So, a doddle against Italy

[Bart S]

France are still far from the finished article. Increkdibly frustrating to watch as some great moves always seem to be let down by handling errors. If they could eradicate them then they could be a top side.

I still think Ireland have a good chance next week. In some ways today will have been a wake up call. Irelamd have a massive incentive next week as they will want to avoid the AB's, but i do wonder if that will be such a big factor motivating the french. They have lost big games to the Argies as well and always seem capable of raising their game against the AB's.

I think Ireland will be hungrier and will come out of the blocks with urgency. Fancy us to sneek it, but at what cost personnel wise could be key in deciding whether we can make the semis if we do win.

[Bart S]

We went to this game. Very underwhelming performance by Ireland and they'll not get any further than the QFs regardless of the opposition if they play like they did today.
Although the game was crap we had a great day, enjoyed the fanzone and the stadium was cracker. Spoke to a couple of Aussies in Ireland tops who were gushing about how great Ferris was in his day. Made me feel quite sad, but Hendo doing a Fez-Genia did help.

Ferris was an incredible player. We saw him so much that we took him for granted. He was close to being the perfect flanker: ball carrying and defending he was fairly peerless, speed, power, attitude. Suppose he could have taken more lineout ball and been better at winning turnovers, but he was without any shadow of doubt the best Ulster player of the professional era. Had he been in a better Ulster team for his best years, he would be acknowledged as a global superstar.

He also missed a lot of his prime playing period due to injury.

[BaggyTrousers]

We went to this game. Very underwhelming performance by Ireland and they'll not get any further than the QFs regardless of the opposition if they play like they did today.
Although the game was crap we had a great day, enjoyed the fanzone and the stadium was cracker. Spoke to a couple of Aussies in Ireland tops who were gushing about how great Ferris was in his day. Made me feel quite sad, but Hendo doing a Fez-Genia did help.

Highlight of the game Shammy, at least you had a good day out, on TV it as a brutal watch.

[Bart S]

Arguably Js has backed himself into a corner on his selection at lock by mot giving Hency any game time in the back row. There is an argument for starting Toner a.ongside Paulie, but he can't leave Hendy out, so Big Dev will start on the bench. The altenrative would have been to play Hendy at 6, but again POM was the pick of the backrow. The only real question is whether Henry should start ahead of SOB. I would have liked to see that for the Italy game, in part to reward henry for a good game against Roomania but also to motivate SOB, who has not been in great form. It would be a brave call by JS to pick Henry to start against France and bench SOB and whilst I think it would be a good one - SOB straining at the leash and coming on after 50 mins against some tired bodies, I don't think he'll do it.

Only other question in the pack is who starts at loosehead. For me it has to be Jack Mcgrath. Cian is a class player but still not back to his best and McGrath has done well.

In the backline I would play Henshaw and Payne in the centre, IF Jared is fit. Defence in that area will be an absolute priority for JS and whilst Earls did well in that regard, he'll want Jared leading the defensive line for this one. Besides, the stuff about JP being the stumbling block to a creative Irish midfield didn't really get much credence today.

I'd still have Earls on one wing as he is in good form right now, particulalry with his try scoring record. Bowe may edge the unfortunate Kearney given the ariel bombardment we shall be employing. Tommy getting better but still a long way from his best IMHO. Kearney would be a safer option.

Rob Kearney a more reliable option at full back and again sound and reliable is what Js will be picking for this game.

[Russ]

That was probably the most insipid and unambitious display that I have seen so far in this world cup. Did anybody notice any midfield play by Ireland at any time other than the little flurry that produced the try? Very little to get excited about or be confident about and I'm not eagerly anticipating watching them again.

As you may know I like to park myself behind the posts simply to watch the movement of players on and off the ball

Ireland had zero movement

Players were static, they trundled into an outside shoulder running sideways and away from the backrow

The backrow apart from Heaslip stood about as if in a strop

The italian outside backs blitzed irelands poor centres also, meaning Ireland could not pass the ball

[Shan]

Disappointing performance. There is no getting away from that. We made Italy forwards look better than they are. Luckily Italy are not great or we could have have been beaten.

