Wales v Ireland. Over-hyped?

[Lansdowne RFC]

www.planet-rugby.com has used the following words to describe the Wales Ireland match in the first 2 paragraphs

Ireland made a winning start to their Six Nations campaign on Sunday, beating Wales in Cardiff 19-9 in a fabulous game of rugby.

It doesn't sound like much of a scoreline, but it tells a false tale. Both teams conjured up a thrilling brand of rugby to wow the crowd, with Ireland's belligerence and discipline on the ball just winning through in the end.

This game was only good because both sides made ridiculous mistakes, the referee was very lax at the breakdown, and only half of the forward passes were penalised. The set-pieces were average for both sides, and yet again, ROG conjured up a performance that questions his mental capacity on the big stage (2006 apart). Peter Stringer threw more passes to his 10's knees than hands, and Andrew Trimble looked so uncomfortable in attack and defence.
Peel, Hook and Morgan looked good for Wales but Luscombe is not an international winger, and Chris Horsman is the most over-rated prop since Greg Somerville.
Stephen Jones belittled Denis Leamy in the Sunday Times today, claiming Ryan Jones would stamp his authority all over the pitch, which Leamy wouldn't handle. Think again you one-eyed, obsessed, uniformed journo. He also claimed in todays paper that Gavin Henson is the best rugby player in Europe. Mr. Jones needs to read articles like "Is Objectivity possible" for journalists.

All-in-all, exciting game because of the barage of mistakes, but 2 mediocre sides poorly officiated

[cal]

I disagree, the pace of the game was exhasuting just to watch, god knows what the players must feel like. It was a really good game to watch, as a neutral, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Trout 63]

Sorry cal, but generally I have to agree with most of Lansdowne's post. It was only exciting in as much as either team could have lost it at any moment.

In terms of the pace of the game. I can't understand the fuss - these guys are full time professionals and there's no excuse for not lasting 80 minutes. Training should be a balance bewtween fittness and skills.
I remember the good old days of amateur rugby at Tigers when Chalkie White had training monday and thursday evenings for about 3 hours. Players had the pleasure of giving similar sized players a piggyback repeatedly up the old cinder bank at Welford Road end. It was that technical and we were amongst the fittest at the time - But when we had to play extra time against London Scottish for half hour in JP Cup - then it showed, not after 60 minutes...

I digress Yes Overhyped. Alot of so called 'top players' having another bad day at the office. I've not heard much from RO'G since he slagged off the Guinness Premiership and all things English.

[fatbast]

Looks like it's a 2-2 split at the minute, i enjoyed every second of the game, mistakes or not it was frantic stuff at times, the referee was equally poor to both sides (someone needs to have a word with him about feeding at scrum time) as an Englishman i was rooting for the draw!

[Stu_F]

I really enjoyed this afternoon.

I suspect that a match in which both top sides played at 100% and made no mistakes would, perversely, be very dull! It would just go side to side in midfield, how would anyone score apart from drop goals if no tackles were missed?

[tigermilo]

Great spectacle!

Referee and touch judges dreadful! The Scottish guy did the Saxons game and Friday and was equally poor!

ROG and Stringer must be the luckiest of the Irish! Stringer would not get a game for any other country, no pace, poor control and shocking distribution.
The Irish pack looked frail and tired, the Welsh little better. I think the two hair bear props would have been a much better team up front, They certainly made us work last year in Swansea.

I thought the frantic pace would have seen most pros gasping in the last 20.

And at least it gave them both a good workout to start with!

[Gate]

Thoroughly entertaining match. But by God the ref was rubbish. If I were Welsh, I'd be pretty sore about a few of those decisions.

[Mat]

If you like dogged forward war of attrition then I guess this was not the game to watch.
For me it was very fast and highly skillfull. The Welsh and the Irish forwards were making fantastic passes out of contact. Oh I wish Englands backs let alone our forwards could make just a few of those.
Awsome game yes there were erros but then thats what happens when you play on the edge and at great pace.

After watching England slow set pice power play out muscle Scotland it was a brewat of fresh air to watch seriously classy and skillfull play.

If Wales could find teh powerful as well as quick players then they would ocmpete with NZ.

[Lansdowne RFC]

Considering my provincial side plays high quality, enterprising rugby, I guess I am too harsh watching virtually the same backs play rugby of a substandard nature. For a neutral the game may have been exciting, but we have seen a rain forest destroyed here in 4 months of page space devoted to how brilliant this Irish team is, and how it's the best we've ever had.
What we saw was a disjointed, nervous wreck of a performance. Littered with silly errors and supposed 'leaders' failing to stand up again. Granted it is not an easy place to go and win, but after 7 years in the Irish team, over 70 international caps and Triple Crowns, HECs and CLs, I don't think it's unreasonable of anyone to expect a more controlled game from our half backs. It's time to root out the trash. Peter Stringer. You've lived a charmed life in this country, and clearly the amount of international respect given to you is evidenced by the fact that 2 Lions tours have happened in your time in the squad, and you have failed to make either squad.

Speaking of the referee, I totally agree. DOC should have gone for 10 minutes, and maybe Simon Easterby too. However, I felt aggrieved at his inability to stop Welsh players from holding onto possession after the tackle. A couple of times D'arcy got his hands on the ball, but the ref waved play on.

Anyway, bring on France!

[Starburst]

That was one of the best games I have seen in a very long time. Yes there were a lot of mistakes but thats because each side was putting the other side under immense pressure and the pace of the game was so fast.

England made far less mistakes on saturday but when were they ever under any pressure and the game against scotland never approached that sort of pace or itensity.

The refering was atrocious. Wales could have had a penalty try when the young winger almost scored. And what did he penalise Hoos for at the end?

Overall a good win for Ireland and after this I think they'll improve. But they were lucky wales had 5 or 6 backs missing. I'm srprised Wales played as well as they did with the players they had missing.

If the injuries had been reversed and Ireland had been missing their first choice centres, wingers, fullback against a full strength welsh backline (shanklin, williams, thomas etc) then the result would have been different. Wales could be very dangerous when back to full strength.

[Tiger Eye]

A very exciting game to watch - I'm very under the influence right now so anyone pointing out spelling errors I know what I'll say to them!!

Firstly, I'm so happy that Ireland won - naturally - I'm Oirish! - but, I think Wales played pretty fantastic rugby and I TOTALLY respect them - they really put the frightners on!!
I don't think Ireland played that well to be honest, in fact if they play the same way against England and France they may thro the towel in right now.

BUCK UP IRLEAND FOR PITY SAKE!! and beat France next week - okay I'm part French but more Irish!

Great game of rugby - well played Wales, respect.

[Tiger Eye]

Thoroughly entertaining match. But by God the ref was rubbish. If I were Welsh, I'd be pretty sore about a few of those decisions.

Just like the Jonny Wilkinson try that was allowed eh

[unohoo]

Thoroughly entertaining match. But by God the ref was rubbish. If I were Welsh, I'd be pretty sore about a few of those decisions.

Just like the Jonny Wilkinson try that was allowed eh

Or the Scottish one from the offence at the line-out...

[Rizzo]

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