Australia are ranked above us for a reason but there are a number of things that happened yesterday that really shouldn't and worryingly were issues you would expect to be taken care of under Schmidt. Most obvious was the scrum, the Aussies haven't gotten the better of a team in the scrum like that in probably over a year.

Last year a supposedly powder puff Scottish scrum took Ireland apart because they scrummaged as a unit, whereas again yesterday our 6 and 7 were only theoretically bound. I also thought that POC normally scrummages behind the LH but yesterday appeared to be behind the TH, maybe I've picked that up wrong but if it was the case it was probably because Toner wasn't trusted to do his job. If that's the case then he is a liability and shouldn't be playing international again until he has improved on this. Whitelock and Retallick will have a field day against Toner next week.

Also everyone seemed to think that Reddan over Murray was a tactical choice to reduce box kicking but if anything we saw more box kicks than usual. Folau literally took some of those catches without looking on occasion, he's just that assured under the high ball. It was foolish in the extreme to kick to that Aus backline that much and not only that, haphazard kicks which should have found touch happened too often.

Personally sick of seeing Kearney taking the ball into contact with no intention of offloading, I think he killed the pace a number of times yesterday. He's a limited player at the best of times I'd really like to see some other options tried out there. Everyone's crying out to see olding involved for Ireland, give him the 23 against scotland or italy in the six nations and try him out at fullback, maybe even 10, see what happens.

Borders no.2 wrote: ............... Schmidt will improve things but he's not a miracle worker. Its going to be a lean few years ahead.

Agree, but think J S. should have started building for the 2015 RWC with these games. A number of today’s squad will clearly not be there, so why delay.

Would not like to see the last few games for some of this squad, (who have been tremendous servants to Ireland) be a 17 point beating by Australia and a 30+ point trouncing by the All Blacks next week

i expected them to win.

there are good players. no one stood up though.

scrum was under pressure - wtf is that all about?
back row out played.
kearney is hopeless at fullback.

no patterns or structure at all. no teeth either.

redden was terrible.

geroge hook will have a field day!!!

Its a very poor Irish side but I think most people knew that already. Schmidt will improve things but he's not a miracle worker. Its going to be a lean few years ahead.

SHITE

Lot of arrogance in these players.........

We're getting demolished regardless of todays performance. Thinking otherwise is foolish

Yeah, I only copped that on the replay. Very poor game all round.

Without major improvements all around the pitch we're gonna get demolished next week.

Henshaw is not innocent on the Australian 2nd try

Robbie in as a blood sub for BOD at 23 mins. Great to see.

Edit: And off again. Seems to be a forward dominated 10 mins, didn't see much of him.

clanman wrote: picking Reddan ahead of Murray against arguably the finest scrum-half currently playing the Game. That really does make a bold statement from Schmidt that he thinks Murray is not up to it and especially when you think a defensive scrum-half is what's needed for this game.

Seems to me that Schmidt has decided that our kicking game isn't good enough and rather than kick ball after ball back to the Aussie back three for them to run back at us, we're going to run the ball a bit more and check out their defence. If it work and we build a lead then Murray to come on and play the corners and add more to the set piece fringe defence...

salmson wrote:

clanman wrote: picking Reddan ahead of Murray against arguably the finest scrum-half currently playing the Game. That really does make a bold statement from Schmidt that he thinks Murray is not up to it and especially when you think a defensive scrum-half is what's needed for this game.

Or it could just be a rotation/horses for courses thing like Boss/Reddan (and Van Der Merwe/Healy, and McLaughlin/Jennings) when Schmidt was at Leinster.

Maybe, but if we lose to Australia confidence would be very low going into the New Zeland game so I'd be confident he's picked what he thinks in his opinion is the best scrum-half. If Ireland win and Reddan does ok then I would'nt expect Schmidt to make a change for the following week.

clanman wrote: picking Reddan ahead of Murray against arguably the finest scrum-half currently playing the Game. That really does make a bold statement from Schmidt that he thinks Murray is not up to it and especially when you think a defensive scrum-half is what's needed for this game.

Or it could just be a rotation/horses for courses thing like Boss/Reddan (and Van Der Merwe/Healy, and McLaughlin/Jennings) when Schmidt was at Leinster.

Great news for Robbie. I thought his inclusion might hinge on whether Bowe passed fit, a little surprised 2 try Kearney was dropped, but fair play to Schmidt for changing things up a bit. Would be nice to see Henshaw and Marshall partnering for awhile though I wonder if they would put Madigan at centre should BOD need to come off with the game still in the balance.

I'd say if any province could give out about a Leinster bias it would be Ulster. Jackson had a pretty solid game against Samoa and has been playing well most of this season while Madigan isn't really Leinster's first choice outhalf and as noted McCarthy isn't exactly setting the world on fire so Tuohy could just as easily be on the bench as Macca.

picking Reddan ahead of Murray against arguably the finest scrum-half currently playing the Game. That really does make a bold statement from Schmidt that he thinks Murray is not up to it and especially when you think a defensive scrum-half is what's needed for this game.

RonanL wrote: Delighted for Robbie - glanced through the squad more in hope than expectation of seeing his name. Brother in law got me a ticket for my birthday so I'll be there to cheer him on. Really looking forward to it now. This really is the big one this autumn, because it feels like people almost expect a win, where they expect a loss to the all blacks. If we manage to beat the aussies, then they can go into the last week relaxed and who knows what could happen then!

PS: agree with you completely seapoint regarding Schmidt's approach to selection. Very refreshing. Although there is a bit of a Leinster bias which I'm sure plenty of Munster people are giving out about. Toner for me would be the stand out selection in that regard.

Of course they will (more than most), but it's up to their players to prove themselves better than the incumbents and they haven't, no more than the Ulster or Connacht counterparts at this stage...

When they're back winning trophies as a team they can really put forward a case...

Delighted for Robbie - glanced through the squad more in hope than expectation of seeing his name. Brother in law got me a ticket for my birthday so I'll be there to cheer him on. Really looking forward to it now. This really is the big one this autumn, because it feels like people almost expect a win, where they expect a loss to the all blacks. If we manage to beat the aussies, then they can go into the last week relaxed and who knows what could happen then!

PS: agree with you completely seapoint regarding Schmidt's approach to selection. Very refreshing. Although there is a bit of a Leinster bias which I'm sure plenty of Munster people are giving out about. Toner for me would be the stand out selection in that regard.