Ireland vs South Africa pre-match talk and squad announcements.

First topic message reminder :

The much anticipated Autumn Iinternationals has arrived and South Africa will begin their three test tour against Ireland on Saturday at Landsdowne road. With a record of only one win in their last four test matches and 3 straight losses between 2004 and 2009, the Springboks would like to continue their resurgence against Ireland and emulate their two point victory of 2010.

But will they be up for an Ireland team who have been just about as disappointing as the Springboks were in 2012.

Ireland who boast wins over Scotland and Italy and a Hard earned draw over France at Stade de France earlier in the year has a disappointing return of 5 losses, 2 wins and 1 draw for the year.

South Africa has not fared much better, with 4 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws for the year.

Both teams will rue lost opportunities during the year where execution and specifically goal kicking have haunted the Springboks in Particular. Their goal kickin records stands at a miserly 55% for the year and will lose you more tests than win.

Ireland will be without their inspirational captain Brian O'Driscoll and South Africa after a long season will bewithout the services of Arguably the best Hooker in world rugby Bismarck du Plessis, the athletic Andries Bekker, talisman Schalk Burger, Pierre Spies, Heinrich Brussow, Johan Goosen, Bryan Habana (yeah I know I am complaining a bit much here), Frans Steyn and Coenie Oosthuizen.

Will this end of season tour be a bridge too far for an injury riddled South African squad or will they be able to overcome an Irish team who hasn't convinced this year.

Likely SA matchday 22.

1. Beast Mtwarira
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Juandre Kruger (Marco Wentzel)
6. Francois Louw
7. Willem Alberts
8. Duane Vermeulen
9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Francois Hougaard
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaco Taute
14. JP Pietersen
15. Zane Kirchner

Bench
16. Gurthro Steenkamp
17. Schalk Brits
18. Pat Cilliers
19. Flip v d Merwe
20. Marcelle Coetzee
21. Franco v d Merwe
22. Jan Vermaak
23. Morne Steyn

I'll update if someone provides me a likely Irish matchday 22.

I can't imagine any SA fan could be happy with SA's performance. They were pretty bad. Ireland were just worse unfortunately. Very bad performance from Ireland. Not good enough.

Can't remember a match with so few line breaks.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:It's just a communication thing isn't it? It should be very easy to solve IMO.
Captain listens to referree then team listen to the captain. I think that should be a simple enough area to resolve.

What you think of Lambie? I wasn't gone him I must say and felt Ruan had to guide him more than I had expected. Alberts is some lump of a lad sweet jesus!

Lambie had a better second half than first half, but we didn't control the breakdowns well, so he recieved many hurried passes and weren't really allowed to show what he can do.

Still better than Morne Steyn though.

GunsGerms wrote:Can't remember a match with so few line breaks.

I was drinking but I can't really remember any linebreaks, as always will be watching the match back this morning. It's going to make for painful viewing

I am rewatching it at two, from memory Ireland had one linebreak and SA none.

That is really poor attacking play from both teams I think

Is that not when the Kiwi Scotland game is on at Biltong?

Just as an aside there Tonga ran Italy pretty close yesterday that was fairly impressive from them. The Fijians also really put it to England in the first quarter.

Kiwi match here in SA is at 4 pm Pete.

haha and there was I thinking we'd have the same time difference, self absorbed.

Who have you guys got left to face in the tour?

Next week is Scotland and then our biggest one England.

Have to say though for 40 minutes yesterday I got this overwhelming feeling we were going to start the tour in the wort possiblw way.

please don't lose to scotland if you do we are really fudged. Like REALLY fudged. The next coach shouldn't have to pay the price for Kidney's uselessness.

also what was that stats site you had again Bilt?

Link to Stats site

We lost to Scoltand last time mate, they have this ability to really slow us down and frustrate us into mistakes.

Cheers.

Yeah knew that just ranking points are now critical if the Ariges beat us as well (which they easily could) then we are in deep deep doo-doo.

You wouldn't consider Scotland your boggie team though would you?! They have a lot of injuries too I think to key guys. None of your lads went down yesterday did they?

