Ireland World Cup 2019 Thread aka "Quarter Final 4"

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Give me:

- Aki for leadership and intangibles
- the World Player of the Year with a functioning leg
- less oppressive humidity
and
- a draw that avoids England

and I'll still give you a decent chance of getting to the final, particularly if Scotland beat Japan. And this is coming from a major Debbie Downer on Ireland at the 6N.

 

[bushytop]

Give me:

- Aki for leadership and intangibles
- the World Player of the Year with a functioning leg
- less oppressive humidity
and
- a draw that avoids England

and I'll still give you a decent chance of getting to the final, particularly if Scotland beat Japan. And this is coming from a major Debbie Downer on Ireland at the 6N.

#debbiedoesdublin

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

#debbiedoesdublin

That just makes Debbie sound like a massive bike. Village bike? City bike.

 

[rugga658]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport...r.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

Paul Thorburn roasting Japan & Ireland

 

[bushytop]

That just makes Debbie sound like a massive bike. Village bike? City bike.

One of those bike-hires I imagine... and if she can do the whole of Dallas, Dublin should be a Cake-walk.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport...r.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

Paul Thorburn roasting Japan & Ireland

Ironic considering he wasn't born in Wales

 

[rugga658]

Ironic considering he wasn't born in Wales

What irony....

His dad was a soldier serving in Germany Are folks here going to be dense and claim he's German, as both his Parents were born & bred in Wales

Try Again Olly,

If you can't distinguish btw someone whose parents worked abroad & came from their parent's country of origin, e.g. Thorburn, Jordi Murphy in contrast to the likes of Jean "Paddy" Kleyn, Lappies Labuschange & WP Nel

I can't help you, whether you want be deliberately disingenuous or play dumb

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What irony....

His dad was a soldier serving in Germany Are folks here going to be dense and claim he's German, as both his Parents were born & bred in Wales

Try Again Olly,

If you can't distinguish btw someone whose parents worked abroad & came from their parent's country of origin, e.g. Thorburn, Jordi Murphy in contrast to the likes of Jean "Paddy" Kleyn, Lappies Labuschange & WP Nel

I can't help you, whether you want be deliberately disingenuous or play dumb

Yet he includes Underhill in the list of foreign England players, Heaslip in the list of foreign Ireland players.

Can't have it both ways.

 

[bushytop]

Yet he includes Underhill in the list of foreign England players, Heaslip in the list of foreign Ireland players.

Can't have it both ways.

I agree, which is why I was so forthright about refs in the Aus vs Wales thread... without wanting to bring up specific issues people were conveniently 'missing', there was a lot that went for the Aussies in that game yet the only things being moaned about involved how the ref was 'helping' Wales.

You've said it yourself, you can't have it both ways.

 

[Leinster Fan]

His dad was a soldier serving in Germany Are folks here going to be dense and claim he's German, as both his Parents were born & bred in Wales

And yet he tries to claim that Heaslip is Israeli despite it literally being the exact same situation.

Wrong thread anyway.

 

[Leinster Fan]

So where are we now?

First things first, Ruddock has to start. Easily our best player against Russia and good off the bench against Japan as well. An awful lot of our forwards are looking pretty poor, we can't afford to leave one of our few inform players out. As I've said before CJ always plays better when he's not the only ball carrier in the backrow, with Conan out Ruddock is the obvious option to fill that void, he carry a lot of bad ball and let Stander do his thing.

Hooker is a massive problem. Best is past it, Scannell is the best option but nothing like a world beater. Still think we should have actually tried to develop Cronin as a starter but that ship has sailed now.

In the backs, Ringrose returning to some form has been one of the few positives. He badly needs a break against Samoa but surely he has to start the quarter final. Henshaw is too good to leave out provided he gets time in against Samoa (although I'd probably play him anyway even if he doesn't).

All of our back three players are looking pretty good as well to be fair.

Kearney's injury is a worry but hopefully he's alright. Jordi seems to be a bigger worry, be terrible for him to go home just a few days after getting out. Assuming callups are limited to guys in the training squad, O'Donnell would seem the most likely guy to replace him if it comes to that, with Toner also an option. I'd be tempted to take Ultan Dillanne though. We're left with only one option at 8 though short of calling up Jack O'Donoghue or Max Deegan and that's not happening, one is uncapped and the other hasn't been in a squad for years. Wouldn't be surprised to see either Ruddock or O'Mahony playing there against Samoa, CJ needs a break.

 

[Jockstap]

I'm withholding judgement until the QFs(if we get there), Schmidt is obviously holding back his hand, we've changed nothing since the ABs game despite teams having figured us out. I suspect if all had gone to plan and we were facing the BOKS then Carbery would have started 15 but after Carty's nightmare first 20 in the 2nd half against Japan who knows what will happen. Just hoping Scotland can do us a favour and beat Japan. If Sexton gets injured against Samoa it's game over, I'm not sure I'd even risk him if Joeys fit.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

If we get a go at South Africa I think we have a performance in us that can beat them, they didn't impress me a huge amount today, vicious pack but they don't have a brain in the backline apart from Kolbe who Leinster players have experience nullifying. We need a good bit to go right and I'd probably start the following team:

Kearney/Larmour; Earls; Ringer; Henshaw; Stockdale; Sexjam; Murray; Stander; VdF; Ruddock; Henderson; Ryan; Furlo; Best; Healo

Scannell; Kilcoyne; Porter; Beirne; Jordi/POM; McGarth; Carbery; Aki

I wouldn't play Best next week, he doesn't have two games in 8 days in him anymore, I'd split halves between those two tens if we can and I would genuinely drop POM. Don't see what he can offer a pack that doesn't dominate the opposition, he's not a strong carrier, he's a lot slower than he used to be and is worth a peno or two a game now.

If we can keep Carty and Farrell off the pitch for the rest of the tournament we might just have our say in it yet, anymore backrow injuries and we're toast too.

We have **** all chance against NZ though and I'd still have SA comfortable enough favourites... Loving my new found optimism.