Warm up games

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Decent first outing.

If Dave Kearney goes to this RWC I'll be bloody furious. Similarly if Tadgh Beirne doesn't. Occasionally you just need a point of difference, a different picture to show the opposition and he's it.

[Spiffy]

Decent first outing.

If Dave Kearney goes to this RWC I'll be bloody furious. Similarly if Tadgh Beirne doesn't. Occasionally you just need a point of difference, a different picture to show the opposition and he's it.

Didn't think it was all that decent. That was the Italian reserves in Dublin and they should have been well and truly humped.

Plus points - Carbery, Farrell, Conway, Beirne. Most of the others looked pretty pedestrian. Agree about Beirne, who has the X factor, especially at the breakdown. I'd be even more pissed if Conway does not make it. With Zebo out of the picture, he really should be Ireland's first choice FB. Should be the first nailed-on back three player after Earls and Stockdale, and ahead of Larmour. Don't know how Haley even got a game based on last season's form.

[SerjeantWildgoose]

Oh Holy Mor a Gawd! What is it with the world when my fecking moose-shagger of a Bror posts something I agree with.

Ordinary Dave was even more ordinary than usual yesterday, but still a towering talent when compared to Mike. Haley aside, The rest of the Munster contingent went well but I’d be surprised if Jean and TOD get much more of a look. Beirne was the stand—out among the forwards despite only being on the park for a quarter. In the backs, Joey, Chris and Andy were head and shoulders above the rest though I thought Ringrose did some good stuff. Fingers, toes and everything else crossed for Joey’s scan.

[paddy no 11]

Bernie should be starting at 6 or 8 for Munster/Ireland

Saffers must be favourites at this stage some outstanding players, settled side, backrow and half backs on form I'll stick a few yoyo's on them to win

[Puja]

Bernie should be starting at 6 or 8 for Munster/Ireland

Saffers must be favourites at this stage some outstanding players, settled side, backrow and half backs on form I'll stick a few yoyo's on them to win

Mind, not brilliant news for you lot - New Zealand possibly missing both Retallick and SBarrett for the opening game means there's a very real chance they'll finish second in their pool, which will see them face the winner of yours. You know how you've got that thing about bringing an excellent team into a RWC and then inexplicably going out in the quarter-finals...?

Puja

[Spiffy]

Oh Holy Mor a Gawd! What is it with the world when my fecking moose-shagger of a Bror posts something I agree with.

Ordinary Dave was even more ordinary than usual yesterday, but still a towering talent when compared to Mike. Haley aside, The rest of the Munster contingent went well but I’d be surprised if Jean and TOD get much more of a look. Beirne was the stand—out among the forwards despite only being on the park for a quarter. In the backs, Joey, Chris and Andy were head and shoulders above the rest though I thought Ringrose did some good stuff. Fingers, toes and everything else crossed for Joey’s scan.

Yes Ringrose as usual, played plenty of intelligent rugby, and is a very good all-round 13. I am beginning to think that he lacks just a smidgen of pace at this level to burn off a defence when he sees the gap. Still - he's probably a nailed on starter.

[paddy no 11]

Bernie should be starting at 6 or 8 for Munster/Ireland

Saffers must be favourites at this stage some outstanding players, settled side, backrow and half backs on form I'll stick a few yoyo's on them to win

Mind, not brilliant news for you lot - New Zealand possibly missing both Retallick and SBarrett for the opening game means there's a very real chance they'll finish second in their pool, which will see them face the winner of yours. You know how you've got that thing about bringing an excellent team into a RWC and then inexplicably going out in the quarter-finals...?

Puja

We've a handy group so bout time we face a decent team, sa every bit as good

[paddy no 11]

Don't mention the lineout serj!

[Spiffy]

Ireland's best strategy for the Rugby World Cup - Stay at home.

[Ross. S]

Gotta be worrying for you guys. Been dicked twice by England and almost nilled by Wales already this year

[SerjeantWildgoose]

Well all I can add is that Joe seems to have fetched us to our traditional quadrennial trough bang on time.

Niall must have played himself onto the flight (If not the starting jersey) by not togging out today, which is ironic as CJ and Jean appear to have done the exact opposite.

I am going to play the optimist here and suggest that today was an exercise in "surely we can't play as bad as that twice in a decade".

I'm putting 20 Yoyos on us to win the thing.

[paddy no 11]

I'll take that bet no bother serj

[cashead]

Ireland's best strategy for the Rugby World Cup - Stay at home.

What should be worrying is that it wasn't a weak Irish team. Swap a couple of guys around (Toner for Kleyn, Sexton for Byrne), and it's pretty much the top Irish side, and they got absolutely destroyed.

When Ireland got picked apart by England and Wales at the 6 Nations, I thought Schmidt was playing his cards close to his chest, but watching it today, I'd go so far as to say Ireland have actively gone backwards.