As much as i respect ROG, it really is time to retire him from International rugby, he just doesnt have it anymore. Same has to be said about D'Arcy.

In a radical change, i would have Madigan start at 10 and Sexton at 12.

I don't think we have a bogie team as much as one bogie performance.

Over the past 8 years we have managed to lose to either Ireland and Scotland everytime we cameNorth, yethad no issues with Wales and England.

Although it must. Be said we struggle in France

Watching strauss sing the anthem again...

Wonder how Strauss got blood over his face. Anyone see the incident?

GunsGerms wrote:Wonder how Strauss got blood over his face. Anyone see the incident?

His cousin kissed him. Glasgow style.

Pot Hale wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Wonder how Strauss got blood over his face. Anyone see the incident?

His cousin kissed him. Glasgow style.

Adrian Seymour Hoffman Strauss?

It was lovely to see that Strauss had gone to the trouble of learning Amhrán na bhFiann. I wonder how he felt while Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika waas being played.

Must be a strange situation.

He bit his lip.

We highlighted the size difference the other day. It was a big factor in the SA win or more to the point a big factor with the Ireland loss (though there are other ore concerning factors). If it was played tomorrow you'd have to pick a bigger team. Sherry instead of Strauss, Henderson in the backrow, even Mike McCarthy in the backrow and pick another second row. Downey in at 12, Cave at 13 with Earls on the wing etc.

Watching the game again and looking back at Irish general play to have a look in a bit more detail:

Earls in 2nd minute has a 2 on 1 and kicks it into his opposite number the man he was up against on the inside was their tighthead after good work from Darcy.

Unreal zebo under the high ball, good line kicking too.

Sexton kicking well out of hand early on.

Henry dealing with restarts well.

Murray's box kicks are too far for Ireland to challenge for.

Great turnover by POM. He then messes up a lineout badly.

Irish defensive line not coming up together off Saffa scrum. Doing much better off lineout in defence.

Great Irish scrum. First attacking angle run by Earls and Darcy (dummy switch 12 pop 13) knocked on by Earls. Sexton and POM handed off by Adriaan Strauss.

14th minute Irish go wide from inside their 22 they have the numbers but Earls and Trimble can't continue the continuity so kick it. Poor drawing of men.

First Irish lineout lost.

Fantastic steal from Healy after really good attacking play from S.Africa.

18th min good counterattack and then inside line by Zebo. Poor passing by Murray. Good switch from Sexton to Strauss gets over the gainline. Awful decision by Murray to feed McCarthy who was isolated.

Murray's box kicking improving hugely, another good take from Henry on restart.

Great man and ball tackle by McCarthy slowing SA ball down. Great turnover by Henry.

23min. Darcy has to take Murrays pass over his head and ruins attemp to take it up. McCarthy lays out one defender. Ball gets scrappy and Earls plays awful pass to McCarthy.

26min. Good take by Bowe then Sexton uses quick hands to release Earls on the right wing who steps past Hougaard beautifully but becomes isolated.

28min McCarthy fighting brilliantly in maul then turnover penalty won by Strauss. Quick one taken, Sexton feeds Bowe who makes halfbreak on the inside offloads to Murray who feeds Earls really well. Earls releases Zebo who runs well. Murray's passing poor. Great interchange between Bowe and Zebo and then drive by Healy. Momentum slowed due to murray passing slightly above or slightly behind the runner.

JP gets yellow. Ref tells Heaslip to make sure Sexton overreact.

McCarthy misses lineout, looks like a timing issue.

33min. Scrum penalty to ireland on Ross's side.
Penalty count to now is 4-10
Possession 58-42.

Murray wastes ball inside S.African 10m line by box kicking the ball away when maul doesn't work. Poor decision as Boks are still down to 14.

Lineout off the top, ball going straight to Darcy with Trimble and Sexton running wider lines but ball goes well above Darcy's head and the move breaks down.

Darcy challenges line again but very obvious due to no runners. POM carries well. Good carrying Healy after another poor Murray pass.

