comment_121754391

Which is why Farrell gave him 30 mins at 10 today.....could have thrown Larmour into 15. Farrell obviously wanted to give Harry a spin today at 10 and I liked what I saw. Will Crowley start v Wales yes probably. Personally would like to see what Harry can offer with a start or two in the remaining games which we will win comfortably enough with the usual caveats.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754445#Comment_121754445

Flip, that sort of talk of winning the remaining games comfortably can be back to haunt you!

ujjjjjjjjj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121754322#Comment_121754322

Think the problem is the gulf is now massive between JGP and Casey or Murray which makes it hard for the replacement. Farrell at this stage is just trying to decide who is the break glass backup to JGP in a big game. But are there really any other options ? Cooney, Doak, McGrath ?

Casey in fairness in the second half stopped kicking and did fine (bar the one kick which Keenan played a blinder to get onto) so maybe it's simple management of him that is key. Keep it simpler and stop trying to make too much happen.