Ireland v Australia

[Swans120]

Good performance against England, a very understrength side though it must be said, and if we can beat Ireland in Ireland it would be enormous. This is a rough, tough team that at home will be brutal. If we cant improve at the breakdown we are in deep trouble and same with the lineouts due to their very good locks in O'Connell and O'Callaghan. O'Connell is an awesome player and an inspirational player, they definitely have the upper edge in that area.

Ioane and Cooper have to quell the influence of the Irish centres, O'Driscoll and i assume it will be D'Arcy. Theyve got other good backs as well who are dangerous. Kearney is a very good player and Fitzgerald is a good young outside back. And O'Gara is a damn good kicker, good facilitator of play too but his first instinct will be to kick.

We have a shot, but it will be damn tough. I doubt highly the starting XV will change, TPN and Pocock are the 2 that have the biggest shot of coming in, but with a win from the last start i think it is unlikely we will change it.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Re: Australia vs Ireland

I'll be honest, we don't have much of a chance. If Berrick Barnes was there I would give us a chance, but Ireland are the best side in the world at the moment. Cannot see us stopping their centres or their forwards. I'd love to be wrong but I can't see it. A loss by less than 10 is a good result. I'd go with teh same 15 except Pocock for Smith at 7.

 

[bullish23]

Re: Australia vs Ireland

I am heading to the game. This will be tough, but pretty sure it will be Irelands first test for the Autumn, so maybe we can catch them cold.

Loved Genia's game from Saturday. A halfback who can deliver early, quick and accurate ball is something this side has lacked for many years.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Re: Australia vs Ireland

No changes for mine. I think we have a good chance at winning. O'Driscoll will most definitely test out the defensive abilities of Cooper and Ioane. I am hoping that Smith plays a blinder.

 

[Swans120]

Re: Australia vs Ireland

O'Driscoll and D'Arcy could well tear Ioane and Cooper apart going on how they went against England, being ok but missing tackles too much. O'Driscoll is the best centre in the world in my book (followed probably by Jamie Roberts of Wales) and he can dominate this game if his forwards allow him enough space and give him enough ball.Fitzgerald and Kearney are very dangerous too, give them space and tehy will make a lot ground.

Im very concerned about the lineout, O'Connell is a great lock, one of the best out there and could steal a lot of ball off us if Moore throws like he did to begin last weeks game.

(I leave this Sunday to Spain and then Wales and England after. 18 short days til im at Millenium Stadium! So excited)

 

[Swans120]

Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Will Genia, Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom (c), Mark Chisholm, James Horwill, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson. Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Matt Dunning, Dean Mumm, George Smith, Luke Burgess, Ryan Cross, James O'Connor.

Pocock back in for Smith.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Thank you! About time the ovverated Smith was dumped!

 

[Swans120]

Rob Kearney; Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll (capt), Paddy Wallace, Luke Fitzgerald; Ronan O'Gara, Tomas O'Leary, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris; Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan; John Hayes, Jerry Flannery, Cian HealyReplacements: Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Leo Cullen, Denis Leamy, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Keith Earls


The Ireland team for this week. Pretty strong, D'Arcy not picked with Wallace in ahead of him, havent seen much of him though. Very strong back 3 of Kearney, Fitzgerlad and Bowe. With some space they will be hard to contain, not to mention having the best centre in the world inside them. Not sure what Stringer has done over the last 18 months but he certainly isnt the sure start at 9 that he used to be. O'Learey and Reddan are both good players though so they are certainly not losing anything without him i would think.



Very good backrow, Heaslip is a very strong 8 and Wallace is a good 7. 2nd row as has been said is world class with Cullen on the bench also a very good player with plenty of experience. Hayes is a very solid prop and has plenty of experience and will match up well with Robinson and the other prop is debuting due to Marcus Horan being out for the whole Autumn season.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Wallace won the Irish football player of the year, he is likened to a young Tana Umaga. Gun.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Thank you! About time the ovverated Smith was dumped!

That is complete bullshit. There is no way that Smith is overrated. As I have said, he has been the Wallabies best player for about the past 3 - 5 years. Out of form, but not overrated.

