England and Ireland Team final Warm Up

Never realised Nigel Owens was such a cheating, biased, tw$t before.

Wilkinson was very poor today, but I guess that is a good thing if it means Flood gets the nod from now on. Our centre partnership was immense though, especially Tuilagi. Good win all in all.

Aristodemus - everyone has an opinion I suppose - and I respect yours but ... REALLY .... were we watching the same game?

Lydneyian.

Well done mate. You asked me a question about a month ago. can ireland win without BOD?

I responded that it was a myth but to be honest... Im starting to believe its true. I'm not taking away from your win today, but i do believe we very much missed him. For sure the first try where Earls was found wanting big style BOD would have been all over Manu white on rice

So now, the question is... are we only as good as BOD's form? When he's on form we win alot... but when not we lose and when hes not playing... whats the point in buying the ticket.

In the cold light of day its a relief to win - I think youre right about the midfield for the first try - but Im pleased with how Tindall and Manu played - JW will playmake all day long and those guys can defend and attack as a pair - it was always a high stake game - with Ireland having lost 4 games and now Wallace? also Ireland have now dropped to 8th behind Scotland in the rankings - the IRFU need to take a long hard look at their world cup warm up schedules in the future - but so do we!

I feel confident going into the cup - that team with a few tweaks could do well - I dont think Argentina hold many fears after their showing last week - so it should be all about the Quarters?

By the way - I thought Sexton was outstanding when he came on - ROG s kicking was great as well

Our problems run deep mate.

Its very hard to see what they are but i really dont believe its a personnel issue. more a management thing. When earls is playing at 11 he is brilliant. When he played fullback against you guys in the 6 nations he was also brilliant. But playing Out Side center one of the most difficult defensive positions on the pitch he was shown up. I believe the right people were there but in the wrong positions.
11 earls, 12 Darcy 13 BOWE OR TRIMBLE 14 Trimble or bowe.

They are far more comfortable in the 13 shirt and play regularly with their clubs. I really dont know what the hell DK was thinking with such a small midfield againd Tindall and Manu. Who i agree were very good.

Also i think some people were drunk watching the game as i thought JW played a very good game and has cemented his position. He brings a calm level head doesn't he? i like that in a Fly Half.

Sexton and ROG are playing well because they are both batteling for the 10 shirt. Thats how is should be. I think if Bowe and/or Trimble had been in the 13 shirt yesterday it could have put the wind up BOD a little bit.

I agree. When I heard that Bowe was returning and BOD was out I thought it'd be a straightforward switch. Or as you say, Trimble has played plenty of games at 13. But also I didn't think it'd be that big a deal because I didn't think Earls would be that bad...

I thought he's looked good for Munster at 13, and when he burst onto the scene he was supposed to be BODs heir to the 13 shirt. As you can tell, I was not expecting him to be embarrassed like that within the first 5 minutes of the game. And he had a couple more howlers too didn't he? I vaguely remember getting the impression that he was playing his way out of the world cup team.

gecko
Ye mate, i might be alone in this but i have never seen Earls as a replacement for BOD. In fact and it was highlight by the irish TV panel but i thought when fergus McFadden came on he would slot in to the 13 position with Earls moving to whing but NO... Fergus went to the wing and earls remained at 13. it had no sense for me.

Considering Fergus is the main 13 for leinster whne BOD is not playing. Seriously just to clarify. Fergus replaces BOD alongside Darcy at leinster on a regular basis and in particular this past season be cause BOT was being wrapped in cotton wool. Fergus and Darcy have a good defensive relationship and probably he should have started.

To be fair to Earls, hes very dangerous from the wing or FB position where he gets time and space. but unlike BOD does not seem to be able for the defensive duties required to play 13

o driscoll has always played like an openside as well as a centre though. you arent going to replace that with keith earls.

BOD wont be replaced - some players are above it - Ireland needc to concentrate on finding a new No. 2 centre not a new BOD - but they have the technology