Ireland v Australia 22 Nov 2014: Dog v Cat: Ali V Foreman: Beauty v Beast, Xavier v Wolfman

Have they ever met?
Sure they have.  And they're meeting each other now every second of every day in the lead up to the weekend's encounter - Schmidt even dreaming tactics whilst asleep at night, as there are not nearly enough hours in an atomic-clock week for him.  A meeting of brainwaves as one tries to look into the other's head and plan victory or defeat.

Schmidt doesn't rate the number 3.  Neither does Cheika.  But Cheika will still want the number back out of a sense of pride  He got no time for Ranking nonsense but he'll take it as his pound of flesh anyway given that the rules of the game forbid real flesh being taken.

Schmidt is the scientist; birdlike, almost timid, edgy and nervous when tension grows.  Cheika is the brick wall that needs no door to make a space for itself in a fight.  He has a nice smile, especially when he's happy, and that's usually when his fingers are around someone's neck and squeezing

Schmidt is considered pedantic, perfecting and getting on for being an infuriating perfectionist.  That can often be a problem as the word has noting to do with achieving perfection and everything to do with simply never being satisfied.  Perfectionism can often cloud the path to an easier fulfilling life.  Schmidt is driven but I don't think he'll ever find peace.

Cheika seems more like a company CEO.  Goals adopted, timeframes given, pie charts done, costs analysed, work done, work done, work redone with shouts and screams to make people listen and goals achieved.  Next project.  First project forgotten, yesterday's news.  Little genuine emotion for the victory or the initial goal that rapidly sinks into his history and falls into his junkbox.  
Schmidt wants to win - yes - but he wants to play chess.  Cheika just wants results.

And of course both coached Leinster.  One began the journey but had a temperament that wasn't conducive to a long partnership with the players.  Schmidt continued the journey and honed it but also had a temperament that didn't seem to want the relationship to last long.
This will be a brief encounter for both men - just the way they like it.  Brief encounter but the makings of a very long day for both sets of fans.

Chris Henry looks to be out, he suffered a blockage of a small blood vessel in the brain. Awaiting specialist opinion on that one. Mike McCarthy also suffered suspected concussion which pretty much copper fastens the widely postulated theory that Dave Foley has now done enough to take his place on the bench.

Rory Best and Jared Payne are doubts, but could make the bench- you sense Schmidt would be careful about dropping people in with little preparation.

Here's who I think enhanced their chances against Georgia, who I think damaged their chances and who is in the middle. It's Hot, Lukewarm and Freezing!

HOT
Dave Foley, Felix Jones, Richardt Strauss, Dave Kilcoyne, Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan, Stuart Olding, Ian Keatley, Devin Toner

LUKEWARM
Sean Cronin, Mike Ross, Rodney Ah You, Mike McCarthy, Robbie Diack, Kieran Marmion, Jack McGrath, Craig Gilroy, Robin Copeland

COLD
Dominic Ryan, Tommy O'Donnell, Gordon D'Arcy, Darren Cave, Simon Zebo

I am guessing that D'Arcy, Foley, O'Donnell and possibly Best if fit will come into the 23 for South Africa. I would prefer Keatley, Madigan or Olding to D'Arcy and Zebo to be dropped (with Felix Jones starting and Gilroy on the bench) but I doubt that will happen. The defensive nous of D'Arcy is too valuable to discount if Payne is unavailable and Zebo is rather lucky with the amount of injuries there are, although I genuinely think Felix Jones can do a better job on the wing.

All the same, I see plenty of reason to be optimistic about the weekend and am thoroughly looking forward to it.

I'd pop Sean Cronin up to HOT myself.  I thought he pretty much provided a lot of the stiffening of Ireland's resolve to push on when he came on.  Dynamic explosive guy for a stocky runt

The sad thing is if you believe the papers, D'Arcy is nailed on to start, despite being probably our worst player against Georgia.

Notch - posted this on the Ire-Georg match thread, but since you've already done a "who played well, who didn't" post, might be more appropriate here.


