Wales vs Ireland : Match Thread

[wales606]

First topic message reminder :

I don't see a match thread, so here one is.

This is a tough one to call, could go either way although I think Ireland have the edge on paper.

Wales: H Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons); A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), T Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Williams (Scarlets, capt), E Walker (Ospreys); J Hook (Gloucester Rugby), M Phillips (Racing Metro); N Smith (Ospreys), R Hibbard (Gloucester), A Jarvis (Ospreys), J Ball (Scarlets), D Day (Bath Rugby), R Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby), J Tipuric (Ospreys, vice-capt), D Baker (Ospreys).

Replacements: R Evans (Scarlets), K Dacey (Cardiff Blues), S Andrews (Cardiff Blues), J King (Ospreys), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), Ll Williams (Cardiff Blues), G Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), M Morgan (Bristol Rugby).


Ireland: F Jones (Munster); A Trimble (Ulster), K Earls (Munster), D Cave (Ulster), F McFadden (Leinster); P Jackson (Ulster), E Reddan (Leinster); J McGrath (Leinster), R Strauss (Leinster), M Ross (Leinster); I Henderson (Ulster), D Ryan (Munster); J Murphy (Leinster), T O'Donnell (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster, capt).

Replacements: R Best (Ulster), D Kilcoyne (Munster), M Bent (Leinster), D Tuohy (Ulster), C Henry (Ulster), K Marmion (Connacht), I Madigan (Leinster), S Zebo (Munster).

[wales606]

Think it is a mistake to take Phillips off

[wales606]

Got to hope Williams and Roberts stay fit as Morgan does not look ready,

Anyone know if Cory Allen is fit yet?

[mikey_dragon]

606, don't you think our locks have been decent? Based on this and past games I'd go with Ball and Day over Davies. Day has been particularly impressive earning his first cap.

Not bad, but as with Hibbard we have lost 2 lineouts on our own 5m line, do that in a close game and it could easily cost us the match.

That's why Hibbard became third choice for most by the end of the 6 Nations.

[glamorganalun]

It is not backs Wales need to change the forwards in the scrum and loose play is poor. Looking at the last try Cuthbert has been crap all game and Morgan just as bad.

[Notch]

This is the best I've seen Richardt Strauss play since his first few seasons with Leinster- certainly the best he's been for Ireland.

[mikey_dragon]

We've put Cuthbert to centre....

[glamorganalun]

How many Cardiff players on the pitch ! they were the bottom Welsh pro 12 team!

[nathan]

hmmmm, not sure how that decision sits with me.

he did make contact with a swinging arm, but it looked like it was an honest attempt to make a tackle and it was because Zebo was falling to the ground.

He didnt help himself by the fact he launched into the tackle, if it wasnt for Zebo falling it might have been worse as he made minimal contact

If you don't launch yourself into a tackle, your not doing it right!

[nathan]

what are those annoying noises in the stadium?

[Pete330v2]

A clumsy swinging arm contacting the head whilst not being malicious is still a yellow carding offence every time.

Earls has really done so well to ignore a start of nightmares and grow into the game. Heaslip was everywhere, a great showing from him.

[offload]

What the hell have these boys been doing pre season, the forwards have been weak, the backs have been working with poor ball and under presure.

Well played so far by Ireland their experience is showing.

Thinking the same thing. There is a shocking lack of any rugby nous from Wales. The fans with their heads in the sands will talk about lack of experience and how it will be alright when the main players arrive, but this is awful - such a lack of skill and intelligence.

[nathan]

A clumsy swinging arm contacting the head whilst not being malicious is still a yellow carding offence every time.

Earls has really done so well to ignore a start of nightmares and grow into the game. Heaslip was everywhere, a great showing from him.

very true

[mikey_dragon]

Hello, we knew the forwards and bench were underpowered compared to what Ireland have put out going into this game. I did expect the backs to do better, especially the centre's. Hook was as expected. Walker, Phillips, Hibbard exceeded my expectations though.

[glamorganalun]

Wales need Adam Jones back. I don't see many positives, one person that should not go to the RWC is McBryde.

[mikey_dragon]

Good play from my Dragons boys again, more than most of the team have done in 80 minutes.

[offload]

Nice play by Morgan and Tips. Doesn't make up for the really poor show. The open play is so slow and predictable.

[Pot Hale]

Men against boys for the most part.

Wales get a well-worked try nonetheless through Tipuric.

[mikey_dragon]

Earls gets MOTM. He's played very well to be fair. Do Irish agree?

