France v Ireland

[fourthirtythree]

Okay, everyone else can go to France and win. Now we have to do it. We should go there as proud favourites.

There should be no mental block. Keep patient, hang in there, fitness in the end should tell.

[artaneboy]

Okay, everyone else can go to France and win. Now we have to do it. We should go there as proud favourites.

There should be no mental block. Keep patient, hang in there, fitness in the end should tell.

Totally!

We've a better scrum, lineout, ruck and maul in the forwards. Better halfbacks, centre combination... And above all- better coach! Let's swing from the hip and do it it in style.

[JB1973]

Ireland should win and in all honesty should win by ten points plus, France are so poor this year. Good luck folks you have been the best side in this championship you deserve it

[BlueStreak]

Ireland should win and in all honesty should win by ten points plus, France are so poor this year. Good luck folks you have been the best side in this championship you deserve it

Cheers JB1973. I agree we should beat them, for all the reasons artaneboy outlined above. I'll still be absolutely bricking it come kick off next Saturday though!!

[JB1973]

If PSA has any sense he would bring in para picamoles and nyanga (sp) at least they make them competitive, other than huget and possibly medard on current form no french player would make the irish starting team

[artaneboy]

If PSA has any sense he would bring in para picamoles and nyanga (sp) at least they make them competitive, other than huget and possibly medard on current form no french player would make the irish starting team

I imagine he will indeed bring Picamoles back- and possibly Nyanga too. But if he brought Parra back I'd be more worried. He would change them from a bit of a shambles to a bit of a menace.

[fourthirtythree]

I'd be surprised if Parra didn't come in. The ban ending in time for him to play us has the smell of him starting all over it. Bit less worried about Picamoles who didn't really inspire last couple of times I saw him. That said, they could have a player revolt and the form book goes out the window. But our half back partnerships as it stands has win written all over it.

Fantastic place kicking by Jackson today by the way. And as Shaggy said Reddan was the perfect scrum half for a Schmidt team against Italy (at home, don't think he said that part) but Murray will probably be back for France. I was going to say hopefully, but I never say that any more about players that go off with head injuries "just a bit dizzy" was the word on RTÉ...

God but France's set piece was a shambles today. They won't get away with that against us...

[outcast eddie]

I think Ferg showed some real attacking flair for his try today. He's come under some critism recently with some moaning about his inclusion but he's a great option off the bench. He should be nailed on for Paris.

[fourthirtythree]

I think Ferg showed some real attacking flair for his try today. He's come under some critism recently with some moaning about his inclusion but he's a great option off the bench. He should be nailed on for Paris.

He was excellent today, and Hook's moaning was hilarious, but I wouldn't have been a supporter of him being picked. That said the key fact is he covers 11,12,13,14 and allows Schmidt to take off BOD. Dave K covers 15 if Rob gets injured. I see why Schmidt has him there but it wouldn't have been what I would have gone with. As always I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Did nothing to get dropped from the squad though. Quite the opposite.

Henderson will probably be the SR sub and Ruddock the BR for next week. Tough on Ryan maybe, who nobody would have a problem with - though lets not forget he's only in contention after his injury because of Tuohy's injury
Starting team unchanged bar POM at 6 and CM at 9.
I don't know if Bowe will make it, I'd be happy if he was deemed fit but Trimble did nothing deserving of being dropped, unlike Dave Kearney who had his worst game for Ireland today. Not terrible, but not great.

[Donny B.]

Drico shoud be rested............

[Donny B.]

I think Ferg showed some real attacking flair for his try today. He's come under some critism recently with some moaning about his inclusion but he's a great option off the bench. He should be nailed on for Paris.

Apprently he dedicated his try to All Blacks Nil

[munster#1]

This game is a massive one for Ireland, win and we have won another 6n, only our second in the pro era. Lose and we have lost all away games this season, and have failed to win any meaningful test, with losses to Australia, new Zealand, England and France, and with only a 50% win/loss ratio.

The big thing as always when we play France, is which french team shows up. If France are even at 90% we will probably lose, but we could end up facing a french team that don't care and are booed by their own fans.

I predict that we will win against a disinterested France, and we will see Bod and Poc lift the cup together.

[BlueStreak]

If France are even at 90% we will probably lose

I'm not so sure. If France had a full squad to choose from that might be true but without Dusatoir and Fofana they're not a great team. They certainly should be capable of playing a lot better than they have in their last few games but tbh I reckon even if they do up their game for next week we have what it takes to beat them.