OK - the opposition was no great shakes and some players were on for no more than 15-20 minutes but who advanced their cause in the Georgia game and who went into reverse

Good for Jones, Madigan, Reddan, Kilcoyne, Strauss, Foley, Ryan, Olding, Copeland, O'Donnell
Bad for Darcy (ok he's coming back from injury but he made no impact whatsoever), Cave, Diack, McCarthy

OK and no more than that for Zebo, Gilroy, Ross (we badly need Moore and White back from injury to take some of the pressure off him - Ah You might have looked good in the loose on Sunday but did he have to scrum down even once?).

Thought it was a little bit over the top to give Foley MOTM, but he was very good and controlled the lineout and looks the real deal - unlike McCarthy. If Foley keeps it up then the second rows going to the RWC should be POC, Toner, Foley and Henderson (if fit) - especially as Henderson can cover 6 as well.

Given the limit on the size of the squad, will three LH's be brought to RWC - if yes then Healy, McGrath and Kilcoyne the obvious three, if only two then who misses out? Even though he was good on Sunday, Kilcoyne might be the unlucky one

In the back line, Jones was excellent but the entire three-quarter line was nondescript (Gilroy and Zebo) to poor (Darcy and Cave). Said in a post last week, Trimble and Bowe only wingers to be defo for RWC - still other places to be fought for. Jones now probably in the frame since he can cover wing and FB

Madigan was mostly very good at 10 (and has become a very reliable goalkicker) as was Reddan at 9. Barring total loss of form or injuries looks like Murray, Reddan and Marmion for the 9 slots for RWC and Madigan as number two to Sexton as well as being a very useful utility back - hard to see Keatley or Jackson upsetting that selection - again barring a total loss of form by Madigan. Now if we could also only get that moron Matt O'Connor to start Madigan at 10....

Need to see more of Olding in the months ahead but (admittedly against a Georgia team out on its feet) he looked very good, setting up Jones nicely for a try and running a great line for his own try. Darcy has been a favourite of mine for many years, but he is going to have to improve and put in a good performance against Aus if Payne is still injured and he is picked. Yeah, I know we need experience in certain positions especially as Payne, Olding and Henshaw have only a few caps between them but experience can only go so far to compensate for absence of form. Odds are that Darcy will go to RWC but will he be a starter?

Still a long time to go, and we have the 6N and the pre-RWC friendlies but some players on the fringes have laid down markets, others have a bit of catching up to do and others well......

JmD wrote:The sad thing is if you believe the papers, D'Arcy is nailed on to start, despite being probably our worst player against Georgia.

Who is nailing him on, Thornley?  But in any case, how much of D'arcy was there merely to chaperone in the Georgia game and how much of him was expected to and told to take the game by the scruff of the neck?

Schmidt knows about D'Arcy.  He wasn't in the team as a trial of his ability, and will be at the WC in some capacity unless he falls off dramatically in form or through injury by then.  Carter didn't have too bright a game against Scotland either.

JmD wrote:The sad thing is if you believe the papers, D'Arcy is nailed on to start, despite being probably our worst player against Georgia.

Its not sad at all. Darcy has nothing to prove anymore. He continues to be criticised yet comes back with epic performances ala the one last November v NZ. I back him to have a good game.

He should have to play to the same standards as everybody else. He puts in one performance every 6 months and apparently that's enough to make him the first choice 12. All the while there are younger players who give it their all every week and get better results, but D'Arcy still gets selected because "Ah sure we know him", it's ludicrous.

GunsGerms wrote:

JmD wrote:The sad thing is if you believe the papers, D'Arcy is nailed on to start, despite being probably our worst player against Georgia.

Its not sad at all. Darcy has nothing to prove anymore. He continues to be criticised yet comes back with epic performances ala the one last November v NZ. I back him to have a good game.

All D'Arcy's epic returns to good form have had Brian O'Driscoll outside him. Don't underestimate the value of their long partnership.

