6 Nations: England v Ireland - Our Favourite Bestest Neighbours - 17 March 2018

First topic message reminder :

I’ve always thought that England are a very good team and their fans are lovely and the most popular.

Feel free to add your own thoughts as we approach next weekend’s match as we travel over to visit them and celebrate with them.  And I’m sure that they’ll be as welcoming and fun-filled as they always are whenever we play them.  

As we all know, it’s only a game and sure it doesn’t matter who wins.....


Lovely England Team

Watson, May, Joseph, Te'o, Daly, Farrell, Wigglesworth, Simmonds, Haskell, Robshaw, Kruis, Itoje, Sinckler, Hartley, Mako

George, MArler, Cole, Launchbury, Armand, Care, Ford, Brown

Super Controlling Unbelievable Mauling Monster Yeti Irish Team

Kearney, Earls, Ringrose, Aki, Stockdale, Sexton Murray, Stander, Leavy, O'Mahony, Ryan, Henderson, Furlong, Best, Healy.

Reps: Cronin, McGrath, Porter, Toner, Murphy, Marmion, Carbery, Larmour.

For those who haven't seen the revised 28 (+1)...

The scrum is much clearer as there is less versatility. His main option in this respect would be to play Itoje at 6 - and he has retained enough second rows to make this a viable option. Assuming he won't do this, his choices are:

Loosehead: Mako or Marler (other on bench)
Hooker: Hartley, George or Cowan-Dickie (1 to start, 1 to bench, 1 to miss out)
Tighthead: Cole or Sinckler (other on bench)
Locks: Launchbury, Itoje, Kruis, Ewels (2 to start, 1 to bench, 1 to miss out - OR Itoje gets used in the back row)
Back row: Robshaw, Haskell, Armand, Simmonds (3 to start, 1 to bench, or Itoje gets moved to 6 and one of these guys miss out)

2 players to be cut: a hooker and a lock (most likely Cowan-Dickie and Ewels)

In the backs, it's less clear. He has to cut 3. Scrum-half is fine, but then with Farrell (10-13), Lozowski (10, 12, 15) and Daly (11-15) it makes it tougher to work out. He has to cut 4 if you include Smith as a genuine option. Smith, Lozowski, Earle and Solomona could all go and leave the 8 outside backs used to date, or he could mix something up. As above, I have a hunch it will be Smith in and Joseph missing out.

Scrumhalves: Wigglesworth or Care (other to bench)
Other: Ford, Farrell, Lozowski, Smith* (Listed as an apprentice), Te'o, Joseph, Daly, May, Solomona, Earle, Watson, Brown

For the first time since Scotland in 2016, I think Jones has a real decision to make over every position on the team.

Hooker - read above
Mako, Cole, Launchbury, Itoje - shoo-ins normally but all below their best.
Back row - who misses out. Robshaw is the only one who's penned in to start - but where?
Scrum half - who to start? Care? Or is he better from the bench?
Backs - a mess. Are the backs problems stemming from the forwards, or do they have their own problems? Farrell, Daly and Watson will probably be reasonably assured of a start, but again - where? Farrell - 10/12? Daly - centre (if Farrell vacates to 10 - leaving May, Watson, Brown as the back 3) or wing? Watson - wing or full back?

A lot of questions for Eddie Jones to work through tonight before his squad announcement tomorrow. At the moment, my 23 (and it changes often!) would be:

Mako, Cowan-Dickie, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis, Robshaw, Armand, Simmonds, Wigglesworth, Ford, Daly, Farrell, Joseph, May, Watson.
Hartley, Marler, Cole, Launchbury, Haskell, Care, Te'o, Brown.

Pick a pacy backline with a pack that can support it. A very experienced bench to come on, add a bit of directness and close the game down. The one exception to this is Care (who is experienced), but I'd be looking for him to threaten with the ball himself to make it easier for his runners to punch holes. Wigglesworth from the start would just be there to pass and kick.

Collapse2005 wrote:http://rugbylad.ie/watch-eddie-jones-labels-the-irish-as-scummy-in-unseen-video/

That’s very funny.

I’d say Joe is raising a small glass to Eddie right about now.

Team talk sorted.

