Ireland v France

[coonor]

I don't think the backrow was a major problem but they just weren't anywhere near as good as the usual backrow. They weren't the reason for us playing badly but they could have been better and worked together more. O'Brien looked alot better than Leamy and Wallace but he also made some mistakes. We have talent in the backrow with Ruddock and Ryan being just two players who have big futures however we need some experience to beat France but that experience is playing poorly.

without any injuries:
6) Ferris
7) O'Brien
8) Heaslip
19) Jennings

with injuries:
6) Wallace
7) Jennings
8) O'Brien
19) Leamy

 

[King_D'Arcy]

If Ferris, Heaslip and Bowe are all injured I guarantee you right now that Ireland will lose on Sunday.

I know someone who's friendly with Tommy and he was telling me that for the past 2 weeks he's been walking around grand with no sign of injury... WTF Tommy??

 

[munstermuffin]

Tommy Bowe ruled out.
Heaslip Ferris and Trimble are back.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

Tommy Bowe ruled out.
Heaslip Ferris and Trimble are back.

Definitely??

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Not surprised at Ferris, from what I understand he just tweaked something in the run up to the game,
Cracking news about Heaslip
I'm surprised about Trimble though, I would've thought a broken hand would take more than a few days to heal

 

[munstermuffin]

Ferris Heaslip and Trimble added along with Spence, Wilkinson, Duffy, Micko, Donnacha Ryan, Johne Murphy, Denis Hurley and Mike McCarthy to 22 that played against Italy.

My shock is Stringer has been told your 4th choice now and well along with Boss isn't even wanted for training.

But Bowe 100% definite he is out

 

[TRF_Cymro]

France move Traille to midfield

France: 15 Clément Poitrenaud, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Damien Traille, 11 Maxime Médard, 10 François Trinh-Duc, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Imanol Harinordoquy, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Lionel Nallet, 4 Julien Pierre, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 William Servat, 1 Thomas Domingo.
Replacements: 16 Guilhem Guirado, 17 Sylvain Marconnet, 18 Jerome Thion, 19 Sébastien Chabal, 20 Dimitri Yachvili, 21 Yannick Jauzion, 22 Vincent Clerc.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

French team confirmed:
1. Domingo
2. Servat
3. Mas
4. Pierre
5. Nallet
6. Dusautoir (cap.)
7. Bonnaire
8. Harinordoquy
9. Parra
10. Trinh-Duc
11. Médard
12. Traille
13. Rougerie
14. Huget
15. Poitrenaud.

16. Guirado
17. Marconnet
18. Thion
19. Chabal
20. Yachvili
21. Clerc
22. Jauzion

So at least Lièvremont is playing them in their possitions, but Jauzion is still not in the starting team. Marconnet in for Ducalcon says that the scrum will be privileged until the last minute.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Where going to get eatan alive...that's one rocking hot team. Not convinced by Rougerie though.

 

[Teh Mite]

A fresh Jouzion for the last 20 minutes against tired legs... Lièvremont ain't as dumb as he looks.

 

[monkeypigeon]

A fresh Jouzion for the last 20 minutes against tired legs... Lièvremont ain't as dumb as he looks.

Yeah, well Ireland will probably have a fresh Paddy Walla...ah, I give up.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

People criticize Lièvremont for picking loads of players but then he uses every game up until the World Cup to select his best squad. Fact of the matter is France always preform come World Cup time, so Lièvremont is a shrewd man.

 

[monkeypigeon]

He makes all these changes and wins the 6 Nations every second year while he's at it. I'd rather be complaining about too many changes that not enough...ala Ireland.

 

[Logorrhea]

Thats a damn good team.

Like Traille into 12, and the return of Poitrenaud is a good selection. That backline is more then good enough to run in quite a few tries against Ireland.

The biggest worry for me though will be the pack. Ireland are carrying too many players with reputations and while the Italians gave us a good going over, the French will hammer us. We have to change the backrow (regardless of fitness) and I'd also bring Leo in alongside POC to give us a chance to attack their lineout. Our scrum is going to be in trouble regardless, we can only hope we dont spend all day knocking the ball on like we did against Italy.

Reddan for O'Leary, Cullen for DOC, Ferris and Heaslip for Wallace and Leamy.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Thats a damn good team.

Like Traille into 12, and the return of Poitrenaud is a good selection. That backline is more then good enough to run in quite a few tries against Ireland.

The biggest worry for me though will be the pack. Ireland are carrying too many players with reputations and while the Italians gave us a good going over, the French will hammer us. We have to change the backrow (regardless of fitness) and I'd also bring Leo in alongside POC to give us a chance to attack their lineout. Our scrum is going to be in trouble regardless, we can only hope we dont spend all day knocking the ball on like we did against Italy.

Reddan for O'Leary, Cullen for DOC, Ferris and Heaslip for Wallace and Leamy.

Wouldn't mind Best getting kicked out for Strauss and Earls for Necewa...I joke. but Best out for Cronin or Varley. Wishfull thinking.



It's actually the Eddie days all over again.

 

[munstermuffin]

Good article in Examiner this morning about wrong players been blamed for Saturday and I agree with a large part of article. And how players got away without blame or minimal.
Like Cian Healy hasn't been mentioned much to loose his place when in past few months he was poor FOR Ireland. Also BOD and D'Arcy (who was blamed slightly) deserved a bigger burden for awful handling and poor performances.

 

[wertas]

I'm little bit concerned about the referree. Not one of top referrees, but maybe scrum will be referred OK because he is from NH.

 

[munstermuffin]

Ireland have to keep feet though and try get technique spot on because we now have a reputation for been bad at scrum time and refs pick up on that and will watch us more closely (which is correct)

 

[Feicarsinn]

Good article in Examiner this morning about wrong players been blamed for Saturday and I agree with a large part of article. And how players got away without blame or minimal.
Like Cian Healy hasn't been mentioned much to loose his place when in past few months he was poor FOR Ireland. Also BOD and D'Arcy (who was blamed slightly) deserved a bigger burden for awful handling and poor performances.

All of those players have been repeatedly criticised on here.

 

[DonBilly]

Thats a damn good team.

Like Traille into 12, and the return of Poitrenaud is a good selection. That backline is more then good enough to run in quite a few tries against Ireland.

The biggest worry for me though will be the pack. Ireland are carrying too many players with reputations and while the Italians gave us a good going over, the French will hammer us. We have to change the backrow (regardless of fitness) and I'd also bring Leo in alongside POC to give us a chance to attack their lineout. Our scrum is going to be in trouble regardless, we can only hope we dont spend all day knocking the ball on like we did against Italy.

Reddan for O'Leary, Cullen for DOC, Ferris and Heaslip for Wallace and Leamy.

Rougerie defensive skills are poor, Ireland centres will target him. There should be many oportunities to do that, Ireland is usually better than France for ball conservation.