This is the way I think it will go next weekend:
1. Jack McGrath
2. Cronin
3. Ross
4. Toner
5. POC
6. POM
7. Ruddock
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. Henshaw
13. Payne (or D'Arcy if Payne isn't fit)
14. Bowe
15. Kearney
1. Kilcoyne, 2 Strauss, 3. Rodney Ay You, Dave Foley, Tommy O'Donnell, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Felix Jones.

Only changes from SA will be Foley for McCarthy.

If Olding had started, he might have had a chance in the centre. But I think it is hard to judge him in that game as he came on when Georgia were out on their feet and down to 13 men. More instructive is his performance against Toulon. Its a bit too soon for him I think.

I agree on Olding. It probably is a bit too soon. Would have liked to see how he got on from the start against Georgia, but then with Payne injured you would want to make sure D'Arcy got some game time under his belt so that makes sense.

I reckon if Rory Best is fit to train all week, as the IRFU press release on injuries says he is, that he will start. My concern was if he missed training earlier in the week and was parachuted in. If he's fully fit all week then I'd have no worries, he knows his role and the systems very well.

Think that is pretty close. Though I think Darcy will get the nod. I think he was probably ear marked for this game from the start. We shall see though.

It's funny seeing Ruddock pencilled in at 7 but i'd say that will be the starting team as well. I think Murray will have a high tackle count with the lack of outright pace from the set piece at 7.

JmD wrote:He should have to play to the same standards as everybody else. He puts in one performance every 6 months and apparently that's enough to make him the first choice 12. All the while there are younger players who give it their all every week and get better results, but D'Arcy still gets selected because "Ah sure we know him", it's ludicrous.

So Joe is a ludicrous coach.  

And one performance every 6 months is a bloody bonus after 14 years! (is it?)  

Calm down, JmD.  D'arcy won't be in every blasted game that counts.  Your favourite/favourites will I'm sure get more opportunites.  But Schmidt's Ireland seems to be more about winning than a voting show on who should 'star' on the team... and as long as Joe is calling the shots, D'Arcy will answer that call...for as long as he's picked.

There is another thread going on right now on Priestland.  Some Wesh folks mad at him for not being good enough.  But he isn't to blame.  Gatland is for picking him.

Well D'Arcy has done this before and then stepped up a gear in the clutch games because he has a 'test match mentality' so I'm not worried.

But there is a significant shift here with regards to his future which is that in the past when we gave out about him, we were giving out about him being first choice. He's probably already transitioned to being second choice now.

The only reason he'll be picked this time is down to Payne being injured and the transition to him being a player who is only guaranteed a start in the absence of other players is pretty profound. We talk about the future a lot, but against South Africa a brand new centre partnership came in and performed just as well as the best level we can usually expect from D'Arcy, and against a very good team too. So the threats that will usher him into retirement are not in some hazy future, they are very much in the present. And thats without considering Luke Marshall, Stuart Olding etc.

We'll use him and I think he will deliver, but there's still a real chance he won't make the RWC squad now and thats not the wishful thinking of his critics anymore. He could easily still be on the plane, maybe he's even odds on, but the issue has been cast into serious doubt.

Nice intro Fly, almost poetic.

Looking forward to this match.

Leinster owe both men a lot. They both seemed to arrive with just what Leinster needed just at the right time. But both probably owe their current status as international coaches to Leinster too. Cheika was unheard of and Schmidt had never been a head coach before Leinster gave them both the opportunity. Shame about Schmidt's successor though.

Both teams should be very well drilled and have a very high work rate, from what I've seen from these coaches. I suspect Ireland will try to starve the Aussie backs of possession, like they did with Wales last year. The mauling has been good. The control and kicking from the half backs has been very good. With Israel Folau there I hope the kicking stays very good. The lineout and scrum must improve on showing against South Africa. If Australia have enough possession and space, it goes without saying they will punish any team.

I think Ireland got this one, I personally think Aus look a bit underpowered up front. They'll test you in the backs though, especially Payne (should he start at 13).

Too early to tell, Australia will not underestimate Ireland

Look, I want the win but I wouldn't be disappointed with a tightly fought loss.  I say this because sometimes, despite the coaches best efforts, the number 3 can sit heavily on the shoulder of players unfamiliar with it - hell it's an unfamiliar number in the NH at large nevermind Ireland holding it.

