Ireland v France Sat 25th Feb 2017 4.50pm

[Golf Man]

It was hardly headless chicken stuff. He didn't want us to concede all that territory and have a lineout 5m from our own line. Totally understandable.

The mistake was that the ball had just got away from him too much and he shouldn't have risked it in the end.

Nail on the head - his idea was spot on but he should have left when it came to it - he wasn't in a good enough position to do it. Some of the comments here are embarrassing

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[FLIP]

Which one do you think Schmidt will be incensed by? One was heads up, one was headless chicken. I can't even imagine the Internet meltdown if Kearney did something like that.

Kearney does worse every game - his effort on serin was worthy of Mike Ross. His effort on the cross kick that followed was as bad - that's what schist should be incensed with but he like some of the posters here have a huge blindspot on him

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Zebo can't live up to Kearney's standards which is why you never apply them to him.

[jezzer]

Oh look! A provincial catfight over a pointless player comparison.

[Golf Man]

I've been like a broken record on kearney v zebo so not sure what you are talking about. Kearney at his best was at a level that zebo hasn't reached as a fb. I think kearney is probably better positionally although I think zebo would improve on this at international level given gamete me. Possibly slightly better at fielding although I think zebo is currently better at fielding kicks in attack. In attack there is no contest both as an individual threat and as a creative option. I think zebo is substantially better in defence. It's not that zebo is the answer there - Payne for example might be - but kearney has an undeserved exalted position in the team - he is treated in the same way as toner heaslip best murray and sexton - his performances for the last number of years aren't in the same ballpark as those other guys. Anyway I'm trying not to speak about him cos I'm boring myself and assuredly lots of others


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[suisse]

I watched the pregame build up on ITV. I don't know why. It just seemed to be heading that way.

Anyway, they had Woodward, Dallaglio and Wilkinson in their panel. They reviewed that bizarre mix up in the Wales v Scotland game when Biggar went to the corner. A World Cup winning manager, key back-rower player in winning World Cup winning team and out-half in World Cup winning team all talked about taking the points, every time. "Build the lead". 3 points, 6 points. 9 points. I don't think we did that yesterday. At all. Going to the corner too often. This isn't talking after the event. I was pretty pissed off at HT and felt that a much better team than France would hurt us for that. There probably needs to be a discussion at some point about our offensive maul inside the opposition 22 as well.

Would an Ireland team captained by Paul O'Connell have made those decisions? I don't know, but I think he would have pointed to posts.

One more thing. We know Johnny can kick drop goals. Drop goals are worth the same as penalties. Why don't we consider this option more?

[All Blacks nil]

Regarding the Zebo attempt to keep the ball in play, one thing that it was and something which most have ignored, is an absolute peach of a kick.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Plus the Zebo one isn't a cut and dried situation of conceding. There's a chance to defend.

Sexton's was a clear cut decision to take a (pretty much guaranteed) 3 points or not.

This is nonsense LRIP, conceding a 5 yard attacking scrum against a forward eight who were dominant in the scrum at that time versus allowing the ball to run out to have a defending line out where we on top is a no brainer.

You're just arguing for the sake of it here.


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[Oldschoolsocks]

Regarding the Zebo attempt to keep the ball in play, one thing that it was and something which most have ignored, is an absolute peach of a kick.

To be fair, it was a good kick.


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[MunsterSugar]

Which one do you think Schmidt will be incensed by? One was heads up, one was headless chicken. I can't even imagine the Internet meltdown if Kearney did something like that.

I think my issue on Sexton call was, right or wrong, he overruled Best and it isn't good to undermine captain.
This isn't a Zebo v Sexton issue as I agree Zebo one was trying to stop lineout in a 30-70 chance. Sexton may have regretted quick tap if game was closer. But it's alot of what ifs.

On Kearney the BBC lads on podcast think he should be dropped. I equally am not sure Zebo is deserving there but Guscott pointed out he's missed most tackles out of any 15 in top 8 teams in IRB rankings. Zebo isn't much better either. But is it telling Leinster don't start Kearney.

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[Dave Cahill]

But is it telling Leinster don't start Kearney.

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When Rob Kearney is fit, he starts.

[Dave Cahill]

Which one do you think Schmidt will be incensed by? One was heads up, one was headless chicken. I can't even imagine the Internet meltdown if Kearney did something like that.

If anyone ever wonders what Schmidt thinks of anything Sexton does, their relationship is best summed up by Matthew 18:18

[MunsterSugar]

But is it telling Leinster don't start Kearney.

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When Rob Kearney is fit, he starts.

For Leinster he was fit last 2 games of Europe and didn't start. Like for Wasps who would you pick

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[Oldschool]

But is it telling Leinster don't start Kearney.

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When Rob Kearney is fit, he starts.

That may change next season.
Henshaw could be moved to 15 when Bundi Aki becomes IQ.
That would leave Payne/Ringrose at 13.
The wing positions would be Trimble and ANOther.
And that's even before Carberry is considered.

