Ireland v Australia thread

[johng]

Is it just me or does Michael Hooper look like he is permastoned? Great player and obviously not stoned or he could hardly play that well but.......

Good example on his wiki page

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ho ... y_union%29

[Peg Leg]

I thought it was 8 from 11 in the reserves and the starting 15 was set?

Which would be good as the choices would be between Faulkner and Robinson, between Horwill and Skelton and between Horne and Beale.

How right you were, didn't read it like that from Suisse's post!

[blockhead]

http://www.todayfm.com/player/podcasts/ ... Sexton_Ads

Gift Grub, not as funny as previous ones but not too bad.

[TrapperChamonix]

Of the starting backline, Folau & Kuridrani would be the only 2 you would be overly worried about. Ok how Australia are missing O'Connor, Giteu, Cummins

Have you seen Henry Speight?

TBH no, so quite willing to concede that he might be something special but my view is that they are not the all singing all dancing backline of old. Nothing wrong with any of them but I don't think of them as markedly superior to our own. Even the mighty Folau has his deficiencies that can be exploited.

[flustered]

Cave, Gilroy & Olding all selected for Ulster to play the Ospreys, looking at D'Arcy at 12 and Henshaw at 13 (I wouldn't mind seeing Madigan at 12)

[flustered]

Copeland and Keatley in Munster squad (slow day in work!!)

[God-Bless!]

Yes. Absolutely! "The long shadow of Bod" retired. Luke Marshall faded to injuries and lack of form. Step up Youngding, Henshaw and Payne to complement Darce.

In a few years I can see Notquitesoyoungding (jaysus this is getting tiresome already) and Henshaw mixing it up in centrefield.

Personally I don't think Youngding is up to it but I'd like to see Marshall back ahead of Henshaw because I'd always have someone with big work ethic and average brain Vs. someone with talent and brain at 12 but takes only hits on their terms - I like to see Marshall who isn't afraid of putting his body in the channel and getting beaten up.

Big Jordan for 6.

[flustered]

No real surprises then, D'Arcy at 12 and Best at 2, otherwise its as you were for the SA game (Foley replaces MMC on the bench)

[jimbobjoe]

Team, as expected...

1. McGrath
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Toner
5. POC
6. POM
7. Ruddock
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. D'Arcy
13. Henshaw
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Kilcoyne
18. Ah You
19. Foley
20. TOD
21. Reddan
22. Madigan
23. Jones

[arsebiscuits1]

No surprises there. Though D'arcy was largely ineffective against Georgia but still our best option at 12 with the absence of Payne (and arguably still the best option regardless of Paynes fitness)

I am quietly confidant. Pound for pound each player on the Ireland team is better than their Australian opposite number in the starting line up with perhaps with the exception of Kearney. I think Kearney is a better all around 15. But Folau can tear a defence to shreds and make a proper dent on the scoreboard

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Thing I find most interesting is if we'll be able to keep up the level of performance from the SA game. There's been a lot of talk about consistency over the last 12 months and by and large we've managed to perform really well. A few things stand out to me though.

- Nothing was expected of us against SA and we came out swinging. Can we do that again given that we'll (presumably) be favourites?
- Can Ruddock repeat his performance and the flankers work well in tandem again? I'm not doubting them and wanted to see that combo at some stage in the AIs, but it'll be a big ask to back up their performances given that they'll have been analysed (not much obviously) by the Aussies, and because the Aussies pose a very different threat in attack and have a genuine 7.
- How effective can our midfield defence be without the pace we had the other week? For a start, that's how France killed the Aussie momentum a lot of the time. Foley just had nowhere to go and the outside backs were cut off. Secondly, it was such a weapon for us against SA and so key for us to get in the front foot that I wonder how we'll do without it. I'm not actually worried, just feel it takes away a slight advantage.

