6N 2016: Ireland v Wales, 7 February

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IRELAND v WALES
7 February 2016
KO: 15:00 GMT
Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Live on RTE, ITV, FR2, DMAX, BBC(H)

Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Touch judges: [tbc]
Television match official: [tbc]

A. Head to Head

123 Played 123
52 Won 67
4 Drawn 4
67 Lost 52
1,365 Points 1,461

B. Recent Form

29 August 2015
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
10 – 16 to Wales

8 August 2015
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
21 – 35 to Ireland

14 March 2015
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
23 – 16 to Wales

8 February 2014
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
26 – 3 to Ireland

2 February 2013
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
22 – 30 to Ireland

C. Teams

IRELAND

S Zebo; A Trimble, J Payne, R Henshaw, K Earls; J Sexton, C Murray; J McGrath, R Best (capt), N White; D Toner, M McCarthy; CJ Stander, T O’Donnell, J Heaslip.

Replacements: S Cronin, J Cronin, T Furlong, D Ryan, R Ruddock, K Marmion, I Madigan, D Kearney.

WALES

G Anscombe; G North, J Davies, J Roberts, T James; D Biggar, G Davies; R Evans, S Baldwin, S Lee, L Charteris, A-W Jones, S Warburton (capt), J Tipuric, T Faletau.

Replacements: K Owens, G Jenkins, T Francis, B Davies, D Lydiate, L Williams, R Priestland, A Cuthbert

Again, a kick out on the full gives Wales the opportunity. Need to be more ruthless, we might let them back into the game.

In my opinion, the much quoted Peter Stringer, Ger Earls would not have given away that penalty

The Irish are looking ominously good. In fact they look like they're still hurting after the Pumas and the Welsh are going to get it. As always in this fixture I'm supporting the Welsh but it's not looking good...

Why is Preistland in the team he has clealy shown he is not up it

Lucky not to get binned there.

Notch wrote:Disappointed with that penalty. Really quality defensive play from Earls.

You mean tilted him and dropped him

True Raven wrote:

Notch wrote:Disappointed with that penalty. Really quality defensive play from Earls.

You mean tilted him and dropped him

Jumped into the tackle. Nothing in it.

Yet again myths about Roberts being just a bosh merchant being quashed. I wonder if miaow is paying attention?

I would be surprised if Nathan White comes out after half-time.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Pretty easy for Ireland so far, Wales just not getting into the game. Rob Evans dire prop, I can't believe he's starting, Welsh scrum goes backwards when it counts.

Saying this when we clearly have the nudge on in the scrum?

Evans isn't driving straight at the scrum, Garces isn't picking it up. Disappointed with that penalty against Earls, Williams got himself off the ground and then wriggled out of Earls grasp

phew thank god ❤️

And then the scrum helps us get a try. Well done pooly, you're a good omen .

Nice try Toby!!

Priestland managed to do his job, kick. Jiffy must be going mental for him.

Very nice finish. Game back on.

The lack of a Munster backbone is killing us here. Zebo and Earls terrific so far at least.

I hate Liam Williams. Jumped into tackle then milked it - looking directly at referee after.

Good game otherwise l.

Rob Evans has justified his selection so far and it's great to have JD2 back, boy have Wales missed him

Welsh scrum has came back really well after a poor start. Don't rate Evans at all but he's doing ok.

Irish mistakes both in open play and in the scrum are costing us dearly. Apart from CJ Stander we still lack players who can punch serious holes in the Welsh defence and I fear that we are going to struggle to make the same breaks we did in the first half. CJ can't do it alone.

Need it to pour with rain so there are lots of scrums

Peter Stringer wrote:The lack of a Munster backbone is killing us here. Zebo and Earls terrific so far at least.

I don't think that Zebo has had a great game to be honest, started off well but his positioning seems way off at times.

Stander has been immense and Heaslip is having a great game.

Given the team selected, I would almost be tempted to bring Zebo off, drop Payne to 15 and put Madigan on at 12. There is room there for Ireland.

Wales are by no means out of this.

Wales are very strong in the scrum. still a very tight game.

Shame about Biggar but priestland doing well so far.

Ineffable wrote:I hate Liam Williams. Jumped into tackle then milked it - looking directly at referee after.

Good game otherwise l.

Last year ya'll hated on Biggar, now Liam Williams. We're lapping it up .

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Welsh scrum has came back really well after a poor start. Don't rate Evans at all but he's doing ok.

Hes 21! You can't really judge a 21 year old who's learning his trade let alone a 21 year old prop!

Good half from Ireland, three or four crucial errors have given Welsh purchase and they will punish you for giving them that opportunity. Zebo at fullback has been suspect with his kicking and Nathan White is in a world of pain. Those small weaknesses have a huge cost at this level.

