Ireland v France, Sat, 2:15, Landsdowne Road

Ireland Team:

Gibson Park, Furlong, Sheehan and Healy out for Ireland.

15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 26 caps
14. Mack Hansen (Connacht/Corinthians) 10 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 48 caps
12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 10 caps
11. James Lowe (Leinster) 16 caps
10. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 110 caps (c)
9. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 101 caps
1. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 49 caps
2. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 32 caps
3. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 28 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 37 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 49 caps
6. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 90 caps
7. Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps
8. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 24 caps

Replacements: 16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 18 caps, 17. Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 49 caps, 18. Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 5 caps, 19. Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 69 caps, 20. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 34 caps, 21. Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 8 caps, 22. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 15 caps, 23. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 42 caps

France Team:
Woki, Danty, Villiere out as expected. Only change from the Italy game is with the subs, Thomas Lavault and Nolann Le Garrec drop out of the squad. François Cros and Baptiste Couilloud come in. No one will be surprised by the 6-2 bench split.

1 Baille
2 Marchand
3 Atonio
4 Flament
5 Willemse
6 Jelonch
7 Ollivon
8 Aldrit
9 Dupont (C)
10 Ntamak
11 Dumortier
12 Moefana
13 Fikou
14 Penau
15 Ramos

Subs: Barlot, Wardi, Falatea, Taofifenua, Cros, Macalou, Couilloud, Jalibert.

Ireland to win by 8. Wayne Barnes to ref.

Saturday should be mainly dry and rather cloudy. There'll be patchy light rain and drizzle at times. Typical Irish weather prediction but dry enough for it to be an open enough game.
This game has to be close. Maybe home advantage swings it slightly in Ireland's favour. Over the past year, France are unbeaten and had a squad building summer tour to Japan while Ireland lost to France (in France) and had a successful summer tour to NZ. The Irish achilles recently has been dealing with monster packs and France have a monster pack. But how will a pack of 955kg run around the pitch for 55-60 minutes if Ireland play at the tempo they like to?
I can honestly see perfectly reasonable scenarios where France pick up a 10-12 point victory or where Ireland pick up a 8-14 point victory.
Looking forward to a good Test match!!

The tournament is poorer without Cameron Woki, he's a fantastic player. He's become an important player for France, and I wonder if his absence partly explains their performance last week.

Woki, Danty and Villiere were three of their best players last year. I think France are missing all of them.

Ireland must expect to win this one, right?

George Carlin wrote:Ireland must expect to win this one, right?

Absolutely, you have to win your home games. Though I think the last home game we have lost was against...

....France.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:The tournament is poorer without Cameron Woki, he's a fantastic player. He's become an important player for France, and I wonder if his absence partly explains their performance last week.

The French backrow is big and physical, they get away with such a big backrow normally because Woki and Flament are so mobile for second rows. Without them it's Wilhemse who's a good second row but whilst he's big and powerful he's not massively mobile.

Very good point Sam

I would expect an Ireland win by 10. There is that feeling in me that they Ireland did switch off against Wales. What has been winning games for Ireland has been the intensity and i am not so sure that France can match the Irish in this department.

When's the Irish team being named, can't be long now?

formerly known as Sam wrote:When's the Irish team being named, can't be long now?

Great question??? I have been waiting the last couple of hours to see it. Must be at 2. Think the team was announced at 1 for Wales so its a bit later this time around. Maybe there are some fitness issues.

formerly known as Sam wrote:When's the Irish team being named, can't be long now?

Yeah seriously, when is it because I am getting very agitated waiting for the big announcement that Sheehan is OK after all, JGP and Furlong have recovered and everything is OK with the world.

Pete330v2 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:When's the Irish team being named, can't be long now?

Yeah seriously, when is it because I am getting very agitated waiting for the big announcement that Sheehan is OK after all, JGP and Furlong have recovered and everything is OK with the world.

Sheehan is indeed out. Big loss in my view. Team added above now.

Collapse2005 wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:When's the Irish team being named, can't be long now?

Yeah seriously, when is it because I am getting very agitated waiting for the big announcement that Sheehan is OK after all, JGP and Furlong have recovered and everything is OK with the world.

Sheehan is indeed out. Big loss in my view. Team added above now.

Definately a big loss but Herring doesn't let the side down and Kelleher on the bench isn't a bad option at all.

My main worry had been Casey starting so it's not as bad as it could have been. I'd like to have seen Hendo in the 2nd row with Beirne at 6 and POM on the bench just for some early extra grunt etc but POM is class so no real worries there.

George Carlin wrote:Ireland must expect to win this one, right?

They should, particularly with their 16th man Wayne Barnes helping out.

Herring is a great player but not as prominent a ball carrier as Sheehan. Having already lost Furlong this will make the task of getting consistently quick ball just slightly more difficult.

France have more forwards pace on the bench with Francoise Cros, replacing a  lock. For all his athleticism and lineout ability Charles Ollivon doesn't get in the face of the opposition as readily as Cros.

