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.

He needed to put chips in over the top of a flat defence, for our guys to run onto. There was plenty of space there to be had, no need to belt it down the field, put it over the top and make them turn.

valjester wrote:
I agree with you on Jones, vintage performance from him today. I also agree with you on us not needing a seven, however; I can't agree with you on Sob today, he was nowhere near his best. But the backrow were only part of the problem, the major problem for Irish rugby is the number 12 at the moment and until Darcy is gone we will be giving momentum to the other team through that channel. It also means we will lose momentum when he has the ball as everything dies with him. The decision to aimlessly kick the ball away in the first half, after winning a turnover, was just stupid and besides missing tackles its on of the few things I can remember him doing.

I can't disagree with anything you said there really, but I do think SOB played well IMO. He was not spectacular, but he was solid in defence, making many important tackles which our centres really couldn't handle.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:
Yes the man of the match was Thierry Dusautoir who is France's natural number 7. He might play with a 6 on his back but he plays like a 7. The number on the back of your shirt is irrelevant. We need a 7. Simple.

Dusatoir is many things but a natural number 7, he most definitely is not. There is no such thing as a natural 7 the way French rugby is played. The 6 and 7 simply play left or right sided flanker.

valjester wrote:

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:
Yes the man of the match was Thierry Dusautoir who is France's natural number 7. He might play with a 6 on his back but he plays like a 7. The number on the back of your shirt is irrelevant. We need a 7. Simple.

Dusatoir is many things but a natural number 7, he most definitely is not. There is no such thing as a natural 7 the way French rugby is played. The 6 and 7 simply play left or right sided flanker.

True, he reminds me of Juan Smith, a natural ball carrier.

TycroesOsprey wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:

biltongbek wrote:

Knowsit17 wrote:
The backs were immense, to win in Dublin with a weakened side is something special, highlights the strength in depth.

They didn't look like a weakened side to me mate.

Well, they have some second rows missing, maybe one of them could have taken the place of Bradley necksnapper Davies

Why is the only person wumming on the thread English? get a grip that was a great game for us to watch, wonderful skills from both sides, a bit of controversy, some missed kicks and some great tries by both sides. And all you can do is wum? at least keep it on the bickering thread.

Um have you been reading my comments? I think that was a fantastic game of rugby and Wales deserved to win. But I can't get over that piece of foul-play which was horrible. Also, you DO have your best locks missing, I believe, and your forwards were the only place you were not at full strength. And I wish Davies hadn't been on because that incident blighted the game. In no way was my comment a WUM, I don't see how you can argue with it. That was unnecessary, life-threatening violence, completely unlike Warburton's tackle in the World Cup, and had he done that off a rugby pitch he would looking at jail time possibly. Stop being so over sensitive, fantastic win, best of luck against Scotland and a much better game than ours, but don't look for offence where there isn't any

biltongbek wrote:

valjester wrote:

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:
Yes the man of the match was Thierry Dusautoir who is France's natural number 7. He might play with a 6 on his back but he plays like a 7. The number on the back of your shirt is irrelevant. We need a 7. Simple.

Dusatoir is many things but a natural number 7, he most definitely is not. There is no such thing as a natural 7 the way French rugby is played. The 6 and 7 simply play left or right sided flanker.

True, he reminds me of Juan Smith, a natural ball carrier.

He is a machine, he is rarely used as the primary carrier because he is actually quite small but he is well capable of doing it when necessary.

What a brilliant game it had it all. I'm surprised that young George did not get man of the match.

First up well done Wales well deserved, better than us in nearly all departments. Always looked as if they could score have moved on from the WC and are a good team and look like being a very good team.

The Bradley Davis tackle (or dump off the ball) will probably excercise a lot of people and its more than likely a fact that he should have been sent off however Wales were still too good. Ferris was a penalty (maybe 60-40) but not a yellow....

valjester wrote:

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:
Yes the man of the match was Thierry Dusautoir who is France's natural number 7. He might play with a 6 on his back but he plays like a 7. The number on the back of your shirt is irrelevant. We need a 7. Simple.

