Ireland vs Wales, 8th February 2014

First topic message reminder :

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)

   

Man of the match goes off. Best test match I've seen from Sexton in a while. Total shut out from Ireland. Wales have showed glimpses but Ireland haven't let them have any continuity. Great confidence for England match.   

From minute 1 the Welsh have been utterly dominated with no answer.

Is it too early to predict an Irish grandslam?

Wales have simply been out thought and out played today.

They were tactically very astute and their commitment at the breakdown and in defence was brilliant.

Well done Ireland.

Great to see that the saints have ruined North

Mr Barnes has been giving Wales every chance - there have been several debatable calls in Wales's favour - but they've been unable to capitalise. I wondered if Warrenball woud be vulnerable to Ireland's newfound intensity, but I didn't think it would crumple quite this badly.

This has been a really professional job by Ireland. Wales haven't got going at all...

You'd swear this was a Cardiff blues game with how anonymous warbs has been   

Metal Tiger wrote:From minute 1 the Welsh have been utterly dominated with no answer.

Is it too early to predict an Irish grandslam?

Ireland or France for me.

Finally POM gets the MoTM award

Ireland's kicking game...the 25-30 metre up and chase/ compete exactly what the ABs did most of last year. Possibly the most effective ploy in the game today. Ireland have executed it well with Sexton and kearneys chasing.
Theyve out classed and out thought Wales to this point and Wales have no answer. Gatland will be asked questions and hes losing this battle with his kiwi counterpart.

Other than some terrible kicks in the first half sexton has been good. Ireland overall have been solid. Very good in pretty much all areas. I think they're going to hammer us.

Metal Tiger wrote:From minute 1 the Welsh have been utterly dominated with no answer.

Is it too early to predict an Irish grandslam?

no-one is going to do a GS this year i think

Was it Gtaland who ordered BOD off?

Yess!!!!!!

Try Jackson!

Great stuff take that gatland

Mike Phillips really is an Idiot.

Ooof, the Welsh lads are not happy about losing this one. Not happy at all.

watch this, Barnes big play, Mike gets yellow

philips is not only crwp he's a disgrace

Don't mean to sound like a poor winner but it so good to see Philips and Williams so peed off

Amazing maul there!

Mike Phillips is an utter man sausage, been a gobby Poopie all game and now just being a Muppet

Phillips is a tool!

Cheap shot by Williams....but sure who cares!

Congratulations to Paddy Jackson on his first try for Ireland! I think he will celebrate by buying the entire Irish pack pints.

Ireland are racking up the points difference. Could be crucial later on

Metal Tiger wrote:From minute 1 the Welsh have been utterly dominated with no answer.

Is it too early to predict an Irish grandslam?

Yes. But I am looking forward to their game against England. Both teams play a similar style and it should be a monstrous clash.

Good try for Ireland R Jones to the rescue next week as he did last year, he is fit again?

Temper temper...
Well done Ireland. Wales with barely a sniff all day.

Wales mashed..
Well played Ireland,, 

Well done Ireland. Very well played.  

Now go and win the tournament.

YESSS IRELAND!!!!!   

Wales completely outplayed. Looking very good now and the defence has been amazing, only 9 points conceded so far.

Well done Ireland. Complete shutout.

Is Paddy Jackson a winger? As he was really slow on that break there.

quinsforever wrote:philips is not only crwp he's a disgrace

Ah now i get it, you're Brian Moore.

 

We've had some days against Wales that were hard to take in the past- this one is as sweet as they were bitter. Delighted!

Williams should be cited for that cheap shot.

We'll played Ireland, hard luck wales  

 Great win, solid performance all round take a bow lads .  

Great rivalry with the Welsh boys so that's a big win   

He's an Outhalf yappy

I really like the Welsh players, but great to see Gatlandball completely out thought. Well done Ireland.

yappysnap wrote:Is Paddy Jackson a winger? As he was really slow on that break there.

Ermmmm no, he's a 10

very strong, ireland well played.

gatland revealed as the real weak link in the welsh setup. zero adaptability.

sexton's positional kicking world class today, combined with irish lineout/rolling maul, and welsh sloppy sloppy infringements were the difference.

Congratulations Ireland.

Two dominant games from Ireland to kick off their Six Nations campaign. Can they do the grand slam?

Well done Ireland. The problem with Gatland is that if plan A doesn't work he reverts to plan A....

Wish England HAD a plan A...

Irelands Physicality a the breakdown is immense. I can't see us (England) beating them.

Scratch wrote:

quinsforever wrote:philips is not only crwp he's a disgrace

Ah now i get it, you're Brian Moore.

based on the opinion i expressed above, i could be an awful lot of people

rodders wrote:Cheap shot by Williams....but sure who cares!

Exactly what Murray did to Jon Davies in the World Cup so don't give it your double standards. Actually Murray was worse as he led with his knees!

Quite a lot of Kiwi supporters seemed keen on Gatland pushing for the ABs...pretty sure Schmidt is a better option