Ryan and Heaslip doing very well in lineout now. Good maul started on Ryan and Strauss runs over Lambie, ball goes wide and Earls throws the ball forward and in to touch.

Sexton misses his first kick 39min.

Good take by POM on restart, Heaslip goes to high in to contact and support are too slow.

40min. Great work at the breakdown by Murray who steps but offloads to the wrong side as Bowe was on the other shoulder. Henry then gives away idiotic penalty.

HALF TIME.

Zebo clears well from kickoff.

Henry claims ball and offloads to POM who runs approx 15m left and 3m forward.

Good up and under from Sexton Bowe nearly wins it for the second time.

S.Africa counter and Sexton, Earls and Henry are pushed back in contact, then McCarthy absolutely empties Estebenz.

Healy goes off with suspected concussion, Kilcoyne on. S.Africa go for touch instead of points.

McCarthy doesn't get near Estenbez in lineout but does well defending the maul but S.Africa still going forward. Held up eventually by Bowe and Heaslip.

Heaslip sent to the bin for entry in the maul, looked like Ross or Ryan but ref said that Heaslip was the most recent transgression.

McCarthy and Strauss sack maul again, S.Africa go blind and Murray makes a try saving tackle. Sexton and Darcy weak in contact against Adriaan Strauss then very poor pillar defending by Ryan as Pienaar goes in for the try.

45min. Takes Ireland a while to call lineout (must have been Heaslip's job) but the 5 man works and Trimble is sent up the middle on a switch to mediocre effect. Murray immediately then attacks the blind side which is poorly executed by the team. Murray then kicks the ball far too deep and JP takes ball relatively easily and Ireland end up back on halfway from the mark.

47min. Exact same call is made. 5 man lineout, switch with Trimble. Attack the blindside with Murray switching with POM which would work well if the Boks hadn't seen it 2mins before and be prepared for it. Continuing attacking blind side. Poor passing, Irish guys taking it standing still. Poor cross kick from Sexton and returned with interest and trimble knocks it in to touch by mistake.

DeVilliers runs over Darcy then drags Earls with him. Darcy and Henry don't stand up to lambie physically who wins cheap yards.

Another great tackle by McCarthy and steal by Healy. Ball goes through Earls' hands and then Trimble with the entire backfield unoccupied finds a poor touch just outside the 22 when he could have kicked long.

Ryan and Healy working hard in tackle and ruck. Positive contacts. Darcy misses another tackle then POM gives away a penalty for not releasing the tackled player.

53min. Great lineout take again by Ryan, ball is fed to Sexton then Darcy. S.Africa don't put anyone in ruck but the ball is still slow for some reason. Murray takes a while to get there. Great hands from Zebo releases Bowe on the right. Quicker ball not utilised very well at all. Zebo makes some head way again. Darcy and then Earls both attack the blindside to no gain. Strauss and Healy carry very well. Good continuity play. Murray looks unfit takes a while to get to the ruck and when we go through a few phases he just doesn't get there in time and by the time he does the spaces that the quick ball had created are gone. Penalty eventually conceded.
This phase of possession lasted over 3 minutes but we only made it from halfway to just before their 22 yard line. Most yards made by Bowe and Zebo in this attack.

57min. Great maul defence (Healy, McCarthy) but DeVilliers gets over the gainline and supplies quick ball far too easily. Great turnover by Strauss and McCarthy.

58min. Good lineout by McCarthy and nice line running by Darcy and Sexton to put Sexton in the secondary but the S.African defence read it and Sexton has to throw a high pass to McFadden (now on the wing) which kills momentum. Great carry Heaslip and Zebo uses great feet to make yards. Murray and Sexton give hospital passes to POM and McCarthy respectively, lose of yards/momentum.

Excellent feet by Earls to make a halfbreak but he gets caught and doesn't have the strength to stop himself being driven back by Hougaard.

Sexton misses kick from 55m.

More good lineout work but poor contact in midfield. Fringe attack by forwards is very good. Ball becomes far too slow.

64mins. Ross concedes first penalty in the scrum.

