England V Ireland 6 Nations 2014

[outcast eddie]

The Irl v Wales thread is drifting towards discussion on the next game so time for it's own thread.

It's very difficult to make changes to that team after everyone performed the way they did on Saturday. Harsh on Andrew Trimble and Dave K but they are probably most vulnerable to any possible changes purely due to a possible adoption of a more attacking focus. It depends on surface, weather forecast and injury news. I'd be happy to keep both but equally happy to see Luke, or SZ appear on the team sheet. It says a lot for this squad but I reckon Tommy Bowe needs to play his way back on to this team if there are no injury concerns.

The bench remains the same for me except for Donncha Ryan or Hendo coming in for Dan Touhy and I'd also keep Issac Boss, this game may suit his style.

As usual though, Uncle Joe will probably surprise us with at least one selection and we'll all nod in agreement.

[Logorrhea]

The English have two weeks to prepare for our lineout and maul. They are physically more powerful than the Welsh forwards. Were one trick ponies. I think we are doomed.

[Edna Kenny]

"Inevitably you’d be looking to tweak a few things, there might be a couple of changes to personnel as well just because we are still pretty much committed to grow a group that can be as competitive as possible,” said Schmidt, highlighting the role of the bench so far. “I know people use the word ‘drop’ and I hate the word ‘rotation’ but I do think there is a place for reward, there is a place for growth in a group and I just think that it’s one of the things that we decided early on in November, that we were going to be driven to try to grow our player base to make sure we have enough depth in all positions.”

Good to see this from Joe, for anyone concerned that he is not thinking about the future. It would be harsh on anyone in that team to lose their place but it'll keep everyone on thier toes. It really puts an emphasis on the Rabo games during the six nations. Players like Ruddock will be looking to put their hand up for selection knowing they have a good chance.

[Golf Man]

The Irl v Wales thread is drifting towards discussion on the next game so time for it's own thread.

It's very difficult to make changes to that team after everyone performed the way they did on Saturday. Harsh on Andrew Trimble and Dave K but they are probably most vulnerable to any possible changes purely due to a possible adoption of a more attacking focus. It depends on surface, weather forecast and injury news. I'd be happy to keep both but equally happy to see Luke, or SZ appear on the team sheet. It says a lot for this squad but I reckon Tommy Bowe needs to play his way back on to this team if there are no injury concerns.

The bench remains the same for me except for Donncha Ryan or Hendo coming in for Dan Touhy and I'd also keep Issac Boss, this game may suit his style.

As usual though, Uncle Joe will probably surprise us with at least one selection and we'll all nod in agreement.

I don't expect a whole lot of changes. I'd be suprised if Donnacha Ryan is bumped up after being out for so long - either Henderson or McCarthy. Reddan back in if fit. Marshall Darcy may change again, but he is probably going to stick with Darcy for this game. I expect a change on the wing. Much as I'd like to see it I can't Zebo getting in at all over the 6N - I really think that he should be brought into the squad though. If Fitz is fit then start him and move Trimble over to the right (think he has been playing mainly on the right for Ulster this year) or else parachute Bowe straight in. Centre is covered with Fitz/Bowe on the pitch - drop McFadden and put D Kearney on the bench.

On Schmidts comments on developing depth - its a good soundbite, but there isn't a whole lot in it really - his presentation is really good, but he is not saying anything that any other coach doesn't say (in that instance).

[JB1973]

On the down side for you guys England will bring a more solid set piece, better mauling game and better control from half back.

On the plus side they have two rookie wingers and we saw what the French kicking game did to them. Unlike Wales and France England have a fairly small back line , if Ireland were able to shut down Roberts Cuthbert and North you won't have any issues with that English attack. Plus England lack an out and out 7, Henry will have a field day at the breakdown , this is certainly very a winnable game for Ireland.

If you can stop Billy Vuniopla off loading in the tackle and Sexton continues to kick as well from hand as he did last week, I expect you to win by 3-5 points

Good luck!

[Donny B.]

If Fitz is fit then start him and move Trimble over to the right (think he has been playing mainly on the right for Ulster this year)

Eh...... Trimble has played on the right wing in both games so far.

[pip14]

Fitz, Bowe and Zebo have to play their way back into the squad. Long gone guaranteed places

Trimble is in the form of his life and Kearney is playing very well too.
There's no way Joe will change the wingers for the England game IMO

[Fireworks]

Fitz, Bowe and Zebo have to play their way back into the squad. Long gone guaranteed places

Trimble is in the form of his life and Kearney is playing very well too.
There's no way Joe will change the wingers for the England game IMO

The incumbents would be unlucky to lose their spots but if the three you mentioned play out of their skin in their club games I can see them pushing for selection. For this game I would love to see a fit and 100% Bowe and Fitz on the wings. In Joe we must trust.

[Fireworks]

On the down side for you guys England will bring a more solid set piece, better mauling game and better control from half back.

On the plus side they have two rookie wingers and we saw what the French kicking game did to them. Unlike Wales and France England have a fairly small back line , if Ireland were able to shut down Roberts Cuthbert and North you won't have any issues with that English attack. Plus England lack an out and out 7, Henry will have a field day at the breakdown , this is certainly very a winnable game for Ireland.

If you can stop Billy Vuniopla off loading in the tackle and Sexton continues to kick as well from hand as he did last week, I expect you to win by 3-5 points

Good luck!

I think you have it exactly right. There will be a new game plan for this game which I would imagine will focus on avoiding an arm wrestle up front. This is where Joe will earn his corn. Get through this and we can start to get completely carried away.

[Lar]

On the down side for you guys England will bring a more solid set piece, better mauling game and better control from half back.

