Ireland v Australia

[Hippo]

Completely heroic performance from the 23 so it seems invidious to single out anyone but special praise is due I think to Carbery and Marmion for doing so well playing out of position. Ringrose was clearly MOTM for me, and POM did really well when he came on, particularly one crucial steal near the end. Bealham, as has been pointed out, is grand if allowed scrummage at an angle but you've got to imagine some ref will cop on to him eventually. He went down twice when Garces was watching him closely in our 22 in the last few minutes and he wasn't able to do his usual thing.

Incidentally, just before the hour mark Heaslip was correctly pinged for not rolling away from a tackle, 3 points to Aus. I thought it was really uncharacteristic of him and he was immediately substituted so assume he must have taken a knock.

[leinsterforever]

by Fan with smartphone

Bealham's scrummaging will continue to improve though. What age is he? 24? Plus he spent at least some of his pro career as a loosehead. By 2019 he could well be better again. The guys pushing behind him are liable to get more powerful too. Even if he didn't improve from where he is now, he would still suit the impact sub role reasonably nicely. He is mobile and is great at arriving to a ruck and passing, to keep attacking tempo up. Don't think Ah You or or Archer are going to cut it at international level without a big jump and it's still early to tell with Ryan, though the signs are good. How badly hurt are Ross and Moore?

I like Bealham and I think people are doing him a disservice to an extent. He played in every game last year for Connacht and most of them this year as well. He stood up to the AB's well and is a puppy in propping terms.

Also no one here has mentioned HerBt. He looked the part before the long injury lay-off so hopefully with time he will do so again.

9 is an issue, but there is time for someone to make a run and we have a reasonably level field to be number 2 to Murray. Tonight was a big step for Marmion. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the kid has a will to win/match smarts that just seems to put him ahead of players who I think should be better than him. Ballsy wee hoor. Of the others Cooney has played in a European cup final, I like blade personally (particularly off the bench) and McGrath is the one with arguably the highest ceiling. The Japan tour will be big for this position.

Murray is in a league of his own so don't think you can compare. Cooney is looking well after a long lay-off and Marmion and McGrath are not to be sniffed at. Blade for me is still to inconsistent to be considered international yet. We also have JGP on the way so we will be fine soon.

You are right to pour a little cold water on things though. A week of bad injuries can change everything. I would've considered second row a bit of a problem not so long ago, but am much less concerned now. Also hooker-I'm taking it our 2 first choice will go right through to 2019 - is that realistic?

If not Tom McCartney of Connacht will be IQ soon and JS is a big fan so I could see him coming into the squad. Strauss and Herring also have another gear in them if they can get a run of games together.

As for the game. I'm really surprised that we won it. No other coach probably would have picked so many of the same players as last week and no other coach's team could have won that game against so many positional changes. It shows the best and worst of JS's Ireland Team.

I think Bealham is absolute class, but I do think Simon is right to highlight that there are wrinkles he needs to iron out yet. As you say he is young to be the perfect tighthead, but then you look around the world and tighthead is becoming less of an old man position than it maybe used to be. He definitely suits impact sub for now, but starting the wrong game would be an ask just at the moment. Moore would be better at that role if Furlong were to pick up a knock, but I've heard little about his injury. Getting him back in the system is order of business number 1, given Ross' own injury. All being well, a Furlong-Bealham double act will do just fine for now and if both could up it again then all the better.

Yep 9 is an open race. I've wondered aloud before should we go Matt (Austin) Healy for the bench, because of just such an eventuality as last night, or even Madigan. It's worth considering, though both Healy and Madigan have issues. Maybe it's better to cover one position well, rather than 2 just ok. I know I'll get panned for that suggestion but are we really ever going to take Murray off in a big game unless he is injured? How often dors he get injured mid-game? How often do the rest of the players get injured? Plus I didn't say i'd do it, I just said consider!

Tracy looks like putting himself into the conversation for hooker over the next 2 seasons if he keeps going, but you are right about McCartney. McCartney is one tough hombre, it's just any player replacing Best won't be easy if he starts to wane. I'm not sure he will though, but I don't know if that is realistic for me to think that.

Also no one here has mentioned HerBt..

It's not polite to mention a woman's BT

No other coach probably would have picked so many of the same players as last week.

Apart from every Ireland coach in History.....

Lol johng. You are probably right of course, but a wise old sage said to me this morning (in his own inimitable way): "that joe f'in Schmidt is some boy. He won that f'in game despite him f'in self."