POM concedes penalty for taking man in the air. Missed kick and cleared by Zebo. POM knocks on the high bomb after a few phases McCarthy wins the ball back with a huge tackle. Ross concedes another penalty at the scrum won by McCarthy.

72mins. Better scrum with Bent and DOC in. On the second scrum he wins a penalty.

73min. Quick ball from reddan see's Healy go through 3 tackles and then Bent through 2. Negative carries by Ryan stunt momentum and ball lost when ball slows further.

76min. Promising scrum then carry by Heaslip. Good move off the back but Zebo unfortunately loses ball in contact.

79min. Strange seeing the way ROG and Sexton are playing. Insead of all the runners coming off the 10 position they are now running off the 12 position. ROG is almost acting like a second scrumhalf, he gets the ball from Reddan and feeds Sexton who then makes the call on who receives the ball next. We are missing a 12 in this passage of play but we have two 10's which gets the ball wider but also limits the space for second phase possession.

80min. Lineout off top from Heaslip, play in the midfield, Bowe is caught from Zebo's nice inside pass. Play slows. ROG goes blind and chips the ball on for Henderson to chase.

Ireland lose the game.

1-Worst performance you have ever seen
2-Very very bad
3-Bad
4-Below par
5-Average
6-Above average
7-Good
8-Very good
9-Excellent
10-Best performance you've ever seen

Healy- 7.
Good carrying and did well in the rucks and scrummaging.

Strauss- 7.
Some good steals. Lineout went well after few blips. Carried well at times.

Ross- 5.
Some good and bad carries. Still quite ponderous. Good in scrum but unfit.

Ryan- 5.
Poor defence for try. Good lineout. Not much carrying and not enforcing in rucks.

McCarthy- 8.5
Huge workrate on small things. Ruck, maul and tackle was outstanding.

POM- 3.
Not physical enough. Poor discipline. Won a turnover or two I think though.

Henry- 5.5
He made some good carries off restart. Good in ruck. Underpowered at times though. Was rarely a link either.

Heaslip- 4.
Unlucky to be sin binned. Good in defence and lineout but not much in attack.

Murray- 3.
His accuracy of passing was atrocious. Service marginally quicker. Box kicks ok. Decision making poor.

Sexton- 5.5.
Started the game very well but couldn't kick on. Not as great in defence as before, passed well and goal kicking was ok. Will be disappointed.

Trimble- 4.
Didn't get used anywhere near enough. Made a few very basic mistakes but Ireland really need to get the ball in to his hands more often.

Darcy- 5.
Carried well at the start and his defence was good too. Later in the game he really seemed to lose steam. Murray's pass did him no favours.

Earls- 4.5.
Didn't get over the gainline often enough. In wider channels used great feet. His defence was good but never kept his man from getting over the gainline.

Bowe- 7.5
Came off his wing really well and looked for work. Linked brilliantly with Zebo. Nearly won some offensive high balls. Defended well.

Zebo- 8.
He was very good. Very dangerous runner and wasn't underpowered against the Boks. High ball and kicking was good. Great game at 15.

Positives:
1) Scrum was excellent overall
2) Rucking was pretty good in parts as was defence.
3) I thought the lineout was good.
4) McCarthy, Zebo, Bowe, Healy.

Negatives:
1) This team doesn't know how to attack.
2) Maul defence.
3) Mental strength.
4) Murray, Earls, POM.

eirebilly wrote:As much as i respect ROG, it really is time to retire him from International rugby, he just doesnt have it anymore. Same has to be said about D'Arcy.

In a radical change, i would have Madigan start at 10 and Sexton at 12.

ROG needs to stop playing for Munster as well for the sake of our team.



Profitius, you are right to a degree with the style we are trying to play we need guys to bash it up the middle. We shouldn't be palying this style though and if we changed it we would be able to cope with other teams physicality.


Pete, as a hooker myself, that ball for POM was catchable but not a great throw, timing looked a bit off to me.

Agree Thomond not a good throw either but he only tried to catch it with his left hand, why? He wasn't challenged in the air for it. That ball while not a good throw should have been secure possession every day of the week.

