Ireland vs Wales, 8th February 2014

IRELAND: Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster); Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster); Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster); Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (capt), Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster), Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster).

Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster), Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster), Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster), Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster), Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster).

WALES: Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro 92), George North (Northampton Saints); Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro 92); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro 92), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues) (capt), Toby Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Bath), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), James Hook (Perpignan), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant Referees: Glen Jackson (New Zealand), JP Doyle (England)
Television Match Official: Graham Hughes (England)

   

For all the live chat during the match, and post-mortems/victory celebrations too.

G'wan Ireland, do it for the old guys....   

Lol at gatland smacking his head on the bus mirror.

Ireland to be too strong today, IMO.

I'll predict: Ireland 25-12 Wales.

Feeling sick with nerves and butterflies. C'mon Wales!

Come on Ireland   

I've a bad feeling about this one....   

rodders wrote:I've a bad feeling about this one....   

Its a horrible feeling isn't it.


Still I believe

I hate when RTE talk up our guys, it usually mean we'll lose... might switch over to BBC to get the old siege mentality going.

Massive game needed from Henry today.

George hook is spot on, we're feiced. Wales by 20.

Shaggy says Ireland have one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the world? Is he a new appointment?

What is funny rodders, is when you think that Ireland win...

Keep it up

I must admit I'm feeling pretty nervous too as a neutral.

(it starts in 4 minutes here... I'm watching some skiing to help me keep calm.)

There's been plenty of talk and public acknowledgement from the Welsh players and staff this week regarding the threat that Ireland pose, the weather and the need for improvement from the Italy game. As per usual the talk has been talked. It's not as often that it's backed up during the 80mins when everything matters. Wales MUST nail that breakdown. Wales MUST set a better platform than last week. Complacency in any department will cost them dearly.

Wales by 10   

Shaggy must have banged his head on the blarney stone if he believes that one.

Pitch is looking superb lads, well done. (I know it's semi synthetic BTW!). Wish we had a surface like that at the MS.

Adam jones taken a knock already?

Ireland look defeated mentally already .... can't watch....

I still think that its a massive mistake to have D'Arcy starting...

Nachos Jones wrote:I still think that its a massive mistake to have D'Arcy starting...

Finally someone else sees sense. Even D'arcy ma thinks its a mistake.

Why do they drag it out like this?

Get on with it.

rodders wrote:

Nachos Jones wrote:I still think that its a massive mistake to have D'Arcy starting...

Finally someone else sees sense. Even D'arcy ma thinks its a mistake.

Why is he wearing a comical beard?

Michael d Higgins looks younger than our centres.

rodders wrote:

Nachos Jones wrote:I still think that its a massive mistake to have D'Arcy starting...

Finally someone else sees sense. Even D'arcy ma thinks its a mistake.

I am not happy, I thought that Marshall had a great game last week and is the better option.

Darcy's beard is amazing, I can't understand how people don't like it...

Is the game starting today or is it just a social??

Feeling a bit sick- this game is make or break for both sides. Edgy!

I haven't felt this worried since Apollo creed stepped into the ring with Ivan Drago.

yappysnap wrote:Is the game starting today or is it just a social??

Ah give over. It's not original, its not clever and its certainly not respectful.

All the best guys

Two fantastic looking sides and pretty hot benches

I am looking forward to this, almost as much as see Scotland putting 20+ against the auld enemy later on (all I have to do is dreammmm)

Ding Ding Round:2   

D'Arcy I think actually has a beard of bees.

Heaslip looks like a man going to the gallows.

rodders wrote:I haven't felt this worried since Apollo creed stepped into the ring with Ivan Drago.  

  


I bet the guy who designed the Death Star was more worried when he realised he left a big undefended hole in it!

The only horrible sight is the sight of Wayne Barnes.

Hoping for a good game here - this might be the fixture of this years 6N and the winners could well be the overall winners. Will the Irish be able to expose Gatlandball for the limited game it is? Will the Welsh be able to get and retain enough possession? Will Philips get caught up in fighting his opposite number? Will Bod show his best?

Good luck to all - lets see some entertainment!

First scrum will be interesting

Halfpenny just made a statement of intent...... superb in the high ball

Shocking scrum from Ireland...

Some strange sigths already Adam jones with a scrum cap Gethin rolling round on the floor, oh no wait a minute that's the norm these days

Wales getting over the gainline with ease already.

Trimble!!!   

Great tackle by Trimble

Good tackle from POC

Nice kick

Great kick! Ireland by 20!

Ironically Lydiate got smashed by a chop tackle there! I wonder if we'll have a 10min montage of the hit as we would if it'd been the other way round?

Nachos Jones wrote:Shocking scrum from Ireland...

I was amazed that Jenkins dismantled Ross, but even more shocked that Jones destroyed Healy in that first scrum

Nice feet by chilli jnr

Gawd I can't watch. Blow the whistle Wayne!