[June Tests 2018: 2nd Test] Australia vs. Ireland (16/06/2018)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne​

Time: 12:00 (CAT, GMT+2)​

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

There'll be a shake up this week. I think we'll see something like this:
15. Conway
14. Earls
13. Ringrose
12. Henshaw
11. Stockdale
10. Sexton
9. Cooney
8. Conan
7. Leavy
6. O'Mahoney
5. Beirne/Hendy
4. Toner
3. Furlong
2. Scannell/Cronin
1. Healy

16. Scannell/Cronin
17. McGarth
18. Porter
19. Beirne/Henderson
20. Murphy
21. Murray
22. Carbery
23. Larmour

Question marks over Earls after going off injured and I think if he's unavailable Conway slots in at wing and Kearney goes 15 because Schmidt loves an experienced head in each line. I think/hope Joe sees Marmion as the best bench option and not an actual second choice and gives Cooney a run who is better suited to Ireland's style of play. Other than that I think the team just about picks itself even sprinkling in a bit of rotation, Conan deserves a shot after the last few weeks especially with Stander not being as impressive and I don't see us losing with that three quarter line and flanker pairing.

I'm not too down about Saturday's result, I think Joe is picking his battles here, he knows that the Aussies had their backs against the wall and winning on Saturday meant a lot more to them than it did to us. It'll be harder for an inconsistent and middling side like Australia to back that up next week against a stronger Irish side (years of being an Irish dance tells me this), who will likely want it more after last week, and if all goes to plan we are set up with a decider reffed by Pascal Gauzere which is a further advantage to us.

 

[Groundhog]

I think Cooney is a risk, but he's my favourite to be a properly quality deputy to Murray. I think Henshaw was really poor in game one, so I hope he picks it up this week. I'm going to come out and say I think Furlong is exhausted. He's played so much rugby for a prop and I think it's starting to show a bit. He struggled when he came on Saturday and he struggled against James Cronin a few weeks back too.

 

[big ginger 8]

Did Furlong actually struggle? He had one bad scrum that really should have been a reset instead of a penalty, the rest were solid and he still had some big involvements in the loose.

I doubt we'll see as much experimentation this week, I'd say it'll be nearly first choice because we want at least one win.

 

[big ginger 8]

http://www.the42.ie/analysis-isreal-folau-wallabies-aerial-4064115-Jun2018/

Good article on Folau's aerial involvement from the first test.

 

[Leinster Fan]

It'll be nearly first choice, I think we'll see Conway, Ringrose, the Leinster front row and Leavy in. I'd like to see Beirne in a lock to counter the Australians at the breakdown. I don't mind who's there with him but I think Ryan deserves a break. (Whether he needs it or not is a different matter.) So long as Quinn Roux isn't in the 23 I'll be happy anyway. I'm not a fan of franno but the Quinn Roux part of his article on Sunday was a gem. Cooney is better than Marmion and should start one of the other two tests. Overall I'd like to see
Conway, Earls, Ringrose, Henshaw, Stockdale, Sexton, Murray, Conan, Leavy, O'Mahony, Beirne, Toner, Furlong, Cronin, Healy.

Scannell, McGrath, Porter, Henderson, Stander, Cooney, Carbery, Larmour.

Start Kearney if Earls isn't fit. I wouldn't be opposed to capping Ross Byrne either.

 

[big ginger 8]

According to Kinsella, Conway will be on the bench.

 

[Hanley!]

According to Kinsella, Conway will be on the bench.

I'd be disappointed with that. He's arguably the best replacement for the back three, and a likely starter if one of them was to get injured. I'd like to see him get more experience starting a test match on this tour, where the stakes are lower. Maybe it'll be saved for the third test.

 

[munstermuffin]

Keith is following return to play protocol but is going good

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ireland v Australia (possible): R Kearney; K Earls, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J Stockdale; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, S Cronin, T Furlong; D Toner, J Ryan; P O'Mahony, D Leavy, CJ Stander.

