Scotland vs Ireland, Sat 9th Feb 14.15

[MylesNaGapoleen]

So that’s Ringrose out for a few months if Henshaw is anything to go by. Can somebody look into why the Leinster lads are always having issues with hamstrings

bad news...he is top notch. my guess we will have henshaw in at 13 and rob K at fb,

Conan at 8.

[Logorrhea]

Hope they stick with Robbie at 15. Plenty of options at 13.

[Oldschool]

Ringrose is a big loss.
It weakens our defence and Scotland play the kind of game that will exploit his absence.
Henshaw isn't an OC and playing him there isn't a good solution.
Murray isn't right and if he starts we'll be having exactly the same overreaction post mortem that we've had with the England game.

[Logorrhea]

we'll be having exactly the same overreaction post mortem that we've had with the England game.

Not everyone overreacted post England. I found quite a lot of people were pretty measured in their appraisal of the game, our performance, and that of england. Also, Joe doesnt tend top drop players he knows need games, especialy at a time when hes being forced to make three changes already. He'll give Murray every opportunity to find form.

[FLIP]

Ringrose is a big loss.
It weakens our defence and Scotland play the kind of game that will exploit his absence.
Henshaw isn't an OC and playing him there isn't a good solution.
Murray isn't right and if he starts we'll be having exactly the same overreaction post mortem that we've had with the England game.

He's more of a OC than a fullback.

Murray and Sexton need the game time.

[neiliog93]

Murray and Sexton could well come good. There's plenty of precedent for that. If they don't, we're in trouble.

[suisse]

Ringrose is a massive loss. He created space, beat defenders and made good yards on Saturday. The only moment of real excitement in the second half for us came with his monster hit on Farrell that led to that kick chase and penalty.

Healy
Best - I'd be tempted to play Cronin for the next 2 but can see Schmidt not making too many changes
Furlong
Ryan; Roux
POM; Josh VDF
Conan - he played 2/4 November games
Murray; Sexton
Stockdale; Aki; Henshaw; Larmour
Kearney - if he's fit.

Kilcoyne, Porter, Cronin, Dillane, SOB, Cooney, Carbery, Addison.

[Oldschool]

Ringrose is a big loss.
It weakens our defence and Scotland play the kind of game that will exploit his absence.
Henshaw isn't an OC and playing him there isn't a good solution.
Murray isn't right and if he starts we'll be having exactly the same overreaction post mortem that we've had with the England game.

He's more of a OC than a fullback.

Murray and Sexton need the game time.

He's neither.
The HBs need game time is spot on.
However not against Scotland.
Carbery and Cooney could do with international game time.

[Oldschool]

Murray and Sexton could well come good. There's plenty of precedent for that. If they don't, we're in trouble.

I'd start Sexton with Cooney and have Murray on the bench aka SOB.
Two years ago Scotland targeted Murray and he didn't cope particularly well.
Cue Act 2.

[Oldschool]

Ringrose is a massive loss. He created space, beat defenders and made good yards on Saturday. The only moment of real excitement in the second half for us came with his monster hit on Farrell that led to that kick chase and penalty.

Healy
Best - I'd be tempted to play Cronin for the next 2 but can see Schmidt not making too many changes
Furlong
Ryan; Roux
POM; Josh VDF
Conan - he played 2/4 November games
Murray; Sexton
Stockdale; Aki; Henshaw; Larmour
Kearney - if he's fit.

Kilcoyne, Porter, Cronin, Dillane, SOB, Cooney, Carbery, Addison.

People talk about having a plan B.
Your bench is your plan B.
If players are having a mare the first recourse is your bench.
Plan C is changing the tactics.

[betty swallocks]

If we're to bring Rob K back in at 15, one option might be to play Henshaw at 12 and Aki at 13. Connacht lined up that way from time to time when both played there.

[Flash Gordon]

Hope they stick with Robbie at 15. Plenty of options at 13.

Kearney, Larmour, Carbery, Addison, Conway are options. I like O'Halloran too though Joe doesn't seem to rate him. My issue with Robbie at 15 is that he's an absolutely world class centre and that he just doesn't have the wheels for 15. The only way he could compensate for that would to become absolutely world class in other areas of FB play as Rob or Girv did, not convinced that's going to happen.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

If we're to bring Rob K back in at 15, one option might be to play Henshaw at 12 and Aki at 13. Connacht lined up that way from time to time when both played there.

I think Bundee would be very exposed out there with Russell's ability to throw the ball very wide, the threat of their centres, and the threat of Hogg and Kinghorn roaming around that outside channels. Robbie isn't perfect out there either though.

