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.

eirebilly wrote:

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.

Totally agree. Heaslip off. SOB to 8?

How Ireland are leading is a mystery.

OK first half, Wales making way too many errors and their line-out is a shambles. Ireland have been clinical.

Nothing in it really, Ireland took their chances, Wales didnt. And Wales need to sort their lineout out.

Not much in it though.

Gibson wrote:

eirebilly wrote:

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.

Totally agree. Heaslip off. SOB to 8?

You read my mind.... Hopefully Kidney will do it.

How the f#%k are Ireland ahead in this match?

I have to say I like this Welsh back line, they have very good strike runners in Roberts, Phillips and North, and then plenty of pace with thier back three and Davies.

No way we deserve to be in front.

Annoyed that I dropped Davies for Roberts

Be PROactive Kidney. You have been lucky up to now. Need POM on.

I am sick of saying it, but playing that backrow hurts us against a more balanced one. Every phholking time.

John Inverdull, what a spanner.

God we've been poor, lucky to still be in.
Bowe has been very poor but still manages to create our try,
disappointed with Sexton as well and Doc is doing well as a
defensive lock but we need the more aggressive player on
soon.

Ireland have been second best by a fair bit, but turn around ahead despite a poor performance.

We need to do better. I think we will- no need to rush changes. O'Mahony, ROG and Ryan to add their weight around 60-70 minutes.

WillyGilly wrote:No way we deserve to be in front.

That is what the English were saying yesterday.

It would be nice if Kidney took the chance on POM. Ireland need a specialst 7 on.

O'Mahony on would be a great call. But does Kidney wait until the 60 minute mark to see how the try impacts on Wales?

eirebilly wrote:How Ireland are leading is a mystery.

No mystery there mate. You must take your opportunities and finish.

Big Colin - another great rugby player off the Queen Mary's production line, me being the first of course.

Some honest opinons there lads. Wales were far superior. Lets be honest here.

Notch wrote:Ireland have been second best by a fair bit, but turn around ahead despite a poor performance.

We need to do better. I think we will- no need to rush changes. O'Mahony, ROG and Ryan to add their weight around 60-70 minutes.

I would seriously put POM on now. Why wait, ireland are being murdered at the breakdown.

1 missed conversion
1 missed penalty
Newbie Gill getting excited in the 5m scrum
Ryan Jones held up

Ireland 5pts up.

I seriously DESPISE aljazeera sport!!!!!
If they weren't interested in rugby then why do they buy the rights for the 6 nations, promise to broadcast all matches live, then show some stupid football game instead, then have the audacity to tell me that the game has been delayed due to bad weather in England when the match is being played right now and ON TIME in IRELAND.
I HATE THEM!!!!!

couldn't OSN sports buy the right like they used 3 years ago before the creation of aljazeera sport

eirebilly wrote:It would be nice if Kidney took the chance on POM. Ireland need a specialst 7 on.

We need a specialist 7, FULL STOP. Wont happen under Deccie. Hes blind to it. Unless...

Sexton is no use playing the game at the moment. Not making use of his talents at all.

There is no need to make any changes yet, but if nothing has changed after the first ten then make them.
I've a bad feeling Rog is going to see a significant amount of gametime today.

Making ground almost every time the ball goes through the backs, Wales MUST make it count in the second half. Dominated possession and territory so far, should really have come away with more than five points.

Ireland have indeed been clinical, that's what we'll be hearing more of if nothing changes.

Gibson wrote:Some honest opinons there lads. Wales were far superior. Lets be honest here.

Without a doubt Wales have been superior. That was a fantastic try from them.

wales606 wrote:1 missed conversion
1 missed penalty
Newbie Gill getting excited in the 5m scrum
Ryan Jones held up

Ireland 5pts up.

Don't forget Wales got a penalty in their half when Kearney took that high ball and from the subsequent ruck Jones tackled Ireland from an offside position.

3 points for Ireland not given.

Pot Hale wrote:O'Mahony on would be a great call. But does Kidney wait until the 60 minute mark to see how the try impacts on Wales?

