6N 2016: Ireland v Wales, 7 February

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IRELAND v WALES
7 February 2016
KO: 15:00 GMT
Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Live on RTE, ITV, FR2, DMAX, BBC(H)

Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Touch judges: [tbc]
Television match official: [tbc]

A. Head to Head

123 Played 123
52 Won 67
4 Drawn 4
67 Lost 52
1,365 Points 1,461

B. Recent Form

29 August 2015
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
10 – 16 to Wales

8 August 2015
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
21 – 35 to Ireland

14 March 2015
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
23 – 16 to Wales

8 February 2014
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
26 – 3 to Ireland

2 February 2013
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
22 – 30 to Ireland

C. Teams

IRELAND

S Zebo; A Trimble, J Payne, R Henshaw, K Earls; J Sexton, C Murray; J McGrath, R Best (capt), N White; D Toner, M McCarthy; CJ Stander, T O’Donnell, J Heaslip.

Replacements: S Cronin, J Cronin, T Furlong, D Ryan, R Ruddock, K Marmion, I Madigan, D Kearney.

WALES

G Anscombe; G North, J Davies, J Roberts, T James; D Biggar, G Davies; R Evans, S Baldwin, S Lee, L Charteris, A-W Jones, S Warburton (capt), J Tipuric, T Faletau.

Replacements: K Owens, G Jenkins, T Francis, B Davies, D Lydiate, L Williams, R Priestland, A Cuthbert

Furlong didn't arrive until the 60 minute mark. I suspect it was Greg Feek's tweaks at halftime that steadied the ship.

theslosty wrote:Furlong didn't arrive until the 60 minute mark. I suspect it was Greg Feek's tweaks at halftime that steadied the ship.

That should be the name of a TV show.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

theslosty wrote:Furlong didn't arrive until the 60 minute mark. I suspect it was Greg Feek's tweaks at halftime that steadied the ship.

That should be the name of a TV show.

I'd watch that

What a great weekend, finally starting to feel human again.

First trip to the Aviva, great stadium and atmosphere and Dublin was as welcoming and hospitable as ever.

As for the game well apologies if this been covered (pretty sure it will have been) but overall I think the Welsh players and coaches will be the most disappointed though given our poor start I was happy to settle for a draw.

I thought our scrum went very well and a huge improvement form the world cup, Rob Evans had a very good game and we now need to stick with him and let him develop in a pretty solid pack.

I am still not convinced about the Warburton/Tipuric combo, Warburton is not as good at 6 as Lydiate is and in the type of game it was on Sunday Tipuric is not as good as Warburton.

Was bit disappointed in Davies as thought his service was slow but then some of it was rubbish ball. Priestland done really well considering he will have known his every move will have been scrutinised, he took his goals well and run the backline well but some will always find something to slag him off over.

Roberts was huge in defence and his carrying was at its best as well, I have criticised North a lot as well but thought he was back to his running best times. However we are still lacking that cutting edge and can't take the chances overlaps when we have them.

I wouldn't make many changes next week, Lydiate in for Tipuric, Williams to start though I would be tempted to start him on the wing and put Anscombe at XV.

You have to criticise a fly half Bedford, when his primary role is to score points, he leaves six points out there and we only draw. That's not finding something to slag him off over.

For me, it spoke volumes that Biggar was limping for good few minutes and we didn't have enough confidence in Priestland to let him come on immediately.

It also highlighted my fear that we didn't cover our back replacements sufficiently, as had we had another injury, we would really have struggled. For a start, Cement Head wasn't confident on Liam Williams' fitness and then has to play him for a full 80.

bedfordwelsh wrote:What a great weekend, finally starting to feel human again.

First trip to the Aviva, great stadium and atmosphere and Dublin was as welcoming and hospitable as ever.

As for the game well apologies if this been covered (pretty sure it will have been) but overall I think the Welsh players and coaches will be the most disappointed though given our poor start I was happy to settle for a draw.