[offload]

Men against boys for the most part

A much over used phrase, but in this case, spot on!

[Pot Hale]

Looking bad for tommy O'Donnell. Hate to see any player lose out at this stage in the warm ups. Hope he's going to be ok cos he should be in the final 31

[nathan]

just been out of the room, who's down and what happened?

[glamorganalun]

Not looking good for the flanker his RWC looks over aginst a poor team seems a waste, good luck and hope he recovers quickly.

[Notch]

Looks very bad for O'Donnell.

mikey I have been impressed by Earls, pick of the backs after a shaky start, but think Richardt Strauss and Jamie Heaslip were the best players on the pitch.

[offload]

Schmidt will be delighted, he has a lot of depth in the squad. If Ireland can win their group........who knows?

Well played today.

[nathan]

that looks awful, he looks in real pain. hope its not as bad as it looks

[nathan]

a Jones playing for Ireland!

[mikey_dragon]

Well now we know for sure Anscombe is the 3rd fly-half. As for back 3 players, how many can we take? I would like to take North, Halfpenny, Williams, Amos, Cuthbert and Walker. Thought one might need to miss out?

[wales606]

Great pass and conversion from Anscombe,

at least we won the second half!

[wales606]

Well now we know for sure Anscombe is the 3rd fly-half. As for back 3 players, how many can we take? I would like to take North, Halfpenny, Williams, Amos, Cuthbert and Walker. Thought one might need to miss out?

More than one I imagine, it will probably be 4 back 3 with Anscombe covering FB (if they take 3 FHs)

[mikey_dragon]

Can't stand Holley. And why are he and the commentators creaming over Tipuric? Your 7 needs to be a breakdown menace first and foremost, not an extra backline player.

[glamorganalun]

Made the score a little a more respectable but very poor performance, asking too much of a scratch side, lucky to come second. Front row are a concern.

[majesticimperialman]

Ireland clearly the better team today. Wales do have some promising players coming through.

I thought the Hibbard try the pass was slightly forward. But never the less it was a well worked try give them that.

For alot of the Welsh boys it was there first game at this level. so maybe the result is what you might expect.

Still it was the first game of the season/world cup. so can only get better.

[marty2086]

Ireland clearly the better team today. Wales do have some promising players coming through.

I thought the Hibbard try  the pass was slightly forward. But never the less it was a well worked try give them that.

For alot of the Welsh boys it was there first game at this level. so maybe the result is what you might expect.

Still it was the first game of the season/world cup. so can only get better.

Probably not helped by spending little time working on their game compared to Ireland

[profitius]

Feel sorry for TOD. 5 min to go and all. I hope injuries don't start to mount up now.


Overll good performance by Ireland. Lost count of the number of penlties they conceded though. Some players played well, overs average but can't complain about anyone.


On a side note, Ian Madigan is not going to the world cup but has instead choosen to star in season 3 of the Peaky Blinders.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Well now we know for sure Anscombe is the 3rd fly-half. As for back 3 players, how many can we take? I would like to take North, Halfpenny, Williams, Amos, Cuthbert and Walker. Thought one might need to miss out?

Surely they have to drop Cuthbert now. He is staggeringly bad defensively wherever you play him. He ran in the late try, but it was rugby's equivalent of an open goal.

I bet they still pick him.

[Artful_Dodger]

This win puts Ireland up to #2 in the IRB rankings.

[Notch]

This win puts Ireland up to #2 in the IRB rankings.

It's kind of a farce that this game is weighted the same as a 'normal' test match to be honest. Should be worth half the points.

[wales606]

This win puts Ireland up to #2 in the IRB rankings.

It's kind of a farce that this game is weighted the same as a 'normal' test match to be honest. Should be worth half the points.

It was slightly silly that Ireland go second before South Africa even play, but considering the SA vs Arg scoreline, Ireland may well be good for second,

Although Ireland haven't played away to any of the SH teams for a fair while which helps.

[Artful_Dodger]

This win puts Ireland up to #2 in the IRB rankings.

It's kind of a farce that this game is weighted the same as a 'normal' test match to be honest. Should be worth half the points.

It was slightly silly that Ireland go second before South Africa even play, but considering the SA vs Arg scoreline, Ireland may well be good for second,

Although Ireland haven't played away to any of the SH teams for a fair while which helps.

Strictly speaking we have (tour to Argentina) but I see what you are saying.

[wales606]

This win puts Ireland up to #2 in the IRB rankings.

It's kind of a farce that this game is weighted the same as a 'normal' test match to be honest. Should be worth half the points.

