6N 2016 : Super Saturday Game 2 Ireland vs Scotland Dublin 17h00 KO

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IRELAND v SCOTLAND
19 March 2016
KO: 17:00 local
Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Referee: Pascal Gauzere
Assistant Referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa) & Alexandre Ruiz (France)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

A. Head to Head

130 Played 130
59 Won 66
5 Drawn 5
66 Lost 59
1,416 Points 1,420

B. Recent Form

21 March 2015
BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
10 – 40 to Ireland

2 February 2014
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
28 – 6 to Ireland

24 February 2013
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
12 – 8 to Scotland

10 March 2012
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
32 – 14 to Ireland

6 August 2011
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
10 – 6 to Scotland

27 February 2011
Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
18 – 21 to Ireland

20 March 2010
Croke Park, Dublin
20 – 23 to Scotland

C. Teams

IRELAND

FB 15 Simon Zebo
RW 14 Andrew Trimble
OC 13 Jared Payne
IC 12 Robbie Henshaw
LW 11 Keith Earls
FH 10 Jonathan Sexton
SH 9 Conor Murray

N8 8 Jamie Heaslip
OF 7 Tommy O'Donnell
BF 6 CJ Stander
RL 5 Devin Toner
LL 4 Donnacha Ryan
TP 3 Mike Ross
HK 2 Rory Best (c)
LP 1 Jack McGrath

Replacements:
HK 16 Richardt Strauss
PR 17 Cian Healy
PR 18 Nathan White
LK 19 Ultan Dillane
FL 20 Rhys Ruddock
SH 21 Eoin Reddan
FH 22 Ian Madigan
WG 23 Fergus McFadden

SCOTLAND

FB 15 Stuart Hogg
RW 14 Tommy Seymour
OC 13 Duncan Taylor
IC 12 Alex Dunbar
LW 11 Tim Visser
FH 10 Duncan Weir
SH 9 Greig Laidlaw (c)

N8 8 Ryan Wilson
OF 7 John Hardie
BF 6 John Barclay
RL 5 Tim Swinson
LL 4 Richie Gray
TP 3 WP Nel
HK 2 Ross Ford
LP 1 Alasdair Dickinson

Replacements:
HK 16 Stuart McInally
PR 17 Rory Sutherland
PR 18 Moray Low
FL 19 Rob Harley
FL 20 Josh Strauss
SH 21 Henry Pyrgos
CE 22 Peter Horne
WG 23 Sean Lamont

Could be a cracker guys!  

funnyExiledScot wrote:

Notch wrote:Very true.

I think McGrath has handled him well in the past, we're more concerned about the other side of the scrum. We just need a big shift from our second rows. I think Toners height can work against him in the scrum and it seems he's been packing down as the tight head lock. Can't remember if it was the same against Italy, I was in the top corner of the stadium so didn't really pick up on those details!

Watching Swinson pack down opposite Toner will be akin to watching an ant trying to carry a brick.

If Swinson had the relative carrying strength of a leaf cutter ant he'd be the first on the team sheet, he'd be able to push the whole scrum himself and some!

Sadly this isn't the case...

NeilyBroon wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

Notch wrote:Very true.

I think McGrath has handled him well in the past, we're more concerned about the other side of the scrum. We just need a big shift from our second rows. I think Toners height can work against him in the scrum and it seems he's been packing down as the tight head lock. Can't remember if it was the same against Italy, I was in the top corner of the stadium so didn't really pick up on those details!

Watching Swinson pack down opposite Toner will be akin to watching an ant trying to carry a brick.

If Swinson had the relative carrying strength of a leaf cutter ant he'd be the first on the team sheet, he'd be able to push the whole scrum himself and some!

Sadly this isn't the case...

I must admit, I'm not one on the Swinson hating band wagon. IMO he's been fairly solid for Scotland in just about all of his appearances.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:

NeilyBroon wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

Notch wrote:Very true.

I think McGrath has handled him well in the past, we're more concerned about the other side of the scrum. We just need a big shift from our second rows. I think Toners height can work against him in the scrum and it seems he's been packing down as the tight head lock. Can't remember if it was the same against Italy, I was in the top corner of the stadium so didn't really pick up on those details!

Watching Swinson pack down opposite Toner will be akin to watching an ant trying to carry a brick.

If Swinson had the relative carrying strength of a leaf cutter ant he'd be the first on the team sheet, he'd be able to push the whole scrum himself and some!

