[2018 6 Nations] Round 4 : Ireland v Scotland (10/03/2018)

[Leonormous Boozer]

Grand slam > Champo > 2nd place etc...

If we're talking about legacies I'd rather be the coach who wins three championships in 5 years than be the one with one slam. At this stage anything short of a slam will be an immediate disappointment because it either means throwing home court which is something no one does anymore or losing to England on Paddy's day in the decider... No thanks.

 

[Groundhog]

If we don't win the Slam are we really any better than England? Yes, England are so 2016 and their team is fugly, but it's still a hollow victory, especially if you lost it on the last day. Celebrating after a bitter loss is just weird. Bit different if you let a game past you and win it on the last day.

 

[profitius]

I'd say theres a fair few of this Ireland team who have yet to taste defeat in the green jersey. I don't think it'll come on saturday but I can see the Scots scoring a few tries in a high scoring game. I think we'll get the bonus point and Stockdale will add to his try scoring record.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Scotland 23 announced:

15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Blair Kinghorn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Pete Horne, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 John Barclay (c), 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 3 Simon Berghan, 2 Stuart McInally, 1 Gordon Reid

Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Willem Nel, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 David Denton, 21 Ali Price, 22 Nick Grigg, 23 Lee Jones

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Very ballsey to throw Kinghorn into a fixture of this magnitude out of position. I mean, the guy is great but he is raw and historically prone to defensive lapses even at his preferred position of fullback.

Townsend has stuck with the players that defeated England but I think he had to go with some of his newly returned top players in order to increase the chances of a win here.

I'm backing off the upset unless Ireland announce some kind of wierd selection.

I wonder if Townsend will use Kinghorn like Visser last year, lots of aerial kicks to the wing by Finn.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think I'd take five of Scotland's starting side. Delighted Seymour is gone, he is like a Scottish Vincent Clerc!

To use a cliché Ireland can only lose this, Ireland can't win it.

 

[Groundhog]

Well after seeing that team, my adult nappy remains untarnished by the squirts of fear. Still nervous enough for this game, because there's a lot on the line, but if we don't beat this crowd at home, we haven't a hope in London.

 

[munstermuffin]

Well after seeing that team, my adult nappy remains untarnished by the squirts of fear. Still nervous enough for this game, because there's a lot on the line, but if we don't beat this crowd at home, we haven't a hope in London.

I think we will win comfortably. But will we get the 4 tries is the question.

 

[Jockstap]

Where's the "rumoured" team, doesn't Thornley or Kinsella usually have it by now?

 

[munstermuffin]

Where's the "rumoured" team, doesn't Thornley or Kinsella usually have it by now?

Rumours are Earls and Sexton are major doubts and this has been part of why there no rumours

 

[Jockstap]

Rumours are Earls and Sexton are major doubts and this has been part of why there no rumours

Big losses if true but excited to see Carbery taking the reins, who would replace Earls?

Thornley's team -

IRELAND (possible): R Kearney; K Earls, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Stockdale; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best (capt), T Furlong; J Ryan, I Henderson; P O'Mahony, D Leavy, CJ Stander.

Replacements: S Cronin, J McGrath, A Porter, D Toner, J Murphy, K Marmion, J Carbery, J Larmour.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

More than a fifth of our national squad is fat Leinster guys! Class.

 

[g6mcg]

Kinghorn on the wing looks like a disaster waiting to happen. Very exciting player but reckon we'll see some positional lapses. Still have the same worry that our pack can't really compete, and Barnes makes any approach of targeting turnovers redundant (and Ireland are very good at ball retention). Think there would be an argument for dropping Barclay for Denton/Hardie based on that but clearly was never going to happen.

 

[munstermuffin]

Big losses if true but excited to see Carbery taking the reins, who would replace Earls?

Thornley's team -

IRELAND (possible): R Kearney; K Earls, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Stockdale; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best (capt), T Furlong; J Ryan, I Henderson; P O'Mahony, D Leavy, CJ Stander.

Replacements: S Cronin, J McGrath, A Porter, D Toner, J Murphy, K Marmion, J Carbery, J Larmour.

Big calls regards Larmour on bench. Not wrong just thought McFadden was the defensive reliable. However the Welsh game hit that.

 

[General Melchett]

Could someone please explain why both sides aren't announced on the same day? Not just Ire v Sco but in other games too. I don't quite get how both sides aren't released at the same time.

 

[munstermuffin]

Could someone please explain why both sides aren't announced on the same day? Not just Ire v Sco but in other games too. I don't quite get how both sides aren't released at the same time.

The official timings for various sides vary depending on their schedule e.g. rest days and training plans

 

[Leinster Fan]

Thornley's team -

IRELAND (possible): R Kearney; K Earls, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Stockdale; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best (capt), T Furlong; J Ryan, I Henderson; P O'Mahony, D Leavy, CJ Stander.

Replacements: S Cronin, J McGrath, A Porter, D Toner, J Murphy, K Marmion, J Carbery, J Larmour.

No real surprises in the starting team but having Larmour and Murphy on the bench is unexpected. I don't know what Conan has done to lose the 20 shirt unless he picked up a knock. Murphy covers the entire back row and Schmidt has always been a fan so it probably shouldn't come as a massive surprise though. Larmour had well documented defensive lapses against Italy but McFadden's career has been built on being solid defensively and he wasn't that against Wales which raises damages his chances a lot.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Could someone please explain why both sides aren't announced on the same day? Not just Ire v Sco but in other games too. I don't quite get how both sides aren't released at the same time.

If I was a coach making a surprising selection I'd leave the announcement as late as possible. How much video on Kinghorn do you think Ireland have reviewed in the past 24hrs in order to shape their tactics and possible selection?

 

[big ginger 8]

Could someone please explain why both sides aren't announced on the same day? Not just Ire v Sco but in other games too. I don't quite get how both sides aren't released at the same time.

If I'm not mistaken the deadline is two days before the match but it can be announced any time before then.

Coaches/unions all have their personal preference, Schmidt will always announce as late as possible whereas Gatland will usually do it very early in the week.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Conan playing for Ster while there's no sign of Larmour and Jordi.