Collapse2005 wrote:http://rugbylad.ie/watch-eddie-jones-labels-the-irish-as-scummy-in-unseen-video/

You can tell by his tone he's trying to be funny, but it's offensive and wildly inappropriate. No excuse for it. He'll get his knuckles rapped for sure, most likely a warning and potentially a fine - and if it's just that then he's got off quite lightly in the modern day.

A lesser, but still significant crime is that it's also wildy stupid to think he would get away with that in the smartphone era. The fact that it has taken 8 months to come out is deliberate, someone has held onto that for maximum impact. To make those comments in a public speak is dense.

I think if i was Wasps id be having something to say about the Hughes situation.

Everyone is happy to make their players available, but Hughes has been injured then as soons as he's back and barely fit he's slung back in the team when there were others available and now out for 12 weeks ish. They'll be furious.

Shame about Lawes as well...however a bad situation means Jones now HAS to play backrowers in the back row.

Id be looking at:
6 Robshaw
7 Haskell
8 Armand

22 Simmonds

A hugely physical back row, who ARE flankers and backrowers... then bring on Simmonds to open it up .

Its a HUGE game to just drop either of the Currys in. Let them tour in the Summer.

Pot Hale wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:http://rugbylad.ie/watch-eddie-jones-labels-the-irish-as-scummy-in-unseen-video/

That’s very funny.  

I’d say Joe is raising a small glass to Eddie right about now.

Team talk sorted.  

I knew this would come up here.

Came upon that story about an hour or two ago.  I said to myself "Here we go.  The drama of words spoken pre-game begins".

First thing I thought was that dragging up comments made in the summer of last year at this point is probably a cheap shot on the man.  Someone was really trying to generate something here and either decided to sit on it till now or was excessively interested in uncovering something.

Then I listened and listened to Jones doing his whole speech and waited for the moments.  And it all seemed strange.  It felt strange that this man would choose to be so 'demeaning' without any reason.  Now, even then, I realised it was just Eddie being Eddie - doing his humour thing - raw but not meaning to be offensive, just being his raw Australian self.

But still it felt just strange.  So I looked at it a few times and I wanted to see what was happening around him.  The article with it said nobody in the crowd wanted to smile at the comment.  But straight away I noticed the other 'speaker' who was seated at this point smiling knowingly.  So I looked at Jones and noticed the way he pointed towards this man as he spoke and jibed, and I realised pretty quickly that this man must be Irish. He even looked Irish.

So I did more research and found out that sure enough, the seated man was Irish (British Special Forces Operative) and Jones was jibing playfully at him.

And I thought to myself - none of this gets said in the article by this 'Kevin Palmer' guy.  He's a journalist.  Did he try to find out what the circumstances might have been?

And I thought scummy treatment by whoever dragged this thing into the public eye at this point and scummy not to outline the details.  

I take no offence because I know the mood Jones was saying it in and indeed it was a little bit of a compliment to us as Aussies and New Zealanders are a raw bunch at times with the lingo and I like it.  I like it that they often don't give a damn about PR and just insult each other playfully as part of their culture.  Jones was just being a raw Aussie having a little good natured dig at an Irishman in the room.

Leave the man alone yous blighters in the press, stop trying to create something from nothing and let's play rugby.

SecretFly wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:

Collapse2005 wrote:http://rugbylad.ie/watch-eddie-jones-labels-the-irish-as-scummy-in-unseen-video/

That’s very funny.  

I’d say Joe is raising a small glass to Eddie right about now.

Team talk sorted.  

I knew this would come up here.

Came upon that story about an hour or two ago.  I said to myself "Here we go.  The drama of words spoken pre-game begins".

First thing I thought was that dragging up comments made in the summer of last year at this point is probably a cheap shot on the man.  Someone was really trying to generate something here and either decided to sit on it till now or was excessively interested in uncovering something.

Then I listened and listened to Jones doing his whole speech and waited for the moments.  And it all seemed strange.  It felt strange that this man would choose to be so 'demeaning' without any reason.  Now, even then, I realised it was just Eddie being Eddie - doing his humour thing - raw but not meaning to be offensive, just being his raw Australian self.

But still it felt just strange.  So I looked at it a few times and I wanted to see what was happening around him.  The article with it said nobody in the crowd wanted to smile at the comment.  But straight away I noticed the other 'speaker' who was seated at this point smiling knowingly.  So I looked at Jones and noticed the way he pointed towards this man as he spoke and jibed, and I realised pretty quickly that this man must be Irish.  He even looked Irish.

