BDA
Peter Johnson (47)
I was referring to their scrum work, which is where Skelton seems to struggle a bit. My point is, I wouldn't get rid of Skelton, he gives us front foot ball.
Ireland v Australia
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I was referring to their scrum work, which is where Skelton seems to struggle a bit. My point is, I wouldn't get rid of Skelton, he gives us front foot ball.
BDA
Peter Johnson (47)
Whether they are our toughest opponent I'm not so sure. They are certainly in great form, but I tend to think their ceiling is not as high as England's or France's ceiling. I think our toughest game will be against England because they'll be able to pressure us in the set piece and with the small pack we have on tour they should be able to win the close quarters combat. Those are the circumstances that the wallabies historically struggle with. The Irish on the other hand will have a slightly weaker scrum to the Wallabies so they have little chance of getting any advantage in the set piece. I also wager they'll spend a fair bit of time defending and if our attack is on we should make more line-breaks than the boks managed.
The Wallabies v France game reminded me in some ways of the Boks v Ireland. The Irish played a magnificent game, spent most of the game defending but repelled everything the boks threw at them. You spent the whole game waiting for the Boks to break open the Irish defense but it just never eventuated. The Boks were shit, the Irish were almost perfect, but I still wouldn't bet on the Irish if those two teams played again next week. The France v Wallabies game was similar. I thought the French were outstanding and the wallabies were off their game.
I'm not saying that we'll beat the Irish. They'll be on a massive high at home. But I think we have the better team and provided we don't play as shit as last week we should win.
Biffo
Ken Catchpole (46)
how many times have you posted that?
ten?
i tire of blokes giving opinions that contravene the facts.
for example, picking in imaginary blokes who are ineligible or in sick bay.
a bloke on another rugby web site last week laid into TGC for not starting Stephen Moore and David Pocock against France.
M
Moono75
Guest
So your from the 'recycling the same old shit' school and hoping for a different result. We are supposed to be building for the WC next year and instead of finding out what some of these guys can do they just sit on the shelf while guys that have been in and out of the team keep being given chance after chance. Sometimes you need to take a punt on some new guys and see what they can do.
Some guys are able to handle the pressure and grow at an exponential rate compared to others when given a chance to compete at a higher level. Shane Warne got blooded and put to the sword in his cricketing debut for Australia but he learnt on the job supported by some veteran talent and went on to be a champion. Roll the dice and see what comes up. We know we have enough lack luster talent that can always be brought back into the team to continue to ply their trade if the young guy fails first out.
To sum it up another way......'life's like a box of chocolates....you never know what your gonna get.
KevinO
Geoff Shaw (53)
He is the one player I would be leaving out of the side, his style of play suits the Irish choke defense perfectly.
World rankings are updated, your lose cost you third. We didn't change on points at all but it was enough to overtake you and England who is .01 behind you.
3(5)
4(3)
BDA
Peter Johnson (47)
Don't forget his lineout work.
Scrum shit.
Lineout shit.
Workrate shit.
Frontfoot ball.
Doesn't look lopsided at all.
You're right. we dont need front foot ball.
qwerty51
Stirling Mortlock (74)
Don't forget his lineout work.
Scrum shit.
Lineout shit.
Workrate shit.
Frontfoot ball.
Doesn't look lopsided at all.
You forgot to add body shifting and tackling.
BDA
Peter Johnson (47)
He is the one player I would be leaving out of the side, his style of play suits the Irish choke defense perfectly.
World rankings are updated, your lose cost you third. We didn't change on points at all but it was enough to overtake you and England who is .01 behind you.
3(5)IRELAND 84.84
4(3)AUSTRALIA 84.22
Congrats. For the record I'm a big fan of the Irish side and would love to see them win the world cup. I just think they are a better opponent for us than the English are (who we traditionally struggle against).
Bairdy
Peter Fenwicke (45)
1. Slipper (start him for his workrate and scrummaging)
2. Hanson (almost a like for like for FTS, and we're better served with a strong bench to close the game out)
3. Faulkner (Jack McGrath isn't a devastating scrummager so let Kepu wreak havoc from the bench in the final 30)
4. Simmons (the only consistent and dependable lock atm)
5. Carter (start him if he's fit, otherwise start Jones)
6. Jones (start with McMahon if Carter isn't fit; hit rucks, drop Paddys and carry the pill Luke)
7. Hooper (do the hard graft in tight if the ball is only going one or two channels off the ruck all game, instead of hovering in midfield)
8. McCalman
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. Speight (good as time as any to play him, especially against Zebo the 'x factor')
15. Folau (kick the ball to clear if you're alone in your 22)
Bench: FTS, Robinson, Kepu, Horwill, Schatz, Genia, Cooper, Tomane
2. Hanson (almost a like for like for FTS, and we're better served with a strong bench to close the game out)
3. Faulkner (Jack McGrath isn't a devastating scrummager so let Kepu wreak havoc from the bench in the final 30)
4. Simmons (the only consistent and dependable lock atm)
5. Carter (start him if he's fit, otherwise start Jones)
6. Jones (start with McMahon if Carter isn't fit; hit rucks, drop Paddys and carry the pill Luke)
7. Hooper (do the hard graft in tight if the ball is only going one or two channels off the ruck all game, instead of hovering in midfield)
8. McCalman
9. Phipps
10. Foley
11. AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
12. To'omua
13. Kuridrani
14. Speight (good as time as any to play him, especially against Zebo the 'x factor')
15. Folau (kick the ball to clear if you're alone in your 22)
Bench: FTS, Robinson, Kepu, Horwill, Schatz, Genia, Cooper, Tomane
Joe Blow
Peter Sullivan (51)
I hesitate to do it but I will weigh in on The McMenimen debate.
