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France V Ireland – Stade de France, Paris. Sunday 4th March 15:00 RTE2 & BBC2

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    #1352
    Fishooks12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,318 ✭✭✭Fishooks12


    Saw someone say DOC is done?

    I thought he had an excellent game before running out of steam in the 2nd half

    He was directly involved in 4 turnovers in the first half


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    #1353
    molloyjh
    Registered Users Posts: 24,745 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    Annabella1 wrote: »
    Super display
    Masterclass from Kearney
    but no cigar :mad:

    Think Axel Foley has made a big difference

    Why!? We played fairly similarly against Australia and he wasn't involved then. At the end of the day we've had 1 big game in each series over the last 18 months. So far this 6 Nations has been par for the course. With 2 games left lets see how we do in those.

    Thought Sexton was excellent today and MOTM should have been between himself and Kearney. Fez put in another incredible performance too. Murray definitely upped his game which was good to see. Not sure we'll see him again though in this tournament. Hopefully I'm wrong.

    And for all the stick he's gotten from myself and others I thought Earls did well. Nothing spectacular but did his job. Made his tackles and put in a lovely little pass to Bowe for his second try. Would be happy to see him start at 13 for the rest of the tournament.

    We're now in that same position as we were after the NZ game in 2010, the England game in last years 6 Nations and the Oz game in the RWC - we've put in a performance that we can build on. Now let's just hope that we finally can build on it. I don't see it happening but would be delighted to be proven wrong....


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    #1354
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Fishooks12 wrote: »
    Best expressed in private, not while he's still on the pitch

    Yeah, should threaten to retire while talking to the media instead.


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    #1355
    Otacon
    Registered Users Posts: 6,721 ✭✭✭Otacon


    Fishooks12 wrote: »
    Best expressed in private, not while he's still on the pitch

    I agree, sorry if that was not clear from my statement.

    Very good from some of our more criticised players. Murray, Earls and D'Arcy were fantastic today. I hope Murray is not out for long.


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    #1356
    MungBean
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,915 ✭✭✭MungBean


    Think its official, Pearson has no place whatsoever officiating on a rugby match. Amazes me how someone so incompetent can make it so far in their career.

    Kearney robbed of man of the match for the second game in a row. Bowe was good but Kearney is just on fire this season. Lions 15 nailed down already I'd imagine.

    Earls was ok but he's just not a 13, he doesnt have the head for it. Hacking at the loose ball cost us 7 points. He scuppered a couple chances by being so selfish, he seems blind to the options around him when he has ball in hand. Thought his defence was ok though, so we are where we have always been with him I think. He'll do a job, a job filling the spot while Drico is out and a job holding back real 13's from coming onto the international stage.

    Ireland played well enough to retain what little pride they have left but not well enough to dig Kidney out of the depressing hole he has dragged Irish rugby into. It was the opposite of last week, we still only play one half of the game. Second half against Italy and first half against France. Looks good when we do play well but you cant win a match by playing for 40 minutes. We packed it in at half time and tried to hold out. I dont think we looked like winning it in the second half, France had three drop attempts to put them ahead.

    We have Scotland and England left and no break. We have no opportunity to do anything much in the way of experimenting with players and Scots and English are improving with each match. We'll be very very lucky to come out of this six nations with 3 wins if you ask me.


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    #1357
    Flincher
    Registered Users Posts: 686 ✭✭✭Flincher


    .ak wrote: »
    Think the pods did their job. We did one 'All Blacks' style move as well from a well executed line out. But yeah, poor lineout in general, but I think Besty didn't have a good one.

    Foley's influence there. Munster often have their scrumhalf standing at the front of the lineout, who then loops around to take the ball off the top. Murray set up Johne Murphy for a try against Castres with the same move.


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    #1358
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    emmet02 wrote: »
    Fishooks12 wrote: »
    Best expressed in private, not while he's still on the pitch

    Yeah, should threaten to retire while talking to the media instead.
    National media counts as private it seems.


