RugbyRebels

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 2:00 pm

Danno wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 1:52 pm I don't know that a last minute DG counts as plotting a way to victory

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 8:16 pm Prendergast starting

Dan Sheehan on bench
Baird starts at 6 with James Ryan in the row over Mccarthy

Ye won't be throwing to 6 much I'd say but definitely room yo win the breakdown/jackal contest

jngf wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 9:21 pm

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 8:16 pm Prendergast starting

Dan Sheehan on bench
Baird starts at 6 with James Ryan in the row over Mccarthy

Ye won't be throwing to 6 much I'd say but definitely room yo win the breakdown/jackal contest

Is O’Mahony not eligible for selection?

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 9:26 pm

jngf wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 9:21 pm

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 8:16 pm Prendergast starting

Dan Sheehan on bench
Baird starts at 6 with James Ryan in the row over Mccarthy

Ye won't be throwing to 6 much I'd say but definitely room yo win the breakdown/jackal contest

Is O’Mahony not eligible for selection?

Dropped

jngf wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 9:27 pm

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 9:26 pm

jngf wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 9:21 pm

Is O’Mahony not eligible for selection?

Dropped

I know he was getting on but his doggedness would have come in handy for Ireland

Banquo wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 3:24 pm

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 3:21 pm

FKAS wrote: ↑Tue Jan 28, 2025 3:13 pm Well that's not what I expected. Are we doubling down on line speed and going with maximum blitz for the first half, looking to be a niggly menace at the breakdown and then playing at tempo in attack or probably more likely with a big kick chase game. As the game breaks up we presumably unload the bench for ball carrying physicality and look to attack.

Not sure about Murley in this one, he might be targeted but his tache is fantastic and will surely mesmerise the Irish. It also means we now have a rapid back three...

Not a lot of weight in the back three, not sure that helps us take advantage of Ireland missing Furlong. Some weight to try and take advantage at scrum time was what I was expecting.

You can’t be serious.

Also do you mean the back three of the scrum re: weight advantage? I don’t honestly know how Furlong’s backups compare in that area.

Is Furlong still the scrummaging force he was? His loose play is still very good.

jngf wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 9:26 pm One a different tack why did Borthwick release his selection so early? - surely this gives Farrell and go plenty of time to select to mitigate the impact of having 3 openside sized players with no ball carrying and modest line out presence, accordingly?

p/d wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2025 12:18 pm Is our lack of club combinations a factor towards shortcomings in key areas of play when under pressure- be it attack or defence?

Puja wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2025 12:40 pm

p/d wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2025 12:18 pm Is our lack of club combinations a factor towards shortcomings in key areas of play when under pressure- be it attack or defence?

I would say it's definitely a factor, although it does have the advantage that there's a lot more ideas coming into the international environment, rather than just everyone conforming to the Leinster plan. I don't think it's a critical factor though - Scotland and South Africa seem to manage all right with half their teams spread over the globe.

Puja

Banquo wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2025 12:08 pm MccCarthy's an odd omission imo, always looked the busines to me? Injured

FKAS wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2025 12:05 pm IRELAND TEAM TO FACE ENGLAND

Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Finlay Bealham; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).

Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Iain Henderson, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Robbie Henshaw.

Banquo wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2025 12:04 pm -----Reviews of the autumn campaign revealed that given England’s “cohesion deficit”, something as simple as Smith’s first step outwards, sometimes with a skip, at first receiver would have a ripple effect on the back line’s alignment because it forces those players outside him to change their start positions and their running lines.

Exactly this- I may have said similar - and tbh it's as much about familiarity and 'reading' him; plus I think he does need someone to bail him out when it's out of synch (commonly known as big Andre).

Captainhaircut wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2025 12:13 pm

Banquo wrote: ↑Fri Jan 31, 2025 12:04 pm -----Reviews of the autumn campaign revealed that given England’s “cohesion deficit”, something as simple as Smith’s first step outwards, sometimes with a skip, at first receiver would have a ripple effect on the back line’s alignment because it forces those players outside him to change their start positions and their running lines.

Exactly this- I may have said similar - and tbh it's as much about familiarity and 'reading' him; plus I think he does need someone to bail him out when it's out of synch (commonly known as big Andre).

Strange to talk about “cohesion deficit” and then pick a side with no more than 3 players from each club and with not a single club relationship in place (front row, hooker to lineout, 8 to 9, 9-10, centre pairing, back 3). It’s no surprise we’re disjointed when this is the case.

If you want cohesion you can easily get it- pick Mitchell and fin smith at half back, Dingwall at 12 with Freeman (with Hendy, furbank, sleightholme back 3?) or ojomoh and Lawrence. Or go Porter and smith with Northmore, beard and Murley outside.

These things aren’t impossible and you might actually get a better side even if you pick lesser players in some cases.

You can’t complain about it and do nothing to fix it.