[2025 Six Nations] Ireland vs England - 01/02/25

[Rinkadink]

more an envious acknowledgment of a country maximising their national team's chances.

The best international side for some time features a squad from all over the globe and capped over 50 players last year whilst still performing. It doesn't really matter, the coaching is the really important bit.

What is England's style?

Doesn't match anything the clubs are doing, that's for sure.

 

[TopTen2003]

Great game this on Saturday- Ireland not quite on all cylinders and England putting parts of performances together means it could be a close one and a question of who is going to click.

Cant help but think England just lose the midfield battle with Aki and Ringrose just having a bit too much for Slade and Lawrence - think it's close everywhere else.

Might be the difference maker for me, but hope it's a cracker.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

The best international side for some time features a squad from all over the globe and capped over 50 players last year whilst still performing. It doesn't really matter, the coaching is the really important bit.

Except that one way or another this Boks team have played together for ages. They know their individual games inside out and when the big games come along we know who their team will be and how they'll play. Maybe more of their cohesion has been gained internationally, but they still have it.

If anything they've risked taking the continuity too far with many of their core players aging, hence the blooding of so many new players. And it massively helps. feeding them into an established and winning team. I doubt they'll do an England post 03 but I suspect their dominance is drawing to a close. They've also been lucky in having some all time greats plus several others at World XV level who have been able to swing or close out otherwise losable matches.

You're bang on about the coaching. But any group of players who know and trust each other has a healthy head start.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Being a follower of Ireland players on Lions tours I'm sure it's something you're very accustomed to seeing, then

Can't relate

What a Welsh thing to say?...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What a Welsh thing to say?...

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Easterby saying that he hadn't foreseen the Eng back row selection. And then in polite, diplomatic terms saying how fricking stupid are you to give us 48 hours to think about it and adjust our tactics and selection?

We talk a lot about line outs but let's not forget restarts. Ours weren't great in the autumn and we all saw what happened against Aus when they chucked their new centre up against Itoje. Baird who's come in at 6 is 6' 6" and quick and in addition to his line out work I'm sure part of his brief will also be to cause chaos on the restarts.

Come Saturday evening the back row will either look like a master stroke or lunacy. But whatever the outcome, a surprise isn't a surprise if you tell people about it.

Stuart Barnes saying that the back row selection puts extra pressure on Itoje. Hard to disagree and remains to be seen whether that's a smart move given he's also wrestling with learning the captaincy.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Except that one way or another this Boks team have played together for ages. They know their individual games inside out and when the big games come along we know who their team will be and how they'll play. Maybe more of their cohesion has been gained internationally, but they still have it.

If anything they've risked taking the continuity too far with many of their core players aging, hence the blooding of so many new players. And it massively helps. feeding them into an established and winning team. I doubt they'll do an England post 03 but I suspect their dominance is drawing to a close. They've also been lucky in having some all time greats plus several others at World XV level who have been able to swing or close out otherwise losable matches.

You're bang on about the coaching. But any group of players who know and trust each other has a healthy head start.

Their players also largely don't give a **** at club level unless there's a sniff of a trophy, just ask Munster whose South African locks generally refuse to play for them. The international team is a pretty singular focus there more than most countries in my opinion.

 

[mikebrownsauce1512]

That's the plan, if we don't know what we're doing then our opponents have no chance.

"course you need a plan"

 

[Reiser99]

Easterby saying that he hadn't foreseen the Eng back row selection. And then in polite, diplomatic terms saying how fricking stupid are you to give us 48 hours to think about it and adjust our tactics and selection?

We talk a lot about line outs but let's not forget restarts. Ours weren't great in the autumn and we all saw what happened against Aus when they chucked their new centre up against Itoje. Baird who's come in at 6 is 6' 6" and quick and in addition to his line out work I'm sure part of his brief will also be to cause chaos on the restarts.

Come Saturday evening the back row will either look like a master stroke or lunacy. But whatever the outcome, a surprise isn't a surprise if you tell people about it.