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    #1359
    4PP
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 756 ✭✭✭4PP


    twinytwo wrote: »
    if he is touching the ball when he touches the line or outside it he is out and so is the ball


    Keraney "jumped" from outside of the field of play, therefore the touch was awarded to the french.
    If he had launched himself from inside the line then play would have continued


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    #1360
    Flincher
    Registered Users Posts: 686 ✭✭✭Flincher


    MungBean wrote: »

    Earls was ok but he's just not a 13, he doesnt have the head for it. Hacking at the loose ball cost us 7 points. He scuppered a couple chances by being so selfish, he seems blind to the options around him when he has ball in hand. Thought his defence was ok though, so we are where we have always been with him I think. He'll do a job, a job filling the spot while Drico is out and a job holding back real 13's from coming onto the international stage.

    All the above I'd have agreed with before January. I thought he was excellent in his last 3 outings at 13. His handling has improve immensely - just look at Bowe's second try.

    Re hacking on the loose ball, there was nobody at home for the French, if he connected they would have been in big trouble. Thems the breaks with an odd shaped ball. No guarantees he would have made it if he went to dive on it.


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    #1361
    Cpt_Blackbeard
    Registered Users Posts: 2,456 ✭✭✭Cpt_Blackbeard


    tolosenc wrote: »
    Defence much improved, attack still awful.

    Again, how much better did we look when Reddan came on? Immensely. We actually put phases together and got into the French 22. Bar the Tommy Bowe show in the 1st half, we offered nothing for 60 minutes. Very, very lucky to draw.

    You'd think we would have been able to score when he was on the field so...

    Thought Murray had a great game. Quick passing albeit slightly slower than Reddan. Hopefully his injury is nothing too serious; Munster will need him for the HC quarter.


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    #1362
    Clegg
    Registered Users Posts: 16,780 ✭✭✭✭Clegg


    d-gal wrote: »
    Think Earls shut up any critics he had today. He made fofana and rougrie look extremely average at times and his pass to Bowe was sublime.

    Well done lads. Would like to see majority of subs start next week, very tough game today and have the English in 2 weeks

    Eh no, Earls was very quiet up until the 60 minute mark. It was the defensive line speed from Ireland which kept the French backs quiet for a lot of the match.

    They rushed up and swallowed a lot of attcks before they got going. Sexton in particular did a great job of this today.

    Earls did well enough and held his tackles but like I said, didn't do much of note until 60 minutes. When everyone is fit I reckon he's 3rd choice centre at best. Behind BOD and Cave.

    I thought Earls did alright but lets not go over the top with praise. We need 2 better starting centres. Earls is better suited to the wing and Darcy just needs to be dropped.


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    #1363
    Tox56
    Registered Users Posts: 11,636 ✭✭✭✭Tox56


    Flincher wrote: »
    All the above I'd have agreed with before January. I thought he was excellent in his last 3 outings at 13. His handling has improve immensely - just look at Bowe's second try.

    Re hacking on the loose ball, there was nobody at home for the French, if he connected they would have been in big trouble. Thems the breaks with an odd shaped ball. No guarantees he would have made it if he went to dive on it.

    It was a well executed pass, but it was one of the only moments in the game where he was threatening in attack. He was pretty anonymous the rest of the game, and was left out of a lot of backline moves. Was solid in defence to his credit, but he just isn't creative.

    Still wouldn't mind him have a few more games to prove himself, I am still yet to be convinced though.


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    #1364
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    Fishooks12 wrote: »
    Best expressed in private, not while he's still on the pitch

    And yet you backed ROG for his interview. Outrageous double standards.


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    #1365
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »
    tolosenc wrote: »
    Defence much improved, attack still awful.

    Again, how much better did we look when Reddan came on? Immensely. We actually put phases together and got into the French 22. Bar the Tommy Bowe show in the 1st half, we offered nothing for 60 minutes. Very, very lucky to draw.

    You'd think we would have been able to score when he was on the field so...

    Thought Murray had a great game. Quick passing albeit slightly slower than Reddan. Hopefully his injury is nothing too serious; Munster will need him for the HC quarter.
    Murray is still a million miles off in his actual scrum half play but his physicality was impressive. I think he justified his selection

    His delivery is still infuriating


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    #1366
    Leinster7
    Registered Users Posts: 326 ✭✭Leinster7


    Great players let down by average management once again. Sterile, 2nd half trying to play Deccie's territory tactics. Can we get rid of this guy already?

    SOB looked like a real World Class 7 today. I was eating my words quite happily watching him play. He's obviously been watching his Michael Jones videos.


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    #1367
    ongarite
    Registered Users Posts: 8,214 ✭✭✭ongarite


    Any news on Murray yet?


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    #1368
    Teferi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,320 ✭✭✭Teferi


    Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »
    You'd think we would have been able to score when he was on the field so...

    :rolleyes:
    Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »
    Thought Murray had a great game. Quick passing albeit slightly slower than Reddan. Hopefully his injury is nothing too serious; Munster will need him for the HC quarter.

    I agree. Murray had a better game than last week anyway. He definitely was quicker distributing the ball. Hope his injury is nothing serious.


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    #1369
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    I thought Murray had a very good first half in more or less all aspects. If he played like that all the time the jersey is his, no question. He wasn't as good in the 2nd half, and it was very unfortunate he got injured, hope it's not serious. You'd have to pity Munster if they're stuck with TOL for an extended period now.


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    #1370
    DDC1990
    Registered Users Posts: 10,363 ✭✭✭✭DDC1990


    Leinster7 wrote: »
    Great players let down by average management once again. Sterile, 2nd half trying to play Deccie's territory tactics. Can we get rid of this guy already?

    SOB looked like a real World Class 7 today. I was eating my words quite happily watching him play. He's obviously been watching his Michael Jones videos.
    Surely Great Management let down by average play.

    Declan Kidney didn't miss kicks, knock the ball on, throw 3 lineouts to the opposition, give away silly penalties?

    Kidney had them primed to win in Paris, and our own ineptitude got in the way.

    A draw is no bad result by any means, but the fact that we didn't win is down to the 22 who were on the pitch.


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    #1371
    lologram
    Registered Users Posts: 751 ✭✭✭lologram


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Yeah, should threaten to retire while talking to the media instead.

    aegpR.gif


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    #1372
    Benny Cake
    Registered Users Posts: 3,143 ✭✭✭Benny Cake


    Leinster7 wrote: »
    SOB looked like a real World Class 7 today. I was eating my words quite happily watching him play. He's obviously been watching his Michael Jones videos.

    Ya, SOB was much improved today (like the 14 others tbh) You didnt have to be a lipreader to know he wasn't happy be substituted!!


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    #1373
    Fishooks12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,318 ✭✭✭Fishooks12


    DDC1990 wrote: »
    Surely Great Management let down by average play.

    Declan Kidney didn't miss kicks, knock the ball on, throw 3 lineouts to the opposition, give away silly penalties?

    Kidney had them primed to win in Paris, and our own ineptitude got in the way.

    A draw is no bad result by any means, but the fact that we didn't win is down to the 22 who were on the pitch.


    Well said

    All to lazy to blame Kidney

    Wouldn't fault any of the players for effort but we should have closed it out


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    #1374
    shootermacg
    Registered Users Posts: 4,834 ✭✭✭shootermacg


    allprops wrote: »
    Kearney was incredible but for the 80 mins, Ferris was immense! Giving the motm to the try scorer is lazy!

    Really?? Without Bowe single handedly scoring 2 trys, kearney could have pulled a rabbit out of his arse and it france would have cleaned up.
    Get real, Kearney should have closed the space for the french try, other than that a really great performance but don't get it confused with the guy who had the greatest impact.


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    #1375
    Tox56
    Registered Users Posts: 11,636 ✭✭✭✭Tox56


    shootermacg wrote: »
    Really?? Without Bowe single handedly scoring 2 trys, kearney could have pulled a rabbit out of his arse and it france would have cleaned up.
    Get real, Kearney should have closed the space for the french try, other than that a really great performance but don't get it confused with the guy who had the greatest impact.

    Bowe did not play better than Kearney, you could go through all hypotheticals that if Kearney wasn't there we wouldn't have been in the positions to score the points we did, and that would not be far from the truth.


