[2025 Six Nations] Italy vs Ireland - 15/3/25

[Lé Ddanno]

Jill getting it right

"Italy hold on to beat Italy"

 

[Saintjay]

Is that a fair criticism? Pretty blatant and deserving of a card, he didn't even see it in real time and the TMO called it back, not sure you can fault Pearce in at all….

Go back to the comments on the first red card, you'll understand

 

[Yulia]

Everything as I predicted before the match. Ita were trying harder than they did with England,but still not sure if they are progressing..

 

[AlRums]

I'm still finding it hard, considering Ireland constant infringements around the ruck, that Ireland had no penalties against them in the second half, I think, and only 4 the entire game.

 

[McTallshort]

Massive shame that

 

[big ginger 8]

I'm still finding it hard, considering Ireland constant infringements around the ruck, that Ireland had no penalties against them in the second half, I think, and only 4 the entire game.

Maybe they weren't infringements?...

The most English of refs as well.

 

[Rinkadink]

had no penalties against them in the second half

Momentum reffing plays a part as does subconscious bias/expectations. Overall I don't think the reffing was poor, especially compared to some other performances we see. I don't think Italy were badly done to and seemingly had opportunities to close out the match (going by thread, I was out) yet fluffed their lines so should be looking to address that.

I think Italy played well from the parts I saw, making Ireland work very hard for their win. Enjoyed the watch and congratulations to Ireland.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Learnings from today:

Ryan and Conan are guys we need for the bench. Weren't as effective starting and great experience to finish games. 6 is an opportunity to bring in some young talent, get Izzy or Ahern minutes because Baird hasn't claimed it.

10 isn't a problem but both players have gaps in their games. Prendergast is the more complete rugby player. Crowley is the better athlete. Crowley needs to take on more ball, he's very ball shy for an Irish 10. Prendergast needs to up his physicality. Still more confident in Sam long term but two guys who can become points of difference at this level.

Of all the aging players I think Henshaw is the most concerning. He's looked a shadow of himself this tournament in my opinion. Hard to believe Osborne isn't currently a better option and there are strong options in Leinster, Connacht and Ulster behind here. Need to rework the midfield a bit I think.

Lowe and Hansen are head and shoulders above the rest on the wing. There's no like for likes either, except maybe Stockdale for Lowe. Get some pace in behind and develop those players. The O'Briens look like the obvious options and Shane Daly looks to have a bit about him too.

Seperately, the wider squad needs refreshing but that process shpuld start in the summer. Plenty of debuts to come.

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

Not belittling England's performance - incredible - but that game has made me think Ireland's 6N hasn't been great.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Not belittling England's performance - incredible - but that game has made me think Ireland's 6N hasn't been great.

We started well and faded.

Looks like Farrell laid out the gameplan and there was no progression or variation to it. I don't think the championship reflects well on the supporting coaches.

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

We started well and faded.

Looks like Farrell laid out the gameplan and there was no progression or variation to it. I don't think the championship reflects well on the supporting coaches.

Yeah I feel there needs to be a bit of a reset in game plan. We have two years to fix so not overly concerned, as I trust Farrell. Although you just know we're going to peak on our next cycle in March 2027

What I think has separated Ireland from the rest of the other teams (since when Joe S first came in) is that they're arguably the smartest team. Hopefully we see that again in our next gameplan development.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yeah I feel there needs to be a bit of a reset in game plan. We have two years to fix so not overly concerned, as I trust Farrell. Although you just know we're going to peak on our next cycle in March 2027

What I think has separated Ireland from the rest of the other teams (since when Joe S first came in) is that they're arguably the smartest team. Hopefully we see that again in our next gameplan development.

Autumn felt like the start of a reset alright. The gameplan has totally changed.

It needs a few new faces now but trust Farrell to find them. Need midfielders for the redzone attack, Osborne has excelled for Leinster in that regard, I'd really like to see him get a shot there. Izzy is another guy I'd love to see add some dynamism.

But look, we had three wins in 2020 and 21, not laying a hand on France or the good England team we faced. There were a few guys who never saw the 23 world cup in the 23s too.

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

I sometimes flick through the Irish rugby fans page on FB and genuinely think they must be Russian **** stirring bots - it's so toxic. 4/5 is a good return.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I sometimes flick through the Irish rugby fans page on FB and genuinely think they must be Russian **** stirring bots - it's so toxic. 4/5 is a good return.

Oh it's chronic on social media. 3/5 won't be a disaster next year if it happens either given the two hardest away games.

There's a serious entitlement among casual fans who haven't come to terms with being a top side. As you get more successful a lot of teams up their game and when playing other top teams nothing can be guaranteed. I get second hand embarrassment reading recollections of the NZ QF, we lost to a great team on top form, who by Will Jordan's account had been preparing specifically for us all year, by fine fine margins. Sometimes a loss is no ones fault.

