Ireland.

The six Nations have now completed 3 rounds of matches and I thought it might be interesting if I gave a neutral’s perspective from what I have seen so far and my opinion on each of the teams.

Ireland.

I have been reading a lot of comments regarding Declan Kidney and the fact that many are questioning his ability to take Ireland forward. In my personal opinion Ireland should be the team to dominate European rugby, the reason is very simple. They have been the most successful in the HC cup during the last few years, and you would expect that form to shine through at the international stage.

Surely three successful and/or competitive regional teams must provide enough depth to advance?

Kearney in my view is the best exponent of a high ball in world rugby at the moment, Murray and Sexton is a decent combination at the half back paring, but I really would like to see those seemingly pointless kicks reduce. Sexton had a number of tactical blunders with the boot against France, but I don’t think that is something that cannot be fixed.

But I am stumped as to why the Irish midfield does not have the ability to penetrate the defensive lines. During the Wales match they did seem to make ground up the middle and struggled with pace out wide, but during the French match it was the opposite, their midfield struggled but out wide Bowe had enough space to create some magic.

Ireland has a good pack and it seems their combination in the back row is a decent one, P O'connol is having a very good six nations. So the problem must be at the back.

In my opinion Declan isn’t that bad, you can’t blame him for the decision and tactical errors the players make on the field, but you can certainly blame him for not finding a solution in midfield.

I think Ireland’s problem is really just sorting out that one issue, and they might just get where they should, the top of the European pile.

Simple question - Would Darcy and Earls get the 12 and 13 shirts for any of the other nations? Italy perhaps?

As a country we have become obsessed with sticking centres on wings and sticking wings on center. Where are our 100% 12s? and 100% 13s?

Starting to look like we need to put faith in young 12s and 13s at an early age so they can develop in that role alone.

Would things be better if we had left Trimble as a 13 7/8 years ago? Who knows.

Clive I think you are spot on.

Biltong you make some good points however I think you are underestimating Irelands problems.

We've been repeating the same mistakes since 2010 and there has been no sign of any progress or developing an effective gameplan under Kidney.

Kidney has a fetish for big, physical scrum halves with a slow delivery and has totally stifled the teams attacking potential. Apart from the 'choke tackle' there has been no innovation in this Irish side since he took charge.

For the 3rd season running we have not even been competitive in the 6N. Three weeks in and no chance of winning anything, not even the triple crown.

Battered by Wales at home and surrendering a 11 point lead against France is just not acceptable. Its not just the results but the manner of them. Conservative selections and negative play... it just keeps getting worse. A 50% winning record and the Aviva doesn't hold any fear for visiting sides any more.

I honestly have never felt so depressed about the national side. Its like the 90's over again but worse. At least then we had poor players.

biltongbek wrote:The six Nations have now completed 3 rounds of matches and I thought it might be interesting if I gave a neutral’s perspective from what I have seen so far and my opinion on each of the teams.

hi biltong, wondering if you were gonna have a shot at france and italy (I know you probably meant home nations but just checking )...ta

I was planning to provide an opinion on France and Italy, but to be honest they have no posters here, so who can argue with me about my opinions then?

roddersm wrote:Biltong you make some good points however I think you are underestimating Irelands problems.

We've been repeating the same mistakes since 2010 and there has been no sign of any progress or developing an effective gameplan under Kidney.

Kidney has a fetish for big, physical scrum halves with a slow delivery and has totally stifled the teams attacking potential. Apart from the 'choke tackle' there has been no innovation in this Irish side since he took charge.

For the 3rd season running we have not even been competitive in the 6N. Three weeks in and no chance of winning anything, not even the triple crown.

Battered by Wales at home and surrendering a 11 point lead against France is just not acceptable. Its not just the results but the manner of them. Conservative selections and negative play... it just keeps getting worse. A 50% winning record and the Aviva doesn't hold any fear for visiting sides any more.

I honestly have never felt so depressed about the national side. Its like the 90's over again but worse. At least then we had poor players.

Rodders i accept that I don't know enough about the next players good enough to make the side, this is the first Six Nations where I have watched all the matches, so it is completely from an outsider's perspective.

biltongbek wrote:I was planning to provide an opinion on France and Italy, but to be honest they have no one posters here, so who can argue with me about my opinions then?

fiexed that for you ! but you do have a point.

whocares wrote:

biltongbek wrote:I was planning to provide an opinion on France and Italy, but to be honest they have no one posters here, so who can argue with me about my opinions then?

fiexed that for you ! but you do have a point.