Stuart Barnes saying that the back row selection puts extra pressure on Itoje. Hard to disagree and remains to be seen whether that's a smart move given he's also wrestling with learning the captaincy.

I'd be curious about how it changed Ireland's selection. To me it looks like a pretty full strength pack. Maybe tactics they'll have had more time to work on.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I'd be curious about how it changed Ireland's selection. To me it looks like a pretty full strength pack. Maybe tactics they'll have had more time to work on.

I doubt it changed selection. Maybe a different focus on the week. Expect Beirne to take less of a carrying role than last year as him, Kelleher and Ryan will be doing the dog work in attack.

Focus on boring keep ball rugby and clever kicking on our side. Good traditional English rugby.

Edit: Conan might have got the nod ahead of POM in reaction but I'd say he was edging that anyway.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I'd be curious about how it changed Ireland's selection. To me it looks like a pretty full strength pack. Maybe tactics they'll have had more time to work on.

As I read it, it cemented the selection of Baird when Beirne got shifted across after McCarthy's head knock on Weds (after we'd announced). Don't know whether Conan or AN Other might have been considered otherwise, but feels like they're now looking at Baird as a positive rather than 'just' an injury replacement.

Tactics, definitely.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

That's the plan, if we don't know what we're doing then our opponents have no chance.

I don't think I've ever seen a post so cued up for @General Melchett

 

[Scotty]

Tbh relising the squad on Tuesday seems daft but tbh even before it came out it was leaked so they will have had an idea what to prepare for, I mean what surprise there in that team we put out, they knew 1 to 15 excluding maybe who would play 6 and 11. Really SB was always going to play TCurry and Earl.

Yes they have had more time to prepare but given the rumour they would have prepared anyway for Curry n Curry.

As a fan I love having having the squad early but it is a risk is many cases

What is the actual bennefit?

 

[Saintjay]

Tbh relising the squad on Tuesday seems daft but tbh even before it came out it was leaked so they will have had an idea what to prepare for, I mean what surprise there in that team we put out, they knew 1 to 15 excluding maybe who would play 6 and 11. Really SB was always going to play TCurry and Earl.

Yes they have had more time to prepare but given the rumour they would have prepared anyway for Curry n Curry.

As a fan I love having having the squad early but it is a risk is many cases

What is the actual bennefit?

Main benefit to get ahead of the leaks i guess. I think the team gets leaked so often you might as well put it out. Most people could have predicted nearly all the starting XV.

Borthwick isn't the popping out of a cake in a thong shouting "Surprise" kind of guy. He's not going to be running 13 men lineouts and going cray cray.

 

[Scotty]

Borthwick isn't the popping out of a cake in a thong shouting "Surprise" kind of guy.

please don't put that image in my head!

 

[General Melchett]

That's the plan, if we don't know what we're doing then our opponents have no chance.

Doing precisely what we've done eighteen times before is exactly the last thing Easterby will expect England to do this time. There is however one small problem..

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Doing precisely what we've done eighteen times before is exactly the last thing Easterby will expect England to do this time. There is however one small problem..

A tortoise called Alan?

 

[Rinkadink]

Their players also largely don't give a **** at club level unless there's a sniff of a trophy, just ask Munster

I reckon that's just simply a Munster issue.

Other SA locks have gone really well in their homeland, Premiership, Japan and URC. Not just limited to that position either.

Rassie and co definitely do a lot of psychological work with players, holistically I don't think you can top the SA staff in international rugby. It's also worth noting that they're an example of diversity and inclusion (what a hot current topic that is) drives being very, very successful.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I reckon that's just simply a Munster issue.

Other SA locks have gone really well in their homeland, Premiership, Japan and URC. Not just limited to that position either.

Rassie and co definitely do a lot of psychological work with players, holistically I don't think you can top the SA staff in international rugby.

Ah, there is a trend there. Kolisi, Kitsoff, Pollard to a degree have all stolen a salary somewhere. Back to Munster but De Allende was awful for them, a leggy Fekitoa was a big improvement.

 

[Which Tyler]

please don't put that image in my head!

@TRF_Olyy You know what to do (I'm still crap at AI images)