Super Saturday, Game 2: Scotland v Ireland

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SCOTLAND v IRELAND
Saturday 21 March 2015
KO: 14:30
BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Referee: Jérôme Garcès (FFR)
AR1: Pascal Gauzere (FFR)
AR2: Federico Anselmi (UAR)
TMO: Graham Hughes (RFU)

***********************

A. Teams

SCOTLAND

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors)
14 Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby)
13 Mark Bennett (Glasgow Warriors)
12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby)
11 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors)
10 Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors)
09 Greig Laidlaw (Gloucester)

01 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors)
02 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby)
03 Euan Murray (Glasgow Warriors)
04 Jim Hamilton (Saracens)
05 Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors)
06 Adam Ashe (Glasgow Warriors)
07 Blair Cowan (London Irish)
08 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby)

16 Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors)
17 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby)
18 Geoff Cross (London Irish)
19 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors)
20 Rob Harley (Glasgow Warriors)
21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh Rugby)
22 Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby)
23 Tim Visser (Edinburgh Rugby)

IRELAND

15 Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
13 Jared Payne (Ulster)
12 Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
11 Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock/Leinster)
10 Johnny Sexton (Racing Metro)
09 Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)

01 Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
02 Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
03 Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
04 Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
05 Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) captain
06 Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
07 Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
08 Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster)

16 Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
17 Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
18 Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster)
19 Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
20 Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
22 Ian Madigan (Blackrock/Leinster)
23 Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster)

B. Head to Head

119 Played 119

58 Wins 56

56 Losses 58

5 Draws 5

187 Tries 200

96 Conversions 102

128 Penalties 104

32 Drop Goals 15

1,234 Points 1,301

BTW - talking about POM's tackle stats this tournament, 13 tackles so far.

Right, as I said earlier. I was wrong about SOB, he has certainly been Irelands best player but I will say that I am right about Heaslip. A few missed tackles, not very quick around the ground and his total lack of commitment to keep Russell wide for his try was exceedingly poor.

Nachos Jones_1 wrote:Right, as I said earlier. I was wrong about SOB, he has certainly been Irelands best player but I will say that I am right about Heaslip. A few missed tackles, not very quick around the ground and his total lack of commitment to keep Russell wide for his try was exceedingly poor.

Heaslip has been poor.

tigertattie wrote:Matt Scott looking more like his old self

Yeah, just tried forcing that offload a bit. Been pretty impressed by Bennett too.

Sorry Notch

Better spell from Scotland anyway - still plenty failings

Ireland have kind of thrown the baby out with the bathwater, we're not exiting at all well and probably running too much now inside our half!

BUT, 10 points ahead at half-time, I'll take that. Doubt we'll see anything anywhere near Italys implosion from Scotland so we're going to need to turn the territory battle around. We're living on the edge now.

No worries Rev!

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

Nachos Jones_1 wrote:Right, as I said earlier. I was wrong about SOB, he has certainly been Irelands best player but I will say that I am right about Heaslip. A few missed tackles, not very quick around the ground and his total lack of commitment to keep Russell wide for his try was exceedingly poor.

Heaslip has been poor.

I am surprised that Heaslip is still in the 8 shirt after last week and how his replacement (Murphy?) went against England

Considering we always fall apart in the second half congrats Ireland on the 6N! Maybe next year when can try and get a couple of players capable of turning over the ball.

Risca Rev wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

Nachos Jones_1 wrote:Right, as I said earlier. I was wrong about SOB, he has certainly been Irelands best player but I will say that I am right about Heaslip. A few missed tackles, not very quick around the ground and his total lack of commitment to keep Russell wide for his try was exceedingly poor.

Heaslip has been poor.

I am surprised that Heaslip is still in the 8 shirt after last week and how his replacement (Murphy?) went against England

It was Murphy and too be honest, if I were Schmidt I would bring him on for the second half.

I think if anyone is due a bit of good luck regarding decisions of that nature, its Jared Payne!

So if Ireland win the chase by a couple of points, do England fans think they can overtake Ireland on a +22-23 margin now that France are definitely out of it?

My only hope is that France will fight tooth and nail not to let England have it. Hopefully Scotland can come out of the traps too.

Pot Hale wrote:So if Ireland win the chase by a couple of points, do England fans think they can overtake Ireland on a +22-23 margin now that France are definitely out of it?

very very unlikely. but possible.