See why I was a loose head prop, i can't even count to one.

Biltong man in isolation this is not a bad result...in fact given our record against France its a brilliant one. However week in week out we see no game plan, no attacking patterns and a negative defensive mindset.

Slow ruck ball, hoofing the ball away, poor backline alignment and disjointed multiphase rubbish.

The fact that the same players play so positively and confidently for their provinces makes watching Ireland incredibly frustrating.

Our gameplan seems to revolve around the choke tackle and the garryowen and ...well thats it.

you did forget Kearney's ability under the high ball though.

The France match is the eptiomy of what is wrong with the current Ireland team, at half time everyone thought it was an nailed on Ireland win they just needed to keep it simple and get a few penalties or drop goals to keep the scoreboard ticking over but yet again they switched off.

When Kidney took over everyone was looking forward as the mental strength was lacking as Kidney had instilled this in the an all conquering Munster team yet here we stand and its a problem yet again.

His insistance on playing D'Arcy is baffling, at times he shows glimpses of his best form but at this level glimpses arent enough. Earls isnt getting the chances to attack to show what he can do and maybe its time to go with a pairing of O'Gara at 10 and Sexton at 12

I didn't forget it! Its fanastic!

However he is so much more positive with the ball for Leinster... for Ireland he hoofs everything away....it looks spectacular but there is no end result because the resulting phase play after securing the ball is slow.

Yea but for every time Kearney makes a catch every other player runs aimlessly around in the vague area where they think the ball might likely land. Honestly, when chasing kicks and recieving kicks, the percentage of clean catches is atrocious.

Great performance from Ireland against strong opposition - Ireland are a few sandwiches short of a picnic if you ask me and here's my brief view of what needs to change before they can have a proper feast.

SOB - Great player but living on last years reputation and for me he's not at the races (I know that will be controversial for some)

9 - Should have gone for Reddan to begin with Murray has been the same as SOB not been there this year

12/13 - Darcy is Irelands Shanklin IMO, gets a lot of stick but has shown up ok this 6 Nations - Centres are a problem area

Trimble - Good player as he is, he has been more or less anonomous IMO - needs to come looking for it more - why don't you guys get him crashing through the middle like North, he's a big lump.

Strategy: It was better against France, more patience and composure instead of trying to run everything from first phase. Some fine tweaking required.

Would you consider Felix Jones somewhere, great line breaker and don't forget Jamie Roberts was a FB originally

Well played Ireland

For the life of my i don't know why Bowe is used coming infield so much more that Trimble. Is it Trimbles choosing, or is it instruction from coaches?

I just think there were a number of matches durning the six nations thus far that could have gone either way, some teams had the bounce of the ball, the right decision go their way etc. etc.

Ireland could have won against Wales was it not for the corrective measures taken by the referee at the end there, they could also have won yesterday.

Scotland could have won against England etc. etc.

Yes I know it is a lot of could's, but that only means when you are in the game, it isn't half as bad as the usual reaction supporters have because of the emotion involved in supporting a team.

clivemcl wrote:For the life of my i don't know why Bowe is used coming infield so much more that Trimble. Is it Trimbles choosing, or is it instruction from coaches?

I think both players are more comfortable on the right hand side Clive. Trimble likes drifting in right to left where he can break and offload to the left. He seems to be less comfortable coming in and passing off his left hand.

clivemcl wrote:For the life of my i don't know why Bowe is used coming infield so much more that Trimble. Is it Trimbles choosing, or is it instruction from coaches?

I think it has to be instruction. At times on Saturday he looked a bit lost to be honest. Doesn't help that our attack is so lateral so when the ball gets to the wing there is little or no space to operate.

biltongbek wrote:I just think there were a number of matches durning the six nations thus far that could have gone either way, some teams had the bounce of the ball, the right decision go their way etc. etc.

Ireland could have won against Wales was it not for the corrective measures taken by the referee at the end there, they could also have won yesterday.

True Biltong we could have won both but it wouldn't have been down to us playing well. We had 40% posession and territory against both sides, maybe less territory against Wales. We seem to think we can win without the ball.

Good analysis Rodders

Do you think, considering our average centers at the minute, that it may have been better leaving Trimble as a 13 in hindsight? Do you think we need to throw some youngsters like Spence (maybe Cave) in at the international deep end and perservere with them to give them experience.

Rava wrote:

clivemcl wrote:For the life of my i don't know why Bowe is used coming infield so much more that Trimble. Is it Trimbles choosing, or is it instruction from coaches?

