Wales v Ireland Match Thread (thanks for nothing awec)

Quantum Baloney · 07-02-2021 06:34PM

Must have been watching a different game to many others here. Thought the forwards had a good day and were constantly outmuscling the welsh and gaining ground. Lots of steals, good ball retention and metres made in the tackle. Centres were enterprising. I thought Keenan, who I still haven't made up my mind on, was very handy. In contrast to what other people are saying I also thought Johnny played well, quite flat on the line and kind of imperious as is his style.

Wings were useless. I love Earls but he looked lightweight out there today. Lowe I felt was quite poor and was caught in defence a few times. The replacement 10 was dreadful today, opposite of what you are looking for when you're trying to organise a set piece play to win the game. We seemed to be lacking a bit of killer instinct in our tactics. One try in the second half is all we needed.

I think we will beat France next week.

FixdePitchmark · 07-02-2021 06:35PM

mystic86 wrote: »

Just cause you think they don't love it as much as you do it does not mean they are not entitled to an opinion on our national team.

Spot on. They are the team of us . We were told so :P

For what it is worth from the outsider. What the hell is Earls and sexton playing for in a world cup cycle.

And to go full team of us. Why is an English man managing Ireland. Has to be a "legend" from munster or Leinster out there .

breezy1985 · 07-02-2021 06:35PM

thebaz wrote: »

Discard him for one poor performance , as I said every player has poor performnce , the sign of a great player is how they respond.

Where did I say discard him ?

His international career should not be over but he is also not so good that others should not get chances and he is definitely not set in stone as the clear no.10 on the bench

Sanjuro · 07-02-2021 06:36PM

thebaz wrote: »

Very weak anaysis from Shaggy , not asking Farrell about the main issue - the sending off - Farrell really get's an easy ride by the media.

Possibly players not wanting to stick the boot into other players. Maybe former players shouldn't be asking the hard questions.

eagle eye · 07-02-2021 06:36PM

Arduach wrote:

POM didn't deliberately go out to injure a player.

And that's just because we know it can happen in a competitive game with everybody saying in the edge. Then you have POM's history which would give serious weight to him not being the type of player that would intentionally do something like that.

washman3 · 07-02-2021 06:36PM

magic17 wrote: »

Great effort from the guys against an excellent Wales team

Dont know whether to laugh or cry reading this.
Wales were piss poor and will hardly improve.
They should beat Italy but that will be their lot in this championship.
Hope i'm proved wrong as they are a team i always like and admire.

Lundstram · 07-02-2021 06:36PM

AbusesToilets · 07-02-2021 06:37PM

Not sure what Catt is doing at all. Haven't seen any evidence of an effective attacking shape. Most of our success today came from individuals beating their defender, rather than scheming guys open. Where have the dinks and grubbers gone that we were meant to be incorporating?

is_that_so · 07-02-2021 06:37PM

Happy4all wrote: »

we will never know, but we had the momentum

There was some but there was a myriad of other things that could have gone wrong even if he'd made it.

TomsOnTheRoof · 07-02-2021 06:38PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

He cost us the game . Dont be daft.

Sorry, I don't agree. Like I said, his infringement was moronic, he deserved the sanction and he gave us an enormous uphill battle but we took the lead and held it until the 50th minute after his card. We had numerous opportunities which we failed to exploit, the two touch finders as well as no support on the Ringrose break. To blame POM solely for the loss is to cover up a significant amount of issues in the team and with the coaching staff.

lawrencesummers · 07-02-2021 06:38PM

Lundstram wrote: »

By a few country miles he missed it.

leakyboots · 07-02-2021 06:38PM

Championship isn't over, important to remember that. Tis only the first game.

That was one of the most brainless performances I've seen by us, possibly ever. POM was having a fine game and then did that, Murray had some aimless boxkicks and that high tackle, Sexton missing touch, Ringrose offload, Earls tackling in the air and kicking on the full in succession, James Lowe simply cannot read a loose defensive set, he's like Adam Byrne at times. Burns opting to kick the ball crossfield... and as for the last kick, disaster. Was Lowe distracting him, what's he doing on his shoulder there? Probably not, but either way Burns didn't need to stick it onto the flag.

A litany of brainless stuff.

