6N 2017: Wales v Ireland, 10 March

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WALES v IRELAND
10 March 2017
KO: 20:05 GMT
Principality Stadium, Cardiff

Live on [ITV, RTE, SC4, FR2, DMAX / BBC (H)]

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Touch judges: [tbc]
TMO: [tbc]

A. Head to Head

124 Played 124
50 Won 67
7 Drawn 7
67 Lost 50
1,477 Points 1,381

B. Recent Form

7 February 2016
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
16 – 16 draw

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

5 February 2012
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
21 – 23 to Wales

8 October 2011
Regional Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand
22 – 10 to Wales

C. Teams

WALES 


Halfpenny; North, J Davies, S Williams, L Williams, Biggar, Webb, Evans, Owens, Francis, Ball, A Jones, Warburton, Tipuric, Moriarty.

Replacements: Roberts for S Williams (67), S Davies for Biggar (80), G Davies for Webb (67), Smith for Evans (67), Baldwin for Owens (72), Lee for Francis (70), Charteris for Ball (63), Faletau for Moriarty (67).

IRELAND


Kearney; Earls, Ringrose, Henshaw, Zebo; Sexton, Murray; McGrath, Best, Furlong, D Ryan, Toner, Stander, O'Brien, Heaslip.

Replacements: Bowe for Kearney (70), Jackson for Sexton (19), Marmion for Murray (46), C Healy for McGrath (59), Scannell for Best (80), J Ryan for Furlong (80), Henderson for Toner (63), O'Mahony for Stander (63).

Everyone is obsessed about England! What's the deal guys?

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Funny enough, complaints from the Welsh fans are very similar. Gatlandball sometimes works in their favour but often doesn't. They want to see more creativity and invention and it has been particularly frustrating with Howley as interim coach.

Gatlandball almost always trumps Schmidtball though. They are very similar styles of play and Wales are much better at it.

When on form the Welsh are better at all of it... the Gatlandball stuff, aided and abetted of course by larger backs in bulk as well as height.  But they're also better at genuine counter attack efforts and throwing the ball around with accuracy and intelligence.  They make the call and give it gas - they run hot onto balls - it at least gives them momentum to try something, to make things possible.  All our boys are collecting from virtual standstills.  It's just wrong rugby.  There is no point in trying to doctor the language anymore - it's not International rugby.  Our forwards are winning the games that we are winning and it's not nearly enough. I don't know why Joe is persisting but he is.

Does this result mean that Howley is the heir apparent? Wales fans slate him but Wales do OK without gatland. And before Wales fans start moaning all I can say is you can't polish a turd

Congrats Wales, well deserved win.

Ireland's limited game plan was worked out well and the Welsh never really looked in trouble. I thought Barnes had a very solid game also.

SecretFly wrote:Total destruction.  Congratulations Wales.  Wonderful spite and effort.  Not a competition at all.  Humbling for the Irish team.  Non-existent embarrassing pretence attack.  Non-existent emotion too.  Wales were at war in their drive and intensity.  Ireland couldn't meet it.  We even had players laughing long before the game was over.  For me that's not nearly the right attitude.  Ireland almost accepted defeat because of the yellow card.  They had their excuse.  Pressure off.  
Raw Irish emotion needs to be kicked back into this Irish team again because year by year now we're losing it.  We need a primary Irish coach in there to growl and get more than a technical mood into that side.  

There'll be Irish boys that come on here and suggest it's just a blip and just one game, that we can still win in Dublin.  Yeah, we can win in Dublin, it's possible - but this isn't a blip and the complaints that will come about today from fans and journalists were there even when we were winning.  This Irish team needs to almost completely change now from 11 to 15.  There is nothing there; nothing that pushes the opposition to second guess what we're going to do.  So they just keep to their defensive lines as we pound and pound and pound until our ears ring.  Pound, pound. pound, pound, pound, pound...pound.

It's just not rugby at the highest level.  It's elementary stuff.  Bang, Bang, Bang, no brain - win a few, lose a few, bob's your uncle

Not sure what game you were looking at but I would say you might be like Joe and not understand the game too well. Maybe lessen the digits in your analysis you might be more on the ball.