Typical Wales V Ireland game not much in it to be honest, both teams are having chances. It looks like it bloody hurts out there. This is a level above the other 2 games we have seen.

Engine#4 wrote:Evans isn't driving straight at the scrum, Garces isn't picking it up. Disappointed with that penalty against Earls, Williams got himself off the ground and then wriggled out of Earls grasp

There is a loosehead who isn't driving straight that's true but that isn't the Welsh loosehead..

True Raven wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Welsh scrum has came back really well after a poor start. Don't rate Evans at all but he's doing ok.

Hes 21!  You can't really judge a 21 year old who's learning his trade let alone a 21 year old prop!

He's 23.

If you're playing you're there to be judged. I think he's dross but actually doing ok, possibly because White is so bad but fair play.

I've been open minded. But it's official, jus before second half of first game I'm fed up of ITVs coverage.

Ineffable wrote:I've been open minded. But it's official, jus before second half of first game I'm fed up of ITVs coverage.

Those pesky little hobbitses at the start... iccle short evil people to the right of the tv screen!
Evil, tricksie, false little hobbitses! and the camera was zoomed out to fit that tall bloke in

Mikey i like biggar and many other Welsh players quite a lot. A shame he's injured so early.

But Liam Williams just screams "bumhole" to me. But hey that's just my opinion, don't assume it's everyone else's!

Just don't let Williams near hogg next week! I fear hogg may get wound up in a jiffy!!

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

True Raven wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Welsh scrum has came back really well after a poor start. Don't rate Evans at all but he's doing ok.

Hes 21!  You can't really judge a 21 year old who's learning his trade let alone a 21 year old prop!

He's 23.

If you're playing you're there to be judged. I think he's dross but actually doing ok, possibly because White is so bad but fair play.

Fair enough were all entitled to our opinions but at least some of us don't constantly judge players based off one game

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

True Raven wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Welsh scrum has came back really well after a poor start. Don't rate Evans at all but he's doing ok.

Hes 21!  You can't really judge a 21 year old who's learning his trade let alone a 21 year old prop!

He's 23.

If you're playing you're there to be judged. I think he's dross but actually doing ok, possibly because White is so bad but fair play.

White isn't a bad TH, Ireland are probably lacking a bit of grunt in the row.

Ineffable wrote:I've been open minded. But it's official, jus before second half of first game I'm fed up of ITVs coverage.

Got to give a shoutout to the genius who managed to hire only backs as pundits in a tournament where the winning and losing of games is always decided by the forwards and back play is limited to one or two passes from the ruck and kicking.

Ineffable wrote:Mikey i like biggar and many other Welsh players quite a lot. A shame he's injured so early.

But Liam Williams just screams "bumhole" to me. But hey that's just my opinion, don't assume it's everyone else's!

Just don't let Williams near hogg next week! I fear hogg may get wound up in a jiffy!!

Haha... na Hogg stuck the knees into Williams rib cage when he scored a try, just before he got sent off for that late tackle last time. I'm happy to see him sent off it just means we'll win by 50 instead of 20!

Garces is just never going to blow for holding on is he?

Irish not getting penalised for on-going breakdown offences for some reason.

True Raven wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:

True Raven wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Welsh scrum has came back really well after a poor start. Don't rate Evans at all but he's doing ok.

Hes 21!  You can't really judge a 21 year old who's learning his trade let alone a 21 year old prop!

He's 23.

If you're playing you're there to be judged. I think he's dross but actually doing ok, possibly because White is so bad but fair play.

Fair enough were all entitled to our opinions but at least some of us don't constantly judge players based off one game

Why 1 game?

Wow you Welsh guys are lovely and sportsmanlike eh!!

I think Garcies is being pretty fair and balanced to be honest, both teams are holding on a bit. Their both playing the referees weaknesses well.

Ineffable wrote:Wow you Welsh guys are lovely and sportsmanlike eh!!

?

Sorry but Garces can't see the Welsh holding on. Very odd!

It's almost like farces is listening to the press. He's just giving both teams a free pass at the breakdown mostly

Can't help but feel totally aggrieved at that; Ireland legitimately won 2 or 3 breakdown penalties in the phases before Wales got the decision.

nobbled wrote:Sorry but Garces can't see the Welsh holding on. Very odd!

If you're off your feet then it becomes an offence. Open your eyes.

Can we now please put to bed the 'Earls cant defend' tripe?

Why do the Irish keep booing legit decisions? If the Welsh were doing it their posters on here would be going mad.

mikey_dragon wrote:

nobbled wrote:Sorry but Garces can't see the Welsh holding on. Very odd!

If you're off your feet then it becomes an offence. Open your eyes.

My eyes are wide open. Both of them. Unlike one of yours.