Joe Schmidt's appendix out (Ireland can only improve)

[simonokeeffe]

Best wishes to St Joe but how good will this Ireland team be with go forward ball and a lineout amongst other things?

Returning 1st XXIII players Healy, White/Moore, Henderson, Henry/specialist openside, SOB, fully fit Darcy, Luke, Trimble; Payne and Olding in the mix too
brings bench back into play (neither props nor TOD brought on yesterday), improved physicality and go forward ball (slow ball needs more people to secure it), less pressure on Heaslip to carry

Other key weakness is POC, Murray, Sexton quite simply irreplaceable

Looking ahead to 6 nations

Italy (a): theyll be psyched up for first game as always but no halfbacks, 3/4 line uninspiring, front row a lot weaker than it used to be
France (h): hopefully theyll have muddled through Scotland in Paris in round 1 (with a new halfback combo), home advantage, Saturday tea time kick off, could see a repeat of AI's for us
break
England (h): could be a monstrous slugfest dictated by whos injured/missing for both teams, we sort out lineout we win at home especially if England dont find a 10 12 13 that can play rugby
break
Wales (a):no bench/squad depth, FUBAR without even more key players than us, should dispatch them with proper 10 man mid 90's Shannon Munster cup rugby that would make Niall O'Donovan bored
Scotland Warriors (a): pro 12 team

[blockhead]

Unless of course Joe's appendix is what curly flowing locks were to Samson?
And I might add...
Appendix's OUT!!

[simonokeeffe]

Unless of course Joe's appendix is what curly flowing locks were to Samson?
And I might add...
Appendix's OUT!!

the appendix was holding him back, it will be like when BOD slimmed down