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Ireland vs France at the Aviva Stadium
(Sunday, February 26, 12.50am HKT)
James Harrington previews must-win match for two teams with plenty to prove.
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What we can expect
High-tempo, high-intensity, hard-hitting rugby on a typically ‘soft’ February day in Dublin.
Ireland
Irish eyes will be looking for just one name on the teamsheet. And, yes, he’s back. Johnny Sexton is set to make his first start in the 2017 Six Nations on the day Ireland make their first appearance at home in the tournament. Meanwhile, Jack McGrath slots back in to start at prop with Cian Healy dropping back to the bench, and captain Rory Best is also back after missing the Italy win with a stomach bug.
Matchday 23: Kearney, Earls, Ringrose, Henshaw, Zebo, Sexton, Murray, McGrath, Best, Furlong, D Ryan, Toner, CJ Stander, O’Brien, Heaslip. Bench: Scannell, Healy, J Ryan, Henderson, O’Mahony, Marmion, Jackson, Trimble
France
Guy Novès has made three changes from the starting XV that beat Scotland in Paris a fortnight ago. Two are injury-enforced: Yoann Huget comes in for Virimi Vakatawa, while Bernard Le Roux will pack down alongside Kevin Gourdon and Louis Picamoles, with Loann Goujon and Damien Chouly both in the infirmary. But he’s also called up Rabah Slimani – with Uini Atonio dropping to the bench, where he’ll sit alongside a new-look set of replacements including Eddy Ben Arous, Charles Ollivon, Henry Chavancy and Djibril Camara. Les Bleus look short of cover at 10, with starting scrum-half Serin likely to step in if Lopez is injured, and they still don’t have a consistent kicker, which could be a problem.
Matchday 23: Spedding, Huget, Lamerat, Fickou, Nakaitaci, Lopez, Serin; Baille, Guirado, Slimani, Vahaamahina, Maestri, Le Roux, Gourdon, Picamoles Bench: Tolofua, Atonio, Ben Arous, Le Devedec, Ollivon, Machenaud, Chavancy, Camara
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All eyes on: Johnny Sexton
Sexton has not played for Ireland since the November internationals and has managed barely two hours of club rugby in the three months since then. But he is so important to Ireland that it is no surprise he has been called up now he has proved his fitness. It will also come as no surprise to see a conveyor-belt of hairy-arsed French forwards launching themselves at him from the very first whistle.
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Key battle: The forwards
The French pack, while it still has plenty of oomph, is more mobile than many give credit – and with the likes of Ollivon, Ben Arous and Le Devedec in wait on the bench, the Irish can expect little let-up for 80 minutes.
Prediction
The difference will be in the accuracy of the kicking – and there the hosts have the edge. Ireland by 6.
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments