Ireland vs England, Sunday 1st March 3pm; RTE/BBC

bilston wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks the Cole/Healy incident is worth revisiting? IMO Cole's head makes an unnatural move towards Healy's face as they come together. I admit slow motion replays make these things look a lot worse.

Would be silly to cite him for that. As you said slow motion multiplies the severity of it tenfold. If you start picking up things like that there would be 8-10 citings every game imo.

keith16 wrote: »

Our winning streak will inevitably come to an end but please make it anyone other than Wales.

i think something like 3 of our next 5 matches are agains them and the other two we are unlikely to lose so if we are going to lose before the world cup its likely to wales

On slightly more sober reflection, I think the most impressive thing about today's Irish performance is that it was the same things as happened the game before... and before that... and the autumn... I can't think there's any coaches love more than consistency, being able to know what players will do, and Schmidt's really got that. Feel the try was a good example of that - its the sort of opportunism and quick thinking you get from Murray every match.

Bit of chat before the game about the Irish tight five being a little out of sorts, won't be before the next one. Feel Rory Best in particular deserves singling out for industry and just being bloody difficult to play again but they all did well.

Henshaw I think came of age today - not just due to the try (although everyone will say it) or the support run and toe poke that led to Alex Goode's wonder escape - but the footwork, the physicality with which he met Vunipola. I know he's been doing that stuff, he just seemed to be doing it that little bit better.

Will be interesting to see you against Wales - think your biggest enemy that day will be the pressure, for all most of this Ireland team have plenty of final experience.

Deleted User wrote: »

We bossed that game, we bossed a bigger and more powerful team and they never really looked like scoring.

I apologise for being a bore on the subject but we're not bigger than you. The Ireland team that played Italy was heavier than the England team that played Wales, albeit by 5kg. I am, alas, too lazy to work out accurate figures for today but given the largely unchanged nature of the teams I doubt they were much more than 5kg off each other either way.

Stheno wrote: »

He has. Did you see the state of his shirt at half time? It's ripped to pieces

Magical powers. He just seems to materialize to make the tackle when a runner gets through.

Superb performance from the Irish players and management, you couldn,t criticize any of the players today.Thought the English were lucky not to get a yellow card for constant cynical infringing in the mauls and rucks. Wales will be tough to beat in Cardiff but I feel this team can push on and improve even more.

I feel we will need every bit of this two week break to recover. A lot of casualties and tired bodies it seems

aimee1 wrote: »

POM on the far side was excellent in this. Picked his moment then secured the ball then a small carry to allow the rest of the lads to get back to position. Zebo made two big plays here too.

JJ lucky to escape yellow for the tackle on RK, hint of swinging arm around the neck. If Henshaw doesnt score he might have got binned.

Anyone else think Murray plays the ball on the ground at 1.01?

Note: At the same ruck. Ireland No 20 comes in from the side. England No 8. comes in from the side. Your man who comes in the middle of ruck hits the scrummie who hasn't got the ball.

2 thoughts after today:

1) How good has our defence been? 23 points conceded in 3 games for an average of only 8 points per game. England have conceded 52 and Wales 57.

2) Has Robbie Henshaw already become one of our most important players? We have good depth in lots of positions - prop, backrow, wing - but if we lost Robbie, I think the replacement would be quite a step down, be it D'Arcy, Madigan or Marshall....our defence would certainly lose some intensity. Henshaw topped the tackle count again today.

Best game I have seen Zebo play, fair play to him.

Best's best game in some time, great to see him step up, particularly required having lost SOB. Was always there in defense and attack, class performance.

Back row, and in fairness all 15, were immense at the breakdown, we continually blew England away. Amazing to see Haskell, in such domineering form, compeletely neutralised. Same with Rodber and Vunipola.

All 4 props were awesome. Now very excited about Henshaw, its taken me a while to catch up I'll admit, his physicality is very impressive.

Murray continues to improve, another world class performance, we are so lucky to have those two half backs. Sexton was Sexton, he is a legend, no other word for it, a winner through and through.

Very very proud to be able to call myself Irish today.

thomond2006 wrote: »

There was a millisecond, a millisecond, when I thought POC was going to gather the blocked box kick and run down the wing to score.

Think about it people. Our lives would be complete.

He almost had it in his grasp, was too close to the touchline and it rolled out.