I'd be a bit worried about the Welsh in Cardiff : they're clearly a decent side (and I think they played well below par in the second half against England). Having said that, I'm glad it's the second last game where Ireland play them and not the last one. If it was the last weekend, it would really be high pressure and very nervy.

I actually wish the fixtures were the other way around as in 2009

Wales will be pretty buoyed by the french win and will be coming off two week break. Can see Scotland rolling over in T'ham but they'll be eager to put in a good performance for their home support to avoid wooden spoon. I'll never forget when a disjointed Scottish team came from nowhere to beat a star studded England team to deny them GS in 00

Ireland definitely not certs, no, but I do think they'll sneak past the Welsh

Records like that can be pretty irrelevant tbh, the only thing you can really account for is recent meetings. They're mostly close

The worry is Wales often peak from seemingly nowhere. See England 2013 and SA in the Autumn. That said I do fancy Ireland but like in 09 it could come down to the kick of a ball

Sexton out though would change things considerably, hopefully he's ok


He should've been given a go at 12. The game was never going to really suit JJ

Haskell is a walking penalty machine, Croft and Wood are much more intelligent players tbh, even if not as abrasive

I'd start Easter the next day at 8, thought he was superb when he came on. Nowell to me looks rock solid on the wing can't believe how young he is. It'd be harsh enough leave out Goode tbh after that thought he was very solid.

ROG said he feels in two years Ford will be the best player out of the two countries. Big words, he looks the real deal potentially alright though

More recently England said it in 2013.

BOD said yesterday that the Scotland result wasn't a great one for Ireland because they'll be determined to be avoiding the wooden spoon.

Was referring to the Scottish reference by that poster that was a superb English team in 2000 and they were beaten by an awful Scottish team

Think that England team in 13 were ripe for a hiding, they've come on a lot since. Still not finished article though as was shown today but home advantage is big in RWC

Ireland have had a few uncomfortable visits to Murrayfield. It would be a big upset if they lost but above poster was being remarkably premature

And he's right. To be honest they were two bad results for Ireland yesterday

That said it's in their own hands and you can only control the 'controllables'.

Ireland very nearly lost that last game in 2009 though : they had to come from behind and then Wales had a kick at goal to win it right at the end. If this was the final game, it could be the case that Wales could win the Six Nations title by defeating Ireland. That would be a massive high pressure game played in a feverish atmosphere....I'd sooner get it out of the way in a fortnight's time.

There is no point in dwelling too much on other results, its simple - win their next two games and they will write themselves into Irish sporting history forever... its going to be hard but that's the way it has to be.

Our destiny is now in our own hands.

Fair enough, ah yeah it's not a massive deal either way!

Yup I'd even say Gavin Henson takes that kick and I think Ireland lose. Deserved abit of luck after 07 though. I do think this Irish team is even better than 09 though


Yeah, that's exactly it

Oh definitely.

Just keep doing what we're doing.

Yes, it's nearly been forgotten that Ireland very nearly lost that match. I think they were trailing with about 6 or 7 minutes to until O'Gara landed that drop goal and then Ha'penny had a long range penalty attempt to win it.

I do agree that this team is better. That team had a great Six Nations obviously but this one has been playing at an astonishingly high level for 18 months.

jeffiner1892 ... your fellow Ulsterman Rory Best was a beast for us today, great togetherness between the provinces!

Stephen Jones. H'penny was the RWc semi

Yeah think Ireland truly rode their luck in that one but as I say it balanced out as I think foot and mouth cost them slam in 01 and they were so unlucky v France in 07

Never mind the Wales game, they had to come from behind with the bloody Scotland game the week before that!

This is definitely a better team though, been in phenomenal form.

One BIG thing I noticed in the Kidney era was a serious problem with silly fouls and giving away easy penalties. Discipline is much better under Schmidt.

That was some special day/night

I'll have to tell that to the Munster supporting partner of my aunt, he absolutely hates him.

Didn't Bod stop a certain try too that game with some insane last ditch tackle? Think it was on one of the Evans who was clean through.

Yeah that Irish team was pretty inconsistent and far more beatable than this version

It'll be a shame if they don't win slam. In the "odd" years winning a champ on SD just isn't as appealing- for me anyhow!

I don't think SD is even that fair anyway given home and away nature but that's for another day

I was doing the Leaving Cert that year think I'd orals the Monday couldn't even celebrate it!

Just a note there's a load of rugby matches from late 90s, early 00's on YouTube now, jeez have to say Rugby was so much more enjoyable to watch back then for me. Teams played with such reckless abandon at times it was insane, no crash bash stuff or pointless going through about 100 phases gaining 5 yards in the process. Scrums were great craic too, straight in and out!

Said I'd let ye know, some gems in there if ye're bored any evening

First year of college in Cork that year, I was 18 two weeks earlier... jesus christ it took me the week to recover

I was thinking as he was taking the penalty if that new stand right behind the posts, with all the lines of the metalwork and glass reflecting , is distracting for the kickers .

I'm sitting there trying to work out what SD meant before it clicked. Doh.

Rory Best is a legend! .. Even if he doesn't sing the anthem

Some match and occasion the drama at the end really added to it!!


Haha I'll be honest was too hungover to type it fully

I thought it was all over .. Could not watch the kick, waited for the reaction of everyone around me.