Match preview & thread: FRA vs IRE (Sat Feb 3, 1645)

Squidgy Black · 03-02-2018 8:58pm

One dimensional in attack, but I think part of that was due to the French slowing the ball at the ruck at every opportunity, we never really had much build up with phases and had to resort to one out forward runs.

Good 6N debut for Aki and Ryan, solid carries and didn't get shown up in defence.

I think the criticism directed towards Stockdale is a bit much, it really wasn't a day for our back three as they didn't get much ball due to the conditions and the narrow style of play we resorted to.

Definitely a lot to improve on, possibly need to look at ways to play outside of the game plan if things aren't going as expected.

Glad to get the win today though, a loss would've really set us back.

BBDBB · 03-02-2018 8:58pm

Sorry lads, I can't post any more to this thread......I need a HIA.........*clutches knee and limps off into the living room

clsmooth · 03-02-2018 8:59pm

I think it’s fair to assume away wins will be hard to come by again this year after today and last years results. Great to get the win and a kick up the arse today. That’s what good teams do, they win when they should lose.

Tigerandahalf · 03-02-2018 9:01pm

What a finish to the game. Sexton can take a bow.

We should have lost that. The French missed an easy penalty after a poor error from Earls. The game should have been over then.

But the top teams always regain possession from their kickoff when the need is greatest and Ireland duely did it with Henderson taking a great catch.

The conditions were very poor and it was only when you got a closeup of the floodlights that you could see how the rain was coming down.

However I worry about our ability to create chances and for our back 3 to take on chances when they are there. Our play is too structured and ponderous at times. Grand if you want to win a game on penalties but we need to be scoring more tries. Can we win a WC playing this way - I don't think so.

France were very dogged but they gave away some incredibly stupid penalties with the 2nd row guy culpable on more than 1 occasion. They look like they have a quality LH on their hands and with Guirado and Slimani they have a solid unit. Guirado was superb today.

Great win as they are hard to come by in Paris. I spent my childhood days watching us getting pummeled in Paris but in fairness France played with great flair then.

Italy next up and we are building momentum. So who knows. That kick could be even more important yet.

coco0981 · 03-02-2018 9:01pm

Was anyone else worried about the way James Ryan carried the ball into contact? Very low leading with his head, kept thinking he was going to take a big shot direct to his head

Utah_Saint · 03-02-2018 9:03pm

Will anything happen to France around their dodgy HIA calls?

Bridge93 · 03-02-2018 9:04pm

On tv3, don’t know how they were as I watched on bbc but I flicked across at halftime at Matt Williams is genuinely awful. Talking about that young outhalf, he made a fair point that he probably wasn’t physically ready for international rugby but used a laughably poor example to prove it with the knee clash with Aki. That would’ve kept anyone down

Guy:Incognito · 03-02-2018 9:06pm

Utah_Saint wrote: »

Will anything happen to France around their dodgy HIA calls?

What can happen? The folk in charge contact the player and he says he got a bang in the head, then what do they say "you're a liar and were banning you"?

Stheno · 03-02-2018 9:06pm

Are that French side likely to trouble England?

Burkie1203 · 03-02-2018 9:07pm

Utah_Saint wrote: »

Will anything happen to France around their dodgy HIA calls?

Nope. Very hard to prove

Jalibert has a PCL injury apparently

Utah_Saint · 03-02-2018 9:07pm

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Utah_Saint wrote: »

Will anything happen to France around their dodgy HIA calls?

What can happen? The folk in charge contact the player and he says he got a bang in the head, then what do they say "you're a liar and were banning you"?

So a the player calls it? I thought it was a match doctor who is on France payroll

ScrubsfanChris · 03-02-2018 9:09pm

Utah_Saint wrote: »

Will anything happen to France around their dodgy HIA calls?

Nothing came of Wales' dirty shenanigans last November so don't expect to see anything happen this time.

Stheno · 03-02-2018 9:10pm

Utah_Saint wrote: »

So a the player calls it? I thought it was a match doctor who is on France payroll

Almost immediately after Nigel spoke to the injured player he Nigel was pointing at his own head and looking puzzled

Bridge93 · 03-02-2018 9:11pm

The first one there’s a chance he got a head bang given the angle he was at. But the second is actually laughable. Total disgrace

Utah_Saint · 03-02-2018 9:12pm

Rewatching the last 5 mins. 41 phases was unreal. We were poor but that those 41 phases are what championship winning teams do.

digzy · 03-02-2018 9:14pm

Given all the carry on with ‘pods’ and s &c and gps etc... it’s great to see the unrestrained joy on our players faces as they celebrated what must be the greatest dg ever.

robyntmorton · 03-02-2018 9:14pm

Stheno wrote: »

Almost immediately after Nigel spoke to the injured player he Nigel was pointing at his own head and looking puzzled

I’d need to watch it back, but it did look like Nigel leading with asking about the head, the French medic saying knee, and then the confusion about what the problem was, probably compounded by France suddenly realising that a HIA meant a free sub. The whole thing was a mess and a distraction, but needs to be looked at by World Rugby as to procedure.