Dusatoir is many things but a natural number 7, he most definitely is not. There is no such thing as a natural 7 the way French rugby is played. The 6 and 7 simply play left or right sided flanker.

A 'natural' 7 may have overstated it on my part as there is no such thing now in the classic sense of a ball winner and nothing else. McCaw is not a classic 7, nor is Pocock as they have other strings to their bows that simply ball winners. Dusautoir has many of the elements of being a 7, though obviously there is more to his game that this. Our problem is our best players at the breakdown are Rory Best and Cian Healy. The Welsh, French, New Zealanders and South Africans consistently beat us at the breakdown. Tactics play a part in this of course. The fact that we allowed the Welsh to run at us and we showed little aggression at the breakdown also played a part. But where we consistently failed to learn lessons is having we backrow players who are not good enough at winning, keeping and turning over the ball. O'Mahony and Henry do more of this at their provinces, though are certainly not 'natural' 7s. We need someone who like Dusautoir, McCaw or Smit is '7esque'

ChequeredJersey I don't think the WUM comment was directed at you.

DOD wrote:First up well done Wales well deserved, better than us in nearly all departments. Always looked as if they could score have moved on from the WC and are a good team and look like being a very good team.

The Bradley Davis tackle (or dump off the ball) will probably excercise a lot of people and its more than likely a fact that he should have been sent off however Wales were still too good. Ferris was a penalty (maybe 60-40) but not a yellow....

The fact it was a yellow doesn't really matter though. It was a penalty and that's the difference between the win and the loss

So can we stop going on about this fantastic Irish back row and give Wales some credit?

It's been 3 games and 3 wins to the average welsh back row.

Anyway, ireland missing bod had more effect than Wales missing its pack!

Booing from Irish supporters? Not the first time - you bloomin self rightgious sanctimonious bunch

So a couple of things put to bed today...


I love Wayne Barnes

B Davies should be banned

Definately penalty at the end - Irish supporters around me first reaction was yes it was only after the win was there dissent. Not yellow, but he continued to lift the leg? Why?

Anyway proud of the match as a competition from Rabo teams

Cymroglan wrote:ChequeredJersey I don't think the WUM comment was directed at you.

Well, he's quoting me so I'm kind of assuming he was. Maybe my comment there was unnecessary, but I'd like to make it clear I am being serious- I advocated a huge ban for Burger when he eye-gouged and that was a much worse offence because that could end someone's career and it had no excuse and it was off the ball. Wales would have won anyway, but he's got to learn that even if you're provoked that kind of thing is utterly unacceptable in rugby

ChequeredJersey wrote:

DOD wrote:First up well done Wales well deserved, better than us in nearly all departments. Always looked as if they could score have moved on from the WC and are a good team and look like being a very good team.

The Bradley Davis tackle (or dump off the ball) will probably excercise a lot of people and its more than likely a fact that he should have been sent off however Wales were still too good. Ferris was a penalty (maybe 60-40) but not a yellow....

The fact it was a yellow doesn't really matter though. It was a penalty and that's the difference between the win and the loss

I didnt say it mattered whether it was a yellow or not....he shouldnt have tried that type of tackle in the first place

Ireland should never have allowed the match to slip as much as that for Ferris to get a yellow. That decision didnt cost the match.

DOD wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:

DOD wrote:First up well done Wales well deserved, better than us in nearly all departments. Always looked as if they could score have moved on from the WC and are a good team and look like being a very good team.

The Bradley Davis tackle (or dump off the ball) will probably excercise a lot of people and its more than likely a fact that he should have been sent off however Wales were still too good. Ferris was a penalty (maybe 60-40) but not a yellow....

The fact it was a yellow doesn't really matter though. It was a penalty and that's the difference between the win and the loss

I didnt say it mattered whether it was a yellow or not....he shouldnt have tried that type of tackle in the first place

True, silly play

eirebilly wrote:Ireland should never have allowed the match to slip as much as that for Ferris to get a yellow. That decision didnt cost the match.

