Ireland v Georgia Sunday 16th

First topic message reminder :

Hi all,

Feel like this post can go up now that the dust is starting to settle on what was a very good win at the weekend.
Plenty of positives to take including the effective defense, the tenuous breakdown work and excellent control from the halfbacks. Some things could still be considered work ons including our attack with ball in hand, lineout and scrum.

Georgia, with all due respect, should be an easy game (echoes of 2007). Tonga beat them 23-6. Georgia failed to score a point in the second half and all of Tonga's tries came in the final 20minutes. Without wanting to sound too simplistic, it would appear as if Georgia are quite unfit albeit very physical while still on their feet. As a developed playing nation we should benefit from a number of things but the main one should be organisation and preparation. I am expecting a 100% return from our lineout, some later success in securing turnovers and our defensive shape to hold firm.

To put it bluntly, I don't believe that Georgia have any right scoring a point against us.............................with all due respect.

Injuries still account for a fair bit of our squad, other than the original cast who were down and out we have possibly lost Payne for this one, Best may be back, Henry should be back if it was just a virus and Darcy should be available also.

Any game day news, predictions, wish-lists etc pop it down below.
Much love,
Pete

But they're on it, which makes me sick thinking about it.  We'll never win anything with impurities in our Leinster/Ireland blue-blood stock.

Maybe from now on Ireland should only hire a coach who has either

a) coached all four provinces in the last season
b) can reliably claim to be equally ignorant of the abilities of all Irish qualified players

But for now, we're 6 Nations champions and ranked 3rd in the world, which is almost as important as having a Munster player on the left wing.

Can Georgia even give us a decent game? Bradley didn't look very hopeful at all in his interview.

Sin é wrote:

Standulstermen wrote:Kiss has been at ulster for 3 months. I would say the knowledge iphe has built up over 4 odd years of Irish squads is a bit greater

That is no use when you are a new entrant (for example, Duncan Casey couldn't make the squad despite his fine performances all season) presumably because he didn't have someone at the selection table talking him up.

Why would he need someone talking him up,the coaches all look at games involving all the provinces.They obviously don't believe he's good enough yet,although I have seen it suggested by a few posters on Munsterfans that he's carrying a knock so maybe he's being given the chance to recover.

FecklessRogue wrote:Can Georgia even give us a decent game? Bradley didn't look very hopeful at all in his interview.

Hard to know. I don't have a clue how they'll play. Ireland will look to play at pace and should win comfortably enough. Hopefully no injuries and some fringe players like Dom Ryan and Copeland can show what they can do.

Collision in the air. Both players should be red carded.

Georgian scrum looks very good early on

Gordon D'Arcy confirms long standing rumours that he has less pace than Dave Kilcoyne.

Pretty lacklustre display so far,we seem to be coasting through the game most of the time.We're comfortably the best team but just aren't sharp enough in the Georgian 22 to take advantage of some good positions.A few times we've been a bit quick to go wide when a few quick recycles and hit ups might be better used to suck in defenders.

Georgia have been pretty good though to be fair to them. But disappointing from us.

Jaysus this is hard to watch.
Frustration and impatience both taking a hold on the Irish players.
The second half better be a different story, as well as Georgia are doing this is not acceptable from players of this caliber.

Utter tripe and uncoordinated play. Impatience in build-up play, poor and low percentage passes, bad reading of space.

Does Zebo like running sideways? Darcy seems determined to crash into as many players as possible. And what's Madigan doing?

It would be interesting to see what a bit of kicking might do to the staunch Georgian defence line.

This referee might want to penalise Ireland now and then for hands in the ruck.

Biltong wrote:This referee might want to penalise Ireland now and then for hands in the ruck.

I don't think Ireland are alone in that department. The ref doesn't seem to notice many of them.

Rodney Ah You living up to his name.

First ball - forward pass.

First tackle - head high penalty.

Ah You!

And Ireland go to sleep.

Georgia get into Ireland's 22 for the first time.  Well taken lineout, passing and the Georgian No 8 skips inside and touches down for their first try.

Fully deserved. and Duly converted.

By the way, who in the IRB thought it would be fair to appoint a Dublin-born ref for this match?

Every passing minute is a minute that players like Marmion and Olding should be on the pitch getting international experience, and instead we're stuck with Reddan the headless and D'Arcy the momentum killer.

Scintillating run from the Munster winger, as Simon Zebo touches down from an Irish scrum inside the Georgian 10 metre line.

Georgia are just lacking experience at playing this level of test matches. I don't think it would take too much to get them up to a decent team.

Try number 5 for Felix Jones after a well worked run out from their own 22.

