Ireland and Wolfhounds

Team vs Argentina

reland team: Felix Jones; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall, Simon Zebo; Johnny Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack McGrath, Rory Best, Mike Ross; Iain Henderson, