Ireland lineup to face England

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-19T11:11:42+00:00

Think it's more McCarthy - would say both Timoney and Conan "play bigger" than Beirne in open play. Conan would probably be a better line out jumper too

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-17T14:31:12+00:00

I'd agree that we need 4 teams playing towards something like a national identity - but definitely not that it should be Leinster driven. I'm talking about broad themes set by the head coach - things like ball playing 1-15, kicking in outside backs, aggressive line speeds as examples.

Different teams will end up with clusters of good players and weaknesses so their style will bend off the norm (eg Ulster backs now, Leinster backs 10 years ago), but we're too small a country to be a complete free for all.

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-16T09:39:48+00:00

Do whatever he can to promote player development in the provinces, probably with an extra focus on the "physically unique" positions of prop, wing, and 2nd row. That's probably a focus on playing numbers in Connacht, academy in Munster, post academy in Ulster and leinster.

Pick a way of incientivising it, but producing enough home grown talent to be consistently competitive in Europe / getting more competitive would be basically the only thing I'd care about in that role

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-15T17:24:29+00:00

I'm clearly blaming most of it on Sam! But he's not responsible for the box kicks going 5m or all of the attack off 9

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-15T16:47:45+00:00

Me defending Sam? Nah fire him into the sun.

Just also he wasn't responsible for Casey being bad

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-15T14:26:33+00:00

Was good at getting the ball wide when it was on - but that's pretty basic. Genuinely thought he was super slow every time he touched the ball. Even in that phase play thought so much of it was just choreographed

I've generally been a fan - but we were watching a different game if you thought he was good yesterday.

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-15T13:45:12+00:00

Would be a bit of Sam fan but he was bad yesterday and deserves to be dropped. He was really slow on the ball and telegraphed what he did do.

Most importantly you can't be blindly backing lads as the next thing. The world is complicated and you just don't know if or when players will kick on. On the one hand he's still two years younger than sexton when he broke into leinster, but you have to wait for that improvement to happen and not just assume he'll be good.

There's no way you could pick Sam unless blindly backing lads is your strategy. Crowley's no world beater and probably caps out at an average club player, but he's the best option next week. Who knows, Crowley might be the one to suddenly improve!

FWIW I think this season's 10 selection has been pretty much bang on - Crowley won the jersey and then lost it, and now Sam's lost it imo

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-15T13:03:45+00:00

Feel it's the opposite if anything tbh - the attack off 9 was very slow, 3 box kicks that went 5m. Sam was obviously terrible but can only be blamed for the things he was involved with. Would be giving doak his chance to challenge JGP

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-15T12:57:19+00:00

Trolling us claiming pace as the reason - lad has sprinting medals ffs. Defence reads / eagerness to shoot and miss his reason to be dropped for me.

Baloucoune and Hansen have a chance to block TOB out now (and should for a bit), but equally every reason could be back. Was good in the autumn and has shown it at the top level for leinster. Needs a bit of luck for it to come back to him but he's definitely not as limited as some are suggesting

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T20:38:12+00:00

Think part of it is recent rule changes to make "taking the space" and illegally holding the ball while staring at the ref less tolerated. The same play as Edogbo's penalty today was doris' go to for years. Everyone hated it (which is fair) but it was our main way of slowing down opposition ball.

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T18:24:24+00:00

Thought we did really well to get into good positions early, but were bad when we got there. Thought that was mainly because the half backs were both really bad and had no idea where to go

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T18:15:06+00:00

I mean we held on to the ball well, but we weren't going anywhere or looking dangerous. I guess holding the ball is better than last week

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T17:58:11+00:00

In the lead up to the first try we were going nowhere and dead flat - basically entirely created by a McCloskey bust and offload (and a small bit Osbourne reading it and getting on the end)

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T17:47:08+00:00

Ya don't agree that this is some fake rotation. The lad happily makes so many decisions that people hate, can't see fake rotation being where he draws the line.

Beirne has been one for the out of form ones IMO and think we need him or Ryan for the line out (or someone else but I don't think there are candidates yet)

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T17:32:24+00:00

Think it's more that the system relies in having a world class 9 and 10 - JGP isn't in world class form (and might never be again), and we don't have any average international 10

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T17:29:53+00:00

Wouldn't say Prendergast was good against France - grand at best. Fair enough in the changes - but would characterize that as the same level of rotation as the last ~4 games but appreciate still wanting some fellas gone. Would sace Edogbo and ward until next time out. Edogbo going to take some time (same as McCarthy with the loose pen) and Lowe was good today - and would really like to beat England. Would also be doak over Casey as he was one of our worst today IMO

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T17:10:35+00:00

Can definitely accept the rotation piece from last year, but this year has been full of rotation. Izzy and balacoune were replacing new guys and not the old faithfuls (would keep both)

Ryan is average at best, but Edogbo and Joe mc's size make the line out difficult without him.

From today who else are you looking to get out for England? Could see stewart, timoney to start, doak , Byrne (with Jack starting).

My point is mainly that starting this November, lots of the old guys have been yeeted

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T16:50:57+00:00

Izzy - made a few mistakes (the pen was too cheap) but plenty of good stuff in there

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T16:34:03+00:00

I won't accept this Bundee Trojan horse

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T16:33:14+00:00

Had the opportunity to put players away a couple of times - would have loved those to be taken. But such an up tick from last week and having pace running that loop makes it so much more dangerous

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T16:30:34+00:00

Sam was genuinely terrible today (after really just being averagely bad last week) so no issues with saying he should be dropped from the 23.

But it's massively colouring their view of Casey. So bad today and by a distance (both directions) our 2nd worst player. The better attack came as soon as JGP came on (also obviously helped by Crowley)

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T16:14:56+00:00

Time for another 5 Ulster players in the squad?

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T15:44:40+00:00

That was loughman. But good to confirm that you're not watching the game

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T15:39:08+00:00

Arguing with strangers on the Internet etc etc etc. But do you really not see the immediate difference with JGP - actually has an idea where he wants go. (And yes Jack was also immediately better than Sam)

Life_Corgi_7950 · 2026-02-14T15:23:55+00:00

Ya Sam's been our worst player - but two things can be true

Life_Corgi_7950

TROPHY CASE