I think it has to be instruction. At times on Saturday he looked a bit lost to be honest. Doesn't help that our attack is so lateral so when the ball gets to the wing there is little or no space to operate.

I think to be fair Trimble did come in a couple of times in teh secon half. However at Ulster other players will read him drifting across the field and look for the offload. For Ireland he was isolated when he came in.

The same happened Ferris twice and Heaslip (and Kearney too I think). Both were looking for a switch but the players around them didn't read it. We ran the play into touch at least 4 times.

Not sure if I am talking about the same moments as you rodders, but there were a few times in the second half where the back row players of Ireland just needed quick hands, or laternatively a skip pass over them out wide, movements got stopped dead a few times becuase either Sexton wasn't reading the game situation correctly or the focus wasn't on getting wide.

Ireland are a baldy tyre being patched, and patched and patched and patched.... air escaping everywhere but still only another hopeful patch.

No, there is no quick fixes that will propel us back into contention for consistently best or second best side in Europe. People are refusing to see that this baldy tyre is never going to be anything else but another patch of hope and another hole letting air through.

Change the tyre (fundamental changes to team - a batch of new players, not another hopeful one or two)...or just change the old bike itself (new coaches)

This tyre will not suddenly become something it isn't. The experiments are tried, they are done with...it's a high energy (defend, defend, defend) game we play with nothing like the penetration needed to justify the energy being used. That will not change unless the philosophy changes.

Yeah Biltong. Sexton was poor with the ball. Far too deep and didn't read the game well.

However the service from Murray was very slow. Everytime we got into an attacking position the ruck ball was laboured and France just sheparded us towards the touchline. We desperately needed someone to straighten or cut back in but we just drifted laterally.

The attacking play was simply awful. Both our tries were fortunate and to be honest we were very lucky to get a draw.

clivemcl wrote:Good analysis Rodders

Do you think, considering our average centers at the minute, that it may have been better leaving Trimble as a 13 in hindsight? Do you think we need to throw some youngsters like Spence (maybe Cave) in at the international deep end and perservere with them to give them experience.

With the Rabo on a break for a few weeks now is a time to bring them into the mix and at least get them in training building them up. My worry about Spence is that his style might be nullified by the strength and power were now seeing at international level but might be a better option than D'Arcy right now, Caves running could be a huge assist as he runs lines that others aren't right now

SecretFly wrote:
No, there is no quick fixes that will propel us back into contention for consistently best or second best side in Europe.

Yes there is. Sack the coaching team TODAY.

Trimble, Earls, Bowe, Ferris, O'Brien, Heaslip, Sexton. These are attack minded players. They are being coached to kick the ball away and defend.. to slow down the tempo and trudge through the phases.

That is the gameplan and it is the wrong one for these players. Its coming from the coaches and yes its coming from the captain too. A Munster/SA 2008 gameplan is failing Ireland in 2012.

This has to be changed and until it does we will fall short again and again and drop further down the rankings.

The problem is the the style of play and defensive mindset. The tackle laws favour the attacking team. The Irish players are expending huge amounts of energy defending. We let Wales back from 8 points behind, because we were physically spent. In the second half against France we kept knocking on and turning over possession. D'arcy and Heaslips turnovers looked pathetic. But they were exhausted.

Why are we defending when the laws favour the attacking team?
Why are we trying to bash through defenses when our backs tend to be small, but quick and skillful?

Yes Ireland have some average centres now and we miss BOD. But Leinster are a bit weak in the center too. You wouldn't even notice BOD's absence, because the back three, the halfbacks and the backrow are creating loads of chances and the support play is excellent. It's total rugby and Leinster can be unplayable at times.

It's not as if Ireland are trying to play like Leinster, but aren't capable of it at test level. They're playing a form of "Munster rugby", that is so reduntant that Munster don't even play that way anymore.

Feckless Rogue wrote:The problem is the the style of play and defensive mindset. The tackle laws favour the attacking team. The Irish players are expending huge amounts of energy defending. We let Wales back from 8 points behind, because we were physically spent. In the second half against France we kept knocking on and turning over possession. D'arcy and Heaslips turnovers looked pathetic. But they were exhausted.

Why are we defending when the laws favour the attacking team?
Why are we trying to bash through defenses when our backs tend to be small, but quick and skillful?

Yes Ireland have some average centres now and we miss BOD. But Leinster are a bit weak in the center too. You wouldn't even notice BOD's absence, because the back three, the halfbacks and the backrow are creating loads of chances and the support play is excellent. It's total rugby and Leinster can be unplayable at times.

