• Help Support The Rugby Forum :

2014 Six Nations: Ireland vs Wales (Round 2)

Was there not a thread about this 'size' topic a while back? I find it interesting and distinctly remember doind a SA one (not going for all out weight but giving the benefit of selection to weightier players who are at least close enough to class).. though I can't remember the thread name or even location.
 
But Big Ewis, how many games have Wales won which you can put down to size and the gameplan?
Mostly as far as I can see some of their best results have been due to the outstanding class shown by individuals.

When England were beaten by Wales at Twickenam in 2012, the door had stayed firmly shut for 70 minutes, until Scott Williams, ironically the 'skinny kid' on the block, stripped Lawes of the ball. Other Welsh victories have been more because they were a well drilled, more settled more clinical team, than because of them battering down the opposition.
And as Ulsterrugby2012 mentioned Wales' one defeat last six nations was against just about the smallest backline in the tournament.

Also you say there's no substitute for mass in rugby... except that two of the teams who repeatedly beat Wales, Oz and NZ, win not through being bigger then Wales, but through flair and precision in equal measure.

dude, I wish I were wrong, but I'm not unfortunately. And I didn't say mass wins 10 times out of 10 times, ppl aren't paying attention to detail in what I'm saying.
The All-Blacks aren't particularly massive, and they're by far the best team in the world, by miles. But the argument doesn't end there.
Flair beat mass in JoBurg last June in the TRC "final" SA vs NZ.
But: the Australians may have beaten the Welsh because their flair was superior to the Welsh's mass, but those same Aussies got crushed at home by the mastodon Bokke and then battered in Cape town weeks later again. Precisely an affair of massive vs skinny.
And the Boks being indisputably 2nd best world wide is quite squarely due to mass and efficient, simple use of it. Besides Habana (pure speed), even their backs function that way: Fourie (190cm 105kg), JDV same dimensions, straight running at the opposition forcing the issue.

Just so it's really, really clear: when I say mass I mean notably the 2nd/3rd rows, and the outside backs (and there, notably 11 through 14).
There's no substitute for a Willem Alberts at 7 clearing out rucks, no substitute for enormous muscle/weight staying on feet to get defensive penalty in ruck, no substitute for a huge loosie like Billy Vunipola who'll run over people, fix 2-3 defenders before making a clean pass for a wide open run (think both assists he got against France Saturday).
YES, I'm not a monumental idiot, YES I know there are other things that count. I'm not saying Fofana is obsolete at center because he's 90kg, or Guitoune 84kg at the wing; because technique will always have its place in sports in general. And OF COURSE scrums are all about technique, France were 70/80kg lighter in the scrum against the Pac Islanders team (in 2008-09 ?) and completely bullied them, pushing them back meters away, as just one classic example.

What can I tell you about that Wales Ireland 2013 match ? That's supposed to disprove this entire argument ? OF COURSE flair can beat mass some times, NZ do it on the regular as mentioned.

Flair is much, much more volatile and capricious of a tool in Rugby, demands perfect coordination, improv and tremendous skill - mass will give you certainties, and something to cling on always.
As I've mentioned many times before, a perfect example is the AUS SA matchup. In (tri-nations) 2010 Australia in both matches goes up by like 30 points in 25min, before South Africa establish their game bit by bit and come right back each time. Eventually pure mass catches up to creative play, unless it's the All-Blacks who just keep scoring tries til the 80th.

Look, it's clear enough isn't it: look at what South Africa did to Scotland last November. Unstoppable mauls, big scrum, untouchable in the rucks, brutal on defense. Those things are always going to be there for you when you're huge, your weight doesn't just disappear. What DOES disappear is flair, attacking prowess. Some days it's there, most days it really isn't. Just look at how Ireland struggled after that first good weekend in the 2013 6N, are you telling me they were going to put 4 tries per half on everyone like that ?

