Ireland vs Italy, 8th March

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IRELAND VS ITALY

Date: Saturday, March 8
Kick-off: 14:30 GMT
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Pascal Gauzère (France), Greg Garner (England)
Television match official: Geoff Warren (England)
Assessor: Andrew Cole (Australia)

IRELAND TEAM wrote:15 Rob Kearney, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Iain Henderson, 5 Paul O'Connell (c), 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.

16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Martin Moore, 19 Rhys Ruddock, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Paddy Jackson, 23 Fergus McFadden.

ITALY TEAM wrote:15 Luke McLean, 14 Angelo Esposito, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Leonardo Sarto, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Robert Barbieri, 7 Paul Derbyshire, 6 Joshua Furno, 5 Marco Bortolami (c), 4 Quentin Geldenhuys, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Alberto de Marchi

16 David Giazzon, 17 Michele Rizzo, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Antonio Pavanello, 20 Manoa Vosawai, 21 Edoardo Gori, 22 Tommaso Allan, 23 Andrea Masi

If we win this game by a larger margin than the winners of the other two games achieve then it's very, very simple- we set up a Cup Final for ourselves in Paris to win the Championship. We do already have the best points difference but we have a chance to settle the issue of points difference beyond all doubt and make this a very simple equation. An Ireland win in Paris, and we are champions. We are out to score and Joe Schmidt has named his strongest available team.

Italy have chosen to rotate their squad with half an eye on targeting the final game against England, Sergio Parisse is rested along with the first choice halfbacks in a team with a more experimental look. Tito Tebaldi and Andrea Masi make long awaited returns to the Italian match day squad and Luciano Orquera will hope to recapture the form which saw him perform so well in some famous Italian victories in the 2013 campaign.

There'll be plenty of applause for a retiring legend... but no room for sentiment. A ruthless and clinical performance is required.

I love Bestie because he pointedly refused to throw it to the Welsh Lions!!!

That was learnin' them!

Ulster folk can be cliquey like that.

Sin é wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

Cyril wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:Have I accidentally slipped into a debate as to how much more "super world class" Leinster players are over just "bog standard world class" players at Ulster and Munster??

It does make you wonder whether Irish players should wear their provincial shirts for internationals. It would make it easier for the fans to know which ones to watch  

Well Munster fans tend to wear their Munster jerseys at Ireland games for some reason and ROG claimed to prefer playing for Munster than Ireland so you arent far off the truth.

It has always been traditional to wear your club colours at international matches. In the good old days these used consist of a blazer with a crest. (Apart from anything else, the IRFU market Ireland as 4 Proud Provinces of Ireland. Look at the flag they use - its got the provincial emblems on it).

Its interesting to look back actually at some old Munster games in the early '00s. Hardly anyone wearing Munster jerseys. Munster Rugby is some marketing machine now.

When I go to internationals I see a lot of folk wearing provincial jerseys and gear, but Ulster and Leinster are as well represented as Munster most of the time and Ireland jerseys outnumber them all.

BTW, is that BOD having a snooze against Darcy's leg?

You lie there, BOD. Don't annoy yourself. The Provincial whackos are doing it all for you.

GunsGerms wrote:At Ireland games this is what Ireland fans see:

Ireland fans:

this is what Munster fans see:

Munster fans:

Brilliant   

GunsGerms wrote:At Ireland games this is what Ireland fans see:

Ireland fans:

this is what Munster fans see:

Munster fans:

The halo could be a bit bigger on Murray Guns   

GunsGerms wrote:

BlueMuff wrote:

geoff999rugby wrote:
Given Schmidt is still only just in the job the improvement in such a short space of time is impressive.

Kidney won a Grand Slam in his first year in charge so this part of your argument does not really stack up at all. The GS is gone and may not even win the Championship.

It would appear that the slam was as much to do with the momentum built by previous coaches and player leadership. Post slam we got worse every year.

