Positives & Negatives: Ireland V France

[mikerob]

You should listen to what the defence coach Les Kiss says about Ireland's defence. When the line moves up, there are 3 different line speeds - fast, medium and slow, the defence may come up straight, drift or a shooter may come up to cut-off the outside attack. Generally the 3rd or 4th player out in the defensive line calls the pattern depending on the situation (usually BOD if the backs have lined up conventionally, but this can obviously change from play to play) "Rush vs drift" is a far too simplistic way of looking at it as it implies that Ireland only has 2 different ways to defend, and like a lot of teams, there are a set of different tactics depending on the situation with success depending on picking the right method for the situation, communication between players and doing things properly.

but Mike, they are all variations on one of two basic themes. either come up or drift across with a multitude of variations in terms of speed, dogleg, etc. All dependant on what is happening.

I left out the "outside in" option! I still think boiling it down to 2 options is overly simplistic.

[AndyB]

O'Leary was terrible yesterday, his slow and high passes didn't do anyone outside him any favours.
O'Gara isn't getting any better - Sexton has to be given his chance.
Centres was ok and Bowe didn't really do anything good or bad.
Kearney got off to a bad start and looks out of sorts - needs to get back to basics of full back play.
Earls - not as bad as some people said here but nowhere near as good as the munster fans think he is.

Hayes is done - someone else needs to play - anyone
Flannery had a decent game except for his kick - what was he thinking of? Can he be cited?
Healy - ok
POC and Cullen - good games
Ferris - decent game
Wallace - I fear he's on the downhill side of his career - time to look for options
Heaslip - showed he's not very good at the hard graft when you're under the cosh. Haranodiquey gave a master class in the art of No8 play yesterday -twas a joy to behold.

[Rob6]

France have overtaken Ireland in the IRB World Ranking, France now on 84.00 (4th) and Ireland 83.33 (5th)

[cables]

France have overtaken Ireland in the IRB World Ranking, France now on 84.40 [+/- 0.01]-(4th) and Ireland 83.33 (5th)

Fixed that for you Rob6.

[Glynncommando]

Positives:
The final whistle. Tomorrow's another day. Thankfully.

Negatives:
Just about everything else, from Flannery's "tackle", to ROG's laughably feeble attempt at defence, to the inability to execute simple skills...Dire, dire, dire.
GC

[Rob6]

France have overtaken Ireland in the IRB World Ranking, France now on 84.40 [+/- 0.01]-(4th) and Ireland 83.33 (5th)

Fixed that for you Rob6.

Cheers Cables...... Thats what I had but i typed two zero instead of two fours!!

[bogboy]

Mike I said it was a rush defence to-day due to the nature of the French backline
The french were lying deep and running at Ireland from deep with Bastareaud in the backline unless tackled early he will run over you --he may not be the fastest back in the world but he is heavy with a low centre of gravity and therefore hard to drop-- thus to stop him the Ireland defence had to be up quickly -- if the first centre is up to quick /or the second centre is slow -- a quick release by Bastareaurd enables the player outside him to run inside his opposite number.

The three speeds of advance are evident in drift and rush -- drift being the slowest-- rush being the fastest and because it is the fastest it is the easiest to get wrong

[cables]

For some reason I am reminded of this:

The younger bull turns to the older bull and says,
"Look at all those cows.
There are hundreds of them down there just begging to be serviced by a bull such as I.
Let's run down into the valley and begin production on a few of those heffers..."

The old bull smiles and turns to the young bull and advises,
"Let us walk down young man and not just service a few but the whole herd!"

[Ulster throw in]

For some reason I am reminded of this:

The younger bull turns to the older bull and says,
"Look at all those cows.
There are hundreds of them down there just begging to be serviced by a bull such as I.
Let's run down into the valley and begin production on a few of those heffers..."

The old bull smiles and turns to the young bull and advises,
"Let us walk down young man and not just service a few but the whole herd!"

Why?

[Cap'n Grumpy]

For some reason I am reminded of this:

The younger bull turns to the older bull and says,
"Look at all those cows.
There are hundreds of them down there just begging to be serviced by a bull such as I.
Let's run down into the valley and begin production on a few of those heffers..."

The old bull smiles and turns to the young bull and advises,
"Let us walk down young man and not just service a few but the whole herd!"

Why?

for some reason!


I thought it was obvious

[Ulster throw in]

for some reason!


I thought it was obvious

So did he and he was wrong also......

[Cap'n Grumpy]

for some reason!


I thought it was obvious

So did he and he was wrong also......

Well it's obvious to me

[bogboy]

Maybe because its alot of "bullocks"

other than the fact the Irish defence leeked like a welsh golf cart when stopped on the Motorway

[Ulster throw in]

Bogboy you have a way with words! Thought of the diplomatic corps?

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Maybe because its alot of "bullocks"

other than the fact the Irish defence leeked like a welsh golf cart when stopped on the Motorway

It was obvious to me, but that was TOO obvious to be the real reason.

I also doubt cables would stoop to such low humour.