Ireland XV vs Fiji, Match Thread and Build-Up

[Notch]

First topic message reminder :

Looking ahead to this game, Eoin Reddan is a doubt apparently but there are no other new injury concerns. Ferris and O'Connell are confirmed out of this and next week.

I've already talked about the issue of this game not being considered a full international which can be found HERE and we should should probably try and keep discussion of that issue to the relevant thread.

I'm very much of the opinion that we should largely keep the same team. I don't see how wholesale changes are going to help prepare the firsts for Argentina. There should of course be a few tweaks (please put Earls back in the back three) but this team needs time on the pitch together. Of course, I think our problems run deeper than a lack of pitch time together but we're in a desperate situation here. We need to beat Argentina and this game has to be treated as a dry run for the week after.

[GunsGerms]

Anyone know why there are so many red jerseys in the crowd and very little green?

Leave it Germs.

Sorry thought Ireland were playing, my mistake.

[rapidsnowman]

Too lazy to check; how similar is this Fiji side to the one England beat last week?

Is this a much weaker team?

[Cari]

Wales - Ah OK. Despite being of the fairer gender, I can't do that.

Henderson has taken a knock. I think he's all right.

[wales606]

Anyone know why there are so many red jerseys in the crowd and very little green?

Leave it Germs.

Sorry thought Ireland were playing, my mistake.

No, its Ireland XV/Ulster

[valjester]

Fiji are woeful. I blame the French. IRB should overrule their clubs.

Fiji rugby's problems aren't to do with the French clubs. They have just regressed terribly in the
last number of years. Tonga and Samoa would have relatively similar numbers to Fiji in the French
leagues and they are currently doing quite well. The IRB already overrule the clubs but there are
of course ways around this and it is hard for the IRB to have a solution that work 100%.

[Golden]

Its great to see the youngsters allowed to play their natural game

[wales606]

Come on Ireland, you are falling behind that point a minute boundary

[Notch]

Ah Notch, you are being conservative as to appear impartial. Nobody in their right mind would go back to dary after seeing Luke in green right now!

I would actually go;

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Gilroy
12. Marshall
13. D'Arcy
14. Bowe
15. Zebo

21. Reddan 22. Jackson 23. Earls

[Gibson]

This is not a contest. Hate watching teams being humiliated.

Unless they are top 8. That's cool.

[Golden]

Its funny that this team will arguably score more than the full irish team would have

[Notch]

Fiji are woeful. I blame the French. IRB should overrule their clubs.

Fiji rugby's problems aren't to do with the French clubs. They have just regressed terribly in the
last number of years. Tonga and Samoa would have relatively similar numbers to Fiji in the French
leagues and they are currently doing quite well. The IRB already overrule the clubs but there are
of course ways around this and it is hard for the IRB to have a solution that work 100%.

It certainly doesn't help. Fiji look painfully naive.

These young Ulster bucks are absolutely loving the space they are leaving out there. That 10-12-13 axis have been playing together all season and it shows. Completely at odds to Ireland last week in the backs who were all at sixes and sevens.

[Cari]

ooh...Ireland pinged again...oh hang on no, Fiji are pinged. Penalty reversed.

Fairdo's they're going for goal when they could've kicked it out and gone for a brew...

Paddy misses. 29-0. Extra time as the ball stays in.

[Notch]

This is not a contest. Hate watching teams being humiliated.

Unless they are top 8. That's cool.

True. Fiji are not at the races. We have been very sharp though. We're going well.

[valjester]

Ah Notch, you are being conservative as to appear impartial. Nobody in their right mind would go back to dary after seeing Luke in green right now!

I would actually go;

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Gilroy
12. Marshall
13. D'Arcy
14. Bowe
15. Zebo

21. Reddan 22. Jackson 23. Earls

Notch that is an ridiculous selection, what has Darcy done to justify being ahead of Earls or Cave?

[rapidsnowman]

Unless they are top 8. That's cool

NZ 60 - IRE 0 wasn't cool!

[rodders]

Delighted with that first half...keep her lit lads....

Are you watching Deccie.....

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

Completely unacceptable performance from the Ulster players. Cave just proved DOD and Sin right- Cave wouldn't even earn his battle scars in AIL 1. Bring on Earls immediately. Jackson is a disgrace. ROG is the future. Also Craig Gilroy is overrated and Zebo is better. And as for Henderson? Pah! Out of his depth.

[Notch]

Hehe, keep talking to Jerry Flannery about Ulster players- he loves it!

[Cari]

Unless they are top 8. That's cool

NZ 60 - IRE 0 wasn't cool!

We could be seeing that sort of score here at this rate.