Sorry missed all the fun and games this morning....anyhow regarding this comment Cheika/Schmidt anyone? Seeing the wake of destruction Schmidt left in the Blues the current set up could go any direction. So far its been steady but thats it.

That may have been the case but Schmidt backed up the momentum with further trophies and sustained it until he left. Something Kidney certainly couldnt achieve.

GunsGerms wrote:That may have been the case but Schmidt backed up the momentum with further trophies and sustained it until he left. Something Kidney certainly couldnt achieve.

And that is the hope that is going to happen now with Schmidt. However it is possible it could be a bridge too far for him..there are plenty of concerns..

ME-109 wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:That may have been the case but Schmidt backed up the momentum with further trophies and sustained it until he left. Something Kidney certainly couldnt achieve.

And that is the hope that is going to happen now with Schmidt. However it is possible it could be a bridge too far for him..there are plenty of concerns..

The only momentum Ireland had when Schmidt took over was downward momentum. Our campaign last year was a shambles.

This is what Leinster fans see by the way:

Leinster fans:

GunsGerms wrote:

ME-109 wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:That may have been the case but Schmidt backed up the momentum with further trophies and sustained it until he left. Something Kidney certainly couldnt achieve.

And that is the hope that is going to happen now with Schmidt. However it is possible it could be a bridge too far for him..there are plenty of concerns..

The only momentum Ireland had when Schmidt took over was downward momentum. Our campaign last year was a shambles.

Again with the last year....its over Guns you can relax its been done to death (maybe if we had an OH who could kick and our best player didnt lose the plot it might have been different). Its now the new beginning...(well seven months and six games in). He has had some time to move things along (I think he has - or at least Plumtree has). The next two games will give a big indication as to how its really going...

I admit last years wasnt as bad as results make it seem but we certainly appear to have improved a lot under Schmidt.

I also agree that Sexton's kicking isnt good enough.

I know it might not happen but more than any other game this year (outside of the ABs) I would love to see us tonk the French in Paris by a record score....its time..

ME-109 wrote:I know it might not happen but more than any other game this year (outside of the ABs) I would love to see us tonk the French in Paris by a record score....its time..

As you well know Dod we have only won there once in 46 years. That said they do look really clueless at the moment. Parra's hearing for a headbut is today. It would help if he wasnt playing.

ME-109 wrote:Seeing the wake of destruction Schmidt left in the Blues the current set up could go any direction. So far its been steady but thats it.

Well at least we're already familiar with how low things can go - with 10th in the ranks taking a serious long greedy look at us last year for the first time. The last guy (think it was Mcfadden on his bench) just pulled his ass up high enough to avoid the teeth. It was close.

France are there for the tonking. If we don't tonk them in 2 weeks then we'll never tonk them.

Destroy the Italians and drive France into the dirt!

I hate all this history stuff telling us why and by how much and how little we can't do something. We can, if our brains want us to.

But it's fantasy of course, as Mr Do-Drop-Ireland-In-It Parra will be back in time just to turn France into a real team again. That guy loves chewing on Irish hopes.

GunsGerms wrote:

ME-109 wrote:I know it might not happen but more than any other game this year (outside of the ABs) I would love to see us tonk the French in Paris by a record score....its time..

As you well know Dod we have only won there once in 46 years. That said they do look really clueless at the moment. Parra's hearing for a headbut is today. It would help if he wasnt playing.

Two week ban... back just in time for the big game in Paris! How fortunate for him   

Well we have had two draws against them which is our best run against them since the 60's   

Parra out would be great (Dousain is a joke).

Having been in Paris three times in the 90's (two for record scores against us - 91 92 and 93 96 - I is getting senile..) its always been more in hope than expectation. If Scotland beat them next week I think we will win, if they get their tails up its just that regardless of how we play against their teams in the HC when it comes to the internationals the minute they see a green shirt they think they will win (in that infuriating yet endearing way the French have certainty).

rodders wrote:France are there for the tonking. If we don't tonk them in 2 weeks then we'll never tonk them.

Why didnt England tonk them?

