Final assignment: Iere

[Thomond78]

Leamy out with the ankle injury. Arse. :angryfire:

Replaced on the bench by Seán O'Brien.

 

[PaarlBok]

Hope he is a opensider, Wallace wants ball to score those tries.

 

[Thomond78]

Yup, an openside, but more in the Wallace/Burger mould than the Brussow/Pocock one.

 

[PaarlBok]

Who will be playing in Cheetah jerseys?

 

[Thomond78]

I presume we will, as we're the home team.

 

[PaarlBok]

Only see now:
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Chris White (England), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
TMO: Hugh Watkins (Wales)

All Nh refs like usual. :

 

[Thomond78]

First NH ref - in fact, first non-SA ref - we've had all this series.

And people with Bryce Bloody Lawrence in their hemisphere aren't in a position to get sniffy about anyone else's refs, Oom.

 

[cyclopath]

First NH ref - in fact, first non-SA ref - we've had all this series.

And people with Bryce Bloody Lawrence in their hemisphere aren't in a position to get sniffy about anyone else's refs, Oom.

Oi! Don't blame us for the bloody Kiwi. Like us blaming you for SCW just 'cos he hails from north of the Equator. It cuts both ways, Oirish.

 

[Thomond78]

First NH ref - in fact, first non-SA ref - we've had all this series.

And people with Bryce Bloody Lawrence in their hemisphere aren't in a position to get sniffy about anyone else's refs, Oom.

Oi! Don't blame us for the bloody Kiwi. Like us blaming you for SCW just 'cos he hails from north of the Equator. It cuts both ways, Oirish.

Yes, but Lord Bald is English. Everyone's allowed blame the English. It's what they're there for. :yay

Just be thankful the bould George Ayoub has retired, and we'll leave it at that.

 

[rustycruiser]

I presume we will, as we're the home team.

Nyet. Boks in white per the IRB's new policy instituted in April this year. Visiting team now changes strip if there is a clash. ABs in white in France this weekend as well.

 

[rustycruiser]

Bakkies gone, Dries Bekker partners with Matfield, and Francois Hougaard onto the bench.

 

[Blue]

Bakkies gone, Dries Bekker partners with Matfield, and Francois Hougaard onto the bench.

Bums, balls and buggery.

 

[Thomond78]

I presume we will, as we're the home team.

Nyet. Boks in white per the IRB's new policy instituted in April this year. Visiting team now changes strip if there is a clash. ABs in white in France this weekend as well.

Oh, for FUCK'S sake. :angryfire: :angryfire: :angryfire:

Home team changing was one of my favourite lingering features of this being a decent game. And those fucking arses went and changed a beloved feature of this sport to no benefit and just to be like wendyball. I've fucking had enough of them lately, and, just as we've declared legal war on Mr. Clampy, I'm now sacked off enough to take action. :angryfire:

 

[Thomond78]

Bakkies gone, Dries Bekker partners with Matfield, and Francois Hougaard onto the bench.

Bums, balls and buggery.

Massive loss for you. Bakkies is the real heart of that pack; when he's not there, Matfield is half the player, and (although I'd need to sit down with a video to check it properly) I suspect Bakkies is a huge part of the lifting at the core of your lineout, never mind the constant breakdown pressure.

 

[Scarfman]

I presume we will, as we're the home team.

Nyet. Boks in white per the IRB's new policy instituted in April this year. Visiting team now changes strip if there is a clash. ABs in white in France this weekend as well.

Oh, for FUCK'S sake. :angryfire: :angryfire: :angryfire:

Home team changing was one of my favourite lingering features of this being a decent game. And those fucking arses went and changed a beloved feature of this sport to no benefit and just to be like wendyball. I've fucking had enough of them lately, and, just as we've declared legal war on Mr. Clampy, I'm now sacked off enough to take action. :angryfire:

I totally agree. That's put me off my lunch, that has.

 

[Thomond78]

Ooooh, I'm pissed off now. There will be a reckoning for this one; it's time to write that article about how to shut down the disciplinary system.

In passing, the Ireland A team end the year unbeaten; beat Argentina A 31-0 last night.

 

[Blue]

Big setback it is, but I feel like Bekker has come on in giant strides this year.

Yes we will miss Bakkies. Enormously.

I still feel the Boks are going to come out with high intensity and the only way the Irish will win is to play an even more physical game and I am not sure they have it in them. They certainly did not show it against the Wallabies. In fact I felt the Wallabies had the upper hand physically.

Last game of the year, and the senior group will look to finish the year off ion the right way. This team has come good when the chips are down and the leadership is what has done it.

Boks by 7.

 

[Thomond78]

The thing is, Bekker's not a Bakkies Óg, he's a Klein Victor. And that's not great for ye, because the only reason Matfield can play as he does is Bakkies' relentless work-rate. Absent that, as we saw in the third Lions test and other games, Matfield can't do it, can't play his natural game and looks a lot less effective. Bakkies is the heart of your pack because he''s the guy giving that relentless physical edge and niggle.

Against the Wobblies, we were rusty as hell for the first fifty, but that was always going to happen; over half that Irish team have played less than 10 games of any kind this season, between injury, the Lions or both. Whereas now, I'd be much more confident on that front. Also, Flannery is a much, much better hooker than the GSE of the Lions, and we know from the Lions tour that moving the Bokke around works. Without Bakkies to give the grunt, one of your main weapons - the physicality - is in large part neutralised. And with Cullen on the bench for us, it could get interesting, as I would reckon he's the nearest to that sort of player on either team.

Before this news, I genuinely couldn't call it. Now, I'm more confident; it's a vast plus for us.

Weather-wise, it's cold as buggery, but a dry and foggy grey.

 

[PaarlBok]

Bakkies is a big loss. :'( Anyway Bekker have been good on tour. Will just mean we will steal a few more lineouts. Pakslae have a huge role now with Bakkies out, we need a cleaner of rucks, big time.

 

[rustycruiser]

I presume we will, as we're the home team.

Nyet. Boks in white per the IRB's new policy instituted in April this year. Visiting team now changes strip if there is a clash. ABs in white in France this weekend as well.

Oh, for FUCK'S sake. :angryfire: :angryfire: :angryfire:

Home team changing was one of my favourite lingering features of this being a decent game. And those fucking arses went and changed a beloved feature of this sport to no benefit and just to be like wendyball. I've fucking had enough of them lately, and, just as we've declared legal war on Mr. Clampy, I'm now sacked off enough to take action. :angryfire:

So much for the IRB and their directives. Ireland in white

:lmao: