South Africa vs Ireland

South Africa: Willie le Roux; Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk; Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert; Siya Kolisi (capt), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kwagga Smith.

Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Salmaan Moerat, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Grant Williams, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu

Ireland - TBC

Ireland: J Osborne; C Nash, R Henshaw, B Aki, J Lowe; J Crowley, C Casey; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong; T Beirne, J McCarthy; P O’Mahony (capt), J van der Flier, C Doris.

Replacements: R Kelleher, C Healy, F Bealham, J Ryan, R Baird, C Murray, C Frawley, G Ringrose.

Not sure why there seems to be so much niggle about this game - presumably it's all press generated as usual. I have seen quite a few Saffer rugby channels where the commentators have frothed apoplectically at whichever bright spark said that Ireland was "the best team in the World".

I think that most rugby fans are of the view that Ireland with Sexton, Keenan and a fully fit pack had a good shout at being described as the best team in the world. At the moment, the jury is still out. Let's see how we go. Good luck to my paddy cousins.

Good start for the Boks

George Carlin wrote:Not sure why there seems to be so much niggle about this game - presumably it's all press generated as usual. I have seen quite a few Saffer rugby channels where the commentators have frothed apoplectically at whichever bright spark said that Ireland was "the best team in the World".

I think that most rugby fans are of the view that Ireland with Sexton, Keenan and a fully fit pack had a good shout at being described as the best team in the world. At the moment, the jury is still out. Let's see how we go. Good luck to my paddy cousins.

Best team in the world is South Africa. Not much debate to be had around it. As usual the SH, mainly SA and NZ, stepped up when it mattered most.

Omg. Someone please fix the feed. That high pitched noise is doing my head in

Ireland need some territory.

tigertattie wrote:Omg. Someone please fix the feed. That high pitched noise is doing my head in

You got sound? I’m watching on mute…

mikey_dragon wrote:

tigertattie wrote:Omg. Someone please fix the feed. That high pitched noise is doing my head in

You got sound? I’m watching on mute…

It’s on the U.K. sky sports and the NZ version. Must be the SA production that’s doing it. I’m not a fan of watching sports in silence. May end up watching, yuck England yuck, at the 🤮 football at this rate

That passage sums up Irelands luck.

Caelan Doris robbed a Bok ruck, and made good ground. The ball was eventually passed back into the 22, where it was promptly kicked straight out, which handed the Boks significant field position.

End result was a penalty, which the Boks successfully kicked.

Crowley just pulled a Marcus Smith

Very skillful from Lowe to get the ball away before he was in touch.

Irish side gets screwed over by English ref again interesting.

Tight one - I thought his hand was still in contact with the ball when his foot hit the ground and should have gone back for the line-out

Why did Lowe not leave that restart to go dead?

Crazy game so far

Hopefully Lowe can decide which team he plays for before next weekend.

Galted wrote:Hopefully Lowe can decide which team he plays for before next weekend.

All the tries had Lowe somewhere in there. Even after the time left after the last try I thought Ireland still had a change to draw it level

FerN wrote:

Galted wrote:Hopefully Lowe can decide which team he plays for before next weekend.

All the tries had Lowe somewhere in there.  Even after the time left after the last try I thought Ireland still had a change to draw it level

Was the centre of everything, made two tries and inadvertently gave away two or three, irony that his own storming run down the touchline was ruled out.  Nicely set up for next week.

Our lineout and scrum just keep letting us down.
Which has been an issue for a while now. We can't keep flogging porter for 70minuites.
And unfortunately furlong just isn't the player he was 3 years ago.
Think we can be a bit too predictable in attack. Next week will be.interesting

Heaf wrote:Tight one - I thought his hand was still in contact with the ball when his foot hit the ground and should have gone back for the line-out

So did I, two different TMO decisions and Ireland could have won by 7. Average enough performance by Ireland so 7 point loss isnt the end of the world.

