The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Gmac]

One thing I think that's pretty clear is for Ireland to win group and give the quarters a rattle  they have to stick to the boring gameplan of carrying around the rucks possession rugby bash it up the middle and hope something opens for Stockdale  ,win the territory game and keep ball in opposing half .

[johnnycool]

Everyone okay now?

Decision time for Joel.

One or both Kearneys should be staying at home, Addison, Conway showed something different on Saturday that neither Kearney have shown in a long time. Earls and Stockdale will go. Dave Kearney I've never got TBH.
David Kilcoyne has probably done enough to get a squad place now, but Hooker is still a concern with none of the three excelling of late.

Aki is safe, along with Henshaw and Ringrose, Farrell might lose out as he was quiet again on Saturday.

Will big Devin lose out to the new SA lad?

Out half is going to be a crossed fingers and hope for the best stuff with both Carbery and Sexton struggling with injuries. I honestly believe Carbery is number 1 now or should be.
Ditto with Murray.
A lot of holy water needed for this squad.

[playwiththewind1st]

I doubt that Rory Best will do holy water - he doesn't even sing.

[Capt Pat]

Devin Toner didn't make it, kleyn goes instead unfortunately. Marmion didn't make it at scrumhalf. Murray and Mcgrath are the only 2 scrumhalves picked. Carty made it at flyhalf with 3 outhalves going.

[Hound]

Toner doesnt make the squad? Seems bizarre.

Only saw the last 30 mins of the Wales match. I thought Ringrose, who I love, was shockingly bad. I was unable to pick out anyone who was good!

[Ambrose]

Some strange decisions alright, I suppose Toner is recovering from injury, but I would have hoped to see him on the plane to Japan.

[Gmac]

Disappointed for toner , think Ringrose played on the wing when he came on , bottom line Ireland will be exiting at quarter final stage again .

[LCohen]

I was unable to pick out anyone who was good!

Kilcoyne? The starting front row? Jane Ryan? Carry? Aki? Conway? Stockdale in first half?

[trileacman]

Dissappointed not to see Toner on the plane to Japan, I like seeing Irishmen playing for Ireland.

[MayoBuck]

I was unable to pick out anyone who was good!

Kilcoyne? The starting front row? Jane Ryan? Carry? Aki? Conway? Stockdale in first half?

He said he only saw the last 30 minutes. We were pretty poor in that period.

Toner should have been picked when it was a marginal call but I suppose Schmidt doesn't care when he's away after the world cup.

[thewobbler]

Learn from last world cups.

Ireland will make the quarter finals this year even if they try their best not to. There is no obstacle.

The only way to win a World Cup is to put your most serious competition to bed. Ireland can only do that if firing on all cylinders.

If I was Schmidt i would play my B team throughout the group stage and hit the quarter finals with a completely fresh first team. If that's New Zealand, then so be it. We have a better chance of beating NZ with a fresh XV than we do of beating SA with a rolled up mess of a team. And then we would have momentum.

[tiempo]

Learn from last world cups.

Ireland will make the quarter finals this year even if they try their best not to. There is no obstacle.

The only way to win a World Cup is to put your most serious competition to bed. Ireland can only do that if firing on all cylinders.

If I was Schmidt i would play my B team throughout the group stage and hit the quarter finals with a completely fresh first team. If that's New Zealand, then so be it. We have a better chance of beating NZ with a fresh XV than we do of beating SA with a rolled up mess of a team. And then we would have momentum.

1000% on the money.
And they failed to recognise this at the last world cup too throwing the kitchen sink at France only for circumstances to ruin them and go down in flames v Argentina when they could have been unloading both barrels fresh at NZ

[Gmac]

Learn from last world cups.

Ireland will make the quarter finals this year even if they try their best not to. There is no obstacle.

The only way to win a World Cup is to put your most serious competition to bed. Ireland can only do that if firing on all cylinders.

If I was Schmidt i would play my B team throughout the group stage and hit the quarter finals with a completely fresh first team. If that's New Zealand, then so be it. We have a better chance of beating NZ with a fresh XV than we do of beating SA with a rolled up mess of a team. And then we would have momentum.

1000% on the money.
And they failed to recognise this at the last world cup too throwing the kitchen sink at France only for circumstances to ruin them and go down in flames v Argentina when they could have been unloading both barrels fresh at NZ

this is what Argentina did in last wc targeted the quarter final came second in their group and smashed Ireland, the good news for Ireland is Scotland and Japan are up first so if they win these games most starters will get a good rest before either nz or sa

[square_ball]

Argentina had their toughest pool fixture v NZ first up in 2015. The winners were always going to top that group and the losers were going to be runners up as it was a very weak group. Therefore they were always going to be very well prepped for a QF. That's where it will work in Ireland's favour this year. Tough 2 fixtures to start then hopefully rest key players for the QF.

[GetOverTheBar]

Dissappointed not to see Toner on the plane to Japan, I like seeing Irishmen playing for Ireland.

The question is, are the naturalised players that much better than Toner?

I've often thought Aki is not overly special for being a starting centre for example. he's good sure....but is he that much better than he's picked ahead of?