6 Nations:Ireland v Scotland - An Craic Mór - 10 Mar 2018

First topic message reminder :

Forget the Tiddlywinks at Twickers, this one’s the proper test match with soaring Scotland taking on their Ivernian cousins.  

Ireland have it all to do on their home turf to keep their championship tilt going, and Scotland have the bit between their teeth to snatch it from them and head into the final round ready to rack up a cricket score against the hapless Italians to try reach top of the table.

Scotland started cold and lost heavily to Wales but now they’ve got their game together, they could be on a roll.  But as their coach has pointed out, their away record in the last decade has been dismal.  That’s the hurdle they have to overcome.  They have the players, the skills, and a successful game plan if they can beat Ireland at their own game at the breakdown.  

Ireland started without a few players like O’Brien, Ringrose, and then lost Furlong, Henderson and Henshaw.  All the replacements stood up - VdF, Leavy, Farrell, Porter, Ryan - and then a couple of them got injured.  But the timing looks good as Furlong, Henderson, and Ringrose are ready to re-enter the fray.  O’Brien could be back for the final round.  

Schmidt has some thinking to do on how he can outwit Townsend - attempting 60-70% possession with constant pick and goes isn’t going to cut it.  Will Sexton have his kicking boots back?   Will yet another midfield continue to weaken the defensive line?   On the other hand, will Russell turn from hero to zero if his looping passes fail to hit their target and Fall into the hands of Stockdale or Earls instead?

Both sides haven’t been shy about scoring, although they go about it in completely different ways.   Let’s see if they can keep it up.

Paddies

15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 81 caps
14. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 65 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 11 caps
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 5 caps
11. Jacob Stockdale (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 7 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster) 71 caps
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 62 caps

1. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 76 caps
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 109 caps
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 21 caps
4. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 6 caps
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 56 caps
6. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 45 caps
7. Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) 7 caps
8. CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 21 caps

Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (St Mary's College/Leinster) 59 caps
17. Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster) 45 caps
18. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 5 caps
19. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 36 caps
20. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 18 caps
21. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 19 caps
22. Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster) 8 caps
23. Jordan Larmour (St Mary's College/Leinster) 1 cap

Lovely Scotsmen

Whiffy Tops
Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh), Huw Jones Glasgow Warriors), Sean Maitland (Saracens), Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Finn Russsell (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne),
Beautiful Rumblers
Gordon Reid (London Irish), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Simon Berghan (Edinburgh), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors), John Barclay (Scarlets, captain), Hamish Watson Edinburgh), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors).
Extras:
Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors), Willem Nel (Edinburgh), Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors), David Denton (Worcester Warriors), Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors), Nick Grigg (Glasgow Warriors), Lee Jones (Glasgow Warriors).

RDW_Scotland wrote:To be fair Russell only spent a few months there as a teenager as part of an SRU scholarship, and Denton moved to Edinburgh when he was 17!

I think it is more the style of players we have as opposed to any influence from their times in SANZAR counties.

Also, it's not like the Sharks are renowned for their attacking rugby!

It's a flattering comparison no doubt. However the Scotland we are seeing now is the Cotter rabbit murdering foundations, being deftly built upon by Toonie who has a great eye for attacking rugby and looks to be really bringing the team together.

Like I said it's the breakdown tussle I'm looking forward to the most. This will be a massive test for Scotland trying to keep that brilliant Irish backrow quiet, or vice versa.

The weather does suit Ireland better I think though, I don't think the heavy conditions will suit us very well.

Its quite nice weather in Dublin at the moment. Fairly mild, no wind.

Collapse2005 wrote:Its quite nice weather in Dublin at the moment. Fairly mild, no wind.

Tomorrow afternoon's forecast is pishing doon.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Its quite nice weather in Dublin at the moment. Fairly mild, no wind.

Tomorrow afternoon's forecast is pishing doon.

Tomorrow afternoon is fine....it's the morning that will have most of the rain.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Its quite nice weather in Dublin at the moment. Fairly mild, no wind.

Tomorrow afternoon's forecast is pishing doon.

Leo Varadkar has stepped in and has decided to officially stop all weather in Ireland for the weekend. So everyone should rest assured. No need for umbrellas or roofs. Perfect playing condition.

