Six Nations: Wales - Ireland Post Match Discussion

Wales 22 - Ireland 30

Wales:
Tries - Cuthbert (47 min), Halfpenny (58 min), Mitchell (75 min)
Convs - Halfpenny 2/3
Pens - Halfpenny 1/1

Ireland:
Tries - Zebo (10 min), Healy (23 min), O'Driscoll (42 min)
Convs - Sexton 3/3
Pens - Sexton 3/3


Match Stats:
http://www.espnscrum.com/six-nations-2013/rugby/match/133782.html

Cheers breaker

The second half will give Wales (and England!) some heart. Overall, it was a game of two very different halves and Ireland deserved to win.

Thought gilroy put in some big big hits

No probs Billy. A fine win for Ireland!

Good game good game, now let's all talk about England and their win over the All Blacks...

First time Wales have ever lost 5 games in a row in Cardiff. Strange because they have a bloody good team.

the faces of those who dismiss BOD as 'past it' and 'ineffective'
still the front runner for B&I Lions 13

Also, now Howley has to forgive Tipuric for whatever sin he perpetrated against him, because the immediate difference with his arrival is enough to get him on the pitch next week.

That was one of the best games I have seen in a while. It was frustrating and there were a lot of mistakes from both teams, but in terms of sheer intensity it was up there with the best. I was on the edge of my seat throughout!

Well played Wales, you gave us some scare!

Bests dodgy sin binning turned the game massively. Fantastic spectacle though with good rugby from both sides

Best team won, good luck for the rest of the tournament Ireland.

Pretty disgusted by the Welsh first half display still though. Still 3 tries each and we did finally get out going in the second half.

For years there hasnt been much between Wales and Ireland and they were due a win. Magnificent defense at times from the Irish. I think Wales will have a bit of confidence back, I just wish Paris wasnt our next game.

Now for the oldest fixture in rugby England v Scotland. Come on SCOTLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!

O'Brien made 23 tackles missed 1
McCarthy made 18 missed none!
Ryan 16, Healy 15 both missed none.

Massive stats!

Completely missed the match. What happened in the second half? Were Ireland bad or were Wales good?

GunsGerms wrote:First time Wales have ever lost 5 games in a row in Cardiff. Strange because they have a bloody good team.

There is a distinct lack of creativity in their back line though. Against Ireland they have more chances to bosh up the middle than they might get against other teams. Davies was absolutely shocking, if I was a welsh fan I would be furious with how many chances he butchered. North needs to be more involved, he is still a fantastic player but he is getting less ball than he used to.

Also, it is absolutely criminal that Tipuric did not start this game.

Well done Ireland, you won the game in the first half. Wales came back well but too little too late.

Looseheaded wrote:the faces of those who dismiss BOD as 'past it' and 'ineffective'
still the front runner for B&I Lions 13

I always find it so funny when BOD gets written off every year. Once again shows how good he is. Incredible pass to set up a try, great determination to get a try himself and some ferocious tackling. MOTM to top it all off. What more do you want from a 13?

Well, the second half was immensely disappointing from an Ireland point of view but we did enough to secure it. Had Wales managed to turn up and play to their potential in the first half, would have been a different result.

I was incredibly disappointed in our defensive strategy. Last year Wales got really good front foot momentum because our small backline was really passive and stood off their big runners, letting them build up a head of steam and create momentum. Eventually we let them power up the field and eventually win a penalty to sneak it in Dublin. It cost us the match and this year we employed the exact same defensive strategy.

That truly is unforgivable.

Maybe time to retire the second class flanker at scrum half. If anyone mentions him and lions should be put themselves into therapy

BOD was absolutely incredible, he still has it. Very few players out there can do what he does, and he is going to be sorely missed when he retires for Ireland.

They need a better 10 as well, Biggar looked out of his depth there and Priestland last I saw was a liability.

What happened to Matthew Morgan?

Riskysports wrote:Maybe time to retire the second class flanker at scrum half. If anyone mentions him and lions should be put themselves into therapy

+1

He is truly terrible and has a crap attitude to match his skills.

Notch wrote:Well, the second half was immensely disappointing from an Ireland point of view but we did enough to secure it. Had Wales managed to turn up and play to their potential in the first half, would have been a different result.

I was incredibly disappointed in our defensive strategy. Last year Wales got really good front foot momentum because our small backline was really passive and stood off their big runners, letting them build up a head of steam and create momentum. This year we employed the exact same defensive strategy.

That truly is unforgivable.

Totally agree Notch, the metres we gave them was atrocious. A game against the biggest backline in world rugby and we allow them space to run.

