Ireland v Scotland 6N's 2016

[matt]

Important we win last 2 games against Scotland & Italy but also important we introduce some new players with WC 2019 still over 3 years away.

Mc Cluskey, VDF & Dillane will be involved & would like to see them starting. Perfect games to bring in Ringrose maybe on bench & Marmion also.

[simonokeeffe]

Dillane not released to Connacht for this weekend...

[Gavlar]

Are we not up against Italy first?

[neill_m]

IRFU will be keeping an eye on the latest rankings:

1 New Zealand 96.10
2 Australia 89.33
3 South Africa 87.66
4 Wales 83.98
5 Argentina 82.59
6 England 82.18
7 France 80.20
8 Ireland 79.70
9 Scotland 78.03
10 Japan 77.05
11 Fiji 76.96
12 Tonga 71.60

Italy down in 14th.

Not sure when the rankings cutoff is for the RWC 2019 draw, but Scotland and Italy are must wins in the short term - given Ireland's remaining games this year include South Africa x 3, New Zealand x 2 and Australia. Also play Canada in the Autumn series which they should win.

[All Blacks nil]

Winning both games is becoming more and more vital considering the rest of our fixtures in this calendar year.
We cannot afford to lose to sides ranked below us.

Scots are an improving side and could be a difficult task.
The Italians are so brutal that the opening poster in this topic forgot we have to play them first.

[jimbobjoe]

Looks like the next two games and the tier 2 oppo in November are the only ones where we can lose significant points if we don't win. South Africa with home advantage will be more than 10 points up on us during the summer so we can only gain points there; NZ are out of reach and we may be within 10 points of Oz in November and at home but if we lose there the ranking points will be minimal.

If we manage to get 3 wins out of the 6 games vs the SH teams (it's possible!) we'll be doing ok for the RWC draw.

[Xanthippe]

South Africa with home advantage will be more than 10 points up on us during the summer so we can only gain points there; NZ are out of reach and we may be within 10 points of Oz in November and at home but if we lose there the ranking points will be minimal.

How nice to see someone who understands how the rankings system works - can never understand how it causes so much confusion

[johng]

Scotland is the big one for rankings. We are at home and they are a place behind us. Absolute focking rankings disaster if we lose that one.

Remember Dan Parks in Croker 2010..... I remember sitting beside a mr O'Stays from this parish at it. Robbed our tripple crown with a last minute questionable peno.

The crowd did not cover themselves in glory by booing all through his kicking routine either.

Have they beaten us since? Certainly not under Joe.

[neill_m]

Looks like the next two games and the tier 2 oppo in November are the only ones where we can lose significant points if we don't win. South Africa with home advantage will be more than 10 points up on us during the summer so we can only gain points there; NZ are out of reach and we may be within 10 points of Oz in November and at home but if we lose there the ranking points will be minimal.

If we manage to get 3 wins out of the 6 games vs the SH teams (it's possible!) we'll be doing ok for the RWC draw.

Admire your optimism regarding the games v the SH teams, might beat Australia at Lansdowne in November. ABs are too good and can see a 3-0 to the Saffers in the summer.

[neill_m]

Scotland going to Japan for 2 tests this summer. Playing Australia, Argentina and Georgia in the autumn.

Decent walkthrough example of how the rankings work at link below:

http://www.worldrugby.org/rankings/explanation

[Xanthippe]

Looks like the next two games and the tier 2 oppo in November are the only ones where we can lose significant points if we don't win. South Africa with home advantage will be more than 10 points up on us during the summer so we can only gain points there; NZ are out of reach and we may be within 10 points of Oz in November and at home but if we lose there the ranking points will be minimal.

If we manage to get 3 wins out of the 6 games vs the SH teams (it's possible!) we'll be doing ok for the RWC draw.

Admire your optimism regarding the games v the SH teams, might beat Australia at Lansdowne in November. ABs are too good and can see a 3-0 to the Saffers in the summer.

But the games against RSA and BNZ will have absolutey no affect on our rankings if we lose which is really what he was pointing out

[Xanthippe]

Scotland is the big one for rankings. We are at home and they are a place behind us. Absolute focking rankings disaster if we lose that one.

Remember Dan Parks in Croker 2010..... I remember sitting beside a mr O'Stays from this parish at it. Robbed our tripple crown with a last minute questionable peno.

The crowd did not cover themselves in glory by booing all through his kicking routine either.

Have they beaten us since? Certainly not under Joe.

Except if we've already lost to Italy then Scotland will be ahead of us in the rankings.

Btw, why are we all in an Ireland v Scotland thread when our next game is against Italy?

[neill_m]

Looks like the next two games and the tier 2 oppo in November are the only ones where we can lose significant points if we don't win. South Africa with home advantage will be more than 10 points up on us during the summer so we can only gain points there; NZ are out of reach and we may be within 10 points of Oz in November and at home but if we lose there the ranking points will be minimal.

If we manage to get 3 wins out of the 6 games vs the SH teams (it's possible!) we'll be doing ok for the RWC draw.

Admire your optimism regarding the games v the SH teams, might beat Australia at Lansdowne in November. ABs are too good and can see a 3-0 to the Saffers in the summer.

But the games against RSA and BNZ will have absolutey no affect on our rankings if we lose which is really what he was pointing out

Indeed, but was still admiring the positive attitude given Ireland's current form and stellar record v the big 3

The Scots and the Japanese are very close in the rankings currently. If that remains the case, the results in those games would have an impact re ranking points.

[jimbobjoe]

Yeah, I'm being optimistic to be fair. I think we'll get at least one win vs SA; A win against Oz is certainly possible and who knows against NZ.. it has to happen sometime! November's so far away in international rugby terms and there's the added unknown that is the Chicago game - it could give us a boost or possibly tire us out. We won't be needing any oxygen masks for the summit anytime soon though, that's for sure!

[jimbobjoe]

South Africa with home advantage will be more than 10 points up on us during the summer so we can only gain points there; NZ are out of reach and we may be within 10 points of Oz in November and at home but if we lose there the ranking points will be minimal.

How nice to see someone who understands how the rankings system works - can never understand how it causes so much confusion

Thanks Xanthippe - a joint love of spreadsheets and procrastination lead to me having my own permutations/predictions calculator

[simonokeeffe]

to channell my inner George Hook: anything less than the most humiliating Scottish defeat since the Battle of Culloden would be a disappointment for us

[johng]

You have an inner George Hook?

You poor bastid

Bad enough having the fecker out here where you can ignore him.

[johng]

Except if we've already lost to Italy

Ah here.....

[olaf the fat]

Winning both games is becoming more and more vital considering the rest of our fixtures in this calendar year.
We cannot afford to lose to sides ranked below us.

Scots are an improving side and could be a difficult task.
The Italians are so brutal that the opening poster in this topic forgot we have to play them first.

At the risk of sounding both smart arsed and negative, Why? we wont get past a QF anyway, so lets have 2 top games in the group stage.

[Xanthippe]

South Africa with home advantage will be more than 10 points up on us during the summer so we can only gain points there; NZ are out of reach and we may be within 10 points of Oz in November and at home but if we lose there the ranking points will be minimal.

How nice to see someone who understands how the rankings system works - can never understand how it causes so much confusion

Thanks Xanthippe - a joint love of spreadsheets and procrastination lead to me having my own permutations/predictions calculator

Haha me too - thank goodness I'm not the only one