So if it played out that Ireland were third going into the 6N, that's an almighty incentive to at least four of our usual opponents to give us extra attention.

I don't mind it and as I say, I certainly would love a win, for winning's sake.  But maybe better going to the WC from beneath our challengers, like wot Jaws liked to do.

Fly you can come under the radar and mug a team. But what about the next big game, and next one after that? If Irish provinces can carry the favourites tag with ease and don't need the comfort of underdog status, why should Ireland? To be an underdog, by definition you have to be losing games fairly regularly. So it's not something we should be aspiring to.

South Africa did underestimate us. And I do think they are a better team than Ireland. But I don't know if Australia are. If we're better than the Aussie's we should beat them. If we do we'll be ranked third in the world. And if we're ranked third then so be it. The fans and media can get their heads in the clouds. It shouldn't make a difference to the team as they prepare for the 6 Nations. Phase 1 of their plan can't be "Be underdogs because we can't handle it when victory is expected from us".

I do like the Jaws analogy. Jaws never wins in the end though.

FecklessRogue wrote:Fly you can come under the radar and mug a team. But what about the next big game, and next one after that? If Irish provinces can carry the favourites tag with ease and don't need the comfort of underdog status, why should Ireland? To be an underdog, by definition you have to be losing games fairly regularly. So it's not something we should be aspiring to.

South Africa did underestimate us. And I do think they are a better team than Ireland. But I don't know if Australia are. If we're better than the Aussie's we should beat them. If we do we'll be ranked third in the world. And if we're ranked third then so be it. The fans and media can get their heads in the clouds. It shouldn't make a difference to the team as they prepare for the 6 Nations. Phase 1 of their plan can't be "Be underdogs because we can't handle it when victory is expected from us".

Oh I know, Feckless.  Just being devil's advocate on the thought processes.
Like I said, I don't mind being 3rd in the slightest.  I mean it says nothing in real terms as you still have to try to win every game you play - whether 3rd or 16th. That pressure never changes. 
But attention does grow and grow the longer you stay on these high numbers, and obviously the work needed to then stay there becomes increasingly tougher.  Do we genuinely have close to the talent pool to live up to the pressure?  
So I just think of the task Joe keeps giving to himself.  The screw keeps tighening, which is all good - but poor Joe, he does live through every drop of tension his exploits put him through.  We're getting dangerously close to territory we've never travelled before.  Long may those stresses continue but boy, they're nervy times too.  We don't want any dramatic collapses, we've lived through too many of those.

FecklessRogue wrote:I do like the Jaws analogy. Jaws never wins in the end though.

Yeah, he gets blown to pieces.  But he's had a few damn good meals before he goes

Ireland are a good shot to win this. Word on the street is that Michael Cheika will be fielding a vastly different team, especially in the backs, to give some players a rest and to try out new combinations. The back line could look something like this:
Genia
Cooper
Tomane / English
Toomua / Godwin
Kuridrani
Speight
Folau
Reasonably decent but the combinations will have a bit of rust about them. Not sure whether he'll want to make too many changes in the forwards. Would like to see Matt Hodgson get a full game. This match will be the biggest and toughest test for the Wallabies on the Spring tour - 6 Nations Champions at home. Looking forward to it and to see how Henry Speight goes, if he gets a run. Hopefully it will be on a dry track.

That's still an incredibly good back line.

Ireland have looked like a team that really know exactly what they're doing, exert a lot of control, and have been tactically spot on. But what happens if the game loosens up and great game plans go out the window? It could be an achilles heel for Ireland. And a loose game would suit Australia's talents.

Australia have England next week and they're really targeting that game, they have England in their WC group next year so a win on English soil will bode well for them pre-world cup. In as much as it's possible they're going to be resting a few players against us.

So we're still coming in under the radar of the really good sides who choose to save their Best for England?

Grand - I'll live with that - don't fully believe it anymore, but I'll live with the pretence that it might be.