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    #1376
    EmeraldNK
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭EmeraldNK


    DDC1990 wrote: »
    Surely Great Management let down by average play.

    Declan Kidney didn't miss kicks, knock the ball on, throw 3 lineouts to the opposition, give away silly penalties?

    Kidney had them primed to win in Paris, and our own ineptitude got in the way.

    A draw is no bad result by any means, but the fact that we didn't win is down to the 22 who were on the pitch.

    I have to admit, barring idiotic team selections I think Kidney hasn't done too badly over the last 2 games. It does not in any way redeem him of this hole he's sunk us into, but it's better at least.
    In saying this, I'm not sure how a team can go out onto the pitch in the first half absolutely on fire and taking it to the French, and in the second come out lacking intensity. Not these players anyway.


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    #1377
    Leinster7
    Registered Users Posts: 326 ✭✭Leinster7


    DDC1990 wrote: »
    Surely Great Management let down by average play.

    Declan Kidney didn't miss kicks, knock the ball on, throw 3 lineouts to the opposition, give away silly penalties?

    Kidney had them primed to win in Paris, and our own ineptitude got in the way.

    A draw is no bad result by any means, but the fact that we didn't win is down to the 22 who were on the pitch.

    Do you work for the IRFU?

    A team is only as strong as its weakest link, which in this case is Kidney. Putting aside his selection gaffes, this team went into their shell in the second half after a ferocious 1st half, rather then building on their position.

    We lost the 2nd half 11-0.

    You can point to inaccuracies but they are a reflection of the lack of confidence these players play with under their leader and manager.


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    #1378
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    danthefan wrote: »
    I thought Murray had a very good first half in more or less all aspects. If he played like that all the time the jersey is his, no question. He wasn't as good in the 2nd half, and it was very unfortunate he got injured, hope it's not serious. You'd have to pity Munster if they're stuck with TOL for an extended period now.
    I pity them more bringing on Williams...

    Swings things in Ulsters favour a little perhaps


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    #1379
    Ardillaun
    Registered Users Posts: 2,544 ✭✭✭Ardillaun


    My predictions are in tatters, thank God.

    On the plus side..the team showed tremendous heart in the second half against a technically superior pack (over 30 kg lighter than ours). A draw is a huge result for us in Paris. The most improved aspect was our tackling and line speed. We were like a different team this week, back to the RWC Oz game heights. Maybe the French should have tried more short kicks over the defence as Wales did against England? What can be said about Kearney, a classic Irish player with great hands. Tommy, too. The sort of skills England are always short of.

    Jonny's place-kicking stats for Ireland may be good but his howler count must be higher than ROG's. He gives me PTSD every time he steps up. After the first one, I wondered whether he was going to make any. My hero Rory didn't throw very well today (neither did Cronin in his cameo) and SOB, Earls and Trimble didn't shine either. Murray is a superb tackler and yet the passes did speed up when Reddan came on. I'm guessing he might have injured his medial collateral ligament there.

    Worst man of the match? Definitely, Rougerie. Impressively bad.


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    #1380
    Fishooks12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,318 ✭✭✭Fishooks12


    Leinster7 wrote: »
    Do you work for the IRFU?

    A team is only as strong as its weakest link, which in this case is Kidney. Putting aside his selection gaffes, this team went into their shell in the second half after a ferocious 1st half, rather then building on their position.

    We lost the 2nd half 11-0.

    You can point to inaccuracies but they are a reflection of the lack of confidence these players play with under their leader and manager.

    That's highly speculative and to be honest, nonsense

    The team on the field for most of the second half was the 15 most fans wanted to see

    They dropped ball gave away penalties and failed to take a near gimme drop goal, I fail to see how Kidney is to blame for us not winning

    Our game-plans have been atrocious lately, but not today


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    #1381
    bm1993
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭bm1993


    Thought Kearney was outrageously good. One of the best individual performances by an Irish player I've ever seen, best since BOD v Eng in 2009 anyway.

    Bowe outstanding as well, magnificient try. Ferris was sublime. The man is a wrecking ball some of his hits were phenomenal. Ross and Sexton were very good as well but I was disappointed with Trimble and D'Arcy.


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