Ireland v Wales 6N Thread

[The sun god]

Irish team:

Porter
Kelleher
Furlong
Beirne
Ryan
Doris
VDF
Conan

JGP
Sexton
Hansen
Aki
Ringrose
Conway
Keenan

Sheehan
Healy
Bealham
Baird
POM
Murray
Carberry
Hume

No Robbie the Lion !!!

[Jim Lahey]

Baloucoune, Timoney and Lowry named for Ulster, so I assume it'll be 2 of Conway/Hansen/Earls on the wing with the other on the bench, and POM also on the bench.

Would've liked to have seen Big Bob get the start tbf. Admitidely I haven't seen enough of Hanson to make a fair assessment but the idea throwing a merc into the side in his first season doesn't sit well with me.

Isn't his Mum Irish ?

You might be right, I've no clue. I assumed it was the granny rule. Fair enough if its his mum.

Slightly concern over our lack of beef at lock but hopefully the front row makes up for that.

[The sun god]

Baloucoune, Timoney and Lowry named for Ulster, so I assume it'll be 2 of Conway/Hansen/Earls on the wing with the other on the bench, and POM also on the bench.

Would've liked to have seen Big Bob get the start tbf. Admitidely I haven't seen enough of Hanson to make a fair assessment but the idea throwing a merc into the side in his first season doesn't sit well with me.

Isn't his Mum Irish ?

You might be right, I've no clue. I assumed it was the granny rule. Fair enough if its his mum.

Slightly concern over our lack of beef at lock but hopefully the front row makes up for that.

Yeah I just checked..... His Mum is from Cork.
I am more concerned about the absence of Robbie Henshaw !!!

[Jim Lahey]

That is a surprise. He must be carrying a knock. Aki will do a job for us though.

Would be good to see Hume get 15mins off the bench to see if he can cut it at this level.

[The sun god]

That is a surprise. He must be carrying a knock. Aki will do a job for us though.

Would be good to see Hume get 15mins off the bench to see if he can cut it at this level.

From what I have seen of Hume , he looks very good. A bit hot headed maybe ?? but a great line runner.

[GogLais]

That is a surprise. He must be carrying a knock. Aki will do a job for us though.

Would be good to see Hume get 15mins off the bench to see if he can cut it at this level.

From what I have seen of Hume , he looks very good. A bit hot headed maybe ?? but a great line runner.

Potential red card?

[The sun god]

That is a surprise. He must be carrying a knock. Aki will do a job for us though.

Would be good to see Hume get 15mins off the bench to see if he can cut it at this level.

From what I have seen of Hume , he looks very good. A bit hot headed maybe ?? but a great line runner.

Potential red card?

By the time he gets on , will it matter ???

[PornDog]

Hume coming off the bench against a tired Welsh midfield is a very tasty prospect

[yermum]

Carbery... isn't he that fella that played for munster that one time?

[GogLais]

From what I have seen of Hume , he looks very good. A bit hot headed maybe ?? but a great line runner.

Potential red card?

By the time he gets on , will it matter ???

Bugger.

[laurent]

Carbery... isn't he that fella that played for munster that one time?

Should be back playing at 'Tarf to earn his stripes ;)

[The sun god]

Carbery... isn't he that fella that played for munster that one time?

Should be back playing at 'Tarf to earn his stripes ;)

Ah.....you can take the man out of Dublin 3 but you cannot take Dublin 3 out of the man.......... That also applies to the Hutch drug cartel.

[Slick]

Irish team:

Porter
Kelleher
Furlong
Beirne
Ryan
Doris
VDF
Conan

JGP
Sexton
Hansen
Aki
Ringrose
Conway
Keenan

Sheehan
Healy
Bealham
Baird
POM
Murray
Carberry
Hume

Christ that’s a strong looking side

[iarmhí]

That is a surprise. He must be carrying a knock. Aki will do a job for us though.

Would be good to see Hume get 15mins off the bench to see if he can cut it at this level.

From what I have seen of Hume , he looks very good. A bit hot headed maybe ?? but a great line runner.

Potential red card?

Aki always good for a red

[Enzedder]

Ireland need to grab the bonus points while they can in the easy games, especially at home

[iarmhí]

Ireland need to grab the bonus points while they can in the easy games, especially at home

Only Italy is an easy game. This is a derby. Will be a lot closer than people think.

[Jim Lahey]

Ireland need to grab the bonus points while they can in the easy games, especially at home

Only Italy is an easy game. This is a derby. Will be a lot closer than people think.

It might be but it shouldn't be.

We as a rugby nation can't keep winning big games against the likes of NZ and consistently perform at club level, then shit the bed when we are given the favourite's tag.

We are long overdue for a mindset shift. Either that or we aren't as good as we think we are.

We really should be winning on Saturday by 2 scores.

