Wales v Ireland ANC Match Thread

[Guest]

First topic message reminder :

Nice to have somewhere to post about this tournament.

https://www.world.rugby/news/586964/autumn-nations-cup-everything-you-need-to-know?lang=en

First up Ireland v Wales.

13/11/2019, K/O 19:00

[Guest]

Yeah there's not too much to read in to this Ireland display. If anything, I'd say they're being wasteful. 85% terrtory, 78% possession. That's insane. That's tier 2 stuff. Conway also not getting the better of Adams despite ridiculous front foot dominance. I know who's winning the Lions battle in that one as I think they're fighting for the same spot.

[Guest]

Better start. A bit of guts at the breakdown.

[Guest]

Haha, and it's two English boys, Francis and Rowlands, adding the muscle to counterruck Ireland off the ball. That's what they're there for.

[mikey_dragon]

Move killed by Tipuric. And some say we NEED him in the team to be some ‘link man’.

[No 7&1/2]

Change of man. Same old. Issues at the setpiece. And everywhere.

[Guest]

That was a harsh call. Porter pulled him straight down. Clever prop play, made it look like Wyn Jones buckled, but 100% he drove low and then dropped it. His knee hit the floor before Wyn Jones did.

[formerly known as Sam]

Had that been a try it would have summed Wales up.

Carre off. Right call. He's just too tall.

He's shorter than Andrew Sheridan. Sheridan have a few tightheads an awful time of it. Carre is only an inch taller than Marcos Ayerza one of the most technical and consistent scrummagers I've ever seen, most props have a good spell in their prime. Ayerza's prime lasted about a decade and spanned several rewrites of the scrummaging laws. It's all about the technique, Carre probably needed to stay at Sarries that bit longer where he could learn from Vunipola and practice up against Koch.

[majesticimperialman]

What as hapend the welsh scrum?

[No 7&1/2]

Pretty similar distance to the first pen of the half. Wales starting to not trust their basics? Bit doesn't have the distance either.

[No 7&1/2]

And now nearer kicks and misses touch. The tactics and leadership and execution all over the shop.

Wales lucky to get the turnover hands on the floor but now halfpenny takes over kicking for the posts.confused.

[Cyril]

What’s the record for the number of penalties in an international? This game is heading there.

[Guest]

One thing about this style of rugby is it 100% ensures that Wales' best players are their best players; Tipuric, Halfpenny, time ater time the ones standing out. Biggar adds nothing to this kind of game, sadly. Stupid missed kicked to touch on cue. The problem is, sport should be about minimising weaknesses through tactics, and Wales cannot do that, at all. Modern sport is not about 'let the talented players do their thing and decide who wins'. Gatland showed that.

That said, breakdown's much better since half time. Elias, now JD2 and SLH adding turnover threat. It's what could turn this game around for Wales. The area to hang their hat on, as I said earlier.

[mikey_dragon]

Pivac should have dropped a few of these guys to the bench or out of the 23, he keeps having a shocker with selection.

[Gooseberry]

Sack the coach is all well and good but where do they go? Its not like the WRU is flush with cash to pull a big name proven test coach in, thats why they ended up with pivac in the first place.

[No 7&1/2]

Pivac should have dropped a few of these guys to the bench or out of the 23, he keeps having a shocker with selection.

Perhaps. Alot of the time after a poor performance you get a reaction though. Seems a bit like the Lancaster time a bit under coached in terms of reaction ie what do we do if we're 15 down after 20 mins? Giving too much scope for decisions on field?

[Guest]

Wow. That would have been some try. Great skills by Doris. Gareth Davies still too slow box kicking. Poor, needed to get a shield there before he kicked. Made amends though, lucky to hold him up.

I assume a try is coming from this though. So cheap, completely needless, and straight after a hard earned 3 points had been scored. Conceding from exits is peak rubbish France. This is where this Welsh team is.

[TightHEAD]

I'm actually routing for Wales here, Ireland are so anti-rugby it's boring.

[Gooseberry]

Wales really not looking good at all so far

The early fisticuffs make sense now.

Wales do not look like a team that came out believing they could win this game.

Dire. Second rate. Uncompetitive.

They've been fighting pretty well on their line. Just every other aspect of the game .....

I wouldn't even give them that. They held out for, what, 5 phases? The speed and power makes this just a non contest. It's embarrassing.

3 try line saves so far (one over the line just now ) plus the one where they lucked out a bit with the Irish player failing to ground.

This could have been a cricket score.

And another try line turnover as I type

[mikey_dragon]

Both teams look turd.

[Guest]

Had that been a try it would have summed Wales up.

Carre off. Right call. He's just too tall.

He's shorter than Andrew Sheridan. Sheridan have a few tightheads an awful time of it. Carre is only an inch taller than Marcos Ayerza one of the most technical and consistent scrummagers I've ever seen, most props have a good spell in their prime. Ayerza's prime lasted about a decade and spanned several rewrites of the scrummaging laws. It's all about the technique, Carre probably needed to stay at Sarries that bit longer where he could learn from Vunipola and practice up against Koch.

For me, the height is the major issue with him. Sheridan was a freak and as you say not the most technical. He has a reputation for bullying Aussies but they were pants anyway. Sheridan is the exception, not the rule, for tall props.

The way Porter one the last penalty at the scrum by driving underneath Wyn Jones and dropping it, while still maintaining a flat body angle, is for me a great sign why Carre doesn't stand a chance. Unless he is insanely strong and can batter Porter while Porter's lower than him, he's going to be in trouble.