Anyways, the argument has expanded to a few branches now...but bottom line:
give me Manu Tuilagi at one center spot, Vunipola at 8, Alberts at 7, two huge weighty locks and North at the wing any day of the week. Any - day - of - the - week.
I wanna play it safe: break through your tackles the whole match, especially when it's game-on-the-line with 5min to play, rip your head off on defense, pulverize you in rucks, fix defenders for clean clear-path offloads, big mauls get me 20meters forward the easy way...all day, all week. (unless I can be the All-Blacks. Then, I'd take the All-Blacks and score 10 tries on everyone...flair wins)
 
On game - Just heard IRFU have to monitor and possibly cover pitch as storms will be here until weekend with worst of it due Friday night and Saturday.
1 option is to cover the pitch completely and not have captains runs there Friday
 
I'm not a mod so nobody has to listen to me but I'd say this argument could seriously derail this thread so I suggest a new thread is made of Everyone vs Big Ewis: Witty ***le.

you're right in theory, and you don't have to be a mod to be right. But this is a forum, so we debate, and some times stray off into sub-sections or even whole topics like this one, and I wasn't going to create a thread and bring the conversation there. Convos are spontaneous, like many marvelous things in life: farts, erection...or cheese.

And lol for your ***le idea, but I just really want to make it clear I have no pretension of looking smart or me against everyone or wtvr, I'm just pouring out my thoughts as they are. In fact, I hope to dear God I'm wrong about this, but there's just no way around it....MASS=guarantee in Rugby. Huge loosies and backs in particular. And I'm sorry for the length btw, just came out like that. I dunno who the hell's going to read all that ! :p
 
Ewis, a lot of what you describe in that South Africa vs Scotland game isn't mass. It's technique, discipline and coaching. If mass was all the likes of Samoa/Tonga would be far higher up in the world than they are. They're not, because they don't really have the resources to get the other things involved right. Mass alone is not a guarantee, far from it.
 
Ewis, a lot of what you describe in that South Africa vs Scotland game isn't mass. It's technique, discipline and coaching. If mass was all the likes of Samoa/Tonga would be far higher up in the world than they are. They're not, because they don't really have the resources to get the other things involved right. Mass alone is not a guarantee, far from it.

+1

For me technique and accuracy are the two key factors in a successfull team. Size and other factors are simply stuff that can slightly lessen the need for one of them.

The All Blacks are not a flair team, yes they have players that can make stuff happen but this current incarnation have a simple system which relies on accuracy in everything they do and is built on the basics.
 
I am not looking forward to the ferry crossing... Stormy seas could be icky all round
 
Just some you might have forgotten. Buckley (138kg) for Ross, Damien Browne (125kg) for Stevenson, Eamonn Sheridan (108kg) for Henshaw, Stewart Maguire (128kg) now in over Ross on the bench, Jordan Coghlan (108kg) in for Downey, Paul O'Donohue (92kg) for Boss, John Madigan (119kg) for Stevenson on the bench and Chris Farrell (104kg) into the 23 shirt.

Did not think I'd get so many players by myself, PO'D was the only one I "found" to be heavier.

Sorry, was only using wiki squads of the four provences hence why the English players aren't in
 
I am not looking forward to the ferry crossing... Stormy seas could be icky all round

The way everyone is talking about the weather at the minute - the ferry might not be crossing!!!

[which means calm seas with a gentle breeze :lol:]
 
Ewis, a lot of what you describe in that South Africa vs Scotland game isn't mass. It's technique, discipline and coaching. If mass was all the likes of Samoa/Tonga would be far higher up in the world than they are. They're not, because they don't really have the resources to get the other things involved right. Mass alone is not a guarantee, far from it.

Mass with good coaching, of course. I realize if you're aimless with your Rugby, mass won't be your saving grace.
It doesn't take amazing technique to annihilate your opponent in rucks when you've got three 190cm-115/120kgs at 6-7-8...
Doesn't take amazing technique for George North to catch a ball and through himself frontally into a French defense to break a tackle, score the try and seal the win for his team.
Manu Tuilagi has comically become the no. 1 option and try-scorer for England since around 2012, scoring tries in basically every international match I remember England scoring, and he isn't exactly a master of subtlety and tactical assessment of situations :p he thrusts through the defense like there's no tomorrow and either scores or makes the assist.

Anyways, I'm just sorta beating a dead horse at this point, it's clear to me and surely to most on here. Let's just make a concession and say: "mass is very, very important in Rugby". Very specifically in the following positions for specific reasons respectively: 4-5-6-7-8, and 11-12_or_13-14.
 