Problem with France is that while they are all over the place they do have plenty of players that can do damage.

Driico to score a hat-trick and leave us as he came in.... and that will be all Brian, and that will be all....

GunsGerms wrote:

rodders wrote:France are there for the tonking. If we don't tonk them in 2 weeks then we'll never tonk them.

Why didnt England tonk them?

They did, they just forgot to score more points than them in the process.

They will probably play Tales and Parra , which is a pity as they bring a bit more structure to the team. Although with PSA you never know.

rodders wrote:Driico to score a hat-trick and leave us as he came in.... and that will be all Brian, and that will be all....

That'll do pig. That'll do.

Wouldn't that be some curtain down moment..............

Parra will be laughing though. He knows what the dream will be already and has planned for it to bite the dirt

They'll be carrying him from the pitch with the trophy in 2 weeks fly, trust me. Even Warren will be flying out to clap him off.

SecretFly wrote:

rodders wrote:Driico to score a hat-trick and leave us as he came in.... and that will be all Brian, and that will be all....

That'll do pig.  That'll do.

Wouldn't that be some curtain down moment..............

Parra will be laughing though.  He knows what the dream will be already and has planned for it to bite the dirt

The French are funny that way in what motivates them...think Croke Park 2007, any AB team in the world cup etc....

GunsGerms wrote:

rodders wrote:France are there for the tonking. If we don't tonk them in 2 weeks then we'll never tonk them.

Why didnt England tonk them?

Problem with France is that while they are all over the place they do have plenty of players that can do damage.

absolutley - they have always looked like scoring tries in this series - as well as giving them away.

viva la france! gees anyone would think the great serge blanco was going to take the field and skip past our defenders with the ball in one hand and a glass of Bordeaux in the other!

rodders wrote:viva la france! gees anyone would think the great serge blanco was going to take the field and skip past our defenders with the ball in one hand and a glass of Bordeaux in the other!

It wouldnt be a glass of Bordeaux...he would be having a Gitanes..

What are the chances if Bowe has a stormer for Ulster this weekend he will get called up for Ireland. He could be just the ticket to boost points difference v Italy.

rodders wrote:viva la france! gees anyone would think the great serge blanco was going to take the field and skip past our defenders with the ball in one hand and a glass of Bordeaux in the other!

Well that's the way the french have been playing so far. A little skipping past defenders and then straight to the bottle for the other 70 minutes.

GunsGerms wrote:What are the chances if Bowe has a stormer for Ulster this weekend he will get called up for Ireland. He could be just the ticket to boost points difference v Italy.

Doesnt hit rucks enough and might be too fast for Joe...  

And who would you drop?

ME-109 wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:What are the chances if Bowe has a stormer for Ulster this weekend he will get called up for Ireland. He could be just the ticket to boost points difference v Italy.

Doesnt hit rucks enough and might be too fast for Joe...  

And who would you drop?

Connor Murray?

GunsGerms wrote:

ME-109 wrote:
Well not sure about that now Guns. What we do need is winger who can outrun a lock unlike Average Dave   

How many times have you brought this up today? Yes Kearney was tackled by a lock. Not sure what that proves, he is still fast enough. Speed isnt everything anyway. Bowe is probably one of our slowest wingers but probably our best.

Often players that are fast develop an over reliance on their pace, Ashton par example, to the detriment of other skills, positioning, passing, decision making etc. Zebo himself has plenty of things to work on before he is the finished article. Attitude would surely be a good place to start as it is every bit as important as pace in the grander scheme of things.

Can i just say this lock running down Kearney is nonsense. Look at the below screenshot, the angle form launchbury is that he is AHEAD of kearney. Keanrey is starting to gas past him when he is tackled. Zebo may well have smoked launchbury - we'll never know, but with that same running angle it would be very hard for any winger to do so, launchbury is covering so well.




