The Rugby Union Thread

Gassage

digitalscream said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35627087

Not the ideal way for Burrell to get back in the running, but this has to be good news.

I pity the fuckers outside him as they're unlikely to get a pass.

koneguitarist

Thought Gatland had picked all the guys who couldnt pass? 

Gassage

koneguitarist said:

Thought Gatland had picked all the guys who couldnt pass? 

Don't be silly. We have TheHask©

tbm

Looks like two debuts for Ireland on Saturday, Josh van der Flier and Stuart McCloskey. Excited to see what McCloskey can do, he's been the best center in Ireland this year. Josh van der Flier is a real southern hemisphere style 7. People compare him to Keith Gleeson. Anyway, with Maro Itoje starting for England, lets how its a day for the young fellas!

eSully

IRELAND TEAM TO PLAY ENGLAND

15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 68
14. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 60
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht) 17
12. Stuart McCloskey (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*
11. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 47
10. Jonathan Sexton (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 58
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 44
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary’s College/Leinster) 27
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) Captain 91
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 56
4. Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster) 36
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 33
6. CJ Stander (Munster) 2
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)*
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) Vice Captain 82

Replacements
16. Richard Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster) 14
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 56
18. Nathan White (Connacht) 10
19. Ultane Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht)*
20. Rhys Ruddock (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 7
21. Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster) 68
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) 27
23. Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster) 22

Overall I'm happy enough with that selection, i think I'd have liked Zebo ahead of Kearney but he does bring experience. Still think this game is beyond Ireland though. England win

tbm

Yeah, its an exciting selection for an Ireland fan. The back row looks opretty balanced, and with VdF there you could well see Heaslip carrying more. If the scrum holds, if Sexton is firing, and if there are no major defensive eff ups in the midfield then we've a shot. I just can't see the English lads losing in there first game back at home after the World Cup though. They'll be too motivated and I fear for our second row. Ryan always has the game face, but he hasn't had the game for a while. He could be shown up by Itoje.

Narrow England win.

lloyd

Three debutants in the 23. Fair play, didn't expect that. 

I can't see past an England win here. It could be painful viewing for Ireland if things click for England. I can see them extending their lead by a fair amount in the last 15 minutes or so.

England by 2 scores for me.

tbm

I dunno, I can't see an easy win for England. If you look a the recent matches it's always been tight. Even Ireland 10 point winning margin last year is doesn't really represent how competitive England were in Dublin. The exception being 2012 where we had Tom Court at tight head for most of the game. I think what will win if for England is the fear of losing.

koneguitarist

I think this is Englands first serious test, and will be an indication of where they are under Eddie Jones. England "should" win.

scrumhalf

On the one hand England want to impress Jones.

On the other hand, we have an ability to utterly bugger things up.

Should be interesting.

lloyd

tbm said:

I dunno, I can't see an easy win for England. If you look a the recent matches it's always been tight. Even Ireland 10 point winning margin last year is doesn't really represent how competitive England were in Dublin. The exception being 2012 where we had Tom Court at tight head for most of the game. I think what will win if for England is the fear of losing.

I don't see an easy win to be fair, I don't think there are too many of them in the 6N but I can see them opening up with their runners late on. I think it will be scrappy but with Ireland under pressure. Ireland have a lot of injuries and I can see sexton getting targeted again and coming off. This is a good England team, at home in their first 'proper' game with 2 weeks rest under their belts, as well as 2 wins and not too many serious injury concerns. There will be a lot of pressure on Ireland, 2 times champions with a loss and a draw so far. The 3 debutants could buckle or shine but if I was Irish I'd not be looking forward to this one.

fretmeister

Burrell is not in. He was called down from the Newcastle game and by the time he got to HQ minds had been changed and he was dropped.

Lawes was dropped and went home, then when he got home he got called up again as Launch is injured.

lloyd

I'm not a huge fan of the Friday night games if I'm honest, but my girlfriend bought tickets for me as a surprise so I'm off down there today. Which is nice. I've not been to watch us for a few years boycotting the Chief Exec and Chairman (who've left and in their wisdom amongst other things I disagreed with volunteered for 7 out of the 8 Friday night games to be hosted by Wales.....arse licking the BBC basically). We don't have a great record off the top of my head for them but tonight should be different, Gatlandball should be enough to overcome this young, inexperienced and small French side. Last saw us play France when we beat them comfortably for the Grand Slam, which was nice.

exocet

I'm going as well. The last time France played in Wales it was a Friday night match, I was at that one too....we won.

It's a game that Wales should win, that would make it 3 consecutive wins against the French. There again it could all go horribly wrong....

tbm

Aye, Wales should win handy enough. Until the French replacement front row came on they offered f*ck all last week. It was 69 minutes before they got into the Irish 22. It was only Irish wastefulness in possession in the first half that won France that game.

Have to say I do like a Friday night Wales game. A friend and I have been threatening to go over to Cardiff for one. Not even a Wales Ireland game, just any one. The atmosphere always seems great for them.

lloyd

I think it's more the fact that we've done 7 of 8 of them that I dislike the most, under the old senior team we would be first in line for these games, extra Autumn tests etc for the filthy lucre at the expense of ease for the fans-it forces fans from the north to take time off work and those from the south to rush straight from work-it can cause problems with commuters too as there is zero organisation....

Anyway, as a spectacle it's pretty special and here to stay so I should get used to it. I've not voted with my feet to be fair.

I'd still be hurting about that game were I Irish, this French team are nowhere near being a decent side-when it clicks they will be dangerous (please not tonight!) but all their offloads and pretty paterns are way behind the gain line-we should see Wales push them backwards for most of the game and wear them down.

Gatlandball played well is more often than not enough to beat the NH sides as we've seen over the last 9 years.

koneguitarist

lloyd said:

Last saw us play France when we beat them comfortably for the Grand Slam, which was nice.

I was there for that in 2008 right behind the post when Shane Williams scored, brilliant! 

Gassage

Be very interested to see how Wales revert to type tonight as I felt, with Tips at 7, they could be a tad more expansive. With the Lyd/Warbs/NotToby back row they have more defensive power, less support running.

I am a big fan of the emerging French troiseme ligne, Wenceslas Lauret. He's gonna be a big player for them.

Rocker

Wales to win by more than one score, Scotland ditto and Ireland to win courtesy of a late penalty.

Gassage

From French PA

James O'Connor suffered a heart attack on the bus home from Toulon's win at Oyonnax last Sunday.

Midi Olympique report the utility back was rushed to hospital to undergo tests following initial 'treatment' from team-mate Mamuka Gorgodze upon the team's return to Toulon.

The club is yet to make an official comment on the health of O'Connor, who is expected to be sidelined for some time.

The RBP team wishes him a speedy recovery.