I wouldn't think so it's a bit eccentric but I'd argue it is accurate if you break it down.
Best game - to watch? No but in terms of quality it was, two sides who made few mistakes while constantly nullifying the opposing team's attack. It also had the best individual performance of the tournament so far from Johnny Sexton and was the most physically demanding of the tournament.
Great game for neutrals - Depends what you like, similar to England Ireland last year but not quite at the same level. If accurate and structured rugby is your thing that would be your type of game.
France showing they're better than their results - player wise they are but for a team who always up their game vs Ireland it shows how much they struggle with their coach.
Ireland being the real deal - beating Wales, Argentina x2, Australia, South Africa and France x2 in 12 months would certainly suggest so, you can't really fluke those results even if the gameplan is ugly.
England v Ireland shaping up nicely - well yes, it could be a grand slam decider.
Strange gel to call him out on that post really, a lot worse has been posted in this thread alone!
I just find it exceptionally odd. Ok, maybe not everything was inaccurate but a lot of it.
-Firstly to clarify about Ireland: I fully think Ireland have looked seriously good for some time now under Schmidt and as I've said on other threads, are deserved tournament favourites. How this match in any way proved that Ireland are the real deal is completely beyond me. I think, as I've said elsewhere, you have 3 more gears to go up which is worrying as an England fan. BUT, last night, I felt you looked disjointed, were weak at the breakdown, an area you are typically very strong, getting turned over a lot. You haven't got your attacking game going at all yet, and you look like you need more ball carriers. You will come good, especially when players like Sean O'Brien are fully fit, with Healy starting again, and I think the last two games can be partly put down to extreme rustiness as well as a centre pairing needing to gel. My point is just that last night in no way proved anything, and like many posters have said, Ireland know they can and will improve a hell of a lot over that performance.
-France: they're still hopelessly disappointing. Yes, they had a spell of decent play in the final 20 but then again they've done this periodically under PSA. They beat Australia and England recently for example. But as Castaignede repeatedly said, France still looked badly organised and rudderless for most of the match, were wasteful, and played to a gameplan not suiting them. OVerall, France have limitless potential but I don't particularly think French fans will be taking that many positives away from yesterday. Maybe I'm wrong (I often am, to be fair!)
- The quality of the game? I don't know. Most people on this thread have commented on how dire it was for much of it. I agree about Sexton, and it's nice to see a team execute superbly a gameplan. But we didn't get any of the rugby we often get from these sides, only one try for example. It was a tactical arm wrestle, much more satisfying I imagine for an Irish fan than for any neutral. Best game of the tournament so far? England Wales was a proper test-match imo and had a lot of everything, but then again I'm not a neutral in making that judgement...
