[2022 Six Nations] France vs Ireland (12/02/22)

[LIONSxv]

Great game, high quality in patches
Poor referring, France on another day would of been pinged half a dozen times at the breakdown. France for me have a weakness at the breakdown. They lack a mobile openside as such after a few phases when the big men are blowing they resort to flopping over the ball
Their scrum was much more better than I've seen. Physicality from both teams was immense
Dupont is the best scrum half I have seen in my near 40 years. His decision making is almost perfect.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Everyone saying Ireland should take the lineout as if it is obvious. My interpretation is:

- It was a sitter of a 3 points with 9 minutes plus stoppage left and Ireland with a bit of ascendancy.
- the 4 try BP probably isn't crucial (although getting 1x BP is)
- a maul try, almost by definition; brings a trickier conversion (in the 55-75% range probably).
- a try with no conversion isn't all that more valuable than the 3 points
- we had seen France steal a critical attacking lineout earlier.
- with a draw I'd have kept Ireland as my tournament favourites.

I completely sympathise with the opposing view but it's not like Ireland had a brain fart.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

See, there shouldn't be this amount of variance in tolerance by officials working for a centralised body. I hope the leeway went both ways though.

Nope, definitely shouldn't be. It's just the hope that it balances out over the tournament. What's annoying is that in the six Nations the games are often close enough for it to be the deciding factor. I think Scotland edging the decisions against England was the decisive factor imo (not referring to the LCD incident nor saying we deserved to win) and today they didn't get that advantage but if they had, it would have got them over the line

I don't think that the outcome of this game just finished was quite influenced by the ref, though others may disagree... again, that's different from saying it was a perfect refereeing performance which it obviously wasn't.

 

[FLOBALOB]

8 minutes left, 6 points behind. Not sure what you expect to gain by taking 3 pts.
Awful call.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

8 minutes left, 6 points behind. Not sure what you expect to gain by taking 3 pts.
Awful call.

Definitely questionable, although the 3 meant that a try in the corner wouldn't have relied on converting..

 

[big ginger 8]

Everyone saying Ireland should take the lineout as if it is obvious. My interpretation is:

- It was a sitter of a 3 points with 9 minutes plus stoppage left and Ireland with a bit of ascendancy.
- the 4 try BP probably isn't crucial (although getting 1x BP is)
- a maul try, almost by definition; brings a trickier conversion (in the 55-75% range probably).
- a try with no conversion isn't all that more valuable than the 3 points
- we had seen France steal a critical attacking lineout earlier.
- with a draw I'd have kept Ireland as my tournament favourites.

I completely sympathise with the opposing view but it's not like Ireland had a brain fart.

I'd have gone for the corner but there is logic behind it.

What ****** me off more was a few minutes later we had a defensive lineout with 3 6'6" lads who are well able to steal a lineout and got nobody up.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Definitely questionable, although the 3 meant that a try in the corner wouldn't have relied on converting..

I'd rather have it the other way around if I was Irish. Unconverted try and then, as a team that thrives on pressure, (noticeably absent at times today) look for a penalty asap after the restart

 

[FLOBALOB]

Definitely questionable, although the 3 meant that a try in the corner wouldn't have relied on converting..

They needed a converted try to win. Chances are they wouldn't get a better chance. Taking 3 and hoping to get another pen for a draw is unfathomably negative.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Everyone saying Ireland should take the lineout as if it is obvious. My interpretation is:

- It was a sitter of a 3 points with 9 minutes plus stoppage left and Ireland with a bit of ascendancy.
- the 4 try BP probably isn't crucial (although getting 1x BP is)
- a maul try, almost by definition; brings a trickier conversion (in the 55-75% range probably).
- a try with no conversion isn't all that more valuable than the 3 points
- we had seen France steal a critical attacking lineout earlier.
- with a draw I'd have kept Ireland as my tournament favourites.

I completely sympathise with the opposing view but it's not like Ireland had a brain fart.

Fairish. But away from home with such tight margins I think our chance of winning goes up with the lineout rather than the pen.

I think Carbery was helped a lot once Henshaw came on, I reckon he talks more than Aki and his better hands afford both a bit more time, we really looked like we had a good flow going through phases in that 60-70 minute mark.

I think that 23 could reach the outstanding levels of rugby we haven't otherwise seen without Johnny at 10, and I can say for sure I didn't think this was possible a year ago.

I think we should have had Coombes on the bench for that game, we knew it'd be massively physical, and in hindsight Lowry should have been ahead of Carty, would have been nice to take Keenan off and Carty isn't an international player.

Balacoune needs to be our 14 before long, Conway has never looked comfortable during the very very tough games we play.

France were also excellent. I think they rely on destroying teams in the first 40, and they can really do it to anyone. 40-60 they fall off and then the bench brings them home. Not many sides will be capable of beating them next year, clinical rugby, you know exactly what's going to come and you probably won't stop it.

