Six Nations 2023 - Ireland v France Build-Up Thread, Sat 11th Feb KO 2:15PM - TV: RTÉ2, ITV, France2

Must love hardship · 08-02-2023 07:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120216712#Comment_120216712

I think with the competition across the back row.. and across the whole team really to be retained you have to get as close to those levels as possible.

phily2002 · 08-02-2023 07:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120216951#Comment_120216951

I'm not rewatching the match to find the miss tackle, I just posted the stats from espn. If you want to do it knock yourself out.

What makes you think he'd move Beirne to 6? I'm pretty sure he's never done this. He has move Dorris to 6 to put Conan at 8 which he could also do with Coombes. Baird he could put straight in at 6.

Why would it be hilarious to think of dropping him. Farrell done it before.

I'm not saying he's playing badly, but he's been outperformed by Dorris and Josh in every game since the NZ 2nd test and hasn't hit the heights of last season. Backrow is one of our strongest positions with lots of players putting their hand up and in better form. It's hardly a crazy decision to give one of them a shot...

redlough · 08-02-2023 07:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217029#Comment_120217029

The Beirne to 6 has been running in the press and other places but from recollection even during a game Beirne has never played 6 for Ireland.

I don't see any player keeping his place if he isn't playing well. It doesn't matter who it is.

Pudsy33 · 08-02-2023 07:41PM

Murray and Sheehan both doubts for the game, that's a serious test of depth in those particular positions.

aloooof · 08-02-2023 07:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217053#Comment_120217053

Beirne has definitely played at 6 for Ireland.

phily2002 · 08-02-2023 07:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217073#Comment_120217073

Is Kelleher back? Herring would be grand to start as well.

Could be some chance for Blade if Murray is out. Be great for Casey to get a start but I'd say Blade had nearly given up on getting an opportunity. Crazy how quick things can change

Pudsy33 · 08-02-2023 07:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217098#Comment_120217098

Kelleher was back training this week but putting him in cold might be a step too far. I suspect it'll be Herring with Kelleher or Stewart benching.

08-02-2023 08:07PM

Beirne started at 6 against Italy and Scotland in the 2021 Six Nations; in a backrow with Will Connors and CJ Stander.

Ryan & Henderson were in the second row.

For the final game of that Championship (James Ryan got injured) against England, he went into the second row, CJ moved to 6 and Conan came in at 8 (and got MotM).

demfad · 08-02-2023 08:09PM

Rewatched highlights of last years match. France were unlucky not to be out of sight at half time. We got a freak 7 from the Hanson restart try and that was it.

We got really rattled. We need to really learn there. We cant allow that to happen again this year.

I think we will win even with injury concerns.

France had same buildup to last year where they trained heavy into the Italian match and used supercompensation recovery (very light week) before Ireland.

lawrencesummers · 08-02-2023 08:35PM

The french are coming to dublin from Rome diretly, Two weeks away from home may not make for a lot of happy french rugby players.

I think home advantage swings this one.

Pity the KO time isnt a few hours later.

scotland wales should be the curtain raiser at 4:30 and Ireland france at 7pm. Place would be rocking

lawrencesummers · 08-02-2023 08:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217029#Comment_120217029

So your happy to drop a player because of a missed tackle that you havent even seen.

makes perfect sense.

08-02-2023 08:45PM

Ruaidhri O'Connor has an unchanged team at the moment, but, worryingly, has flagged late injury concerns around both Dan Sheehan and Conor Murray.

Either would be a significant problem. I rate both of them, but wouldn't fancy facing France with Craig Casey & Caolin Blade as my two 9s.

The fall off from Sheehan to Herring is huge as well. Sheehan is at the point of being taken for granted already at age 24 for how consistently excellent he is.

Lost Ormond · 08-02-2023 08:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217392#Comment_120217392

It wouldnt be fantastic but its perfect ahead of a world cup where we could end up potentially facing France in a quarter final with them in the 23?

08-02-2023 08:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217414#Comment_120217414

Yeah, I do get that. And, if you face this much adversity and still pull out the win then it's incredible as a momentum builder and really galvanises the squad.

But, I just think our chances of winning slip a lot if we lose Murray and Sheehan, and I desperately want a Championship win!

AbusesToilets · 08-02-2023 09:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120216951#Comment_120216951

Conan is a much more effective carrier, both in terms of his physicality and his vision in attack. He also is a better passer of the ball.

Poorside · 08-02-2023 09:06PM

It's not an injury for Murray, its a family issue.

phily2002 · 08-02-2023 09:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217363#Comment_120217363

Again, I never said I'd drop him because of a missed tackle....