Beirne, Keenan, Henshaw, Ringrose, Healy, Porter, Furlong, Stander can hold their heads up, Henderson too.

But it's not as if the Championship is gone, still plenty road to go.

How bad were Wales that we could have beaten them in spite of all the above? That's probably what stings the most.

Clegg · 07-02-2021 06:39PM

Another positive coming from this game is Porter's performance. He's comfortably the best tight head in Ireland right now and Furlong has.a huge battle to reclaim the starting spot.

jammiedodgers · 07-02-2021 06:39PM

https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/1358462128399781889

https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/1358468467884773385

eagle eye · 07-02-2021 06:39PM

is_that_so wrote:

There was some but there was a myriad of other things that could have gone wrong even if he'd made it.

It would have been nice to see if any of those myriad of things did happen.

Arduach · 07-02-2021 06:40PM

AbusesToilets wrote: »

Explaining how it happened, jesus wept. It happened because POM decided he wanted to smash the Welsh player in the head, who was not a threat to the ball at all either. Real big brain move.

You're not worth arguing with. Take up knitting or ludo. Also buy yourself some Immodium. Wayne Barnes on the spot didn't even call it first time.

You have no idea of how reved up forwards are and the mistakes that occur a few times a career.

clsmooth · 07-02-2021 06:41PM

Lundstram wrote: »

In all fairness the ball did moved quite a bit in the air when viewed from that angle. Started off ok and faded badly to the right. Not an excuse for him but that picture doesn’t tell the whole story. Disappointing either way. One of a series of mistakes that cost us a rare recent win in Wales.

almostover · 07-02-2021 06:42PM

Top performers: Beirne, CJ, Porter, Henshaw, Keenan, Ringrose (bar one offload attempt).

Decent day out: Healy, Henderson, Kilcoyne, VdF.

Poor: Herring, Murray, Sexton, Earls, Lowe

Abysmal: POM, Burns

We learned a lot about our squad today. We have found a good 15 in Keenan. Beirne has made the step up to international level. Henshaw is our best no.12. Line out looked much improved, especially defensively. Our biggest problem is the half back pairing. Murray and Sexton are past it but those waiting in the wings are nowhere near the requisite level. We need to find a 9 and 10 before the next WC and fast! We now have a problem at wing too, Earls seems to be heading over the hill too of late. Great servant and a brilliant player but it appears as if he's coming towards the end. Personally I don't rate James Lowe, fine for Leinster, a team who usually dominate the opposition. Not so for Ireland, I think he's a poor defender. He was caught out for both tries today. A lot of opposition tries are scored in his corner. Maybe he can brush up on this though. He's a good left peg and is a powerful runner. We're 4-5 players short of a winning squad at the moment.

For France I'm presuming POM will be banned. Rightly so too. Brainless ruck entry, downright dangerous. My 23 would be:

Keenan
Earls
Ringrose
Henshaw
Lowe
Sexton (If fit)
Murray
CJ
VdF
Ruddock
Ryan (if fit)
Beirne
Porter
Kelleher
Healy
Herring
Kilcoyne
Furlong
Henderson
Coombes (should be brought in now. For me Connors doesn't offer enough off the bench.)
Cooney (this won't happen but should)
Carty
Larmour

UAEguy2020 · 07-02-2021 06:42PM

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Can I let you all in on a bit of information that shouldn’t come as the slightest surprise.

Burns isn’t an international.

Both 10s out there aren’t international players.

KaneToad · 07-02-2021 06:42PM

leakyboots wrote: »

Championship isn't over, important to remember that. Tis only the first game.

That was one of the most brainless performances I've seen by us, possibly ever. POM was having a fine game and then did that, Murray had some aimless boxkicks and that high tackle, Sexton missing touch, Ringrose offload, Earls tackling in the air and kicking on the full in succession, James Lowe simply cannot read a loose defensive set, he's like Adam Byrne at times. Burns opting to kick the ball crossfield... and as for the last kick, disaster. Was Lowe distracting him, what's he doing on his shoulder there? Probably not, but either way Burns didn't need to stick it onto the flag.

A litany of brainless stuff.

Beirne, Keenan, Henshaw, Ringrose, Healy, Porter, Furlong, Stander can hold their heads up, Henderson too.