So I did more research and found out that sure enough, the seated man was Irish (British Special Forces Operative) and Jones was jibing playfully at him.

And I thought to myself - none of this gets said in the article by this 'Kevin Palmer' guy.  He's a journalist.  Did he try to find out what the circumstances might have been?

And I thought scummy treatment by whoever dragged this thing into the public eye at this point and scummy not to outline the details.  

I take no offence because I know the mood Jones was saying it in and indeed it was a little bit of a compliment to us as Aussies and New Zealanders are a raw bunch at times with the lingo and I like it.  I like it that they often don't give a damn about PR and just insult each other playfully as part of their culture.  Jones was just being a raw Aussie having a little good natured dig at an Irishman in the room.

Leave the man alone yous blighters in the press, stop trying to create something from nothing and let's play rugby.

The funny thing is that no one was laughing or reacting to anything he said. Fuso the sponsor company who made the video released it - don’t think it was anything behind that.

The Irish guy did. That's who he was talking to with that comment. It was just a little jibing. Nothing in it at all. But of course, it'll probably become a classic 'pin-it-to-the-wall' moment. Yet another one in a loaded closet

SecretFly wrote:The Irish guy did.  That's who he was talking to with that comment.  It was just a little jibing.  Nothing in it at all.  But of course, it'll probably become a classic 'pin-it-to-the-wall' moment.  Yet another one in a loaded closet  

In fact, Joe must be doubly pleased. He can use it for the Australian tour as well.

A proper twofer.

Actually think the "loveable rogue" Mr Jones may be in bit of bother, as he states here he's already on a warning

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2018/02/13/eddie-jones-accuses-world-rugby-undermining-officials-rumbling/

"Well they’ve done it before and again, as I said I’m on a good behaviour bond, so I’ve got to be careful what I say"

Not only have I seen that whole speech before, I'm fairly certain I posted a link to video of it on this forum.. Can't find the thread now, but I think I posted it along with a similar interesting speech he gave in Oxford.

Never occurred to me back then he was being offensive, and I can't see it now. If you are inclined to take offence, then I suspect no amount of parsing his comments will change you rmind. I'd be genuinely disappointed if this turns into anything more.

Yeah you are right its a bit of a non story but Jones kinda has a habit for shooting himself in the foot at times.

Looking forward to the England team/squad announcement. I reckon they will be the biggest decisions of Jones's tenure to date.
Back row is King.

The jones wales ireland thing was discussed on here last year wasn't it?

On a scale of 1 to Hard Brexit, just how worried are England fans about this game?

More worried than I was for the first 3 games, less worried than I was for the trip to Paris.

Will be watching through my fingers, but then that has been pretty commonplace under Jones.

Good old Eddie. I thought the comments were pretty funny to be honest and would be surprised if anyone in the Irish camp took any offence.

I feel a bit sorry (but not too much) for him to be honest that this has only come up now given the comments were last year.

I don't think it will have any bearing on the game and I'm still backing Joe's troops to give the English boys a spanking on their home turf

Not too concerned george.

George Carlin wrote:On a scale of 1 to Hard Brexit, just how worried are England fans about this game?

1

Ireland are the better team right now, they've won the tournament and that's not going to have changed by Saturday.  Last year we had the better team and that didn't stop Ireland winning at home, so I hope we can return the favour - but I'm not losing any sleep over it.  I hope that getting knocked down a peg or two motivates the England team to improve and they bounce back, and ideally become better than they were over the two previous seasons.  But realistically I can't see that improvement materialising before the summer tests at the earliest, and more realistically the autumn tests or next years 6 nations.

The France game was the most concerning one, because a) unlike Scotland they are a pretty poor team and even with England's current breakdown issues France should have been beatable, and b) at that point there was still a championship to play for.

George Carlin wrote:On a scale of 1 to Hard Brexit, just how worried are England fans about this game?

I'm less worried about immediate results, than I am about player welfare planning for the next twelve months. I don't think it's feasible to take the same core squad on tour to South Africa, and expect them to be in better shape than now. There's a good chance many would be worse, and there's no real break from the start of next season to the World Cup. If tiredness has been a factor in the losses, then players will need a rest, or more sympathetic training sessions.

Well we'll see what team Jones picks but I am worried his head is in the sand.

Losing to Ireland though would be annoying if it brings change then it will be a good thing.

