Can Ireland beat Italy?

First topic message reminder :

Italy are well overdue beating Ireland and I can see them pushing very hard for a second 6N victory. As an irishman I'll be watching this game very nervously in what may be O driscolls and kidneys last game...

Feckless Rogue wrote: I wonder is there anything to read into the fact that it's been Leinster players who seem to be showing most frustration.

Yeah I'd read it that there's too many underperforming Leinster players in the side.

Of bigger concern is that there aren't many viable alternatives to said players.

Good analysis by Conor o Shea Jackson just not up to this level put madigan in at 10 and move paddy to 12

To answer the posters question and title of thread....

NO, not it hey carry on playing like this.

Ireland look clueless. This is not the same side that played in Cardiff. Then they where looking dangerous, now they look like self exploding.

Unless they change in the second half, they may as well start on the St Paddy days celebrations now.

Cari wrote:Is Heaslip captain today? Where the hell is he?!

Where he usually is these days Cari...behind the gainline....

Really poor so far. SOB playing well. Jackson doing ok but it seems to be going lateral from there. Murrays distribution is woeful today.

There is absolutely no way Italy can lose this.

it's a bit of a miracle Ireland are only 3 points down TBH, they could still nick this. Italy playing most of (all?) the rugby, but lacking a bit of composure in the important moments. Ireland all over the place, not helped by yet more injuries of course.

nathan wrote:

Cari wrote:

nathan wrote:is that going to be another yellow card? he made contact with the face?

It was a push but nowhere near the Italian's face. Not worthy of a card at all. The Italian was acting like a footballer then.

i thought it hit his chin, yeah the italians seem to be like some of the french players in there play acting. It annoys the hell out of me.

Think it was both a push, and a slight blow to the chin, but no respect at all for the muppet acting mortally wounded.

BlueMuff wrote:Good analysis by Conor o Shea Jackson just not up to this level put madigan in at 10 and move paddy to 12

O'Shea needs to take the RTE goggles off.

Rodders you seem frustrated

Jesus that was woeful, scrum and lineout all over the place, Murray box-kicking way too often, no discipline and no leadership. Injuries hit hard and this is a team than probably hasnt that much familiarity and that is showing a bit (Italy are taking advantage of that and bullying us).

If we have our regular second half lull now, this game is done and dusted.

Also, is it just me, or does sean o brien always pop his head out of the scrum way too early looking for the break? it leaves Healy totally on his own!

Munchkin wrote:

nathan wrote:

Cari wrote:

nathan wrote:is that going to be another yellow card? he made contact with the face?

It was a push but nowhere near the Italian's face. Not worthy of a card at all. The Italian was acting like a footballer then.

i thought it hit his chin, yeah the italians seem to be like some of the french players in there play acting. It annoys the hell out of me.

Think it was both a push, and a slight blow to the chin, but no respect at all for the muppet acting mortally wounded.

I think Barnes was struggling to communicate with the other refs, if he could i think kearney could of gone. Thankfully he didn't though as the play acting was awful.

Well, somehow only 3 points down. Let's hope for an improved 2nd half.

rodders wrote:

Cari wrote:Is Heaslip captain today? Where the hell is he?!

Where he usually is these days Cari...behind the gainline....

Not that Ireland could do with a good leader or anything...

The heavens have just opened here - thunder, lightening and hailstones. Good job the roof is shut for the next game...back to this storm anyway...

Our restarts have been f**king appalling. The leadership in the pack is non-existent.

God, we are totally screwed when BOD and POC are both gone, we really don't know
how lucky we've been to have had two excellent leaders.

Need BOD to turn this mess around. Last game in a green shirt?

I"d love a fairytale ending.

poor chase by ireland there. If there not going to chase then dont kick it.

Great Italian kick...

I don't really get it- Jackson has done fine. Some poor kicking though. The quality of ball he is getting is horrific.

Poor Kearney will get a nice long rest this summer

Gibson wrote:Need BOD to turn this mess around. Last game in a green shirt?

I"d love a fairytale ending.

It could happen, he's the sort of player who can do it.

