6N 2017: Ireland v England, 18 March

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IRELAND v ENGLAND
18 March 2017
KO: 17:00 GMT
Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
Touch judges: Mathieu Raynal (France) & Marius Mitrea (Italy)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

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

A. Head to Head

131 Played 131
47 Won 76
8 Drawn 8
76 Lost 47
1,079 Points 1,526

B. Recent Form

27 February 2016
Twickenham, London
21 – 10 to England

5 September 2015
Twickenham, London
21 – 13 to England

1 March 2015
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
19 – 9 to Ireland

22 February 2014
Twickenham, London
13 – 10 to England

10 February 2013
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
6 – 12 to England

17 March 2012
Twickenham, London
30 – 9 to England

C. Teams

IRELAND

Payne; Earls, Ringrose, Henshaw, Zebo; Sexton, Marmion; McGrath, Best (captain), Furlong; Ryan, Henderson; Stander, O'Brien, Heaslip,

Replacements: Scannell, Healy, Ryan, Toner, O'Mahony, McGrath, Jackson, Conway.

ENGLAND

Brown; Watson, Joseph, Farrell, Daly; Ford, Youngs; Marler, Hartley (captain), Cole; Launchbury, Lawes; Itoje, Haskell, B Vunipola.

Replacements: George, M Vunipola, Sinckler, Wood, Hughes, Care, Te'o, Nowell.

15. Mike Brown
14. Anthony Watson
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Owen Farrell
11. Elliot Daly
10. George Ford
9. Ben Youngs
1. Joe Marler
2. Dylan Hartley (captain)
3. Dan Cole
4. Joe Launchbury
5. Courtney Lawes
6. Maro Itoje
7. James Haskell
8. Billy Vunipola
Replacements:
16. Jamie George
17. Mako Vunipola
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Tom Wood
20. Nathan Hughes
21. Danny Care
22. Ben Te’o
23. Jack Nowell

GunsGermsV2 wrote:

beshocked wrote:England start away a lot too.

Away in 2011,2012,2014,2015 and 2016 first game.

Not really fair in my opinion.

Id rather that than get Wayne Barnes every year for Ireland v Wales games. Now that's dodgy.

Do you not like Wayne Barnes, Guns?

BamBam wrote:

GunsGermsV2 wrote:

beshocked wrote:England start away a lot too.

Away in 2011,2012,2014,2015 and 2016 first game.

Not really fair in my opinion.

Id rather that than get Wayne Barnes every year for Ireland v Wales games. Now that's dodgy.

Do you not like Wayne Barnes, Guns?

Not really no. It surprises me a lot that world rugby would appoint the same referee to the same fixture every year. seems like very bad governance.

Obviously happy with the England team - slightly surprised that Nowell is dropped to the bench, as I thought his quick feet style could be useful to give us go forward in traffic, but Watson offers more outright pace (as probably does Daly). Again, perhaps a horses for courses choice given the thought that Ireland's back 3 lack a bit of speed. (Watson being a much better rugby player than the perhaps even quicker Johnny May).

Billy for Hughes looked a no brainer after the Italy performance, but I thought Hughes had probably his most effective match in an England shirt on Saturday. Suspect Billy's greater power and ability to make a yard or two off slow ball will count this week though.

GunsGermsV2 wrote:

beshocked wrote:England start away a lot too.

Away in 2011,2012,2014,2015 and 2016 first game.

Not really fair in my opinion.

Id rather that than get Wayne Barnes every year for Ireland v Wales games. Now that's dodgy.

Getting one of the best refs in world rugby to look after your matches is dodgy?

Easier to blame Barnes for your stodginess in attack than looking at why despite chance after chance you can't score more points vs Wales.

Wales have a good defence but it's not unbreakable and Wales aren't unbeatable.


If you take out the 9 try battering of Italy - Ireland only have 4 tries in 3 games vs France,Scotland and Wales.

England in contrast scored 7 vs Scotland, 1 vs France, 2 vs Wales - that's 10 vs those 3.

Nowell is on the bench? Ah, so his quick feet style will aid the second half at some point

In today's world the bench really has as much influence as the starters.

beshocked wrote:

GunsGermsV2 wrote:

beshocked wrote:England start away a lot too.

Away in 2011,2012,2014,2015 and 2016 first game.

Not really fair in my opinion.

Id rather that than get Wayne Barnes every year for Ireland v Wales games. Now that's dodgy.

Getting one of the best refs in world rugby to look after your matches is dodgy?

Easier to blame Barnes for your stodginess in attack than looking at why despite chance after chance you can't score more points vs Wales.

Wales have a good defence but it's not unbreakable and Wales aren't unbeatable.

No Barnes is the worst refs on the elite refereeing panel and has been for many years now. He is only there to give England a representative because JP Doyle is really Irish. I would take any referee over him for any game.

Nearly got my 606 bingo done. Now for someone to mention George on the bench.

Well im probably with everyone else...the only surprise being the Nowell v Daly selection.

Watson is our best winger(IMO) a top class strike runner so no surprise he's back. But I thought Nowell was very active and popped up all over the pitch looking for the ball. He deserved his selection, but I guess Jones just sees much more in Daly.

