France v Ireland 4.45pm Sat 3rd February 2018

[desperado]

Most tackles by an individual player in Six Nations history
Guilhem Guirado (FRA) v IRE 2018.(31)
Luke Charteris (WAL) v IRE 2015.(31)
Serge Betsen (FRA) v WAL 2002.(27)
Jonny Gray (SCO) v IRE 2017. (27)
Maxime Mbanda (ITA) v WAL 2017. (26)

Most tackles by a team in Six Nations history
FRANCE v Ireland (2018). 253
WALES v Ireland (2015). 250
ITALY v Ireland (2014). 245
SCOTLAND v Ireland (2017). 242
IRELAND v France (2017). 229

That's very interesting data (not stats btw - some on this forum mix both up). You could possibly infer from that set that we look for contact more often than space. Also could you say we're not winning enough collisions to a point where we create an opening; lots of collisions, ball retention good, but not many openings. Would be interesting to see 'most line breaks' over the same period.

[simonokeeffe]

Not to be cliche but 2 of those games featured defending sides that shouldve been carded off the park

[Raydollard]

We were really poor. We had all that possession and territory and did practically nothing with it. We were very very comfortable for most of the time but for all the huffing and puffing we do we cannot make a line break and our attack is really really blunt. We need to change the personnel but it won’t happen where most needed. That team will beat Italy and Scotland but that’s it.

[Oldschool]

We were really poor. We had all that possession and territory and did practically nothing with it. We were very very comfortable for most of the time but for all the huffing and puffing we do we cannot make a line break and our attack is really really blunt. We need to change the personnel but it won’t happen where most needed. That team will beat Italy and Scotland but that’s it.

Ireland play a possession for the sake of possession game.
Allied to this is the patience to wait for scoring opportunities to come along.
If you retain possession then the opposition can't score.
For the last play to succeed for 41 phases meant that our players had to avoid making a mistake which means it was unlikely anything risky was going to be tried (JS' crossfield kick aside).
As a result a line break was unlikely and the obvious ploy was to win a penalty or get into position for a dg.
The dg attempt was of the Hail Mary variety.
However it has been noticeable of late that JS has been much more prepared to attempt a dg than hitherto for.
The possible answers as to why could be teams are becoming more disciplined (so it's harder to get a peno).
It could also be that referees are becoming less likely to give or be fooled into giving penos.
As a result when a team gets into dg range they are more likely to attempt one.

[Oldschool]

Most tackles by an individual player in Six Nations history
Guilhem Guirado (FRA) v IRE 2018.(31)
Luke Charteris (WAL) v IRE 2015.(31)
Serge Betsen (FRA) v WAL 2002.(27)
Jonny Gray (SCO) v IRE 2017. (27)
Maxime Mbanda (ITA) v WAL 2017. (26)

Most tackles by a team in Six Nations history
FRANCE v Ireland (2018). 253
WALES v Ireland (2015). 250
ITALY v Ireland (2014). 245
SCOTLAND v Ireland (2017). 242
IRELAND v France (2017). 229

That's very interesting data (not stats btw - some on this forum mix both up). You could possibly infer from that set that we look for contact more often than space. Also could you say we're not winning enough collisions to a point where we create an opening; lots of collisions, ball retention good, but not many openings. Would be interesting to see 'most line breaks' over the same period.

Those stats don't tell us which team made the tackles.
They don't give any breakdown on what part of the pitch the tackles were made.
How many penos were conceded?
Who was the ref?
What were the weather conditions?

[El Diablo]

Those stats don't tell us which team made the tackles.

I presume the statistic refers to the team in capital letters.

[El Diablo]

I think the chatter about the match being a bore is over done. It wasnt free-flowing rugby but the intensity and commitment was very high. I don't think the atmosphere among the home fans helped. If it had been France with all the possession pounding away at the Irish line, the home crowd would have been much more animated.
Also listening back to Eddie Butler's commentary on BBC would actually put you to sleep. You would think he is the returning officer at a local election count, just listing off players names in a flat boring voice. Bill McLaren would do a better job even though he is dead 8 years!

[johng]

Do you hate tv3?

[johng]

I particularly hate the way eddie b has to wring every ounce of French pronunciation out of any foreign name regardless of whether it is actually French

[simonokeeffe]

I particularly hate the way eddie b has to wring every ounce of French pronunciation out of any foreign name regardless of whether it is actually French

Im glad Lydiate was dropped just so Butler didnt have to say chop tackle expert like it was part of his surname

[Peg Leg]

Do you hate tv3?

tvSD3

[RoboProp]

Do you hate tv3?

Franno


Mate



I agree

That's all I hear when I see Matt Williams

[blockhead]

As soon as I heard that commentator on the Wales game, Mcnamara or something, I switched over to the beeb and never went back. Got to see the start of the games too.
And of course, the lovely Gabby.
The thinking man's woman.

[Oldschool]

As soon as I heard that commentator on the Wales game, Mcnamara or something, I switched over to the beeb and never went back. Got to see the start of the games too.
And of course, the lovely Gabby.
The thinking man's woman.

Yeah, a real man's woman.

[Laighin Break]

Also missed the opening 20 seconds of the Wales game as TV3 cut to a long Vodafone and after the anthems. Will definitely be sticking with BBC/ITV

[Laighin Break]

Murray Kinsella has a nice article to put us all in our place, titled "Analysis: Peter O'Mahony's unseen work and all the Ireland rucks against France"...
Haven't read it but I'm sure the same people who gave out about Heaslip's "unseen work" will now bang the drum for POM's

[Dave Cahill]

Also missed the opening 20 seconds of the Wales game as TV3 cut to a long Vodafone and after the anthems. Will definitely be sticking with BBC/ITV

Loathe though I am to defend TV3, that was BBCs fault as host broadcaster as there was a delay in the world feed which they, as host, provide

[Peg Leg]

Focking standard definition, focking, fock off ta fock!

[johng]

Focking standard definition, focking, fock off ta fock!

How do you not have tv3 hd? It's even on soreview

[johng]

Do you hate tv3?

Franno


Mate



I agree

That's all I hear when I see Matt Williams

Rog. Shaggy. Jeno. No Edfie Butler. What more can i say?