Ireland vs Australia - Discussion Thread

[MMC]

First topic message reminder :

Ireland:
1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best
3. Mike Ross
4. Donncha O'Callaghan
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Stephen Ferris
7. Sean O'Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Eoin Reddan
10. Jonathan Sexton
11. Keith Earls
12. Gordon D'Arcy
13. Brian O'Driscoll (c)
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Rob Kearney

Replacements:
16. Jerry Flannery
17. Tom Court
18. Donnacha Ryan
19. Denis Leamy
20. Conor Murray
21. Ronan O'Gara
22. Andrew Trimble


Australia:
15. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
14. James O’Connor (Western Force)
13. Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
12. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
11. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
8. Radike Samo (Queensland Reds)
7. David Pocock (Western Force)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies)
5. James Horwill (Queensland Reds, captain)
4. Dan Vickerman (NSW Waratahs)
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
1. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)

Reserves:
16. Tatafu Polota Nau (NSW Waratahs)
17. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
18. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
19. Ben McCalman (Western Force)
20. Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)
21. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
22. Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs)

COME ON IRELAND!!

littlejohn's thread about how we can beat the Wallabies:

Would like to hear other people's views on what ireland need to do to have a chance of beating Australia this Saturday. Here are some of my naive thoughts on what needs to happen:

1. Ireland to play with same agression when they played England earlier this year. While ireland have not really performed since then, I'm quietly confident they'll be fired up for this game!

2. Steal some of Italy's tactics for the game. Italy did really well in the first half vs Oz by kicking very well timed up and unders (generally aimed at AAC), and they were very well organised in defence, which resulted in frustration creeping in for the Wallabies. If they had a decent 10 this might have been a lot closer!

3. Start with ROG - His tactical kicking and ability to vary it is in my opinion a better fit for this kind of game. We can always bring Sexton on later if we need to change tactics. I think he's also marginally better at kicking penalty and conversions.

4. Whereever Cooper is standing in defence run at him (ideally using O'Brien/Ferris) - Pretty obvious one this, although he does often stand deep covering full back off lineouts, etc.

5. Play Australia at their own game - Australia have been very good at putting pressure on rucks, but Ireland will need to do the same when Australia have the ball, slowing it down where possible to stop Genia getting into gear.

6. Leverage Bowe and Kearney's height - Cross field kicks (timed well) could reap rewards for us. Rog is excellent at this.

All in all I accept this will be a tall order, but Ireland play the underdog tag better than anyone! I'm praying it won't be yet another herioc defeat. Bring on Saturday!

[Gatts]

Bar the Welsh backrow which i am very proud of, i think a Ferris heaslip SOB back row is great and should get you the extra inch up front. No pocock is a huge loss, must be a real injury and not a NZ injury!

[Gibson]

Without Pocock, Oz are so vunerable in the key area. SOB and the Leinster boys to run riot after securing the breakdown and moving it. Its over. Leinster (Ireland) by 15.

Gibbo you been on the bubbly already? Rocky on his own still wldn't be that easy! And we need to take baby steps first (like not dropping the ball every 3rd phase).

But i am licking my lips at the thought of the Tullow tank now being let off the leash a bit more with Ferris right there on his shoulder for the lay off!

Nos,
Phhooking right I have mo chara. And you are drinkin tae? This is no time for tae. Be a man and get razzed-up. Support yer country ya bollix.

It will be closer man. A lot closer than it would have been.

[Gibson]

Gatts. We dream of a Warburton. He is excellent. He is yer future. As is Falateau. And Lydiate.

Fact is, Welsh backrow is the best Ive seen so far. They tortured the Saffers. Who else does that?

[Nos na Gaoithe]

And you are drinkin tae? This is no time for tae. Be a man and get razzed-up. Support yer country ya bollix. It will be closer man. A lot closer than it would have been.

If I hadnt had that tea I wouldnt be staring at this fecking screen at 2.30 in the morning!

Closer it will be. It should hopefully mean front foot football for the first time in months for BOD and the rest of them. Everything is different on the front foot. Balls stay in hand, rehersed moves come off much easier and gaps are easier to see.

