Ireland v Australia thread

[Ruckedtobits]

Best is such a superior scrummager to Cronin or Richardt that its hard to see him being left out if he's available. With Besty in the front-row the pressure reduces significantly on Ross and opponents are less likely to double-team him as it exposes the opposition hooker to real pressure from Best.

Also the prospect of "Nugget" coming on with 20 mins to go running against tired defenders is a great weapon.

[blockhead]

Joe said today that he wanted to give his 3 top hookers a start during this series.
Could be just softening the blow for Sean as he drops him to the bench, but Joe never lies, not even white ones.

[Flash Gordon]

Best is such a superior scrummager to Cronin or Richardt that its hard to see him being left out if he's available. With Besty in the front-row the pressure reduces significantly on Ross and opponents are less likely to double-team him as it exposes the opposition hooker to real pressure from Best.

Also the prospect of "Nugget" coming on with 20 mins to go running against tired defenders is a great weapon.

I think this is it. The Lions game plan involved an attack on the Australian scrum and it worked when Corbisiero was fit. If we can get scrum dominance and stiffle go forward ball coming out I think we'll win.

Have to say I'm really looking forward to this, two pretty even teams who play good rugby coached by 2 consecutive Leinster coaches. Great story!

[johng]

Of the starting backline, Folau & Kuridrani would be the only 2 you would be overly worried about. Ok how Australia are missing O'Connor, Giteu, Cummins

Have you seen Henry Speight?

TBH no, so quite willing to concede that he might be something special but my view is that they are not the all singing all dancing backline of old. Nothing wrong with any of them but I don't think of them as markedly superior to our own. Even the mighty Folau has his deficiencies that can be exploited.

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/video- ... dt-sunday/

Do yourself a favour. He's worth a watch

[suisse]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.2007415

Is it just me or are Cooper's articles really unfunny now? What is the purpose of this?

There's something so dated and tired about these types of articles. Mary Hannigan is the same. She was really incisive and humorous before. But it's just the same aul shite again and again now.

Times might be better than the Indo, but what a cr@p paper it is.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

You shut your dirty mouth about Mary Hannigan. She's an absolute hero, and it's a travesty that she's not on twitter and doesn't appear on TV/radio.

[meinster]

Is it just me or are Cooper's articles really unfunny now? What is the purpose of this?

Not a regular reader, but I read that article and wondered what the hell that was all about. I had got to the end of Page 1 (without knowing the author) wondering if it was a spoof. I still don't know.

[fourthirtythree]

Heard the most glorious tunelessness during amhran there.

Another man of the match performance from omahoney on the cards so.

[Peg Leg]

Well done short shorts!

[fourthirtythree]

"I'm happy with that pass..."

[Leinster Exile]

"I'm happy with that pass..."

I must have missed the new law

[Leinster Exile]

Shocking tackling

[Hippo]

Shambolic defending, forwards being blown out of it. Mistakes from Murray, Sexton, Zebo, Henshaw - major room for improvement across the pitch.

[ichabodscrane]

Zebo guilty of trying too hard. When he jig zags outta contact it looks good but it leaves his support zig zagging after him and arriving too late to the ruck.

[Hippo]

Zebo redeemed himself big time towards the end. Not sure about POC as MOTM! Changes in their front row made a big difference in our favour.

[BlueStreak]

Zebo redeemed himself big time towards the end. Not sure about POC as MOTM! Changes in their front row made a big difference in our favour.

Agree with points 1 and 3. Disagree on POC though, I thought he was immense!

[Hippo]

Zebo redeemed himself big time towards the end. Not sure about POC as MOTM! Changes in their front row made a big difference in our favour.

Agree with points 1 and 3. Disagree on POC though, I thought he was immense!

Some notable moments but made some mistakes, missed tackles etc. Not at his usual standard - not that it really matters.

[munster#1]

Very happy with that win, it was hard fought and will stand to these players.

My biggest concern is the scrum, I know it is an 8 man play, but Ross has been off the boil, he has been bossed a fair bit lately, and the fact that he has to play 80 mins shows the standard behind him.

To win a world cup we need a scrum, we don't need a destructive scrum, just a solid scrum, and we need 2 sets of front rows capable of gaining parity.

On a side note, I am ecstatic with Ireland playing winning rugby, but i would love if we were winning while playing like Australia did today, they will be a tough team to beat by the Rwc.

[Peg Leg]

I'm with m#1 MOC out!

[Peg Leg]

Again, I thought Ross did well. Had slipper a few times. Aussie scrum has shown its up to it against a few teams this yr. Moore & white provide some great options.