The quarter final thread

[Cowboy]

[ustix]

So who's got the techy know-how to set up an online petition?, before we squeeze them kiwis out of the tournament.

[Cowboy]

[Sulla]

Earlsey needs a couple of tries to keep his RWC record going. Saturday should be the day

[Daithi]

The Fog's ditty for this weekend

https://www.facebook.com/36108807567...6888598897568/

[ustix]

The Fog's ditty for this weekend

https://www.facebook.com/36108807567...6888598897568/

What the duck is Favy Ditz doing in that?

[Cowboy]

Murray Kinsella
Reports from Tokyo
23 minutes ago 2,881 Views 4 Comments Share2 Tweet Email
ROB HERRING IS set to join Ireland’s World Cup squad in Japan to replace the injured Sean Cronin.

The42 understands that Ulster hooker Herring will join Joe Schmidt’s group in Tokyo tomorrow ahead of Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against the All Blacks.

It’s believed that Leinster man Cronin was injured at Ireland training this week.

29-year-old Herring has won eight caps for Ireland since his debut in 2014 and narrowly missed out on selection for Schmidt’s original 31-man squad that travelled out to Japan.

Cape Town native Herring qualifies for Ireland through his grandfather on his mother’s side of the family.

[In Joe we trust]

Nope, I just don't want Joe Schmidt 'doing the ~same thing & not expecting the same result ' , but you do and that's fine I guess .......



.......ah but wait a second, isn't that the definition of insanity!? hmmm.....

So you don't want him doing what he has done against NZ and won in 2 out of the last 3 games?

If you look at the mins played - Healy/Killer have split the mins evenly, Furlong has split the minutes with Ryan/Porter etc., POM has only played 80 mins once, Murray has played 80 mins once (due to injuries) and hasn't played much more than McGrath, Ryan has played 56 mins, Best 50 mins, Murray 52 mins, Furlong 67 mins, Healy 56 mins in the three weeks between Japan/NZ which is pretty good allocations.
The only player who maybe has been overplayed is CJ and that is primarily due to injuries to Conan/Murphy.

[In Joe we trust]

Looking at the weather forecast for Saturday it's looking like it is going to be quite a cool (20 degrees) but wet (98% change of precipitation an up to 18mm of rain). Combine this with the fact that weakness under the high ball cost SA the game in the RWC and it's a near certainty that Kearney will (and should) start.

[AwayFromHome]

Reading back through the thread I must be missing something, people advocating dropping Ringrose – seriously cant see why. Think Henshaw looked very rusty last week, Farrell is arguably our best option at 12, he has shown better form than Henshaw in the world cup. Ringrose for me is by some distance our best defender at 13. He starts.
On the form show so far at the World Cup would go with Murray, Sexton, Earls, Farrell, Ringrose, Stockdale & Larmour. McGrath (need a specialist 9 against the best in the world Mauro Bergamasco anyone) Conway and Joey on the bench & hope Chris Farrell doesn’t need replacing. If (it’s a big If) we get the ball in space we need the guys with the footwork and the ability to use it on the pitch. We are unlikely to run through New Zealand - there is a chance we can run around them.
Suspect one of Conway and Farrell wont even make the 23 unfortunately

If you pick Farrell over Henshaw for form then one of Larmour or Conway come in for Earls. Kearney hasn't put a foot wrong and has actually scored tries. He is in better form than at any point since the last world cup. If he wasn't dropped for Zebo during Six Nations games its very hard to see him being dropped for Larmour in a RWC QF against the All Blacks.

I think we will see the team that beat the All Blacks 11 months ago with the follwoing changes (Hendy in for Dev, Murray in for Marmion and Hensaw in for Aki). Beirne on to the bench. Personally I'd like to see Conway in for Earls; he is just in much better form but I Joe trust experience and Keith has never let him down defensively which will be critical in this game (defense won us the match last year).

[kahalui]

Listening to Kiwi pundits over the last few days, the consensus is Nz by a decent margin. Hansen and co. also sounding confident. All this pro Nz talk has me feeling there may be another upset on the cards.

[kahalui]

Murray Kinsella
Reports from Tokyo
23 minutes ago 2,881 Views 4 Comments Share2 Tweet Email
ROB HERRING IS set to join Ireland’s World Cup squad in Japan to replace the injured Sean Cronin.

The42 understands that Ulster hooker Herring will join Joe Schmidt’s group in Tokyo tomorrow ahead of Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against the All Blacks.

It’s believed that Leinster man Cronin was injured at Ireland training this week.

29-year-old Herring has won eight caps for Ireland since his debut in 2014 and narrowly missed out on selection for Schmidt’s original 31-man squad that travelled out to Japan.

Cape Town native Herring qualifies for Ireland through his grandfather on his mother’s side of the family.

I wonder would Cronin have made the bench for this one?

[kahalui]

Hansen- happy Japan are on the other side of the draw.

[Cowboy]

I wonder would Cronin have made the bench for this one?

Against a side as punishing as the kiwis I would have my doubts tbh. I dont think his set piece is reliable enough, all the more so when Toner isnt there

[Yatenga]

If you pick Farrell over Henshaw for form then one of Larmour or Conway come in for Earls. Kearney hasn't put a foot wrong and has actually scored tries. He is in better form than at any point since the last world cup. If he wasn't dropped for Zebo during Six Nations games its very hard to see him being dropped for Larmour in a RWC QF against the All Blacks.

I think we will see the team that beat the All Blacks 11 months ago with the follwoing changes (Hendy in for Dev, Murray in for Marmion and Hensaw in for Aki). Beirne on to the bench. Personally I'd like to see Conway in for Earls; he is just in much better form but I Joe trust experience and Keith has never let him down defensively which will be critical in this game (defense won us the match last year).

Earls has been pretty good all tournament, probably one of our best performers overall. Underused as always but thats more on an indictment of how we play then him. Conway has been good too but if any winger is under pressure its Stockdale. That said, there wont be any surprises in the back line - Conway wont make the 23 but Farrell might if Schmidt thinks Joey can cover FB.