Cheers Col - should be a great weekend! My son and I last did a rugby weekend in Dublin before Covid - Wales lost that day. Hopefully, a better outcome this time
Jez lads Too many people writing off Scotland. In my first post on this thread, I said it would be typical Ireland to beat SA and then lose to Scotland. Beware of the wounded animal. No other group has the third ranked team, ranked 5th in the world.
You’ll only lose to Scotland if you think the jobs already done with the Springboks result. I’m sure Farrell will have had some strong words about the (understandable) celebrations at winning a group game. The Boks are the wounded animal now. I do enjoy watching Finn Russell play though.
well boss I’d take issue with a few of your points above; firstly, Ireland didn’t just win because of SAs poor kicking. 2 of their missed 4 kicks were hail Mary’s at best and they subsequently got a try from one. The bigger question is, why did SA who knew they had kicking problems go for the kicks when they should have kicked to the line and used their dominant lineout. The SAs had consciously picked a huge team and bench to try pulverise Ireland and yet at the key moment decided to use their weakness (goal kicking) instead of using their strength, lineout and power maul. Secondly, why did their much vaunted 7-1 split and self named ‘bomb squad’ concede 2 scrum penalties in the last 10 minutes. The answer is they simply had no creativity, no plan B and could not break down the Irish defence. This rubbish in the media that IRE won because of poor SA kicking is simply that, rubbish. Ireland lost their first 4 lineouts and 5 of their first 6. 4 of these were in and around SAs 22m. If Ireland had their lineout functioning they would have won that game pulling away as SA are so one dimensional. Finally, after each of the first 3 games, the Irish team celebrated, walked around the pitch and acknowledged the fans. This match was 4 years in the making. SA had created new tactics (7-1 split) specifically to target Ireland and yet we won. There was 60k+ Irish fans in the stadium and the match was an epic. Surely they were allowed show emotion!!! Within 20 seconds they were embracing the opposition. If anyone saw Farrels or Sextons post match interview, they were deadpan, humble dnd focussed on the next game.
I really don’t think literally 20 seconds of celebration merits the sh1te that has been mentioned about this (lazy media/journalism). Several of the Irish players said their reaction was to the moment, which was literally keeping SA out in the dying seconds of a superb game IRE will name 11-12 of that team next week and I expect another cracker. It’s do or die for both teams with the All Blacks sitting in ambush
If I had to bet right now. I’d be betting on a France v NZ final. Can’t see SA beating France with the kicking and hooker problems they have. Very difficult for IRE to beat SA, Scotland and NZ in a row especially as NZ will have had 4 straight weeks to plan and prepare for it
****ing hell, you were the one who told me to put my money on the Boks! In your defence it was in a pub before a QPR game so the balance of your mind might have been questionable…. I still make you favourites, but think you might need to beat SA again….
I knew SA was/is building momentum but couldn’t have factored in at that stage that; 1. SA leaving their best/only kicker at home. Pollard got injured and has only played 20 odd minutes of Prem rugby in last number of months That’s been rectified by bringing him in but he’ll have had no real or decent game time before Quarter Final. 2. Marx getting injured and them not replacing him. SA only have one recognised hooker in the squad. This will cost them. It’s hard to explain RR’s decision making process here. It’s ludicrous. A fit Pollard and Marx and they’re a much better team (a team worth backing)
The best news is that France expect Dupont to play again at some stage of the tournament, so my bet isn't dead yet !
SA will have to do something this week to address their hooker issue. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if there is an ‘injury’ over the next few days to bring one in. You can’t have a pack that size and no functioning hooker after 50 minutes
Why did they call up Pollard ? Surely they intend to play him at some stage and be their place kicker ? Very strange
Have to say Nuts, that despite Scotland being decent, I expect you to beat them by 10-15 points if your remotely at it !
we just need 1pt from the game. Will be an open fast game. Scotland’s Achilles heel is their pack, the question is can we dominate them
They called up pollard because he wasn’t fit when the squad was announced and they knew that LeBoc’s kicking was suspect. They only took 2 hookers to the World Cup and now one is gone home injured. They should have called up another hooker but took in pollard instead. That’s why I think they will fabricate an injury to call up another hooker
Finally, you agree with the rest of us, that Ireland are the best team in the world. You won't lose to Scotland.
I did acknowledge that we have a super team and a great chance to go deep but the group is ridiculous. We lose to Scotland and we go home
