Comments on: Rugby World Cup 2015: Ireland vs France Prediction

By: Phil Metter

Phil Metter — Sun, 11 Oct 2015 08:23:36 +0000

I hope the Irish turn up for the party, If Freddie, the Ex Sharks fly half, has a good one it will be one hell of a game. On past results and present form, Ireland, Just.

By: David tighe

David tighe — Sun, 11 Oct 2015 03:55:04 +0000

Lol why are Irish people so afraid of the word winning . Can we not start to believe we can win and I think win well sure we have not played well but we are Irish we always seem to rise up to the big games and it will be no different here . People talk and to be fair the English got caught up in how good they taught they were and lost we got a wake up call by Italy ????. Ireland will win by ten

By: Benjit

Benjit — Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:37:03 +0000

I can’t really answer that without being moderated. Shall we just describe him as Australian, that’s insulting enough surely?

By: Cathan#TeamMolly (@EscEire)

Cathan#TeamMolly (@EscEire) — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 22:40:25 +0000

Ireland haven’t been great but they have been FAR better than France have been.

By: kit

kit — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 20:40:52 +0000

T***???

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 20:05:57 +0000

If Healey and D’Arcy are Rentogobs; what word can adequately describe Campese?

By: Benjit

Benjit — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 19:44:00 +0000

“It was hugely instructive to read Gordon D’Arcy’s column this week, in which he claimed Ireland’s sub-par performance against Italy was all part of the plan”

What a load of boll*cks. D’Arcy is becoming a bit of a rentogob, Ireland ‘s Austin Healey.

By: David Minihane

David Minihane — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 16:46:50 +0000

Heaslip should be dropped to the bench, move o brien to 8 and bring in Chris Henry then we would have a formidable back row. Earls unfortunately is a weakness in the centre and Schmidt is playing into French hands by taking him off the wing in favour of Kearney.
Still though my heart says Ireland to squeeze through on Sunday!

By: Pablito

Pablito — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 15:40:26 +0000

Well said Brighty – it always seems to me to be a way of putting a gloss on poor performances.

That said, I’d rather England didn’t keep on ‘showing their hand’ by leaking the team 2 days beforehand – especially if they’re doing something insane like playing Barritt at 13…

I’m not sure Ireland are firing at the moment and if their high ball tactics don’t work, I’m not sure what they’re left with. Strange decision to drop Henderson to the bench as well

I reckon this could be France’s game

By: brighty

brighty — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 14:38:31 +0000

I also don’t buy this “not showing our hand” guff. People in and around Ireland are starting to talk about rugby as if it is a grandmaster chess tournament – as if there are some secret tactical depths in this game that will reveal themselves through 3 months of deep consideration of the art of running, catching and passing.

Bluffs in playing style, “power plays”, “keeping our cards close to our chest”. Calling Schmidt “Deep Blue”. All utter balderdash. Ireland have been ordinary in the warm up matches and continue to be mostly ordinary. The Italy game was a fair reflection of where they are right now – cool when in control but if you don’t let the game be the one they want then you can beat them – see Wales twice this season.

If only they were in a tough group. France can beat them – pace, power and guile in the midfield, excellent back 3 for fielding the high ball, a scrum half that won’t let Murray boss it and then to top it one of my favourite players ever. I feel this is finally Michalak’s time (but it’s the French, so who knows). France by 8.