England v Ireland. Twickenham. Sat 9th Mar, 16:45. RTE2

Cookiemunster

Ireland can win the Championship this weekend. England only have pride to play for. Have at it.

SaoPaulo41

First observations of England team , that's a very big and physical pack.

irelandrover

Surely England can still win the championship. It's unlikely but possible.

Looks like England are going to try play judging from that team so could be a good game.

ednwireland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861558#Comment_121861558

England are going to spend the whole game trying to slow down the ruck if they don't get pinged for it. Whose the Ref ?

sydthebeat

It's a very reactive English line up I feel. Reacting to how Ireland play, but confused about how they themselves want to play

Putting chessum at six screams that they want to bully us up front and go after our set piece, especially the line out. Yet they go with five forwards in the bench, knowing we would go 6/2, and with dombrandt on the bench, not exactly know as fierce physical player but more as a ball playing forward. CCS will be work rate and heft, but by god is he inexperienced. The kid has 10 pro starts to his name.

They also select a very much kicking 10, but select a running back line. I can see any of lowe, Nash and Keenan cleaning up those kicks ahead of Furbank, freeman and IFW. Will Henry slade play yet another game with the ball ping ponging over his head all day?

We should win this with some room to spare. Unless there's a torrential downpour, I don't see your that English team can get a foothold in the game early enough to knock us out of our stride.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861585#Comment_121861585

Nika, the Georgian guy

brady99

Interestingly enough - the odds have lengthened on Ireland and shortened on England following team announcements. Not by much and we are still firm favourites but I thought it was interesting anyway.

All_in_Flynn

Have somehow convinced myself that we will be beaten this weekend. I think we are miles ahead of England in reality but just have a bad feeling. I don't think we are actually anything other than ok the first 3 games.

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058339356/england-v-ireland-twickenham-sat-9th-mar-16-45-rte2

Care looks like a younger James Dean Bradfield there

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861764#Comment_121861764

I feel exactly the same.

SaoPaulo41

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861639#Comment_121861639

Good post , no rain forecast for Sat

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861718#Comment_121861718

??

The spread went from -11 to -12.

That equals the odds shortening on Ireland and lengthening on England

ersatz

Is Ryan injured? Amazing to think there’s no room for in the 23, though once POM was named captain it was clear he was up for discussion.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861877#Comment_121861877

Hes injured. Hurt bicep in training yesterday

brady99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861862#Comment_121861862

I'm only basing it on oddschecker - nothing more scientific

Odds.png

Ben Bailey

England, yet again, set up for kick chase. The key for us will be error count - cough up a catch & their backline can run. Knock on a catch & their scrum can deliver set piece for that backline.

If we're clean with our kick reception and screen / support our kick receivers then Crowley, Keenan & Lowe will make sure we're playing the game in their half. Need a strong start to remind them of their fragility in defense.

evil_seed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861764#Comment_121861764

I think we'll get turned over an all. The media hype is the hypest it's been in ages. Everyone and their dog has us winning and winning easily. Ex-players are saying giving the English plenty of dressing room headlines to get more up for it. It's in Twickenham. Ford>Crowley. The bookies line is shifting more and more in Irelands favor; meaning Joe Public is putting all the money on Ireland too. It just smells like it's ripe for an upset.

SaoPaulo41

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861938#Comment_121861938

Clichéd as this sounds, if we match them physically up front ( I'm sure we will) then we win. Bench will be the difference. I think Ireland by 11 and I'm probably the most pessimistic fan you could meet .

To add though Heaslip coming out saying England can only win if Ireland go down to 14 or 13 ,certainly doesn't help.

SaoPaulo41

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861764#Comment_121861764

Ah we were excellent v France, good against Italy and adequate v Wales ( good in first half though)

Loosing to England in Twickenham isn't a shock they are decent players.

I do feel we are missing a bit of cutting edge in backs, miss Hansen big time. As harsh as it would have been to Henshaw I would have brought in Ringrose for Sat

I think we win but England will bring physicality we haven't seen since SA in WC.

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861938#Comment_121861938

We'll get turned over because...England will "be up for it" and the game is in Twickenham...in other words their f*cked. I don't know if you've watched the 6N this year but the things said about both sides going into this game probably are a result of what we've seen from both teams so far, do you expect the media and pundits to lie and say it should be a tight game when all the facts, logic and stats point the opposite direction?

England scraped past Wales & Italy, the 2 weakest sides in the competition, and got outplayed up in Murrayfield yet you think after all that they are going to turn over by far the best side in the competition just because "their up for it"....no in the real world I'm afraid.

Prediciton : England 14 (1T) Ireland 29 (4T).

Ben Bailey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121862058#Comment_121862058

Prediciton : England 14 (1T) Ireland 29 (4T)

How will England score 14 points while scoring only one Try ?

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121862275#Comment_121862275

5+3+3+3=14

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121862275#Comment_121862275

Score 1 try, miss the conversion and then score 3 penalties.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121862275#Comment_121862275

1 try and 3 penalties/dgs

Podge_irl

Or 7 safeties.