[bogbunny]

Ireland need to grab the bonus points while they can in the easy games, especially at home

Only Italy is an easy game. This is a derby. Will be a lot closer than people think.

It might be but it shouldn't be.

We as a rugby nation can't keep winning big games against the likes of NZ and consistently perform at club level, then shit the bed when we are given the favourite's tag.

We are long overdue for a mindset shift. Either that or we aren't as good as we think we are.

We really should be winning on Saturday by 2 scores.

43-18 prediction

[Line6 HXFX]

It's such a shame, Wales a were developing some seriously good things in the forwards, driving mauls and line-out were masterful last year and the year before under Pivac.
T'was Glorious and used to make me smile, having had years of other teams ( Ireland and England) doing exactly that to us over and over.
No idea what style of play we will attempt.

I dhunno, turn up, defend like bastards (something we should be able to do) kick the ball down the middle, keep the ball infield..and away from lineouts..see what happens, accepting at least once during the match, we will race up, get chipped over the top..and have easy run ins against us.

Jonathan Davies and Josh the Adams maybe something special in Midfield, and Stephen Jones may have actually worked out how actually to create space and overlaps and gaps for Zammit.

I mean these are vastly experienced Professional Rugby Players and Coaches, who have dedicated their lives to this thing.
I mean you have to be optimistic right?

Absolutely........

Davies is past it and Adams is a very good winger but not a very good center.

Davies apoarently isn't playing (honestly thought he would be organising the Defence) ..and re Adams... Pivac is ,making the bold bold move, and thinks he is more than up to it. Lots of wingers have gone into the centre and have done really well.
A lightening quick, attacking midfield and screamingly quick wingers and fullbacks..
I mean this could be awesome.

[redderneck]

Absolutely........

Davies is past it and Adams is a very good winger but not a very good center.

Davies apoarently isn't playing (honestly thought he would be organising the Defence) ..and re Adams... Pivac is ,making the bold bold move, and thinks he is more than up to it. Lots of wingers have gone into the centre and have done really well.
A lightening quick, attacking midfield and screamingly quick wingers and fullbacks..
I mean this could be awesome.

It's a punt well worth taking. May as well go all-in on that pace. Not likely to get a significant edge up front, or profit from going structured, set piece to set piece, but if they can get enough ball (be it primary or off turnovers) to that sort of pace, there's a puncher's chance. If we play dumb, or Wacko Jaco goes touring within himself, then there's an even stronger chance than that. Being more conservative would be too damn passive. If I were Welsh, I'd like it.

[C69]

Davies is past it and Adams is a very good winger but not a very good center.

Davies apoarently isn't playing (honestly thought he would be organising the Defence) ..and re Adams... Pivac is ,making the bold bold move, and thinks he is more than up to it. Lots of wingers have gone into the centre and have done really well.
A lightening quick, attacking midfield and screamingly quick wingers and fullbacks..
I mean this could be awesome.

It's a punt well worth taking. May as well go all-in on that pace. Not likely to get a significant edge up front, or profit from going structured, set piece to set piece, but if they can get enough ball (be it primary or off turnovers) to that sort of pace, there's a puncher's chance. If we play dumb, or Wacko Jaco goes touring within himself, then there's an even stronger chance than that. Being more conservative would be too damn passive. If I were Welsh, I'd like it.

I would have love to see us play a full team rather than have 5 first team forwards missing.
That said this back row and backs are picked to play open rugby. Our second row is seriously big and if we can parity up front we may get a decent 60 mins. Watch out for Lake, if he gets his throwing sorted he will be a World Class player if not then he will be wasted and jettissoned

[GogLais]

What's the party line, are we quietly confident?

[Jim Lahey]

What's the party line, are we quietly confident?

Party line is that AF's credit from the NZ game is gone and its Leinster's fault if we shit the bed.

[C69]

What's the party line, are we quietly confident?

With a full team yes.
Not with this back row and front row tbh

[GogLais]

What's the party line, are we quietly confident?

With a full team yes.
Not with this back row and front row tbh

Front row is what it is, no notable absences. Speaking of which, what’s become of Rob Evans?
Back row certainly are notable absences and I’m not at all convinced by Jenkins and Basham starting together, can’t help feeling we need a bit more heft. I’d rather have seen Moriarty starting.

[fishfoodie]

I'm rather hoping; that for once; this Irish team will take Wales to the cleaners at the lineout. Wales lineout operates like they spent 15 minutes on it, three years ago, & no-one bothered since; but we never seem to capitalize on it; despite theoretically having a huge advantage there

[Uncle fester]

Wales getting slaughtered in 20's game.

[Uncle fester]

Conditioning of the Welsh forwards is appalling.

[C69]

Conditioning of the Welsh forwards is appalling.

Our first choice 5 missing injured players would disagree.

