Sexton and Henshaw amongst changes for Wales v Ireland clash
Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw are in line to feature in Ireland’s crucial World Cup warm-up clash against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
Fly-half Sexton and centre Henshaw are yet to feature in Ireland’s warm-up schedule after a series of injury niggles.
Head coach Joe Schmidt wants the experienced duo to add “energy” after Saturday’s record 57-15 thumping by England at Twickenham, with Keith Earls, James Ryan and Jack Conan all primed for action too.
Asked whether Sexton and Henshaw would feature in Wales, Schmidt said: “Yes, we’ll certainly look at that. Guys like James Ryan, Jack Conan, there’s a few more guys who could come into the picture next week and probably bring a little bit of energy that we were lacking at Twickenham.
“So we’ll look at that. I think also guys like Keith Earls, those sorts of guys, we still feel will come in and add some value yet.
“We have a little bit of a plan, we have some guys who are operating on a pre-season that’s just coming to a close and they will freshen up and get into the game next week or the week after, depending on how we feel they are going.
“But we certainly need to hit the ground running at the World Cup against Scotland, so we can’t afford to be mixing and matching too much right now.”
Captain Rory Best was left to admit Ireland had once again pitched their preparations incorrectly.
Ireland conceded they had been bullied by England when losing out 32-20 at home in the opening match of this year’s Six Nations.
Schmidt’s players had been desperate to put that humbling behind them in Saturday’s Twickenham rematch, only to slip instead to an unprecedented loss.
Ireland admitted they had been undercooked for that opening Six Nations loss and were forced to reveal a similar state of affairs this weekend too.
“We thought we were in a good place, but it was a big lesson for us on Saturday,” said Best.
“There’s not a lot else you can do except hold our hands up today and say we weren’t good enough there.
“We’ve had a few iffy days before and come back the next week and performed really well. And we have belief in our process.
“Sometimes you think you are in a good place, and then you come up against something that you’re not expecting to be as good as it was.
“I think we’ve got to put more pressure on ourselves in training.
“You put pressure on yourselves, but there’s nothing quite like the pressure in games.
“And that can leave you thinking, ‘Right we’re in a really good spot’, or it’s, ‘Oh s***, we’re not quite where we want to be’.
“And today was a swear word, where we’re not quite where we want to be.
“The lineout’s one of those problems, so we’ve got to make sure we can nail that.
“We’re really happy with our process but we just let that drift a little bit.
“Both hookers were a wee bit slow to get set, the line was a bit slow coming in and we can’t have that again.”
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
37 Go to comments