It's not as if Ireland are trying to play like Leinster, but aren't capable of it at test level. They're playing a form of "Munster rugby", that is so reduntant that Munster don't even play that way anymore.

And another thing.................................... no actually there isn't anything else. You said it all. I just love for a lightbulb to flash above Kidney's head during this week. The Eureka moment - The St.Paul Conversion.

Ireland are very quickly becomeing similar to Scotland. Formidable pack but weak backs. When BOD goes I really don't know where Ireland's attacking spark will come from.

Scotland's backs are terrible, but right now given the oppertunity to poach backs from Ireland I think Sexton and Kearney would be my only 2 picks from the Squad.

Ireland also need to balence their backrow better. The openside Flanker is quickly becoming one of the most important players on the pitch. Warburton and Rennie have both shown how advantageous a proper openside can be. Heaslip isn't in the best form I have seen him so I would be tempted to put Sean O'Brien at 8 and drop Heaslip to the bench. The Irish player that came on for SOB looked much more dangerous at the breakdown when he came on against France.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Ireland are very quickly becomeing similar to Scotland. Formidable pack but weak backs. When BOD goes I really don't know where Ireland's attacking spark will come from.

Scotland's backs are terrible, but right now given the oppertunity to poach backs from Ireland I think Sexton and Kearney would be my only 2 picks from the Squad.

Ireland also need to balence their backrow better. The openside Flanker is quickly becoming one of the most important players on the pitch. Warburton and Rennie have both shown how advantageous a proper openside can be. Heaslip isn't in the best form I have seen him so I would be tempted to put Sean O'Brien at 8 and drop Heaslip to the bench. The Irish player that came on for SOB looked much more dangerous at the breakdown when he came on against France.

Watch in to the HC after the Six Nations. It might give you a better idea where the attacking spark might come from. The mystery is that no matter how sprightly the spark, it seems to be extinguished when it enters the Ireland camp

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Ireland are very quickly becomeing similar to Scotland. Formidable pack but weak backs. When BOD goes I really don't know where Ireland's attacking spark will come from.

Scotland's backs are terrible, but right now given the oppertunity to poach backs from Ireland I think Sexton and Kearney would be my only 2 picks from the Squad.

Ireland also need to balence their backrow better. The openside Flanker is quickly becoming one of the most important players on the pitch. Warburton and Rennie have both shown how advantageous a proper openside can be. Heaslip isn't in the best form I have seen him so I would be tempted to put Sean O'Brien at 8 and drop Heaslip to the bench. The Irish player that came on for SOB looked much more dangerous at the breakdown when he came on against France.

Have to say I'm rapidly coming around to the view that we need to change the back row - and the weakest link in that back row, sad to say, is Heaslip. He's a pale shadow of last year and when was one of the dominant players in Leinster's HC wins. SOB, we all seem to agree isn't a 7 and is wasted trying to shoehorn him into a position where he isn't comfortable. But he has played as 8 and putting him there instead of Heaslip would at least release him for what he is so good at, charging runs and breaking the gain line repeatedly.

That leaves 7 and we just have to accept that we don't have a ready-made 7. Jennings is a good HC level 7 but isn't up to it at international level and Dom Ryan who showed signs of developing into a genuine 7 last year until he got crocked has only just come back from long-term injury. POM isn't a 7 either but he has the power and combativeness to challenge for that position. Ferris is unarguably our best 6 and stays there.

So given that we can't win the 6N and we have three matches against NZ also coming up, the status quo is no longer appropriate and we have to do some experimentation and for me that begins with a 6-7-8 of Ferris-POM-SOB with Heaslip on the bench. It would give Heaslip the kick up the asre he needs to get back to the level he has come back from.

Also, Donnacha Ryan has to be given a go from the start with DOC either being dropped altogether (bringing in Tuohy) or else dropped to the bench.

The problem Ireland have is that their 3 teams are succesfull, Leinsters succes is built around the back row and offloading game, Munsters the breakdown and pressure game, and Ulsters Irish players are playing amongst some top class foreigners.

Ireland identity is therefore confused, POC and DOC want to boss the breakdown, pick go, drive the ball and generally play in the right areas, Leinsters back row want to play much wider in attack, keep the ball alive and utilise the space, and thats where attacking problems lie. Heaslip is too wide, SOB is throwing himself around and Healy is galloping around the park at 100mph, yet both 2nd rows are playing tight, and the whole thing is going nowhere. Neither seem to want to buy into each others gameplan, and the pack is divided in two.