42-7

Holding gets his first international try as Ireland pretty much waltz through the rapidly tiring defence.

Madigan keeps his kicking 100%.

It's not 100%, he missed a conversion.

Players who have put their hand up? Our general play has looked much quicker with Marmion coming on (but also have to factor in a tiring Georgian defence) and I would say Foley has earned his bench spot. TOD looked sharp as well, for balance I would start him at 7 instead of Ruddock (if Henry is out still).

kunu wrote:It's not 100%, he missed a conversion.

Yeah, but he managed to kick the ball 100%.

Put them to the sword in the end. Frustrating how long it took, but we should give some credit to the Georgian's for that.

Would like to see Georgia play tier 1 teams every Autumn and Summer. The 6 Nations champs was a big ask for them, but I wonder how they'd do against Italy.

Georgia simply don't have the skills or pace to compete

Yeah. They have a pack though. Same as Italy.

Rte need to get rid of shane Horgan! Suggesting that jones might start on the wing but even worse suggesting that the 9 jersey is not nailed down! Is this clown for real???

BlueMuff wrote:Rte need to get rid of shane Horgan! Suggesting that jones might start on the wing but even worse suggesting that the 9 jersey is not nailed down! Is this clown for real???

They've kept McGurk and Hook for so many years now they obviously don't do firing people.

Thought Zebo was really good today...




..not

BlueMuff wrote:Rte need to get rid of shane Horgan! Suggesting that jones might start on the wing but even worse suggesting that the 9 jersey is not nailed down! Is this clown for real???

How is it unfair to suggest the 9 jersey is not nailed down? This forum sometimes, honestly

Was at the game and found it really enjoyable. Was pretty disappointed in the back line for most of it. Thought Gilroy did better than Zebo but neither look like nailing down a place in the wider squad when injured players return. Cave was alright, same as the other two. Felix Jones was really impressive, easily the pick of the backs, but D'Arcy was thoroughly disappointing- if Payne was fit there'd be no reason for him to play against Australia, but he will because Schmidt is not going to drop a player into that game without preparation so unless Payne is fully fit by Monday he likely won't make it. Fair enough but other players are the future and there are a lot of options there- the beautiful line Olding picked for his try illustrates the young talent we have breathing down his neck.

Actually based on that game, Felix Jones was better on the wing than either of the two wingers. So it's not a particularly outlandish suggestion.

Felt like a lot of the subs were designed with a view towards the World Cup; Diack playing at 8 and at second row in this game after playing 6 in his first cap clearly shows he's being considered for his versatility. Moving Jones to the wing, Keatley to inside centre and bringing on Olding at fullback is about the same thing- getting a sense for what players can add versatility in a 30-man squad.

GunsGerms wrote:Thought Zebo was really good today...




..not

Great considered argument there Guns.

Pot Hale wrote:By the way, who in the IRB thought it would be fair to appoint a Dublin-born ref for this match?

I believe it was Seamus Shilealeigh Water Meters MacLeprechaun. If anyone asks tell them he has a Georgian window. For balance like.

I wasn't Seamus. It was Paddy Mick Mc'O'Flagherty. Both his parents were Japanese. It was a complete fluke of nature that he turned out Irish.

I didn't see his face as he disappeared into the pub, but I did spot that he was carrying a pig under his arm.

FecklessRogue wrote:I wasn't Seamus. It was Paddy Mick Mc'O'Flagherty. Both his parents were Japanese. It was a complete fluke of nature that he turned out Irish.

Sorry. An understandable mistake.

Foley, Jones, O'Donnell and Madigan stood out for me. I hope Darcy was playing within himself. Ie didn't want to risk a hamstring with all that space in front of him. Rodney would be a serious addition to ball carrying options if he can get his scrummaging up to spec. I thought Reddan went fairly well. Good tempo and good service to Madigan.
Will watch it back on TV but Dom Ryan seemed fairly anonymous.

Notch wrote:

BlueMuff wrote:Rte need to get rid of shane Horgan! Suggesting that jones might start on the wing but even worse suggesting that the 9 jersey is not nailed down! Is this clown for real???

How is it unfair to suggest the 9 jersey is not nailed down? This forum sometimes, honestly

BM didn't say it was unfair to say it. Just mad. Reddan had a poor game. I can't think of any coach in the world would put Reddan ahead of Murray.

We'll put Cave's abject performance down to jet lag. Joe Schmidt should have learned from Declan Kidney doing something similar to Paddy Wallace.

I thought Reddan played well. But it is mad to suggest the starting 9 shirt is up for grabs, given that Murray/Sexton is just about the best halfback pairing in the world. Well, outside New Zealand anyway. It's like saying Keatley could oust Sexton. It's barmy. But it wouldn't be RTE sports analysis if wasn't a bit barmy.

