I taught it was a very good performance as well, itās not very often we dominate Scotland in the scrum. All the forwards were excellent, our blitz defense is working well, why the fuck did we not use it against Wales is a mystery.
The lads on the anti rugby thread are seething. St Patrickās day should be a great day in Dublin next Saturday and all over the country. Great exposure for Rugby.
Assuming SOB is fit next week - who starts backrow?
OāMahony had a good game today. Drop Heaslip to bench and SOB to 8?
Also Dāarcy should be benched.
France have looked very poor throughout this Six Nations. Standard of the tournament generally has dipped this year I think.
Iād hope he would go with OāBrien, OāMahony and Ferris tb. I think that has been said about Dāarcy for the guts of three years now also. A very good player in his day but he hasnāt been the same since he lost that half yard of pace. Hides way too much in games these days and how he has lasted this long is due to a blinding sense of loyalty from Kidney and injuries to key replacements. Would love to see a 12 in there who can pass the ball.
Trinh-Duc :rolleyes:
Tremendous character and resilience from England today. Stuart Lancaster deserves immense credit for the job heās done. With a name comprising two Royal dynasties, it was obvious heād bring the pride back to the red rose. and especially with that surname. But for an unfortunate bounce of the ball last week England would certainly be odds on to complete the Grand Slam against Ireland on St. Patrickās Day.
Magnificent win for the defending European Champions in Paris today. Thatās their 8th victory in their last 14 meeting with France in the French capital. If Wales capitulate against France next under the weight of expectation and favouritism as they did in Auckland in the World Cup semi final, England will take the field against Ireland at Twickenham next Saturday in the knowledge that they can still retain their status as European Champions. It could be a long tough St Patrickās Day in London for the visitors.
FFS
Also it probably hasnāt been mentioned but with Ryanās performance at the weekend it is surely the end of Leo Cullens international career.
Ah it was probably already over truth be told. No point having Leo there when the likes of Ryan / Toner / Tuohy could be brought in. A pity as I feel he never got the recognition he deserved but his club achievements stand head and shoulders above most else playing in Ireland at the moment so I doubt heāll lose too much sleep over it. Bringing him back to Leinster has been key to their success in the last few seasons.
He has been unlucky to have injuries at the wrong times too. If he was fit he could well have started last week and would more than likely have been pack leader. But those are the breaks, Ryan got his chance after some decent showings off the bench and form at club level and has taken it with both hands. I think McCarthy could well be a decent impact sub in the short term (next 12 months) for the second row. Has plenty of energy and is abrasive, would rather him coming on and putting himself about that OāCallaghan who will drop out when OāConnell is fit again
Agree with that. In fairness to Ryan heās been waiting around for ages at this point. Heās already ousted OāCallaghan from Munster team and only a matter of time before itās done for Ireland. Itās done him the power of good to be focussing on the one position rather than moving from 2nd row to back row every second game. I wonder how much of his improvement is down to Foleys influence?
[quote=āMac, post: 648210ā]
Agree with that. In fairness to Ryan heās been waiting around for ages at this point. Heās already ousted OāCallaghan from Munster team and only a matter of time before itās done for Ireland. Itās done him the power of good to be focussing on the one position rather than moving from 2nd row to back row every second game. I wonder how much of his improvement is down to Foleys influence?[/quote]
Concentrating on second row has been huge for him Iād say. Heās a very middling back tower but the experience in that more exposed role will have done him good in the long run. Disappointing he didnāt get his chance until it was forced on Kidney.
Isnt it generally accepted that he would have started either against Italy and Scotland or both only for the change in structure from the postponed Paris game? DOC had a fine WC and it would have been quite unfair to drop him for the sake of it, and isnt really Kidneyās way of operating. Kidney brought Ryan to the WC and gave him the impact role when few others believed he as up to it (ahead of Cullen). He also put him on the bench ahead of Foley in the 2008 Heineken Cup Final, a huge move given it was Foleys last game for the province and wouldnt have had any arguments from anyone for putting him on the bench. Kidney has done more for Ryan than most.
[quote=āmyboyblue, post: 648212ā]
Isnt it generally accepted that he would have started either against Italy and Scotland or both only for the change in structure from the postponed Paris game? DOC had a fine WC and it would have been quite unfair to drop him for the sake of it, and isnt really Kidneyās way of operating. Kidney brought Ryan to the WC and gave him the impact role when few others believed he as up to it (ahead of Cullen). He also put him on the bench ahead of Foley in the 2008 Heineken Cup Final, a huge move given it was Foleys last game for the province and wouldnt have had any arguments from anyone for putting him on the bench. Kidney has done more for Ryan than most.[/quote]
I donāt think your first point is generally accepted at all. He wasnāt picked until POC got injured and that includes postponed games.
Seems odd to argue that Kidney would have started him if the matches came in a different order and then to go on and suggest that would have been unfair on DOC. Ryan has been playing better rugby and I think he deserved a chance regardless of whether Kidney put him on the bench four years ago in a club game.
Irish XV to play England
Kearney
Bowe
Earls
DāArcy
Trimble
Sexton
Reddan
Healy
Best
Ross
DOC
Ryan
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip
Cronin
Court
McCarthy
POM
TOL
ROG
McFadden
I believe Kidney alluded to it that his and the management teams plans to rotate in the Italian and Scottish games were negated by the postponement and then the number of injuries post Paris. The postponement meaning they felt unable to change a side already picked for a game that wasnāt played. I believe it was discussed further back on the thread.
DOC deserved to start the tournament given he was in decent form with his franchise and had done nothing wrong to warrant being dropped in his last game for the Irish Rep XV.
No surprise that. OāMahony will probably be first on.