Yet when we actually were forced to defend on the gainline (our try line for example) we shut players down very effectively.

Riskysports wrote:Maybe time to retire the second class flanker at scrum half. If anyone mentions him and lions should be put themselves into therapy

This, i almost broke the screen when he made that knock on 5m out because he is too slow.

Connor Murray totally outclassed him today.

I have no finger nails left!

yappysnap wrote:

Riskysports wrote:Maybe time to retire the second class flanker at scrum half. If anyone mentions him and lions should be put themselves into therapy

+1

He is truly terrible and has a crap attitude to match his skills.

I still like him for what he does well, but at the moment he seems lazy and taking his position for granted. No intensity until in the second half when he had a call against him on that tap and go. After that point he was pretty impressive.

Feckin hope Darcy and ross are ok for next week

Thought Biggar was much better when wales was going forward. Certainly giving more options than 2012 priestland. Some quality inside passes as well. He also needs quicker ball.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

Notch wrote:Well, the second half was immensely disappointing from an Ireland point of view but we did enough to secure it. Had Wales managed to turn up and play to their potential in the first half, would have been a different result.

I was incredibly disappointed in our defensive strategy. Last year Wales got really good front foot momentum because our small backline was really passive and stood off their big runners, letting them build up a head of steam and create momentum. This year we employed the exact same defensive strategy.

That truly is unforgivable.

Totally agree Notch, the metres we gave them was atrocious. A game against the biggest backline in world rugby and we allow them space to run.

Yet when we actually were forced to defend on the gainline (our try line for example) we shut players down very effectively.

I agree, our defensive system really needs to be reviewed. They way we are set up the opposition is virtually guaranteed 15-20 metres min if they spin it wide. Kills us every time.

eirebilly wrote:Completely missed the match. What happened in the second half? Were Ireland bad or were Wales good?

Wales gained more momentum as the game progressed. They had more possession in the 2nd half but Ireland's defence held. They out-tackled Wales but missed tackles were 9-9 at one stage early in the second half. The damage had already been done in the 1st half (9-2) dropped balls which were punished. In the 2nd half it was a relentless defensive effort from Ireland but they were naturally tiring... a couple of cracks appeared and Wales managed to score a few.

Rather than it being a game of two halves, it was more critically a game of 43 and 37 minutes.

The first score in the second half was the catalyst. For Wales to wake up and for Ireland to fall asleep slightly but enough to lose the match momentum for the rest of the game.

Superb defending by Ireland but some brain dead attacking by Wales.

GunsGerms wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

Notch wrote:Well, the second half was immensely disappointing from an Ireland point of view but we did enough to secure it. Had Wales managed to turn up and play to their potential in the first half, would have been a different result.

I was incredibly disappointed in our defensive strategy. Last year Wales got really good front foot momentum because our small backline was really passive and stood off their big runners, letting them build up a head of steam and create momentum. This year we employed the exact same defensive strategy.

That truly is unforgivable.

Totally agree Notch, the metres we gave them was atrocious. A game against the biggest backline in world rugby and we allow them space to run.

Yet when we actually were forced to defend on the gainline (our try line for example) we shut players down very effectively.

I agree, our defensive system really needs to be reviewed. They way we are set up the opposition is virtually guaranteed 15-20 metres min if they spin it wide. Kills us every time.

In fairness we cut them off in the 1st half,I was impressed by both Zebo and Gilroy both of stopped try scoring chances by coming off their wing and smashing the centre receiving a pass when there was an overlap

Thanks for the tasty hors d'oeuvre guys. Now for the main course.

Irish forwards dominant in the first half, Welsh backs took it to them in the second. Welsh forwards from the bench improved the effort but Ireland had already won. Just as predicted.

Howley's selection was proved to be dire.

Ian Evans was the only Welsh forward on the pitch in the first half. Coombes lost ball, Gethin got smashed in the scrum. Matthew Rees did a decent job though, a LOT better than Owens at anyrate - that lost lineout on the Irish 5 ended the competition.

Lloyd Williams I take it all back - excellent fast ball from the bench.

Jonathan Davies had an absolute shocker, butchered a try and passed into touch twice.

I thought, bar the charge down, Biggar had a good game. You have to question some of the selections looking at the performances of the subs (although how much of this was down to Ireland's levels dipping?) and our senior players did not lead by example at all (Phillips and Roberts were poor). The line-out and work at the breakdown is shocking. Neither team will be happy for different reasons, but Ireland came away with a deserved win.

whocares wrote:Thought Biggar was much better when wales was going forward. Certainly giving more options than 2012 priestland. Some quality inside passes as well. He also needs quicker ball.

