RWC: IRE v ITA (Olympic Stadium): POOL D

[waiopehu oldboy]

Ref: Garces
AR's: Gauzere & Gardner
TMO: Hughes

 

[mxyzptlk]

Garces on the whistle: The one place Italy will want to win some ascendancy is the scrum, and given how the England-Wales game went, that could get interesting. I wonder if any coaches are asking him about what's legal and what isn't.

I don't know if Rizzo or Aguero have reputations for being bores, and I don't know if Ireland will give Mike Ross a run or go with Tadhg Furlong. I've liked what I've seen from the Irish props so far, so looking forward to it.

 

[KevinO]

World Cup starts now for Ireland. Still don't think we are going to put on a breath taking display we are waiting for.

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[Cardiffblue]

World Cup starts now for Ireland. Still don't think we are going to put on a breath taking display we are waiting for.

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No need. Just keep knocking over the opposition and building momentum. Ireland had a dream draw

 

[KevinO]

No need. Just keep knocking over the opposition and building momentum. Ireland had a dream draw

Could not agree more about the draw, working our way up the degree of difficulty slowly and week breaks the whole time.

Our next Saturday game should be the final.

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[mxyzptlk]

World Cup starts now for Ireland. Still don't think we are going to put on a breath taking display we are waiting for.

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That doesn't seem like Schmidt's style. He'll take effective and clinical over breathtaking and risky every time. And if it gets them through the next game, so will I.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Mike Ross doesn't offer much around the field but there isn't a stronger scrummaging tight head in the game, IMHO. Schmidt is, correctly, going full strength although there are doubts over Kearney's Arse and Jared's toe. I would start Zebo ahead of Kearney anyway and would quite like to see Luuuuuuuuke Fitz at 12 and Robbie Henshaw 13. This will be the team IMHO

1 Healy 2 Best 3 Ross 4 Paulie 5 Henderson 6 POM 7 SOB 8 Heaps 9 Murray 10 Sexton 11 Earls 12 Fitz 13 Henshaw 14 Daverage( I would have Bowe here) 15 Zebo

16 Cronin 17 McGrath 18 White 19 Ryan 20 Henry 21 Reddan 22 Madigan 23 Bowe

 

[mxyzptlk]

^^^^^^Henshaw hasn't gotten a run out with Cave, has he? That's one combination I wouldn't mind seeing, but it's probably too late to introduce it.

 

[the plastic paddy]

If the are both fit, I think the six nations centre pairing will be McCloskey and Henshaw. Now that will be something to behold.

 

[Relance]

Mike Ross doesn't offer much around the field but there isn't a stronger scrummaging tight head in the game, IMHO.

Rabah Slimani might have something to say about that. But I agree, he's impressive. Xavier Chiocci still has nightmares of that Champions Cup semi final...

Ireland by 25. That Italian team is depressing to watch.

 

[mxyzptlk]

Rob Kearney and Jared Payne sitting the Italy game out, Zebo in at fullback. Robbie Henshaw getting a start at center, and Iain Henderson back in. Rest of the Ireland squad to be named Friday.

 

[Bairdy]

Rabah Slimani might have something to say about that. But I agree, he's impressive. Xavier Chiocci still has nightmares of that Champions Cup semi final.

Ireland by 25. That Italian team is depressing to watch.

Agreed. Between Slimani, Ben Arous, and perhaps Atonio, France have some formidable - arguably the best - scrummaging prop stocks in the world

 

[mxyzptlk]

Agreed. Between Slimani, Ben Arous, and perhaps Atonio, France have some formidable - arguably the best - scrummaging prop stocks in the world

Uini Atonio's about 145 kgs. That makes it all the more weird when announcers pronounce his name as "Weenie."

 

[the plastic paddy]

Uini Atonio's about 145 kgs. That makes it all the more weird when announcers pronounce his name as "Weenie."

I thought his first name was Weighs.

 

[mxyzptlk]

I thought his first name was Weighs.

 

[Quick Hands]

Rabah Slimani might have something to say about that. But I agree, he's impressive. Xavier Chiocci still has nightmares of that Champions Cup semi final.

Ireland by 25. That Italian team is depressing to watch.

Italy are terrible. No structure to their game beyond winning scrums - 20 years behind the times.

 

[mxyzptlk]

IRELAND

1. Jack McGrath
2. Rory Best
3. Mike Ross
4. Iain Henderson
5. Paul O'Connell captain
6. Peter O'Mahony
7. Sean O'Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Conor Murray
10. Johnny Sexton
11. Dave Kearney
12. Robbie Henshaw
13. Keith Earls
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Simon Zebo

Replacements
16. Sean Cronin
17. Cian Healy
18. Nathan White
19. Devin Toner
20. Chris Henry
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Ian Madigan
23. Luke Fitzgerald

 

[mxyzptlk]

ITALY

1. Matias Aguero
2. Andrea Manici
3. Lorenzo Cittadini
4. Ouintin Geldenhuys
5. Josh Furno
6. Francesco Minto
7. Simone Favaro
8. Sergio Parisse captain
9. Edoardo Gori
10. Tommaso Allan
11. Giovanbattista Venditti
12. Gonzalo Garcia
13. Michele Capagnaro
14. Leonardo Sarto
15. Luke McLean

Replacements
16. Davide Giazzon
17. Michele Rizzo
18. Dario Chistolini
19. Alessandro Zanni
20. Mauro Bergamasco
21. Guglielmo Palazzani
22. Carlo Canna
23. Tommaso Benvenuti

 

[mxyzptlk]

Best news for Italy is they have Parisse fit. Not sure where Castrogiovani, is, but he's not on the roster.

Ireland still resting Kearney the Elder and and Payne the Jared, who are still healing from a couple of niggles.

This means that Zebo gets to start in his probably natural position of fullback, so that could be interesting. Robbie Henshaw is finally off the injured reserve, but with his normal dance partner Payne, he'll be working with Keith Earls -- who at least has experience in the position, and has been pretty potent in attack. Iain Henderson displaces Devin Toner as the starting lock, which is great for some blast ball carrying. (In the future he could even start at 6 and shift to lock later on, if need be.)

But a pack with Henderson, POC, SOB, POM and Heaslip could be..... authoritative. They have the potential to provide an air craft carrier's worth of platform for Murray and Sexton to unleash the backs. And those backs have been getting into some good form.

 

[Quick Hands]

I'm with Relance, Ireland should win this by 25 plus. Someone needs to bring Italian rugby into the 21st century.