Utah_Saint · 03-02-2018 9:17pm

robyntmorton wrote: »

Stheno wrote: »

Almost immediately after Nigel spoke to the injured player he Nigel was pointing at his own head and looking puzzled

I’d need to watch it back, but it did look like Nigel leading with asking about the head, the French medic saying knee, and then the confusion about what the problem was, probably compounded by France suddenly realising that a HIA meant a free sub. The whole thing was a mess and a distraction, but needs to be looked at by World Rugby as to procedure.

As you mentioned, it becomes a free sub option for teams. Needs reviewed.

Kiith · 03-02-2018 9:20pm

Apparently it was the match doctor that called them HIA, rather then the French doctor. They were still utterly ridiculous calls, but change the narrative slightly. (or so i read...could be utter bollox).

Either way, **** yeah we won!!

Beechwoodspark · 03-02-2018 9:21pm

Bridge93 wrote: »

Good defensively apart from the try. France excellent defensively too.

Both pretty poor in attack. We were cruising, it should never have come down to that but a win is a win and winning away is very difficult to do. We’ll need to add more in attack or we won’t be winning in London.

Some poor performances and some very positive ones.

A lot of crap will be posted so I’ll leave it at that. Serious bottle from Sexton at the end and accuracy to keep the ball alive for 40 phases in those conditions

The HIA stuff was farcical. France have history in this and I hope it’s investigated further. Using a protocol that’s in place to prevent horrendous long term injuries to basically cheat is disgusting

Owens was poor today in my view. Gets too caught up in his own interpretations of things instead of just refereeing by the rules. Very inconsistent too. One that stood out was Aki getting done for not rolling away in the first half then in that last passage of play one of the french lads was given nearly 10 seconds to move himself from the wrong side

Yep. It seemed as if there was no way he was going to ping France at the end. Not on.

Beechwoodspark · 03-02-2018 9:22pm

Kiith wrote: »

Apparently it was the match doctor that called them HIA, rather then the French doctor. They were still utterly ridiculous calls, but change the narrative slightly. (or so i read...could be utter bollox).

Either way, **** yeah we won!!

But is it not based on what the player reports to him? The player says he wants one, I think. The doc has to take that very seriously.

Utah_Saint · 03-02-2018 9:23pm

Kiith wrote: »

Apparently it was the match doctor that called them HIA, rather then the French doctor. They were still utterly ridiculous calls, but change the narrative slightly.

Yeah, just watched it again. Owens says the match doctor called it. He has to believe the official medical professional

Dave_The_Sheep · 03-02-2018 9:24pm

tayto lover wrote: »

Yep they choked yet again.

adox wrote: »

Capitulating here.

Go on there so.

seanin4711 · 03-02-2018 9:24pm

jammy

Didactic Ninja · 03-02-2018 9:27pm

digzy wrote: »

Given all the carry on with ‘pods’ and s &c and gps etc... it’s great to see the unrestrained joy on our players faces as they celebrated what must be the greatest dg ever.

mitchell hunt had the best dg ever

Asus X540L · 03-02-2018 9:31pm

Guess you can't argue with stats. 68% possession and territory is phenomenal against France in Paris

Asus X540L · 03-02-2018 9:32pm

digzy wrote: »

Given all the carry on with ‘pods’ and s &c and gps etc... it’s great to see the unrestrained joy on our players faces as they celebrated what must be the greatest dg ever.

That was the lads piling all over David O'Leary at Italia'90 all over again.

thebaz · 03-02-2018 9:32pm

Utah_Saint wrote: »

Rewatching the last 5 mins. 41 phases was unreal. We were poor but that those 41 phases are what championship winning teams do.

reminded me of when the All Blacks turned us over in the last play 3 years ago - great to see the progress Joe has made with this team - we can now do that to other teams.

I was wrong - again - James Ryan is a serious talent - stepped up big time today - if it wasn't for Johnny magic he would have been my motm - not bad going for first 6 nations game

shootermacg · 03-02-2018 9:32pm

Leavy immense, great all round performance, say hello to Ireland's new 7 for the foreseeable future!

CJ might not have made yards, but what a bloody performance! Blown away with that work rate, think he was actually in tears after the game.

Ryan was ****ed after 60, he had nothing left, all that adrenaline hit him like a hammer.

kevingonewest · 03-02-2018 9:33pm

NollagShona wrote: »

That was fcuking epic! 41 phases!

By about phase 33 I knew I was watching easily the finest rugby of the day (Wales v Scotland was poor, like from a sub-division with one just a lot worse than the other). I also knew we would still lose, gallantly, having been just the better team almost all match & then... the legend that is Jonny is confirmed for all to see, long live the Legend.

Match preview & thread: FRA vs IRE (Sat Feb 3, 1645)

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