I thought our scrum went very well and a huge improvement form the world cup, Rob Evans had a very good game and we now need to stick with him and let him develop in a pretty solid pack.

I am still not convinced about the Warburton/Tipuric combo, Warburton is not as good at 6 as Lydiate is and in the type of game it was on Sunday Tipuric is not as good as Warburton.

Was bit disappointed in Davies as thought his service was slow but then some of it was rubbish ball.  Priestland done really well considering he will have known his every move will have been scrutinised, he took his goals well and run the backline well but some will always find something to slag him off over.

Roberts was huge in defence and his carrying was at its best as well, I have criticised North a lot as well but thought he was back to his running best times.  However we are still lacking that cutting edge and can't take the chances overlaps when we have them.

I wouldn't make many changes next week, Lydiate in for Tipuric, Williams to start though I would be tempted to start him on the wing and put Anscombe at XV.

If Liam Williams or JD2 or whoever ballsed up by kicking to touch and giving Ireland a lineout 10 metres from our tryline which they then scored their try rather than touching the ball down and having a 22 drop out to clear our line then I would have criticised them but suprise suprise have a guess who made that critical error.

Risca,

I thought the backs selected on the bench were wrong as well but I still think Priestland done well, it was good he had few touches and slotted his first penalty attempt or it could have gone a lot different.

He is still a little flaky confidence wise but the game itself would have done him the world of good.

When Priestland came on he looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. It was such a shocking decision to kick for the line rather than take the 22, I assumed that he had to have missed the charge down and thought it came back off a Welsh hand?

It was only after his first successful penalty that he settled down and the nerves almost visibly fell away from him.

Howdy guys, long time no speak, can anyone tell me how CJ Stander did?

Biltong wrote:Howdy guys, long time no speak, can anyone tell me how CJ Stander did?

Terrible - you are well shot of him bilts...

Biltong wrote:Howdy guys, long time no speak, can anyone tell me how CJ Stander did?

Won man of the match. Seems to be an absolute natural at this level.

I heard he was man of the match, but would like a bit more information, we all know man of the match selections are highly dubious.

He was very good alright and will probably start again v France. I think Wales fans would probably say Roberts was man of the match but I'd say Stander was one of the top 5 performers in the game at the very least. He made no mistakes.

GunsGerms, hypothetically if POM was available for France and was fit and raring to go would you play CJ over Heaslip?

He was definitely Ireland's best player along with Conor Murray. Roberts was the real motm by a distance imo.

Stander brought his Munster form for Ireland - awesome work rate and powerful ball carrying.

Biltong wrote:I heard he was man of the match, but would like a bit more information, we all know man of the match selections are highly dubious.

The decision did show some Munster bias:
- either the anti-Munster brigade who voted for him are obviously trying to make him undroppable, because he's not as Munster as POM...
- or the pro-Munster brigade who voted for him are obviously trying to make him undroppable, because when POM comes back, Heaslip will be out!

Then again he did have a good game

Thanks for the info, so he was a good poach then?

True Raven wrote:GunsGerms, hypothetically if POM was available for France and was fit and raring to go would you play CJ over Heaslip?

Right now I would go with Heaslip 8, Stander 6 and SOB 7. I think that might be the team on Saturday. If POM was fit I would be tempted rotate the back row more depending on opposition.

Biltong wrote:Thanks for the info, so he was a good poach then?

He was. He shouldn't have been poached but he is a good player. That said back row is an area where Ireland have a lot of strength.

Biltong wrote:Thanks for the info, so he was a good poach then?

Poach?? I thought he moved here for the lifestyle and the weather?

rodders wrote:

Biltong wrote:Thanks for the info, so he was a good poach then?

Poach?? I thought he moved here for the lifestyle and the weather?

And the poaching Rodders

Biltong wrote:Thanks for the info, so he was a good poach then?

Well yeah, I suppose so.