Shehal · 08-02-2023 09:16PM

If you offered me the option to keep Sheehan in exchange for losing Murray I would take it. I don't mind Casey starting at 9 if Sexton is next to him whereas against a team like France its not ideal to lose any more forwards than we already have.

TRC10 · 08-02-2023 11:54PM

Sheehan would be a loss for sure, but if Kelleher is back, that mitigates the impact a lot.

Murray was good last week, but I would have changed the starting/finishing order at 9 this week anyway. Murray's style worked against Wales because we dominated the collisions. That won't be the case against France and we'll need to play a high-tempo game, so I'd have started Casey anyway.

I'm still pretty confident about this game. France are missing Woki, Danty and Villiere too.

crisco10 · 09-02-2023 07:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217207#Comment_120217207

And I watched the 2021 game from aviva. The same was true, we got a flukey try from kelleher to bring us back into it, but before that France kept us at arms length. And even in the end game, with a point in it, France were well in control.

09-02-2023 08:33AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120218585#Comment_120218585

Yeah, but the Ireland team that played that day will likely be significantly different to the team we pick this Saturday.

Our team that day (likely changes in bold): Keenan, Earls, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe, Burns, Gibson Park, Healy, Herring, Porter (positional), Beirne, Henderson, Ruddock, Van der Flier, Stander.

France will likely have 6/8 from their starting pack that day, and another three in the backs.

I think we've indisputably improved a lot since then.

crisco10 · 09-02-2023 09:39AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120218677#Comment_120218677

Totally true (whatever about personnel, even playing style) , you could see hints of the Farrell/Catt style but there was also a lot of dross in there. Sure, some said Farrell and Co were under pressure for his role until the England game a few weeks later.

Although I think the level of change is exaggerated somewhat by injuries. If JGP and Henshaw were fit, they'd be in this week bringing the level of change between the teams to a more comparable level. 8 changes v 6.

I was really just re-enforcing the point that in a lot of ways France have had Ireland's number the past few years, so it would be a nice time to change that!

ionadnapóca · 09-02-2023 11:22AM

France XV unchanged. Cros and Coullioud come in to the bench.

Im not convinced by Thomas Ramos defensively at FB. French kicking has been superior in the last 3 matches v Ireland. Lowe, Hansen and Keenan in the backfield are prob the best selection for kick return.

I think its important that Murray plays. Casey not up to scratch with his kicking. Blade? Not sure if it's a strength either.

Sheehan would be a massive loss.

Shehal · 09-02-2023 11:25AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120219336#Comment_120219336

Im just accepting Sheehan's out as we seem to have 0 luck at the moment when it comes to injuries, if ever there's a doubt about a players availability they almost always end up being out, my hope at the very least is Kelleher can start at 2 as that at least.

ionadnapóca · 09-02-2023 11:27AM

Strange that they are all hamstring injuries and occurring in training. Kelleher wont be ready apparently.

aloooof · 09-02-2023 11:51AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120219336#Comment_120219336

Casey not up to scratch with his kicking.

Casey's kicking has improved sifgnificantly in the last 6-12 months, imo. He's box-kicxking more accurately, and he's even put in 50:22 that was a huge part in a try vs Leinster. (I think he kicked significantly better than Murray that day).

Having said that, it'd be a huge test for him, and I don't think he manages the same hangtime as Murray tho.

ionadnapóca · 09-02-2023 12:08PM

Hang time. Casey doesn't get the 4 seconds that Murray was getting on Sat. I was surprised by how well Murray played. His best performance in years.

He has lost distance but still has that hangtime. Casey has gained accuracy but still cant get good enough distance or hangtime.

On the plus side there will now be another left footed kicker in the backfield.

Shehal · 09-02-2023 12:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120219363#Comment_120219363

I mean we are just bang out of luck aren't we if that is the case...

aloooof · 09-02-2023 12:19PM

Ah ya, I'm not sure Casey will ever get Murrays hangtime (law of the lever etc.). It's probably JGP's weakest part of his game too, but what they bring in the other areas of the game (pass quality, speed and tempo) are important to our gameplan.

We'd be relying on Sexton and Lowe a lot more for out exits if Casey starts, I reckon.

Former Former Former · 09-02-2023 12:29PM

"Hangtime" is just kicking it up very high, right?

Six Nations 2023 - Ireland v France Build-Up Thread, Sat 11th Feb KO 2:15PM - TV: RTÉ2, ITV, France2

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