Scotland v Ireland

[An Tarbh]

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Scotland v Ireland</div>

Scotland may not have been convincing in their win over Italy but some of their back play was superb and if they can click and be clinical in terms of taking their chances then it could be a very difficult evening in the Scottish capital for Ireland.

Ireland's defence will certainly need to be as sharp as it was at Croke Park to keep their chances limited but Scotland's defence does not look as strong as England's so there should be more scoring chances on offer to Ireland.

To some extent the pressure will be off Ireland as it was notable how important it was that England not win at Croke Park, now it's just back to the pressure of completing the 4th leg of a possible grand slam!

 

[Vambo]

Away win.

 

[An Tarbh]

Kidney ever the genius already bringing up the one defeat to Scotland over the last 6 years and using that as a motivation, never mind that they've only beaten us once in the Six Nations

 

[dullonien]

C'mon Scotland, keep the score low.

 

[MunsterMan]

I imagine they will Dullonien, I am expecting a tight game just like in 2007.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Scotland are impotent in attack. I'd be surprised if they put more than 12 to 15 points on the board. Ireland are good enough to score two or three tries and pick off a few penalties. Away win by about 23-12.

 

[Meh]

Double reason to support Scotland here. Would keep me in my mates' good books plus it'd help Wales.

 

[dullonien]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoopy snoopy dog dog @ Mar 1 2009, 01:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Scotland are impotent in attack. I'd be surprised if they put more than 12 to 15 points on the board. Ireland are good enough to score two or three tries and pick off a few penalties. Away win by about 23-12.[/b]

Round the score I'm expecting. But if Scotland can get the Evans bro's into the match a bit more (were v quiet for the majority of the Italy match) it could be quite different.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Scotland prop Allan Jacobsen faces four months on the sidelines after tests showed he will require shoulder surgery.

Jacobsen damaged his shoulder during Scotland's 26-6 Six Nations victory over Italy yesterday.

Scotland team doctor James Robson said today: "Chunk has damaged the pectoralis major muscle adjacent to his right shoulder.

"It will require repair and the operation will be carried out later this week by surgeon Richard Nutton at the Spire Murrayfield Hospital."[/b]

http://www.planetrugby.com/Story/0,18259,3...4989965,00.html

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Ireland are hardly invincible, they've been average for most of the last two matches. At home, it will be tight, the games already a sell out, hoping O'Gara can keep playing the way he has. B)

 

[monkeypigeon]

They need an out an d out outhalf on the bench just incase that does happen.

 

[An Tarbh]

that's not gonna happen, O'Gara knows what he needs to work on, Kidney isn't going to ramp up the pressure on him by putting someone on the bench who still won't be up to his level in general play.

 

[dullonien]

That's a bit of a pitty then An Tarbh. If Jones had anywhere neer as bad a game as O'Gara had on Sat he wouldn't have lasted 30min before Hook came on. O'Gara has been dreadful in this 6 nations, and he should be shown he hasn't automatically got the shirt. Even his usually superb kicking from hand was all over the place v England, he put in some decent touch finders, but the mojority of his tactical kicking was downright sloppy! What else did he offer? O'Driscoll had to step up to the plate for drop goals, and towards the end of the match I don't think I saw O'Gara atall, O'Driscoll had taken over competely.

He needs dropping before he really does cost Ireland a game!

 

[durbutter]

I agree, but there is nobody else you could see stepping up and doing a job.

 

[dullonien]

How about shifting Wallace over and putting D'arcy at 12? Didn't Wallace use to play 10 at club level, or am I mistaken?

 

[feicarsinn]

he usually plays 12 for ulster with humphreys at 10 but he can do a job at fly half. he played 10 against the pacific islands in 06 i think got a try as far as i know. probably isnt up to top class international rugby to be honset

 

[dullonien]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Mar 1 2009, 04:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

probably isnt up to top class international rugby to be honest[/b]

But neither is O'Gara at the moment as far as I'm concerned. Surely he'd do a better job?

Though, giving O'Gara another shot against Scotland might still be a good idea, get his confidence back up for the Wales game. If he does have another poor first half though, things would have to be changed.

 

[An Tarbh]

it's not an option for O'Gara to be dropped, even at his awful best which he was yesterday he's still a better option than Wallace, who hasn't been playing predominantly at 10 this season, if at all, Sexton can barely get his game at Leinster while Humphreys defence is not up to international level and given that we're 2 games away from winning a championship we're not going to lose the plot and drop our most experienced out half.

it's easy saying had Jones been that **** he would have been replaced, that's all well and good when you have someone like Hook on the bench but we don't have that option so we have to live with O'Gara for now.

 

[feicarsinn]

thats a tad harsh on the other lads. i mean humphreys' defence aint great but o'gara's is also cack in that area. as for wallace not potentially being better than o'gara was yesterday drico was basically playing 10 by the end and was doing a better job then rog, having all the experiance at fly-half of john hayes so someone like paddy would surely be more capable

 

[dullonien]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Mar 1 2009, 05:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

thats a tad harsh on the other lads. i mean humphreys' defence aint great but o'gara's is also cack in that area. as for wallace not potentially being better than o'gara was yesterday drico was basically playing 10 by the end and was doing a better job then rog, having all the experiance at fly-half of john hayes so someone like paddy would surely be more capable[/b]

Totally agree with that. Even if we didn't have Hook on the bench, I'd prefer the likes of Biggar or Robinson over someone playing like O'Gara.