And for the usual provincial bickerings, remember I'm a Connacht lad and couldnt care less about what province our players are from (well Henshaw and Marmion should def be starting of course )

Probably POM for his wild tackling. Actually having rewatched the clip of POMs tackle he actually grabs May's shoulder first. As May tries to slip away he ducks and POMs hand slips up to the head. It all happens quite fast but probably on the face of it the reason why Joubert didnt penalise him and probably the right call. joubert was also right beside the players when the tackle happened. Qudos POM you ligend.

wolfball wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

ME-109 wrote:
Well not sure about that now Guns. What we do need is winger who can outrun a lock unlike Average Dave   

How many times have you brought this up today? Yes Kearney was tackled by a lock. Not sure what that proves, he is still fast enough. Speed isnt everything anyway. Bowe is probably one of our slowest wingers but probably our best.

Often players that are fast develop an over reliance on their pace, Ashton par example, to the detriment of other skills, positioning, passing, decision making etc. Zebo himself has plenty of things to work on before he is the finished article. Attitude would surely be a good place to start as it is every bit as important as pace in the grander scheme of things.

Can i just say this lock running down Kearney is nonsense. Look at the below screenshot, the angle form launchbury is that he is AHEAD of kearney. Keanrey is starting to gas past him when he is tackled. Zebo may well have smoked launchbury - we'll never know, but with that same running angle it would be very hard for any winger to do so, launchbury is covering so well.




And for the usual provincial bickerings, remember I'm a Connacht lad and couldnt care less about what province our players are from (well Henshaw and Marmion should def be starting of course )

It was also a tap tackle wasnt it? The only reason anyone ever tap tackles a player is because that player is out pacing them and getting away. In any case if it was a tap tackle (not sure) it isnt possible that Launchbury caught up with or out paced Kearney because if he did he would have just tackled him then.

Its obviously just a case of ME-109 trying to wind people up.

GunsGerms wrote:

wolfball wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

ME-109 wrote:
Well not sure about that now Guns. What we do need is winger who can outrun a lock unlike Average Dave   

How many times have you brought this up today? Yes Kearney was tackled by a lock. Not sure what that proves, he is still fast enough. Speed isnt everything anyway. Bowe is probably one of our slowest wingers but probably our best.

Often players that are fast develop an over reliance on their pace, Ashton par example, to the detriment of other skills, positioning, passing, decision making etc. Zebo himself has plenty of things to work on before he is the finished article. Attitude would surely be a good place to start as it is every bit as important as pace in the grander scheme of things.

Can i just say this lock running down Kearney is nonsense. Look at the below screenshot, the angle form launchbury is that he is AHEAD of kearney. Keanrey is starting to gas past him when he is tackled. Zebo may well have smoked launchbury - we'll never know, but with that same running angle it would be very hard for any winger to do so, launchbury is covering so well.




And for the usual provincial bickerings, remember I'm a Connacht lad and couldnt care less about what province our players are from (well Henshaw and Marmion should def be starting of course )

It was also a tap tackle wasnt it? The only reason anyone ever tap tackles a player is because that player is out pacing them and getting away. In any case if it was a tap tackle (not sure) it isnt possible that Launchbury caught up with or out paced Kearney because if he did he would have just tackled him then.

Its obviously just a case of ME-109 trying to wind people up.

Not at all...a picture paints a thousand words...but video is better....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3ryHwkTWU0

Look at the video from 1 hour 39 mins. Launchberry is in the defensive line and has to turn and chase back (not at the angle given) he is actually closing on Average Dave all the time and its not even at an angle.

God Dod you are stupid if you keep harping on about that clip. Firstly it was a tap tackle which means Launchbury wasnt closing on Kearney and DK is clearly a lot faster than him. Secondly Kearney slows down and turns back infield towards support but also towards Launchbury because Brown is right in front of him so there was no where to go other than back in field. What a idiotic clip to highlight. My guess is if it was Zebo or anyone else and they tried to go around Brown they would have got smashed into touch and we would have lost precious posession. If anything Kearney did exactly the right thing in attempting to bring support in to play to set up the next phase which he did perfectly.

