Ireland review of Italian Game

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Ok I've watched the game twice so far and will probably watch it again later on tonight!
A definite improvement for sure. Much better in a number of different facets of play. Would like to point out the media have gone a bit (and may go further) overboard on this win but for sure it was a good game from our point of view.

Healy: 6.5
Pretty good in the scrum apart from a penalty conceeded. He was really good in defence in my opinion and hit rucks like crazy. I thought he didn't get enough of the ball in terms of carrying but what he did get was positive yardage.

Best: 7
Good lineout throwing, excellent defence and great at getting up and competing for the ball. Slowed down a lot of Italian ball and acted as a number 7 almost in his linking play. Good use of choke tackles too.

Ross: 6
Conceeded a few penalties in the scrum but carried better than in the last number of months and was a nuissance whenever the Italians tried setting a maul. Another who really went for the choke tackles.

O'Callaghan: 6
I'd have liked to have seen Ryan's mobility but DOC did well. He was another player who used the choke tackles and was hitting rucks like a man possessed. Tackled hard too.

O'Connell: 8.5
Peerless in the lineout. Serious work when it came to counter rucking, I was very impressed with him here and most surprisingly he was a much better carrier than previously in terms of leg drive and more importantly lines of running.

Ferris: 6.5
He did well, not as great re:carrying as he is for Ulster not being used wide enough still but did really well when he was making some good breaks and yards. Massive defense and work at the breakdown.

O'Brien: 6
Gave away a few too many penalties but he also slowed down a lot of ball and was good at linking some plays and making an extra few yards in moves. Didn't carry as much or effectively as last year and wasn't his best performance.

Heaslip: 8
Made a lot of turnovers and rips off the Italians. He also made the "hard" yards. Was exceptionally impressed with his performance, it was very well rounded and he was one of the most positive lads in green.

Murray: 5
Good tackler, good around the fringes, but very slow at getting the ball out, a step before passing, it just slows our game down so much and hamstrings our backs a bit. He needs to go back to what he was doing last august. He has the potential to be outstanding.

Sexton: 8
Not great in the first half with a couple of aimless kicks and the backs weren't going forward although not enitrely his fault. In the second half he was great, his range of passing and pace to the gainline make him so dangerous. His defence was very good and his goalkicking was excellent.

Trimble: 6.5
Took his try well and did very well under the high ball. He defended well and looked dangerous when the ball came his way but he didn't appear hungry enough IMO I'd like to have seen him come of his wing more.

Darcy: 6
Played pretty well in compassion to his other recent performances. Some good carrying and he defended pretty ok nothing huge to write home about but he looked better than before (it could be because it was against Italy no disrespect intended.)

Earls: 6
Wasn't wild on him really again. He ran some great support lines off Best and Ferris during the game which were beautiful and defended well. his attack was fairly limited though I thought. Off the Ferris offload too he made a break with Bowe outside, he didn't pass, ok, he didn't even look though....not a centre.

Bowe: 7
He finished his tries well and made a few breaks, also made yards outside the defence. His defence was pretty ok too and he did well chasing kicks too. Still would like to see him come inside more often.

Kearney: 8.5
I think one of our best players. great fielding of the ball and his counter attacking was exceptional. he joined the line well from depth and injected more pace into the line than any of our other players. Defence was good too and he looked pure class.

Bench:
Court did grand took his try really well
Cronin looked good from touch and got on the ball well in attack
Ryan looks pure class IMO and should start. Athletic, the way he out POC in space is something DOC just wouldn't dream of.
POM was good and majorally aggressive!
Reddan was outstanding and should start next week. Quick passing/service is the lifeblood for Sexton & co.
Rog missed a kick to touch and kicked some at McLean and Massi. Could have had a better impact.
McFadden didn't do much, glad he was in at 14 rather than 13.

All in all it was good, better than good but not so good as excellent. It is safe to say that attacking rugby is the way to go? When we play with speed width and aggression we look really good. Scrum wasn't as good as expected but lineout was very good imo. Defence was alright for the most part, but can be improved. Attack was poor during the first half but Reddan really spiced it up when he came on.

Any thoughts? Should the team be changed? Who were you happy with? Were the tactics right?

Sin é wrote:

Golden wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:So we better get used to Earls at 13 because he says he is a 13? Oh well you better get used to me as the next Ireland coach, because that is what I want to be! Also refer to Ben Foden who originally was determined to be a 9 when everyone else told him 15 was his best position. When he listened, he became a great 15. Just because Earls feels it is his best position, doesn't mean it is.

Not just earls says he is 13. His club coach (Tony McGahan), who he spoke to about it, has him playing at 13 for Munster this season.

and has been so confident in him he went out and signed another 13.

Yea, a club the size of Munster need about 4 centres if they want to compete for trophies (next season we will have Earls, Laulala, Downey & Barnes with JJ Hanrahan due to come through in the next year or so). Earls has played 7 games for Munster this season in comparision to Barnes playing 18.

ah ye only having the craic. I actually dont mind him at 13. Hes better than McFadden or bowe there anyway. We might need a properly good 12 to get the best out of him ala BOD. Despite darcys improved performance hes still not the man for the job. I'd probably go for the same backline against the french just tell murray to speed up.