Ireland vs England - 6N 2025 match thread

Suggestion for those that can make it happen, can we have an Ireland 10 thread throughout the 6 nations and disallow talk of it in other match threads.....its going to destroy and dominate every discussuion. You'd swear jack crowley was playing 1 on 1 v sam prendergast and not Ireland playing England.

It's all off topic to match threads.

Yet we've seen that that it's not standard for professional players to nail passes like that, far from it. Ringrose made a long skip pass to set Lowe up for JGP's try and it looked like he had to put everything into it to get it there. Prendergast makes those passes look practically effortless, all while hitting the receiver in stride. I've yet to see Crowley do similar, and I suspect it's one of the main things that has put Prendergast ahead of him.

They didn’t blast through a tough England squad at all and if the referee wasn’t BOK could easily have lost

There is a simple fact as well that Crowley is a better bench option than Sam.

SP can’t play any other position, Crowley can play 10 and if needed can play 12 and 15.

I think it’s possible that if Crowley starts prendergast might not make the bench as someone like Frawley or JOB could be a better option.

Having the more experienced player as the closer to either turn or close out a game is possibly the better call now that you mention it.

As I said a three point lead is not scoreboard pressure. A 10 point lead, more than a penalty goal and up by more than a score is putting pressure on the opposition. This happened in the last quarter. Now Borthwick mightn't have been certain what time the try and conversion to put us up by 10 points was, it was only a couple of minutes into the last quarter but it was the last quarter and I'm pretty sure that's the score he was referring to.

so based on the comments here, Crowely to start v Scotland and France with SP/Frawley to start v Wales and Italy ?

That should help progress all three players .

Lawerence really mullered him on that one alright. Luckily it was 90m from our try line and the centres came in to help him out.

The guy is 21, and yes defence is an issue. I think the quote from Barnes was apt, all SP had to do yesterday was not melt in heat of battle. He didn't do that, it's a big 60mins under his belt.

But yes, like many other here, I think Crowley is the slightly better player currently. Both will get plenty of gametime over the next 6 weeks and on the summer tour. Hard to see either featuring for the Lions, which is a good thing.

I was happy to see Baird at 6 because I think we need to find our successor to POM there fairly sharpish. Unfortunately Baird has had a good few cracks at it now and has failed to seize the opportunity every time. He can't expect to be a regular starter at this level if the 'game didn't suit him'. Has to force the game to suit him. Conan back in the driving seat for me after yesterday. Not the best age profile but you have to pick on performance.

Personally, I’d absolutely pick Crowley to start next week.

But I expect Prendergast to start.

I’d agree tbh, Syd. The levels of kicking from hand have gone up, even from Ireland.

Said it to a friend mid-game, it was like watching a game from 2016 at times.

sadly have yet to find a replacement

With perhaps a few exceptions, which I won’t inflame opinion by naming, we need competition like SP versus Crowley for every other spot on the team. At least that much because careers can be short.

Well exactly that. He hasn’t seized the chances at 6.

I had questions if he would strike the right balance against the English BR and how he’d manage in the defensive line.

This is going to come across as very harsh, but after that performance I don’t think he’s good enough (yet) to play 6 v Eng, Fra, NZ, SA or Aus.

Ireland definitely can find a spot for him in because he can do things no other Irish Lock or BR can. 20. It’s more like his role.

v France It simply MUST be Conan, vdF, Doris.

I’m going to watch the game again (third time!) but I won’t be surprised if he’s dropping back to the bench for the Scottish game. Or worse.

I would prefer to throw Izuchukwu in at 20. v Scotland and if not then definitely 20. v Wales.

The amount of discussion about the our 10's is pure mad. Two young talented players which Ireland are blessed to have at the same time. Crowley is slightly ahead at the moment but is has a bit more experience. Perfer to have two good 10's and supporters bring upset with selection rather than when it was Sexton with nobody as a backup