Six Nations Round 2 - Ireland v Italy

[SaintK]

Italy have competed pretty well but they’re totally outclassed

Yep
Going to be one way traffic in the second half

[Slick]

Darcy

[sturginho]

Wheels starting to come off

[Paddington Bear]

Italy’s handling is bringing back repressed teenage memories of Martin Johnson management era England

[clydecloggie]

That's the second maul try that could have been penalized for obstruction. Mauls are a mess in current rugby.

[PCPhil]

Italy’s handling is bringing back repressed teenage memories of Martin Johnson management era England

Try to think about something happy.

[sockwithaticket]

Definitely double movement on first view.

[salanya]

Definitely double movement on first view.

It was. Thought Pearce wasn't going to call it for a minute.

[Paddington Bear]

God it’s refreshing watching a game with a competent ref

[Dinsdale Piranha]

Definitely double movement on first view.

Credit to Pearce for that one. Focusing on whether the tackle is complete and after seeing the replay, changes his mind.

[fishfoodie]

God it’s refreshing watching a game with a competent ref

To be fair, they didn't have this instance have a dozen bodies in the way doing their best to hide what was happening

[salanya]

Good to take Keenan off - he's too important, no need to risk him.

[sturginho]

Fucks sake, even when Italy do something good they manage to find a way to fuck it up

[fishfoodie]

For a bloke supposedly with a degenerative ankle? issue, Lowe has been some player for Leinster & Ireland

[salanya]

Some strength by Lowe.
Poor kicking by Crowley today

[Ymx]

Going to donut them sadly.

[fishfoodie]

Going to donut them sadly.

Probably.

Not fair, & not reflective of how they've played, but this Irish squad is very good.

[Slick]

For a bloke supposedly with a degenerative ankle? issue, Lowe has been some player for Leinster & Ireland

He’s really grown on me as a player the last couple of years, top class

[sockwithaticket]

Going to donut them sadly.

Probably.

Not fair, & not reflective of how they've played, but this Irish squad is very good.

It kind of is tbh. Italy have hung in doggedly to keep the score down, but they've rarely looked like threatening a score of their own.

[ASMO]

Ireland overcomplicating things, its been an ordinary performance by their standards. 6/10 maximum, will still be enough to put England away with plenty to spare.

[Paddington Bear]

Italy were dogged but that was men against boys

[C69]

Wales next for Ireland in Dublin.
Should be a 50 pointer, Wales results have massively flattered them and I doubt Ireland will be so forgiving.

[Jim Lahey]

Ireland never really having to get out of 2nd gear.

Good game from McCloskey. Plays much better when not surrounded by Ulstermen.

[yermum]

Poor kicking by Crowley today

Missed 2 touchline conversions. Bossed the rest of the game when he was at 10. Harry Byrne was a step down when he came on.

[salanya]

Poor kicking by Crowley today

Missed 2 touchline conversions. Bossed the rest of the game when he was at 10. Harry Byrne was a step down when he came on.

No need to get defensive.
He played well, but his kicking wasn't good. One of the kicks was not that difficult.

[Camroc2]

Poor kicking by Crowley today

Missed 2 touchline conversions. Bossed the rest of the game when he was at 10. Harry Byrne was a step down when he came on.

Crowley is well able to kick goals, I wouldn't worry about that. It's his kicking from hand, and when he chooses to do it is the problem.

Also Harry Óg did fine when he came on.

[JM2K6]

Poor kicking by Crowley today

Missed 2 touchline conversions. Bossed the rest of the game when he was at 10. Harry Byrne was a step down when he came on.

His kicking for touch seemed a bit off too tbh. And on another day the no look passes get called forward - one of them was ludicrously illegal - and then the conversation around him is significantly less positive.

Still, he looked pretty comfortable and his decision making was good.

[fishfoodie]

Poor kicking by Crowley today

Missed 2 touchline conversions. Bossed the rest of the game when he was at 10. Harry Byrne was a step down when he came on.

His kicking for touch seemed a bit off too tbh. And on another day the no look passes get called forward - one of them was ludicrously illegal - and then the conversation around him is significantly less positive.

Still, he looked pretty comfortable and his decision making was good.

He is surrounded by a lot of good players, which takes some of the pressure off him.

In the run up to one of the tries, there was a ropey pass thrown, & Henshaw just stuttered slightly before moving the ball along & that tiny stutter fixed the timing & the try was scored.

I'd also like to see Blade given another shot at being the backup SH to JGP, as I think he is better than Casey.

[ASMO]

Missed 2 touchline conversions. Bossed the rest of the game when he was at 10. Harry Byrne was a step down when he came on.