All's changed... changed utterly...

[Gibson]

I lied Nos. Im drinkin tae... with a suspicion of genever gin and a spliff. Just to calm me da phhok down. Its like Chrisrmas Eve as a kid.

Need to crash out and get the energy levels up before the morn.

Nite lads.

BELIEVE!

[Taylorman]

Yes very interesting. 2 out of the 5 stars down for Oz. Genia, Cooper and JOC left. Oz have added some valuable support but this will hurt them big time.
I'd expect the Irish loosies to dominate the breakdowns and put pressure on Elsom and Samo while theyre making up for Pococks absence.

Who is Pococks replacement?

Exactly the scenario Deans was trying to avoid by playing the same team through the 3N and beyond.

[PJHolybloke]

C'mon ye jolly green giants!

Ireland by 9 - it has to be, I've picked it on Sport Guru.

Well, well, well. Who'd have thought it!

[Thomond]

PJ,I had us by 4 but you're well and truly a genius,only overshadowed by one Declan Kidney. He put a master plan in place whereby we would lose 4 games on the trot and play the 3N champions with no momentum.

[PJHolybloke]

Declan's the man Thomond and no doubt about it.

What a fantastic performance by all the boys, defensively monumental!!

[GunsGerms]

Still haven't gone to bed yet. Epic

[GunsGerms]

Fair play to ROG he took it down. Dissapointed with Jonny but his tackling was really good.

[littlejohn]

feic i still can't believe Ireland did it - that was a tense game! I was joking with some lads this morning that we could still end up playing south africa in the quarters!

bonus for me was a 5 quid bet on healy to be motm, which i won at 50/1.

savage, savage performance - hope we have a few more of them in the tank.

[PJHolybloke]

feic i still can't believe Ireland did it - that was a tense game! I was joking with some lads this morning that we could still end up playing south africa in the quarters!

bonus for me was a 5 quid bet on healy to be motm, which i won at 50/1.

savage, savage performance - hope we have a few more of them in the tank.

And what would you be spending your winnings on littlejohn? A small glass of sherry perhaps?

[Cari]

People in the UK: there's highlights of today's games on ITV at 4:30pm and again on ITV4 at 8pm - just so you can take it all in...

[Shifty]

PJ,I had us by 4 but you're well and truly a genius,only overshadowed by one Declan Kidney. He put a master plan in place whereby we would lose 4 games on the trot and play the 3N champions with no momentum.

I bow to Kidneys brilliance, Wales have tried this tactic for years but we also lose to the bigger teams as well as the smaller ones.

Well done to Ireland, hope you guys do well in the world Cup, unless you meet Wales in the quarters of course .

[PJHolybloke]

People in the UK: there's highlights of today's games on ITV at 4:30pm and again on ITV4 at 8pm - just so you can take it all in...

I might have to make room in my diary to watch both of those Cari, you're right, it was too tense to take it all in this morning the last 10 minutes was a head-masher.

[doctor_grey]

Wow! I missed the match since I was on an overnight flight last night into this mornng. Recorded the match and it just finished. Not a lot to say, except WOW! Couldn't be happier for the boys in green.

[Feckless Rogue]

Funny link of Irish fans outside Eden Park before the game even kicked off. I wonder what they were like after the win. Wish I was there.

[HERSH]

Am I the only Rugby fan who thought the game was dull, both teams lacked passion and basic handling skills.

but well played anyway!

[Gibson]

Yes Hersh. You stand alone in that opinion. But, its cool to be an individual.

[rodders]

Am I the only Rugby fan who thought the game was dull, both teams lacked passion and basic handling skills.

Unfortunately Hersh not every game has the quality and passion of England vs Georgia or England vs Argentina.

[BlueNote]

Belatedly, just wanted to add my congrats to Ireland, superb result.

[dublin_dave]

what a sporting weekend. was actually too hungover to type yesterday for obvious reasons

An absolutely massive win for Ireland. Credit to players and management. The level of intensity was phenomenal. Why oh why can we not replicate that on a more consistent basis. Will not matter a jot if we get to the semi finals though- we have now given ourselves a major chance

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