Firstly, If Ireland win by 21 points, England need to win by 17. I honestly feel England (at home) are 21 points better than France. I would say Ireland need to win by 25-30 to stand a chance of winning the tournament.

For me Blair Cowan is giving SOB far too easy a ride. I have been a fan of Cowan over the past 3 or 4 years but today he has been v poor. Not scrapping enough at the breakdown and looks off the pace as well. He needs a big kick up the behind for the second half.

Pot Hale wrote:So if Ireland win the chase by a couple of points, do England fans think they can overtake Ireland on a +22-23 margin now that France are definitely out of it?

I doubt that England can do that tbh.

Heaslip turned over again...

stub wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:So if Ireland win the chase by a couple of points, do England fans think they can overtake Ireland on a +22-23 margin now that France are definitely out of it?

I doubt that England can do that tbh.

nope! i doubt it either

Majestic83 wrote:For me Blair Cowan is giving SOB far too easy a ride. I have been a fan of Cowan over the past 3 or 4 years but today he has been v poor. Not scrapping enough at the breakdown and looks off the pace as well. He needs a big kick up the behind for the second half.

I think he may be carrying a slight knock from last week from what I've heard

Laidlaw has barely said a word to the ref - o'cconnol is constantly in his ear

Scots going for the wrong line

Heaf wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:For me Blair Cowan is giving SOB far too easy a ride. I have been a fan of Cowan over the past 3 or 4 years but today he has been v poor. Not scrapping enough at the breakdown and looks off the pace as well. He needs a big kick up the behind for the second half.

I think he may be carrying a slight knock from last week from what I've heard

Certainly looks like something is wrong with him. Would be tempted to bring Harley on for him.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Laidlaw has barely said a word to the ref - o'cconnol is  constantly in his ear

He's too busy running sideways to have a conversation.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Laidlaw has barely said a word to the ref - o'cconnol is  constantly in his ear

Been like that all tournament. He is not captain material!

Majestic83 wrote:

Heaf wrote:

Majestic83 wrote:For me Blair Cowan is giving SOB far too easy a ride. I have been a fan of Cowan over the past 3 or 4 years but today he has been v poor. Not scrapping enough at the breakdown and looks off the pace as well. He needs a big kick up the behind for the second half.

I think he may be carrying a slight knock from last week from what I've heard

Certainly looks like something is wrong with him. Would be tempted to bring Harley on for him.

I'd prefer that too - we need him for next week

being in the ear of the ref all the time can backfire though

Majestic83 wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Laidlaw has barely said a word to the ref - o'cconnol is  constantly in his ear

Been like that all tournament. He is not captain material!

Couldn't agree more, he is far too passive to be an effective captain

Excellent pass from Sexton but a superb line from Payne

this is getting close for Wales, whats the points diff now?

Jared Payne scores a try, bounces to his feet and rips off his jersey to reveal a green T-Shirt emblazoned with the words "UP YOURS GEORGE HOOK!!'

Nah, just kidding. But wouldn't that be great?

Points, take the points!

Going to be a Scottish yellow soon

what was hamilton thinking then? lol

Congrats Ireland - can't see any other outcome now. Sorry but Scotland are worse than Italy and deserve the spoon. Truly awful.

nathan wrote:what was hamilton thinking then? lol

Personally I don't rate him anyway.

if ireland can get the points to finish ahead of ireland i think they will win - England are up against France who has conceded the least tries

Sexton misses from in front of the posts! Told ya we should have went into the corner....

Sooooooo

Next season, if anyone says the following:
"Scotland are improving"
"Scotland have potential"
"Scotland have turned a corner"
"Scotland are dark horses"
"Scotland have exiting attacking players"

Please shoot them!

tigertattie wrote:Sooooooo

Next season, if anyone says the following:
"Scotland are improving"
"Scotland have potential"
"Scotland have turned a corner"
"Scotland are dark horses"
"Scotland have exiting attacking players"

Please shoot them!

theyve been a bit more attacking, no?

That has to be the last appearance by Hamilton for Scotland.

scotland to implode?

First up tackling is not good enough. So Wales behind Ireland it is then.

Oh Scotland, you guys are hopeless!

Does the no coming in from the side rule just not apply to Ireland?

Big card that but it was certainly coming. Huge 10mins for Ireland now.

Sexton overthinking this now.

Hard to believe Scotland almost beat Wales (but for the dodgy ref)

Scotland have a day off will you

Sexton gone wobbly.