I must say if you're angry about it I would blame the SARU. He was basically told he was too small for international rugby, so either he took that advice and give up on his dream of being an international rugby player or he explored his options overseas. Will be interesting to see how he does on the tour this summer. He'll obviously go down there with an absolutely massive point to prove.

How do you play against the Country of your birth which has raised you and taught you how to play - It just doesn't make any sense to me and makes a mockery of our international game with its main basis on international rivalry.

The Great Aukster wrote:When Priestland came on he looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. It was such a shocking decision to kick for the line rather than take the 22, I assumed that he had to have missed the charge down and thought it came back off a Welsh hand?

It was only after his first successful penalty that he settled down and the nerves almost visibly fell away from him.

It was a split second descision and if he was not 100% sure that the ball had not touched a Welsh hand then it was also the right descision. He would have been quite rightly critisised if it had ended up as a scrum 5!

Exactly. If you're not sure, you clear it.

Do you guys honestly believe he doubted whether it was charged down. It was also by Toner (was it not), which makes it harder to miss a big lummox like that doing so.

It was obvious it was charged down, but it can't have been obvious if it came off Toner or a Welsh player last.

Notch wrote:

Biltong wrote:Thanks for the info, so he was a good poach then?

Well yeah, I suppose so.

I must say if you're angry about it I would blame the SARU. He was basically told he was too small for international rugby, so either he took that advice and give up on his dream of being an international rugby player or he explored his options overseas. Will be interesting to see how he does on the tour this summer. He'll obviously go down there with an absolutely massive point to prove.

Why be ngry about it, it is going to become more and more relevant due to our situation, that Rand is completely nosedived, add to that transformation, poor coaching setups, limited opportunities becoming even more limited with merit selection going out the window , there won't be much left.

So whilst the pickings are good everyone should cash in, in a decade there won't be much left to poach

RubyGuby wrote:How do you play against the Country of your birth which has raised you and taught you how to play - It just doesn't make any sense to me and makes a mockery of our international game with its main basis on international rivalry.

CJ was told he was too small by H Meyer who wanted him to change position to hooker. Not sure he was going to get a new contract with the Bulls either which would have meant he would have to move somewhere else in SA.

I'd imagine all these quotas, politics etc they have in SA would put anyone off as well. Ireland would be relatively uncomplicated.

Munster suits him very well as its a rural area and he grew up on a farm. His wife is a swimmer who has represented SA (her brother won gold) and I'd imagine the swimming facilities in Limerick suited them as the Ireland Swimming High Performance centre is based in Limerick so lots of coaches etc. When they came over, I think she might have wanted to try and make the the Olympics this year.

Stander is now more popular in Ireland than Garth Brooks. He's doing well.

Biltong wrote:Thanks for the info, so he was a good poach then?

Yeah he played really well!! On a poaching scale he was more Mtawarira than Chavanga.

RubyGuby wrote:How do you play against the Country of your birth which has raised you and taught you how to play - It just doesn't make any sense to me and makes a mockery of our international game with its main basis on international rivalry.

I agree absolutely Ruby! So I assume Ross Moriarty and Thomas Francis will be on the home bench at Twickers if they make the EPS?

Marshes wrote:

Biltong wrote:Thanks for the info, so he was a good poach then?

Yeah he played really well!! On a poaching scale he was more Mtawarira than Chavanga.

That makes no sense to me?

Marshes wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:How do you play against the Country of your birth which has raised you and taught you how to play - It just doesn't make any sense to me and makes a mockery of our international game with its main basis on international rivalry.

I agree absolutely Ruby! So I assume Ross Moriarty and Thomas Francis will be on the home bench at Twickers if they make the EPS?

You know who his father is don't you. 20 plus caps for Wales, his uncle was a Welsh captain, if there was poaching in the Moriarty family it would not have been wearing a red shirt.

They might be giants fan per chance? I went to see them a fortnight ago!

Cyril wrote:Stander is now more popular in Ireland than Garth Brooks. He's doing well.

