Match Thread: France v Ireland. 6 Nations 2026, 05th Feb. ITV and Virgin Media KO 8:10pm.

topdecko · 05-02-2026 11:04PM

we just don't have the players. French took foot of gas and we were lucky to get 14 points on board. at least scrum and lineout held up. we just forgot how to tackle unfortunately. its like whack a mole these days - fix one aspect of our game and the other falls apart.

FrankGrimes · 05-02-2026 11:04PM

Terrible performance. But surely the laws of the game need to actually be applied?

French TV showed two replays of this try and managed to cut out this clear and obvious forward pass in the build up.

50HX · 05-02-2026 11:04PM

Timoney deserves a proper crack over the next few games, not jettisoned to the bench or wider squad again.

TO'B got a lesson & a real test. He'll learn from it.

This kicking game is no good to us unless we can execute it to our benifit on a higher %.

Oddly this could work to Farrells advantage...he now has a glorious opportunity to introduce at least one new winger & a proper look at centre partnership.

I was always a Ringrose fan but he offers zero attacking threat...the go to description of Ringrose over the past few years is his shooting from the line....the attacker of 2014 u20's was long gone b4 Neinabers arrival

SaoPaulo41 · 05-02-2026 11:05PM

Uhohh, Murray just said in the analysis, that he thinks we will persist with this box kicking tactics.

ironingbored · 05-02-2026 11:05PM

Terrible first half and France really got the rub of the green for Olivon and LBB's 2nd. Unlucky not to go 29-21 on 70 mins.

Pleasing was Loughman and the scrum, Ryan, Timoney, Conanoff the bench. Forwards fronted up physically 2nd half but was too late by then.

longjohn200 · 05-02-2026 11:05PM

Timoney looked well coming off the bench.

big-al · 05-02-2026 11:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210182#Comment_124210182

Mr Goodman

mr_edge_to_you · 05-02-2026 11:07PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210193#Comment_124210193

Even Joe was a bit surprised with that level of analysis

FrankGrimes · 05-02-2026 11:07PM

From 60-65mins there were 3 prime attacking opportunities we had in their half and we kicked every time. That is not players makint ad-hoc decisions, individual kicks maybe, but a pattern means it was the system the coaches sent them out with even after a full half of evidence it wasnt only not working, Ireland were losing serious ground on every kick. The coaches don’t have confidence in our back line’s ability to score, that’s the real crisis here.

Homesick Alien · 05-02-2026 11:07PM

We were outclassed tonight as expected but some of the hysteria on here is off the wall. We'll lose by 50, no 60! We'll lose to Italy! We're the worst team in the history of the world!!

Thought Timoney was excellent and McCloskey was brilliant in the second half. Our third and fourth choice props all had a good outing.

Our high ball fielding was beyond inept so the decision to persist with that was very strange. Way too many missed tackles and some big players like Beirne, Sheehan and Ringrose had poor games by their standards.

But let's not lose our minds over this.

10000maniacs · 05-02-2026 11:07PM

FFS we are back to the Ireland of 20 years ago.

AccidentallyOnside · 05-02-2026 11:08PM

Bar one great tackle I'd be happy to never see Stockdale in an Irish shirt again.

On the plus side Ryan brought great intensity and Timmoney may have been Ireland's best player the 30 mins he was on the park so got some bounce from the bench.

I'm a bit mixed on JGP- he had a lot of great contestable kicks......but we weren't winning any of them so why keep doing it

almostover · 05-02-2026 11:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210196#Comment_124210196

A bright spark alright, as was Cian Prendergast. Why not start them at 6 and 7 vs. Italy?

testtech05 · 05-02-2026 11:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210194#Comment_124210194

I thought Cian Prendergast also left with some credit he battled well while he was on. Anything to be said for a back row of cian P timoney and doris

lawrencesummers · 05-02-2026 11:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210162#Comment_124210162

we were 1st in the 6N two years ago, and third last year.

The decline has well and truly started some time ago

uptherebels · 05-02-2026 11:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210185#Comment_124210185

You can't tell from those stills if it's a forward pass

corny · 05-02-2026 11:09PM

So many things going wrong now. Don't fancy any of our coaches to address them.

Is it still considered sour grapes to question the impartialty of English refs when refereeing Irish sides? We have enough of a sample size now surely.

For Petes Sake · 05-02-2026 11:09PM

This is the hangover of all the farting around in 2025, when we essentially had three different coaching teams because Farrell was HC of the Lions and decided to bring loads of others with him.

A lot of other issues, for sure, but let's not ignore the above and look at how the utterly pointless Lions tour is now costing us desperately.

leakyboots · 05-02-2026 11:09PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210177#Comment_124210177

Some bizarre takes on that try on here. He was covering across from the man he had, he did well to even get a hand on the spare man. Would be fair comment if it was one on one but it wasn't, thought it was a great effort and unlucky to not force a foot in touch.

Game changed when the subs were (very belatedly) made. French took the foot off the accelerator.

AccidentallyOnside · 05-02-2026 11:09PM

Dickson is an appalling referee but there was nothing wrong with him today. Sure he missed a few but that will always happen. Loss has 0 to do with reffing.

Rayray98 · 05-02-2026 11:10PM

The big issue I have with Ireland, and have for awhile, we very rarely have a game now where we have any more than 5 players that have above a 7/10 performance. It’s just a consistent 6/10’s across the board,

CatInABox · 05-02-2026 11:10PM

I thought that Crowley and SP actually seem to play well together. Very few positives though. Scrum held up well, and the lineout was very good. We just couldn't do anything with it.

I won't go into the refereeing.

breezy1985 · 05-02-2026 11:10PM

At least we got hammered by a team playing that kind of rugby as opposed to that South African muck.

darkened_scrum · 05-02-2026 11:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210229#Comment_124210229

Absolutely. We got murdered in the first half.

Homesick Alien · 05-02-2026 11:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210212#Comment_124210212

20 years ago we came second after finishing level with France but they had a greater points difference.

mr_edge_to_you · 05-02-2026 11:12PM

Appreciate that honesty from Doris

darkened_scrum · 05-02-2026 11:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210228#Comment_124210228

He did well to completely miss the tackle and let France in for a try, sure thing chief. Would hate to see when he doesn't do well.

For Petes Sake · 05-02-2026 11:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124210228#Comment_124210228

Nobody is actually being serious with the Crowley tackle. It's a pisstake of the pile on that occurs here when Prendergast breathes in the wrong direction.

lawrencesummers · 05-02-2026 11:13PM

people raving about the subs need to realize they played a completely different France to the team that got kicked around the place until France had a 30 point gap and TBP

topdecko · 05-02-2026 11:13PM

ah well it was good while it lasted.. might be a few years in the doldrums now

Match Thread: France v Ireland. 6 Nations 2026, 05th Feb. ITV and Virgin Media KO 8:10pm.

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