Lancaster IMO did not make enough progress with England when you take into account the squad at his disposal.

I worry Jones is falling into a similar trap - the difference is Jones has won himself some breathing space by picking up some silverware.

Still the pressure will build, if England don't fix longstanding issues.

The backrow balance hasn't really been quite right since the holy trinity. Yes there's been patches of excellence and there was a season where Haskell was in beast mode but Haskell isn't the same.

That squad of 2002-2003 didn't magically come together - it was built and there was strength in depth.


It shows the measure of strength that our 3rd choice 9 in 2003 was our 1st choice in 2007.....


I agree fatigue is certainly a factor -

I'd rest quite a few players in summer.

I see only two options for this game.
Option 1: England come out with a point to prove, work well at the breakdown, play some decent rugby and win by 6-10 points in a tight game.
Option 2: England come out with a point to prove, Ireland frustrate them, one or two England players loose there cool.do something rash and get a card or two, Ireland win a very close game by 3_9 points.

I hope it's number 2. I think it will be 1

beshocked wrote:Well we'll see what team Jones picks but I am worried his head is in the sand.

Losing to Ireland though would be annoying if it brings change then it will be a good thing.

Lancaster IMO did not make enough progress with England when you take into account the squad at his disposal.

I worry Jones is falling into a similar trap - the difference is Jones has won himself some breathing space by picking up some silverware.

That is interesting beshocked but I see it the opposite. I believe both Lancaster and Jones have overachieved with the players they had at their disposal.

England don't have that great a squad and the expectations I think are unrealistic at times.

If you look at the Lions, not that I would be supporting Gatland, Only Farrell and Itoje were key to the test team. Billy V is the only other guy who is genuinely world class when fit.

From an Irish perspective I wouldn't see many of that team make the Irish 23, the tight 5 in particular is very average and that is being kind, then add in an unbalanced back row, arguably the worst poor scrum half in the competition, a make shift midfield and an over the hill fullback, there really isn't much there to worry the other teams.

Who else would you bring in?

Jones has been making do with the back row as he identifies who could go on and make a real.difference. 7 options appear to be curry and underhill. 6 Robshaw but then you're looking t some of the younger players to push on and Shields to be available. Vunipola and Hughes. I think they look to be his ideal but how.often has he had to play them yet? Do you make a decision to write those players off or make do as he has up to now?

rodders

 Overachieved?

Lancaster underachieved in his whole tenure bar perhaps 2012.

Getting knocked out of our own RWC isn't overachieving. Failing to make the 1/4s for the first ever time is not that.....

Jones has done as well as England would hope for before this season. A 4th or 5th place in the 6 nations would be underachieving though.

England should be getting at least 1-3 in the 6 nations every year.

Both Lancaster and Jones have access to vast resources. Both have 12 AP teams and very strong age group players coming through. The quality of players is not an issue.

Unrealistic?   RFU have heavily invested. England expects a lot because of the resources at their disposal.

I think you are doing our front five a disservice. If they were as average as you suggest Gatland wouldn't have picked so many in his Lions squad....

The problem is their collective lack of form.

You don't win a GS, beat Australia 3-0 away from home if you have bad players. You also don't have an English team winning 2 European titles in a row if they are average.

England are going through a bad patch of form but it can be turned around.


If our players are so bad how come England have dominated the U20s 6 nations as a whole?

Putting it into perspective England have more titles than every other country combined....


If our U20s players are bad what does that make the Irish ones?

Beshocked. Check rodders posts. He's not serious.

I think it's true though that England, and coming up fast Ireland, have believed their own hype too much recently. Both are pretty good teams mind, but with few world class players. It's true that Ireland would take few English players, but the reverse is also true. Meanwhile the holy grail of being #1 is still some way off for either. The fact that 2 of the SH powerhouses are struggling at this time has put a bit of a shine on the NH.

I hope he's not but I don't know.

rodders wrote:

beshocked wrote:Well we'll see what team Jones picks but I am worried his head is in the sand.

Losing to Ireland though would be annoying if it brings change then it will be a good thing.

Lancaster IMO did not make enough progress with England when you take into account the squad at his disposal.

I worry Jones is falling into a similar trap - the difference is Jones has won himself some breathing space by picking up some silverware.

That is interesting beshocked but I see it the opposite. I believe both Lancaster and Jones have overachieved with the players they had at their disposal.

