Ireland v Scotland match thread

He captained the Lions for 50 minutes and was dropped from the match day squad. O'Brien was one of the best players on 2 tours. Not exactly close...

Beautiful try from France.

I am assuming just the professional era.

Better: Sean O'Brien , David Wallace, Caelan Doris

Achieved more: Sean O'Brien (european player of the year, standout performance in two winning lions tours, european cups, six nations championships)

This is just my opinion but those three players at their peak are better than POM at his but I don't want to be here, sounding like I don't think POM wasn't a great irish player, I'd have him fourth there, ahead of Heaslip, VDF and Ferris but honestly you could argue that either way them.

All of these players are different with different attributes and more modern players are always better than previous generations due to improved coaching sports science etc and some played in better teams. I am picking on effectiveness, if you are in the WC final, which one at peak full fitness, do you want?

I dont think its as definite as you are implying.

Heaslip never gets the credit he deserves. Best backrow of his generation and sits alongside BOD, POC and Sexton as the best Irish player of the professional era.

Great to see james Lowe taking the knee for the 2nd game in a row.

Hes playing great but you take aki out of that team or take Beirne out and the result is much different.

Aki had a lot of mistakes last week, and a few this week as well. He wasnt flawless by any means.

Beirne is the first name on the Lions teamsheet as it stands.

When POM does retire I think Prendergast should start at no. 6 with Baird off the bench as an impact player, he is great off the bench

Prendergast has that bit of niggle and agression that baird is lacking alright. Hes far better at the breakdown as well

Ah yeah, has great defensive attributes, good in contact, carries hard but I dont see him turning a game like SOB, just my opinion.

We stopped england did we?

Lol. Good girl. Aki stopped more in the middle. FFS.

Not to down play the fantastic career that POM has had - particularly in the last 2 years, I'd rank SOB, Ferris and Wallace ahead.

VDF has won the greatest individual accolade there is for a rugby player so he may rank ahead of POM by the end of his career. Likewise I think Doris will eclipse POM also.

I think POM is about level with Heaslip.

I can’t believe France didn’t box kick into touch there, clueless stuff from them.

He'll be the type of player who's stock will grow once he's no longer involved. A lot of elements to his game are not flash but are vital. For me, Ryan Baird, should be the replacement because of his lineout work. Also a very good open field carrier. The other 2 in the back row are top class and there to stay but we need a no.6 who is a strong lineout player. Baird is that. What made the POM, VdF & Doris backrow so good is balance. POM for the tight, lineout and ball handling. VdF for his defence and open field carrying and support play and Doris for the heavy carrying and breakdown work. The other 2 are they to stay so the next no.6 must fill the POM shaped hole. And is he can bring that plus another dimension to his game then all the better.