Pete, you have as negaitves Murray, Earls, POM.

I thought that Murray did ok, he was not the only one with wayward passes (Sexton). He was certainly better than Reddan and Irelands attack slowed when Reddan came on.

Earls, aside from a bad pass to touch, i thought that he was very solid and along with Zebo and Bowe was Irelands most attacking threat.

POM did not have his bext game but he did win a couple of penalties and turnovers...

Strange that the three highlited players for negatives from you are Munster players. Maybe you could have a slightly harder look at Sexton and D'Arcy?

Sexton won't do anyjthing with the slow ball and the lack of organisation from the backs. Murray wasn't as bad as people make out (he is becoming the scapegoat like TOL was, remember last year when people would say TOL was shoite even when he did well).


Earls bollixed up one or two opportunities alright missed two on one and that pass to Bowe on the wing, you would almost drop an underage player for a mistake like that. An international player who can't execute that pass is rather horrendous. Earls made a nice break or two but we all know he can do that.

The problem is we are looking at individuals rather than criticising our backplay as a whole which probably tells you all you need to know.

For me, the major negaitve was leadership. When Ireland were on the backfoot and going nowhere, no-one stood up and tried to change the tactics. They looked totally bereft of ideas.

Looking bereft of ideas is not a mark of leadership, it's a makr of shoite coaching. The players seem to have Plan A and that's barely coherent. Plan B is try Plan A again.

Of course you need leadership on the park when things go to shoite. Someone needs to make the calls and change the direction. Its what made POC and BOD great leaders on the field.

Heaslip was captain for the first time and looked nervous but i do think that he is captain material.

You do need leadership, rather obviously but looking short of ideas is a coaching issues. If the coaches do their work they will be prepared for pretty much everything the oppositions have to throw at them which is communicated to the players over the week.



I may have found an answer to Ireland's 13 solution. Think Brian O'Driscoll's build with Keith Earls' speed and add a dash of Jason Robinson's elusiveness. If we get him from the states now he will be in his prime come the World Cup!

I get what you mean Thom and agree. I am not sure what tactics Kidney sends them out with.

It was interesting when BOD was being interviewed before the match when he said that he had been working with Declan for the best part of 10 years and he was not quite sure what he wanted.

I genuinely can't see any defence for Murray. His kicking was better I felt but his delivery and speed of thought is painfully slow.

Earls I have more sympathy for. I'm not sure what the backs were supposed to do with the ball they got. As big an issue is D'arcy. If Marshall does well v fiji I would start him. I genuinely think we might be wooden spoon contenders come march

I agree with Thomond on this one, does anyone know what our plan B was? That multi phase move was called twice in a row within 2 minutes when Heaslip was off the pitch isn't great why was there not another move they could call. They walked into the Springbok defence.

Eirebilly I think Sexton was pretty good although in parts he was nowhere near his high standard. Darcy was quite poor in the second half, scratch that, Darcy was very poor in the second half but his first half performance was very accomplished I thought.

Earls was pretty bad IMO apart from that one glimpse of great feet we saw. I'd put his break down more to Bowe's catch and Sexton's vision but there was one moment where in traffic he made yards through very good footwork. He did get killed in the secondary though a few yards later.

Murray I think is shockingly bad. The accuracy of his passing is so poor not just to Sexton but Darcy got murdered a few times, as did McCarthy and Healy. Have a look at the examples I've mentioned above. He has got a lot worse in the last 18 months.

Our coaching ticket has so much to answer for.

eirebilly wrote:I get what you mean Thom and agree. I am not sure what tactics Kidney sends them out with.

It was interesting when BOD was being interviewed before the match when he said that he had been working with Declan for the best part of 10 years and he was not quite sure what he wanted.

Woah didn't hear that! How did that come across? Eek! Thanks for the update on that one Eirebilly. Fack!

Is that a hint of mutiny on the good ship Irish Rugby

I disagree with you Pete, i thought that Murray had an ok game myself.
Was just a little sad that you chose 3 Munster players as negatives when there were far more negatives.