The last thing is that the Aussies will be hard to analyse given that Cheika has only had three games with them. I'd imagine we'll have been watching a fair bit of Waratahs stuff but even then, what kind of game will Genia and Cooper play when they come on? That's probably as much a problem for them as it is for though in fairness. I'd imagine they'll be fairly well set off the first few phases and then lose a bit of direction. I'm expecting a stronger set piece than the SA game so hopefully that should affect the Aussies off first phase and we'll gain momentum that way.

[suisse]

It won't be close. Ireland by 10+

[simonokeeffe]

Toomua never convinced me at international level
That team must be getting tired by now, at very least youd expect subs on quite early

For a big strong bloke Skelton is a useless scrummager

Not that we're much better but most of those Aussie subs weaken the team

Will still pray for rain

[flustered]

Cooper, Genia and Beale are all confirmed for the bench, not a bad trip to have really!

[Logorrhea]

The last thing is that the Aussies will be hard to analyse given that Cheika has only had three games with them.

Cant see him straying away from the structures they had in place under McKensie. Wouldnt make sense.

He'll see out this tour, THEN work on implementing his own methods. For now its all about structure, morale and character. The Aussies will be as dangerous as they have been, but with more guts.

[johng]

Cooper, Genia and Beale are all confirmed for the bench, not a bad trip to have really!

Has their bench been confirmed?

[Leoslovechild]

Team, as expected...

1. McGrath
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Toner
5. POC
6. POM
7. Ruddock
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. D'Arcy
13. Henshaw
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Kilcoyne
18. Ah You
19. Foley
20. TOD
21. Reddan
22. Madigan
23. Jones

Probably Biased but i think benching Cronin after his performance against SA is harsh.
Best has done nothing recently to oust him and in fact was a liability at line out time away to Leicester

[johng]

I thought it was 8 from 11 in the reserves and the starting 15 was set?

Which would be good as the choices would be between Faulkner and Robinson, between Horwill and Skelton and between Horne and Beale.

If McMahon is out, we could see horwill on the bench with Skelton starting at 6. I think Cheika will want to beat us up.

Nah. Skelton at 6 would be radio rental. And we would leave them for dead with a back row like that. He would be beating thin air to death. Also he is about half a ton. You need 3 props to get him in the air.

Im basing that entirely on my lack of knowledge of Jake Schatz and the bit I've seen of Jones..... he's not getting selected!

Young Reds backrower Jake Schatz, who was called up to the spring tour last week along with Beale, also made the eight-man bench with James Horwill, Ben Alexander and Rob Horne dropping out of the extended squad named on Wednesday.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport ... v-ireland/

I thought Faulkner was a Loose Head.

That would leave the team as.

1. James Slipper
2. Saia Fainga'a
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Sam Carter
5. Rob Simmons
6. Luke Jones
7. Michael Hooper (c)
8. Ben McCalman

9. Nick Phipps
10. Bernard Foley
11. Henry Speight
12. Matt Toomua
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
15. Israel Folau

16. James Hanson
17. Benn Robinson
18. Tetera Faulkner
19. Will Skelton
20. Jake Schatz
21. Will Genia
22. Quade Cooper
23. Kurtley Beale

Not crapping myself over the pack or their replacements anyway. Bar Hooperman the permastoned.

[All Blacks nil]

Team, as expected...

1. McGrath
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Toner
5. POC
6. POM
7. Ruddock
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. D'Arcy
13. Henshaw
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Kilcoyne
18. Ah You
19. Foley
20. TOD
21. Reddan
22. Madigan
23. Jones

Probably Biased but i think benching Cronin after his performance against SA is harsh.
Best has done nothing recently to oust him and in fact was a liability at line out time away to Leicester

Have to agree with you, you are probably biased.
joking aside, I am glad to see Cronin on the bench in front of Strauss. I''m not saying one is superior to the other, but I do think Cronin can be excellent off the bench and is a better option as a replacement.

[All Blacks nil]

Is it just me or does Michael Hooper look like he is permastoned? Great player and obviously not stoned or he could hardly play that well but.......

Good example on his wiki page

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Ho ... y_union%29

Hooper will provide a big test for our backrow at the breakdown on Saturday.