2014 Six Nations: Ireland vs Scotland (Round 1)

[Jaguares]

Huge tackle by PO'M !!!

 

[big ginger 8]

Wish Henderson would get more than the 6 minutes he's going to get.

 

[Tmartin995]

Anyone else think that Ireland are getting the rub of the green (if you'll pardon the pun) from the referee at the breakdown?

Also if Scotland had a half decent set piece they'd be right in this. Some of Weir's kicks to the corner have been excellent.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Not me. Game had to be won first and foremost. Tuohy and Toner were dominating at the line out and the scrum was going well. No need to change that.

 

[Jaguares]

WTF??! Heaslip man of the match?? And what about Peter O'Mahony?? I can't believe!

 

[Feicarsinn]

WTF??! Heaslip man of the match?? And what about Peter O'Mahony?? I can't believe!

Everyone from outside of Munster is biased towards Leinster, it's a well known fact.

 

[big ginger 8]

Solid win, we'll need to up it for Wales.

 

[Peat]

Should have been Sexton MotM for me, was the guy who orchestrated the breakthrough.

Interesting match, still not quite sure what I make of it. Took Ireland a while to get the accuracy going and, perhaps more crucially, they need a few more keystone carriers to make it work at its best.

 

[munstermuffin]

Regards Heaslip as MOTM. Not a chance I thought Healy and POM when it was in fire really were excellent.
Regards game it was a great performance but Scots were gone home after 50mins. When we play Wales we will have to step it up a lot but for now a win in a win.
Regards TMO idea is it just me or are Touch Judges afraid to act. It was blatant clear that kick by Jackson bounced back in and linesman was looking at it so why not call it

 

[Amobokoboko]

Great game by Ireland, good to see they kept up their momentum.

 

[g6mcg]

MacArthur might be better than Ford (I struggle to imagine how he could be worse), but Johnson has never started him, despite all his nonsense about losing games being fine because we're building strength in depth.

Other than that, didn't think the breakdown massively favoured Ireland. One or two odd decisions, but not a consistent trend.

 

[Groundhog]

Sexton, Healy, Kearney the elder or O'Mahony would have been my choice for MOTM

 

[Mumbles119]

Regards Heaslip as MOTM. Not a chance I thought Healy and POM when it was in fire really were excellent.
Regards game it was a great performance but Scots were gone home after 50mins. When we play Wales we will have to step it up a lot but for now a win in a win.
Regards TMO idea is it just me or are Touch Judges afraid to act. It was blatant clear that kick by Jackson bounced back in and linesman was looking at it so why not call it

Completely agree. Healy had a great game, always a joy to watch.

 

[Big Ewis]

Big win for Ireland. Looking good for the rest of the way. They might be a bit rusty because it's the first game of 2014, but they can go cold on attack for stretches. Against tighter defense they'll have to really bring their A game. Their game in Twickenham could be super entertaining to watch.
Convincing, big victory for Ireland. Looking good.

Scotland have quite a bit to work on, and it's a pretty disappointing game for them, in a match where again they've shown good capacity on attack, and good movements and stretches throughout, but a lack of plan once they get close to that 22 line and a lack of finish ultimately, Ireland 3 tries to none..

Pretty cool game to watch, got boring towards the end after Kearney's try.

Hogg looked really good in stretches, and the Scottish backs are some capable athletes. Crappy to see Maitland leave the field.

 

[lynam1104]

POM was my MOTM, really good work carrying and in the breakdown. Decent performance although not to happy overall and I doubt Joe will be. It will be interesting to see what the thinking is in terms of changes for next week I think the only must for me is D'Arcy, Marshal isn't really brining it at this level yet. The wings will also be interesting neither Trimble or Dave deserve dropping but will Joe bring in one of or both of Fitzy and Bowe (assuming fittness), will be a tough call.

 

[munstermuffin]

Must say though Scotland were awful at set pieces. They had no shape and well once physicality got tired they just disappeared.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Kearney would have been my man of the match, he had a great game.

As for the match it was a decent game, Joubert's very unpredictable reffing of the breakdown ruined it a bit. Ireland played fine, they played what was in front of them and beat them soundly as they should have. Look forward to Wales now and hope we can get O'Connell and a few more personnel back for Wales. D'Arcy has to be brought back in Marshall was a non-entity today.

Could O'Connell and Tuohy work in the second row? He was the better of the second rows today in my opinion.

I reckon professional wingers all over the world have nightmares of a Kearney running at them while standing under a box kick!

 

[munstermuffin]

POM was my MOTM, really good work carrying and in the breakdown. Decent performance although not to happy overall and I doubt Joe will be. It will be interesting to see what the thinking is in terms of changes for next week I think the only must for me is D'Arcy, Marshal isn't really brining it at this level yet. The wings will also be interesting neither Trimble or Dave deserve dropping but will Joe bring in one of or both of Fitzy and Bowe (assuming fittness), will be a tough call.

Changes I presume will be POC returns as neither lock was good today. Not poor but not enough to keep POC out. D'Arcy will probably come in at 12. Bowe won't be fit but if Luke Fitz is then he has to come in but for who I don't know.
But again I thing whoever plays will know there has to be a huge rise in level of performance

 

[lynam1104]

Ah yea POC I thought went without saying and your right about raising performance i didn't the 2nd half of the wales game but the performance definitely needs to be better and I think it will be I cannot see Joe being anywhere near content with that hes a perfectionist and that was nowhere near perfection.

 

[Peat]

Neither lock played well enough to keep POC out but that's some statement if they had and a long way from saying they weren't good. I thought both men put in big physical shifts around midfield and the contact area. Ireland can point to the set piece upper hand too. I'd say they had good games.

I see no reason POC and Tuohy couldn't work, I think you'd want Toner against teams that compete very well in the lineout, but Tuohy for a more physical battle with a lineout you'd attack.

edit: I don't think calling Marshall a non-entity is fair either. Very solid in defence, no silly decisions, took up the crash ball well, made a good pass the one time it was on and hit a lot of rucks. Only had one opportunity to run at space. D'Arcy for Wales would be a reasonable call but Marshall was given a job to do and did it.