The Irish team's defence is built on cutting off the opposition at first or second receiver at each ruck, forcing them into kicking due to a lack of options, which gets swept up by a waiting Rob Kearney, and attack based on patient, high-percentage, low-risk phase play, with Murray box-kicking if he wants to move the team further up the field.

There are three things, IMO, that can break it down - a strong, ball-carrying forward or midfielder (like, say, I dunno, Billy Vunipola?), the over-reliance on some players meaning a lack of experience and exposure at the top level (think Robbie Henshaw having a rough day at the office against England earlier this year, when he had to cover for Rob Kearney) and a forward pack that has decided it just wants to hurt people all day.

England had provided two of those today, and put 50 on them. England's defence always comes at you in weird shapes like a diagonal line (Eddie, you absolute mentalist) so as soon as you have the ball, you've got a wave of angry boys in white coming at you like a bunch of Stormtroopers from Star Wars, except effective, harrying the team and cutting off the phase play that they rely on.

To an extent, Ireland were victims of their own success, and now that they've been analysed harder than a gay porn star playing the bottom on the set of a gang bang orgy, it's starting to look like they're really struggling to cope.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

That was shoite. Apparently we're just off heavy training and so we're heavy legged but that was the most listless insipid performance I think I've seen.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Oh and our defensive system was completely shot to pieces. Seeing players run into each other defending from first phase isn't just unedifying it's bloody terrifying.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Ireland can beat anyone on their day but when you look at where you were last year - it's a huge regression.

Scotland have their own problems - many far worse than Ireland but this time last year the prospect of facing you in a RWC group was ominous. Not so much the case now. Although I still suspect you'll beat us given we're a total shambles.

[paddy no 11]

Match fitness was the major issue yesterday along with lineout and defence all fixable but the octagenarians need to be dropped

[Puja]

I think there are more mitigating factors than you've given them Cas. Ryan would make a massive difference and Toner would change the lineout, and losing Murray early meant they didn't have either of their first choice half-backs. Add into that Ireland coming off no game time and England being on their third game and it does offer some comfort.

Puja

[Spiffy]

I think there are more mitigating factors than you've given them Cas. Ryan would make a massive difference and Toner would change the lineout, and losing Murray early meant they didn't have either of their first choice half-backs. Add into that Ireland coming off no game time and England being on their third game and it does offer some comfort.

Puja

I find no comfort at all and see few, if any, mitigating factors. Ireland were subjected to a right royal humping. They were bullied from start to finish and outplayed in all aspects of the game. Nobody stood up. I do not subscribe to the heavy training, tired legs etc theories. The coaches and conditioning staff should know enough to prepare their team for a tough competitive game and that means tweaking the training just so to get them in the best possible nick.
Schmidt's conservative selection policies have come back to bite him on the arse. We now have a bunch of jaded players with no bright sparks coming through to challenge them.

This would my shake-up team for the next joust :

Conway
Stockdale Farrell Addison Earls
Sexton Marmion
Healy Herring Furlong
Henderson Ryan
Ruddock Conan O'Donnell

Bench : Kilcoyne, Scannell, Ryan, Beirne, Murphy, Murray, Carty, Larmour

[paddy no 11]

Not a bad team spiff but think Addison is injured

And beirne at 6/8

I'd have Cooney involved

[Spiffy]

Not a bad team spiff but think Addison is injured

And beirne at 6/8

I'd have Cooney involved

Cooney is a canny operator - I like him. But Joe has cut him from the squad and since none of the three remainng SHs is injured, I doubt he will call him back. Anyway, I think Marmion deserves a start. He has always played well for Ireland when given a chance, and for me he is still the first reserve SH. In fact, if Murray does not get the finger out, Marmion could well displace him.

[cashead]

I think there are more mitigating factors than you've given them Cas. Ryan would make a massive difference and Toner would change the lineout, and losing Murray early meant they didn't have either of their first choice half-backs. Add into that Ireland coming off no game time and England being on their third game and it does offer some comfort.

Puja

OK, but to get bullied to that level? I haven't seen an Ireland team that soft in quite some time, and they're reeking of 2007 vibes.

Ireland have been worked out, and based on what's been presented, Schmidt has inexplicably done little to adjust. If he's come up with anything, he's leaving it too late to get the changes bedded in, IMO.

[paddy no 11]

Healy furlong and Henderson tried at least.

Seeing furlong being our only carrier in midfield was hard to watch

[paddy no 11]

The rarest of things an Irish team that may actually play rugby this weekend

Addison to star and bolt in

[Digby]

The rarest of things an Irish team that may actually play rugby this weekend

Addison to star and bolt in

What the blazes does Schmidt do with the squad if that happens? Drop Larmour?

I tend to think Schmidt might have been hoping to leave Farrell behind, but now after getting dusted in midfield with Aki and Ringrose unable to get off the line and win collisions it's suddenly much harder to ignore the big fella.