England don't have that great a squad and the expectations I think are unrealistic at times.

If you look at the Lions, not that I would be supporting Gatland, Only Farrell and Itoje were key to the test team. Billy V is the only other guy who is genuinely world class when fit.

From an Irish perspective I wouldn't see many of that team make the Irish 23, the tight 5 in particular is very average and that is being kind, then add in an unbalanced back row, arguably the worst poor scrum half in the competition, a make shift midfield and an over the hill fullback, there really isn't much there to worry the other teams.

Who else would you bring in?

Pretty sure that Mako and George were pretty key, and there were other starters, but perhaps the wingers are deemed as peripheral?

Any way reflecting back on your post it could be rewritten as :


If you look at the Lions, not that I would be supporting Gatland, Only Murray and Sexton were key to the test team. SOB is the only other guy who is genuinely world class when fit.

From an English perspective I wouldn't see many of that team make the English 23, the tight 5 in particular is very average and that is being kind, then add in an unbalanced back row, arguably the worst poor best scrum half in the competition, a make shift midfield and an over the hill fullback, there really isn't much there to worry the other teams.


OK so you have a good SH and a balanced back row.  Hopefully we may have addressed that latter point for Saturday.

1pm for the team announcement along with a millions questions on a year old jokey comment.

beshocked wrote:
If our players are so bad how come England have dominated the U20s 6 nations as a whole?

Putting it into perspective England have more titles than every other country combined....


If our U20s players are bad what does that make the Irish ones?

Well this is the thing, the U20s isn't remotely representative of senior rugby. I can't speak for other nations but only a small percentage of Irish U20s go on to be successful professionals, it is just part of our development process here nit something would put much stock in terms of results.

Where are all these players that should guarantee 1-3 place?

Lancaster is a superb coach, its unfortunate he didn't have the quality and experience to go with it with England and paid the price for it.

Jones has come in and done a Japan getting England to play above themselves but seems a bit short on ideas now other teams have worked them out.

This is an average enough bunch and really the 5th place finish they are on for is reflective enough of their quality this season.

No 7&1/2 wrote:1pm for the team announcement along with a millions questions on a year old jokey comment.

Team announcement was delayed from a scheduled slot at 9:15 due to some late injury worries.

Do players get injured more on England duty (training and games) under Eddie?

I expect so as he wants to make it as near to a match situation as possible.

LondonTiger wrote:
Pretty sure that Mako and George were pretty key, and there were other starters, but perhaps the wingers are deemed as peripheral?

Any way reflecting back on your post it could be rewritten as :


If you look at the Lions, not that I would be supporting Gatland, Only Murray and Sexton were key to the test team. SOB is the only other guy who is genuinely world class when fit.

That is a fair point and don't disagree with that but my comments about the Lions were as response to this idea that England are under performing, Ireland have had a couple of poor enough 6Ns so probably over achieved in terms of Lions selection.

England by contrast were back to back champions and their modest input to the Lions in my mind is a sign what they achieved was in spite of their players and not because of them and Jones deserves some credit for that.

rodders disagree. These players generally work their way from the U20s. Certainly in England anyway.

You are seriously wumming. Even though there are current cracks in the England side they aren't as bad as you suggest.

Ireland have only just overtaken England and they haven't beaten England at Twickenham this weekend just yet.


I wouldn't say having 9 players in the 23 for the first test then 10 in the following 2 tests is a modest input...

Scotland beat us at Murrayfield, just like they did Ireland,Wales and France.

Would you seriously still back Scotland vs England at Twickenham? I wouldn't.

LondonTiger wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:1pm for the team announcement along with a millions questions on a year old jokey comment.

Team announcement was delayed from a scheduled slot at 9:15 due to some late injury worries.

Do players get injured more on England duty (training and games) under Eddie?

Its only a matter of time before they sign up to Kitman labs to mange injuries.

beshocked wrote:

Would you seriously still back Scotland vs England at Twickenham? I wouldn't.

Nah, not after us killing off their fantasy rugby soul......................



Joke, Scottish fans! I'm sure you'll be running circles around the poor breathless Italianos in Rome this weekend.

Irish players I'd take for England: Furlong, O'Brien, Murray, Sexton. There are others who I'm sure you can argue are just as good as their English equivalents, but those are the only ones who stand out for me as definitely better.

