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Six Nations 2017: Italy vs Ireland Preview

Ireland's Garry Ringrose - not the next Brian O'Driscoll, but the original Garry Ringrose

Italy vs Ireland at Stadio Olimpico (Saturday, February 11, 10.25pm HKT)

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The opening match of the second weekend of the Six Nations sees Ireland looking to bounce back from a shock first-round defeat.

What we can expect 
Wales ramped up the power play last week against Italy, but it’s likely to be a very different match in Rome this week. Expect Ireland to get the ball to their jet-powered backs as soon as possible. We may even see the tournament’s first-ever attacking bonus point.

Italy 
The Azzurri conceded a criminal 16 penalties against Wales at a rain-sodden Stadio Olimpico last weekend – and while coach Conor O’Shea raged against referee JP Doyle’s interpretation of the breakdown, his players were not entirely blameless. It may go some way to explaining the four changes he’s made to the starting XV for Ireland’s visit, though Michele Campagnaro’s continuing bench-warming shift remains something of a mystery.

Matchday 23: Edoardo Padovani, Angelo Esposito, Tommaso Benvenuti, Luke McLean, Giovanbattista Venditti, Carlo Canna, Edoardo Gori, Andrea Lovotti, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Lorenzo Cittadini, Marco Fuser, Andries van Schalkwyk, Maxime Mata Mbanda, Simone Favaro, Sergio Parisse Replacements: Ornel Gega, Sami Panico, Dario Chistolini, George Biagi, Abraham Steyn, Giorgio Bronzini, Tommaso Allan, Michele Campagnaro.

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Ireland 
Given Paddy Jackson is playing so well, Joe Schmidt has sensibly refused to risk Johnny Sexton for what is a must-win match in Rome, preferring to keep him carefully wrapped in cotton wool until the third-round outing against France. Meanwhile, defence coach Andy Farrell was far from impressed with Ireland’s first-half defensive effort against Scotland last weekend. While he has remained diplomatic in public, insisting only that his charges needed to ‘fall in love’ with defending, it’s easy to imagine he was rather less polite behind closed dressing-room doors.

Matchday 23: Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Simon Zebo; Paddy Jackson, Conor Murray; Cian Healy, Rory Best, Tadgh Furlong; Donnacha Ryan, Devin Toner; CJ Stander, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip Replacements: Niall Scannell, Jack McGrath, John Ryan, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, Kieron Marmion, Ian Keatley, Craig Gilroy.

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All eyes on: Garry Ringrose
The Ireland 13 has been unfairly compared to Brian O’Driscoll in the press. He’s not the next Brian O’Driscoll. He’s the original Garry Ringrose – and there’s plenty for Irish fans to be excited about that. He may even be an outside shout for the Lions.

Key battle: The lineout
Italy replacement lock George Biagi has hinted that the Azzurri have a plan to deal with the lineout menace of Ireland’s towering Devin Toner … by trying to avoid all 6ft 11in of him completely. They will have been working on all kinds of throw-in chicanery to keep the Irish guessing and set themselves a platform – but it could get all kinds of messy.

Prediction
Rome, as the saying that is generally trotted out at times like this, wasn’t built in a day – nor can Conor O’Shea build a competitive Italian Six Nations’ team in a week. Ireland by 19.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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