Ireland v Wales 24/02/2018 14:15

First topic message reminder :

So, Wales have gone with Dan Biggar, Liam Williams & Leigh Halfpenny for the game against Ireland. George North & Gareth Anscombe drop to the bench, and Rhys Patchell & Josh Adams drop out of the match day squad. Not bad decisions in my opinion, though I think I might have had Patchell on the bench over Anscombe... and possibly switched Halfpenny & Williams- I just think Williams offers more threat from fullback than Halfpenny does.

Wales Team:
Halfpenny (Scarlets); L Williams (Saracens), S Williams (Scarlets), Parkes (Scarlets), S Evans (Scarlets); Biggar (Ospreys), G Davies (Scarlets); R Evans (Scarlets), Owens (Scarlets), Lee (Scarlets), Hill (Dragons), AW Jones (Ospreys capt), Shingler (Scarlets), Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Moriarty (Gloucester).

Replacements:
Dee (Dragons), W Jones (Scarlets), Francis (Exeter Chiefs), B Davies (Ospreys), Tipuric (Ospreys), A Davies (Scarlets), Anscombe (Blues), North (Northampton).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43127349

Ireland Team:
Kearney; Earls, Farrell, Aki, Stockdale; Sexton, Murray; Healy, Best (capt), Porter; James Ryan, Toner; O'Mahony, Leavy, Stander.

Replacements: Cronin, McGrath, John Ryan, Roux, Conan, Marmion, Carbery, McFadden.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43152956

Aki certainly living a charmed life out there...

Looking promising for Wales. Ireland can't seem to get going.

Ireland not firing on all cylinders and Wales gleefully making the most of their mistakes.

Ireland might get a rocket at half time!

Aki is out of his depth.

silly carney

Can you use the video screens to overrule a knock on?

Ireland had to go wide there - Earl's was screaming for it!

The difference in times Jackson gives for holding on is shocking.

Earls again proving why he is one of the first men on the team sheet.

They should have got the ball wide to him again there, Ireland would have scored. Too many forwards wanting that.

TightHEAD wrote:Can you use the video screens to overrule  a knock on?

I did think that - it wasn't a TMO call, the AR saw it on the big screen then intervened.

Either way the correct call was made.

RiscaGame wrote:The difference in times Jackson gives for holding on is shocking.

Yeah, I thought Navidi did more than enough to win the turnover there...

Huge moment in the game if Wales can hold out here

Ireland got there in the end but not learning from earlier - loads of space out wide again.

Game on!

Well that was just pure pressure. Ireland, very lucky for the half time lead.

I think Ireland are value for it really Billy

Ref has been kind to Ireland,

What a strange half that was. Ireland probably deserve to be in the lead based on how much possession they've had but Wales have looked dangerous when they do get the ball. Wales will have their purple patch in this game and could do damage.

Yeah, agree Risca. Ireland should be further ahead given the missed kicks early on, I expect Wales to come out strong in the second half

RiscaGame wrote:I think Ireland are value for it really Billy

I don't think that Ireland have been clinical enough myself. I also feel Aki was lucky in the first half as well. I know its a common thing that foul play goes unpunished if a team scores a try but I would like to see incidents, like his deliberate Knock on, punished regardless of the outcome.

I’d agree with that aye.

But as Bam Bam says, with the missed kicks and the first twenty you’re definitely value for a lead and I do think a bit more than a very narrow one too.

EDIT. Even if Jackson is a bit of a homer

Yeah Davies doesn't ground it.

Very happy that Ireland have the lead but like the France match, do not look that clinical with ball in hand. Earls must be tearing shreds off the forwards, a couple of times he was out on his own and would have certainly scored if the ball got out wide to him.

Biggar knocking on while protesting to the ref - maybe if he just concentrated on catching the ball!

Bigger is such a ***b

Get Anscombe on

RDW_Scotland wrote:Biggar knocking on while protesting to the ref - maybe if he just concentrated on catching the ball!

Thought he was calling for the mark, very silly either way.

Earls again showing the quality he has

Try sponsored by Dan Biggar's victim mentality

Wales going to pieces here. Need to regroup or this will turn into a rout!

isnt that obstruction?

Next 10 minutes will be the most important of the game, if Ireland choose to sit on this lead it could go pete tong but if they push on with how they are playing, Wales will be done badly.

tigertattie wrote:Try sponsored by Dan Biggar's victim mentality

Lol

biggar has some serious work to do to justify staying on the pitch for the rest of the game. poor.

Ireland's mauling has been fantastic - they take their time and don't mind waiting before going for a second push

That's unlucky from Wales - steal the line-out and end up giving away the scrum!

The pressure from Ireland is immense.
I don't know what was said at Half Time but it worked!

quinsforever wrote:isnt that obstruction?

yep - lucky not to have the try disallowed ..

Can't see anyone beating Ireland this year.

That was a good Welsh scrum - looked like Porter went down

Can't see anyone beating Ireland this year.

4th try for Ireland, been much more impressed with them this second half. This is how I want and know Ireland can play.

How many chances do ireland get at the scrum? Three times porter went down and reset each time.

So much power in the carries from Ireland, its very impressive

All Ireland just now but plenty time for Wales, especially with sexton missing so many kicks and keeping it to 2 scores

TightHEAD wrote:Can't see anyone beating Ireland this year.

Starting to think that. Luckily we have two warm up games first.

79% to 21% possession to Ireland. Wow

Earls so unlucky there, still got all the pace in the world.

A great example of a game plan just clicking here for Ireland. They threatened it in the first half but simple errors halted the momentum. Everything has just clicked here though.

Schmidt's game plans are so clever when everything clicks. Lots of options, plenty of nuances and Murray/Sexton pull the strings fantastically.

Murray has been the standout player for me. His speed of service is as good as any 9 in the world. It allows Sexton to play very flat and forward runners to come onto the ball at full tilt.

eirebilly wrote:Earls so unlucky there, still got all the pace in the world.

That’s why I hate fantasy rugby, as I needed him to score that

I am more impressed with Irelands intent to continue playing. So often it was the close up shop and hang on approach.

Hello, not over yet...

Looked very forward.