Thats exactly what he'll do.

Gibson wrote:

eirebilly wrote:It would be nice if Kidney took the chance on POM. Ireland need a specialst 7 on.

We need a specialist 7, FULL STOP. Wont happen under Deccie. Hes blind to it. Unless...

At least you have a good one to pick

faraway wrote:I seriously DESPISE aljazeera sport!!!!!
If they weren't interested in rugby then why do they buy the rights for the 6 nations, promise to broadcast all matches live, then show some stupid football game instead, then have the audacity to tell me that the game has been delayed due to bad weather in England when the match is being played right now and ON TIME in IRELAND.
I HATE THEM!!!!!

couldn't OSN sports buy the right like they used 3 years ago before the creation of aljazeera sport

It's on ESPN in Oz.

warbton is off

Heaslip and SOB are annoymous. As is Ferris. Same ol Same ol.

Kidney, wake de feic up man!

Halfpenny has to take the place kicks in the 2nd half - and for the rest of the 6Ns

Preistland miss in front of the post was horrendous

WARBURTON IS OUT FOR THE 2ND HALF - TIPURIC ON

Warbs off. Turning point.

faraway wrote:I seriously DESPISE aljazeera sport!!!!!
If they weren't interested in rugby then why do they buy the rights for the 6 nations, promise to broadcast all matches live, then show some stupid football game instead, then have the audacity to tell me that the game has been delayed due to bad weather in England when the match is being played right now and ON TIME in IRELAND.
I HATE THEM!!!!!

couldn't OSN sports buy the right like they used 3 years ago before the creation of aljazeera sport

Bummer.

I knew it would be bad news for Wales when they mentioned an injury update, though Tips is a agressive player so I dont think we will lose anything.

Gibson wrote:Heaslip and SOB are annoymous. As is Ferris. Same ol Same ol.

Kidney, wake de feic up man!

Heaslip has actually been one of our best players, sob looks a shadow of last year's player.

Gibson wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:O'Mahony on would be a great call. But does Kidney wait until the 60 minute mark to see how the try impacts on Wales?

Thats exactly what he'll do.

I have to agree although i do wish he would not stick to his planned replacements and bite the bullit once...

How do you know Warbs is off guys??

PJHolybloke wrote:How do you know Warbs is off guys??

It just said he has a dead leg

AlynDavies wrote:I knew it would be bad news for Wales when they mentioned an injury update, though Tips is a agressive player so I dont think we will lose anything.

You lose Warburton. You definitely lose something

O'Mahony is a 7. I don't think Ireland have been terrible. We soaked up a lot of pressure, you win the match when you don't have the ball. Ireland got quick ball for Murray in the last 10 minutes, needs to be like that all day, let's stop putting Mike Ross in the 10 channel in defence too! We got quick ball and retained it, there will be gaps, rugby is a simple game lads, let's keep it that way.

It's been a bit like role reversal from the RWC so far; Ireland clinical.

AlynDavies wrote:I knew it would be bad news for Wales when they mentioned an injury update, though Tips is a agressive player so I dont think we will lose anything.

Really? I thought that loosing Warburton would have a big effect...

ChequeredJersey wrote:

AlynDavies wrote:I knew it would be bad news for Wales when they mentioned an injury update, though Tips is a agressive player so I dont think we will lose anything.

You lose Warburton. You definitely lose something

Time will tell, but Tipuric is a fantastic player provided he doesnt lose his head and get carded which happens far too often at the moment.

Wales need to make sure Ireland dont get an early try now, because we have a lot of short fuses in that Welsh pack now.

AlynDavies wrote:

PJHolybloke wrote:How do you know Warbs is off guys??

It just said he has a dead leg

Missed that.

That's a big loss. :statesbleedinobvious:

Remember on the build-up thread some guy was on about putting a bet on Rory Best for first Irish tryscorer? Who was that?

Faraway. Read your PM NOW.

Hook is in for Cuthbert and Warburton injured......