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That was some bag of you know what last night. Quick ball from two-man rucks? It just doesn't work. Which team wore the other down over the course of 80 mins? How many points did we score in the last quarter which is when the weaker teams cave in (traditionally)? I wonder is O'Connell asking if they put the fear of God in anyone? Nivea for girls night sums it up for me. What chance changes - not Eddie's style? How many more matches must we endure Stringer for? I wonder if last night was the platinum that O'Gara craves?
Some comments:
- Horan - isolated in the loose, no impact in the scrum, spotted him slipping his binding a few times.
- Best - rubbish, can only be in the team to bulk up the front row and compensate for Horan
- Hayes - As usual, does the limited things well to very well, not fair to expect any more of him. He looks like the only guy who has lost bulk in all the conditioning work.
- O'Callaghan - I find it hard to believe that he was on the pitch. He continues to represent the gulf in class between being a good Heineken Cup level player and real international class
- O'Connell - really struggling with his game right now. Poor against Scotland and Italy, he had little impact and provided no leadership.
- Easterby - one of the better players on the night
- Wallace - totally off the pace apart from one excellent foray in support of Dempsey in the 1st half.
- Leamy - like Easterby, provided some power in contact, too often iin isolation
- Stringer - time to say good-bye, overshadowed by his opposite number - again. Have you ever honesty said he could displace any other teams' 9, apart maybe for England at present?
- Happy to float out cut-out passes that had interception written all over them, place kicking malaise betrays serious problems.
- Hickie - Clearly not the better of the clash of heads. Seemed intent on justifying his retirement announcement
- D'Arcy - Some breaks made but seems to have a sign saying "I'll have the ball on a mo, I'm the one to tackle" on him. On the receiving end of most of the Stringer/O'Gara semaphore/telegraphs passes.
- O'Driscoll - One of the better players on the night, struggling with the ineptitude all around him.
- Trimble - See comments on O'Callaghan, gulf in class etc.
- Dempsey - did nothing wrong but alway happy for others to take on the work of trying to change a game. Just another ordinary Girve game.
- Clearly the forwards have done nothing but continuity work and neglected the basic set pieces. Scrums ineffective/insecure, lineouts similarly insecure and no longer a platform for rolling maul. Ball off the top is pointless if the 7 can't get to the first breakdown.
- Definite reluctance to embrace physicality and impose ourselves on other teams. Seem to have forgotten that you have to win the non-ball parts of the war also. No ability or desire to grunt the ball through rucks - they need a session with Jim Telfer.
- Total lack of confidence is now a huge issue.
Regards,
Conor
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11 comments:
Can't really argue with any of that Conor.
Too many key players not performing + no leadership on the field + too predictable & conservative + EOS unwilling to drop his favourites = Ireland going home when we lose to France & Argentina. I hope I'm wrong...
Thanks for that, Conor.
So, you weren't happy with the performance?
No need to to read the newspapers now for the views of the professional hacks. Its all here.
Individuals aside, the main pattern I took from it was they are still not committing to this as a real game....still nobody wants to get hurt and miss the big games later, such as the final. Some chance now.
I'm afraid this world cup is going to completely pass the whole team by.
They'll finally wake up and get their ass in gear in the last 30 minutes against Argentina.
I'm just shocked at how bad they've become. Dunphy always says great teams don't become poor teams overnight. So, have to keep the faith a little longer.
One of the best bits about last night was Franno. He didn't cut loose, just sat there like a man patting the scabbard, waiting for more things to go wrong before drawing the sword and skinning everyone alive. He has the smuggest "i told you so" smirk on him - he is loving this.
Dunphy is playing a similar game, didn't really load the gun for Staunton, content to clean the barrel, polish the crosshairs and be all ready to unload like a Navy Seal come Wednesday night.
Cheer up lads, its not that bad. All we got to do is beat France and we
are out of the group. Given their performance against the bargies, the
lack of real leaders and the pressure of being hosts I could see the
French going to bits. A half decent performance might be enough.
I never get the impression that Franner has any justification for his predictions, unlike Dunphy. For me, Francis is the worst pundit about, all the time going off hunches.
I don't know what to expect from the Irish rugby team in the games against France and Argentina. The omens certainly are not good but I would not write them off. Laporte showed absolutely no tactical nous in his selection of the 15 or those on the bench. O'Connell doesn't look half the player he was a couple of seasons ago, his ball carrying is poor and he does not dominate the line out like he used to.
I haven't bothered to look at the papers today either...it will not make pretty reading.
who needs to read the papers after harty's analysis?
if nothing else, it shows how far we've come that the armchair supporter doesn't stand for this kind of performance. years ago it'd be a case of "sure didn't we win and get the bonus point....".
i'm hoping this is the wake up call the players need, but suspect there are too many of them not performing and don't see how this can change before the two big games. is it inconceivable that we don't beat georgia and score 4 tries? anything less is surely a disaster.
but what about the game friday night, a cracker. the argies could beat anyone, i predict a semi-final at least for them (i.e. they will top our group).
I'm Dave, the Argies for the Semis.
Excellent analysis gents (read mr harty sir), high praise for the Argies.
Of course the Argies beating anyone comes with an asterisk, right McG, or
do you think the All Blacks will be the chokebacks again?
I side with McDaid and say how can a quality team become has beens so
quickly...I'm hoping we are doing the world cup in classic italian soccer
slow build up style. Question - could one win all the group games ans till
come 3rd in the group because of bonus points? If so then bonus points are
way bogus.
With the team we have, anything but a semi final would be a disgrace, if
we don't do that we will remain bottom of the original 5 nations as
regards world cup record.
Tom.
unlikely scenarios, but in theory:
- 4 wins (with no bonus points) = 16 points.
- the closest anyone else could get, i.e. 3 wins + 4 bonus points (for 4
tries) + 1 bonus point for losing by < 7 points = 17 points.
so, you could come 2nd certainly. but 3rd? i don't think that's
possible.
as for great to poor - this has hardly happened overnight. we were
ruthless against italy in our final 6 nations game, since then lost to
argentina twice (granted 2 second teams), scotland, barely beat italy,
rubbish last night...
Yes Tom, least successful 5 nations stat is well recalled, we are the only country not to make the semis. Frankly, I'm SICK TO DEATH of the footage of the 1991 quarter final. Don't take this personally Tom as I know you had touchline seat for that game and can be seen grinning happily during the match.
Italian style - love it. We need a Paulo Rossi fast.
But all those matches aside from last night have been been meaningless friendlies albeit world cup warm up games....it's not that long since the 6 nations.....
re 91. I can still see campo running it i, never mind the replays, christ what a sickener, you are right we need something to replace that image
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