I still think if he doesn't tour with the lions (dark horse multi position cover) then he will tour to Argentina as the starting FB.

It looks to be the natural progression for him doesn't it geordie.

And gets our 3 most dangerous back 3 players playing together

JP Doyle is one of the worst refs.

Barnes is quality.

Shouldn't use him as a scapegoat for your toothless attack vs Wales.

The so called controversial decisions weren't really controversial - Sexton was preventing quick ball on his line. Henshaw deserved to be penalised.

11 Watson
14 Nowell
15 Daly

Is a pretty handy back 3 for the future...and all 3 have different traits and skills. A nice balance.

No he is the most controversial and blunder prone ref in world rugby. He probably has the biggest ego too now that Steve Walsh has gone.

What do you feel Barnes got wrong in the Wales-Ireland game?

I thought he was good as usual.

GunsGermsV2 wrote:No he is the most controversial and blunder prone ref in world rugby. He probably has the biggest ego too now that Steve Walsh has gone.

Just sounds like an excuse for losing.

Wayne Barnes is an irrelevance to this thread. Perhaps set up another one to discuss him - and who knows like the last time users may be banned again.

Barnes is world class.

Was Nigel busy this weekend why isn't he Refereeing this game?

Talking about the previous game Ireland played is not a bad thing in my opinion.

Need to talk about it to look at what went wrong. In my opinion it wasn't Barnes who let Ireland down. It was Ireland letting Ireland down.

Not turning territory and possession into points enough.

So it wasn't Scmidts fault after all?

First twenty will be important. Hopefully we get hold of the ball and just take the sting out of Ireland and the atmosphere. Yeah I'd like a few tries like vs Scotland but I'd take a lead of 3 playing for territory with no handling errors.

Hammersmith harrier wrote:

GunsGermsV2 wrote:No he is the most controversial and blunder prone ref in world rugby. He probably has the biggest ego too now that Steve Walsh has gone.

Just sounds like an excuse for losing.

You dont have to win or lose to see how bad he is.

TightHEAD wrote:Was Nigel busy this weekend why isn't he Refereeing this game?

Who is the ref?

I see its Jerome Garces. Happy with that. Big improvement on Barnes.

No 7&1/2 wrote:First twenty will be important. Hopefully we get hold of the ball and just take the sting out of Ireland and the atmosphere. Yeah I'd like a few tries like vs Scotland but I'd take a lead of 3 playing for territory with no handling errors.

I have been to about 8 or so Ireland v England games. I have only seen Ireland lose one and it was the hammering in '03 in the same venue. This England side are probably close to being as good as that side. Interesting day ahead.

Well Payne at Fullback is good and conway on the bench

Yeah Payne in is good. Murray is out.

Marmion starts at 9. Henderson starts too.

Will miss murray at 9 but will be good to see what marmion can do from the start

And I like Henderson is starting

carpet baboon wrote:Will miss murray at 9 but will be good to see what marmion can do from the start

Billy V will have fun with Marmion.

what is the team then? Hend, marm, payne for dev, murray and RK?

the-goon wrote:what is the team then? Hend, marm, payne for dev, murray and RK?

Yes

Conway on the bench

Ireland ( v England )
15. Jared Payne
14. Keith Earls
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Simon Zebo
10. Jonathan Sexton
9. Kieran Marmion
1. Jack McGrath
2. Rory Best (Capt)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Donnacha Ryan
5. Iain Henderson
6. CJ Stander
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip
Replacements
16. Niall Scannell
17. Cian Healy
18. John Ryan
19. Devin Toner
20. Peter O’Mahony
21. Luke McGrath
22. Paddy Jackson
23. Andrew Conway

the-goon wrote:what is the team then? Hend, marm, payne for dev, murray and RK?

Yup all others the same. But Conway in at 23

Decent side IMO

Watching the 'IRISH' press conference now a kiwi and a saffer are answering questions.

TightHEAD wrote:Watching the 'IRISH' press conference now a kiwi and a saffer are answering questions.

And?

TightHEAD wrote:Watching the 'IRISH' press conference now a kiwi and a saffer are answering questions.

As opposed to an Aussie and a Kiwi when England do their pressers?

Bait.

Calm down lads, enjoy the ride.

Ill be honest I preferred the England Scotland thread. Can we have that back please?

Just testing the water chaps, and boy are they biting and its only Thursday.

TightHEAD wrote:Watching the 'IRISH' press conference now a kiwi and a saffer are answering questions.

You are a credit to your education system. Well done

TightHEAD wrote:Just testing the water chaps, and boy are they biting and its only Thursday.

Think you are confusing us for Dylan Hartley.

Payne at 15

Now we have someone in the team who will tell Earls to tackle rather than running backwards

It was nice being able to understand what was being said.

Think we will see a lot of henshaw in full flight down the ten channel

GunsGermsV2 wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Just testing the water chaps, and boy are they biting and its only Thursday.

Think you are confusing us for Dylan Hartley.

That's not fair, he's just as likely to gouge, abuse, punch, headbutt, elbow or clothesline

With so many Irishmen in one place we could get the full repertoire from him this weekend

Ford will be waiting for him

TightHEAD wrote:It was nice being able to understand what was being said.  

Said the baaaarf supporter. Found your combine 'arvester yet