[2015 Six Nations] Wales vs Ireland (Round 4)

[TRF_Cymro]

There's no issue with it, I do find it baffling, however.

Care to explain why? I am at a loss here too.

 

[ratsapprentice]

He stopped players from both sides lying on the ball, going off their feet and interfering with the ball once the ruck had formed.
The tidyness of the ruck compared to most games was remarkable - that's not down to Ireland deciding they needed to score tries*.

*That any side goes into a game of Rugby and scoring tries isn't their main focus is utterly depressing/perverse.

 

[Feicarsinn]

I'd be surprised to see McGrath next week. Healy has a higher ceiling, McGrath's form is on a slight decline, why delay the inevitable?

I'd agree with this. McGrath has shown over the last 6 months that he's a very serviceable international loosehead and both Ireland and Leinster are blessed to have him and Healy in the 1 shirt. However, Healy in full flight is a different beast. Their scrummaging isn't massively different in terms of quality, but Healy brings an athleticism to the position that McGrath can't hope to match. We're going to need some serious carries if we want to put up a decent points total against Scotland, so Healy has to come in.

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He stopped players from both sides lying on the ball, going off their feet and interfering with the ball once the ruck had formed.
The tidyness of the ruck compared to most games was remarkable - that's not down to Ireland deciding they needed to score tries*.

*That any side goes into a game of Rugby and scoring tries isn't their main focus is utterly depressing/perverse.

What? The main focus is always, always, always winning. Scoring tries is great, but let's get real here - scoring lots of tries and losing is naff.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

He stopped players from both sides lying on the ball, going off their feet and interfering with the ball once the ruck had formed.
The tidyness of the ruck compared to most games was remarkable - that's not down to Ireland deciding they needed to score tries*.

*That any side goes into a game of Rugby and scoring tries isn't their main focus is utterly depressing/perverse.

Difference of opinion, but he allowed off the feet, entering from the side of the ruck and holding back of players at the breakdown. At the end of the day the players attempted to play some nice attacking rugby. Barnes didn't officiate the match well for me.

 

[munstermuffin]

Olding's injury profile in his brief career has hardly been great either.

I'd be happy with Fitzgerald or Olding partnering Henshaw. I wouldn't be completely against Earls there but I'd rather him on the wing.

At the very least Jones has to go from the 23 I think. He's been in good form this year and he's a hard worker but despite some talk about him being a Schmidt player he clearly has been unwilling to use him. He's shown himself to be fans of Earls and Fitzgerald in the past as well anyway.

That's exactly why I have yet to be convinced by Olding. He's too stop start due to injury. As I say I'm a fan just not fully convinced yet. Regards rest I think Earls has improved massively as a 13 and certainly could do job there. Wouldn't say he's better than Fitz or vice versa as both are delivering there. But as I see it Schmidt only rates Luke as a winger at moment.
Regards Felix, who I've great time/respect for, he's a player who'll always try hard and do shift. He is very consistent and does basics to perfection but will never deliver that bit extra. He's a Schmidt player in term of he executes the basics to a tee but will never be brought on to win a game. But more as he can carry on the consistency of the basics. If you get me. On Earls finally I know the management here were told simply Earls was extremely unlikely to play 6Nations as they want him to get back 100% with us and build up his game time and prove he's over the ****les.

 

[Barryboy]

Went to the game yesterday and everyone in my section of the ground found Barnes refereeing of the match very frustrating. It's not entirely his fault , because teams tend to play scrums and the breakdown area for penalties and so much relies on the referee's interpretation of situations that are not often clear cut. That said , I never enjoy matches that Barnes officiates , because , as someone mentioned , he does tend to pick on some aspect of the game and give bundles of penalties. Not great if you want some free flowing rugby!

As for the game , it wasn't a great spectacle , but was incredibly intense. Stand out players for Wales were AWJ ( My MOM just ahead of POC ) , Halfpenny , Warburton , Roberts , Falatau and the much underestimated Charteris. POC immense for Ireland , but Murray very disappointing , just when I was going to say he's the best scrum half in the world.

Byddwch yn iawn!

 

[ruggabee]

I don't see any reason why Kearney should have to start next weekend. I'd like to see Payne have a crack in his best position.

 

[Peat]

Olding's injury profile in his brief career has hardly been great either.

I'd be happy with Fitzgerald or Olding partnering Henshaw. I wouldn't be completely against Earls there but I'd rather him on the wing.

At the very least Jones has to go from the 23 I think. He's been in good form this year and he's a hard worker but despite some talk about him being a Schmidt player he clearly has been unwilling to use him. He's shown himself to be fans of Earls and Fitzgerald in the past as well anyway.

