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2014 Six Nations

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Ireland: R Kearney; A Trimble, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, D Kearney; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best, M Ross; D Toner, P O'Connell; I Henderson, C Henry, J Heaslip.
Replacements: S Cronin, J McGrath, M Moore, R Ruddock, J Murphy, E Reddan, P Jackson, F McFadden

I'm a little bit disappointed we haven't gone for another change or two.

The coaching staff are focused on staying in first place and winning the championship as is their prerogative.

Sexton is in after recovering from injury in time - I would have left him on the bench and given Jackson or Madigan a game. His form hasn't been so good that he's an automatic choice.

I'm also not a huge Dave Kearney fan - I think he's a little lightweight at this level. McFadden deserves a start (he'll probably get some at 13 next year) but if we stick him in Jackson can also play.

Ruddock and Murphy on the bench, and Henderson in at 6 go to show the level of back two talent we have coming through the ranks. O'Mahony is only 23 too.

Our pack seems well set in the medium term, but we need to figure out what viable alternatives there are at half back and in the centre.

I'm expecting a typical gutsy abrasive performance from Italy and they'll try to slow the game as much as possible.

Thankfully they're missing 2 excellent back rowers in Zanni and the number 8 whose name I shouldn't be forgetting.
 
Parisse. They've decided to rest him, which is a compliment to Ireland as it suggests they're targeting other games, since they know for a certain fact that they won't win if he's not there. I don't think I've ever seen another rugby team so dependent on one particular player.
 
You have to hand it to the Italians, they've improved loads in the past few years. Creating the six nations seems to have benefited them loads.
 
Decent first half.

Italy well in the game and getting the better of the physical exchanges.

Nice bit of improvisation from BOD to give Trimble a one on one that he finished nicely.

17-7
 
Another bit of BOD magic, a long one handed pass out of the tackle setting up Sexton's second try
 
I have 50 beans on Bod to get man of the match they are surely going to give it to him?
 
I wish I did the same. He was going to get it so long as he didn't have a shocker.

If it wasn't his last game at Lansdowne - he'd have had stuff competition from Healy, Sexton and Henry
 
Yeah I had a feeling it was set up before the game started.
Paddy power usually go 6 ta 1 they went 2 ta 1 today.
They knew.
Champagne rugby now but Italy are horrific.
Henry is looking a massive massive find.
 
Greatest irish sportsman ever.
So humble too.
Never see his like in the shirt again.
 
Leo said:
Fair shout.
Oh a worldwide scale it's probably O Driscoll though.
Click to expand...

Perhaps.

Although I was saying to a guy earlier that BOD was a wee bit lucky that Ireland had a decent team when he came good.
 
athensruairi said:
Perhaps.

Although I was saying to a guy earlier that BOD was a wee bit lucky that Ireland had a decent team when he came good.
Click to expand...

I don't see it that way.

I'll expand a bit on it tomorrow but I think Irish rugby benefited more from him than the other way around.
 
Basically it's this BOD was great before Ireland were good.

He was doing things in 2001 that nobody had ever done for Ireland - the hattrick in Paris which led us to win there.

And for me it's his hard nosed professionalism that others learned from and they wanted to be like him as much as they could (and it kept him at the top level for 15 years)

At the beginning he was a pacy, agile attacker, but he kept adding to his game - he could already kick but developed an outstanding grubber and short kicking game. Defensively he got better every year - adding the skills of an open side flanker to solid reading and tackling abilities. D'Arcy is one who benefitted most from working with him - McFadden too.

If you look at the tries from the weekend - the first was a result of him perfectly executing a set piece - that takes practice. The other two were bits of individual brilliance - the dummy and improvised pass for Trimble and the left handed pass out of te tackle for the last try. He started out as a super attacker with ball in hand and turned himself into the most complete back the northern hemisphere has ever seen. His angles of running, his timing of a pass, his decision making - all flawless.

He didn't do all that by accident, it was a work ethic he developed that is responsible for it.

And I think that work ethic has rubbed off on all those Leinster backs who have come through the ranks with him - Darcy, Kearney etc.

I think he's been the tide that floated all the boats rather than the Irish team being good gave him a platform.


(That's not to say he's solely responsible, O'Connell has certainly done the same)
 
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Fair enough. I won't pretend to know enough about rugby to argue with that.
 
Well I think the last sentence of mine opens up the debate - O'Connell. O'Gara and some others came on the scene at the same time - he wouldn't have had the same impact without them.
 
England nearly scored the try of the tournament there - and it would have killed this game
 
Our lads are clearly jaded after leading the Lions to that historic victory.

Hopefully something good will come of this defeat in the way of never having to suffer the pain of seeing Preistland playing in a Welsh jersey again.
 
Launchbury and Lawes have to be the best second row pair in the game. I'd go as far as to say that if England can get Cole and Corbisero fit they'll have a superb pack.
 
BOD was a great player, yet he was still a fair bit behind numerous other centres who played during his time in the game.
 
I await your list of strong and quick but fucking shite centres Rafa.

Anyway - fergus McFadden had the tweet of the day today:

@fergmcfadden: That standing ovation I got coming off the bench yesterday was amazing
#Thanks
 
One of the best things about that result is it will shut the all those bleating Welsh mouths up for a while, no doubt they would have been World Cup winners in waiting had they won that, that performance today and their 6 nations performance in general is exactly why they are overhyped, those performances are way to common for Wales to be considered this great team we all hear so much about, they will do very well to get out of the group next year, can't see it myself but we'll see.

Halfpennys boot is ridiculous and was frustrating there, as were the penalties given away in that 1st half, plenty of postives for England, apart from the usual standouts this 6N thought Farrell had a great game today and im really liking Burrell so far, pity about that 2nd try, would have been one to remember.

Should be fun next week, England surely have to go all out against Italy, Ireland just put 40 on them so you never know, Ireland have to be big favourites though, France are plain old shite.
 
You could easily name a shed load of past/present centres who were easily his equal as well. BOD gets hyped up because he was streets ahead of any other 'Irish' back to have played, but in all honesty that's not been a difficult task.

If you're talking who has been the best irish player when compared to their international rivals i'd choose O'Connell every time.
 
Shout out for Romain Poite, who's been an excellent referee for years now. He missed a couple of forward passes (though they were both during Welsh attacks, so he probably just felt sorry for them) but otherwise got everything right, and his quietly authoritative manner was top class.
 
Englands backs still look a very weak link. Unless they are gifted tries (like today), they'll struggle to break down teams.
 
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