 

[ncurd]

France were also excellent. I think they rely on destroying teams in the first 40, and they can really do it to anyone. 40-60 they fall off and then the bench brings them home. Not many sides will be capable of beating them next year, clinical rugby, you know exactly what's going to come and you probably won't stop it.

I've said it before if France can fix the 2-3 times a match their defence just switches off I don't see how anyone currently in rugby beats them

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Looking ahead to Italy...

Hume, Baloucoune, Coombes, Lowry, Baird need some game time. 50-60 minutes in the game I'd like to see Lowry and Carbury switch between 10/15.. if we're ever going to try it, it may as well be now.

Furlong, Aki, Doris, Porter should probably be rested or at most be put on the bench. Feel like they've gotten through a lot of work and played well.

Conway and Keenan weren't great with poor tackling. It's one of them decisions were do you play them to get their confidence back or change it up a bit? I'd probably play Keenan in some capacity. I hope Farrell gives him a smack around the head for that kick with 30 seconds to play though.

Conan I thought was fairly meh. When the game is open and he gets in the wider channels he's fantastic but for these types of gritty games I'm not too sure.

 

[LIONSxv]

I've said it before if France can fix the 2-3 times a match their defence just switches off I don't see how anyone currently in rugby beats them

Very little between France and saffers imo. If the saffers turned into an arm wrestle and scrum fest they would win. If France got plentiful quick ball their backs would year anyone apart
I also have my suspicion that aren't that great at the breakdown after the first few phases. Their backrow whilst big and powerful lacks a nibble, agile openside. The ref today was very poor at the breakdown. Wales turned over loads of breakdown ball in Paris only last year.

 

[thejackal]

Bizarre to take the 3 when at 27-21, thought Ireland were looking strong at that point. France were impressive but don't think they'll get the slam.

 

[Rinkadink]

Biggest Irish mistakes that could have turned the game were taking the 3 instead of obvious corner and bringing Carty on way too late resulting in him forcing everything trying to get the dub. I don't think Ireland will feel their first half performance was up to their high standards and will address it for future matches.

France need to stop allowing their opposition to get a foothold in games and be ruthless. I'd say they have the greatest potential of any international side, it just needs polish and focus to be realised.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Biggest Irish mistakes that could have turned the game were taking the 3 instead of obvious corner and bringing Carty on way too late resulting in him forcing everything trying to get the dub. I don't think Ireland will feel their first half performance was up to their high standards and will address it for future matches.

France need to stop allowing their opposition to get a foothold in games and be ruthless. I'd say they have the greatest potential of any international side, it just needs polish and focus to be realised.

Agree on all points bar Carty, he was on way too early. Shouldn't play again, at least three guys who can do a better job in Crowley, Byrne and Byrne.

 

[Smurfy]

Just registered so please be gentle.

ive read this thread but haven't seen any mention of the refs bizarre penalty advantage decision when Ireland were attacking. I've never seen an advantage over decision being made so quickly, and it was in marked contrast to, for instance, the penalty advantage that he allowed France before calling them back for their first penalty. It came at a really critical point in the match, and I thought initially I'd mistaken his call for a scrum advantage.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Just registered so please be gentle.

ive read this thread but haven't seen any mention of the refs bizarre penalty advantage decision when Ireland were attacking. I've never seen an advantage over decision being made so quickly, and it was in marked contrast to, for instance, the penalty advantage that he allowed France before calling them back for their first penalty. It came at a really critical point in the match, and I thought initially I'd mistaken his call for a scrum advantage.

It was caught by a few people earlier. I agree, I'm pretty sure that's the only reason why JGP even kicked the ball.

 

[munstermuffin]

Must say I'm not too upset. We knew this was tough game. Knew we a team building and well we are saying we were missing out 10/captain, played poorly at times regarding errors and left alot behind us. And we still were in it until the end.
Faz and co are doing great job and I for 1 am happy as it is progress and we lost but he would've learned a hell of a lot and 6Nations is still there to be won

 

[ncurd]

I've seen refs bizarrely call advantage over when it looks more like a free kick advantage. I just think they sometimes forget if it's a penalty or not.

 

[Groundhog]

I'm not too upset either. We were not far off there. In terms of changes to that side, there's not many I want. Look it's always a bit aspirational to do big changes for Italy but it rarely happens. I dont think anyone is suggesting otherwise, but we don't need to overcorrect with selections. JGP, Keenan and a few other were not their best today, but despite that we were close.

It's very harsh and rough for the lad, but Carty may be done in green. Can't come into a game like that and make mistakes like that.

O'Mahony may be crocked so would be good to see Coombes. I don't think Hume will make it sadly just as the imperative will probably be leaving our centres be or getting Henshaw fit. Lowry starts or he doesn't play at all I would say. I'd like Casey ahead of Murray on the bench, but again unlikely. Baloucoune might get a shot somewhere!