Ireland v Samoa - 26 August 2023

[Leonormous Boozer]

If Jimmy O B is bad it is a huge error not have had Haley in camp.
Healy will be a loss too. Not sounding good on initial reports

I think Jimmy dislocated his finger? Definitely looked like they were popping it back in, he was having a bit of a mare handling the ball so understandable if they took him off on that.

 

[Booboobang]

Wow, one for the late bloomer thread. Thanks for info.

Not 100% true on the original post with the timeline, he got scouted for leinster playing for the USA U20, having been selected out of playing high school rugby (not a lot of it mind).

A Hawaiian former American footballer is part of Leinster's sub-academy

Old Belvedere tighthead prop Roman Salanoa played for the USA U20 team in 2016.

www.the42.ie

I do agree for the most part though, the VAST majority of his rugby development came in ireland, likely wouldnt be the player he is now without that move. How he got to ireland, a bit sus. Interesting story though.

 

[munstermuffin]

I think Jimmy dislocated his finger? Definitely looked like they were popping it back in, he was having a bit of a mare handling the ball so understandable if they took him off on that.

Don't get me wrong if Jimmy ok then fine but Keenan shouldn't be the only 15.
Mack, Henshaw, Crowley and Earls can play 15 but aren't 15s. Mack is our best wing so shouldn't be moved either.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Don't get me wrong if Jimmy ok then fine but Keenan shouldn't be the only 15.
Mack, Henshaw, Crowley and Earls can play 15 but aren't 15s. Mack is our best wing so shouldn't be moved either.

I wasn't really commenting on that. Hard to disagree, some lads just haven't fitted with Faz for some reason, Haley one of them. Although he does look like a back ups back up to me so not a great great loss I don't think.

 

[die_mole]

Not 100% true on the original post with the timeline, he got scouted for leinster playing for the USA U20, having been selected out of playing high school rugby (not a lot of it mind).

A Hawaiian former American footballer is part of Leinster's sub-academy

Old Belvedere tighthead prop Roman Salanoa played for the USA U20 team in 2016.

www.the42.ie

I do agree for the most part though, the VAST majority of his rugby development came in ireland, likely wouldnt be the player he is now without that move. How he got to ireland, a bit sus. Interesting story though.

He never actually made it to college football. He committed to play college rugby at Lindenwood and then Ireland offered him a contract as a project player.

 

[munstermuffin]

I wasn't really commenting on that. Hard to disagree, some lads just haven't fitted with Faz for some reason, Haley one of them. Although he does look like a back ups back up to me so not a great great loss I don't think.

But on form last 10 months was miles clear of any 15 other than Keenan.
The fear is if we carry too many out of form then 2007 reappears.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

But on form last 10 months was miles clear of any 15 other than Keenan.
The fear is if we carry too many out of form then 2007 reappears.

Ah he wasn't, Jimmy tears it up in the URC (like often looks like he's a level above the rest of the players on the pitch) and has had big performances in big European games. Munster didn't have anything as high quality as that for Haley to have a cut at and that made the decision easier I reckon.

I don't think anyone is out of form? Looks like a team at the start of their season who are chopping and changing, which makes sense.

I said at the start that there should have been an extra spot in the squad for Haley just to have another 15 who knows what's going on but it's not the be all and end all. Farrell has got it right this far. I'm not going to let one dodgy performance in awful conditions worry me.

 

[munstermuffin]

Ah he wasn't, Jimmy tears it up in the URC (like often looks like he's a level above the rest of the players on the pitch) and has had big performances in big European games. Munster didn't have anything as high quality as that for Haley to have a cut at and that made the decision easier I reckon.

I don't think anyone is out of form? Looks like a team at the start of their season who are chopping and changing, which makes sense.

I said at the start that there should have been an extra spot in the squad for Haley just to have another 15 who knows what's going on but it's not the be all and end all. Farrell has got it right this far. I'm not going to let one dodgy performance in awful conditions worry me.

I hope it is a case of just start of season yips.
Because as Sexton said failure to get past qfs and deep in to the tournament really would feel like a massive void and failure to a section of his career. And it not just him. Ahreed Farrell has got it right so far but I don't luke way media build up x amount of wins on trot and new record etc. As that is setting up for a fall and I do fear the Scottish game. Just I am nervy on it

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Does it seem to anyone else that Ireland will just play basic rugby if they can, if that's enough? Perhaps not wanting to show their more sophisticated rugby too often? Will be interesting to see how or if things change in the World Cup.

These games this close to the World Cup are tough to judge anything by. Players are not up for these games, and perhaps some teams are holding things back.

James Ryan dragged the team kicking and screaming to win that.

Hopefully not too many injuries and we go back to business as usual in the pools.