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

Oh it's chronic on social media. 3/5 won't be a disaster next year if it happens either given the two hardest away games.

There's a serious entitlement among casual fans who haven't come to terms with being a top side. As you get more successful a lot of teams up their game and when playing other top teams nothing can be guaranteed. I get second hand embarrassment reading recollections of the NZ QF, we lost to a great team on top form, who by Will Jordan's account had been preparing specifically for us all year, by fine fine margins. Sometimes a loss is no ones fault.

Completely agree. We're spoken about as a top 2/3 team, so everyone is gunning for us and the 6N more than any tournement has a "we'll get you back next year" cycle. Impossible to dominate - see England against us next year and Scotland against England next year. Why I rate that NZ team who dominated for years so so highly.

The fans are actually putting me off following them a bit. The Aviva is dreadful and every 7/10 performance is a disaster - we've been in a golden era for Irish rugby. What's going to happen is we're going to finish 3rd the next 2/3 years, as the two giants (France and England) appear to have got their act together. That's not a disaster - imagine the Ireland fans if what's happening to wales happened to us.

 

[ncurd]

Snip

Disagree about England currently.

But what your talking about is absolutely true. When England were genuinely contending year in, year out contenders it was really hard to pull off a victory. Every team no matter how shite they'd been all tournament. That led to many losses you felt should nit happen. You have to accept that as a top side.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

I sometimes flick through the Irish rugby fans page on FB and genuinely think they must be Russian **** stirring bots - it's so toxic. 4/5 is a good return.

Oh stay the hell away from FB my dude. They watch three games a year

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

Who do we see breaking into the squad in the next 9 months? Pundits saying there aren't many banging on the door but tbh I don't think we can just rely on "they're in top form for their province, playing regular champions cup rugby" - sometimes you just need to throw a few in. Think the idea of Romania, Portugal and Georgia is a good one as it avoids the "the kids clearly aren't good enough as we got whitewashed away in South Africa/NZ" ********.

Would be good if we could find a promising 7, 9, wing and centre.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Emerging Ireland and the A team is where to look, Farrell has always plucked his bolters from them.

I'd guess Kendellen, Murphy (maybe Gunne), Osborne and Bolton will all get capped in those positions over the summer.

Centre is stacked with u23 talent. Postlthwaite, Forde, Gavin and Cooney all look like excellent traditional centres.

I think the biggest challenge facing Irish rugby is that the Leinster school's cup isn't going to produce any world class 9s or wings. Wing seems to have taken over hooker as the other problem position. It's incredibly structured and system based rugby but if a Penaud, Dupont or Ramos type player showed up for example they'd soon have it coached out of them.

Then the odd time a player like this breaks the mould they don't seem as attractive yo the academy, Rob Russell comes to mind, he was picked up late. I do wonder how good he could have been had we let him cook.

I'm not all that worried. It feels like we're in a similar position to England in 2017. The age issue is overstated Henshaw and maybe Aki look like the only guys showing it, 30 - 32 year olds just aren't past it unless they rely heavily on pace and agility. A new approach started in the autumn, there's Neinaber's theory that it takes 14 games to master a new system and that would track with the amount of time it took for the team to click under Farrell, we're currently on 8 or 9 depending on whether a heavily rotated team v Fiji counts.

There's a strong core that needs to be complimented and pushed and the summer is a good opportunity to really get that process going.

 

[big ginger 8]

I sometimes flick through the Irish rugby fans page on FB and genuinely think they must be Russian **** stirring bots - it's so toxic. 4/5 is a good return.

There was some 'controversy' on the Irish rugby subreddits earlier this year about a Valley Commando English type who was using multiple accounts to provincial arguments haha. But there's plenty of idiots out there without outside influence anyway.

Who do we see breaking into the squad in the next 9 months? Pundits saying there aren't many banging on the door but tbh I don't think we can just rely on "they're in top form for their province, playing regular champions cup rugby" - sometimes you just need to throw a few in. Think the idea of Romania, Portugal and Georgia is a good one as it avoids the "the kids clearly aren't good enough as we got whitewashed away in South Africa/NZ" ********.

Would be good if we could find a promising 7, 9, wing and centre.

Think the A/Wolfhound squads will be demonstrative if who's coming in.

We're still likely to have the largest Lions contingent and throw in the usual injuries we'll be forced to have a very different squad this summer anyway.

I did a longform post on the Irish rugby thread about depth in areas but I'd expect some of the Munster 7s to be brought, at 9 I'm really excited about Devine and Gunne but would say Murphy is ahead at the minute. Centre and wing for the latter two will probably see at least 2 of Cooney, Gavin amd Postlethwaite going as well as Shayne Bolton as a pure wing.