@Victor-Meldrew said in Ireland v England:
@sparky said in Ireland v England:
England have been very poor in this second half. The wheels have fallen off their chariot.
Poor leadership. Fitness also suspect.
Something's not right in their squad. There's a noticeable lack of cohesion and connection.
@MiketheSnow after telling players that anybody who runs in will be carded Lowes runs in and Bok does nothing from the next play Ireland scores
Will say though Ireland were the better team when it mattered
They stuck so much pressure on England with their rush defence and placed heaps of pressure on Marcus Smith when he was defending high kicks on the wing
Smith has got some talent in attack but boy talk about a liability in defence
@MiketheSnow said in Ireland v England:
Eddie looks like he just came from the allotment
Perhaps the driver picked up the gnome instead.
Two observations: O’Keefe made a huge mistake when after the tackle in the air he did not reverse the penalty and give Lowe a yellow when he rushed in. He explicitly told both teams that is what he would do if anyone rushed in again and that had an immediate impact with Lowe setting up a try on the next play.
The other one is just how much this Ireland team relies on their 3 New Zealanders to win games…
Totally bizarre substitutions of the props in this game. Stewart came back on twice, and I'm not sure how he could a second time. Ireland's lack of depth at prop is highlighted when Healy is still being given a token 5 mins at the end of the game. He has been way past his best for the last 3-4 years. Sheehan had a huge impact for his try, making two passes in the move.
England's defensive intensity was impressive in the 1st half but taking off Earl so early was a big mistake from Borthwick. He didn't look injured.
@pjay said in Ireland v England:
Tries to Bundee Aki, Gibson-Park, Lowe assist. What is the back story on these three? Money? Playing on a bigger stage? Missed / ignored by selectors? Family ties?
I am intrigued. Has any of the three explained?
JGP went to Leinster years four years before his Irish call-up. He probably looked at the ABs and saw Nuggy, TJ and thought slim chance. Took the opportunity in front of him.
Bundee came from the long lost Irish tribe of the O'Aki's. So despite missing all manner of paperwork he still managed to fulfil a lifelong ambition to play Test rugby somewhere. Especially with Ma'a blocking any path to a black jersey.
James Lowe, realising he too wouldn't make the All Blacks, opted to move to Ireland as a project player with both parties acknowledging that once the residency criteria was met, he too would fulfil his lifelong ambition of playing Test rugby.
Are Irish fans not completely embarrassed by the fact that without the 3 kiwis in the backline their team is nothing? Throw in a kiwi ref giving them gifts at key moments and we should get the rankings points for that one.
England are far less than the sum of their parts and should fire borthwick today.
Pretty average game really, the 2nd half devolved in to errors and whistle.
@mariner4life said in Ireland v England:
Also James Lowe is a bitch who carries on like a dickhead and wants to fight everyone.
Safe in the knowledge that in the modern game, no member of the tight five would send him into cloud-cuckoo land.
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Ireland v England:
If you ignore the dickhead theatrics...
I cannot.
What a towering fuckwit
Was hoping England would win that. I hate myself. Ireland looked much better after Prendergast went off… but maybe that because I think he’s a tool.
@W32 said in Ireland v England:
Was hoping England would win that. I hate myself. Ireland looked much better after Prendergast went off… but maybe that because I think he’s a tool.
Nah the forwards in Ireland had turned the corner in the second half, Sam P got shit ball all the time. Much improved for Crowley
@antipodean
Thanks, that explains things, we did have a wealth of talent, not so much these days in the centres and half-backs
@NTA said in Ireland v England:
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Ireland v England:
If you ignore the dickhead theatrics...
I cannot.
What a towering fuckwit
What did he do ?
@NTA said in Ireland v England:
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Ireland v England:
If you ignore the dickhead theatrics...
I cannot.
What a towering fuckwit
He must have learnt a lot in Ireland.
@MN5 said in Ireland v England:
@NTA said in Ireland v England:
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Ireland v England:
If you ignore the dickhead theatrics...
I cannot.
What a towering fuckwit
What did he do ?
Firstly has a stupid haircut.
Otherwise just constantly trying to pick fights or taking offense at nothing to try and start something.
He was a bit of a dickhead when he arrived in Ireland but it's gone to 11 since
@NTA said in Ireland v England:
@MN5 said in Ireland v England:
@NTA said in Ireland v England:
@Old-Samurai-Jack said in Ireland v England:
If you ignore the dickhead theatrics...
I cannot.
What a towering fuckwit
What did he do ?
Firstly has a stupid haircut.
Otherwise just constantly trying to pick fights or taking offense at nothing to try and start something.
He was a bit of a dickhead when he arrived in Ireland but it's gone to 11 since
I hear you on that but I think that of many players nowadays. At least it isn’t a mullet.
I’ve become Abe Simpson
As for the antics maybe he’s under strict orders now that Sexton has retired ?
England look good at the beginning, then drift, then almost stop, its been a repeated pattern, is it the coaching or the cattle? I don't rate Borthwick but if the run on team do a good job of sticking to the game plan, can you really blame the coach when they fuck it up when they get tired?
Overall, Ireland dominated the last 60 odd minutes of that game but the tries largely came from individual errors in D rather than a systemic break down. A few decisions went against England which were a bit suspect but i don't think it was those that cost us the game.
Overall, a pretty familiar feeling of blurgh. France will likely destroy us next week as they will smash us physically.