🤔

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861558#Comment_121861558

Second observation, I'm not sure I've ever seen any of them (bar George) pass a rugby ball.

England will try to attack our scrum and lineout, put pressure on the breakdown, and blitz our attack to create errors. Their starting backline is based around having two tactical kickers at 9 and 10, with the rest of their tactics relying on individual player talent and living off turnovers.

We're more than good enough to beat them comfortably unless a couple of important game elements start going heavily in their favour.

Nika Amashukeli seems to be happy to let two packs to go at each other at scrum time. Porter's perceived issues should be less of a problem than with a pickier referee.

On another note it's refreshing to see our 6N game thread started without misspelled country names, incorrect TV listings, zero information, or an ethnic slur. I know it's a pretty low bar but good work! 😁😁😁

Dick phelan

There's nothing to suggest England will win. Possible yes, but they'd have to be miles better than they've been all tournament.

joedamuss

We will win, but it'll be a dog fight for 60 min, our superior bench will see us home, Ireland by 14 ☘️☘️☘️

ersatz

England will show up to cause as many problems as they can. They won't expect to score tris but they'll kick penalties and drop goals given the opportunity. If they can get to 9 points early on then we'll have a game on our hands. Ireland have been cruising in all their games so far, no-one has really challenged but Ireland have not had to get out of third gear honestly. I'd love to see them put a big score on England and claim an emphatic victory. France put 50 points on England last year.

I'd actually like to see England give us a really hard time so long as we win in the end. The players and coaches don't learn enough coasting past underperforming teams without having to be near to our best.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121862882#Comment_121862882

I'd like us to smash them. They've been irritating and hard to beat enough the last few years.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121862995#Comment_121862995

This is also an acceptable outcome. 😁

john9876

BBC weather forecast and met office forecast show a 40% to 80% chance of rain between 5 and 6 pm in Twickenham.

mrpdap

Hopefully you’re wrong but the level of cockiness in some places is off the charts. Confidence is one thing but thinking we’re gonna walk it before a ball is kicked is crazy, it’s going to be a tough, tight match.

Danny Drier

Ireland by 40+

randomname2005

Very torn. I expected France to beat us, but Ireland did a great job of controlling the game. Since then the performance seems to have dropped and they are not winning as well as i expected. If HK is ready to go, I think we will be okay, anyone else, will be a hard slog if England kick as much as expected.

Roll on Saturday

Downlinz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861764#Comment_121861764

The quality in this Six Nations is dreadful, it's a real cause for concern. Ireland are in 2nd gear and only playing "ok" but it's enough to blow away the opposition.

I never remember a time when all of France, England and Wales were playing this poorly. Scotland will be kicking themselves because this year was a rare opportunity for them to have a chance at winning.

dublin49

I think its a 70/30 in our favour,they get a nudge in the scrum and disrupt our lineout and we are in a game.Will be nervous but get ahead on scoreboard and i think we will do it.

AbusesToilets

I'd (obviously) like to see us get back to making fast starts to games. Feel we've struggled to score quickly this season and during the WC, as we did last year. It was seen as a achievement when the opposition didn't allow us to score inside of the opening 10.

ionadnapokot

Waboso v Lowe will be an intriguing match up.

Waboso - Can he defend? Can he field the high ball?

Garryowen time!

Ireland targeted Penaud in Marseille.

Clegg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861639#Comment_121861639

This is a very good post and is where I'm at wrt tomorrows match. England are definitely targeting the lineout and the tight collisions. An extra lock playing at blindside to disrupt the lineout and Underhill to slow down the ball.

It's very complimentary in a way as England are clearly setting up to stop Ireland from playing their game.

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864563#Comment_121864563

I was watching a discussion on Rugby pass between the South African guys and Shalk Burger makes some interesting points about the Irish attack and why he thinks that England will struggle. From about 1:30 to 3:00 in the below clip

https://youtu.be/d18G6VmB2LQ?t=93

Making the point that SA struggled to gain parity with Ireland and England are miles behind in their development of the rush defence..

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864640#Comment_121864640

Exactly this, I remember the Ireland v SA game at the RWC and I dont remember their linespeed causing us that many problems, it was other area's of the game that SA hurt us.

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864839#Comment_121864839

To be honest , in that game it was our own lineout that hurt us the most..

Mr Tickle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864854#Comment_121864854

That could well be an issue again. Our lineout has been better, but not perfect, and I don't think anyone has tested it the way england will.

Clegg

I have a small concern about our kicking game in the face of England's rush defence. We've had a few chips and grubbers blocked down in recent games and that fast up England defence could convert a block to points if they're organised enough in transition.

It's at a lower level, but Leinster's defence did exactly that last week against Cardiff.

Dubinusa

A quick start will be ideal. Otherwise it's an arm wrestle for 50 odd minutes. I think the England midfield is suspect. Aki can really cause them problems.

letsbefair

What's the odds on a wound up England getting another red card?

SaoPaulo41

'We believe we're going to win... This is England. This is home' as per George https://the42.ie/6321378