But the penalty mattered.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:

A 'natural' 7 may have overstated it on my part as there is no such thing now in the classic sense of a ball winner and nothing else. McCaw is not a classic 7, nor is Pocock as they have other strings to their bows that simply ball winners. Dusautoir has many of the elements of being a 7, though obviously there is more to his game that this. Our problem is our best players at the breakdown are Rory Best and Cian Healy. The Welsh, French, New Zealanders and South Africans consistently beat us at the breakdown. Tactics play a part in this of course. The fact that we allowed the Welsh to run at us and we showed little aggression at the breakdown also played a part. But where we consistently failed to learn lessons is having we backrow players who are not good enough at winning, keeping and turning over the ball. O'Mahony and Henry do more of this at their provinces, though are certainly not 'natural' 7s. We need someone who like Dusautoir, McCaw or Smit is '7esque'

I'm really not sure what you're on about. Of our pack that started today all of them are capable of winning turnovers at the breakdown, besides Doc and Ross. It is one of Poc's main strengths. Juan Smith is a blindside flanker and, like Dusautoir he can win turnovers but so do the Irish players. Wales have outplayed us the last two games at the breakdown but it is normally one of our strongest areas. The problem we are having against the wales is that they are gaining 5 to 15 metres everytime they carry the ball meaning we are on the backfoot. The few times during the game we managed to stop them on the gainline we were competeting with them at the breakdown.

if you werent wumming cheque fair enough but still think iuts an uneeded statement.

valjester wrote:

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:

A 'natural' 7 may have overstated it on my part as there is no such thing now in the classic sense of a ball winner and nothing else. McCaw is not a classic 7, nor is Pocock as they have other strings to their bows that simply ball winners. Dusautoir has many of the elements of being a 7, though obviously there is more to his game that this. Our problem is our best players at the breakdown are Rory Best and Cian Healy. The Welsh, French, New Zealanders and South Africans consistently beat us at the breakdown. Tactics play a part in this of course. The fact that we allowed the Welsh to run at us and we showed little aggression at the breakdown also played a part. But where we consistently failed to learn lessons is having we backrow players who are not good enough at winning, keeping and turning over the ball. O'Mahony and Henry do more of this at their provinces, though are certainly not 'natural' 7s. We need someone who like Dusautoir, McCaw or Smit is '7esque'

I'm really not sure what you're on about. Of our pack that started today all of them are capable of winning turnovers at the breakdown, besides Doc and Ross. It is one of Poc's main strengths. Juan Smith is a blindside flanker and, like Dusautoir he can win turnovers but so do the Irish players. Wales have outplayed us the last two games at the breakdown but it is normally one of our strongest areas. The problem we are having against the wales is that they are gaining 5 to 15 metres everytime they carry the ball meaning we are on the backfoot. The few times during the game we managed to stop them on the gainline we were competeting with them at the breakdown.

Well there is the problem that you mention of losing 5-15 meters but also our backrow were yet again outplayed today. SOB is not a 7, Ferris was average (for him) and Heaslip has been a passenger for Ireland for the last couple of years. In the first half when Wales had the ball we couldnt get it off them. Mostly that is down to the backrow...theirs was excellent ours wasnt.

Done that without Gethin Jenkins,Alun Wyn Jones,Luke Charteris,Dan Lydiate,Matthew Reese and Lee Byrne.

Not wum but i have always said Ireland will struggle because with out the overseas players Munster Leinster and Ulster are pretty average.

valjester wrote:

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:

A 'natural' 7 may have overstated it on my part as there is no such thing now in the classic sense of a ball winner and nothing else. McCaw is not a classic 7, nor is Pocock as they have other strings to their bows that simply ball winners. Dusautoir has many of the elements of being a 7, though obviously there is more to his game that this. Our problem is our best players at the breakdown are Rory Best and Cian Healy. The Welsh, French, New Zealanders and South Africans consistently beat us at the breakdown. Tactics play a part in this of course. The fact that we allowed the Welsh to run at us and we showed little aggression at the breakdown also played a part. But where we consistently failed to learn lessons is having we backrow players who are not good enough at winning, keeping and turning over the ball. O'Mahony and Henry do more of this at their provinces, though are certainly not 'natural' 7s. We need someone who like Dusautoir, McCaw or Smit is '7esque'