Considering how close Ireland came to England last year, away from home at Twickenham, in a year England had slotted for themselves a GS, and considering Cheika knows enough about Ireland and Irish players to expect a tough battle to the death, and considering England's 'considered' form this Autumn (I think not bad, others thing appallling) - if Cheika does decide to save his best steps for England then we should make him pay the price of such a decision.

But Cheika............................. I think for him a good win over Ireland would see him restore a lot of confidence in the squad, making him more ready for England the following week. I'm not sure he'll want to risk another defeat playing too far beneath his ideal side. So a final roll of the Autumn dice and taking both games as pseudo semi final and final (not giving so many rests) would be what I might expect.

SecretFly wrote:So we're still coming in under the radar of the really good sides who choose to save their Best for England?

Grand - I'll live with that - don't fully believe it anymore, but I'll live with the pretence that it might be.

Considering how close Ireland came to England last year, away from home at Twickenham, in a year England had slotted for themselves a GS, and considering Cheika knows enough about Ireland and Irish players to expect a tough battle to the death, and considering England's 'considered' form this Autumn (I think not bad, others thing appallling) - if Cheika does decide to save his best steps for England then we should make him pay the price of such a decision.

But Cheika............................. I think for him a good win over Ireland would see him restore a lot of confidence in the squad, making him more ready for England the following week.  I'm not sure he'll want to risk another defeat playing too far beneath his ideal side.  So a final roll of the Autumn dice and taking both games as pseudo semi final and final (not giving so many rests) would be what I might expect.

To be fair England have had a run of wins vs Ireland (and yes - right after Ireland had a very decent run of results vs England) and England do have a pretty decent recent record vs Aus.

I do think Ireland have a very good chance of winning this one though.

I'm not close to saying England are a bad side or close to being a push-over, lost.  I'm bloody well exhausted defending them actually through other threads recently!

Just saying I think Australia would be wise not to ignore the threat of Ireland (who let's not forget are without a handful of their favourite guys) in order to save themselves for England.  But in Cheika they have a guy who won't ignore either threat.  England or Ireland.

So, as regards Payne's injury, what do you lads think about Madigan at 12 and Henshaw at 13? Ward has been pushing for it in the papers today.

Henshaw looked the real deal against SA. And I really thought Madigan was outstanding against Georgia. On the day I remember thinking he was not getting his due credit. It felt like exactly the type of game Ireland would have struggled with even more if he hadn't been out there. His constant high-tempo and variation made the extra man advantage go our way on both occasions. I also think the idea of a Murray-Sexton-Madigan-Henshaw backline very exciting.

However, I'm not so sure it would be in keeping with Schmidt's overall mindset. And he might be right in that. You kinda figure Schmidt's gameplan places a clear priority on building a rock-solid and water-proof defensive line along with an aggressive disruptive breakdown area. It feels like individual invention and loose attacking are strictly secondary to bringing the opposition under control and neutralising all the chaotic and dangerous elements that they may bring.

That's not to say that Ireland don't look great in attack when they do get the opportunity. Simply that I don't think Schmidt is the type to go for an unpredictable, pacy but inexperienced inside backline over a predictable, physically aggressive and defensively proven one.

I think if you were to look through all of Joe's old tattered dog eared note books, playbooks, strategic plans and tactical options, the first page of each one in big bold letters would read:
IF THEY DON'T SCORE THEN WE CANT LOSE

i think that fairly sums up how Joe goes about his business. Tries to nullify the threat of the opposition before thinking about striking. If he was a gunslinger in the old west he would wear a big white stetson, have two silver pearl hanled revolvers and would never, ever draw first in a gunslingers duel

You think?  

I think he's the guy usually on the roof or behind a sidestreet barrel with a sawn off shotgun, ready for a back shot

At least that's what he did to Wales on his first truly serious outing.    

Now that everyone expects him to be up the sidestreet behind the barrel, he's forced out in the open.  From here on it get's interesting to see just how handy he is with a sidearm.

I have thought about this long and hard.

I believe the Wallabies will win this match, the one thing they are not is stupid, unlike the Springboks they have better attacking weapons in the back, their forwards may not be stellar, but they have the advantage of having seen where the Springboks went wrong against Ireland.