The Irish midfeild is then having to play without a platform, and with a full defence in front of it, and certain forwards in their line.

thebluesmancometh wrote:The problem Ireland have is that their 3 teams are succesfull, Leinsters succes is built around the back row and offloading game, Munsters the breakdown and pressure game, and Ulsters Irish players are playing amongst some top class foreigners.

Ireland identity is therefore confused, POC and DOC want to boss the breakdown, pick go, drive the ball and generally play in the right areas, Leinsters back row want to play much wider in attack, keep the ball alive and utilise the space, and thats where attacking problems lie. Heaslip is too wide, SOB is throwing himself around and Healy is galloping around the park at 100mph, yet both 2nd rows are playing tight, and the whole thing is going nowhere. Neither seem to want to buy into each others gameplan, and the pack is divided in two.

The Irish midfeild is then having to play without a platform, and with a full defence in front of it, and certain forwards in their line.

Accurate breakdown, bluesman. We think the coach shouldn't allow such Provincial divergences to continue into the National side...but yes, that's the divergences that are pulling the team assunder.

This week seems to be 'talk a lot of sense week'. It'll have to stop! I prefer the 'talk some frenzied partisan stuff' weeks

I guess we're all settling down, now that the guts of this Championship is done. Ireland are gone. England and France can't win a Slam. Wales are breathing a little easier but still know there is work to do. Calmness brings clarity of thought.

Good post Bluesman. I think what you've said is obvious to most of us....except maybe the Irish management, players and media!

What Ireland need in the centre is someone who will straighten the line and take it to the opposition defence. Somebody like Downey, Whitten or Spence, or anyone else who has the ability and strength to crash up.

What Ireland needs is to win the Eurovision!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzYzVMcgWhg

Writing a good song can be hard though Fly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysZzWXe_mAw

Kidneys definately showing an Ulster bias now O'Leary and McCarthy in for O'Connell and Murray?
McCarthy has been playing well but Tuohys playing in a winning team and O'Leary hasnt looked good in a long time Marshall surely has earned a chance though he hasnt been at his best the last 2 games hed deliver the quick ball the backs are crying out for

Showing a bias against Ulster would be a little thick in the present climate.

.....Given that Best is almost certain to be our next captain (and deservingly so)
Ferris is our most brutal (in a good way!) carrier and general wild man around the field and Bowe is our star scorer.

Kidney has his stubborn ideas about rugby, no doubt! But I wouldn't think any of them are anti-Ulster ones. He (or his fellow coaches!) just likes the players he/they like. Another coach would think differently perhaps, but we have this one for now.

We'll just have to be patient and wait a few years. Kidney won't get a contract extension and there'll a new batch of players coming through that will strengthen Ireland, especially the center and prop positions.

SecretFly wrote:Showing a bias against Ulster would be a little thick in the present climate.

.....Given that Best is almost certain to be our next captain (and deservingly so)
Ferris is our most brutal (in a good way!) carrier and general wild man around the field and Bowe is our star scorer.

Kidney has his stubborn ideas about rugby, no doubt! But I wouldn't think any of them are anti-Ulster ones. He (or his fellow coaches!) just likes the players he/they like. Another coach would think differently perhaps, but we have this one for now.

I know fly just a crying shame that players like Tuohy and Henry have worked on their game and arent being given a fair shake, theres to nothing to play for in the next 2 games in terms of Grand Slams Triple Crowns or Championships so its a chance to try players at the highest level and in a competitive enviroment. O'Learys been tried and isnt on form DOC isnt what he should be and POM is the better option over SOB right now but we can all name the team for the Scotland game now

I agree that these two games are now needed to prepare some ideas for three serious games against the world Champions (something I think many people on these boards overlook) Even if some believe it was a solid performance against France - I say we all know it wasn't near good enough to prepare us for those games down South.

We need to look at new options across the field...and these two games are really all we got that will give the right kind of intensity levels to those brought in for a trial. I'd also like to see some of the prospective backs given a go - Kearney, Zebo.

But................................ it ain't going to happen.

If Kidney can swing it, the side lining out against the All Blacks first test will be the same one that lined out against France. And that will be the excuse - "Well, these are the lads that got a draw against France in Paris, and you just don't turn your nose up at a performance like that - the lads have a chance to put things right"

It's not going to work - not that team.