I'm really not sure what you're on about. Of our pack that started today all of them are capable of winning turnovers at the breakdown, besides Doc and Ross. It is one of Poc's main strengths. Juan Smith is a blindside flanker and, like Dusautoir he can win turnovers but so do the Irish players. Wales have outplayed us the last two games at the breakdown but it is normally one of our strongest areas. The problem we are having against the wales is that they are gaining 5 to 15 metres everytime they carry the ball meaning we are on the backfoot. The few times during the game we managed to stop them on the gainline we were competeting with them at the breakdown.

Being capable of doing something and consistently doing it are completely different things. I for one once ran a half marathon and could do it every week. In the past 5 years I've done it once. Ferris and O'Brien of course can turn over the ball. I have season ticket at Ravenhill and see Ferris do it time and again. The issue is doing it consistently. Neither, nor Heaslip for that matter, do it consistently. We struggle at the breakdown consistently time and time again. The best three players do not the best unit make. Why are we the only serious rugby nation arrogant enough to believe we are different?

DOD wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Ireland should never have allowed the match to slip as much as that for Ferris to get a yellow. That decision didnt cost the match.

But the penalty mattered.

Ultimately it did but it should not have as Ireland should not have been in that position in the first place.

Booing from Irish supporters? Not the first time - you bloomin self rightgious sanctimonious bunch

Uhh, where have you heard more booing, Dublin or Cardiff? People in glass houses really shouldn't throw things. Personally I felt the boos for Halfpenny's final kick were possibly more down to disappointment than anything else.

Ireland couldn't handle our backs, that was the what did it for us. Take away North, Roberts, Priestland (for his running) and that man Davies and we may well have lost.

The forwards were good enough to gain parity, not much more than that. Great when you consider in the second half we were missing 5 members of the WC pack. The scrum looked about even, the lineout au contraire was a shambles, still glad we won despite being dominated there.

Potentially game of the tournament. I wouldn't have even felt too sore if we'd lost.

The difference between a win and a loss - was our coach. Picking out individual players wont wash anymore. There is but one individual to blame, for this continual, negative, defence-minded - mediocrity and its not the players.

His time is up. France will eat us. And I wont shed a tear. Its brings us nearer to the answer, Even the IRFU wont be able to avoid the inevitable. They made the wrong choice from the start. Its over and done with.

Also, Wales are just a superior team. They have nothing left to prove on that score. They have moved on up. We havent. They beat us missing 6 or 7 key players -specially after Warbs came off injured. And still got a try with 14 players. There is no hiding place anymore.

Even England are moving in the right direction.

Aul Deccie has been found out time and time again - at this level. If the IRFU want to take Irish rugby to a level we have never reached... The answer is obvious.

Ive had enough. No more Mr Nice Guy. Hes useless.

Ireland don't seem to have a plan B they played the same game against us as they did in the WC and that's what Wales wanted.

eirebilly wrote:

DOD wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Ireland should never have allowed the match to slip as much as that for Ferris to get a yellow. That decision didnt cost the match.

But the penalty mattered.

Ultimately it did but it should not have as Ireland should not have been in that position in the first place.

Really, what game were you watching billy, the one where Wales all fell over and we were comfortably 30 points up? Or the one where Wales missed kicks at goal and probably should have been a point or two up at half time, or the wales team that scored three tries to two. What exact position should we have been in? They were in posession and we had not been able to get the ball off them all afternoon. They went from their 22 to ours in perfect control of the ball....something they have perfected.

so mayby you could tell us what position Ireland should have been in?

Cymroglan wrote:Ireland don't seem to have a plan B they played the same game against us as they did in the WC and that's what Wales wanted.

Thank you for proving my point Cymro. Most humans - never mind coaches, learn from their mistakes and alter to suit. Not Elmer Fudge.

Don't have a Plan B? Question marks over Plan A.

We just had Sexton kick down their throats. We're relying on players to figure out what needs to be done themselves.