Great play by DK if anything. Wow you are dumber than I thought DOD.

Could you please stop calling him DK guns...it makes me think Declan Kidney is back.....

I didn't get it either. He sets the ball up and we retain possession.

He wasn't going to beat Brown on the outside even if Launchbury doesn't pull off that tap but I'm not sure a faster winger would have either. I'm pretty sure Brown would be confident of getting his man every time there.

Notch wrote:I didn't get it either. He sets the ball up and we retain possession.

He wasn't going to beat Brown on the outside even if Launchbury doesn't pull off that tap but I'm not sure a faster winger would have either. I'm pretty sure Brown would be confident of getting his man every time there.

Yep. If that clip is the best you can find to be critical of Dave Kearney he is clearly doing a really good job for Ireland.

rodders wrote:Could you please stop calling him DK guns...it makes me think Declan Kidney is back.....

Ok noted.

Well, no, a bit of magic and a bit of pace would work very well in that situation. You just have to look at the whole picture as well though. It's not a smoking gun.

Racing Metro have said they expect Sexton to be out for between ten days and six weeks. Expecting Paddy Jackson to start this game whilst they do everything they can to get Sexton ready for the game in Paris.

GunsGerms wrote:God Dod you are stupid if you keep harping on about that clip. Firstly it was a tap tackle which means Launchbury wasn't closing on Kearney and DK is clearly a lot faster than him. Secondly Kearney slows down and turns back infield towards support but also towards Launchbury because Brown is right in front of him so there was no where to go other than back in field. What a idiotic clip to highlight. My guess is if it was Zebo or anyone else and they tried to go around Brown they would have got smashed into touch and we would have lost precious possession. If anything Kearney did exactly the right thing in attempting to bring support in to play to set up the next phase which he did perfectly.

Great play by DK if anything. Wow you are dumber than I thought DOD.

Now now now...attack the post not the poster.
you can see what you want...he clearly isnt going to beat Brown is a good point (he wouldnt beat anyone), so correct that he went infield...to be caught by a lock..      

I guess the clip just about sums him up...also there isn't another clip for the whole game in terms of highlighting him...

Also the point about calling him DK is a good one from Notch. Average Dave is better  

Notch wrote:Racing Metro have said they expect Sexton to be out for between ten days and six weeks. Expecting Paddy Jackson to start this game whilst they do everything they can to get Sexton ready for the game in Paris.

Oh oh...Fergie will have to start as back up for kicking duties....just in case mind.

Actually looking forward to PJ starting. Wont it make more sense to have Luke Marshall starting as well?

ME-109 wrote:

Now now now...attack the post not the poster.
you can see what you want...he clearly isnt going to beat Brown is a good point (he wouldnt beat anyone), so correct that he went infield...to be caught by a lock..      

I guess the clip just about sums him up...also there isn't another clip for the whole game in terms of highlighting him...

Also the point about calling him DK is a good one from Notch. Average Dave is better  

I did attack the post because it was really daft. Dod seriously I thought you had a better understanding of rugby. Basically you inadvertantly highlighted some pretty good play and decision making from Kearney while at the same time being completely wrong about a lock outpacing a winger which was the crux of your foolish arguement all along. Digging yourself into a hole here.

ME-109 wrote:

Oh oh...Fergie will have to start as back up for kicking duties....just in case mind.

That should keep Zebedee off the team sheet yet again. McFadden is the unspoken elephant on the bench holding many a better man off it.

GunsGerms wrote: If anything Kearney did exactly the right thing in attempting to bring support in to play to set up the next phase which he did perfectly.

That's the thing though isn't it, he did exactly what was expected of him (did it well mind but exactly what was expected). What you get from Zebo is that unpredictability factor, yes he may have been driven into touch but he could just as well scored the try. I much prefer Zebo as he also puts defences into two minds by not doing exactly what is expected. Its something I really like about him, he backs his own abilty.

Again, not saying Kearney is bad but I would just prefer Zebo in those situations.