Would love to see McCarthy, Baird and Izzy on the pitch at the same time. Would be pretty dynamic.
Casey played well today. POM I think should have stepped down after the 6 nations.
Ringrose looked good when he got on.
Would like to see Timoney in the 23.
But we really need to sort out lineout.

It was nice that the tv production gave plenty of airtime to the VIP section of travelling fans from Ulster all wearing their Ireland tracksuits.

clivemcl wrote:It was nice that the tv production gave plenty of airtime to the VIP section of travelling fans from Ulster all wearing their Ireland tracksuits.  

It was even nicer for the Ulster contingent of the travelling fans to be offered pitch side seats to watch their heroes play.

On a more serious note the injuries look like playing a major part in the match day squad selection for the 2nd test. With resources already a little depleted Ireland cannot afford such a drain on resources to any hope of drawing the series looks gone. Lowe, Aki and Henshaw to be monitored through the week but Casey and Sheehan definitely gone. Sheehan in particular to be out for an extended period of time with an ACL injury. I know nothing of the nature of these things but if he able to carry on after the injury does that men it's not such a bad one and therefore won't mean a lengthy recovery? On the other hand would playing on have scuppered that?

Ben Whitehouse is still my most hated official even after a 2nd viewing of the most controversial calls. Granted he did get the disallowed Lowe try correct after I viewed the offending breakdown multiple times. From one angle you can see Kelleher's face peeking upside down between his legs as he purposely hooks the ball back whilst off his feet. Well spotted eagle eyed Ben. However, James Lowe had his foot firmly planted in touch for his final flick of the ball so the eagle eye's let the little Ireland hating Welsh git down on that occasion.

Anyway, the afore mentioned injuries might open the door to the wider squad which isn't a bad thing all things considered. A McCloskey/Ringrose centre pairing would be nothing to be sniffed at and if Lowe is to be replaced, Stockdale has been playing very well for Ulster and can impose a very physical presence all over the park. If Osborne is also out Frawley's not the worst man to cover and adds that extra play making bit of spice. With personnel thinning I'd be tempted to go for an Irish bomb squad bench, it's not as if there's anything to lose.

ACL usually means 9 months out minimum.
He may make the end of the season but thats virtual all of the next season written off for Sheehan.
No way he will make the 6Nations.

Hume did his ACL 3 months ago and at best will be back at the start of the next calendar year.

de Flier came back in just under 8 months but that is most definitely the exception rather than the rules.

According to someone on the Munster forum Doak is washed up, internationally, if he doesn't upsurp Cooney this year but Blade is the future.
Blade is 30, Doak is 22 -clearly maths not their strong suit.

In fact of the scrum halves who have been recently been around the Ireland squad only Casey and Doak are under 30.
Doak will be the replacement for Murray and Casey the replacement the replacement for JGP.

geoff999rugby wrote:According to someone on the Munster forum Doak is washed up, internationally, if he doesn't upsurp Cooney this year but Blade is the future.
Blade is 30, Doak is 22 -clearly maths not their strong suit.

In fact of the scrum halves who have been recently been around the Ireland squad only Casey and Doak are under 30.
Doak will be the replacement for Murray and Casey the replacement the replacement for JGP.

John Cooney too old at 34.
Dave Heffernan young enough at 33!

This is the logic with which we're faced.

Taking POM. Murray, Healy and Heffernan are backwards not forward steps

McCann, Doak, Loughman and Stewart (as a replacement) should be there instead.
That is not to say that any of them should start but build up their experience of being in the Interenational set up.
Only Doak (on the bench for the 2nd test) would be anywhere near the starting 23.

I can see the need for experience on the matchday squads and more importantly the touring squad. I can also see the need to introduce younger players to mop up that experience. I can't understand the double standards of bringing experienced player A, 30+ bringing experience whilst equally experienced player B, 30+ is too old to be in the RWC cycle.

No lack of experience, even without them - all of the following have more than 30 caps.
Those highlighted in Black have more than 50 caps.