[Eoin Gubbins]

I think this game could be huge for the future - apart from the obvious championship implications, this is an excellent opportunity to beat France in Paris. It'd be great to get our young players that kind of experience that could give them belief to both win in Paris and win Six Nations in the future. I honestly also think there are particular benefits to it NOT being a Grand Slam - this championship is the kind Ireland never win when they have the chance to, the one where you have to ruthlessly score points, get over the disappointment of defeat, and go get the championship anyway. They took the first step brilliantly yesterday. All the form from this year suggests this French team just aren't as good as Ireland. Hopefully Ireland can make that stick.

[Kinger83]

This game is a massive one for Ireland, win and we have won another 6n, only our second in the pro era. Lose and we have lost all away games this season, and have failed to win any meaningful test, with losses to Australia, new Zealand, England and France, and with only a 50% win/loss ratio.

I think beating the current 6N champions by 23 points would be considered meaningful.

[munster#1]

This game is a massive one for Ireland, win and we have won another 6n, only our second in the pro era. Lose and we have lost all away games this season, and have failed to win any meaningful test, with losses to Australia, new Zealand, England and France, and with only a 50% win/loss ratio.

I think beating the current 6N champions by 23 points would be considered meaningful.

Beating Wales at home should be a given Imo, and a loss would have been viewed as a big failure, just like it would have and was under other coaches.
It's worth noting that we also beat them last season, and most fans and players I suspect would have seen our 3 home games as 3 victories.

[Eoin Gubbins]

This game is a massive one for Ireland, win and we have won another 6n, only our second in the pro era. Lose and we have lost all away games this season, and have failed to win any meaningful test, with losses to Australia, new Zealand, England and France, and with only a 50% win/loss ratio.

I think beating the current 6N champions by 23 points would be considered meaningful.

Plus we hammered the team that should've beaten France last night. Italy also performed well above their heads for much of the first half, and Ireland eventually ran away with it. I dunno, I know achieving ultimate goals are important but I think Ireland have demonstrated a lot of progress this year so far. Some of the backs moves yesterday were very pleasing, which is great as they hadn't shown much more than forwards power til now. It's important to think about results, but it's also important to think about performances, and I think we're seeing constant progress there.

[fourthirtythree]

A win over Wales is only meaningful if it is followed up. We had a massively improved game against England - they've tended to destroy us recently - and we would have won if it was at home or Sexton hadn't a shocker I believe. We put Italy to the sword. Which we haven't been doing last couple of six nations. And we are now probably going to be favourites against France. If we live up to that tag it's meaningful.

And with a better half back fulcrum we should: I know Reddan had an excellent game yesterday but I have no doubt that Schmidt now has him pencilled in as coming off the bench around 60. Something he wasn't happy to do in previous matches. Johnno and Conor were playing 80 if not injured. Jackson also showed yesterday that we don't need to have Sexton on the pitch when he isn't 100% so I hope he is trusted if Johnno ships knocks next week. It's been an issue versus NZ and England.

A better scrum. And a better lineout should also be expected.

[Eoin Gubbins]

A win over Wales is only meaningful if it is followed up. We had a massively improved game against England - they've tended to destroy us recently - and we would have won if it was at home or Sexton hadn't a shocker I believe. We put Italy to the sword. Which we haven't been doing last couple of six nations. And we are now probably going to be favourites against France. If we live up to that tag it's meaningful.

And with a better half back fulcrum we should: I know Reddan had an excellent game yesterday but I have no doubt that Schmidt now has him pencilled in as coming off the bench around 60. Something he wasn't happy to do in previous matches. Johnno and Conor were playing 80 if not injured. Jackson also showed yesterday that we don't need to have Sexton on the pitch when he isn't 100% so I hope he is trusted if Johnno ships knocks next week. It's been an issue versus NZ and England.

A better scrum. And a better lineout should also be expected.

Completely agree, think Jackson should have built some trust after yesterday.

[hugonaut]

Beating Wales at home should be a given Imo, and a loss would have been viewed as a big failure, just like it would have and was under other coaches.
It's worth noting that we also beat them last season, and most fans and players I suspect would have seen our 3 home games as 3 victories.

Beating back-to-back Six Nations champions when they're going for three championships in a row "should be a given"? You're beyond parody.