I watched the game back again and we really made a lot of frustrating decisions. Not just saying this with hindsight but doing things like punting the early free kick downfield instead of just settling things down and putting it out, or Robbie keeping a kick infield in the lead up to their second try just seemed like really poor decisions. For the second one they put us under pressure and put a kick in behind which led to Robbie slicing it off his left and then they scored with the next play. Really frustrating but at least those kind of things are easily fixed.

[Gearzbox2]

Big Dev and Ringrose huge losses going into this one
Dev for his marshaling of the lineout and kick off send/receive and Ringrose for, well everything, especially his defensive leadership

Lot of players need huge games in my opinion
No need to panic just yet but another loss will send a few waves that this team could be in trouble in a few areas and on the wane at pretty much the worst time possible with WC year

Like one poster on here said, uncle joe has no plan B imo...his lack of use of the bench is mind boggling especially when starters were going so badly
Cronin on at 68, SOB on at 65 etc were mystifying decisions

I’d be going with

Healy
Cronin(on form top hooker in country, I’ve had enough of Bests “leadership”)
Furlong
Ryan
Roux
POM
SOB
Conan
Murray
Sexton
Stockdale
Aki
Henshaw
Earls/Larmour
RK

Kilcoyne, Scannell, Porter, Dillane, JVDF, Cooney, Carbery, Addison

[FLIP]

Big Dev and Ringrose huge losses going into this one
Dev for his marshaling of the lineout and kick off send/receive and Ringrose for, well everything, especially his defensive leadership

Lot of players need huge games in my opinion
No need to panic just yet but another loss will send a few waves that this team could be in trouble in a few areas and on the wane at pretty much the worst time possible with WC year

Like one poster on here said, uncle joe has no plan B imo...his lack of use of the bench is mind boggling especially when starters were going so badly
Cronin on at 68, SOB on at 65 etc were mystifying decisions

I’d be going with

Healy
Cronin(on form top hooker in country, I’ve had enough of Bests “leadership”)
Furlong
Ryan
Roux
POM
SOB
Conan
Murray
Sexton
Stockdale
Aki
Henshaw
Earls/Larmour
RK

Kilcoyne, Scannell, Porter, Dillane, JVDF, Cooney, Carbery, Addison

Who would be captain? Bests leadership is all that stands between a player who lost their head last week (Sexton) and a player who couldn't find it last week (POM)

Irelands second best leadership choice isn't even in the 23.

[Oldschool]

Big Dev and Ringrose huge losses going into this one
Dev for his marshaling of the lineout and kick off send/receive and Ringrose for, well everything, especially his defensive leadership

Lot of players need huge games in my opinion
No need to panic just yet but another loss will send a few waves that this team could be in trouble in a few areas and on the wane at pretty much the worst time possible with WC year

Like one poster on here said, uncle joe has no plan B imo...his lack of use of the bench is mind boggling especially when starters were going so badly
Cronin on at 68, SOB on at 65 etc were mystifying decisions

I’d be going with

Healy
Cronin(on form top hooker in country, I’ve had enough of Bests “leadership”)
Furlong
Ryan
Roux
POM
SOB
Conan
Murray
Sexton
Stockdale
Aki
Henshaw
Earls/Larmour
RK

Kilcoyne, Scannell, Porter, Dillane, JVDF, Cooney, Carbery, Addison

On the wane is the fear.
Age - Best is the biggest worry, we have a replacement, the real ssue as pointed out is captaincy.
Ageish and Injury history - RK and Sexton, RK would be the harder to replace and that is perhaps why Joe picked Henshaw at 15, we should be worried because Joe doesn't do punts.
Injury history recent - Murray, POM and Henshaw .
Murray hasn't looked right since he returned from injury, no point in speculating but if we can beat NZ without him then there shouldn't be any reluctance to try options.
Cooney has been the form SH this season.
Added to that JGP has developed really well and comes on stream in June. And that's ignoring Marmion and McGrath.
Henshaw has had a number of injuries in recent times, hopefully it's a blip, Aki is very good cover, however if Henshaw is injury prone then perhaps he shouldn't be cover for RK.
Critical players - Ringrose.- enough said, losing him is Joe's worst nightmare.
POM - Left him until last because he is the front runner for the captaincy, however he is injury prone and struggles with the physical stuff when up against power packs.
Ruddock is the dark horse for captaincy and would be my choice. Like POM he can be injury prone.

So Joe you're back might be against the wall sooner than you think but on the bright side you have time to do something about it.
In the meantime don't forget Plan B.

