Wales v Ireland Fri 10th March 8 05pm

[simonokeeffe]

Feeling a bit better about this now that the Welsh seem in disarray, AWJ turned on his kickers a bit post match over that messy penalty decision they bungled
We'll want the roof open and theyll complain about that again which is starting to feel like getting the excuses in first
Doubt Howley will be brave enough to change/move his back 3 around
More pressure/criticism over taking Moriarty off
Very few changes Wales can let alone will make

Still think it will be a bit of a slugfest but we'll come out on top

[suisse]

Only watched their game from a distance at a pub yesterday in Ballsbridge with little sound. I thought Wales looked pretty good in the opening period and seemed to be strangling the game out of Scotland. I noticed Finn Russell got MOTM but he made 3 elementary mistakes in about 5 mins just handing the ball back to the Welsh. I've no idea what happened in their changing room at the break. They were rubbish thereafter.

[wixfjord]

My biggest concern is Tipuric and Warburton. SOB is struggling for form and our backrow has looked a bit unbalanced against Scot and yesterday.

Should be a belter of an atmosphere.

[Oldschool]

My biggest concern is Tipuric and Warburton. SOB is struggling for form and our backrow has looked a bit unbalanced against Scot and yesterday.

Should be a belter of an atmosphere.

Can SOB play like a real 7 anymore, I doubt it and against Wales we'll need one, otherwise Tipuric and Warburton will have a field day. As Scotland proved stop them and Wales are in trouble.
TOD or Henry are the only realistic options for 7.

[Dave Cahill]

My biggest concern is Tipuric and Warburton. SOB is struggling for form and our backrow has looked a bit unbalanced against Scot and yesterday.

Should be a belter of an atmosphere.

On the other hand, the absence of a proper blindside has unbalanced the west english back row

[munster#1]

The 6 nations is Ireland's for the taking.
Win the next 2 games, and you would have to think that the championship is ours.
To do that we will have to put in a performance in Cardiff.
Wales are hurting at the moment, and will be targeting Ireland as a way of redeeming themselves.

The Welsh backrow are a much better breakdown backrow, and imo we need a 7 to counter Wales who will have 2 7s.
Can SOB do this,p I am not 100 percent convinced. We will need to look at alternatives within the expected starting 15.

Ireland have in the past turned to best and pom to counter ruck to great success. But right now they are not doing that, and are unlikely to do so.

Win the breakdown and we will beat Wales. We can match them everywhere else. Especially if Sexton can marshal the backline.

Joe has a lot of work to do, but it is possible.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Worried about this one. Wales defend with a kind of arrow shape and our attacking shape against Scotland and France would destroy us if its used again.

Need to see more runners off Murray and inside of Sexton, as well as Murray breaking more. We need to hammer away close to the ruck, not keep throwing the ball into midfield like we have been doing.

[johng]

The 6 nations is Ireland's for the taking.
Win the next 2 games, and you would have to think that the championship is ours.

wow that's some nonsence.

England could stagger to an unconvincing bonus point win v Scotland and even if we beat Wales we could be 4 points behind them going into the last game.

Or Scotland could do the unthinkable and then they have a tripple crown and a home game v Italy to round out the tournament.

Leaving us a pi$sed off England.

[munster#1]

The 6 nations is Ireland's for the taking.
Win the next 2 games, and you would have to think that the championship is ours.

wow that's some nonsence.

England could stagger to an unconvincing bonus point win v Scotland and even if we beat Wales we could be 4 points behind them going into the last game.

Or Scotland could do the unthinkable and then they have a tripple crown and a home game v Italy to round out the tournament.

Leaving us a pi$sed off England.

Hardly nonsense.
Given how the championship is going, and our superior points difference, if we win the last 2 games there is a good likelihood that we will win the championship.

If we win our last 2 games England will have to get a BP in both of their remaining games a TBP win against Scotland (which will be very difficult, but not impossible) and a LPB against us.
Or get a TBP against Scotland with a massive points difference.

Maybe I am slightly optimistic, but you are being massively pessimistic.

[johng]

Ok. I'll swap you "nonsence" with "there for the taking" and we'll call it quits

[suisse]

Really enjoying ROG's analysis. He seems to be getting better every day. I appreciate his honesty the most, and the way he corrected himself about Wales - "They're a very good team....no, sorry, they're a good team..." but he didn't mean that in a demeaning way, at all. He's light-years ahead of another celebrated former Munster player of the same team who is prominent in all forms of media, Alan 'Hands' Quinlan.

Someone in the Welsh camp will undoubtedly find a reason to be outraged by what ROG said for absolutely no reason.

[simonokeeffe]

Worried about this one. Wales defend with a kind of arrow shape and our attacking shape against Scotland and France would destroy us if its used again.

Need to see more runners off Murray and inside of Sexton, as well as Murray breaking more. We need to hammer away close to the ruck, not keep throwing the ball into midfield like we have been doing.

I agree, know it was raining but we need more options (and carriers passing to each other) and backline to keep its depth, part of the problem is our centres are almost too good at clearing out rucks now

its all about the clearouts v them Welsh boys; Tipuric and Moriarty have one turnover each after 3 rounds (front 5 have f all turnover/penalty won stats too) but Warburton has 5, he suffered for a while without Lydiate making the tackles for him to jackal off so we just need to target Warburton with big clearouts, and dare I say hold him in the bottom of rucks etc

[the spoofer]

My biggest concern is a certain W Barnes.

[neiliog93]

There might be a strong Wales reaction or they might be in disarray. I think we'll beat them either way, provided we play well. If Wales play well, we'll need to match our physicality AND be more clinical than against France (a tough ask against a strong Welsh defence).

[Oldschool]

If Payne is fit and RK isn't then Joe could just as easily consider-
Henshaw at 15, Payne at 13 and Ringrose at 12.
Zebo seems to be carrying an injury so Trimble and Earls on the wing.
This selection stuff is real easy especially as Joe has 2 weeks to get everyone to refamiliarize themselves with positions they haven't played in for a while.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

The talk of McGrath in the lions thread has reminded me of something. Himself and Dev have been caught out a few times lately for both Leinster and Ireland at the side of the ruck and we really needed to tighten it up. A their best I think they're both top class fringe defenders but neither of them are at their best now and it's a problem. Admittedly there was some clever holding by France before Serrin's break on Saturday but at other times we've just been caught napping.

Webb will really be alive to it.

[simonokeeffe]

My biggest concern is a certain W Barnes.

eventually he has to get things right by us (in this fixture), am clinging to broken clock theory

[LeRouxIsPHat]

He had to pull out of Saturdays's game, maybe he's injured?

[Dave Cahill]

He had to pull out of Saturdays's game, maybe he's injured?

It was stated that it was for family reasons.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I see, thanks.