I think both packs will be quite even at set phases, the tactics Ireland used at the rucks against SA, Michael Cheika has seen, and he will find a way for Australia to get quicker ball and cleaner ball.

Australia will firstly kick their goals, they won't waste scoring opportunities the way SA did.

Ireland has one disadvantage going into this game, the manner in which they outsmarted SA is not going to work a second time.

OZ by 7 is my prediction.

Thats the thing though billtong. Ireland change their tactics almost every game. Reference the six nations. There were different tricks and plays each time.

Australia choked against France I reckon which is strange because other than Greg Norman and Michael Hutchence they arent really known for choking much.

Therefore, I expect them to be a little more diciplined in this game and really go at Ireland. We cannot rely on our defence in this game because the Aussies will always score tries.

I think we will need some clever plays and good kicking from sexton to have a chance. Ireland by 5. Sexton to be crowned IRB player of the year and Schmidt the oracle of rugby union.

No doubt Ireland change their game GUns, but Australia has been offered a timely reminder, something SA didn't have

I dont think Australia need a reminder as much as SA did. No disrespect meant but the Oz management are very familiar with the Irish players and what they can do. They are also usually very very well preped on their opposition which Im not sure SA always are.

Agree with that Guns.

Schmidt knows the tide turned with Cheika coming in.  He admitted that as I'm sure most of his groundwork came from his familiarity with how McKenzie operated.

So Cheika is one step up being a new man who might pull new tricks out of a bag of strategies.

Australia will use the SA game as a lesson, correct too.  I feel they'll try to outpace Ireland on the fringes rather than get too involved in a forward scrap (unless they find themselves comfortably dominating there).

So lungs will probably be tested (Irish forwards especially), and Irish players will be forced to prove just how water tight their defences are - the weak link of the last SA try proves lapses can happen.  Australia are the side to take advantage of those.

But from an Irish perspective.  I think Cooper will get a lot of attention.  I think POC will have worked harder on his lineout preps.  I think that despite Ireland showing fragility in the scrum against SA (and using non-egagement tricks to further pinpoint a 'fear') that might have been a smokescreen of sorts.  Maybe Cheika will see it as a bluff and not be dragged there.

But there are a lot of little details that might make the result a complex one.  If Australia win, I think it'll be tight one - maybe by 5.  If Ireland win, I think they might push on from the SA performance and surprise a bit on the scoreline.  The SA game was our first competitive game of the season with central figures missing.  Schmidt likes working with real data from genuine heavy games.  SA provided that data.  Schmidt will seek to tighten the ship and may introduce players now who might solidify the team that played SA.

Schmidt does have his little advantage too though.  A number of his players (and players who don't play no more but who can still talk) know intimately how Cheika thinks and how he likes to gain his advantages. Schmidt will be well informed about what might be coming.

Biltong wrote:I have thought about this long and hard.

I believe the Wallabies will win this match, the one thing they are not is stupid, unlike the Springboks they have better attacking weapons in the back, their forwards may not be stellar, but they have the advantage of having seen where the Springboks went wrong against Ireland.

I think both packs will be quite even at set phases, the tactics Ireland used at the rucks against SA, Michael Cheika has seen, and he will find a way for Australia to get quicker ball and cleaner ball.

Australia will firstly kick their goals, they won't waste scoring opportunities the way SA did.

Ireland has one disadvantage going into this game, the manner in which they outsmarted SA is not going to work a second time.

OZ by 7 is my prediction.

I think Ireland has more than one trick in its bag of tactics Also Australia lack of plan B against France didnt impress me. When you play against a very agressive and fast defensive line (and sometimes slightly offside) it would help to sometimes kick specially when behind that flat line of 14 players there is hardly any cover and plenty of space to kick into but alas Australia (or foley) dont seem to do that. France "only" had to make sure Folau and Kuridriani had little space and the job was done. their loose forwards looked a bit lazy at times as well (specially around rucks). Also while their starting props held their own at scrum time but the subs one were below par so that might prove a bit costly.That said I think Cooper and Genia might start against ireland which would add some much welcomed variety to their game. who is the referee by the way?