[Gumboot]

Ireland need to grab the bonus points while they can in the easy games, especially at home

Only Italy is an easy game. This is a derby. Will be a lot closer than people think.

I really can't see the point of Italy being in the 6N anymore. They haven't won a game since 2015 and are on a 30-game losing streak. Isn't it time to give Romania or Georgia a turn?

[Lobby]

Ireland need to grab the bonus points while they can in the easy games, especially at home

Only Italy is an easy game. This is a derby. Will be a lot closer than people think.

I really can't see the point of Italy being in the 6N anymore. They haven't won a game since 2015 and are on a 30-game losing streak. Isn't it time to give Romania or Georgia a turn?

They are both worse than Italy. Georgia have never beaten any of the 6N teams, and it’s years since Romania were any good. At least when Italy joined they had beaten everyone except England.

If you want to kick Italy out, the best option would be to go back to 5 nations rather than replace them with teams that are demonstrably worse.

[GogLais]

Only Italy is an easy game. This is a derby. Will be a lot closer than people think.

I really can't see the point of Italy being in the 6N anymore. They haven't won a game since 2015 and are on a 30-game losing streak. Isn't it time to give Romania or Georgia a turn?

They are both worse than Italy. Georgia have never beaten any of the 6N teams, and it’s years since Romania were any good. At least when Italy joined they had beaten everyone except England.

If you want to kick Italy out, the best option would be to go back to 5 nations rather than replace them with teams that are demonstrably worse.

I don't know the ownership structure of the 6N. Could a country be kicked out against its wishes?

[Gumboot]

Only Italy is an easy game. This is a derby. Will be a lot closer than people think.

I really can't see the point of Italy being in the 6N anymore. They haven't won a game since 2015 and are on a 30-game losing streak. Isn't it time to give Romania or Georgia a turn?

They are both worse than Italy. Georgia have never beaten any of the 6N teams, and it’s years since Romania were any good. At least when Italy joined they had beaten everyone except England.

If you want to kick Italy out, the best option would be to go back to 5 nations rather than replace them with teams that are demonstrably worse.

Agree that going back to 5 nations is the ideal solution, but $$$ says that won't happen. If it stays 6N, why not give a different underachieving country a chance to improve their national game? Maybe on a rotational basis...eg if Romania's also a bust after 5 years, give Georgia a go. [/Spiritual Guardian mode]

[fishfoodie]

I think we should go with a; 5 + 1N; where the 6th nation came from a qualifier between Italy, Romania, Georgia, Portugal, Spain, etc

They could all do with more games; & at various times Georgia, & Romania have been better than Italy; so could legitimately claim a spot.

[Uncle fester]

Conditioning of the Welsh forwards is appalling.

Our first choice 5 missing injured players would disagree.

So there's only 15 u20 players (and 8 forwards) in Wales without beer guts?

[sockwithaticket]

He's never content unless people accept Wales have it unequivocally worse than everyone else and oh there's no possibility they could win, just managing to show up is an achievement all of it's own.

[sockwithaticket]

I really can't see the point of Italy being in the 6N anymore. They haven't won a game since 2015 and are on a 30-game losing streak. Isn't it time to give Romania or Georgia a turn?

They are both worse than Italy. Georgia have never beaten any of the 6N teams, and it’s years since Romania were any good. At least when Italy joined they had beaten everyone except England.

If you want to kick Italy out, the best option would be to go back to 5 nations rather than replace them with teams that are demonstrably worse.

Agree that going back to 5 nations is the ideal solution, but $$$ says that won't happen. If it stays 6N, why not give a different underachieving country a chance to improve their national game? Maybe on a rotational basis...eg if Romania's also a bust after 5 years, give Georgia a go. [/Spiritual Guardian mode]

Because, as Italy are demonstrating, regularly getting hammered by teams who outclass you does sweet fuck all for development.

Size of professional player pool and the standard of rugby they play week in week our are the most important factors there and elevating teams who are lacklustre in those areas does not help them.

[sockwithaticket]

I think we should go with a; 5 + 1N; where the 6th nation came from a qualifier between Italy, Romania, Georgia, Portugal, Spain, etc

They could all do with more games; & at various times Georgia, & Romania have been better than Italy; so could legitimately claim a spot.

When?

[PCPhil]

Ireland need to grab the bonus points while they can in the easy games, especially at home

Naughty, very naughty.

[ASMO]

I think we should go with a; 5 + 1N; where the 6th nation came from a qualifier between Italy, Romania, Georgia, Portugal, Spain, etc

They could all do with more games; & at various times Georgia, & Romania have been better than Italy; so could legitimately claim a spot.

When?

Georgia i think has far higher potential to grow internally, it could easily overtake football there. I heard they got 100k supporters in for 1 domestic game. I would honestly give them 5 years in the 6N. Italy will never grow, football is the only sport there, anything else is just meh