I've been puzzled by Jones' tactics this 6 Nations. He's got two distributors, fast outside backs and a slow pack. Everything in the backs screams getting the ball into the wider channels, but we don't have the pack to support it. I think that has contributed to our poor showing.

The team selection today is very interesting, it will give an idea of where Eddie's head is at. There are genuine question marks over every shirt because of injury, the form of the incumbents and/or tactical reasons.

I'm hoping to see Eddie tweak the pack but hold firm in the backs. Pick a pack that can keep the ball and allow the backs to do what they've done well for us across Jones' tenure.

Watson, May, Joseph, Te'o, Daly, Farrell, Wigglesworth, Simmonds, Haskell, Robshaw, Kruis, Itoje, Sinckler, Hartley, Mako

George, MArler, Cole, Launchbury, Armand, Care, Ford, Brown


http://www.englandrugby.com/news/six-nations-england-name-side-face-ireland/

Six Nations: George Ford one of five dropped by England for Ireland game

1 minute agoFrom the sectionRugby Union

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Six Nations - England v IrelandVenue: Twickenham Date: Saturday, 17 March Kick-off: 14:45 GMTCoverage: BBC Radio 5 live, live text commentary on BBC Sport website

England fly-half George Ford has been dropped for Saturday's crunch Six Nations meeting with Grand Slam-chasing Ireland.

Owen Farrell starts at fly-half, with Ben Te'o at inside-centre, while hooker Dylan Hartley returns to lead the side.

Scrum-half Danny Care, lock Joe Launchbury and prop Dan Cole also lose their places in the starting XV.

Richard Wigglesworth, George Kruis and Kyle Sinckler all start as England look to recover from back-to-back defeats.

Would have had Brown starting to be honest.

Personally I would have preferred Brown at 15 with Ireland's excellent kicking game.

If that's a better 'pride recovery' side and in truth seems to be on paper - then one might ask, why only now in the end-game?

I also think Simmonds is too lightweight to start. Much better as a finished.

Well you can't complain jones has sat on his laurels.

Sinkler starting. Fired up. Making an impact. Yellow card?

Cole, Care, Ford & George can have no complaints.

They offered nothing last week, Launch looked tired so probably needs a rest.

carpet baboon wrote:Sinkler starting. Fired up. Making an impact. Yellow card?

Maybe, at least he'll fight for the Red Rose.....................

                                                                                        

I can see it all now.

Fired up england led by manic Farrell steamroll Ireland. Cue celebrations as Jones smirks to camera saying I was just testing the guys, I knew all along the team was buried in there somewhere. I knew in my heart that we'd win today. In fact I said it last year at a conference I was at, I told this Irish bloke that we'd beat the scummy Irish and we would march... what, what, what did I say now?

Anyway.................. drama........what will Joe do now?

em......... "syme tyme as usual, coz you got factors and generators that are unpredictable, and we like to.......em, predict some of those and probably have situytions that England will be unfamiliar with that we're familiar with... them...and so maybe Heaslip just wasn't right for this gyme but we would certainly have picked him had he not retired prematurely in our opinyion and 'scummy' Irish?  Well............. not going to comment on that.  We can't control Eddie's mouth and so we like to concentrate on our own gyme and what we can influence and...."
Assistant:  "The room is empty Joe.  Enough.  The room is empty.  Go for a cigarette or something.  You're useless at this Eddie rabble rousing stuff."

LondonTiger wrote:Watson, May, Joseph, Te'o, Daly, Farrell, Wigglesworth, Simmonds, Haskell, Robshaw, Kruis, Itoje, Sinckler, Hartley, Mako

George, MArler, Cole, Launchbury, Armand, Care, Ford, Brown


http://www.englandrugby.com/news/six-nations-england-name-side-face-ireland/

It's a decent team. I wouldn't have dropped Ford, but there we go. The pack is looking quite decent, Sinckler in there to punch holes, Itoje and Kruis together at lock should go well and a proper back row. Hoping they can really have a go at the Irish pack and get the ball to the backs.

We've got a club combination at 9/10 and then all the other backs have played together before, so no excuses for a lack of familiarity, even if we do have regular starters Ford and Brown on the bench.

10 Lions in the starting line-up still, with 3 more on the bench in the front row. The quality is there, they just have to raise their game from the levels we have achieved so far.