[etak252]

Will Joe look at Robbie again at fullback hopefully playing with a little more go forward ball than saturday.
Is SOB really a number 8 , not sure !
Start Conan with JVD ( massive tackle count last saturday) and bring SOB on for 30 minutes at full tilt. Chris Farrell in at 13 natural position.
Team maybe ?

Henshaw
Earls
Farrell C
Aki
Stockdale
Sexton
Murray

Healy
Best
Furlong
Ryan
Roux
VDF
POM
Conan

Subs: Cronin, Larmour, Carbery , Cooney, Dillane, Kilcoyne,Murphy

[Ruckedtobits]

Not going with the viewpoint of some that there are fundamental flaws in this Irish Squad. Convinced we were turned over tactically and physically but we were well in a game, despite poor display and no go-forward ball and no tempo, right up to 12 mins from time. Concession of Slade's try, their third, was the key in the door.

My team: Kearney, Earls, Henshaw, Aki, Stockdale, Sexton, Murray, Healy, Best, Furlong, Ryan, Roux, O'Mahony, O'Brien, Conan.
Bench: Cronin, McGrath, Porter, Dillane, Van der Flyer, Cooney, Carbery, Larmour

O'Brien in for Josh because we need turnover ball and had none last week. Conan in because we need another line-out junper and Roux largely lifts. Kearney in to cut down Laidlaw and Russell kicking options. Henshaw and Aki are most experienced defensive centres we have and pose a big physical threat to their slight centres & Russell. McGrath back on bench to maintain attack on their scrum minus WP Nel. Josh on bench to add tempo on 60 mins.

Give our half-backs some quick ruck ball and get an occasional turnover or kick recovery and we will spark again. Expect to see Schmidt run a couple of special plays with Earls, early in the game. Expect to see Stockdale used as decoy and Kearney taking ball in attack in unusual positions.

Predictability is the pre-cursor of vulnerability. (Proust - French philosopher and football fanatic)

[Barry]

Thornley has the team picked :-

Rob Kearney is set to be recalled to the Irish starting XV for Saturday’s must-win Six Nations match against Scotland in Murrayfield when the team is announced at lunchtime on Thursday.

The ripple effect of Garry Ringrose’s hamstring injury is likely to see Robbie Henshaw revert to outside centre, a more familiar position for him in latter years, after the experiment of playing him at fullback for only a second time at Test level in last Saturday’s opening 32-20 defeat at home by England.

With Devin Toner (ankle) and CJ Stander (facial injury) also ruled out, Quinn Roux and Jack Conan are expected to be named in their place – which would mean a full Six Nations debut for Roux and a second start in the Championship for Conan, who played in the win at home against Italy last season.

Further beefing up the pack, the likelihood is that Seán O’Brien will also be restored at openside in place of Josh van der Flier in a fourth change to the starting XV.

IRELAND (possible v Scotland): R Kearney; K Earls, R Henshaw, B Aki, J Stockdale; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best (capt), T Furlong, Q Roux, J Ryan; P O’Mahony, S O’Brien, J Conan.

[Oldschool]

Not going with the viewpoint of some that there are fundamental flaws in this Irish Squad. Convinced we were turned over tactically and physically but we were well in a game, despite poor display and no go-forward ball and no tempo, right up to 12 mins from time. Concession of Slade's try, their third, was the key in the door.

My team: Kearney, Earls, Henshaw, Aki, Stockdale, Sexton, Murray, Healy, Best, Furlong, Ryan, Roux, O'Mahony, O'Brien, Conan.
Bench: Cronin, McGrath, Porter, Dillane, Van der Flyer, Cooney, Carbery, Larmour

O'Brien in for Josh because we need turnover ball and had none last week. Conan in because we need another line-out junper and Roux largely lifts. Kearney in to cut down Laidlaw and Russell kicking options. Henshaw and Aki are most experienced defensive centres we have and pose a big physical threat to their slight centres & Russell. McGrath back on bench to maintain attack on their scrum minus WP Nel. Josh on bench to add tempo on 60 mins.

Give our half-backs some quick ruck ball and get an occasional turnover or kick recovery and we will spark again. Expect to see Schmidt run a couple of special plays with Earls, early in the game. Expect to see Stockdale used as decoy and Kearney taking ball in attack in unusual positions.

Predictability is the pre-cursor of vulnerability. (Proust - French philosopher and football fanatic)

It's more risk analysis.
With Best for example, it's simply father time.
Against a team like England, the solution may simply be to bring on his bench replacement earlier.
In a lot of situations it's only a problem if it isn't acknowledged and corrective action taken.