Yup. Long term Olding-Henshaw looks potentially the best use of resources but Olding's at the stage of his career where he needs to stay fit long enough to lay down a track record and demand it.

Ireland post WC will be interesting if Schmidt decides he's in for the long haul and is on a long-term project.

 

[lucky number 7]

I'm so ****ing angry

 

[munstermuffin]

I'm so ****ing angry

It's a regular Sunday so

 

[psychic duck]

You really don't think Barnes' supposed pedantry was at all a reason for both teams actually playing?

Exactly.

 

[bw245]

To go out against Scotland I'd have the following team starting:

1. Cian Healy - McGrath is great but Healy needs to get back starting. He is a better ball carrier.
2. Rory Best -needs to be more consistent, but we haven't many other options, and SC is more of a bench player
3. Mike Ross -love him in the scrum but that's about it
4. Iain Henderson - he was our best player coming off the bench and one of our best overall at the weekend. Made a huge impact. Think he could be amazing if given the chance. While Toner is good in the lineout, I feel he hasn't got much else to offer, and we don't necessarily need a tall guy in the lineout.
5. POC
6. POM
7. Tommy O'Donnell - Sean O'Brien has done nothing this 6 nations - I just hope it's been steps in the right direction for him, but TOD has been outstanding when given the chance.
8. Jordi Murphy - I don't really take to Heaslip. Murphy is more exciting.
9. Murray
10. Sexton (or angry man as Jamie Roberts likes to call him)
11. Who knows but not Simon Zebo. Dave Kearney preferably or if Tommy Bowe can go there then him.
12. Henshaw
13. Fitzgerald
14. Bowe or Trimble (what is the story with him? is he still injured?)
15. Kearney

Obviously, this won't happen, that is why Joe is the coach and not me, but think this would give us more of an attacking game.

 

[lucky number 7]

Exactly.

For all his supposed pedantry there was hardly a ruck in the second half there there wasn't a Welsh player lying on the wrong side of the ruck pretending to be trapped.
Most of the time they were perpendicular to the defensive line so harder to call but it was consistently slowing the scrumhalf and cumulatively it was a huge issue and slowed momentum at key moments throughout.
Barnes should have penalised this about a dozen times but did nothing.

Wales were much more clinical and probably deserved the win , Irelands defence was found out as they cannot defend with the same intensity and chase a game and Wales had the ****ing minerals to do us.
Well done Wales but I'm so ****ing sore with Barnes consistently riding the Irish.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Healy, Best, Moore, Toner, O'Connell, O'Mahoney, SOB, Murphy, Reddan, Sexton, Fitzgerald, Mads, Henshaw, Bowe, Payne.

A few lads lacking starts going into the WC and a team that could run up a score, 5 of the 15 wouldn't be my starters if we had a full bill of health in a WC KO game.

 

[bw245]

Healy, Best, Moore, Toner, O'Connell, O'Mahoney, SOB, Murphy, Reddan, Sexton, Fitzgerald, Mads, Henshaw, Bowe, Payne.

A few lads lacking starts going into the WC and a team that could run up a score, 5 of the 15 wouldn't be my starters if we had a full bill of health in a WC KO game.

Redds over Murray? Really? Would love to hear why. Actually quite curious as I do think Reddan had a great game yesterday but Murray for me is world class. Are you getting at maybe Murray needing a world class 10 to perform, which JS was not yesterday?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Quicker and superior service, it kills the Scots as England and Italy, at times, showed.

 

[bw245]

Quicker and superior service, it kills the Scots as England and Italy, at times, showed.

D
Definitely see your point.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Wayne Barnes.
Making a competition closer near you...

 

[dullonien]

So what is the official stats for Charteris' performance in the end? I've seen his tackle count vary between 31 & 36. That was a hell of a performance from him, possibly the best Welsh second row performance I've ever seen! He was hitting rucks, our best maul defender, and he stole 2 or 3 lineouts as well. That's amazing for a 20st+ lock who was on for the full 80.

 

[LiRFCMatt]

One loss after a 10 win streak and people are trying to ring changes throughout the starting XV. Don't overreact guys. You have made yourselves difficult to beat of the past year, but aren't as good away from home, and you got caught out because your star player wasn't up to his world-beating levels. Whilst I do think as a side you rely massively and far too much on your number 10, he is arguably the best in the world and clearly its a tactic that has been paying off lately. You need more outside of him, in the centres, Henshaw and Payne got shown up against the experienced Roberts and Davies, but other than that you don't have much to change in the squad, you just lack the quality and strength in-depth to be the best in the world. And there's nothing wrong with that, we can't all be New Zealand.