Yeh. Anybody think the scrum will noticeably struggle with Healy out ? Scotland looked alright against England a few weeks ago...
Remember, Euan Murray is also unavailable for Scotland, and Cross probably isn' the replacement
Can't say fairer than that. Yeah, I'd forgotten the ultra conservative touch-finders, Stephen Jones was doing the same for Wasps on saturday... see, it's these bloody prehistoric 10's, they're nowt but trouble!
Also, I remember the turnover where he missed a high ball right by touch just outside the Oirish 22, quickly getting rucked over by Launchbury and co... I don't remember the other time.
Last play of first half, poor pass from D'Arcy leaves O'Gara with Parling rushing up outside, he steps inside and finds Marler and keeps going so Robshaw puts him down (if memory serves). There's certainly a fantastic photo of Robshaw tackling O'Gara in this game and Robshaw looks sadder than Hitman Monkey. Also, the size disparity is hilarious.
okay, will be looking forward to watchin that scrum...
hoping to see a little bit of that early magic Ireland's shown that first match of the tournament...it sucks Healy ain't playin though, and when's Zebo returning ? Out indefinitely or ? Was he ruled out of the whole tournament ?? Can't recall...
Zebo's out for 10 weeks.
On Jackson - Madigan
I do think it should have been Madigan, he's more the form man, but it's also abundantly clear he's just not Kidney's type of player. Too much of a risk taker. Even if they were both first choice provincial out-halves, I reckon Kidney would have gone for Jackson. However, Jackson's not a bad player. He has the talent to do this. I'd rather he had a bit more international experience, or that this was a year later, or that he'd been playing more recently, but there's no reason he can't do this. He's performed in big games, he's ran a backline with only Small Paul and Skywalker to help him. So I'm optimistic. I also think it will help that he's got Luke Marshall inside him, he won't be worrying about his outside man at all. And, if you're picking an axis ready-made, the fact that Marshall is currently a more in-form 12 than McFadden is would have to play a part.
It is really weird to think that I've spent a few years getting excited over these guys, first just from reports of age grade games and the hate-f**king at the Aviva, then from watching them getting chucked in wholesale against the Dragons and doing Ireland U20 duty, and now they're making up half the back-line with a sub on the bench for luck at international level. First Ulster stars to come all the way through since I started supporting really - well, not including Nev - and now they're en masse for Ireland. Mental.
Wonder what odds I'd be able to get on Ireland scoring a try from Jackson - switch ball to Marshall - inside ball to Gilroy...
p.s. Why the hell is Barclay with Glasgow and not Scotland? Think he'd make a massive difference to Scotland's chances of victory...
p.p.s. Cave released for Ulster, Stevenson retained - Ryan not a 100pc certain?