His kicking for touch seemed a bit off too tbh. And on another day the no look passes get called forward - one of them was ludicrously illegal - and then the conversation around him is significantly less positive.

Still, he looked pretty comfortable and his decision making was good.

He is surrounded by a lot of good players, which takes some of the pressure off him.

In the run up to one of the tries, there was a ropey pass thrown, & Henshaw just stuttered slightly before moving the ball along & that tiny stutter fixed the timing & the try was scored.

I'd also like to see Blade given another shot at being the backup SH to JGP, as I think he is better than Casey.

Have to agree, he looked a bit shit, with all the good ball he was given, he should have done a lot more.

[sturginho]

Varney and being charged down - an iconic duo.

Also love Pearce reffing the choke tackle properly

It's a real problem, garbisino can't kick, varney keeps getting charged down, hopefully page-relo is better?

I don’t get why they keep trying it - just run the ball

One of the big taking points in the build up to the 6N was the exit strategy and the need to kick more as trying to run it from everywhere was getting them into trouble. But since all our scrum halves are so bad at box kicking I'd much rather they fling the ball to Pani and let him use that massive boot of his

[Paddington Bear]

It's a real problem, garbisino can't kick, varney keeps getting charged down, hopefully page-relo is better?

I don’t get why they keep trying it - just run the ball

One of the big taking points in the build up to the 6N was the exit strategy and the need to kick more as trying to run it from everywhere was getting them into trouble. But since all our scrum halves are so bad at box kicking I'd much rather they fling the ball to Pani and let him use that massive boot of his

This isn’t unique to Italy, so many pro teams play games they aren’t capable of playing because it’s the done thing. I.e everyone’s 9 box kicks now so Italy have to. Loads of Premiership games involve teams whose scrum has gone to bits still packing down and trying to monster it rather than a quick hook and gone from the 8, seemingly because accepting that’s your game is professionally embarrassing.

[Slick]

I don’t get why they keep trying it - just run the ball

One of the big taking points in the build up to the 6N was the exit strategy and the need to kick more as trying to run it from everywhere was getting them into trouble. But since all our scrum halves are so bad at box kicking I'd much rather they fling the ball to Pani and let him use that massive boot of his

This isn’t unique to Italy, so many pro teams play games they aren’t capable of playing because it’s the done thing. I.e everyone’s 9 box kicks now so Italy have to. Loads of Premiership games involve teams whose scrum has gone to bits still packing down and trying to monster it rather than a quick hook and gone from the 8, seemingly because accepting that’s your game is professionally embarrassing.

Totally agree with this and been having similar thoughts.

[Lobby]

I don’t get why they keep trying it - just run the ball

One of the big taking points in the build up to the 6N was the exit strategy and the need to kick more as trying to run it from everywhere was getting them into trouble. But since all our scrum halves are so bad at box kicking I'd much rather they fling the ball to Pani and let him use that massive boot of his

This isn’t unique to Italy, so many pro teams play games they aren’t capable of playing because it’s the done thing. I.e everyone’s 9 box kicks now so Italy have to. Loads of Premiership games involve teams whose scrum has gone to bits still packing down and trying to monster it rather than a quick hook and gone from the 8, seemingly because accepting that’s your game is professionally embarrassing.

Prime example in the Scotland game when France were down to 14 men. Scotland called a scrum in the French 22 on a penalty and tried (and failed) to monster the French scrum rather than moving the ball quickly to the backs where they had a numerical advantage. End result, penalty to France and pressure relieved.

[Paddington Bear]

One of the big taking points in the build up to the 6N was the exit strategy and the need to kick more as trying to run it from everywhere was getting them into trouble. But since all our scrum halves are so bad at box kicking I'd much rather they fling the ball to Pani and let him use that massive boot of his

This isn’t unique to Italy, so many pro teams play games they aren’t capable of playing because it’s the done thing. I.e everyone’s 9 box kicks now so Italy have to. Loads of Premiership games involve teams whose scrum has gone to bits still packing down and trying to monster it rather than a quick hook and gone from the 8, seemingly because accepting that’s your game is professionally embarrassing.

Prime example in the Scotland game when France were down to 14 men. Scotland called a scrum in the French 22 on a penalty and tried (and failed) to monster the French scrum rather than moving the ball quickly to the backs where they had a numerical advantage. End result, penalty to France and pressure relieved.

Right. I get you’ve got to have a different and less cautious mindset to play pro rugby, and particularly in the tight 5. However cool heads tend to be pretty critical to any great side.

On the wider point, just take your points every time you’re offered them in test rugby.