[2024 Six Nations] England vs Ireland - 09/03/24

[TRF_Olyy]

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[Vieux Talonneur]

Time to get behind the sofa.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

England's backs when the referee walks out with a "ball"

 

[munstermuffin]

Ireland look set to be unchanged from team that played Wales.
Bealham for Jaeger and Ringrose for McCloskey on bench the only changes.
6/2 Split again.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

This thread probably articulates exactly how I feel on the game better than I could. Would be more fearful of Finn Smith in the long run but having Marcus back might be what England need currently with their lack of literally anything with ball in hand.

 

[Saintjay]

This thread probably articulates exactly how I feel on the game better than I could. Would be more fearful of Finn Smith in the long run but having Marcus back might be what England need currently with their lack of literally anything with ball in hand.

You'll be jumping for joy when he starts George Ford

 

[Everyday EggChaser]

 

[munstermuffin]

Have always said this is the banana skin Ireland need to navigate. For all the critics on England their record is 8/10 wins in their last 10 I see.
1 Points loss to South Africa and last game vs Scotland.

Now granted before that losses to Fiji, and Argentine have happened but just I still approach this with caution.
But regardless of how it does go the weekend how is a country with such a massive playing pool producing such crap products like in my eyes England and France should always be competing.

 

[ageingback23]

Let's face it. This is Irelands to use and the really the best England can hope for is to avoid being totally crushed. For that reason I hope SB doesn't start mucking around too much with the starting 15. There's just no point. Maybe start CCS and bench Roots? Give us some extra bulk to start with. We could look to get Smith back on the bench, but why not give Finn a chance to play a really talented outfit. Great experience for him. The only other question is whether to start Steward or Furbank at 15 (I'm leaning towards Steward). I would also like to see IFW in the mix even though he's missed a week. That lads got something about him, and he needs game time.
Other than that I don't think there's much England can do. Ireland are on fire and we are least a year away from being competitive. Still going to enjoy the game, and hold just a little bit of hope that something magic happens.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Now granted before that losses to Fiji, and Argentine have happened but just I still approach this with caution.

Have I scrubbed argentina out of my mind?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Have I scrubbed argentina out of my mind?

Lost to them in the AIs

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think England will have targeted this game from before the start of the comp though. It's one that can send them on a very good upward trajectory and Borthwick should know that. We dealt with a similar situation well in Murrayfield last year but Sexton was instrumental in that game.

Big day for Fetish and Crowley, if they get through it smelling like roses, I think it's fair to say we have adapted to life without Johnny and are in a place to build from here and find other points of difference. I think we're ahead of schedule anyway but closing out a slam this week would better than anyone could have hoped for I reckon.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think England will have targeted this game from before the start of the comp though.

People said the same about Scotland, tbf

Just don't see where we target Ireland - Scotland has issues in the pack we looked to exploit, whereas Ireland's pack is better than England's, and we might as well not have a backline for the amount of trust they put in it so not like we can put pressure on the fresh halfback pairing (which is more settled than England's)

 

[Saintjay]

But regardless of how it does go the weekend how is a country with such a massive playing pool producing such crap products like in my eyes England and France should always be competing.

We just can't produce props or a 12. For the rest it's when they wear a rose that it goes belly up.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

People said the same about Scotland, tbf

Just don't see where we target Ireland - Scotland has issues in the pack we looked to exploit, whereas Ireland's pack is better than England's, and we might as well not have a backline for the amount of trust they put in it so not like we can put pressure on the fresh halfback pairing (which is more settled than England's)

Kick chase. Two of the three games we've lost since 2022 have been to teams who kicked really well and won the territory battle as a result. England, even when ****, were the best kick chase team in the world until this 6 nations for my money. Get that back and couple it with a monster defensive and breakdown performance (would admittedly come out of nowhere but it's not like the players aren't there to execute) and England can win this game.

I think if it's played 10 times Ireland win 8 but England do have enough to unsettle us. Particularly if Keenan doesn't make it back.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Heard it hear first, the player Ireland fear the most in this side is Tom Roebuck

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Have always said this is the banana skin Ireland need to navigate. For all the critics on England their record is 8/10 wins in their last 10 I see.
1 Points loss to South Africa and last game vs Scotland.

Now granted before that losses to Fiji, and Argentine have happened but just I still approach this with caution.
But regardless of how it does go the weekend how is a country with such a massive playing pool producing such crap products like in my eyes England and France should always be competing.

The highest ranked team in those 8 wins was Argentina.

 

[Saintjay]

As long as Ireland see it as there quarter final we'll be fine.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I mean I really the sanity of anyone who has watched Ireland and England this season coming to the conclusion that England might win this one.

I'm sure we'll put up a good effort in the middle of the game and of course there will be glimpses of a solid defence etc but when we lose another game all we will hear is the same dribble we have since SB took over.

If the RFU put performance targets in SBs contract he'll be in deep water very soon. If wales haddnt picked a team full of kids we'd have been on 1 win so far this 6 nations.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

We're not going to outwit or outrun Ire and we won't be as cohesive. So I can see SB tempted by muscling up.

Martin should, rightly, return and I wouldn't bet against Manu teaming up with Lawrence. Back row of Chessum, Earl and CCS, anyone? Steward back at 15 too.