Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

awec · 31-01-2023 4:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182780#Comment_120182780

Do you want to start one?

awec · 31-01-2023 4:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182811#Comment_120182811

Ah this is just unnecessarily downplaying expectations. We don't need to try paint ourselves as up against it any more, we're way better than that.

This Wales team is rubbish. Yes, Gatland is back, but they are still rubbish. They are also old.

If Ireland are in any way serious about putting themselves forward in the World Cup as a team that should be taken seriously then they will beat Wales at the weekend and the result will not really be in doubt. Losing this match would be a disaster, it would be many, many times worse than 2019.

pc7 · 31-01-2023 4:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182877#Comment_120182877

God no, you'd have me barred, was on the mobile so wasn't sure if I was missing one, I'm as old as half of Gat's team!

sydthebeat · 31-01-2023 4:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182887#Comment_120182887

i dont think i mentioned anything about i think we will lose it, but CAN we lose it... of course we can.

bookies are never far wrong, and they have the spread at only 6 points in ireland favour.

PTH2009 · 31-01-2023 4:59pm

Feels Alun Wyn Jones is around forever

Some going

flatface · 31-01-2023 5:09pm

With the risk of egging my face, I am very confident of a win against this welsh team. I think we will go out and play with style and confidence, a few mistakes, but rip them apart on the field and scoreboard. As we should be doing with our current position and talent.

Jump_In_Jack · 31-01-2023 5:22pm

I think it's safe to say that Welsh side will not beat Ireland by a big score, barring red card chaos.

I'd imagine the odds are a heavy win for Ireland, maybe 6-42.

At worst, Wales might squeak a win by a score if they keep it tight and score a lot of penalties.

awec · 31-01-2023 5:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182913#Comment_120182913

We can lose it in the same way Leinster can lose to the Dragons in February.

It shouldn't happen.

Gatland's tactics at the weekend are going to be to out-fight us and bosh us off the field, it's all they're gonna have. It's gonna be plucky underdog with pashun type stuff from them. Angry face from AWJ.

If we fall at that hurdle then we are absolutely nowhere.

31-01-2023 5:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182913#Comment_120182913

Yeah, of course we can, but the bizarre thing about this game is that if you got those two sets of 23 players and put a Leinster/Munster/Ulster/Connacht jersey on our players and a set of Cardiff/Ospreys/Scarlets/Dragons jerseys on their players, we'd win the game by 35+.

In professional sport we should be above getting ourselves dragged into an arm wrestle by a clearly inferior set of players.

We've had months to prep for this game, and have a relatively full deck to pick from. They've just changed their coach again, have brought some guys back in from the cold, and couldn't have anything more sophisticated than a rudimentary gameplan given they'll have about as much time to train as a Barbarians side before they play us.

We know exactly what they're going to try to do, and we have to be able to strategise a way to counter their plans and impose ours.

These guys are way below the level we aspire to be at right now.

TRC10 · 31-01-2023 5:48pm

Wales being written off by every dog on the street. Their union in crisis. Ireland being hyped up going into a world cup year. "Nobody from their team would get in our team" etc. We know exactly how this goes....

But seriously though, I think we'll win. But I don't think this will be as easy as everyone thinks. They have a strong scrummaging front row, with two heavy lumps in the engine room and a backrow that can seriously disrupt our breakdown ball (with another one on the bench in Reffell, rather than than a carrier like Tshiunza or Wainwright). Basically the 101 on how to beat Leinster/Ireland. Gatland isn't an idiot, he knows this.

The backline would worry me more if Liam Williams and LRZ were there. North at 13 would be an area we could target. He's never been a convincing defender at outside centre. And Halfpenny won't offer much other than good positioning. Hawkins may be inexperienced but he was excellent v Australia in November, and Dyer is rapid. Tomos Williams and Biggar is a very strong halfback pairing.

I think we'll win, but not by much. I can't remember the last time I've been this nervous about an Ireland match. There's so much at stake on Saturday. And a loss would be catastrophic for this team.

Larbre34 · 31-01-2023 5:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182973#Comment_120182973

If they had a legitimate replacement, he wouldn't be.

phog · 31-01-2023 5:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120183219#Comment_120183219

Like us with our outhalf

TRC10 · 31-01-2023 5:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120183232#Comment_120183232

Except our outhalf is still good

sydthebeat · 31-01-2023 5:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120183157#Comment_120183157

funnily... leinster HAVE lost to the dragons in february before. yes it shouldn't happen, but it does.

i fully expect ireland to beat wales, but i just don't share the comfortingopn9on that it will be relatively easy.

phog · 31-01-2023 5:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120183256#Comment_120183256

I never said he wasn't but in the same way we "minded" Keith Wood in the lead up to the 2003 (?) World Cup we should be trying to do the same for Sexton but unfortunately with the those behind Sexton that's not really a runner.