Bar the charge down he had a good game, his is a good running threat too. It is traditional for the Welsh FH to give the opposition a try in anycase.

Do Wales play tipuric and warburton for the next game? Think I'd drop warburton

Golden wrote:Do Wales play tipuric and warburton for the next game? Think I'd drop warburton

Ryan Jones starts at lock, Warbs at 6 (until Lydiate returns), Tipuric starts

If Tips doesn't start, Howley should just be shot.

Only saw the second half, Wales seemed to get liberated a bit by being behind, they went for it.



Our defensive scheme is different. It's essentially a banana scheme, it's kind of an American football type strategy, you will give up a lot of yards. But you don't concede a great deal of points. It's the bend don't break philosophy, or that's what I took from it at least, I haven't got my 22 cameras or whatever to analyse!

Congrats to me Oirish mates, condolences to me Cymru mates (hope I got that right)

The truth is Wales were on a hiding to nothing after the start Ireland had, they were always going to be up against it.

Irish defence was great and they won the battle on the ground in the first half, however they managed to get away with quite a few turnovers where there was zero daylihgt.

Wales should be encouraged for their performance in the second half, but they are still running AT the defence rather than the gaps.

Ireland turned up and Wales didn't.Fair play the score line was about right.
Really pleased that Toby,Halfpenny,Tipuric and the debutant Coombs played well.The passing in the Welsh centres was woeful.Warburton was anonymous as was Shingler.
Has Howley got the guts to sort this out?
Thank God for BOD.The Lions will have at least one class centre.
We finished closer than I predicted but our dull back play really depresses me.What ever happened to flair?Over-coached gym monkeys do not do it for me.Zebo is more my type of player.Bring in Walker when fit.Start with Hook at 10.Start with Tipuric.Give Evans from the Dragons a go at 9.
It might just work.At least it would be good to watch.

Riskysports wrote:Maybe time to retire the second class flanker at scrum half. If anyone mentions him and lions should be put themselves into therapy

Nike Phillips does not belong on the Lions.
Same sentence. Do I need therapy, mate? Is the therapist cute? How 'bout a beer?

Loved when Zebo caught a poor pass by flicking it up into his hands with his boot. Resulted in a try. O'Driscoll's class still shows in both attack and defence. And despite losing the captaincy his leadership showed too. It was him who sprinted up to Sexton at the end of the 2nd half and screamed at him to kick for touch before the clock went red. Resulted in 3 points before the whistle.

Have to say I'm really disappointed in the 2nd half. We did what we've done the last three games against Wales. Repeatedly kick the ball away and then stand off their big backs and let them run at us. Infuriating. Surely Kidney hadn't told them to do that at half time. We were just lucky this time that we'd done so much damage in the first 43 minutes. But you can't just hand momentum over to Wales like that.

If Ross is out next week we're in big trouble against England.

Gilroy was good when he ran at players but made a few very bad kicks.

Earls' shocking defence for 1st try was turning point IMO

O'Mahony was good but I would still start Henry and Fitz next week

Les Kiss is in charge of our defence, it's his scheme, which I don't have a massive deal with, in a game that isn't as open as the second half was it should yield positive results.



We have the personnel to get the most out of it.



The rosary beads are already out for Mike Ross. Is anyone willing to do a dela with the devil?

I know these sites are seldom right but espn says earls didnt kick once didnt pass once, ran twice and only made 4 metres! That's shocking

Although I suppose we weren't exactly putting the phases together in the second half.

Thomond wrote:Les Kiss is in charge of our defence, it's his scheme, which I don't have a massive deal with, in a game that isn't as open as the second half was it should yield positive results.



We have the personnel to get the most out of it.



The rosary beads are already out for Mike Ross. Is anyone willing to do a dela with the devil?

Say a prayer for Darcy while your there

Golden wrote:I know these sites are seldom right but espn says earls didnt kick once didnt pass once, ran twice and only made 4 metres! That's shocking

Although I suppose we weren't exactly putting the phases together in the second half.

He was killed for the first Welsh try but was relatively solid tackling besides that. He can't start next week though, how long is Marshall out for? Would he be back for some of the 6N?

I think he will at least miss the next game but not too sure when he's back, even then he hasn't played in a while. I don't think he'll see any game time this 6nations

He could be back but probably not until Round 3 or 4. He may just miss out on Ulster vs Opsreys next week, but has an outside chance of making that one.