[hugonaut]

I watched the pregame build up on ITV. I don't know why. It just seemed to be heading that way.

Anyway, they had Woodward, Dallaglio and Wilkinson in their panel. They reviewed that bizarre mix up in the Wales v Scotland game when Biggar went to the corner. A World Cup winning manager, key back-rower player in winning World Cup winning team and out-half in World Cup winning team all talked about taking the points, every time. "Build the lead". 3 points, 6 points. 9 points. I don't think we did that yesterday. At all. Going to the corner too often. This isn't talking after the event. I was pretty pissed off at HT and felt that a much better team than France would hurt us for that. There probably needs to be a discussion at some point about our offensive maul inside the opposition 22 as well.

Would an Ireland team captained by Paul O'Connell have made those decisions? I don't know, but I think he would have pointed to posts.

One more thing. We know Johnny can kick drop goals. Drop goals are worth the same as penalties. Why don't we consider this option more?

O'Connell had massive form in going for touch rather than posts, Suisse.

I think AWJ was a little unwise in saying what he did; I think you've got to stand behind your decisions in public as captain. It's not always about being seen to be logical or reasonable ... it's more about unswerving drive and belief. You can admit that, given the benefit of hindsight, you might do something differently, but you've got to be decisive in the process.

Now, if you ask the kicker and they don't fancy a shot at goal when you think it's the right option, you're in a bind. It happened to us in the RWC11 quarter against Wales – we had a couple of early penalty chances very wide on the right and we went for touch rather than the sticks. ROG didn't fancy the kicks from the most difficult position on the pitch for him and we had a lot of time on the clock. You can always argue whether it's a good or bad option based on the outcome, but the focus of the critical process is the decision, not the outcome. If he had been made kick for goal and missed them, would we be saying it was the right decision? They were difficult kicks.

To be frank, I'm never particularly confident with Sexton kicking from that bogey spot of his between the 15m & 5m tramlines on the right – he's missed a good few from there. If he doesn't fancy the kick initially, I think you go with his call.

[Ruckedtobits]

Second hand info butcredi le source. Sexton went for tap and go when he saw Slimani in second last channel with his back to play talki.g to Speeding (?).

Both half-backs have total licence re pens and whether to have a go if opportunity is there.

J10 and Bestie has a discussion re scrum or line-out when Pen awarded after first shunt at line. No disagreement just a front-row telling his kicker, that he fancies another scrum. Nothing new there.

[Dave Cahill]

But is it telling Leinster don't start Kearney.

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When Rob Kearney is fit, he starts.

For Leinster he was fit last 2 games of Europe and didn't start. Like for Wasps who would you pick

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No, he wasn't fit. Coming into the Euro bloc he'd played 43 minutes of Rugby for Leinster since October and got injured in the Australia test for Ireland.

If he's fit he'll start against Wasps.

[munster#1]

But is it telling Leinster don't start Kearney.

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When Rob Kearney is fit, he starts.

That may change next season.
Henshaw could be moved to 15 when Bundi Aki becomes IQ.
That would leave Payne/Ringrose at 13.
The wing positions would be Trimble and ANOther.
And that's even before Carberry is considered.

We could well be looking at Aki and Payne as the centers, which would be unreal, especially if you have Henshaw playing at fullback.
That would give Ireland some serious grunt.

[MunsterSugar]

When Rob Kearney is fit, he starts.

For Leinster he was fit last 2 games of Europe and didn't start. Like for Wasps who would you pick

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No, he wasn't fit. Coming into the Euro bloc he'd played 43 minutes of Rugby for Leinster since October and got injured in the Australia test for Ireland.

If he's fit he'll start against Wasps.

So you'd sacrifice Isa at his best spot of 15 for Kearney there?
The better question is what would you consider the best back 3 for Leinster?

For me on form Isa at 15, Byrne on 1 wing and O'Loughlin has been superb too

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[Dave Cahill]

So you'd sacrifice Isa at his best spot of 15 for Kearney there?
The better question is what would you consider the best back 3 for Leinster?

For me on form Isa at 15, Byrne on 1 wing and O'Loughlin has been superb too

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Isa is at his best anywhere in the back three.

Its not possible to say what Leinster's best back three is, because we have yet to see Dave Kearney in action, and he is a class operator when fit.

Right now, Leinster's best back three is Carbery, Byrne, Daly - because they're fit. Isa isn't, the Kearneys aren't.

[MunsterSugar]

So you'd sacrifice Isa at his best spot of 15 for Kearney there?
The better question is what would you consider the best back 3 for Leinster?

For me on form Isa at 15, Byrne on 1 wing and O'Loughlin has been superb too

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Isa is at his best anywhere in the back three.

Its not possible to say what Leinster's best back three is, because we have yet to see Dave Kearney in action, and he is a class operator when fit.

Right now, Leinster's best back three is Carbery, Byrne, Daly - because they're fit. Isa isn't, the Kearneys aren't.

Ok better put Dave if all are fit. Against Wasps who do you pick.

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