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

Not sure what game you were looking at but I would say you might be like Joe and not understand the game too well. Maybe lessen the digits in your analysis you might be more on the ball.

I was looking at the game that happened. You wear your glasses and I'll wear mine. Mine aren't rose tinted.

Rose tinted glasses are selling out. Get yourself a pair before tomorrow.

Scottrf wrote:Rose tinted glasses are selling out. Get yourself a pair before tomorrow.

I have a few boxes of them in the attic that I was given by Irish pals but seldom wear Think I might put them on Amazon if you think they are going quickly.

Only right to praise the Welsh team for the win and congratulate the coaching team for persevering with the same 23.No ifs,no buts the team selection worked and the team performance was very good.

For the French game I would like to see Sam D at 10,Webb and Ball not conceding silly penalties.Liam W at 15,and JD2 being shown how to run and pass to take advantage of clear overlaps.I know 1/2p has good positional awareness but he's dropping high balls too often.

Given over 300 tackles in the game I hope there aren't any serious injuries but particularly not to Bowe who was stretchered off at the end.

SecretFly wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

Not sure what game you were looking at but I would say you might be like Joe and not understand the game too well. Maybe lessen the digits in your analysis you might be more on the ball.

I was looking at the game that happened. You wear your glasses and I'll wear mine. Mine aren't rose tinted.

Hmm maybe so. But your analysis or lack thereof says it all when it comes to tinted glasses, rose pink or blue. Lacking in any intelligent comment or maybe just trying to hide from the truth

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

Not sure what game you were looking at but I would say you might be like Joe and not understand the game too well. Maybe lessen the digits in your analysis you might be more on the ball.

I was looking at the game that happened.  You wear your glasses and I'll wear mine.  Mine aren't rose tinted.

Hmm maybe so. But your analysis or lack thereof says it all when it comes to tinted glasses, rose pink or blue. Lacking in any intelligent comment or maybe just trying to hide from the truth

Oh don't be shy.  What the news from the Oracle?  Enlighten me.  I need some brightness after that cloud of crap

SecretFly wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

Not sure what game you were looking at but I would say you might be like Joe and not understand the game too well. Maybe lessen the digits in your analysis you might be more on the ball.

I was looking at the game that happened.  You wear your glasses and I'll wear mine.  Mine aren't rose tinted.

Hmm maybe so. But your analysis or lack thereof says it all when it comes to tinted glasses, rose pink or blue. Lacking in any intelligent comment or maybe just trying to hide from the truth

Oh don't be shy.  What the news from the Oracle?  Enlighten me.  I need some brightness after that cloud of crap

Just press rewind..the. Rte player should have it on soon.

Nah... I'd prefer to listen to your synopsis. You sound like you have it all spun together perfectly. Go for it.

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

Not sure what game you were looking at but I would say you might be like Joe and not understand the game too well. Maybe lessen the digits in your analysis you might be more on the ball.

I was looking at the game that happened.  You wear your glasses and I'll wear mine.  Mine aren't rose tinted.

Hmm maybe so. But your analysis or lack thereof says it all when it comes to tinted glasses, rose pink or blue. Lacking in any intelligent comment or maybe just trying to hide from the truth

 I think Fly was analysing the game where one team went 80 without scoring a try. Its hardly the required research to find a cure for cancer.

The Tommy Bowe injury really summed up an embarrassing night for Schmidt. Weak decision to include him, which he said was based on his wonderful training sessions. Well, I hate to break it to you Joe, but training sessions aren't nearly as intense as test games...

SecretFly wrote:Nah... I'd prefer to listen to your synopsis.  You sound like you have it all spun together perfectly.  Go for it.

Munster good, Leinster bad.

Done.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Nah... I'd prefer to listen to your synopsis.  You sound like you have it all spun together perfectly.  Go for it.

Munster good, Leinster bad.

Done.

Yeah. I think it must be something along those lines. My allusion to a laughing player was I think wot done me in

SecretFlyc wrote:Nah... I'd prefer to listen to your synopsis. You sound like you have it all spun together perfectly. Go for it.

