That’s where the cat is right now.
:o
:unsure:
Too many Leinster ladyboys in the pack 
Ronan O’Gara saves the day for Ireland yet again
The handling from the Leinster lads has been woeful.
ROG, our saviour.
Clinical execution of the drop goal in fairness. Plan perfectly executed.
TV director refused to show restarts for some reason so missed a couple of important plays there.
flat enough performance but considering who we have to come back onto the team it was a decent enough pipe-opener and would expect a far better performance next week…We butchered a few try scoring opportunities but good to see there was no panic when they went behind and had the composure to see it out…
Who got MOTM???
Player ratings, please.
McGurk, the clown, interrupts O’Shea far far too much
The fooking noise of Hook breathing the mess.
Was flicking between the rugby and racing and here but will give it a go
Luke, 6…Did alright, looked to counter on occasions and offload but wasn’t a game to be an outside back…
McFadden, 5…On the periphery, didn’t get much ball, could have had a try if O’Driscoll had found him with a better pass…
O’Driscoll, 7.5…Thought he looked quite sharp, took his try well and looked a real threat at times, loses a point for his botched pass to McFadden
D’Arcy, 5.5…Defended well as usual but offered little in attack, messed up a try scoring chance in the second half…
Ealrs, 6…Looked lively but wasn’t a game for counterattacking or free flowing rugby, didn’t do much wrong…
Sexton, 6…Meh
O’Leary, 4…Far too slow and ponderous at times again today
O’Brien 6.5…looked lively early on getting plenty of carries and got through plenty of work, needed to vary his running a bit though, just seem to put his head down and try and crash though the italians today…
Wallace, 5.5…got through a nice bit of work and looked to carry but nothing spectacular
Leamy, 3…Stupid penalty to give away, still looks well out of form
O’Connell, 4…Looks like a lad who has fuck all rugby played, still struggling to get into games
O’Callaghan, 7…Put in plenty of tackles and was noticable in the loose as well, pinched a couple of their line outs, good performance
Ross, 4…Second best in the scrum
Best, 4…His usual mediorce self
Healy, 4…See Ross
Poor performance, poor team selection by coach (second rows anonymous, Leamy yellow carded in last 10, Best poor enough, T O’L labourious again), poor game plan, poorly executed, poor handling all around (D’Arcy especially knocked a few on,) back 3 still clueless about how to counter attack and how to even set themselves up to counter attack. Scrum was repeatedly penalised- while no front row expert I’d question a fair few of the decisions. He penalised us near the end for standing up when their loose head was simultaneously boring and driving up on Ross, Castrogiovanni wasn’t binding on Healy’s body all day when he’s supposed to.
Great execution by RO’G, fair play to him yet again.
Lucky to get out of there with a win, we will have to improve big time for next week.
More thoughts on this anon
Would probably only disagree with you there on McFadden and DO’C- fairly subjective here but I thought McFadden did ok, defended well and never got much opportunity to go forward, and thought DO’C was poor overall.
Thought McFadden did alright but it wasn’t a day to be an outside back with that Italian defence, he was solid if unspectacular…
And Hook showed this clip as an example of how to play loosehead… complete bluffer. The most obvious scrum offence you’ll ever see. Ref got it wrong but pundits then point it out as an illustration of how to scrummage. FFS.
Lovely try there by one of the favourite players…nice kick from Rougerie and Medard finishes, smashing player to watch when on form
Poor performance and really poor team selection. Basis skills from TO’L and D’arcy were just awful. No balance in the backrow. Time and again we decided to just fling the ball wide without drawing defenders. Frontrow was poor and we had zero imagination in backline. P Wallace, Reddan/Stringer Cullen and Cronin next week please. Hopefully Ferris will be back.
I would agree with those changes in theory larry but I can’t see them going with a Healy-Cronin-Ross front row as it lacks experience so I’d say Best will be retained…O’Connell was poor today but is a huge leader within the set up and will be given every chance to ragain his form, O’Callaghan had a decent enough game for me today and I would be surprised if he was dropped, although I would have no problem with Cullen coming into the team…Agreed any of the other three at scrum half would be an improvement at this moment in time, Reddan will probably start the next day with Stringer on the bench…D’Arcy will hold onto 12 as he is defensively head and shoulders above any other option we have at 12 and will be needed against France…Not sure on what the stroy is with guys returning from injury but Leamy is playing like a drain and something else is needed, hopefully Ferris and Heaslip are fit…
Jesus that was shite. Would agree with Puke I thought DOC had his best game of the season. After that not a huge amount to be enthused about. Thought Ross did ok in the scrum myself and that it was Healy in all the trouble. V strange they didnt bring on Court. Main positive for me was Fitzgerald who looked comfortable at FB and who at least made a few efforts to join the line. Showed some real class in the piece of action where he almost put Sexton over in first half. Think he is a real option there. Leamy will hardly be involved again this championship. Id throw Ryan or Ruddock in there before him even. Will be a huge difference to have Ferris and Heaslip back.
Oh, and ROG. Well done, great to have that quality coming off the bench he kicked well and his drop off gave us a right chance of getting possession back for the drop goal play.
Im not particularly more concerned now than I was this morning.
Interesting game here. French scrum looks lethal. The Scots are having some joy in attack though. France will probably win by 30 though!
Sensational from Trinc Duc there :o
Well worked try