Shehal · 31-01-2023 5:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120182599#Comment_120182599

This

We must be weary of Wales being at home, underdogs and enough experience to win ugly but lets not kid ourselves, if we lose to Wales team with a brand new attack/backs coach & defence coach who have only had a few weeks with a team that have had an utterly horrendous run of form then the Irish players really need to have a long hard look in the mirror and ask if they really gave it their all. Yes like I said we need to be weary but that doesnt mean its a credible excuse for us to go out and lose on Saturday.

aloooof · 31-01-2023 6:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120183192#Comment_120183192

if you got those two sets of 23 players and put a Leinster/Munster/Ulster/Connacht jersey on our players and a set of Cardiff/Ospreys/Scarlets/Dragons jerseys on their players, we'd win the game by 35+.

It's bizarre how contrasting the results of the national team and the regions has been over the last decade or more, but it does feel like it must be an anomaly and isn't sustainable long-term. (He says having just used the word "decade"...)

One other thing tho is, add in 80k Welsh supporters on the beer in the Millenium... that's definitely a factor too.

I'm expecting it to be a close first half, predicated on Gatland having Wales wound up to 11, but Ireland to pull away and win by 2 scores or more.

Akrasia · 31-01-2023 6:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120181868#Comment_120181868

.

Coming to a 6 Nations near you

AbusesToilets · 31-01-2023 6:15pm

The game against SA in Nov will have hopefully helped Farrell et al improve the plan around how teams will approach us defensively. Expecting a heavy rush into the space around 13, and extremely aggressive counter rucking. Hope we see a few new wrinkles for countering that.

Shehal · 31-01-2023 6:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120183379#Comment_120183379

True although I also think that may have been down to rustiness more than anything, it was telling throughout the autumn we weren't as smooth as the were in the season before.

Tommysocks11 · 31-01-2023 8:49pm

I'm sure sexton and vdf will be well up to prove gatland wrong as he never picked them for lions 2 years ago, hope we smash the Welsh, never liked them and they also voted against our World Cup bid a few years ago

All_in_Flynn · 31-01-2023 9:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120183379#Comment_120183379

As another poster suggested, I'm convinced there were a number of players who were still in preseason mode which made the South Africa win all the more impressive as they were targeting that game. We showed the square root of nothing in Autumn from even a set piece point of view. No wraps, nothing.

I fancy us to give Wales the treatment on Saturday barring any red card etc. Just can't see a way into the game for them with that team.

Akrasia · 31-01-2023 11:24pm

This welsh team, if they click, and they might. Could cause us problems.

They'll kick a lot and try to smash us on transition. These players won't be afraid of us either.

Ireland are still favourites of course. but it's not a foregone conclusion

This welsh team would be absolutely destroyed in a RWC, if only from attrition, but in the first game of a 6 nations. At home. I don't think there'll be more than a score in it

flatface · 31-01-2023 11:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120184913#Comment_120184913

That’s what they want you to think, and we are going to prep and expect exactly that. Then they sideswipe us with quick offloading running rugby, leaving us gaping as 370 year old AWJ jinks through the defensive line for a hat trick.

Dubinusa · 05-02-2023 3:36am

Impressive play by Bealham. He's playing very well. I thought O'Toole did a good job too. Porter doing his best imitation of Stephen Archer. Wtf!!! Awful discipline, Farrell needs a chat with him. France wouldn't fcuk up many of the opportunities that Porter gave away.

James Ryan was brilliant. I thought he should have got motm.

Our backline didn't click. Probably due to JGP not pulling the strings. Murray did well. He put some pep into his step.

Biggie next week! I'd leave Bealham in regardless of Furlongs fitness. Maybe play Furlong off the bench? I'd also have Baird in at 6 for some heft and athleticism.

Think I would go with

Porter, Sheehan, Bealham

Beirn, Ryan

Baird, Doris, VDF

Murray, Sexton

McCloskey, Ringrose

Lowe. Hanson

Keenan

Kelleher, if available/ Herring

Healy

Furlong

Henderson

Conan

Casey

RB

Larmour

It will be a big test against Probably the best side in the world. McCloskey did enough to hold onto the jersey. Larmour coming on late gives Ireland a live wire. Someone to spark the attack. He'd cause ructions against a tiring French side. POM misses out for Bairds power, no other reason.

Strand1970 · 05-02-2023 4:10am

OK so if McCloskey happens to get injured early in the game god forbide, u would have lamour in as a battle ram 12? I

connachta · 05-02-2023 9:36am

Aki brought à lot on any of his intervention, he should re-claim the 12 spot in such a game next week

AbusesToilets · 05-02-2023 11:02am

Pick one or the other, and have a back 3 player on the bench

sydthebeat · 05-02-2023 11:09am

I actually feel we kept a lot in reserve in the wales game due our exceptional opening 15.

We didn't see an awful lot of Lowe or Hansen popping up in midfield like we did last year. Our back play was quite restrained.

I'm confident of the game next Saturday.

A win by 6 imo

redlough · 05-02-2023 11:30am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120204019#Comment_120204019

McCloskey had a good game and should start v France

Unless he plays like a drain in training

Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Comments