[RWC2023] Ireland vs Scotland (07/10/2023)

[Leinster Fan]

Got to agree with others, despite the fact that our World Cup could end this Saturday, which would be cataclysmic even by Irish world cup standards, I don't really feel nervous at all. At the end of the day, this Scottish side just doesn't scare me. Maybe they'll make me eat my words, but right now this game is about as present in my mind as a Heineken Cup group stage would be.

I'm very confident we'll get at least the bonus point needed to get through but would like to see a lot more, if we come out flat it'll be a very worrying sign going forward at a stage where we need to be hyped focused. It's a tricky one to approach for the coaching staff because we can't afford to be off our game but equally we probably can't afford to treat it as a giant emotional clash either and get overhyped because we need to be prepared to do that multiple times again. I have confidence in Farrell to get the balance right, it's a not entirely dissimilar situation to the one against Scotland earlier this year where we just needed to get the job done and couldn't afford a loss despite a bigger match the following week.

I'd predict a relatively comfortable win with a score like 22-10, where Ireland never look like losing but equally are never overly domineering and convince journalists, podcasters and casual fans worldwide that we won't have enough for the ABs in the quarter final. (In reality, I've no idea what will happen at that stage if we get that far but I certainly won't be losing hope if we don't slalom to a huge win here.)

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I feel bad for Scotland only insofar as it must be very demoralising to see some of your best chances and players slip away (soon) and to wonder whether there will be a better opportunity for success.

It's very different with England because of a bigger player pool but nonetheless.....we will never ever get a better shot at a world cup than 4 years ago. And it's our own fault. We simply haven't taken the opportunities when we had them and that is how some careers will have to be defined.

Yes. Without getting too negative, how many years does Finn have near the top? 2, 3? If Glasgow's Ross Thompson doesn't develop into Boss Thompson Scotland could be facing a return to a sort of Dan Parks era given the state of the u20s in recent years. Thompson has been out for near on a year with injury so who knows what he will be like on hia return.

Factor in the ref eliminating them from 2015 and you could make an argument that the rugby gods are not on Scotland's side.

2019 and 6N failures are entirely their own responsibility though, and they have more advantages afforded to them than any Tier2 union. So I am not feeling sorry for the SRU.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Rassie's twitter antics right now are bizarre. Whiff of desperation and fear off it if I'm honest.

It was funny in the lead up to both games where the one account he followed was Scotland and Ireland but putting so much attention on this game makes no sense. South Africa are 100% through and Ireland are 98% really.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Its okay. After this match they'll be hung, drawn and quartered. Which is close enough.

Someone from the SH pretending to be Scottish getting hung drawn and quartered....I'm sure I've seen a film that ends like that

 

[Groundhog]

Rassie's twitter antics right now are bizarre. Whiff of desperation and fear off it if I'm honest.

It was funny in the lead up to both games where the one account he followed was Scotland and Ireland but putting so much attention on this game makes no sense. South Africa are 100% through and Ireland are 98% really.

Man's actually engaging with an (admittedly cringeworthy and embarrassing) OTB post on Twitter, he needs someone to limit his screentime

 

[OldSchoolRugga]

When are the team announcements? Tomorrow ? Ireland team should be interesting.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Man's actually engaging with an (admittedly cringeworthy and embarrassing) OTB post on Twitter, he needs someone to limit his screentime

To be fair, they're talking to each other at a shared level.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Rassie should have a weekly call in show on OTB

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Bedbug panic sweeps Paris as infestations soar before 2024 Olympics

France is alarmed as "les punaises", as they're known in French, spread fear and loathing.

www.bbc.co.uk

Just as well most fans for this one may be picking on street accomodation after the match with a blanket of vomit.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Because point differential just creates a contest where everyone tries to put 120 up against the weakest team in the group and at some point the difference between beating a team by 90 or by 80 doesn't really tell you who the better team is. However, if after the complete group you can't sort the teams out you should then just compare them in their games against each other.

Why should the games against each other be more important than the rest? They aren't, they are only used after we can't figure out who moves on after the entire group stage failed to produce two teams. Then yeah, we should look at the games between the teams involved in the tiebreaker.

I would think flipping a coin is equally valid. What is your argument for why that approach is a good one?sure points differential isn't great either but at least there is some meaning behind it. Whatever the approach it is only used in a tiebreaker, so ch ooze the one with some meaning behind it, imo.

Plus it should be something in the control of the teams. Not just up to randomness (after accounting for the incentive they already jave to win games and get bonus points)

 

[Groundhog]

If I get Parisian bed bugs I'm gonna give a French person Irish worms. I'll drag my arse along the Champs De Elysee like a dog

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Henshaw has picked up a ****le because World Cups don't agree with him. McCloskey and Jimmitron are both reasonable steps down.

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

Henshaw has picked up a ****le because World Cups don't agree with him. McCloskey and Jimmitron are both reasonable steps down.

Is he out?

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

My head says we should go through but have this horrible feeling they are really going to put it to us (although did in the 6N about this fixture). To be honest if they do put it to us and we go out, were we really ever going to beat NZ, Wales, SA/France anyway.

Thought Dan Sheehan's comments were the right tone - treat this as a normal game rather than get emotionally hyped. If we do, can't see us beating NZ.

I also think the first score is massive here. It is a big uphill task if Scotland find themselves [10] points behind early on. Think our bench is massive also.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Is he out?

Find out tomorrow. If they're announcing it I reckon it's a yes and the question is whether to keep him in hope he's good for the QF or bring Cian Healy in.

 

[Groundhog]

Is he out?

TBD tomorrow apparently.

I think we may have 2-3 changes for this weekend. Likes of Bealham and Murray (Townsend can get reacquainted with his standing leg), maybe McCarthy?

On the whole though we haven't rotated so far and are coming off a week long break

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Murray is great off the bench and struggles with tempo when starting, he had a shocker first half v Scotland in Murrayfield.

Would be stupid asf to start him. Start fast, start Fetish.

 

[Half Pint]

I have a feeling this one *could* be a belter.
I'm going for Scotland to win a high-scoring game, but Ireland to get the losing BP that they need to knock the scots out.

 

[Jimbo]

I've seen nothing from Scotland that makes me think the Irish will struggle , top 3 are top 3 with little to choose between them then there's those ranked below, Scotland currently are amongst the best of those but there is still a pretty significant gap.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

I've seen nothing from Scotland that makes me think the Irish will struggle , top 3 are top 3 with little to choose between them then there's those ranked below, Scotland currently are amongst the best of those but there is still a pretty significant gap.

unfortunately have to agree. I maintain that they can do it but *can* is doing a lot of work here