Fair enough with what Schmidt wants there Fly and how he will be coaching them but my question still remains, has Larmour got any experience at top club level at 13 and does Carbery also much experience at 12 at top club level?

rodders wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Big Dev starts! What do Ireland fans make of that team?

Looks good to me in the sense that we need to really use the line out plus Henderson gives us big impact off the bench. It also seems like Ryan is now no1 choice at lock and it is him plus AN other depending on the requirement.

Cant agree with that
Henderson is definitely first choice and is not starting only because he is coming back from injury

Lock hierarchy imv - Henderson, Ryan, Toner, Roux, Dillane, (panic)
Bierne will be their alongside Henderson next year

So WC - Henderson, Bierne, Ryan, Toner it is

SecretFly wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Its quite nice weather in Dublin at the moment. Fairly mild, no wind.

Tomorrow afternoon's forecast is pishing doon.

Leo Varadkar has stepped in and has decided to officially stop all weather in Ireland for the weekend.  So everyone should rest assured.  No need for umbrellas or roofs.  Perfect playing condition.

I find that jokes about Irish politicians that no one else knows about are always the best kind of jokes!

eirebilly wrote:Fair enough with what Schmidt wants there Fly and how he will be coaching them but my question still remains, has Larmour got any experience at top club level at 13 and does Carbery also much experience at 12 at top club level?

You know the answer though, billy. It's rhetorical. Larmour has virtually just started professional rugby and Carbury is a 10/15 man.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Its quite nice weather in Dublin at the moment. Fairly mild, no wind.

Tomorrow afternoon's forecast is pishing doon.

Leo Varadkar has stepped in and has decided to officially stop all weather in Ireland for the weekend.  So everyone should rest assured.  No need for umbrellas or roofs.  Perfect playing condition.

I find that jokes about Irish politicians that no one else knows about are always the best kind of jokes!

Oh believe me.  Before the Brexit shenanigans are over - you'll know who Leo Varadkar is.  May is already haunted by the man.

SecretFly wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Fair enough with what Schmidt wants there Fly and how he will be coaching them but my question still remains, has Larmour got any experience at top club level at 13 and does Carbery also much experience at 12 at top club level?

You know the answer though, billy.  It's rhetorical.  Larmour has virtually just started professional rugby and Carbury is a 10/15 man.

I don't, that is why I am asking. I know Larmour is primarily a 15 and Carbery 10/15 but was just wondering if either of them has played in the midfield for Leinster at all.

Even if either have played in the midfield at grade level, I really do not know what their experience is there.

geoff999rugby wrote:

rodders wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Big Dev starts! What do Ireland fans make of that team?

Looks good to me in the sense that we need to really use the line out plus Henderson gives us big impact off the bench. It also seems like Ryan is now no1 choice at lock and it is him plus AN other depending on the requirement.

Cant agree with that
Henderson is definitely first choice and is not starting only because he is coming back from injury

Lock hierarchy imv - Henderson, Ryan, Toner, Roux, Dillane, (panic)
Bierne will be their alongside Henderson next year

So WC - Henderson, Bierne, Ryan, Toner it is

I think you've taken that slightly out of context Geoff, I agree Hendo is being eased back and would expect he may well be being held back for Twickenham where his physicality will be key.

I do believe Schmidt rates Ryan very highly though and he and Henderson likely the starting pair come the RWC, although there is still a question over whether Henderson will go abroad so Schmidt will be keeping his option open until he signs his next contract.

Not convinced there is a hierachy of locks established yet. Toner is still very highly rated by Schmidt as are the other two. They all offer something slightly different and will all more than likely feature fairly prominently at the next RWC IMO.

Is it not also true that Henderson might be needed for an end game of Scotland pushing hard at us and loosening it all up like Wales?

We all realise the end-game is usually where we're most vulnerable (certainly in this 6N but also outside it) so it makes sense to me to hold off on one or two of our 'starter' players to balance out the side more and make us that bit tougher a task through both halves.

I know 'starter' is somehow seen as a badge of honour but I really do think, in practical and real terms, that 23 players are the team.  Some games are won by the starters in the first half, some games are stolen back from the brink by the subs.  That's not to say that subs should then automatically become starters, it an acknowledgement that they are increasingly as important to the winning of a game as the starters.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Its quite nice weather in Dublin at the moment. Fairly mild, no wind.