Came down to players in the end after all

 

[die_mole]

Does it seem to anyone else that Ireland will just play basic rugby if they can, if that's enough? Perhaps not wanting to show their more sophisticated rugby too often? Will be interesting to see how or if things change in the World Cup.

These games this close to the World Cup are tough to judge anything by. Players are not up for these games, and perhaps some teams are holding things back.

Don't most national teams? France and South Africa in particular seem to play a flat bat*, they just have really good players that gel really well with each other. New Zealand when they are at their best rely on not making mistakes and doing the simple things really well.

 

[ShropshireAllBlack]

Does it seem to anyone else that Ireland will just play basic rugby if they can, if that's enough? Perhaps not wanting to show their more sophisticated rugby too often? Will be interesting to see how or if things change in the World Cup.

These games this close to the World Cup are tough to judge anything by. Players are not up for these games, and perhaps some teams are holding things back.


Came down to players in the end after all

After the England game I believe Faz snr was asked if Ireland are holding much back for the RWC, and he replied that they were holding everything back. Unlike Eddie Jones, I believe him…

 

[Groundhog]

He never actually made it to college football. He committed to play college rugby at Lindenwood and then Ireland offered him a contract as a project player.

It was Eddie O'Sullivan with his American links who spotted him by all accounts and arranged for him to play for Old Belvo and get a week long trial for Leinster. He wasn't at all on the IRFUs radar.

 

[Amiga500]

Their performance on Saturday could be an indication of whether England needs to worry about them in the pool.

I think England needs to sh_t themselves.

 

[saulan]

Out of interest, how many of the Irish 23 from this game are expected to be in the Irish squad?

 

[ShropshireAllBlack]

Out of interest, how many of the Irish 23 from this game are expected to be in the Irish squad?

Healy before injury would be guaranteed a bench start, as would Bealham. Ring rose, Beirne, Ryan, VdF, Doris, and Hansen would be starters. Henshaw, Herring, Henderson, and Crowley/Byrne are probably bench along with Casey. I would have thought that everyone else was fighting for a place in the squad.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Don't most national teams? France and South Africa in particular seem to play a flat bat*, they just have really good players that gel really well with each other. New Zealand when they are at their best rely on not making mistakes and doing the simple things really well.

Seems to me that Ireland don't always play like they played against Japan and NZ in 2021, and NZ in 2022.

After the England game I believe Faz snr was asked if Ireland are holding much back for the RWC, and he replied that they were holding everything back. Unlike Eddie Jones, I believe him…

Interesting . I do think they are often holding back. But then the Connor Murray game looks like a held back version of the jgp game, so could just appear like they are holding back when Murray plays. Sexton makes some difference too. So does lowe. So does henshaw. When they have all the ir top players on the park I guess it makes a difference to executing the plan.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Samoa handled the conditions well. Similar to Fiji with a basic gameplan. They exceeded my expectations a bit at set piece (although Ireland were a mess prior to Herring). However, Samoa actually disappointed me a bit with what they did with good field position. Take away their flukey try and they are tryless(?). Even an off form, injury avoiding Ireland probably have a very good defence though and conditions didn't lend themselves to tries.

The game was understandably kind of transformed when Ireland got their starters off the bench (which is how I would treat warmups) and Samoa had a sub who plays in the US.

If England continue to deteriorate then Samoa have a chance, but Japan probably don't. Although I would make Japan slight favourites against Samoa.

I wouldn't be especially worried if I was Irish (if Sexton stays fit), unless that starting hooker gets game time. The players simply came out looking like it was a warm up (which it was) and it reinforced their top performers and probably helped the coach whittle down the 33.

 

[ShropshireAllBlack]

Seems to me that Ireland don't always play like they played against Japan and NZ in 2021, and NZ in 2022.

Interesting . I do think they are often holding back. But then the Connor Murray game looks like a held back version of the jgp game, so could just appear like they are holding back when Murray plays. Sexton makes some difference too. So does lowe. So does henshaw. When they have all the ir top players on the park I guess it makes a difference to executing the plan.

Squidge did a piece on Ireland a while back. He isn't a fan of Ireland so he was mainly trying to pick holes. One point he made resonated with me, Ireland (according to Squidge) haven't pulled a new move in 18 months. Everything they have done has been a variation on a move played in the 2 years before. So either Faz & Catt have suddenly run out of ideas or….

 

[munstermuffin]

Out of interest, how many of the Irish 23 from this game are expected to be in the Irish squad?

All bar Loughman, Stockdale and Stewart

 

[Groundhog]

Only thing that would stress me about yesterday is knocks and injuries. The performance is obviously not great, but as long as we win I don't really care. This combo of players realistically won't play in a world cup.