Ireland vs Wales - This weekends BIG GAME...!

First topic message reminder :

Venue: Aviva Stadium Date: Sunday, 5 February Kick-off: 1500 GMT

Coverage: Watch live on BBC One, BBC One HD & online from 1400 GMT; full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra; text commentary on BBC Sport website & mobiles.

Referee : Wayne Barnes (England)

Touch judges : Dave Pearson & Stuart Terheege (both England)

TV : Geoff Warren (England)

IRELAND : 15 - R Kearney; 14 - T Bowe, 13 - F McFadden, 12 - G D'Arcy, 11 - A Trimble (Ulster); 10 - J Sexton, 9 - C Murray; 1- C Healy, 2 - R Best, 3 - M Ross, 4 - D O'Callaghan, 5 - P O'Connell (C), 6 - S Ferris, 7 - S O'Brien, 8 - J Heaslip.

Replacements: 16 - S Cronin, 17 - T Court, 18 - D Ryan, 19 - P O'Mahony, 20 - E Reddan, 21 - R O'Gara, 22 - D Kearney.

WALES : 15 - L Halfpenny; 14 - A Cuthbert, 13 - J Davies, 12 - J Roberts, 11 - G North; 10 - R Priestland, 9 - M Phillips; 1 - R Gill, 2 - H Bennett, 3 - A Jones, 4 - B Davies, 5 - I Evans, 6 - R Jones, 7- S Warburton (C), 8 - T Faletau.

Replacements:16 - K Owens, 17 - P James, 18 - A Powell, 19 - J Tipuric, 20 - Lloyd Williams, 21 - J Hook, 22 - Scott Williams.

Better Ireland, hit that ruck with intent.

eirebilly wrote:Wales are really on fire. Ireland need some phase play to settle themselves down.

+1.

Ireland don't look interested. Lucky that Wales' lineout ain't functioning correctly.

Hoping for a swing in momentum here.....

Barnes for the win

Charteris, is our Cornish boy not there today then?

Phillips lucky with that deliberate barge.

Ouch.

Nice butt shuffle from the sexton, bit of the jw about it,

Ooops.. Pan into ROG

EnglishReign wrote:Ireland don't look interested. Lucky that Wales' lineout ain't functioning correctly.

They are. they just can't get the ball.

RUN de phhoking ball lads!

Trimble looks nervous at the back

Aimlessl kicking from ireland. just hold onto the ball!!

Ireland's technique is poor at the ruck, they go off their feet every time.

Is it normal practice to show ROG anytime Sexton miss a kick?

YES!

Cracking game isnt it?

The posession stats will be interesting at halftime.

What am I saying?!

Wales doing everything with purpose and structure; Ireland simply reacting to opportunities... that was better but then they throw away that last pass.

Bowe is not at the races.

Ireland's back line seems to lack pace

Wales seem to have forgotten they are supposed to be rusty and make handling errors in the 1st game.

Great turnover

Good man Donnacha

Tacklers didnt release! nonsense turn over

Havenet seen Ferris or Heaslip .. Oh now he is.

I guess thats why DOC is starting

Easy pickings for Wales when Ireland try to move it out the back line. They're being monstered!

Fergus McFadden has to support Healy there and he just didn't seem interested...

Ireland looks better when they attack inside, Ales have too much pace out wide and are able to close the outside.

Thedirect line seems to be where they will get momentum

eirebilly wrote:I guess thats why DOC is starting

Kidney needs to change it at HT. Ryan on. Kearney on. Possibly O Mahoney at 7. Losing 80% of the breakdown ball.

RORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY!

RORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best scores!

Beautiful!!!

WOOHOO!!

Get the Flip in.

Yes! Assist from Bowe...

wow- ireland - good try

that's a lovely try, very well worked. Shows what you can do if you keep the ball and go through the phases a little

good work by Ireland, they need to keep attacking that inside. Nice try.

Nicely set up by Cari's poster boy...

Lovely try, that. Nice work from Bowe.

Trying to decide whether this is an entertaining game of rugby through creative attack, or whether it's the optional defence that's allowing so many soft tries to be scored. It must worry both teams with England and France showing they have such good defences yesterday.

Gibson wrote:

eirebilly wrote:I guess thats why DOC is starting

Kidney needs to change it at HT. Ryan on. Kearney on. Possibly O Mahoney at 7. Losing 80% of the breakdown ball.

POM defo has to come on.

Whoops

OK. We are on the move. Still need to change it. We have been lucky Wales didnt punish us more.

Bowe is class - when he wants to be.