Sadly this isn't the case...

I must admit, I'm not one on the Swinson hating band wagon. IMO he's been fairly solid for Scotland in just about all of his appearances.

Aye, he's been unspectacular but does the job, I think the issue is we're now so used to Johnny Gray who really is something special and will be on the Lions bus come next year (unless he cocks up spectacularly next season, let's not rule out a drop in form although I bloody hope not!) that we find it difficult to accept the lesser options.

I'm more concerned about the Weir decision myself to be honest, he's yet to find the form he was showing when he first came in - I remember him being fairly decent for a while when he was competing with Jackson. I think Jackson has captured better form to be honest. I hope he proves me wrong with on point tactical kicking, otherwise we're in for a long day at the office - this said with the Ireland defence, a good kicking strategy makes some sense.

Pyrgos provides us with a great option on the bench, always rated him, great cool head and a smart rugby player with more zip than Laidlaw.

If Bennett can regain his previous form, that'll be good coming up to the summer - it'd be good to see him get a decent runaround with no pressure, like most of the Scotland boys he's a confidence player.

We need to look at second row options - I'd like to see Cummings training with the senior squad relatively soon, he's made a very good account of himself at Glasgow and U20s and think it'd be a good boost for him to be put in the same boat as the senior boys - maybe not this year but a bench appearance next year would be good. Toolis and Toolis need to really up their game I think, look at how long Barclay struggled to make his case - they need to go beyond just 'good' at club level and go for 'excellent', this said I still think Toolis should've been on bench instead of Harley because I believe Harley should only be considered at 6.

NeilyBroon wrote:. Toolis and Toolis need to really up their game I think, look at how long Barclay struggled to make his case - they need to go beyond just 'good' at club level and go for 'excellent', this said I still think Toolis should've been on bench instead of Harley because I believe Harley should only be considered at 6.  

Ben Toolis was in the 'excellent' camp for Edinburgh last season - him and Bresler really were outstanding.  He should have had a few caps for Scotland by now based on that, yet Swinson again was favoured for the WC despite not even being in the training squad!

He's not hit the same heights as last season - mainly due to being injured for most of this season - but he's still looked far better at club level than Swinson ever has IMO and has put in some good performances.

wolfball wrote:

Munchkin wrote:Last week was a window of opportunity to give a couple of players some much needed game time. It was a game we were never going to lose, and an opportunity lost. Those opportunities are pretty rare.

We had 6 players on the panel last week with less than 10 caps, including a debutant (and 5 connacht players)... Seems we jumped on the opportunity to give new players much needed game time.

Nonsense. Players were added due to injuries. They were forced replacements, and in no way can that be described as 'jumping on opportunities'.

The main thrust of my argument is that adding a couple of players, ones that are considered the future of Ireland, would have given the much needed game time to players in a game that we would not have lost.

Notch wrote:

Munchkin wrote:You think we found form based on that game against Italy? Not convinced, myself. Play the same against Scotland, and I will be much happier.

I think a lot of things showed improvement and whilst we have to keep our feet on the ground we can be guardedly optimistic. The scrum was better, albeit there was less pressure on it. There was more accuracy in the line out, with the same proviso. One thing that was a clear improvement that doesn't need to be qualified was the quality of our support play. We had been creating line breaks when we have possession but the support play was poor. That was a huge positive.

I don't think we're world beaters but I've seen worse displays and it's something to build on, not something to pat ourselves on the back about. Obviously I also want us to continue to improve too

How do we measure improvement? I'm still not convinced that the game against Italy tells us anything. We have seen Ireland go out 'all guns blazing' before, and against Scotland. Italy were a much, much, poorer team than the Scotland we faced then. Scotland are an improved side now, and should be asking us questions in defence, and attack. Can we maintain the level of support play? Will we make those line breaks? Will we be able to defend out wide, or continue with a narrow defence? I'm hoping we hammer Scotland, and I'm really hoping that Ireland can show that last weeks game wasn't simply down to playing incredibly weak opposition. I have my doubts though. I think we will beat Scotland, but not in the manner we demolished Italy. I think it will be a tight enough game.

Jamie Cudmore on being coached by Cotter and Schmidt at Clermont Auvergne, thought this apt with the match coming up.