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Unless they are top 8. That's cool

NZ 60 - IRE 0 wasn't cool!

I dunno, I enjoyed it

[rodders]

Gilroy has magic dust in those boots ....

[Cari]

Hehe, keep talking to Jerry Flannery about Ulster players- he loves it!

Cause they're young and good looking...

[Golden]

Ireland dont give them a proper test match so Fiji just dont try

[Cari]

KiwiPete - I see that Italy scored 10 against NZ earlier....the ABs are slacking

[Notch]

Ah Notch, you are being conservative as to appear impartial. Nobody in their right mind would go back to dary after seeing Luke in green right now!

I would actually go;

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Gilroy
12. Marshall
13. D'Arcy
14. Bowe
15. Zebo

21. Reddan 22. Jackson 23. Earls

Notch that is an ridiculous selection, what has Darcy done to justify being ahead of Earls or Cave?

I think D'Arcy is a misunderstood player, I've been more critical of him than anyone but he's played his whole career in the wrong position of 12. He'll make yards with his leg drive but he kills the backline. Outside Marshall, he could do well. Marshall will take it to the line and draw defenders. Suddenly D'Arcy won't be running down blind alleys into heavy traffic.

[eirebilly]

Ah Notch, you are being conservative as to appear impartial. Nobody in their right mind would go back to dary after seeing Luke in green right now!

I would actually go;

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Gilroy
12. Marshall
13. D'Arcy
14. Bowe
15. Zebo

21. Reddan 22. Jackson 23. Earls

Notch that is an ridiculous selection, what has Darcy done to justify being ahead of Earls or Cave?

That blew me away as well. Its really time to retire players like D'Arcy and ROG. They have been amazing for Ireland but their day is up.

[Gibson]

Completely unacceptable performance from the Ulster players. Cave just proved DOD and Sin right- Cave wouldn't even earn his battle scars in AIL 1. Bring on Earls immediately. Jackson is a disgrace. ROG is the future. Also Craig Gilroy is overrated and Zebo is better. And as for Henderson? Pah! Out of his depth.

[Artful_Dodger]

Get Gordon D'Arcy out of the Ireland 15 for Argentina now and bring in Luke Marshall. Also I agree that it should be Gilroy instead of Trimble and there is an argument for Cave ahead of Earls.

The future of Irish rugby is bright, the future of Irish rugby is Ulster.

[rodders]

A lot of talk about the Ulster .. er...quadro...

Been impressed with Murray and McFadden too...

Best thing is we are doing the basics of back play well...drawing and passing and there is no substitute for youth and talent.

Fiji have been abysmal but its a joy to watch an Irish side play heads up positive rugby for the first time in yonks...

[Gibson]

Ah Notch, you are being conservative as to appear impartial. Nobody in their right mind would go back to dary after seeing Luke in green right now!

I would actually go;

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Gilroy
12. Marshall
13. D'Arcy
14. Bowe
15. Zebo

21. Reddan 22. Jackson 23. Earls

Notch that is an ridiculous selection, what has Darcy done to justify being ahead of Earls or Cave?

That blew me away as well. Its really time to retire players like D'Arcy and ROG. They have been amazing for Ireland but their day is up.

Methinks Notch is talking the pish. In his subtle way.

[eirebilly]

I know this is a very unorganised Fiji side but the young Ulster boys have done very well.

[Pot Hale]

Ireland to fall apart in the second half and get Fiji on the scoreboard or can they get past 40 points?

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

I hope everyone is watching RTE. They are putting this in perspective- all the analysis on the Fijians and nothing about the Ulster/Irish players. Just right, no nordies here thanks.

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

Get Gordon D'Arcy out of the Ireland 15 for Argentina now and bring in Luke Marshall. Also I agree that it should be Gilroy instead of Trimble and there is an argument for Cave ahead of Earls.

The future of Irish rugby is bright, the future of Irish rugby is Ulster.

The future' bright, the future's orange you mean.

[valjester]

Ah Notch, you are being conservative as to appear impartial. Nobody in their right mind would go back to dary after seeing Luke in green right now!

I would actually go;

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Gilroy
12. Marshall
13. D'Arcy
14. Bowe
15. Zebo

21. Reddan 22. Jackson 23. Earls

Notch that is an ridiculous selection, what has Darcy done to justify being ahead of Earls or Cave?

I think D'Arcy is a misunderstood player, I've been more critical of him than anyone but he's played his whole career in the wrong position of 12. He'll make yards with his leg drive but he kills the backline. Outside Marshall, he could do well. Marshall will take it to the line and draw defenders. Suddenly D'Arcy won't be running down blind alleys into heavy traffic.