I think I'll do a blog article here simply to take the discussion to the rightful place... speaking of which

This article here highlights some of the main reasons I'd pick D'arcy for this match.

http://thescore.thejournal.ie/ireland-centres-analysis-wales-1300657-Feb2014/

While that's right to pinpoint a failure of understanding/trust between BOD and Marshall, the error almost definitely lies with BOD, as Kinsella sorta says. It's very harsh lines on a player to drop him because his defensive partner is making mistakes, nine times out of ten it's the guy making the mistakes who will get dropped. Obviously that's not happening with BOD being BOD but should Schmidt be considering that move? Some of those attacking errors, I reckon D'Arcy would have made them as well, have to be very quick to get those passes away/superman to catch that Sexton pass.
 
Yea I found that article to be a little harsh on Marshall tbh, he makes some good point but at the end of the day its not his fault BOD isn't trusting him.
 
I think I'll do a blog article here simply to take the discussion to the rightful place... speaking of which



While that's right to pinpoint a failure of understanding/trust between BOD and Marshall, the error almost definitely lies with BOD, as Kinsella sorta says. It's very harsh lines on a player to drop him because his defensive partner is making mistakes, nine times out of ten it's the guy making the mistakes who will get dropped. Obviously that's not happening with BOD being BOD but should Schmidt be considering that move? Some of those attacking errors, I reckon D'Arcy would have made them as well, have to be very quick to get those passes away/superman to catch that Sexton pass.

Yeah a number of them can be blamed on BO'D but as you say he's not getting dropped, especially for this one. D'arcy eliminates a lot of the mistakes more so in defense. There's also no point "building" a Marshall-BO'D partnership given BO'D has four more matches he could partner him in and then he's gone. Anyway I think D'arcy's being in better form recently while Marshall hasn't been as good as I'd have liked, it's not entirely his fault though given how Anscombe seems to just want him to run into things really fast. I also think D'arcy's tackling techniques is more suited to playing Wales. He's a very good chop tackler which we need against such big guys. Marshall because he's a bigger guy seems to go higher which will lead I feel at least to a loss of ground giving Wales momentum we can't allow. It's for the same reason I think we can't have Sexton defend at 10 alone of a lineout.

It's also worth saying that if any position will be rotated 12 is that one. I don't expect him to be playing against Wales but we'll see him vs Italy at the very least.


EDIT: Marshall on the bench for Ulster so D'arcy definitely starting.
 
Last edited:
Team announced, PO'C and D'arcy into the starting lineup. Tuohy drops to the bench, other than that unchanged.
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/26040258

This article about the Welsh/Irish rivalry actually quite amused me.

I don't really buy it though. I guarantee that following the game on saturday, at least one Welsh or Irish poster on here will say something along the likes of
"Fair play Ireland, I hope you win the thing now..."

In terms of the teams abilities and the matches they have produced there is definitely a rivalary there. I think Gatland does hate the IRFU for the handling of his firing. The funniest part of that article is saying Davies played a blinder in the final test...

I would agree there is mostly at least respect between the fans especially on here but some less informed indiviuals and maybe some to are informed to have a dislike for the opposite nation.
 
Wales' blitz defence, utilizing a sniper on 13, has been a feature of our game since Gatland took over six years ago. However, I feel now may be the time at which we need to adapt it slightly after seeing the Irish team. If Gordon D'Arcy still has his magnificent beard, the best tactic would be have two players marking D'Arcy, plus an extra twelve marking his beard. Especially given the relatively small threat to be found elsewhere in the Irish midfield. If we can rely on Roberts, Warburton or Lydiate to take our D'Arcy before the sheer majesty of his beard blows the side away (Much as like happened to the All Blacks for sixty minutes before they worked out the best way to deal with it), maybe we have a chance of stopping this Irish side.

In attack, we should look to keep it tight, only going wide once the beard is drawn into a ruck. However, again, there is no significant threat to look out for Irish backs, so we can probably just give the ball to Big George once D'Arcy and his fuzz are gone and we'll score automatically.
 
sooooo tough to call. Possibly the toughest match to call for the entire tournament....
so does BOD get his 'revenge' over Gatland for dropping him....that crappy story again.

Something I was thinking about is this: if Wales lose this, and France beat Italy at home convincingly, Wales will retreat home with its tale between its legs and despite claiming they have to bounce back will have their confidence quite low as they are a total rhythm/momentum team; while France will finally breathe life fully and have all theirs restored from two straight wins to start off 2014, and progressively better attacking and chemistry. France could come in and steal it in Cardiff and avenge last year's (legal) theft in Paris.

But right now 3 teams are entirely in contention to claim a Grand Slam, with England right there for a rather good-odds ***le as well.
 
Top