Cumiskey - Not as reliable as Kinsella or Thornley. I think that team would do a job on the Aussies though. Furlong, Toner, Leavy, Henshaw at 12 and Ringrose are big improvements.

 

[munstermuffin]

Ireland v Australia (possible): R Kearney; K Earls, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J Stockdale; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, S Cronin, T Furlong; D Toner, J Ryan; P O'Mahony, D Leavy, CJ Stander.

Cumiskey - Not as reliable as Kinsella or Thornley. I think that team would do a job on the Aussies though. Furlong, Toner, Leavy, Henshaw at 12 and Ringrose are big improvements.

James Ryan would want to be careful though. Surely he will be high level risk to injury.
Disappointed Kearney is at 15. Not because of last week just we need to blood someone there. Same for Murray at 9 although I expect as a whole this is the 1 test targeted to win and next week is experiment again. A series win was hopeful but possibly a chance to blood alot of guys and win a targeted test with best team was objectives Schmidt had

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I don't see why we can't win both, with a bit of rotation in the last test. Murray and Sexton were always going to start one game, might as well be the one we can't lose!

 

[Leinster Fan]

I think this makes sense, go all out one week and hope you sneak another one with for games you rotate. Blooding new players and getting experience > winning.

 

[munstermuffin]

No reason we can't win both but more a case of if we win Saturday and next week loose but learn about fringe guys Schmidt will still have succeeded in his minimum mission

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think advantage swings in our favour with Gauzere as a ref in test three so I think this is pretty calculated. Last week was a backs against the wall Aussie performance, I don't think they can replicate it, conversely we were as poor as we'd been in 12 months if not more .

 

[Derpus]

Did Furlong actually struggle? He had one bad scrum that really should have been a reset instead of a penalty, the rest were solid and he still had some big involvements in the loose.

I doubt we'll see as much experimentation this week, I'd say it'll be nearly first choice because we want at least one win.

I read that was the first penalty he has conceded on Irish feed in 22 tests. Despite historical reputation, i think the Wallabies front row is one of our real strengths.

Regarding targeting Folau in the air. Attacking an opposing teams presumed strength and beating them at it deals a pretty big psychological blow. Just didn't come off this time.

 

[munstermuffin]

Looks like Sean Cronin is the man dropped for struggling. And Schmidt obviously didn't hold him as high

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

15. Rob Kearney
14. Andrew Conway
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Robbie Henshaw
11. Keith Earls
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray

1. Cian Healy
2. Niall Scannell
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. James Ryan
5. Devin Toner
6. Peter O'Mahony (captain)
7. Dan Leavy
8. CJ Stander

Replacements:

16. Rob Herring
17. Jack McGrath
18. Andrew Porter
19. Tadhg Beirne
20. Jordi Murphy
21. John Cooney
22. Joey Carbery
23. Jordan Larmour

Australia:

15. Israel Folau
14. Dane Haylett-Petty
13. Samu Kerevi
12. Kurtley Beale
11. Marika Koroibete
10. Bernard Foley
9. Will Genia

1. Scott Sio
2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Izack Rodda
5. Adam Coleman
6. David Pocock
7. Michael Hooper (captain)
8. Caleb Timu


I'm confident of this one, Pocock and Hooper won't be as effective against that front five,better backrow, halfback pairing and centres too and a back three better equipped to dealing with Folau after Stockdale was targeted last week. I'd still have had Cronin on the bench, I wasn't all that impressed with Herring to be honest. Larmour is obviously being groomed for that 23 spot, I hope that includes a directive to Leonster to play him 13 next year!

 

[corny]

Regarding targeting Folau in the air. Attacking an opposing teams presumed strength and beating them at it deals a pretty big psychological blow. Just didn't come off this time.

We didn't really 'target' Folau in open play though. There was method to kicking to him at the restarts alright but in general play we kicked no more to him than we do any full back. Australia targeted us truth be told.

This week with Sexton and Conway playing Koroibete will be busy i'd say.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Surprised Sean Cronin isn't in the squad. Are all three hookers getting one start and one bench spot during the series?

Happy with the team. No excuses this week because it's very close to full strength.