I don't know why Sexton is coming in for so much stick, he kicked better than Preistland, I felt he (Sexton) should have stayed on, it not not give confidence bringing on ROG to see out the game when he failed! I also think the only issue with Ireland today is their mid field which was not a surprise to anyone on here., maybe to the Irish management?

In may opinion Ireland have soon good wings, they should put T Bowe in the centre, he has played there for the Ospreys with mixed result but you don't often run through him like we saw of the centres today.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:

Being capable of doing something and consistently doing it are completely different things. I for one once ran a half marathon and could do it every week. In the past 5 years I've done it once. Ferris and O'Brien of course can turn over the ball. I have season ticket at Ravenhill and see Ferris do it time and again. The issue is doing it consistently. Neither, nor Heaslip for that matter, do it consistently. We struggle at the breakdown consistently time and time again. The best three players do not the best unit make. Why are we the only serious rugby nation arrogant enough to believe we are different?

They do it consistently for their clubs, they do it consistently for Ireland over the past few years. As others have pointed out, France, South Africa, England yesterday, don't play without a 7 you are describing. Besides the last two Welsh games it is usually an area of strength for us. The last few times we have played Australia, even when they had Pocock, we were able to go toe to toe with them at the breakdown. It is impossible for us to compete at the breakdown is we are losing yards every single time they run at us.

Any team won't look forward to playing Wales or Ireland during this six nations after that display

DOD wrote:so mayby you could tell us what position Ireland should have been in?

We should have been in a position where we closed out the game in the last 10 minutes instead of inviting Wales back in.

Gibson wrote:

Cymroglan wrote:Ireland don't seem to have a plan B they played the same game against us as they did in the WC and that's what Wales wanted.

Thank you for proving my point Cymro. Most humans - never mind coaches, learn from their mistakes and alter to suit. Not Elmer Fudge.

you could add PDV to Declan and Elmer

Sexton doesn't have the brain for a kicking game, Wales kicked it too us and he gave loose kicks back. They had a flat defence, all you need is a deft chip over the top. Needs some smarts or Madigan will take over.

There has been a lot of talk about the cards that were dished out.What about the one that wasnt?Irish 9 dropped the knees into Davies after he had scored.In my mind a yellow and penalty to Wales from halfway at the restart after the conversion.A nasty cowardly foul.

Notch wrote:

DOD wrote:so mayby you could tell us what position Ireland should have been in?

We should have been in a position where we closed out the game in the last 10 minutes instead of inviting Wales back in.

To be fair to Wales Notch, we really should have been in position when they were out of sight had Priestland had his kicking boots on.

Gibson wrote:The difference between a win and a loss - was our coach. Picking out individual players wont wash anymore. There is but one individual to blame, for this continual, negative, defence-minded - mediocrity and its not the players.

His time is up. France will eat us. And I wont shed a tear. Its brings us nearer to the answer, Even the IRFU wont be able to avoid the inevitable. They made the wrong choice from the start. Its over and done with.

Also, Wales are just a superior team. They have nothing left to prove on that score. They have moved on up. We havent. They beat us missing 6 or 7 key players -specially after Warbs came off injured. And still got a try with 14 players. There is no hiding place anymore.

Even England are moving in the right direction.

Aul Deccie has been found out time and time again - at this level. If the IRFU want to take Irish rugby to a level we have never reached... The answer is obvious.

Ive had enough. No more Mr Nice Guy. Hes useless.

You are right to a point, but we need to change the players as well... so here you go...

Darcy.
McFadden
Heaslip (has been a passenger for the last year or so)
DOC (although arguably the best forward for the first half)
Trimble...
we should start with, SOB is playing out of position and Sexton was ok)...

Or are you going to start bleating that its not the players (of course it couldnt be the Leinster players playing badly). Or maybe its just that the step up from the HC to Intl is something that they are not aware of. It isnt Kidneys coaching that allows the number of mistakes leading to the tries...perpetuated by certain players...might as well Blame Kidney now as you cant blame ROG or some of the other Munster players..

