[Six Nations 2018] Round 3: Ireland vs Wales (24/02/2018)

[Leonormous Boozer]

Get this started early, I can only imagine there'll be a wee bit to talk about!

I'd like to see this 23:

15. Kearney
14. Earls
13. Farrell
12. Aki
11. Stockdale (Any word on Conway? I'd be tempted)
10. Sexton
9. Murray
8. Conan
7. Leavy
6. O'Mahoney
5. Toner
4. Henderson
3. Furlong
2. Best
1. Healy

16. Scannell 17. McGrath 18. Porter 19. Ryan 20. Stander 21. Marmion 22. Carbery 23. Larmour

Without Henshaw I think we need to add a bit of dynamism and better ball handling due to the game we're playing and because we lose a lot there with Farrell. Toner and Conan win out over Ryan and Stander due to their superiority there. We're really hamstrung in midfield and the backrow at the moment and Jordi Murphy is the only 7 option behinf Leavy, Picking him in place of CJ or Conan would be a real drop in class though. I expect Joe will differ to me at 8, 5 and 23 and he might at 16 and 18 also.

 

[TommiG88]

Round 3?

 

[Welshdragon2000]

Round 3?

The Irish want to forget their performance in Paris I think...
(Even though they won)

 

[TommiG88]

The Irish want to forget their performance in Paris I think...
(Even though they won)

And their performance against Italy, letting in 3 tries at the Aviva

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Lads, I'm obviously enjoying the stroll to the slam so much I subconsciously want it to last longer!

 

[TommiG88]

Lads, I'm obviously enjoying the stroll to the slam so much I subconsciously want it to last longer!

The way I look at it, is that your so nervous of coming to Twickers, that you're hoping it never comes. It's inevitable, your grand slam crumbles in London.

 

[munstermuffin]

Conway back training. Rumours McFadden is 23.

 

[duncanb]

Irish at a canter not a chance Welsh boys can raise game enough however much I want them to.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Ireland are wealthier than Wales #buythetmo #itworks

 

[truthteller]

Bad news for the irish this weekend the welsh are massively boosted for next week
Liam williams had a stormer and scored match winning try, george north scored for the 2nd game in a row and looked good, hal amos another natural born try scorer scored again, faletau didnt play but is fit for selection and rumours are Dan Biggar is also available for selection as will halfpenny...Henshaw and furlong out for the irish.
These are all major players and may even swing the balance?

 

[Hanley!]

Furlong is supposed to be available against Wales. Henshaw is the only new name that we're missing. He is a big loss, but shouldn't be an insurmountable one. There are other good options at centre. I'm still not all that confident that Ireland will get the win, as they never seem to come easy against Wales. But home advantage should probably just about see us across the line.

I'm disappointed that it looks like Conway won't be ready to come back for this game, but he'll be a great option to plug in against Scotland (on the bench at least). I'm looking forward to seeing Scannell get another shot at international play also, after missing the November Internationals and the start of the Six Nations due to getting injured at the worst possible times. If he can stay fit, I'm hoping he has what it takes to become Ireland's starting hooker before too long.

 

[TommiG88]

Bad news for the irish this weekend the welsh are massively boosted for next week
Liam williams had a stormer and scored match winning try, george north scored for the 2nd game in a row and looked good, hal amos another natural born try scorer scored again, faletau didnt play but is fit for selection and rumours are Dan Biggar is also available for selection as will halfpenny...Henshaw and furlong out for the irish.
These are all major players and may even swing the balance?

Liam Williams had a stormer? He scored a good try but also got sin binned for being an idiot. North scored a try against the worst team in the league at home.

You like to embellish things?

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Bad news for the irish this weekend the welsh are massively boosted for next week
Liam williams had a stormer and scored match winning try, george north scored for the 2nd game in a row and looked good, hal amos another natural born try scorer scored again, faletau didnt play but is fit for selection and rumours are Dan Biggar is also available for selection as will halfpenny...Henshaw and furlong out for the irish.
These are all major players and may even swing the balance?

Dan Biggar!!!!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think we'll do a better job at suffocating Wales than England did. Murray and Sexton are far better than the English decision makers there and unless we see Liam Williams cone in at 15 Wales can't add all that much to what they had. I think we have the stronger pack, it's men against boys in the halfbacks and there's parity everywhere else. Home advantage, a better and more settled team, should be a win but I wouldn't have a clue what the margin will be.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ireland are wealthier than Wales #buythetmo #itworks

Someone isn't familiar with officiating in this fixture! #2011 #2012 #2015 #wewuzrobbed #WayneBarnesisWelsh

 

[munstermuffin]

First of all who made a balls of the headliner. It's round 3.

On to topic. Interesting debate on radio. Who is the more successful/better coach.
Schmidt or Gatland.
Schmidt has better record it seems SH teams. Gatland has better achievement record at club and international level by a bit. And actually statistically has better record of bringing guys through. However he's been in job longer but a very interesting debate

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Schmidt at club level: 2 HECs, 2 challenge, 2 Domestic in 6 seasons.
Gatland at club level: 1 HEC, 1 challenge, 4 domestic in 7 seasons.

How does Gats have a better club record?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I'd fancy Wales in Cardiff - I think they have made strides. But you have to give Ireland the slight edge here. Biggar is good but they need a run with Patchell at 10 and after two solid team performances Gatland should look to change the minimum.

I'm still flat out confused how the Welsh back row has competed so well so far. They seem to be massively overachieving so far (which is a compliment).

I don't see a winning bonus point for anyone and think Irleand might struggle to get tries if they can't assert dominance up front. A lot of that comes from my complete ignorance about Farrell.

 

[munstermuffin]

Schmidt at club level: 2 HECs, 2 challenge, 2 Domestic in 6 seasons.
Gatland at club level: 1 HEC, 1 challenge, 4 domestic in 7 seasons.

How does Gats have a better club record?

Don't ask me although they judged Schmidt as head coach I'm presuming.

As Head Coach Schmidt has 1 Pro14/12 1 Challenge Cup and 2 HEC. As an Assistant he has 1 Top14 and 1 New Zealand ***le. Not sure on your stat there of 2 Challenge and 2 Domestic.

 

[MikeTheNative]

I'd fancy Wales in Cardiff - I think they have made strides. But you have to give Ireland the slight edge here. Biggar is good but they need a run with Patchell at 10 and after two solid team performances Gatland should look to change the minimum.

I'm still flat out confused how the Welsh back row has competed so well so far. They seem to be massively overachieving so far (which is a compliment).

I don't see a winning bonus point for anyone and think Irleand might struggle to get tries if they can't assert dominance up front. A lot of that comes from my complete ignorance about Farrell.

They never really got a chance before but Shingler and Navidi have been putting in quality performances for years at club level so it's not a surprise to people who watch the regions every week. I expect Ireland to win but I think Wales can give them a good game. An actual FB will help this week for massive amount of kicking that Ireland will put in. Anscombe was good ball in hand but really struggled with the kicking game. I would pick:

Halfpenny
L Williams
S Williams
Parkes
Evans
Patchell
G Davies
Faleteau
Navidi
Shingler
Jones
Hill
Lee
Owens
Evans

Dee, Wyn Jones, Francis, S Davies, Tupric, T Williams, Anscombe, North