I don't disagree about it being a shame he isn't still at Saracens. They'd at least get the basics of forward play in to him. The Pro14 doesn't.

[mikey_dragon]

Sack the coach is all well and good but where do they go? Its not like the WRU is flush with cash to pull a big name proven test coach in, thats why they ended up with pivac in the first place.

That wasn’t the reason why they went for Pivac. There will always be a kiwi who wants the Wales job.

[No 7&1/2]

A mile away from anti rugby. Looks as fresh a backline as I've seen from Ireland in years. Lowe looks to the manor born. Shame stockdale was ruled out tbh as this should have been some showing.

[TightHEAD]

Both teams look turd.

But if I had to polish one it would be Welsh

[Guest]

Wales really not looking good at all so far

The early fisticuffs make sense now.

Wales do not look like a team that came out believing they could win this game.

Dire. Second rate. Uncompetitive.

They've been fighting pretty well on their line. Just every other aspect of the game .....

I wouldn't even give them that. They held out for, what, 5 phases? The speed and power makes this just a non contest. It's embarrassing.

3 try line saves so far (one over the line just now ) plus the one where they lucked out a bit with the Irish player failing to ground.

This could have been a cricket score.

And another try line turnover as I type

Yeah fair play, they've done well in this area, good call. I thought it was more luck than judgement that was keeping Ireland out, a few ball spills etc, running in to touch early on when under no pressure, but as the game's gone on Wales have clearly defended there well. The major issue in open play is how much yardage Ireland get each phase, hence Wales struggling to get around the corner/get back onside and it's just a continuous thing where they cannot rush out and make their tackles. Obviously that's not an issue when you're on your own line.

[Engine#4]

Same old same old from Ireland in the opposition 22. One pass out, crash ball and go nowhere. With just a little imagination Ireland would be out of sight. Wales have been awful.

[No 7&1/2]

Williams making an immediate difference. Great 5 mins.

[Guest]

Much better from Wales. Lovely strike move, and the hands look nice. That's Pivac rugby, heads up, hitting the outside shoulder. Hints of how Wales could play when it works. A lot of it stems from finding a breakdown threat in this second half and stopping the relentless green tide.

[mikey_dragon]

Both teams look turd.

But if I had to polish one it would be Welsh

Well that’s what you’ve been doing since you moved to Wales.

[mikey_dragon]

North on for... I hope it’s Halfpenny. If not, another shocker by Pivac.

[Guest]

Time for North to show what he's got. I think he'll fancy running at the Ireland 13 and wide channels. They look a bit soft/scared.

[Guest]

Time for Ireland to kill the game from their perspective. Oh wow, penalty to Wales at scrum time. They've let Wales back in to this.

[Guest]

Great stuff Wyn Jones. Again.

[No 7&1/2]

Big switch in the second half. Wales as yet not putting scoreboard pressure though.

[Guest]

This is the long in play periods of soft hands that looks like Pivac again. I think this has turned in to a job saving second half for Pivac, whatever happens. This is what Wales need to do more of.

[No 7&1/2]

After all that from wales ireland will add 3 here and you think that's got to hit your confidence as a welsh player.

[No 7&1/2]

POM is having a great game.

[Guest]

Too many errors from Wales. The sliver of hope they had has now disappeared. It wouldn't have been deserved but they've responded second half.

Jake Ball has proved his worth in carrying. Very much first choice lock at the moment to my mind. Samson also looks like he's got something to prove, putting in a big physical performance. Time to start picking the first team from here on out.

[Guest]

https://www.606v2.com/t69832-autumm-nations-cup-round-1-match-threads-ire-v-wal-ita-v-sco-eng-v-geo-fra-v-fiji

match thread

You're cluttering up the Wales thread, which is for discussion about Wales. It's also not a friendly space for Irish fans to discuss the game fairly.

Poor form from the notorious residents of this website. Very poor.

[Guest]

Scoreline looks more accurate for the game. 25-9, that's probably fair given the full 71 minutes so far. Wales were a good 20-25 points worse in the first half, but have been the better side in the second.

[mikey_dragon]

POM is having a great game.

Don’t think so. High error count and thought he was as great as AWJ.

[Guest]

The ref's allowed a fairly loose contest at the breakdown. A lot of sealing off by Ireland has been allowed. I think Wales have enjoyed it in attack as well, so at least he's been consistent. Can't say he's favoured either team here.

[No 7&1/2]

Ha. If you're not going to offer praise on this performance you never will mikey. Come on!

[Guest]

Wow, a very soft penalty to Ireland. Rolling on the wrong side. Shame, he was giving those to the attacking team in the first half. Doesn't bother in the second.

[mikey_dragon]

What a great match thread this is. Seems the mods do respond to children throwing their toys out of the pram? That’s very poor.

[mikey_dragon]

I say both teams are turd, the scoreline is very much in Ireland’s favour.

[TightHEAD]

Where has the Welsh passion gone?

[Guest]

Deserved result/scoreline in the end. Ireland not really given much of a test today and rocked a little second half.

This hasn't felt like a test match tbh. Not a great standard. I think not having fans plays a major, major part in that. Club rugby - and European finals - has felt like a better standard eventhough the players have played more rugby since.

[Guest]

What a great match thread this is. Seems the mods do respond to children throwing their toys out of the pram? That’s very poor.

Pipe down. You live to troll. It's pathetic.

[Gooseberry]

Ridiculous Ireland only managed one try from all those chances

[TightHEAD]

Ouch

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