2014 6 Nations: Ireland vs Italy (Round 4)

[Big Ewis]

Big Ewis makes sense... Now if you were little Ewis...

solid post......solid post.

 

[munstermuffin]

Few tweets going around. Irish team will see Henderson in for POM in only change from starting 15 who lost to England.
If so all I can say is WOW

 

[Shaggy]

yes, I saw this...but Japan doesn't play France, Ireland, Wales, Scotland or England on the regular, do they ? Let alone NZ, Aus or Arg in Spring/Autumn tests...

But more importantly.....France is ranked 7TH now !! Ireland back in the Top 5...ehh, we'll get it back....

... I know this is a thread for the Ireland V Italy match, but surely the fact that Italy get to play sides that are above them in the rankings, on a more regular basis, is more of an advantage to Italy than Japan, as there's more points on offer each time they play, and more opportunities to pick those points up

 

[Big Ewis]

... I know this is a thread for the Ireland V Italy match, but surely the fact that Italy get to play sides that are above them in the rankings, on a more regular basis, is more of an advantage to Italy than Japan, as there's more points on offer each time they play, and more opportunities to pick those points up

true, but also the fact is they lose most of those matches, so the reality is they do drop consistently. They're basically not expected to win any of the matches they play (France, England, Wales, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina...) unless it's Scotland where they have a bigger chance but still (have lost 5 of the last 6) or a Tier 2 nation.

 

[big ginger 8]

So same team except for Henderson in at 6 and Ruddock taking his spot on the bench.

Schmidt saying some guys probably deserved the chance but if any of the starting players didn't play this weekend then they'd have had two weeks without a match before the French match. Also of course saying how Italy won't lie down. No secondrow on the bench "though Schmidt name checked Ryan and McCarthy) because they want to have a look at Henderson in the row.

EDIT: Oh and Reddan on the bench.

 

[Big Ewis]

nooooooooo, Parisse is out for Italy....
and Orquera starting...with Tebaldi at SH.
Tomasso Allan and Edouardo Gori on the bench this week...
All of a sudden this doesn't look like it's going to be as competitive as I'd have liked...hopefully I'm way off and Italy totally bring their A game.

hmmm....

XV de l'Italie: McLean ; Esposito, Campagnaro, Garcia, Sarto ; (o) Orquera, (m) Tebaldi ; Derbyshire, Barbieri, Furno ; Bortolami (cap.), Geldenhuys ; Castrogiovanni, Ghiraldini, De Marchi

Remplaçants: Giazzon, Rizzo, Cittadini, Pavanello, Vosawai, Gori, Allan, Masi.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Is Parisse injured or is Brunel just an idiot?

 

[big ginger 8]

Is Parisse injured or is Brunel just an idiot?

Injured same with Zanni.

 

[Big Ewis]

Is Parisse injured or is Brunel just an idiot?

Brunel is definitely not an idiot.




















...and Parisse is injured.

 

[Big Ewis]

Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Iain Henderson, 5 Paul O'Connell (c), 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Martin Moore, 19 Rhys Ruddock, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Paddy Jackson, 23 Fergus McFadden.


O'Mahony out...

 

[munstermuffin]

In Italian media it said Parrisse is fit enough but being held back for next week.
Regards Ireland. We should win well considering Italian teambut extremely disappointed with team.
Schmidt said he wanted to build squad but missed chance massively. Forgetting Zebo (and Bowe trained too) it was clear our back 3 aren't a good unit and well it wasn't shaken up a bit.
Centres I suppose were always staying same when Marshall was passed fit.
At 10. Great Sexton is fit but we have to let Jackson play too and develop comfort and confidence there. Why rush Sexton in. No one can argue Jackson's kicking as it's been superb for Ulster when required and so what if he doesn't kick in big games. If I'd choice between Sexton and Ruan P I'd have Ruan P kicking too.
At 9. Again thought a rotation wasn't bad idea.
Backrow. Got a change but being honest Ruddock deserved 6 and I'd rather Henderson left at lock.
2nd row. Both playing well so no quibble.
Front row. Why not try Moore. Leinsters scrum went downhill rapidly when Ross came on last week

Bench. Cronin. Lucky considering performance last week but guess Strauss isn't fit enough.
McGrath. Why not rotate with Kilcoyne to build squad
Moore. Should be starting.
Ruddock deserved start.
Murphy doesn't deserve it yet.
Reddan is better than Boss.
Jackson needs to be shown coaches trust him.
McFadden was desperate last week for Leinster.

On Front row I mentioned Ross/Moore issue.
Locks. It is crazy we have no back up here. I know Henderson is there to cover but in front 5 especially you want fresh legs. So swap Henderson and Ruddock or Murphy simply hasn't done it to merit a jersey so swap him for Ryan/McCarthy.
Backrow won't complain.
9's. Suppose Marmion isn't in plans so that's best.
10 is explained. As is centres.
Back 3. Disappointing. At least 1 should've been swapped.
McFadden on bench. Look he's a hard worker but any fair assessment from his game back in A game to now shows he's not on form, his skills aren't up to scratch (he'd worst knock on rate in Rabo last weekend) and if he covers centre I'd argue it's not nearly as good as Sexton would. Also it denies us having any real impact from bench.