Notch, a lot of the reason that Darcy is running into blind alleys is because he chooses to do so. In the game last week Earls and Bowe ran brilliant support lines of his shoulder only for the pass not to come as Darcy chose contact instead. Ever since his injury his defence has been poor, and even before at times, think Morrison for Scotland, he has been ran over. Last week when JDV chose to run at Darcy he was making huge yards. The 13 channel is extremely difficult to defend, it took Earls a while to get up to speed there, and Darcy has played there in years. If Marshall was at 12, I really could see Earls making hay of the passes he would receive, and it is a selection for the future, Darcy at 13 is just pointless and would be the type of selection that Kidney has been hammered for making.

Jackson's two missed kicks could prove costly; gives Kidney a reason to stick with Rog, well a reason in his mind.

[eirebilly]

Get Gordon D'Arcy out of the Ireland 15 for Argentina now and bring in Luke Marshall. Also I agree that it should be Gilroy instead of Trimble and there is an argument for Cave ahead of Earls.

The future of Irish rugby is bright, the future of Irish rugby is Ulster.

The future' bright, the future's orange you mean.

Someone has been watching Dutch commercials

[Cari]

Get Gordon D'Arcy out of the Ireland 15 for Argentina now and bring in Luke Marshall. Also I agree that it should be Gilroy instead of Trimble and there is an argument for Cave ahead of Earls.

The future of Irish rugby is bright, the future of Irish rugby is Ulster.

The future' bright, the future's orange you mean.

[rodders]

Donners doing well for the auld guard.

Come on lads keep her lit.

[wolfball]

I watch these irish lads throwing it around with joy and all i can think is Deccie hasn't ruined them yet with fear and negativity. Please Deccie, do not ruin these lads before you go, there is so much for the more senior lads to unlearn as it is.

[Cari]

Get Gordon D'Arcy out of the Ireland 15 for Argentina now and bring in Luke Marshall. Also I agree that it should be Gilroy instead of Trimble and there is an argument for Cave ahead of Earls.

The future of Irish rugby is bright, the future of Irish rugby is Ulster.

The future' bright, the future's orange you mean.

Someone has been watching Dutch commercials

Speaking of Dutch - did you see Visser earlier for Scotland? No I didn't either. He was playing but very inconspicuous.

[clivemcl]

I hope everyone is watching RTE. They are putting this in perspective- all the analysis on the Fijians and nothing about the Ulster/Irish players. Just right, no nordies here thanks.

BBC even struggled to get praise about Ulster from Flannery. You ever hear him on his Joe.ie rugby podcast. When it comes to Ulster, they are all like 'do we have to'.

I'm not joking, I want that backline except with Bowe and Zebo against argies. Especially if Sexton is injured.

[valjester]

Great turnover by Murray, good tackle by Cave.

[Notch]

I predict maybe one change in total to next weeks backline.

But I hope Gilroy does enough to get ahead of McFadden and onto the team. McFadden is a fine centre but Gilroy just has wee bit of X-factor in his boots...

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

Get Gordon D'Arcy out of the Ireland 15 for Argentina now and bring in Luke Marshall. Also I agree that it should be Gilroy instead of Trimble and there is an argument for Cave ahead of Earls.

The future of Irish rugby is bright, the future of Irish rugby is Ulster.

The future' bright, the future's orange you mean.

Someone has been watching Dutch commercials

Speaking of Dutch - did you see Visser earlier for Scotland? No I didn't either. He was playing but very inconspicuous.

Maybe he's like Dan Lydiate. If he isn't doing anything it's because he is doing the unseen work. It's unseen, so you don't see it. Do you see?

[rodders]

Gees who'd have though playing a 12 at 12 and 13 and 13 would have made so much difference from playing two converted wingers in midfield? ....

[eirebilly]

Speaking of Dutch - did you see Visser earlier for Scotland? No I didn't either. He was playing but very inconspicuous.

He didnt have his best game but its hard to shine against a strong SA team

[Gibson]

I hope everyone is watching RTE. They are putting this in perspective- all the analysis on the Fijians and nothing about the Ulster/Irish players. Just right, no nordies here thanks.

Proper order too. Ya come down here, taking real Irish players jobs...

Cave & Marshall have done everything they could have done in that half. Most impressed. It says it all about provincial-pairings playing for their country. They have an in-built advantage.

Kidney wont do it though. See Murray & Sexton. NOT a pairing. Paul Marshall (I always rated him highly) should be given a run. Shame Pienaar is in his way at Ulster.

[rodders]

Best Murray has played in yonks...

[rodders]

brilliant finish from McFadden..

[wolfball]

Best Murray has played in yonks...

I know, its the Murray of a year ago.

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