I was shocked when i heard him say it, i didnt record it so i cant listen back to hear exactly what he said but it was along those lines. First time i have ever heard BOD say such things.

Apologies so Eirebilly but tat is what I felt, again for strangely different reason:

Ryan I felt was the best player we had in NewZealand and I felt he just didn't show up to that level at all yesterday.

Earls I feel is wasted at 13 and the simple mistakes he makes compound that, the good things he did/does really are examples of great wing play.

Murray I think is a very very bad 9.

Apologies either way.

Yikes I'd love to hear what he said, gonna have a browse for that now.

In other news: Scot (Dutchman) Tim Visser just scored for Scotland

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:
Positives:
1) Scrum was excellent overall
2) Rucking was pretty good in parts as was defence.
3) I thought the lineout was good.
4) McCarthy, Zebo, Bowe, Healy.

Negatives:
1) This team doesn't know how to attack.
2) Maul defence.
3) Mental strength.
4) Murray, Earls, POM.

Scrum was ok. A few penalties at the end cost Ireland. Ross was tiring so I blame Kidney for not using the bench.

The lineouts were the difference between winning and losing. They got better as the match went on but when Sean Cronin was on they were a disaster. The man simply cannot throw the ball. Donnacha Ryan had a poorish enough game in the lose. He has been off form this season so he doesn't deserve a starting place against Argentina. I'm a big fan of his but fair is fair.

Zebo mixed the good with the bad. Earls was actually better but THAT pass seems to be the stick everyone is beating him with. I think he is a back 3 players myself but lets judge his performances on merit. What about Andrew Trimbles blunders? Earls should be on the wing and Cave or Griffin at 13.

Heaslip again was too quiet for my liking. Look at your match analysis to see he hardly gets a mention.

ROG should be nowhere near the Irish squad let alone come on and kick the ball away. Madigan deserves a place on the bench. Actually ROG is Munsters 3rd best outhalf, behind Keatley and Hanrahan.

D'Arcy was ineffective. He had one or two good moves but I'd prefer to see a different 12. Maybe Marshall, Downey or the best 12 in Ireland this season, Dave McSharry. D'Arcys defense isn't what it used to be either.


Having said all that I think the main problem with Ireland is Declan Kidney. The team looks rudderless at times and confidence is very low. International rugby is a step too far for Kidney. The modern game is a step beyond him as we're seeing with Irelands performances since the ELVs came in. Eddie O'Sullivan lost the plot near the end and won nothing with Ireland but his Ireland teams could never be accused of looking clueless.

Selection changes will not make one jot of difference to the team apart from 9, and the options there aren't great. We have no tactical gameplan and we cannot create tries unless Bowe is playing. Can anyone actually in all seriousness suggest what Kidney's gameplan was yesterday ad the past 6 matches?

This is the worst run in the professional age and far from the worst team we have had. It isn't acceptable. When we drop out of the top 8 we might have to write the next world cup off. Put it another way, when Kidney took over we were scrapping for eight. Four years later we are in the same position. That strikes me as a failure. Here's the kicker, we if sack Kidney I can't imagine we would get a replacement before the Six Nations. If I was a player with Lions ambitions I would be very peed. If I was a player with any desire to do well for Ireland I would be peed. The fans are peed. Join us IRFU won't you.

profitius wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:
Positives:
1) Scrum was excellent overall
2) Rucking was pretty good in parts as was defence.
3) I thought the lineout was good.
4) McCarthy, Zebo, Bowe, Healy.

Negatives:
1) This team doesn't know how to attack.
2) Maul defence.
3) Mental strength.
4) Murray, Earls, POM.

Scrum was ok. A few penalties at the end cost Ireland. Ross was tiring so I blame Kidney for not using the bench.

The lineouts were the difference between winning and losing. They got better as the match went on but when Sean Cronin was on they were a disaster. The man simply cannot throw the ball. Donnacha Ryan had a poorish enough game in the lose. He has been off form this season so he doesn't deserve a starting place against Argentina. I'm a big fan of his but fair is fair.

