RBS 6 Nations 2013

[the plastic paddy]

The Torygraph has sugested that Barritt might make way. They have an eerily accurate history of selection tips. As if they have a hot line to the RFU. I'd be surprised if Twelvetrees isn't benched.

I hope he picks the two youngsters but don't think he will take the risk of having an untried midfield away from home against a midfield in the form of Ireland at the moment. Fine if England dominate possession but if Ireland keep hold of the ball for significant periods they could tear England to pieces. Size is all well and good when you have got the ball but it becomes a liability when you have players with the footwork of BOD, D'Arcy, Gilroy and Zebo running at you, even if they are smaller. Barritt is a very limited player but he does defend well and organise the 'Samoan' and the 'coaches son'. Hope he picks 36 and the Samoan but think it will be Barritt.

 

[Italophile]

Wales have some very deep thinking to do. They're still set up for the big boshing backs game but it's not working anymore - and hasn't for almost 12 months - yet they persist. The forwards are slow to the breakdown with poor technique so the ball they get is always slow. Phillips dawdles with his distribution. Roberts is one-dimensional, Davies' passing is poor. Cuthbert isn't a natural rugby player and clueless in defence. I'm not sure where they go or what they do.

 

[Italophile]

@ plastic paddy

Couldn't agree more. Is D'Arcy going to be fit? Keith Earls didn't exactly cover himself in glory in the defensive line.

 

[Conor]

I hope Manu Tuilagi is i not picked. He is immense. I don't understand how you are underestimating him so much. He will make breaks and draw in lots of defenders. Ashton running lines off him and Twelvetrees would be a real threat.

 

[Italophile]

I'd be afraid of Manu too. More so with Twelvetree inside him than Barritt. Twelvetrees, for all his inexperience, even made Barritt look good at 13.

 

[Bardon]

If Ireland continue to kick ball back to the opposition like against Wales then Manu and Twelvetrees will be a very potent combination in attack. Doesn't matter how good your defence is someone with Manu's attributes is going to punch a few holes over the course of a game. The more we kick ball away the more likely we make that. If hang on to possession then and counter then a Manu/Twelvetrees partnership would be easier to exploit than if Barritt was in there on defence.

In what may very well be a tight game a break from one of those holes created by Manu could lead to the winning score. I'd really like to see us run the ball back more. The kick chase has always been one of our strengths. But where it really shines is when Kearney is on top form and we have Bowe in the team. Bowe is probably Ireland's best and most selfless kick chaser and he can turn an average kick into a good one simply by arriving at the right time and getting up to compete. For all their ability with ball in hand and speed Zebo and Gilroy just aren't as good at it.

Earls on defence really worries me. He's not the best tackler and his defensive alignment and positional awareness can be a bit dodgy. On attack he's really discovered his spark this year but I just worry about him being exposed. Even if it's just once again it could cost us the win. I'd really like to see someone working with him on this side of his game. It won't be too long before McFadden/Earls is a regular starting midfield combination for Ireland and both have a lot of work to do on their defence. Again if Earls plays it comes done to whether we're going to play a possession game as Manu running at Earls is a scary prospect, but I'd have full confidence in Earls to be able to step any of Tuilagi, Twelvetrees or Barritt.

 

[Italophile]

Bardon, what about Darren Cave? Why isn't he figuring? Apart from Declan's perversity.

 

[Italophile]

Just read that Earls is unlikely this week anyway with a shoulder injury.

 

[Bardon]

For the likes of Cave it's mainly down to Deccie's conservative selection policy. I'd expect him to feature on the summer tour and in the November tests. But only injury will see him feature this 6Ns I think. McFadden will probably be the next back in. One of the big problems we have in Ireland over recent years is that young guys weren't given a chance over the last few years when D'Arcy was clearly out of form.

Due to that and the fact that D'Arcy has rediscovered form this year all the back ups are pretty inexperienced at test level. The pecking order at centre seems to be BOD/D'Arcy/Earls/McFadden after those it's switch Bowe/Trimble/Sexton out of position. Then the young untried centres such as Cave/Marshall are after those options. It's really hard for these guys to get a chance due to the catch 22 of them not winning caps because they're untried.

The same was true of Zebo and Gilroy and it needed an injury crisis on the wings for them to get their shot and they've done really well. One thing Ireland doesn't lack is depth in the backs coming through but to look at squads over the last few years you wouldn't think so. The last 2 years with the WC and then picking teams for ranking for the next WC has really put us well behind in bringing in young guys. By the time guys like Cave. Marshall, Keatley, McFadden etc. become established in the Ireland squad they'll have people like Hanrahan, O'Malley, Maddiggan etc. queued up behind them in the same situation they're in now.

 

[Italophile]

I figured it had to be Deccie. I've seen quite a bit of Cave. He looks the goods.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Earls missed one tackle when he had been on for a minute and he couldn't commit himself to the tackle because Cuthbert had men outside him and Earls was the last man because two defenders had been blocked. His defending this season has been excellent when he has been fit, unfortunately it looks like he is curse with yet another long term injury. Cave is a very good player but he does not have Earls lightening acceleration, feet, balance or top end speed; He is bigger however. My understanding is that Earls is the only doubt for sunday and both D'Arcy and Ross are expected to be fit.

Just to clarify my point about the English centres, I think Twelvetrees and the Samoan offer plenty going forwards but they are both very raw defensively and I would have thought Lancaster would want Barrit there to organise the midfield defence.