Is there any aspect of this game where Ireland have even parity?

Italy are destroying our lineout and look bigger, fitter, faster, more committed, better structured and have higher skill levels.

Parisse must have carried more metres than every Irish player put together.

Hello, this is the 1990's. We want our truly awful Irish rugby team back.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:

Poor Kearney will get a nice long rest this summer

I don't think he had much of a look in with the Lions tour anyway to be honest.

Oh Gibbo, I missed you. What Munster man can we assign blame to for this one? Rory Best looks he's playing with Munster blood in him

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:I don't really get it- Jackson has done fine. Some poor kicking though. The quality of ball he is getting is horrific.

Poor Kearney will get a nice long rest this summer

I think the problem is the tactics he is playing to, but it can also be argued that he needs to take a bit more responsibility and demand the ball. He has gone missing a few times, standing way too deep.

nathan wrote:

Munchkin wrote:

nathan wrote:

Cari wrote:

nathan wrote:is that going to be another yellow card? he made contact with the face?

It was a push but nowhere near the Italian's face. Not worthy of a card at all. The Italian was acting like a footballer then.

i thought it hit his chin, yeah the italians seem to be like some of the french players in there play acting. It annoys the hell out of me.

Think it was both a push, and a slight blow to the chin, but no respect at all for the muppet acting mortally wounded.

I think Barnes was struggling to communicate with the other refs, if he could i think kearney could of gone. Thankfully he didn't though as the play acting was awful.

Agreed. Stupid from Kearney, but in keeping with the Ireland game as a whole. Not great.

Murray will always be a stop gap until we find a proper SH

Good afternoon Bretheren (Good Afternoon Cari lass)

Just managed to turn on, doesn't sound good for Ireland so far. Italy seem to have the rush "blitz" midfield defence, perhaps adopt a chip and chase from Ireland

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Rodders you seem frustrated

No I'm at the stage of acceptance.....

It's as if none of these Ireland players want to go to Australia, worried about sunburn?

Rory Best is quite literally throwing his starting berth away at lineout time.

Don't bring nasty Rodders out of his shell. I had to put him on suicide watch after the near miss against the All Blacks.

Feckless Rogue wrote:Hello, this is the 1990's. We want our truly awful Irish rugby team back.

At least that team chase Garryowens with conviction.... earned their wooden spoons with pride....

I'm puzzled...wasn't Murray MOTM recently...?

Still, if Ireland are beaten today at least they'll have a new coach to look forward to at some point sooner rather than later...

is that Jackson the ex Sarries player running the line?

Gibbo, I need to hear some of your infectious enthusiasm and positivity. Do you have any left for this Irish team?

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Murray will always be a stop gap until we find a proper SH

Most stupid statement here all day man of match last week! What is the sh to do when the fly half is hiding all day

Excellent defence from Henderson there

me too rodders.

numb to it. just looking forward to a change and a new coaching team

we have decent players i do not care what anyone says. granted some are rank out of form

our tactics are stone age.

Ireland make me sad.

Surely that's an Italian try...looked like the ball was put down...

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Don't bring nasty Rodders out of his shell. I had to put him on suicide watch after the near miss against the All Blacks.

I actually thought I'd hit rock bottom back then.....

Try given.

14-6 at 48 minutes.

Worryingly for the Irish, this is the type of game Italy play in the last 10 mins, if they carry on like this for the next 30, its goodnight Ireland.

16-6

thats a damn good conversion

Philip Matthews just going through Ireland's problems...it's woeful. If Italy don't maintain their win today, it'll be a miracle....and there's a few Argies in the Italian side

16-6 at 49 minutes. Fitzy on crutches!!

I'm struggling to think of a worse Irish performance in my lifetime.

Madigan has to go to 10

Kidney's reign has come full circle. Started with a grand slam finished with the wooden spoon

have Ireland actually made more than two passes today, seem to be just kicking everything, Italy thoroughly good value for their lead right now...

BlueMuff wrote:Madigan has to go to 10

Why? It's not going to make a difference unless the tactics change.