Zebo mixed the good with the bad. Earls was actually better but THAT pass seems to be the stick everyone is beating him with. I think he is a back 3 players myself but lets judge his performances on merit. What about Andrew Trimbles blunders? Earls should be on the wing and Cave or Griffin at 13.

Heaslip again was too quiet for my liking. Look at your match analysis to see he hardly gets a mention.

ROG should be nowhere near the Irish squad let alone come on and kick the ball away. Madigan deserves a place on the bench. Actually ROG is Munsters 3rd best outhalf, behind Keatley and Hanrahan.

D'Arcy was ineffective. He had one or two good moves but I'd prefer to see a different 12. Maybe Marshall, Downey or the best 12 in Ireland this season, Dave McSharry. D'Arcys defense isn't what it used to be either.


Having said all that I think the main problem with Ireland is Declan Kidney. The team looks rudderless at times and confidence is very low. International rugby is a step too far for Kidney. The modern game is a step beyond him as we're seeing with Irelands performances since the ELVs came in. Eddie O'Sullivan lost the plot near the end and won nothing with Ireland but his Ireland teams could never be accused of looking clueless.

I agree with this bolded part hugely, the players aren't doing well but DK is the guy who is causing that in many aspects of play.

Ross I think is too heavy he is not more than a 60min player at best. I do think our scrum was very good myself.
Our lineout with Cronin on at the start was very poor yes. I really like Ryan too which is why I've been so disappointed.

I don't know what people see in Earls yesterday that he did well: his tackling completion was good but he almost always conceded the gain line. He was anonymous in attack apart from two mini breaks that really demonstrated what a great wing he could be. His passing in general is pretty poor for a 13. As Thomond said if you were coaching your local team and you saw your 13 throw that pass and destroy that 2 on 1 you'd drop him for the next game.

I think Darcy worked well in the first half to be honest. Heaslip was not good. Trimble was actually another negative really he made 2 basic errors as well.

Dave McSharry is the form 12 in Ireland almost considering he is playing for one of the worse teams in the Rabo and HCup

Four offloads yesterday lads, 50% of them by Tommy Bowe. Look at how Argentina offloaded in the tackle against Wales and made mincemeat of that defence.

Dave Mcsharry and Eoin griffen aren't even in the squad, so no point in even talking about them playing.

Please Kidney, do the right thing and walk away..

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Dave Mcsharry and Eoin griffen aren't even in the squad, so no point in even talking about them playing.

Please Kidney, do the right thing and walk away..

This is going to become the new "Believe" for the next 190 days or so.

What coach is going to want to coach us!

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Four offloads yesterday lads, 50% of them by Tommy Bowe. Look at how Argentina offloaded in the tackle against Wales and made mincemeat of that defence.

There is a huge difference between the way the SH teams and France offload and the way we offload. Our support runners are more like support walkers.

I wonder if Gibson still 'believes'... Love how he comes on here and all the IRish start worshipping him. It's only a rugby forum guys . Here's one for you Gibson .

Walk away Deccie

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Four offloads yesterday lads, 50% of them by Tommy Bowe. Look at how Argentina offloaded in the tackle against Wales and made mincemeat of that defence.

There is a huge difference between the way the SH teams and France offload and the way we offload. Our support runners are more like support walkers.

Exactly, and yet when Bowe offloads it creates space. Our players lumber from set piece to set piece, the defence reorganises and then we wonder why we can't break them down. Listen, we have the players to do it, but the initial choice seems to be always to go to ground first and set up another phase. No vision, no dynamism.

Morgannwg wrote:I wonder if Gibson still 'believes'... Love how he comes on here and all the IRish start worshipping him. It's only a rugby forum guys . Here's one for you Gibson .

huh??

That was something that the coaching course I was on was trying to coach out of coaches. Apparently coaches in drills say "Go down" or "Take it in" or "Hit the deck" and apparently that is a huge issue.

I think the way Bowe and Zebo work was exactly the way we should be playing. That searching for space and that appreciation of how to create and exploit it. Luke Fitz is generally quite good at it too.