"Joe was the good cop to Vern's bad cop. Vern was the sledgehammer and Joe the surgeon's scalpel. Together they were a great combination."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35844374?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Artful_Dodger wrote:Jamie Cudmore on being coached by Cotter and Schmidt at Clermont Auvergne, thought this apt with the match coming up.

"Joe was the good cop to Vern's bad cop. Vern was the sledgehammer and Joe the surgeon's scalpel. Together they were a great combination."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35844374?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Great read that. We'll see whether the scalpel or the sledgehammer triumphs tomorrow.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Jamie Cudmore on being coached by Cotter and Schmidt at Clermont Auvergne, thought this apt with the match coming up.

"Joe was the good cop to Vern's bad cop. Vern was the sledgehammer and Joe the surgeon's scalpel. Together they were a great combination."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35844374?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Great read. Really enjoyed that.

Fascinating back story for cudmore too

anyone watching the U20s game? Cracking game.

Ireland ahead 26-18 but it's moving either way.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:Jamie Cudmore on being coached by Cotter and Schmidt at Clermont Auvergne, thought this apt with the match coming up.

"Joe was the good cop to Vern's bad cop. Vern was the sledgehammer and Joe the surgeon's scalpel. Together they were a great combination."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35844374?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

Great read that. We'll see whether the scalpel or the sledgehammer triumphs tomorrow.

Yep - dare I suggest that this might be a good Lions coaching combination?

Well before the start of this years 6ns, i would of said Ireland will bury Scotland.


But after Scotland recent performance,,,,, I think Scotland may just have the edge.

Irish Times and Independent both basically carry the same message - that whilst they will give this Scotland side some respect and accept the fact it is slightly different from the side which Ireland last put 40 points on, they confident that Ireland still has the better overall team.

That may be true.

Worth pointing out, however, that this is exactly the same message which Midi Olympique carried about their French side just before the last match.

I've got a sinking feeling about this one....can see Ireland being well up for it and us just running out of steam!

Well, everybody and his dog has thumbed their nose at Scotland kicking Japan in the nuts at the World Cup because Japan were apparently "tired".

Presumably we can trot out the same old ladywater?
I mean, fair's fair.

Would love the scots to finish third. Do think Ireland will have the edge at home just, but think this could be the best game today.

Could do with some dream team points off Dickinson, Best, Gray, Toner, Stander, Murray and Hogg though.

Ireland look up for it!

Ireland winning the kicking battle!

I'll go with a small Ireland win. They can't of regressed this much to lose this many games.

Was that really a ruck if Barclay was the only Scotland player involved?

Here we go, clueless ref gives a penalty gift.

Why the feck don't refs know the laws these days? That WASN'T a ruck!!!

No ruck formed awful decision

7 mins and we've barely touched the ball!

Ref letting the attacking team do whatever they like at ruck time.

Given Ireland have had all the ball, they've had all the penalties!

Scotland on their way to a very early yellow - ref having nothing of what we're trying to do at ruck time

Stander is tearing the lightweight Scotland backrow a new one.

His arm is out for not rolling away the second the tackled player hits the ground, he's not even waiting for the ball to get to ground!
Was hoping for an entertaining game but looks like this ref is not going to allow that.

You can actually hear Visser's erse cheeks trembling when a high ball is headed towards him

With this ref whoever has the ball will get a penalty eventually - we just need to try and keep the ball!

oh well he is doing it both ways, bloody penalty fest to watch.

How can anyone in his right mind justify Wilson and Swinson selection?

Is this ref trying to set a record for number of penalties?

Didn't see much wrong with that last one!

How was that not advantage over ref?? Scrum advantages usually only last a couple of passes!

Hoggy!!!

Holy crap Stuart Hogg!!

Surely has to be up there for player of the tournament?

Hogg is a quick basted

Lovely line for that try

Naughty.

Must be more talented 15's on form in this years tournament than ever. World class take and finish.

Might as well take Barclay or Hardie off early n this ref is going to give us nothing.

Barclay has come out looking for a yellow today! Not getting on with the ref at all

Ffs. This ref is atrocious. Has Craig Joubert told him to go out there and ruin another game for us?

I've never seen a ref so completely and utterly neutralise one team to this extent!

Conor Murray was being incredibly wasteful in the leadup for that.

Ffs Weir!

Weir

Scotland has self imploded

Oh dear

17% possession, 13 points down and down to 14 men with a ref penalising the crap out of us

Not the best opening 30!