We need a huge improvement to compete with France. If we let their forwards get on top they have the firepower behind to rip us up.

Not losing hope yet though. I think we can improve but all our players need to turn up. They certainly didn't today. About 5 of them played better than poorly.

[Snipe Watson]

Henshaw has to get a bye ball as he's not match ready, but I worry will he be ready for France? SOB looks ponderous to me. Where has all the dynamism with ball in hand gone? France will blow us away at the breakdown if we don't improve massively.

[Cockatrice]

It will all be down to which French team turns up next week...

[Russ]

Henshaw has to get a bye ball as he's not match ready, but I worry will he be ready for France? SOB looks ponderous to me. Where has all the dynamism with ball in hand gone? France will blow us away at the breakdown if we don't improve massively.

He stands at first receiver 4 or 5 metres from the ruck, but never outside the close defenders

He gets the ball static, moves, stops and takes contact on the defences terms

It's a total lack of intensity

[Russ]

It will all be down to which French team turns up next week...

One with fofana will slaughter our backline

[rumncoke]

Go forward ball depends on a fast recycle and that was seldom achieved on Sunday . Slow ball enables the defending team to identify the first receiver who is then swamped in a double tackle and also allows the defenders the opportunity to line out across the field.

a spread defence tight on the gain line reduces the outhalf to kicking possession away hoping for his wings to compete sucessfully for possession again to day those kicks were telegraphed and seldom fielded .

italy was never going to be as easy as most thought not because they are a good side but because they know the irish game and players -- how Ireland play the game ,the players to watch and which players will most likely be used as receivers .

The fact it was a french referee when the French are in the same group didn't provide players with the greatest freedom of action at the breakdown, not that the referee in anyway was so bias as to enable Italy to win . but sufficently wide eyed to look for and penalise any Irish infringement.

[Spiffsson]

It will all be down to which French team turns up next week...

It will also be largely down to which Ireland team turns up next week. Hope it's not yesterday's.

[againstthehead]

Ireland tend to play as well as the opposition and to be fair one eye was always going to be on the French game. The side will lift the intensity and accuracy 10-fold but it depends on how the france respond. If the french pack get the rumble then it's going to be tough going. I'd say Ireland by 5 as I think Joe will have his tactics bang on.

[BaggyTrousers]

It will all be down to which French team turns up next week...

It will also be largely down to which Ireland team turns up next week. Hope it's not yesterday's.

It'll be the French team who do well at every World Cup and who have on each of three occasions they have met Ireland at a RWC have filled there boots.

It's not impossible, far from it, but I don't see Ireland suddenly playing rugby, should have started long ago rather than yet again, sleepwalking into another RWC then wondering where did it all go wrong?

Next week Ireland require the 3 Bs as defined by Mick Doyle, boot bite and bollick. Under FibberJose we are more expectant of a more cerebral approach, I'm not confident, not based on the last game, based on the last seven.

Maybe they'll "get up" for their meeting with NZ who aren't at the top of their game either, good a place as any to get a first ever win.

[Beattiespastie]

Ireland will struggle against France based on yesterday's fatally flawed perfoance. SOB looks a spent force plus other teams have him figured out. Henshaw was ponderous and offered no real threat. Hendo and POC once again the standouts for me in a worryingly lacklustre showing. I was away in Manchester at a wedding and missed the Ulster game but on watching it back last night I cannot see why gilroy, Trimble and young McCloskey could not have made that Irish squad? italy was our first real WC test and we nearly blew it and frankly didn't deserve to win . Our penalty count was frustrating and it was the basics.... Not rolling away/ tackling without the arms being wrapped around/ line out jumper etc.... The Allblacks would have put 40 + on that Irish team yesterday. Bottom line... Inject pace/ urgency to the breakdown & attack and cut out silly penalties. 7 point difference come French game but as to the winner?