On the plus side they have two rookie wingers and we saw what the French kicking game did to them. Unlike Wales and France England have a fairly small back line , if Ireland were able to shut down Roberts Cuthbert and North you won't have any issues with that English attack. Plus England lack an out and out 7, Henry will have a field day at the breakdown , this is certainly very a winnable game for Ireland.

If you can stop Billy Vuniopla off loading in the tackle and Sexton continues to kick as well from hand as he did last week, I expect you to win by 3-5 points

Good luck!

I think you have it exactly right. There will be a new game plan for this game which I would imagine will focus on avoiding an arm wrestle up front. This is where Joe will earn his corn. Get through this and we can start to get completely carried away.

An arm wrestle no but I expect the breakdown to be very interesting against England.

[simonokeeffe]

posted this kind of in Welsh thread but in an open game (I suspect recall for Marshall) I would back the Irish 3/4 line over 2 baby wingers and Billy 'Tom Croft in the centre' Twelvetrees

expect a repeat of the targeting of Philips on Care

[Logorrhea]

Well there is that. You shut down Care and you pretty much all creativity within the English team.

[Golf Man]

Fitz, Bowe and Zebo have to play their way back into the squad. Long gone guaranteed places

Trimble is in the form of his life and Kearney is playing very well too.
There's no way Joe will change the wingers for the England game IMO

You kind of defeat your own point - no guaranteed places but no way you should change

Just beacuse the wingers have been good doesn't mean they should be automatic selections - if we are going to try to be more expansive and target the in experienced English wingers, then we need to decide who is the best fit for this (thought this was the Joe way no?) Trimble has offered more in attack than Kearney and should stay (my bad on his position). Fitz offers more than Kearney in attack and should come in. Kearney onto bench and McFadden to drop out all together. If he is going with teh same gameplan - then keep the wingers as is

[Broken Wing]

All going well Fitz and Reddan back in with DK probably losing out to Fitz and Boss clearing way for Reddan. That said, I'm not going to spend the next fortnight trying to second guess Joe's selection policy and how performances next weekend might justify inclusion for players.

England have two weeks to examine the forward dominated way Ireland have been playing (which was perfect for the predicted conditions) so I expect the backs to get a lot more ball in this game and a more expansive game plan in general. Of course that's not to say that the maul will be abandoned, especially for those lineouts close to the tryline, but there's no point giving your opponent what he expects.

[flustered]

Do we know who is referee for this game..........Nigel???

[jimbobjoe]

Do we know who is referee for this game..........Nigel???

Joubert.

Owens for Italy and The Steve Walsh Show for France.

[ribs]

So what's Joubert like at the breakdown and the scrum? Also, should we expect England to adopt the recent Northampton approach (at the Aviva)?

[Logorrhea]

So what's Joubert like at the breakdown and the scrum? Also, should we expect England to adopt the recent Northampton approach (at the Aviva)?

I always thought Joubert was a real stickler at the breakdown. You have to roll away damn fast, you must release fast, and be damn sure to compete legally. The breakdown is his signature thing isnt it?

On the scrum he always seemed to let anything go. Only the most obvious infractions would be pinged.

[Oldschool]

So what's Joubert like at the breakdown and the scrum? Also, should we expect England to adopt the recent Northampton approach (at the Aviva)?

SH refs generally like to let the game flow so he wants quick ruck ball (don't we all). He might be a bit tougher on us at the breakdown.
He reffed one of the 6Ns games already I think and I got the impression that again SH refs aren't so fussy about scrums so dropping them after the ball has been won doesn't seem too worry them so much.
Apologies Log, you posted while I was typing, but we seem to be more or less in agreement. Great minds and all that.....

A lot of us think Zebo should be called back into the squad, including myself tbh. However trying to read Joe's mind, I suspect the reason he hasn't recalled him is that Zebo likes to indulge himself on the pitch, he's a bit of a showman. This would not fit well with a New Zealander's innate belief that the team is everything.
Alternatively Joe want's Fitz and/or Bowe to come in as soon as possible and just wants to avoid the furore of then having to leave Zebo out given that he also would appear to want to reward the current tenants of the wing positions. Whom it has to be said have performed above everybody's expectations (my own included tbh) based on posts on this forum. Also he is less likely to want to lose McF because of his versatility.
Joe it would appear is a lot more complicated or less predictable than Dekko, whom when it came to anything approaching 50/50 was totally predictable.

[TrapperChamonix]

So what's Joubert like at the breakdown and the scrum? Also, should we expect England to adopt the recent Northampton approach (at the Aviva)?

SH refs generally like to let the game flow so he wants quick ruck ball (don't we all). He might be a bit tougher on us at the breakdown.
He reffed one of the 6Ns games already I think and I got the impression that again SH refs aren't so fussy about scrums so dropping them after the ball has been won doesn't seem too worry them so much.
Apologies Log, you posted while I was typing, but we seem to be more or less in agreement. Great minds and all that.....

A lot of us think Zebo should be called back into the squad, including myself tbh. However trying to read Joe's mind, I suspect the reason he hasn't recalled him is that Zebo likes to indulge himself on the pitch, he's a bit of a showman. This would not fit well with a New Zealander's innate belief that the team is everything.
Alternatively Joe want's Fitz and/or Bowe to come in as soon as possible and just wants to avoid the furore of then having to leave Zebo out given that he also would appear to want to reward the current tenants of the wing positions. Whom it has to be said have performed above everybody's expectations (my own included tbh) based on posts on this forum. Also he is less likely to want to lose McF because of his versatility.
Joe it would appear is a lot more complicated or less predictable than Dekko, whom when it came to anything approaching 50/50 was totally predictable.

I, like you would have Zebo in the squad. But I hope and believe that Joe won't give a flying fig about his decisions creating a furore but will do what he believes is the best to get the result. If that means including Zebo, then great. If not then feck the begrudgers.