Much rather invest in Baloucoune over Stockdale
Ulster form has been questionable, would love to see them turn it around and Stockdale get back to his best
Our loosehead prop literally needs to have his arm held up by his flanker. For an elite level prop that is absolutely embarrassing. Our set piece has been poor this 6N, continuing on from the World Cup where it was a massive contribution to our failure.
Frisch has been released back to Munster.
Much ado about fecken nothing so.
Our last 2 defeats were:
We've lost 4 games in our last 33 matches. (The only one that wasn't a 1-score game was in Eden Park where NZ have never lost a game in the pro era).
Wales have lost 4 games in their last 4 matches.
That's "major problems".
Our scrum has been pretty good this tournament really. Couple of penalties conceded to France, but was pretty dominant over Italy and Wales.
We will beat the Scots and think we are world's best again but we have major problems, scrum always liable to give away penalties against the top teams and lineout is unreliable so POC may have to go, POM is a great leader but too old now and contributes very little in open play, time for baird or Doris to 6 and conan to 8 maybe, the 6-2 split needs 2 reserve backs in Murray and frawley who can't get on their provincial team so that's not ideal, we also have an aging team so need to start blooding guys
There will be a reaction on Saturday. I think we will win going away.
Would love to see Baird start.
Stockdale would be a gaff, imo. I donate him anymore. Henderson could give us a good 50 minutes. I think it's obvious the Joe McCarthy hasn't played as well as he did in the opener. He's an International newbie! No harm in having him sprung from the bench.
I would love to see Mccloskey marking Vdm.
To say the least unfortunately.
Stockdale is not starting on the right wing.
I would think he was in Twickenham primarily as backup to Lowe.
Imagine him attempting to defend against van der Merwe!
It would be nonsensical to select him over Larmour.
Stockdales form for Ulster has been 'questionable'.
Someone pointed out on Twitter that warming up with the team were McCloskey and Stockdale - a fit Ringrose might leapfrog McCloskey for the bench but it looks like if it's not Nash, it's Stockdale rather than Larmour.
Saturday was the first blip in what's been an excellent start to Joe McCarthy's Ireland career and people want him dropped already. He's an infant in the lifespan of a TH lock. We'll gain far more from sticking with McCarthy than starting 32 year old, 80 cap Henderson.
Think Baird absolutely has to start this game. I'd be very surprised if he does, but for me the time is now to move on from POM and back Baird.
The wing debate is an interesting one. Larmour form has been decent for Leinster but there's still the big question marks over his aerial ability. But at the same time it would be good to see him get a start in a full strength Ireland backline. At 29 I think the Wingrose ship has sailed.
Henderson was awful off the bench last weekend, Joe wasn't good either but not sure Henderson has done anything to get ahead of him.
Hendo has done enough to deserve a start and at the same time McCarthy hasnt done enough to keep his place.
Mccarthy needs to show on his next opportunity that he hasnt been found out, that his performance against France wasnt down to his new impact and the opposition being unaware of his linespeed because england got away from it time and time again when he attempted it. He did very little against England to be positive about.
Farrell needs to not only “freshen things up” but select a 15 and a 23 that lights a fire under a lot of players because one of the criticisms of him thats completely valid is his lack of ruthlessness and loyalty to point of fault to a lot of players.
This is a crunch match, think we would all agree that the best possible 15 and bench has to be selected to set us up in the best way possible to win this match. By "freshen up" do you mean improve the starting 15 due to those that started last week being a bit tired and banged up?
If all players are recuperating fully, and I assume they will, I would start with our strongest available 15, which I believe is:
(1-8) Porter, Sheehan, Bealham, Beirne, McCarthy, O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris,
(9-15) Gibson-Park, Crowley, Lowe, Aki, Henshaw*, Larmour**, Keenan.
* I don't think it would be wise to bring Ringrose back in at this point, he could be OK or he could be terribly rusty, this match is too high stakes.
** I don't think Nash should be allowed play after that concussion last week.
Bench: (5/3 split) Kelleher, Healy, Furlong, Henderson, Baird, Murray, H Byrne, Stockdale.
I think Bealham has to start, Furlong doesn't seem to be adding anything beyond the scrum which I think Bealham can also lock out but offers more in the loose.
Conan would be unlucky to miss out, but feel we need cover in the backline and Baird is a more versatile option.
O'Mahony and Murray would need a good performance to address the criticisms levelled at them from last weekend which I think they would deliver.
Just freshen things up a bit.
McCarthy on the bench, Hendo to start. Sheehan to bench, Kelleher to start.
lots of others had bad games.
Should they be changed also?
Dear god give me strength. Playing for a championship and you want to put a rusty, lacking fitness and match sharpness on the wing where he is grossly out of position. Even Stockdale for all his faults I'd put there before Ringrose. If Ringrose is fit to make the pitch it's at 13 and no where else. Sure while were at it, give Aki a rest and put Doris at 12.
Defeat tends to unleash the delusion that I can pick a rugby team. We’ve got lots of options at scrum-half so why not try them instead of Murray? O’Mahony had a poor game. Time for change there too.
England deserved to win that match.
I stumbled onto the Ireland v England game in Croke Park, I'd forgotten that Andy Farrell was at 12 that day.
If it was played with today's laws being enforced they'd be cards and penalty tries galore.
If we've to start ringrose at 14 it really says alot of where we are with cover in that position.
More importantly it sends a complete lack of trust message to the wider squad that we have to move a 13 to the wing.
Couldn't see the 'best squad/camp' vibes that have been spoken about in the past lasting too long then
Faz will go with what's been around the wider squad already & it's prob Larmour if Nash is out
I get you, but personally I would make sure Ringrose played even if it meant wing ( where he has deputised before) Just my preference.
but playing the best players on the pitch would be playing a winger on the wing rather than a centre..........
I can't see them dropping Henshaw, so ideally would like to have best players on pitch, definitely want Ringrose to play , but would worry how rusty he is.
why would you start the best 13 on the wing though?
https://www.balls.ie/rugby/bernard-jackman-ireland-lucky-run-590796
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