Tomorrow afternoon's forecast is pishing doon.

Leo Varadkar has stepped in and has decided to officially stop all weather in Ireland for the weekend.  So everyone should rest assured.  No need for umbrellas or roofs.  Perfect playing condition.

I find that jokes about Irish politicians that no one else knows about are always the best kind of jokes!

You don't know who Leo Varadkar is? He is the Justin Trudeau of Irish politics... and just as gay.

Varadker isnt really that similar to Justin Trudeau is he? He probably fancies Trudeau but politically they are quite different. Im not that knowledagble about politics but I reckon Trudeau is a fair bit more liberal in his politics than Varadker. I reckon Varadker is a fair bit more clued in too.

Varadkar is liberal (whatever that title really means). Trudeau is just fruity. "Let's ban Hymns in Churches if they don't also let them be called Hurres."

back to Rugby! The Scots want none of this tosh!!!

RDW_Scotland wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Its quite nice weather in Dublin at the moment. Fairly mild, no wind.

Tomorrow afternoon's forecast is pishing doon.

Leo Varadkar has stepped in and has decided to officially stop all weather in Ireland for the weekend.  So everyone should rest assured.  No need for umbrellas or roofs.  Perfect playing condition.

I find that jokes about Irish politicians that no one else knows about are always the best kind of jokes!

They're a bit left field eh!

I reckon Schmidt picked Toner because our lineout wasnt great v Scotland last year and Toner is still our strongest lineout option. POM wasnt playing last year so he will help too.

Ryan and Henderson are both locks that play like backrows so maybe they are too similar?

tigertattie wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:Its quite nice weather in Dublin at the moment. Fairly mild, no wind.

Tomorrow afternoon's forecast is pishing doon.

Leo Varadkar has stepped in and has decided to officially stop all weather in Ireland for the weekend.  So everyone should rest assured.  No need for umbrellas or roofs.  Perfect playing condition.

I find that jokes about Irish politicians that no one else knows about are always the best kind of jokes!

They're a bit left field eh!

rodders wrote:

geoff999rugby wrote:

rodders wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Big Dev starts! What do Ireland fans make of that team?

Looks good to me in the sense that we need to really use the line out plus Henderson gives us big impact off the bench. It also seems like Ryan is now no1 choice at lock and it is him plus AN other depending on the requirement.

Cant agree with that
Henderson is definitely first choice and is not starting only because he is coming back from injury

Lock hierarchy imv - Henderson, Ryan, Toner, Roux, Dillane, (panic)
Bierne will be their alongside Henderson next year

So WC - Henderson, Bierne, Ryan, Toner it is

I think you've taken that slightly out of context Geoff, I agree Hendo is being eased back and would expect he may well be being held back for Twickenham where his physicality will be key.

I do believe Schmidt rates Ryan very highly though and he and Henderson likely the starting pair come the RWC, although there is still a question over whether Henderson will go abroad so Schmidt will be keeping his option open until he signs his next contract.  

Ok you are being specific to this game fair enough
I too think Ryan is rated highly as I said second only to Henderson in my view.
However I would not call the WC until we see what Bierne delivers.
If he translates his Scarlets form into Ireland form he will be a starter as will Henderson - who may start at 6 if Ryan develops over the next 12 months

As I mentioned Henderson, Bierne, Ryan, Toner seem the most likely for the WC

Don't forget Jean Kleyn. He is Irish IQ in July 2019.

Sin é wrote:Don't forget Jean Kleyn. He is Irish IQ in July 2019.

I have a high IQ too. I'm like a very stable genius.

I must say, this thread has been really bloody good

Irish IQ ain't too high though.  Kleyn came in with a high one.  It'll take him until 2019 to get dumb enough to play for us.  That's what sin was referring to.

Right, enough of this nonsense.  I'm out of here until after the games tomorrow.  If we lose, it'll be after the games in about three year's time!

Enjoy the day any Scottish fans that make the trip....at least until the 153rd minute, which is when Wayne is due to end the game as we just get a last minute penalty try with a final score of 82 - 77

Klein IQ?

Wouldn't that be on the small size?

U20s playing on rte2 for anyone interested.

eirebilly wrote:Fair enough with what Schmidt wants there Fly and how he will be coaching them but my question still remains, has Larmour got any experience at top club level at 13 and does Carbery also much experience at 12 at top club level?