Forwards - Porter, Furlong, Doris, de Flier, Beirne, Bealham, Herring, Kelleher, Ryan
Backs - Henshaw, Aki, Lowe, Ringrose, Larmour, Stockdale

Is a tour to SA the time to go with anything other than the best squad possible? There's the AIs and next summer to broaden the experience of younger players.

TAS Analytics videos are virtually always a list of ways South African teams have been wronged by officials. This one is sympathetic to Ireland.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Is a tour to SA the time to go with anything other than the best squad possible? There's the AIs and next summer to broaden the experience of younger players.

You go with a high quality squad that can be competitive.
For any tour you have half an eye towards refreshing your squad and bringing in young prospects.
I dont see why this should not be the case for tours as much as autumn internationals.

AS I mentioned we still have plenty of experience even without these 4 players.
Murray and Healy are not even first choice at their provinces.
Healy is only good for about 10-15 mins at this level.
We are only giving one scrum half any exposure to the International scene - this was obvious opportunity to introduce Doak to the set up.
Heffernan wouldn't even make Irelands 2nd match day squad - what a waste.

Healy, Murray and POM have been fantastic servants to Ireland but its time to let go.
Delaying the change will only make the transition more problamatic.

Henshaw was knocked out wasn't he? Isn't that a mandatory 12 day stand down?
Would rather have had Timoney or Izzy on the bench rather than POM.
Would of started Stu at 12

Ah look, it's the shuffle around in the Ireland pack that I've been on about for ages. Watch Ireland go and win now. Good replacements in the backs, but I still don't see the worth in Healy being on the bench tbh, perhaps O'Toole if available.

For me Healy, POM and Murray have been great servants but no longer offer enough at international level. We have a good list of young players who can replace POM (McCann for me is the obvious like for like, but I'm slightly Ulster biased) and we need to give them game time.
No obvious candidates to replace Healy but we haven't really tried any so it's hard to tell, and Farrell seems to want to move O'Toole over, but hasn't tried him at international level.
Casey is clearly next in line after JGP and if Doak can rediscover some of his first seasons form he should be there.
Could do with some centers putting there hand up this season. Three of them are over 30 and ringrose will be next year too.
Hugh Gavin has looked good for the under 20s as has Brennan and DeKlerk. Osbourne has shown he can play at international level. Hopefully Hume comes back from his injury and gets back into contention.
Anyway. Like the look of the pack, hope the lineout and s rum work a bit better this week

For me, maybe I'm being picky. But I'd have Stockdale or O'Brien on the bench instead of McCloskey. I'm not saying McCloskey doesn't deserve it but we have 2 centres on the pitch, a full back who normally plays centre and the fly half on the bench who's played most of his club rugby at centre. I would just like to see some pace cone off the bench.
As for the future, I'd love to see Osbourne and Postlethwaite together at centre.

Squidge review of the First Test

These are good games

South Africa 6-16 Ireland at half-time

Beeb has it as 18-19 now. Doris getting sin binned with the second half being a lot of South Africa momentum.

SA gifted 3 points after a non knock-on by Ireland is pinged for offside

Where was the TMO there? He was all over everything last week... This is an absolute joke.

Ireland should have been more composed there - rushed it and fluffed it

Nice drop goal though

What a way to win it! Two fantastic drop goals.

Looked like head high contact just before Ireland's last drop goal, wonder if they would have got a penalty had they missed?

Great last second win by Ireland. There’s been too much crying in this game from South Africa, crying about every decision that goes against them. Bulls are the worst for it in the URC.

Wow what a finish ... SA moaning ironic given their gifted pen earlier on ...

Guys stop moaning about the refs. It stinks up every thread

Fantastic game, drama to the last minute, lead swapping back and forward. great entertainment from two teams trying to win rather than trying not to lose

good work by the reffing team.

Its a bit rich mentioning the Boks complaining about ref decision where all last week all we heard was how hard done by Ireland was. But no complaints now after Ireland got many decisions. I guess we will see Ireland in the semi-final quarterfinal.