 

[Italophile]

I think he'll go that way but the increasing rumours are that Manu will be on the bench. Believe it when I see it.

 

[Bardon]

Yeah I heard that one too Italophile. Lancaster doesn't rush his injured stars back into the team, but if that's the way he's thinking he could come under pressure to include him as we get closer to the weekend.

Paddy, re Earls I agree his defence has been much improved this season, but I still worry about it. It's not like he's going to be run over/through left and right but it only takes one missed tackle. I'd say the same about McFadden, looks pretty solid defensively for Leinster in the centres but he was exposed against Wales last year. D'Arcy and BOD on current form I'd have more confidence in but even then I worry that they might let one slip through. Overall my biggest worry is us kicking the ball to England all day and allowing them to run out our midfield whoever is on the pitch. If we play possession we have the midfield to beat them whichever of the 4 we pick, especially if one of them is BOD.

On the injury front BOD and Ross were in full training today. D'Arcy and Earls were in light training and Earls is to see a specialist tomorrow while D'Arcy will again be on light training and assessed tomorrow. O'Mahony was treated for concussion but is expected to be fine for Sunday. Cave, Trimble and Robbie Henshaw were called up to the training squad as cover for the backs while Ruddock is in as cover for O'Mahony.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Tuilagi on the bench would be a brave shout from Lancaster.

 

[JSRF10]

I would be delighted with the Samoan on the bench, between this and Morgan also out my confidence is increasing for this one. Although all it will take will be Ross to go down injured and we're in serious trouble. The first scrum could be worth watching in this one, England will want to get at Ross, whilst Ireland will want to lay down a marker after last years humiliation.

 

[boyo]

Chris Ashton: Boooooooooo

 

[JSRF10]

Chris Ashton: Boooooooooo

what he said

 

[JSRF10]

Gerry Thornley is reporting an unchanged 23 for Ireland, he is usually in the know for these kind of things. Ireland are in trouble if D'Arcys injury flares up early don't like the prospect of Earls defending against Tuialgi for 70 minutes!

 

[the plastic paddy]

I would be delighted with the Samoan on the bench, between this and Morgan also out my confidence is increasing for this one. Although all it will take will be Ross to go down injured and we're in serious trouble. The first scrum could be worth watching in this one, England will want to get at Ross, whilst Ireland will want to lay down a marker after last years humiliation.

Marler is nothing like as dangerous as the illegal Corbesiero. As for Ross going down injured it would not be great but it would not be as bad as last year because Fitzpatrick has shown himself to be a good scrummager, the problem is that he is not fit to play more than twenty minutes. Think the forecast is not too bad so hopefully it won't just be a giant scrum fest anyway. We could always adopt the Aussie tactic if things get desperate!?!

As for Earls defending against Tuilagi, I wouldn't fancy anyone's (including BOD) chances of defending against him if England get hold of loads of ball. However, if he is forced to defend for long periods his size is a liability against players like BOD, Earls and D'Arcy.

The game is simple really, if we play like we played for the first 45 in Cardiff for 70 mins in Dublin we will beat England if we kick them the ball and let them run at us it will be a long old afternoon. The scrum will hold up fine provided Ross doesn't get injured too early, Healy had Jones in his pocket last weekend and Jones is better than Cole; although Cole is freakishly good for a 24 year old Tight head Healy is the best loose head in the world right now. I think Ryan will have a right old go at the England line out because Young's throwing looks flakey and Hartley's temperament is questionable to say the least. The back row will be a proper battle but England will be desperate for Morgan to be fit.

 

[JSRF10]

Marler is nothing like as dangerous as the illegal Corbesiero. As for Ross going down injured it would not be great but it would not be as bad as last year because Fitzpatrick has shown himself to be a good scrummager, the problem is that he is not fit to play more than twenty minutes. Think the forecast is not too bad so hopefully it won't just be a giant scrum fest anyway. We could always adopt the Aussie tactic if things get desperate!?!

As for Earls defending against Tuilagi, I wouldn't fancy anyone's (including BOD) chances of defending against him if England get hold of loads of ball. However, if he is forced to defend for long periods his size is a liability against players like BOD, Earls and D'Arcy.

The game is simple really, if we play like we played for the first 45 in Cardiff for 70 mins in Dublin we will beat England if we kick them the ball and let them run at us it will be a long old afternoon. The scrum will hold up fine provided Ross doesn't get injured too early, Healy had Jones in his pocket last weekend and Jones is better than Cole; although Cole is freakishly good for a 24 year old Tight head Healy is the best loose head in the world right now. I think Ryan will have a right old go at the England line out because Young's throwing looks flakey and Hartley's temperament is questionable to say the least. The back row will be a proper battle but England will be desperate for Morgan to be fit.

I think the English player I'd like to see targeted early is Ben Youngs, in 2011 we did a great job on him he got rattled and eventually he got himself yellow carded. Ulster and Leinster have done something similar since then too. I'd have SOB, Best and Healy all over him early on, run over him, pull him into rucks, do anything to get into his head. If we knock him off his game Englands whole attacking game will suffer.

Although Englands lineout looks shakey with either hooker involved I'm slightly worried about Bests throwing. He hasn't been in great form recently, heres hoping for a return to top form. What do you reckon about giving Cronin a run for the last 15? I thought he could have made a real impact against the Welsh and there are few hookers better at carrying ball he is such a mobile and dynamic player, just seems Kidney isn't a fan at all.