Carbery has no experience at 12 that I know of but Larmour has played at 13 a few times.He came off the bench v Ulster in Ravenhill and scored a great try in a good performance.He has generally moved there to cover injuries but he’s started st least once for Leinster this season.He hasn’t had to play 13 at anything close to this level ,he also hasn’t really played there in a game where Leinster were under pressure so it’s hard to say what his defense is like there.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Fair enough with what Schmidt wants there Fly and how he will be coaching them but my question still remains, has Larmour got any experience at top club level at 13 and does Carbery also much experience at 12 at top club level?

Carbery has no experience at 12 that I know of but Larmour has played at 13 a few times.He came off the bench v Ulster in Ravenhill and scored a great try in a good performance.He has generally moved there to cover injuries but he’s started st least once for Leinster this season.He hasn’t had to play 13 at anything close to this level ,he also hasn’t really played there in a game where Leinster were under pressure so it’s hard to say what his defense is like there.

Thanks asls, was not aware that Larmour had played at 13 but it is good to know that he has some experience there so will not (if required) be dumped into a position he has no idea about.

As I said before, I do believe that Carbery is being turned into Paddy Wallace Mark II though and I feel that may not be the best for him.

Match day and nothing posted!

This is what happens when the fans are too nice to each other.

Anyway,Ireland's boring, boring, starve the opposition of possession and grind them into the dirt, rugby doesn't deserve to win. Except against England where the idea of the Irish starving the English to, metaphorical, death does have a certain poetic irony to it.  

However, Toonie's organised pandemonium will prevail. Especially since Frodo has been reading the collected works of Sean O'Casey to the squad at bed time each evening this week. I have it on good authority that his pre-match pep talk will conclude with the words,
"Dancer, I want to see you strutting around that field like a paycock, and the rest of you....remember chassis, utter chassis."

 

Jimbo, ye are as mad as a bag of spiders. How can you think Toonie will get the win today. I expect a minimum of 3 intercept pass for Irish tries as Russell looses his heed

Cannot wait for this. Weather is not appalling at the minute in Dublin. Henderson in an interview yesterday said Ireland training has been a bit fractious. Apparently they shipped in a bunch of Leinster academy upstarts to stir the pot and keep up the recent aggression levels

Ladyboys' Academy teenagers are no preparation for the real thing.
I believe I read that in the Jesuit priests' training manual (revised 1634 edition).

I've been down the bookies and put 30 bob on the first injury;
Wayne Barnes RSI from repeatedly waving his yellow card for "Green offside at the ruck".

Haha! Funny you should mention ladyboys with the amount of Scot leg on show about town. The knees on some have me all aflustered and confused

Engine, one of my abiding memories of Cardiff this year is meeting up with Tattie Scones and his mates post match. They were all in kilts and au naturel. One of Tattie's mates was dulling the pain of defeat by swallowing his body weight in alcohol. I turned round to see him with his forehead pressed against the window attempting to cool himself down. Tattie and I stood back to take the scene in; he was propped against the window like a suspect stood against the police station wall- palms by his ears and legs akimbo.
Then we realised it was a floor to ceiling window, we were on the first floor and there was a Hen Party in the courtyard below. Yes they were cheering and taking selfies.

Unbeliveable

Good luck all.  Personally I'm bricking myself.  Its the hope that kills you - "we're crap and we know it" isn't so painful
I think the Irish will control the ball and territory enough to win but beware poor kicking or poor kick chase

 

Just watching the highlights of Scotland's win against England. Ireland will have some job stopping Jones in the midfield.

And that's what I like about Toner, proper menace in the maul and wins Ireland the scrum

Earls again showing what a quality player he is.

Barnes is amazingly not blowing up every ruck!

FFS we need the lineout to work given his little possession we're likely to get

Scotland bang on the money, when given a chance at points, take them. Ireland did not and are now 3 points down.

Should have been our lineout!!

Nope it was ours!!!
Ireland not at the races as yet. Dreadful

Lovely from kinghorn!

Pete330v2 wrote:Nope it was ours!!!
Ireland not at the races as yet. Dreadful

Clearly touched Earl's fingers

Kinghorn looks out of it...
Sorry, it was Wilson

What a start from Kinghorn, not lacking confidence

Ah crap