[RWC2019][Pool A] Round 1 - Ireland vs. Scotland (22/09/2019)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Yokohama International Stadium
Time: 09:45 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH BABY! It's here!

P.S. Scotland fans, this post is not intended to be racist.

 

[Al Bangor]

 

[TRF_Olyy]

what if I… Ireland lost… this game .. aha ha, just kidding.. unless..?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

what if I… Ireland lost… this game .. aha ha, just kidding.. unless..?

England... Who psych themselves up just to beat us, their big brothers across the pond, and bang on about it for months as if they've actually achieved something... Coming into our thread to derail it, acting like their team can actually beat a team like Scotland... Glad I don't come from such a small minded country.

 

[Groundhog]

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH BABY! It's here!

P.S. Scotland fans, this post is not intended to be racist.

Chill dude, what are they gonna do? Find someone to read the post to them?

 

[Every Time Ref]

Imma enjoy this thread.

See, I actually LIKE the Irish more than the Scots ... yet, I want more to see them fail. I don't know how to unpick this in my brain

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

If the injuries, Earls incl. are correct I reckon we're looking at the following:

Healy; Best; Furlong; Ryan; Henderson; God knows X3; Murray; Sexy; Stockdale; Aki; Ringbabe; Conway; Larmour

Scannell; Kilcoyne; Porter; Kleyn; ?; McGarth; JC; Farrell

Down to the bare bones in terms of outside backs for this one. I will say it's the one proper tier 1 game where you'd feel like you can do without Kearney's covering skills, Scotland are a very poor kicking outfit at this level - when England used the kick to beat us in February they had three players in Farrell, Slade and Daly who are at least as good at tactical kicking as Russell who is comfortably Scotland's best - but having to have a wing defend a bit deeper to compensate might encourage them to fling it about the place... But again, Scotland usually need to have some success attacking through the middle to impose themselves and good luck to them trying to split Aki and Ringrose open.

 

[Leinster Fan]

It's nearly here!!!!!!!!

 

[Reiser99]

I think Scotland will have targeted this game more than the potential quarters/semis. Win and it gives them a huge confidence boost and momentum. They will have a tough quarter final regardless so the need to get some genuine belief going.

 

[Dai Perk]

I think Scotland will have targeted this game more than the potential quarters/semis. Win and it gives them a huge confidence boost and momentum. They will have a tough quarter final regardless so the need to get some genuine belief going.

I keep hearing people talk about this, but I just have a hard time picturing it... I'm rooting for Scotland more than any other team, but at the same time, I feel like Ireland will hand it to them, and I can see them dropping the match against Japan, as well.
On the other hand, what the heck do I know? I've got 48-odd matches to watch, and will likely be wrong about 'em all!

 

[Every Time Ref]

I think this game will literally decide Scotland's World Cup, hard to see them coming back from a thrashing, psychologically speaking. Beating one of the contenders first up will get them pumped on the other hand and they might start believing ...

 

[General Melchett]

The script says Irish forward supremacy and superior kicking game will see them home. Looks like Laidlaw has regained the no.9 shirt from Price. There are even rumours flying around that his speed of pass has improved in the last few games. I have more faith in Laidlaw on the kicking, game management and decision making fronts with Price coming off the bench to speed things up and a late snipe or two.

I hope Townsend is brave and puts Darcy Graham in ahead of Seymour. He is electric.

Dell
McInally
Nel
Gray
Cummings
Barclay
Watson
Thompson
Laidlaw
Russell
Johnson
Taylor
Maitland
Hogg
Graham

 

[petite]

come on Ireland! we need you in the quaterfinals!! seriously this is the strongest Ireland in long time. hell of a match I'll be

 

[Hanley!]

If the injuries, Earls incl. are correct I reckon we're looking at the following:

Healy; Best; Furlong; Ryan; Henderson; God knows X3; Murray; Sexy; Stockdale; Aki; Ringbabe; Conway; Larmour

Scannell; Kilcoyne; Porter; Kleyn; ?; McGarth; JC; Farrell

If that ends up being the team, I reckon we'd be better off if Larmour and Conway switch positions.

 

[Leinster Fan]

If that ends up being the team, I reckon we'd be better off if Larmour and Conway switch positions.

I'd agree, Larmour is better in the wing and Conway is the more comfortable of the two at fullback, but simply given that Larmour has spent much more time at 15 for Ireland in recent times I'd guess that we'll see 14. Conway 15. Larmour

Contrary to popular opinion though Jordan can actually catch a high ball though so there is that. (Seriously don't get why this is a thing, he has far bigger flaws than his aerial ability, his positioning is much more of a worry compared to his jumping which is perfectly decent, not Kearney level but not poor either). As you say though, I'd prefer to see him on the wing and Conway at fullback.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I disagree, Larmour can physically kick a ball - not very accurately but he has the ability to drop a ball and use his foot to propell it forward, all evidence would suggest Conway does not - JL is the better of the two positionally and joining the backline from 15 too. Conway is stronger under the high ball and I'd say he's a marginally better tackler but for this team Larmour's the better option and a lot of it is to do with him being a semi-legitimate kicking option because neither of our wings are and Ringrose is so so in that regard.

In my opinion Conway is comfortably the better wing (Larmour just about cuts it at Heino level on the wing but he's not a winger) and Larmour comfortably the better fullback which obviously makes it a very easy decision.

 

[BobbyM]

The script says Irish forward supremacy and superior kicking game will see them home. Looks like Laidlaw has regained the no.9 shirt from Price. There are even rumours flying around that his speed of pass has improved in the last few games. I have more faith in Laidlaw on the kicking, game management and decision making fronts with Price coming off the bench to speed things up and a late snipe or two.

I hope Townsend is brave and puts Darcy Graham in ahead of Seymour. He is electric.

Dell
McInally
Nel
Gray
Cummings
Barclay
Watson
Thompson
Laidlaw
Russell
Johnson
Taylor
Maitland
Hogg
Graham

Without Matt Fagerson or Skinner this is the team I would be tempted to go for.

Question mark for me is Taylor at 13, he's not had a lot of time for Scotland there, as opposed to say Harris who has come into a bit of form recently.

Also, if he does go with Cummings it's a crazy quick rise for the player. I love him as an open field runner, and he knows how to pick a good line. He was also excellent playing at 4 for Glasgow against ulster in the semis earlier this year when Henderson was his opposite number.

From a Scotland perspective I go into this game with little to no hope of a victory but hope we give a good account of ourselves

 

[Dai Perk]

There's talk of a MASSIVE downpour during this match... the rules say, if it's rained out, they count it as a nil/nil draw. Would Scotland fans prefer that to trying to play their brand of rugby in a massive storm?

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

There's talk of a MASSIVE downpour during this match... the rules say, if it's rained out, they count it as a nil/nil draw. Would Scotland fans prefer that to trying to play their brand of rugby in a massive storm?

Or as the Scots call it, a wee drizzle.