Haha

maestegmafia wrote:

Marshes wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:How do you play against the Country of your birth which has raised you and taught you how to play - It just doesn't make any sense to me and makes a mockery of our international game with its main basis on international rivalry.

I agree absolutely Ruby! So I assume Ross Moriarty and Thomas Francis will be on the home bench at Twickers if they make the EPS?

You know who his father is don't you. 20 plus caps for Wales, his uncle was a Welsh captain, if there was poaching in the Moriarty family it would not have been wearing a red shirt.

Ruby's point was playing against country of your birth and where thought you rugby. Moriarty is English born and played age grade for them u18 and u20.

Not sure which player he was referring to when he said it, was it Ruddock?

Biltong wrote:

Marshes wrote:

Biltong wrote:Thanks for the info, so he was a good poach then?

Yeah he played really well!! On a poaching scale he was more Mtawarira than Chavanga.

That makes no sense to me?

Both young lads for Zimbabwe, moved from Zimbabwe after getting contracts in super rugby. Beast qualified on the residency rule in 2010 for south Africa. Chavanga frequently spoke about wanting to play for Zimbabwe but made the decision to move for his family. Can you blame Stander for making the same decision when he was told he was too small to play in SA?

Using Ross Moriarty as an example is not the best one you could have chosen.

LordDowlais wrote:Using Ross Moriarty as an example is not the best one you could have chosen.

Actually it was, as a response to the original comment made by Ruby. He wondered how a player could play against the country of his birth and where he learnt his trade. Ross Moriarty was born and raised in England. He still plays his rugby there.

Except he was raised in Swansea and got his rugby education in wales (as he was in our academy until his dad got a job in Gloucester).....

Anyway the initial commment by Ruby was intended for those who have qualified on residency purposes eg Stander and Payne

LordDowlais wrote:Using Ross Moriarty as an example is not the best one you could have chosen.

I chose him specifically because his situation directly contradicts the situation ruby referred to.

Francis was the low hanging fruit

True Raven wrote:Anyway the initial commment by Ruby was intended for those who have qualified on residency purposes eg Stander and Payne

I don't think it was I think he was talking about Ruddock as he referred to playing against your own country in this thread.

Also I dunno where someone starts and finishes learning their rugby, youth level? Academy? A teams? Age grade nationals?

Wasn't Ruddock born in Dublin though so how is he playing against his own Country?

Marshes wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Using Ross Moriarty as an example is not the best one you could have chosen.

I chose him specifically because his situation directly contradicts the situation ruby referred to.

Francis was the low hanging fruit  

No it does not.

Francis would have been the better option, although, I think he has a Welsh parent as well, so neither are time serving. Wales do not have any time serving players in the squad, except Jake Ball, I think.

Ball has a Welsh parent. Faletau is the only guy there on residency though Wales did try and nab Ben Morgan.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Ball has a Welsh parent. Faletau is the only guy there on residency though Wales did try and nab Ben Morgan.

Faletau has been here since he was about 5 or 6 years old, so I do not think he counts as a time serving player, we are talking about people who came over three years ago, or on their twenties.


Also, Ben Morgan was playing for Merthyr RFC when he was a teenager, so I do not know how he would count either.

LordDowlais wrote:

Marshes wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Using Ross Moriarty as an example is not the best one you could have chosen.

I chose him specifically because his situation directly contradicts the situation ruby referred to.

Francis was the low hanging fruit  

No it does not.

Francis would have been the better option, although, I think he has a Welsh parent as well, so neither are time serving. Wales do not have any time serving players in the squad, except Jake Ball, I think.

Francis qualifies under the grandparent route - Welsh granny. Good luck to him, and I am sure it has no impact on how he plays but there is only one reason he's chosen to play for Wales

lostinwales wrote:there is only one reason he's chosen to play for Wales

Why is that then ? 

It could not be because England are bursting with quality tightheads, because they aren't.