Last year Cros put in numerous low tackles finished off by body shots provided by Jelonch or Alldritt. It was an exceptionally well balanced back row unit.
It will be interesting to see if he can make as much of an input coming from the bench as he did as a starter.
I suspect the game may be too far away from France by that point, unless they can rediscover their form.

https://www.ruck.co.uk/hes-a-little-rascal-johnny-sexton-has-been-labelled-the-biggest-cheat-in-rugby-today/?fbclid=IwAR2MI09vQsVAFlPXtV1esbCEGqVwXvc77gAbgdfc9jzRP5dugnvGkhoLlpQ

Sexton labelled biggest cheat in world rugby. Liam Williams just misses out…

Personally feel Sheehan, Furlong, JGP and Henshaw is too many key players out and enough to give France the edge in this one

This will be a tough one to call number 1 agonst number 2 in the world, Normally Ireland at home you would normally back Ireland, Bit i think France just might win it at the end.

mikey_dragon wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Ireland must expect to win this one, right?

They should, particularly with their 16th man Wayne Barnes helping out.

FYI I think its 7 wins from 18 with Barnes as a ref.

theslosty wrote:Personally feel Sheehan, Furlong, JGP and Henshaw is too many key players out and enough to give France the edge in this one

Danty, Woki and Villiere are big players for France too.

I love Andy Farrells attitude when he is asked about set backs like these he lately responds “I think its great” because we need these challenges to win a world cup. He seems so positive in mind set and this with their no excuses squad mentality and good form makes me think they will overcome France.

We are due a win and its at home, I think they will do it.

Landsdowne Road?

Tsk, tsk. Rookie mistake.

What are the score predictions for today. Im thinking 27-19 to Ireland.

I think this is a very difficult one to call.  Most likely the game is played carefully and tactically with a few attacking moments.  I think more of the good attacking moves come off turnovers.  I think the final scoreline will be in the low 20s.  Maybe a hair of an advantage to France, but just a hair.

On the other hand, if France commit the same number of pens as they did against Italy, they are doomed against Ireland.

I think ireland will win but wouldn't be overly confident as they've struggled against France recently.

Yeah it isnt just recently we have always kind of struggled against France and so I would fully understand why people might predict we will struggle. Just have a good feeling about thus one though.

Narrowly favouring France. 14 wins in a row, they always seem to find a way, and I think the Italy fright will have sharpened their approach. The game will be decided by who makes fewer errors and who kicks for territory better.

I think Ireland will win. Home ground advantage and there is something very good about this side. Squad depth and balance seems better than the French to me.

Thid id s mist win game for both teams today Ireland need to win because they are at home and are niber 1 team in the world.

France need to win because they are Grabd Slam champions and ro prove they are worthy of being world cup champions later on this year.

Really can't recall when the Six nations had a number 1 in the world playing number 2.
To be fair, I usually don't care abut the ratings so it might be more recent than I would recall. But it still seems an unusual happenstance in recent Six Nations.

Just hoping for a match where they are going after it like seven bells.

I don't imagine it has happened before. NZ or SA were top of the world rankings from mid 2004-2019. In 2019 it changed hands a lot, including a brief time when Wales were number one. Interestingly, Australia have never been top of the world rankings.

If Wikipedia is correct, this Six Nations is actually the first since 2004 to feature the world's number 1 ranked team.

doctor_grey wrote:Really can't recall when the Six nations had a number 1 in the world playing number 2.  
To be fair, I usually don't care abut the ratings so it might be more recent than I would recall.  But it still seems an unusual happenstance in recent Six Nations.

Just hoping for a match where they are going after it like seven bells.  

It has never happened before

This one’s gonna hurt

Oh what a play and Keenan scores a fantastic try. Magnificent line and play

Surely Ireland tackled off the ball after the charge down.

eirebilly_01 wrote:Oh what a play and Keenan scores a fantastic try. Magnificent line and play

Nice pop pass - very flat ...

Ffs France are getting every bounce of the ball.

Good try for France but weak enough defending from us

Wow that was some try

Now France with a fantastic try from open play.

Not the best defending by Ireland though.

profitius wrote:Ffs France are getting every bounce of the ball.

Yeah it does feel that way

Good try by Ireland, even better one from France.

Interesting tactics from France. Keen to keep the ball in hand, rather than kick. Their offloading game looking superb.

eirebilly_01 wrote:Now France with a fantastic try from open play.

Not the best defending by Ireland though.

Not as bad as England last week though ...

What a finish... WOW

Lovely finish. Lowe is class.

Great try, a bit luck with the review but we are at home.

Great finish.

Wow that was close ...

Well that was or was not a Try depending what colour glasses yer wearing

Probably the best finish you'll see this year. Scores like that deserve 7 points, not difficult conversions!

And how annoying is it with rugby commentators talking over the officials while they're making the decision?!

tigertattie wrote:Well that was or was not a Try depending what colour glasses yer wearing

Agreed