- SOB is a great 6. One of the best there is. But at 7 he is no match for the best international 7's. Playing him there is nullifying his strengths. Wake up Deccie.
- Overall our attack is mostly predictable. Which is unjustifiable when the same players are tearing teams apart in the HEC.
- Our backrow is not a very good unit. We have looooaaaaads of other options in that department, why not try them?
- Murray was really good. As was Kearney.
- The players are there to be a very good side. But it's unbelievable how poor the performances are under Kidney. What are they doing? What is the gameplan? What were the tactics today? It's hard to tell.

DOD wrote:

eirebilly wrote:

DOD wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Ireland should never have allowed the match to slip as much as that for Ferris to get a yellow. That decision didnt cost the match.

But the penalty mattered.

Ultimately it did but it should not have as Ireland should not have been in that position in the first place.

Really, what game were you watching billy, the one where Wales all fell over and we were comfortably 30 points up? Or the one where Wales missed kicks at goal and probably should have been a point or two up at half time, or the wales team that scored three tries to two. What exact position should we have been in? They were in posession and we had not been able to get the ball off them all afternoon. They went from their 22 to ours in perfect control of the ball....something they have perfected.

so mayby you could tell us what position Ireland should have been in?

Dont try to make me out as belittling Wales' performance. I have said that they were deserved winners from the off so dont go down that road. With a 6 point lead with 5 minutes left on the clock, Ireland should have been more sensible and closed out the game playing percentage rugby..

Wales were comfortably the better team - we have to put up our hands and say that.

Other than Kearney and Trimble the Irish backs were poor. D'arcy and McFadden brought nothing to the game.
We cannot play that backrow any more - Dusatoir will destroy us.
SOB has to go to the bench and play whoever Kidneys thinks is best - POM, Henry or Jennings. I would rather play one of them than SOB.

Ryan should start against France with Tuohy on the bench.

Overall though our tactics were wrong - we have learnt nothing from the QF and for that Kidney must take the blame.

What did Trimble do wrong?

We don't want to drop one of our only physical backs. Better off to move him or Bowe into the centre.

How was Mike Phillips MOM, he did have a good game but North was imense and JD2 had his best game for Wales, fantastic pace for his second try! Trimble is too slow for a wing, JD2 left him for dead.

PS Brad Davies should have got a red and will get cited and banned!

Notch wrote:

DOD wrote:so mayby you could tell us what position Ireland should have been in?

We should have been in a position where we closed out the game in the last 10 minutes instead of inviting Wales back in.

How exactly did we invite Wales back in? They scored a great try to slack defending, they then owned the ball and got it from their 22 to ours winning a penalty, our backrow had been poor all afternoon and so we couldnt get the ball from them. Our backs defended poorly and Ferris gave Barnes and excuse for the penalty....

Anything I missed?

Trimble did nothing wrong..but he didnt do anything at all

geoff999rugby wrote:Wales were comfortably the better team - we have to put up our hands and say that.

Yeah, they were better than us. We were lucky to be ahead after they missed some very easy chances.

Dont try to make me out as belittling Wales' performance. I have said that they were deserved winners from the off so dont go down that road. With a 6 point lead with 5 minutes left on the clock, Ireland should have been more sensible and closed out the game playing percentage rugby...
eirebilly

I dont think you are belittling Wales' performance I think you are giving a soundbite that doesnt make sense...

Notch wrote:What did Trimble do wrong?

We don't want to drop one of our only physical backs. Better off to move him or Bowe into the centre.

No, just no. Can people please stop suggesting this. He has poor positional sense as a winger never mind at the hardest place to defend.

Notch wrote:What did Trimble do wrong?

We don't want to drop one of our only physical backs. Better off to move him or Bowe into the centre.

Mate Trimble had a few great runs, but at the back when Priestland kicked deep to his side he wasn't very convincing or confident.

I dont think Wales are giving enoughg credit to Priestland he played really well today, chips over the top, good width on his passing he took good options and varied his game to such an extent that Ireland were stretched just trying to adapt to him.

Stephen Jones would of stood deep and thumped it up field all day.

I hope Bradley, Donncha Ryan and Connor Murray all get cited.