 

[Swans120]

Only just realised the game is on Monday morning not Sunday morning. Now i wont be able to watch it cause i'll be on a flight to Europe. **** **** **** and ****.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

That is complete bullshit. There is no way that Smith is overrated. As I have said, he has been the Wallabies best player for about the past 3 - 5 years. Out of form, but not overrated.

Very ovverated. I am sorry but he is not even close to McKaw, and he is in a bunch of about 10 breakaways. He is slow now. Glad Pocock is ahead of him, Phil Waugh should be as well.

 

[Cruiser23]

Mitchell over the line after 2 minutes.

 

[wce_all_da_way]

The **** was that defence. Unbelievable, just let him split us open with a minute to go. ****ing spewing.

 

[Ron]

That was shit. Poor defence in the last minute of the game.

To come out with a draw in a game we controlled for most of it is a poor result.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Now does anyone disagree that Ioane's defence is horrible? Seriously letting your oppisite 13 stroll over. It is why this experiment with him at 13 won't last long!

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

ioane hasnt been bad at 13 and is he best opition there considering that the best 13 aac is stuck at fullback and mortlock is injured. was also good to see the wallaby pack dominate expect lineouts which were terrible again

 

[likka]

Yet another game thrown away by a brain dead error late in a game.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Cooper and Iaone were horrible, and that is being very nice. Digby cannot tackle. If your oppisite number scores it is your fault!

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Ioane and Cooper were poor defensively, but were solid in attack. I still reckon that our kicking is aimless. We should be kicking for touch regardless of how shit our lineout is. The Palu card was a joke. Yet again we let a game slip away that we should have won. By the way bombersno1 Pocock was bloody good.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Games are won on defence, Iaone was poor. You recon he was good in attack..well what the heck did he do? He sure didn't make any breaks or set up his winger that is for sure. Told you Smith was past it and you laughed at me. I am not one to gloat but I feel very happy right now. He was the MOTM on both sides. Smith like Burgess can sit on his rear end for the rest of the tour!

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Games are won on defence, Iaone was poor. You recon he was good in attack..well what the heck did he do? He sure didn't make any breaks or set up his winger that is for sure. Told you Smith was past it and you laughed at me. I am not one to gloat but I feel very happy right now. He was the MOTM on both sides. Smith like Burgess can sit on his rear end for the rest of the tour!

Ioane got over the advantage line on numerous occasions, which is one of the primary roles of a centre. Pocock playing well does not mean that Smith is crap, it just means that Pocock should play ahead of Smith. I still have faith in Smith. A quick question for you bombersno1; what do you think of our kicking in play at the moment?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

O'Driscoll despite being awful for 78 minutes did more than Iaone in attack. Digby did nothing for me and I have watched the game 3 times now. I am not saying Smith is crap, I am saying he is past it- like all players they have to be moved on.

As for our kicking game, well it is horrible but lets be honest here is there anyone except for Berrick Barnes who is a great kicker of the ball. Mitchell is probably the best one and he is a damn winger. We just don't have good kickers. That may seem harsh but it is the truth. I actually thought our kicking game was a lot better against Ireland than England at least!

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

O'Driscoll despite being awful for 78 minutes did more than Iaone in attack. Digby did nothing for me and I have watched the game 3 times now. I am not saying Smith is crap, I am saying he is past it- like all players they have to be moved on.

As for our kicking game, well it is horrible but lets be honest here is there anyone except for Berrick Barnes who is a great kicker of the ball. Mitchell is probably the best one and he is a damn winger. We just don't have good kickers. That may seem harsh but it is the truth. I actually thought our kicking game was a lot better against Ireland than England at least!

Cooper is a good kicker, but was horrible against Ireland. Bring back Latham.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Cooper is a good kicker, but was horrible against Ireland. Bring back Latham.

No he is not. There is a reason why Lucas, Genia and Barnes kicked most for Queensland. Cooper is handy, but he does not have a long boot on him. Reminds me a lot of Spencer in the fact he is great with the ball in his hand but he can't kick or tackle. Reality is they probably should have taken Ben Lucas on this tour. He can easily play 10, and is better defensively and can kick the ball. Giteau is a 12.