I can see Ludik being an attractive option for the 23 jersey when he qualifies in Summer 2017. I'd say Schmidt will like his ability to play 11, 13, 14, and 15 to a high level. Having that versatility could take a bit of pressure of the 21 and 22

[neiliog93]

Louis Ludik? Absolutely no way. Doesn't even get anywhere near a full strength Ulster 23 jersey, never mind Ireland.

[Ruckedtobits]

Louis Ludik? Absolutely no way. Doesn't even get anywhere near a full strength Ulster 23 jersey, never mind Ireland.

+1
Joe will not select on basis of versatility. Place-kicking ability / cover, ( McFadden and Madigan), yes but to bench for Joe, you have to be a relevant tactical change.

[leinsterforever]

We'll see

[neiliog93]

Full strength Ulster backline:

12.Olding 13.Marshall 14.Piutau

11.Trimble 15.Payne

23.Gilroy

Bowe, Cave and McCloskey would all be ahead of Ludik for the 23 jersey. Lyttle and Stockdale are rising and are already challenging him. Ludik is nowhere near a full strength Ulster bench.

[Oldschool]

When you lose 2 players like Trimble & Payne & have to play 2 half back subs out of position you assume you will get punished but the fact we came back & won is a huge credit to all. Very enjoyable day.

Especially when it's against one of the two teams who are most likely to expose such a situation.

[Oldschool]

We'll see

IDon't think we will but Joe will run the rule over him when he does qualify.

[simonokeeffe]

Ludik has more chance of playing bass for The Pretenders

That level of versatility (but not quality) only becomes useful when the rest of the backline is incredibly rigid which is not an issue right now

Henshaw's injury blunted our attack as he is our one hard yards midfield carrier. Not even having the threat of that nor pace from Payne (who had a poor series) makes it much easier for the defence

[Raydollard]

When does Aki become Irish

[blockhead]

When does Aki become Irish

When he can hold his porter!

[Fan with smartphone]

Dean Mumm cited. He knew he was a lucky boy at the time.

[simonokeeffe]

Dean Mumm cited. He knew he was a lucky boy at the time.

He routinely led premiership penalty charts at Exeter but that aside how anyone could drop Scott Fardy ever is beyond me

[Flash Gordon]

Incredible win and probably the gutsiest performance I've seen from Ireland in years - how our defensive structures worked given that everybody outside Jackson played at least part of the game out of position is beyond me!! One thing I would say is that we tend to drop 2 or 3 players a game, often with fairly serious injuries which is a problem for tournament rugby - you can get through a one off sometimes on that basis but 4 or 5 games is more problematic (same thing happened during the world cup).

[Lar]

Incidentally, just before the hour mark Heaslip was correctly pinged for not rolling away from a tackle, 3 points to Aus. I thought it was really uncharacteristic of him and he was immediately substituted so assume he must have taken a knock.

Exactly what I thought but I haven't heard anything one way or another since.

[All Blacks nil]

Incidentally, just before the hour mark Heaslip was correctly pinged for not rolling away from a tackle, 3 points to Aus. I thought it was really uncharacteristic of him and he was immediately substituted so assume he must have taken a knock.

Exactly what I thought but I haven't heard anything one way or another since.

SEE BELOW

The Kiwi head coach also confirmed that the rare sight of Jamie Heaslip being replaced in the second half was not due to injury.

“Jamie’s had the biggest volume, the biggest workload,” said Schmidt. “CJ had 60 minutes less last week so we knew that some people were going to be really struggling with the engine, so that was the decision we made.

[Laighin Break]

Incredible win and probably the gutsiest performance I've seen from Ireland in years - how our defensive structures worked given that everybody outside Jackson played at least part of the game out of position is beyond me!! One thing I would say is that we tend to drop 2 or 3 players a game, often with fairly serious injuries which is a problem for tournament rugby - you can get through a one off sometimes on that basis but 4 or 5 games is more problematic (same thing happened during the world cup).

2 of the players we dropped during the game went into the game with injuries though. I think Schmidt made the wrong call starting Payne and Kearney and it could have proved costly

[Lar]

The Kiwi head coach also confirmed that the rare sight of Jamie Heaslip being replaced in the second half was not due to injury.

“Jamie’s had the biggest volume, the biggest workload,” said Schmidt. “CJ had 60 minutes less last week so we knew that some people were going to be really struggling with the engine, so that was the decision we made.

Thanks - not often anyone uses the words 'struggling with the engine' and 'Jamie Heaslip' in the same sentence.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Why Kearney? He seemed to run into Folau's shoulder, not much you can do about that.

[fourthirtythree]

Yeah, Kearney was, if anything, too fired up and aggressive. He was really playing well.

You could argue that Schmidt took a risk keeping him off despite passing the HIA as we could have done without Carberry at FB and Zebo was needed soon after.