[2021 Six Nations] Ireland v England (20/03/2021)

[klitarris]

'In three or four years' time, he could be another Richie McCaw' https://the42.ie/5384018

Congrats to Olyy on the new journalism gig.

Interesting to see Proudfoot say his leadership is developing. I hadn't really considered him a captaincy option, maybe he will be at some point.

 

[Leinster Fan]

O'Mahony shouldn't start, he's completely the opposite of what we need against England. Won't be surprised at all if he does though. Any of Ruddock/Conan/Baird would be a better choice.

Stockdale in at 11 is the other obvious change hard to see much of an argument against it, no one else is demanding the shirt.

Farrell or Aki in for Ringrose, doesn't really matter. Aki is probably better and in more form but Farrell lets us keep Henshaw at 12.

Beyond that, hard to see any changes. I'd like to see Kilcoyne and Kelleher start but I know it won't happen. Casey in there somewhere too would be nice but again more hope than expectation.

 

[Wendigo7]

George Martin in line to start

 

[Jashay]

Interesting! Daily Mail is usually pretty good with its squad guesses... guess we'll find out more in a few hours

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

George Martin in line to start

That has to be a joke. Simmonds can't get game time and yet some ones who's done nothing gets wanged in? Let's hope if he does start he doesn't get subbed after 20 minutes and his confidence ruined.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

IRELAND (possible) v ENGLAND: Hugo Keenan; Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Johnny Sexton (capt), Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rob Herring, Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O'Mahony, Will Connors, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Rónán Kelleher, David Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Jamison Gibson-Park, Billy Burns, Jordan Larmour

Reading Thornley's rumoured team is just about the worst way to start my day.

 

[TheSaffycen]

IRELAND (possible) v ENGLAND: Hugo Keenan; Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Johnny Sexton (capt), Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rob Herring, Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O'Mahony, Will Connors, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Rónán Kelleher, David Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Jamison Gibson-Park, Billy Burns, Jordan Larmour

Reading Thornley's rumoured team is just about the worst way to start my day.

So move the form 6 and 12 in the competition? Makes perfect sense

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Here's the Mail story on Martin.

England coach Eddie Jones mulling over shock start for George Martin

Sportsmail understands Martin has started in training runs this week, and head coach Eddie Jones will make a late selection call on the rookie on Thursday morning.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Nothing against Martin, I'm sure he has all the talent in the world, but I hope this is click bait. Seem to recall that capping Ted Hill at a similar age was a roaring success.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's.....odd
Daily Mail usually right in their England predictions, though

Daly at 13 if Slade doesn't make it, as well

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

This is an odd match from an Eng perspective. I said the other day that there's nothing at stake and that's true in the sense of GS or ***les.

But I suppose from a momentum / confidence point of view it is pretty important. Play badly / lose and Fra looks like an aberration with the pressure right back on Jones and the players. But build on Fra and that's 2 decent performances in a row and Jones can point to a rising graph and shrug off a slow start with undercooked Sarries, dodgy refs etc.

I hope we play with some ambition. Not because it's entertaining, but because we carry a lot of threat out wide and it's playing to our strengths.

 

[Jakedood]

That's.....odd
Daily Mail usually right in their England predictions, though

Daly at 13 if Slade doesn't make it, as well

Hey if he is, it would at least be interesting. Must see him as outperforming Ben Earl in training at least if this is the case. I;ve never seen the guy play, but EJ isnt a total nonce, so curious. Could go pear shaped or be great, time will tell. But its something different at least

 

[MikeTheNative]

This is an odd match from an Eng perspective. I said the other day that there's nothing at stake and that's true in the sense of GS or ***les.

But I suppose from a momentum / confidence point of view it is pretty important. Play badly / lose and Fra looks like an aberration with the pressure right back on Jones and the players. But build on Fra and that's 2 decent performances in a row and Jones can point to a rising graph and shrug off a slow start with undercooked Sarries, dodgy refs etc.

I hope we play with some ambition. Not because it's entertaining, but because we carry a lot of threat out wide and it's playing to our strengths.

If England don't win they probably end up finishing 5th and considering the raw talent of the team that will be a terrible result. Would that be their worst finish ever?
Before the 6 nations I said that this England squad was too talented to have a full on 2015 WC level disaster but 5th place would be close.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Steve Borthwick from what I gather is a massive fan of his, and from what I hear at training he's usually the hardest worker.
Considering Borthwick has worked with Eddie for 8, prob his longest assistant coach they most likely think on a similar wavelength


I don't mind England shaking things up with nothing to play for.
I just hope we might see some others added like Odogwu or something.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If England don't win they probably end up finishing 5th and considering the raw talent of the team that will be a terrible result. Would that be their worst finish ever?
Before the 6 nations I said that this England squad was too talented to have a full on 2015 WC level disaster but 5th place would be close.

Nah, Eddie led us to a glorious 5th place finish in 2018 as well

 

[Which Tyler]

That's.....odd
Daily Mail usually right in their England predictions, though

Are they still?
They developed a reputation for being unerringly accurate when they had a man on the inside of Burt's regime; but since then, I thought they were about as accurate as everyone else (AKA, very not)

 

[MikeTheNative]

Nah, Eddie led us to a glorious 5th place finish in 2018 as well

Didn't think they have been that low since Jones has come in to be honest.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Are they still?
They developed a reputation for being unerringly accurate when they had a man on the inside of Burt's regime; but since then, I thought they were about as accurate as everyone else (AKA, very not)

As far as I'm aware they still do
Can't think of anything off the top of my head that they've broken, recently, but can't think of any clangers either - pretty sure they've gotten their team predictions/callup predictions right all tournament


Edit:
Just had a quick look - they got Randall being in the 6N squad right, which was a big call at the time, but got Jack Willis starting against Italy wrong, so mixed bag

 

[Not Eddie Jones]

Just no chat in here because we've seen what's going to happen four times in a row?

To be fair, 3 of those 4 were at Twickers. Dublin hasn't exactly been a happy hunting ground for England since the 6-Nations started: just 3 wins in 10 visits. I'm not confident.

 

[Which Tyler]

As far as I'm aware they still do
Can't think of anything off the top of my head that they've broken, recently, but can't think of any clangers either - pretty sure they've gotten their team predictions/callup predictions right all tournament


Edit:
Just had a quick look - they got Randall being in the 6N squad right, which was a big call at the time, but got Jack Willis starting against Italy wrong, so mixed bag

But then, so have we for the most part. Eddie's remarkably consistent in his selections, so guessing his team is... not as hard as some other coaches.

FTR: I think the Mail has some of the most sensible journalists, and consequently the best predictors (largely because for once, they're not interested in sirring up controversy in rugby); but I wouldn't say they had an inside line - like they used to.

 

[big ginger 8]

England team named at 11, Ireland at 3.