It was slightly silly that Ireland go second before South Africa even play, but considering the SA vs Arg scoreline, Ireland may well be good for second,

Although Ireland haven't played away to any of the SH teams for a fair while which helps.

Strictly speaking we have (tour to Argentina) but I see what you are saying.

Yeah, I was going to say the 'big 3', but i'm not sure they are that big any more.

I think SA, Aus, Ireland, Wales and England are all fairly close together at the moment, and I don't think NZ are that far ahead or France and Argentina that far behind. This will certainly be the most competitive world cup ever.

[Cloggie]

That was very satisfying to watch. I really hope Trimble is okay, but what a pleasure to see the Ireland scrum function very efficiently, the lineout ticking over beautifully and the territory play could not have been much better (i.e. well done Paddy Jackson & Eoin Reddan).

[Cloggie]

And I keep my fingers crossed for TOD as well...

[Sin é]

A neutral panel of Welsh pundits pick Earls as man of the match and you still try and pick holes with him

I'd say he might have got Darran Cave and Andrew Trimble on the plane from his efforts today.

[Notch]

Earls ball retention in contact may cost him, but he's probably on the plane. Don't know what that second comment is supposed to be about.

Trimble is apparently fine, he was only going to play 40 minutes anyway. Every time he got the ball he made ground and made the right decision- probably the most impressive back three player in the game. Cave was also good and may leapfrog D'Arcy but I doubt we'll take more than three centres- Payne will go, Henshaw will go and then it's between Earls, Cave and D'Arcy. You;d have ti say Earls has the edge with the ability to play wing to a high standard. So Trimble will make the plane and Cave won't.

[Cloggie]

Payne will go, Henshaw will go and then it's between Earls, Cave and D'Arcy.

I think neither Cave nor D'Arcy will make the plane. I have a feeling Joe will take Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne as his primary centers, and that he will expect Earls, Fitzgerald and Madigan to provide backup cover for 12 &13.

[Guest]

A neutral panel of Welsh pundits pick Earls as man of the match and you still try and pick holes with him

I'd say he might have got Darran Cave and Andrew Trimble on the plane from his efforts today.

It wasn't a great first half from Earls, but overall a good performance. He played well, as did many others, but against what turned out to be soft opposition. As for man of the match? Heaslip by some distance.

TOD's injury looks bad, but I still have hope that it's not as bad as it seems. I've landed badly on the hip before and the pain was excruciating, but the hip was ok and I was playing again after a 2 week break. That's the hope I'm clinging to anyway. He had a great game and you would think he did enough to make the cut.

[Guest]

Might it be fair to suggest that Ireland could be a little disappointed they didn't score more? Wales's three tries were all fairly decent, well worked scores. At least two, if not more, of the Irish tries were explicitly aided by the absence of a coherent defensive cohesion between the Welsh players, something that plagued Wales's competitiveness all game.

It was clear that Irish side had a lot left in the tank, and were utterly dominant in the tight, as perhaps was to be expected. Whilst Wales were- in my view, at least- more disorganised and ineffectual than anticipated, even for a scratch side, is that not all the more reason for Ireland to be a little frustrated they didn't score more tries like Heaslip's, the culmination of comprehensive pressure? Or is that being a little harsh for a team that was as unaccustomed to one another as Wales were?

[Guest]

Ireland certainly could have scored another 2/3 tries, but considering it was the first warm up, greasy ball, new combinations, I think Ireland played well. If I had a gripe it would be that we took the foot of the gas towards the end of both half's. I'm fully expecting much more of a test in the return match

[Notch]

Payne will go, Henshaw will go and then it's between Earls, Cave and D'Arcy.

I think neither Cave nor D'Arcy will make the plane. I have a feeling Joe will take Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne as his primary centers, and that he will expect Earls, Fitzgerald and Madigan to provide backup cover for 12 &13.

I agree

[profitius]

It was an impressive display from Ireland in the sense that they did the basics well. Wouldn't get carried away as Wales looked like they didn't touch a ball for months.


Donnacha Ryan and Trimble made successful comebacks.
Cave and Earls combined well. They're both opposites in many ways. Cave is less spectacular but more solid doing the basics while Earls is the opposite.
Madigan and Jackson are similarly opposite. Jackson is a stable 7/10 while Madigan can range from 9/10 to 4/10.
Reddan had a good game. Jones and McFadden played well.

The pack dominated and all played well.


One of the commentors - Jiffy - said Ireland were only missing Sexton and POC from it being our strongest side. Strange comment I thought.

[Sponsored content]