Ok.

We were Poopie against a relatively poor team. Poor selection, poor tactics, poor showings from lot of individuals, all round poor coaching

My opinion. People slate Gatland from all over the UK but Joe is immune. I don't get it. Similar resources but Wales batter with big centres and Ireland batter with their back row. Let's face it they are both not pretty on the eye.

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

SecretFlyc wrote:Nah... I'd prefer to listen to your synopsis.  You sound like you have it all spun together perfectly.  Go for it.

Ok.

We were Poopie against a relatively poor team. Poor selection, poor tactics, poor showings from  lot of individuals, all round poor coaching

So there was no silver lining? Yep. I'm glad we sorted that confusion out.

Maine man wrote:My opinion. People slate Gatland from all over the UK but Joe is immune. I don't get it. Similar resources but Wales batter with big centres and Ireland batter with their back row. Let's face it they are both not pretty on the eye.

It is because Joe has become the modern art of rugby. When you criticise him for doing something crap, you get the usual patronising rubbish in return:

"You just don't get it".

"You wouldn't understand".

"Rugby can mean different things for different people".

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Nah... I'd prefer to listen to your synopsis.  You sound like you have it all spun together perfectly.  Go for it.

Munster good, Leinster bad.

Done.

Ah shure we can always throw that one out but maybe just maybe their are individuals af other provinces than Leinster for example who might just be better players. Or maybe Joe is showing an inability as a coach. God forbid we say that. Winning a once off game is one thing winning a game when it matters is another

I actually agree with that.

Am I the only one who doesn't rate Schmidt? The man looks like he hasn't a clue.

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Nah... I'd prefer to listen to your synopsis.  You sound like you have it all spun together perfectly.  Go for it.

Munster good, Leinster bad.

Done.

Ah shure we can always throw that one out but maybe just maybe their are individuals af other provinces than Leinster for example who might just be better players. Or maybe Joe is showing an inability as a coach. God forbid we say that. Winning a once off game is one thing winning a game when it matters is another

God, I'm liking Geen sport! My ice is melting.

Scottrf wrote:Rose tinted glasses are selling out. Get yourself a pair before tomorrow.

I have mine and they are ready for action.

I thought this was a very good match and both sides had their chances. Shame for Ireland when they had the maul with Best at the back. I thought the penalty call was right, but the play was unnecessary as they likely would have scored. Wales always seemed to be defending inside their 22 and were tough as nails. Ireland always seemed just a hair away from scoring. Was nail biting stuff.

To come clean, I was pulling for Ireland because that would have set up the England match perfectly. But well done to Wales and really tough luck for Ireland.

There was a time when Wales were battering the Irish line, followed by a period of Ireland battering the Welsh line. It might have been before the last penalty Ireland kicked over.

Usually, you think the defensive side is the one feeling the pain but it almost looked like Ireland were the team getting hurt on the attack as well.

Fans are so fickle these days...........

profitius wrote:Am I the only one who doesn't rate Schmidt? The man looks like he hasn't a clue.

Nobody rates him now. Didn't seem the same with the crowing about the NZ win and the supposed guaranteed win over England in Dublin though. Maybe that wasnt everyone but seems a bit fickle.

profitius wrote:Am I the only one who doesn't rate Schmidt? The man looks like he hasn't a clue.

If he had a clue (and he had a clue) ...he's losing it quickly. He just seems to think all Ireland can hope to be is mini SA; and we really don't have the players to play it. Sexton is bang, bang, banging and he got bird legs! It's a bizarre show really at times - like tonight.

Paddy is a better 10.

Scottrf wrote:

profitius wrote:Am I the only one who doesn't rate Schmidt? The man looks like he hasn't a clue.

Nobody rates him now. Didn't seem the same with the crowing about the NZ win and the supposed guaranteed win over England in Dublin though. Maybe that wasnt everyone but seems a bit fickle.

Well I know I asked the question but thinking about it, there has been plenty of people on this site worried about the direction Ireland have been going since 2015.

Until you beat England next week!

Scottrf wrote:

profitius wrote:Am I the only one who doesn't rate Schmidt? The man looks like he hasn't a clue.