I think even if he sticks with the same team with Ryan and Reddan coming in just say to them you know what your doing out there shackles are off just do what comes naturally

Theres limitations on many of the games Trimble looks lost at times and him and Bowe are only becoming assets if the game opens up and you can probably say the same for the centres

Many of the combinations are from the provinces and some have been together for Ireland for a while now so they know each others games its time to exploit that

I don't think there's anything sinister about McCarthy getting called up ahead of Touhy... its just a poor call as Touhy is a better player and a younger player.

I think the logic is that O'Callaghan can only last 50-60 min and Ryan is too lightweight to play on the tighthead side of the scrum. Maybe Kidney feels Touhy and Ryan are too inexperienced to play together?

I personally think its a poor descision but not a surprising one.

Tuohy has been eclipsed by Stevenson lately for Ulster I feel. As others have said though this could be down to Tuohy needing a break. Personally I am glad he is being rested from an Ulster point of view.

As others have pointed out, Ireland could quite easily be sitting on three wins at the moment, but I have to say (as a neutral) I don't think many of the players have really shown their best form - indeed, so far I think only really O'Connell, Bowe and Kearney would be really happy with how they've played, while Healy, Ross, DOC and Ferris have been OK.
Best's throwing was almost Hartleyesque against France, and his work in the open was less impressive than sometimes.
Heaslip and SOB just aren't at the races - both fine players, but not playing to their best. SOB at 7 looks like a case of trying to shoe-horn a guy in out of position.
Half backs haven't been great - Murray has been solid in defence but slow to move the ball, while Sexton has kicked poorly and made quite a few bad decisions.
Centres though is the big problem - D'Arcy had a good game first up, but since has been limited to defending and to passing on ball well behind the gain line, while for me Earls looks like a winger playing in the centre. You need someone who can run straight, tackle and do some of the work of a flanker. Problem is, he's injured and getting old...

Tactics and commitment have been questionable at times as well - lots of garryowens but sometimes only one guy committing to the chase and so an easy counter-attacking opportunity for the opponents. Indeed, your key attacking weapon seems to be Kearney's abilty to chase and regather such kicks. Then again, I'm English - our best attacking ploy so far has been the charge down

McCarthy and O'Leary were both higher up Kidney's ranking than Tuohy and Marshall pre-RWC, so it's understandable he is looking to that squad experience. Kidney is wrong, but it is understandable that he wants players he knows he can work with rather than ones he's going to have to start from square one.

This type of thinking is what has gradually reduced my support for Kidney. Initially he brought in new players to have a look, and that built a degree of squad depth. However it is his phase two treatment of players that has me perplexed. Rather than try any more different players he gets the players he has to play more different ways.

Reputably DK kept picking Paddy Wallace in the GS year because he was executing Kidney's instruction to the letter, (never mind the number of facial stitches he ended up with playing an alien game). I've come to the conclusion that's it's the player's ability to do what the coach asks rather than the player's ability alone that determines his selection.

Ross was told the type of game he had to be able to play before he was considered. The fact that there is no one else means it doesn't matter though, and he can get away with doing nothing outside the scrum.
All the talk of the backrow woes rarely focusses on how DK has told them to play. Last year Ferris was doing all his work in the tight, that in turn freed up SOB in the loose. This year that has been reversed, and I don't think for a minute that the players made this call. Heaslip too is playing very differently to his natural loose style, and it's not suiting him.
When Murray arrived on the scene he showed he had a fast service. His apparent dithering at the base looks to me to be a direct instruction to play from his training ground head rather than from his matchday heart.
Kidney picks Sexton and then tells him to play like ROG. OTOH when he has started ROG, it looks as though he has been told to run more.
I wasn't entirely convinced when Kidney gave Fitzgerald and TOL extended runs before the RWC, that they were so out of form they had to be dropped. Rather they were struggling against their natural grain to play the way Kidney wanted them to play and that did nobody any favours.

Yes, teams need structure but not at the expense of stifling natural ability.

I agree with all of that Aukster.

Aukster prior to the RWC O'Leary was off the boil and was shot shy in the sense that he was hesitating at the base of the ruck then he played a few passes that were intercepted and that made things worse were by he was then stepping back from the ruck to play the ball. I havnt seen him play in the last few months so maybe he has gotten better but before that there wasnt much improvement he looked like a fighter coming back from a bad knockout

McCarthy has been playing well so his inclusion is understandable and Tuohy maybe could do with a break and freshen up to have a crack at the Autumn tests but there really should be an extended squad over the next few weeks and bring in the likes of Barnes, Spence and O'Malley even just to wake up D'Arcy and even just to get some players used to each other and build relationships and understandings for the future