He never made it at test level because his body position was terrible. I remember well watching him taking the ball forward upright and being easily picked off. Add to that the fact that he was a penalty magnet and injured more often than not.
Yes he had the Madness attitude but never showed anything of worth at the highest level.
FACT.
He never made it at test level because his body position was terrible. I remember well watching him taking the ball forward upright and being easily picked off. Add to that the fact that he was a penalty magnet and injured more often than not.
Yes he had the Madness attitude but never showed anything of worth at the highest level.
FACT.
Joe Blow
Peter Sullivan (51)
We need to start Cooper with Phipps if we really want to see what he can do.
With quick ball and more time QC (Quade Cooper) can be devastating.
He has the best "vision" of any of our inside backs and can see opportunities to exploit, sometimes phases ahead. Where Foley feeds his runners and hopes they break through Quade puts his runners into holes or half holes.
Put To'omua outside him and also give him TK, Speight and Folau to hit.
Jones to start at 6 would be my only change up front with Carter to replace Big Willy on the bench.
With quick ball and more time QC (Quade Cooper) can be devastating.
He has the best "vision" of any of our inside backs and can see opportunities to exploit, sometimes phases ahead. Where Foley feeds his runners and hopes they break through Quade puts his runners into holes or half holes.
Put To'omua outside him and also give him TK, Speight and Folau to hit.
Jones to start at 6 would be my only change up front with Carter to replace Big Willy on the bench.
BabyBlueElephant
Darby Loudon (17)
Think the Aus scrum is a fair bit better than the one Ireland will field on Sat. Could squeeze a few pens there as long as Kepu is left on.
Breakdown will be interesting. Ireland are the form team in this area and have been for a while, Boks conceded 19 turnovers which is ridiculous for them. Cheika however will be drilling in ball retention into the Aus side for this game, its one of the things he prides his teams on. The battle here will be an epic one, maybe the Wobs will step it up a gear or so here even with their injury list here.
Wonder how the lineout will go. Ireland's was less than flattering against the Boks, wonder if Cheika will choose to target it or put it down to the fact Matfield, Etzebeth etc ruin most lineouts.
Breakdown will be interesting. Ireland are the form team in this area and have been for a while, Boks conceded 19 turnovers which is ridiculous for them. Cheika however will be drilling in ball retention into the Aus side for this game, its one of the things he prides his teams on. The battle here will be an epic one, maybe the Wobs will step it up a gear or so here even with their injury list here.
Wonder how the lineout will go. Ireland's was less than flattering against the Boks, wonder if Cheika will choose to target it or put it down to the fact Matfield, Etzebeth etc ruin most lineouts.
GunsGermsRugbyandSteel
Stan Wickham (3)
Do Australia play like the Waratahs or will that start playing like them given that Cheika had some reall success with them this year?
GunsGermsRugbyandSteel
Stan Wickham (3)
Find this a really tough game to call. Ireland are missing a couple of really good players in Healy and O'Brien. However, we have our strongest ever squad so the back up guys McGrath and Henry/Ruddock are pretty good. Henry would probably start but he was sidelined due to a temporary blockage of a small blood vessel in his brain prior to the SA game so may not be back.
Secondly, Ireland were really embarassed last November by Australia in Joe Schmidt's first real test. Id be tempted to write that game off as the players not quite having adapted to Joe's thinking yet however, I was at that game and I find it hard to remember Ireland ever being that poor at a home game I have been at and I have been at most of them for the last 15 years so that is a little worrying.
That said I have faith in Joe's cunning and I think he will along with fairly newly apointed forwards coach Simon Easterby come up with a game plan to put us in a position to win the game. I think whether we win or not will depend on player execution on the day and maybe some luck.
Ireland by 5. Welcome back Cheika, always welcome.
Secondly, Ireland were really embarassed last November by Australia in Joe Schmidt's first real test. Id be tempted to write that game off as the players not quite having adapted to Joe's thinking yet however, I was at that game and I find it hard to remember Ireland ever being that poor at a home game I have been at and I have been at most of them for the last 15 years so that is a little worrying.
That said I have faith in Joe's cunning and I think he will along with fairly newly apointed forwards coach Simon Easterby come up with a game plan to put us in a position to win the game. I think whether we win or not will depend on player execution on the day and maybe some luck.
Ireland by 5. Welcome back Cheika, always welcome.
BabyBlueElephant
Darby Loudon (17)
Ireland openside Chris Henry will miss the game after suffering temporary blockage of small blood vessel in the brain.
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