SecretFly wrote:Schmidt knows the tide turned with Cheika coming in.  He admitted that as I'm sure most of his groundwork came from his familiarity with how McKenzie operated.

So Cheika is one step up being a new man who might pull new tricks out of a bag of strategies.

Australia will use the SA game as a lesson, correct too.  I feel they'll try to outpace Ireland on the fringes rather than get too involved in a forward scrap (unless they find themselves comfortably dominating there).

So lungs will probably be tested (Irish forwards especially), and Irish players will be forced to prove just how water tight their defences are - the weak link of the last SA try proves lapses can happen.  Australia are the side to take advantage of those.

But from an Irish perspective.  I think Cooper will get a lot of attention.  I think POC will have worked harder on his lineout preps.  I think that despite Ireland showing fragility in the scrum against SA (and using non-egagement tricks to further pinpoint a 'fear') that might have been a smokescreen of sorts.  Maybe Cheika will see it as a bluff and not be dragged there.

But there are a lot of little details that might make the result a complex one.  If Australia win, I think it'll be tight one - maybe by 5.  If Ireland win, I think they might push on from the SA performance and surprise a bit on the scoreline.  The SA game was our first competitive game of the season with central figures missing.  Schmidt likes working with real data from genuine heavy games.  SA provided that data.  Schmidt will seek to tighten the ship and may introduce players now who might solidify the team that played SA.

Schmidt does have his little advantage too though.  A number of his players (and players who don't play no more but who can still talk) know intimately how Cheika thinks and how he likes to gain his advantages. Schmidt will be well informed about what might be coming.

If i didnt know any better i;d say this was Schmidt himself posting in the third person on 606

We had a few defensive lapses against the Georgians. They had a three on two early in the game down Irelands left side. First guy ran a bit sideways befor passing but still left a two on one.
Second guy just had to draw Zebo but for some reason he dropped the ball. Aus could tear us apart if they get quick ball which is why I am quite fretful about our backrow. Ruddock did a fine job V SA but Aus will look to move the ball wider quicker and I'd prefer O'Donnell for this game.

I wouldnt be surprised if either team won by more than two scores.

Both Ozs games have been really close while both Irelands games have been comprehensive victories.

Biltong wrote:I have thought about this long and hard.

I believe the Wallabies will win this match, the one thing they are not is stupid, unlike the Springboks they have better attacking weapons in the back, their forwards may not be stellar, but they have the advantage of having seen where the Springboks went wrong against Ireland.

I think both packs will be quite even at set phases, the tactics Ireland used at the rucks against SA, Michael Cheika has seen, and he will find a way for Australia to get quicker ball and cleaner ball.

Australia will firstly kick their goals, they won't waste scoring opportunities the way SA did.

Ireland has one disadvantage going into this game, the manner in which they outsmarted SA is not going to work a second time.

OZ by 7 is my prediction.

You won't be too far away from the truth. I'm hoping Ireland win but head says they only manage to keep it tight enough with a one score defeat. Interested in the performance for this game.

Well to be fair you didn't really expect Georgia to challenge, did you?

I didnt think it would be as easy as it was to be honest.

Secretfly could you please add a poll to see who everyone thinks will win?

Biltong wrote:Well to be fair you didn't really expect Georgia to challenge, did you?

You never do know Bilt. You never do know.
New Zealand threw their rookies at Scotland, almost paid the price.
SA came expecting a reasonably accomplished victory against an Ireland side without Healy, O'Brien, Best, Trimble, O'Driscoll and a few more.
Ireland threw it's reserve team at Georgia, many of whom play in the tough (SH laden) Top14. You never do know

GunsGerms wrote:Secretfly could you please add a poll to see who everyone thinks will win?

I'm just about to head out here, Guns. If maybe an Admin guy or Mod could add on one, maybe you could ask them? If not I'll do so when I get back.

Added the poll for you Guns

Biltong wrote:Added the poll for you Guns

Dankie Biltong.