Nobody rates him now. Didn't seem the same with the crowing about the NZ win and the supposed guaranteed win over England in Dublin though. Maybe that wasnt everyone but seems a bit fickle.

Generally speaking, that's not true. Many have questioned Schmidt's selections and use of the bench from the moment he became coach, and tonight's result will just add to that criticism.

TightHEAD wrote:Until you beat England next week!

Spread out wide and prepare for chitty chitty bang bang because if we do beat England, that's the way it's going to happen.  The boys will all be seeing stars by the end of the game but if that scoreboard looks right, then they'll feel it's worth it....  if they remember who they are.

That was a hugely physical match. Going to take some gut-sucking effort to play another match like that next week. No fault to the Ireland coaching staff, methinks. They had their opportunities. Just didn't happen.

Always knew we'd beat the Irish on the backlash. Shocking performance from Schmidts boys, but few teams would have penetrated that defense. Wales back to some semblance of the performances they are capable of, feast and famine rugby as per. That said i would find it hard to give the lions 7 shirt to anyone except Warburton or Tipuric now and North just answered a few of his critics. Since Warburton is more than likely to be Capt its logical he gets 7 berth.

unfair criticism of biggar on walesonline....lowest score 5 on player ratings ....this playing up flat is leading to the interceptions........sexton wasn't up flat, ford is not up flat , and russel is not up flat ..so why pressure dan to lose his space for a kicking game , strip him of time on the ball to meet some crazy populist view that we need to play rugby league....!!!!

First off congrats Wales, you were by far the better team today.

Some say why Joe gets no criticism, that is hilarious. Pretty much constant criticism is aimed at every Irish coach regardless of results. Pop by any province message boards sometime...

All coaches have ups and downs, both in reality and the narratives we build about them. How is Joe doing? Poorly this championship. Some say he should never be rated. Well he has given us two championships and a couple of rugby historical moments. He is a very good coach. We have maybe a top 6 player base in the world, so on a purely results basis I think he is marginally ahead of what might have been expected.

But Fly is right, that we are the same team we have always been, save a few smoothed out "professional" edges that Joe has added. When we have the wild passion we win. Every time we win. But the game after that wild passion game we lose. Every time we lose. That was before Joe and it seems like it may be after Joe. We have done well enough to win a few championships. Outside of the back 3 our personnel is fine if not cross the board world class. We will have plenty of lions for whatever that is worth. But our risk appetite is dire. We only ever play 70/30 balls or better. The great teams know when to play the 50/50 ball because they trust themselves. That last of risk appetite is Joe's achilles heel. We only get past is when the mad passion makes the risky stuff less risky as we to a man fight harder for everything. We have proven that passsion cannot be bottled. That passion is not a tactic or a strategy. And Joe needs to learn and change that -that we better gameplans and better skills. He will be our coach for 20+ games until the world cup. He has enough quid in the bank for another 6 nations for me but a top two finish is the only acceptable finish next year.

I think England will win tomorrow and win the championships and we will deny them the grandslam next week as that is what we do. Mad irish passion game coming up.

Congratulations to Wales, completely deserved the win and probably should have had the try bonus.

Gatland was beaming at the end and why not, there wasn't one green shirt that outplayed their opposite number. That was the perfect Lions eliminator and the reference point for what will be a significant Welsh contingent to face the All Blacks.

Well done Wales, better on the night.

Well, I wondered if we had one big game this tournament. And I think that was it (along with the England loss). But it was far from comfortable. The score line looks big but really it was one of those games where it teetered on a knife edge. 15-9 and 15-12 were nail biting times. Today it went our way. I think Ireland were more creative with the ball. The Sexton loop got me sh*tting my pants a lot of the time as it caused quite a bit of disarray. Stander is some player too. Before and after this game he is still my Lions 6.

P.s. Didn't Rory Best turn down points in favour of kicking to touch? Twice?! I think that precludes him from the Lions captaincy, according to previous 606 logic

Right. Now i have calmed down and stop laughing at the result last night.

First of all congratulations to Wales for beating Ireland.

And secondly congratulations to Wales for making it easier for England yo win the tournament.