FecklessRogue wrote:I thought Reddan played well. But it is mad to suggest the starting 9 shirt is up for grabs, given that Murray/Sexton is just about the best halfback pairing in the world. Well, outside New Zealand anyway. It's like saying Keatley could oust Sexton. It's barmy. But it wouldn't be RTE sports analysis if wasn't a bit barmy.

Shhhhhhh I think we have a spy in the ranks.

Notch wrote:

BlueMuff wrote:Rte need to get rid of shane Horgan! Suggesting that jones might start on the wing but even worse suggesting that the 9 jersey is not nailed down! Is this clown for real???

How is it unfair to suggest the 9 jersey is not nailed down? This forum sometimes, .

Because Murray is arguably the best scrum half in the world right now and he is definitely in the top 3! Reddan on the other might be on the top 5 in the rabo

That's why it's a stupid comment up there with your comment which I why rarely visit this site anymore

'Stupidity' of comments is hardly a reason not to visit an Internet forum/blog/twitterism or facethingamajig though......................... is it?

I'll go for - Good game.  

Georgia frustrated us and defended well.  Ireland made tons of errors and made bad decisions.  They left a tray of scoring opportunities behind them in the first half but that's the beauty of giving a lot for Schmidt to pick through and frown upon.
Second half was what it was and really what was always coming.  So you could say the team struggled through some rhythm issues that had a lot, but not everything, to do with unfamiliarity with each other - but then they hardened up and knuckled down in the second half, bolstered by some timely subs.

Georgia were value for money in putting on the pressure and giving the forwards a test, whilst still being of a calibre to allow our backs to have a little run - which is always good for players who like to get a bit of a breeze going.

So...for the game that  it was - Tier 1 against Tier 2 - I thought it was better than I expected it to be, and I was even comfortable enough with the more difficult first half.  It was positive pressure all through and lines fluffed all over the place!  As I say, lots for Schmidt to tighten up on.  Had we two smug halves, the players might have thought too highly of their performances.

BlueMuff wrote:

Notch wrote:

BlueMuff wrote:Rte need to get rid of shane Horgan! Suggesting that jones might start on the wing but even worse suggesting that the 9 jersey is not nailed down! Is this clown for real???

How is it unfair to suggest the 9 jersey is not nailed down? This forum sometimes, .

Because Murray is arguably the best scrum half in the world right now and he is definitely in the top 3! Reddan on the other might be on the top 5 in the rabo

That's why it's a stupid comment up there with your comment which I why rarely visit this site anymore

Your loss is keenly felt.

BlueMuff wrote:

Notch wrote:

BlueMuff wrote:Rte need to get rid of shane Horgan! Suggesting that jones might start on the wing but even worse suggesting that the 9 jersey is not nailed down! Is this clown for real???

How is it unfair to suggest the 9 jersey is not nailed down? This forum sometimes, .

Because Murray is arguably the best scrum half in the world right now and he is definitely in the top 3! Reddan on the other might be on the top 5 in the rabo

That's why it's a stupid comment up there with your comment which I why rarely visit this site anymore

You use the appropriate tool for the job in hand. I would partially agree with your analysis of Murray, you're overrating him a bit, but if you were playing against a big side like we were today and you wanted Reddan in too keep the tempo high then yes- fair enough. I could totally justify Reddan over Murray in those circumstances.

You don't just pick the best fifteen players and then come up with a game plan afterwards. You work out what you need to do to win and you pick the right players for that. Sometimes you'd rather have Murray as the impact sub than the starter.

Just home now from Dublin and watching the highlights. Forgot how impressive Kilcoyne was ball in hand. If he can continue to improve his scrummaging he'll be very useful at this level.

Murray has it all though. Good pass, great box kick, good boot, physicality, good decision maker, can run a game, very cool under pressure and doesn't throw intercepts.

The only reason you wouldn't pick Murray would be because he is injured.

South Africa are a big side, he did fine against them. Reddan didn't come on until the 78th minute.

He's a better player than Reddan but he likes to play a bit slower. Some 9s like that. Sometimes you want to keep the tempo higher which is where Reddan would be useful.

I think the same thing about Paul Marshall and Ruan Pienaar. That doesn't mean I'm out to get Ruan Pienaar

Yep. That's all it is. One plays slower and has a better all round and physical game. The other plays faster with a less robust frame. But then Stringer was fast too and not so imposing - and I loved him, especially as he angrily slapped his forwards' butts if they didn't play cart horses in the direction he wanted to go

Stringer was/is criminally underrated. Brilliant nine.