Regards Schmidt. It's a winning game I know but my worry is for all his boast of building a squad only time he's rotated away from his preferred 15 was when forced through injury.
And interesting fact has been that in same period for Declan Kidney, he rotated more.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I'm disappointed at Racing Metros contribution to the squad. They have only half as many players as Munster in the squad.

It's not the team I would have picked (I'd have started Moore, maybe Ruddock and one of Zebo/Bowe) but I can understand the coach's reason for not making wholesale changes. I would expect him to make a few early substitutions with the likes of McGrath, Moore and Ruddock coming on around the 50 minute mark.

 

[munstermuffin]

I'm disappointed at Racing Metros contribution to the squad. They have only half as many players as Munster in the squad.

It's not the team I would have picked (I'd have started Moore, maybe Ruddock and one of Zebo/Bowe) but I can understand the coach's reason for not making wholesale changes. I would expect him to make a few early substitutions with the likes of McGrath, Moore and Ruddock coming on around the 50 minute mark.

But snoop this was game to freshen up and without any provincial bias I think my assessment would be fair. Wholesale changes I agree is a No but only making injury enforced changes is bad too for squad building. Like as I said forget Zebo but players who are there since start like Henshaw know systems by now and have to be given chance as they're playing well

 

[Big Ewis]

my goodness I once won the bad grammar award over munstermuffin, just wtffff were people reading into my posts ??!! :lol:
(no offense muffin !!)

 

[munstermuffin]

my goodness I once won the bad grammar award over munstermuffin, just wtffff were people reading into my posts ??!! :lol:
(no offense muffin !!)

Trust me even I see why you won that

 

[Feicarsinn]

But snoop this was game to freshen up and without any provincial bias I think my assessment would be fair. Wholesale changes I agree is a No but only making injury enforced changes is bad too for squad building. Like as I said forget Zebo but players who are there since start like Henshaw know systems by now and have to be given chance as they're playing well

Despite your criticisms, Schmidt will have given game time to a hell of a lot of guys this tournament who've never featured in the 6 nations. Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy, Dave Kearney, Jack McGrath, Devin Toner, Tommy O'Donnell and Martin Moore all come to mind, while Andrew Trimble and Chris Henry can now count themselves as being very much within the national setup, something they certainly couldn't have said beforehand.

By this end of this weekend 28 players will have featured for Ireland in the 6 nations, which seems like an acceptable amount for 4 games. I probably would have given Zebo a go this week, but I'm not going to kick up a fuss about who plays on the wings against the Italians.

 

[munstermuffin]

Despite your criticisms, Schmidt will have given game time to a hell of a lot of guys this tournament who've never featured in the 6 nations. Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy, Dave Kearney, Jack McGrath, Devin Toner, Tommy O'Donnell and Martin Moore all come to mind, while Andrew Trimble and Chris Henry can now count themselves as being very much within the national setup, something they certainly couldn't have said beforehand.

By this end of this weekend 28 players will have featured for Ireland in the 6 nations, which seems like an acceptable amount for 4 games. I probably would have given Zebo a go this week, but I'm not going to kick up a fuss about who plays on the wings against the Italians.

But that's not point is it. I could rattle off even more I'm sure from Kidneys time. By this same stage Kidney would have used same or 1 more in 2009. The point is rewarding form and keeping guys on their toes.
Getting a cap or time isn't the point in a way. Boss got 2 caps for 143seconds of rugby. Trimble has 50+ caps and longer periods of being in squad so don't think that's a factor. And while I you mention guys like all the Leinster guys except Tommy guys like Kilcoyne Cave etc come out of camp dejected. We have a backup 10 that's not trusted and next in line who can't start for province.
As I said Schmidts stats are no different to Kidneys except Kidney had better win ratio. But that's not point. Remember when Ireland beat Scotland in round 4 in 2009 away. Best Stringer Wallace and Leamy or Murphy I think it was came in. With slam still on line Kidney had guts to make the changes which kept guys on toes and was named as reason we beat Wales too. 1 of those changes Stringer was the man who made Heaslips try and had we kept same 15 we'd possibly have lost or had we won guys would be complacent going to Wales as they knew team would not change.

And as I say out of the 28 how many will be under 10 mins and had there been no injuries how many would've played for example Week1 had POC and D'Arcy been fit Schmidt said they'd have played. So Henderson wouldn't have played or Marshall.
Week 2 best 15 he wanted.
Week 3. Tuohy out got Henderson in. Murphy replaced TOD.
Week 4. POM injury means Ruddock in 23.
Had there been fully fit guys at least 3 there wouldn't have got time

 

[big ginger 8]

I think I'm going to take this weekend off. Just in case you're wondering why I haven't argued with you yet Munstermuffin.

 

[munstermuffin]

I think I'm going to take this weekend off. Just in case you're wondering why I haven't argued with you yet Munstermuffin.

If anyone can argue alternatively fair enough. I'm not slating Schmidt as such as saying this is a glorious opportunity missed to freshen things up. The weakest team, at home missing 2 of their best players.
Also why is it only enforced changes?

 

[big ginger 8]

If anyone can argue alternatively fair enough. I'm not slating Schmidt as such as saying this is a glorious opportunity missed to freshen things up. The weakest team, at home missing 2 of their best players.
Also why is it only enforced changes?

Have a read of my comment about Schmidt's reasoning above or watch the press conference.