But it's not as if the Championship is gone, still plenty road to go.

How bad were Wales that we could have beaten them in spite of all the above? That's probably what stings the most.

Really?? He gave them their first 3 points with stupid penalty. Then got sent off minutes later. He sang the anthem well, I s'pose....

Doctors room ghost · 07-02-2021 06:42PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Sexton has been a tremendous servant for Ireland but time and tide wait for no man.

And he’s had an awful time throughout his career with head injuries.

prawnsambo · 07-02-2021 06:44PM

TomsOnTheRoof wrote: »

How does the blame fully lie with him when we took the lead after he went off and were in a position to win it at the death?

Because the pressure that put on the rest of the team eventually had to tell. It's why there are mistakes and defensive gaps eventually as the physical toll of constantly trying to cover the gaps in defence and running multiple phases in attack against a defence that always has at least parity and often a man up just wears players out. We always expect a team to score when their opposition has a man in the bin. It's a big thing if they don't. Multiply that by 6 or 7 and you get some idea of how hard that was today.

A-Train · 07-02-2021 06:44PM

AbusesToilets wrote: »

Not sure what Catt is doing at all. Haven't seen any evidence of an effective attacking shape. Most of our success today came from individuals beating their defender, rather than scheming guys open. Where have the dinks and grubbers gone that we were meant to be incorporating?

Just about to ask this same question? What does Catt bring to the party?

Cluedo Monopoly · 07-02-2021 06:45PM

leakyboots wrote: »

Beirne, Keenan, Henshaw, Ringrose, Healy, Porter, Furlong, Stander can hold their heads up, Henderson too.

I thought Van der Flier was having a good game too before the substitution. Healy tackled and rucked superbly too.

Beirne was MOM for me. Who got it?

ironingbored · 07-02-2021 06:45PM

Laughable people comparing a missed kick for touch in the middle of game and doing so with the clock in red and Wales on the ropes.

Beirne was absolutely phenomenal.
Henshaw a close second.
Ringrose, Keenan, Healy, Porter were excellent.
CJ and VdF were good.

Murray and Sexton very mixed especially in 2nd half.

Hate to say it but Earls was anonymous the whole game except when he gave away a needless penalty and kicked directly out which led to Wales' first try. Larmour should've been on after the tackle in the air.

Lowe had a mixed afternoon. His left boot proved really useful immediately after the sending off. He was covering two players on the 1st try but was poor (as was Henderson) on the second try. His video session will be tough. He did carry very well esp. second half.

fonecrusher1 · 07-02-2021 06:46PM

breezy1985 wrote: »

He is 26 and a starter on a fairly big european club. People are acting like he is some 18 y kid on his first cap

If I could thank this post another 10 times I would.

Ah poor little Burns barely out of the nappies sure its not his fault, its was a high pressure kick etc etc blah blah..... Complete and utter bull****. He didn't just kick it beyond the corner flag I think it nearly went beyond the corner of the actual pitch. That's not even under 20's standard.

Absolutely unacceptable and unforgivable for a 26 yr old professional rugby player. Some people on here actually blaming POM for it. :pac: :rolleyes:

Yes POM was wreckless he should know better but he didn't boot the ball almost out of the stadium and end the game and a very possible late win for us.

Burkie1203 · 07-02-2021 06:46PM

TomsOnTheRoof wrote: »

How does the blame fully lie with him when we took the lead after he went off and were in a position to win it at the death?

Because we were a man down. That takes its toll. He was sent off after 14 minutes. Not 74

leakyboots · 07-02-2021 06:46PM

KaneToad wrote: »

Really?? He gave them their first 3 points with stupid penalty. Then got sent off minutes later. He sang the anthem well, I s'pose....

Watch those first 15 back

Doctors room ghost · 07-02-2021 06:46PM

lawrencesummers wrote: »

By a few country miles he missed it.

As wide as a gate

Neeson · 07-02-2021 06:46PM

accensi0n wrote: »

Lol, yes I also long for the glory days of the wooden spoon..

I mean the players back then were better. The boys came good. No chance Burns will be anything of note.

Wales v Ireland Match Thread (thanks for nothing awec)

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