Having said that, although Scotland have not won at twickers since 1983 i believe we will not be taking them for granted, and think that the game is in the bag before any ball is even kicked.

So again well done Wales.

I think George North had a cracking game yesterday. in fact the whole team had a cracking Game. The whole team played as a team for once, and not as a team of individuals.

Having said all this i still think that the Welsh coaches need upgrading( new coaches ) to come in and take Wales to new highs.

I personaly think that Howley, Mcbride, Edwards, Jenkins have done all they can do for Wales.

I bet Gwlad is well pi****d off today.

He was hoping Wales would get thrashed so they (WALES) could get rid of  Howley and co.

Well mate looks like you are stuck with what you have got.

majesticimperialman wrote:I bet Gwlad is well pi****d off today.

He was hoping Wales would get thrashed so they (WALES) could get rid of  Howley and co.

Well mate looks like you are stuck with what you have got.

Yor're joking after last night I bet he plastered his bedroom walls with pictures of Howley and Edwards.

Congrats Wales - well deserved victory.

Hope Wayne, Griff, etc enjoyed a few on that one.

Maine man wrote:Does this result mean that Howley is the heir apparent? Wales fans slate him but Wales do OK without gatland. And before Wales fans start moaning all I can say is you can't polish a turd

I'd say Howley's done alright, to be honest. The attack has looked a lot better this season- Autumn included- than it has for a number of years. He's also made some good, albeit it overdue, calls relating to the captaincy (Warburton's performances have improved immensely), 12 shirt, backrow, and generally the stlye of rugby they're looking to play. It's evolution rather than revolution, which is far better than trying to tear down the house and start again, partly because it's not necessary (we've done alright since the RWC), and partly because there isn't a new generation of players with the talent and style to come through and replace the current 'Gatlandball' crop. Nor is there an obvious coaching replacement team: if Dai Young didn't want it- which is entirely possible, why quit when you're ahead at club level?- then who feasibly is likely to take it and guarantee the same success Gatland and Howley have managed?

The reactionary attitude of so many of the fans in Wales has been so boringly vapid, poorly educated fans whipped up by a irresponsible media calling for droppings and heads on platters despite there being no obvious benefit.

We've seen it on this forum too. The absolutely embarrassing attitude of two members in particular of this board hoping Wales lose! Hoping you country loses! So you can win a bet and have a sense of self righteous "ah, told you so, they're not up to it".

Lots of people misunderstanding what it means to be a supporter of your country, it seems. There's a time and a place for criticisng a system, or a set up, or personnel, and hoping the team loses is in no way the manner to do it. I hope these posters took no pleasure in yesterday's victory, or any subsequent victories until this coaching team leaves. Wouldn't want there to be any hypocrisy here.

For all the merits and demerits of Howley, Gatland, Biggar etc., I've read almost nothing that should be given any heed on these boards, as most of it is reactionary gibberish that's taking glee in the Welsh team's minor failings and trying to amplify them for dramatic effect. Some people are so used to the 'boom and bust' culture, they seem to be mistaking narrow failure for a decline far more terminal.

I thought it was an excellent game, and both sides played pretty well. Ireland would probably have won if it wasn't for a small error joining a maul that looked like it was going to end in a score anyway. Wales have good players, and Wales away is always a hard game for NH sides. From the outside I think there is some over-reaction for some Ireland fans here - they could definitely beat England next week.

Also the game wetted my appetite for the Lions - there are some great options at 6 and 7 for instance.

Griff wrote:Well, I wondered if we had one big game this tournament. And I think that was it (along with the England loss). But it was far from comfortable. The score line looks big but really it was one of those games where it teetered on a knife edge. 15-9 and 15-12 were nail biting times. Today it went our way. I think Ireland were more creative with the ball. The Sexton loop got me sh*tting my pants a lot of the time as it caused quite a bit of disarray. Stander is some player too. Before and after this game he is still my Lions 6.

Whoops, I'm making up scores! Not sure where I got the 12 from. But regardless, it felt close right up until the last few minutes and were then fortunate to get the charge down. It's usually us getting charged down.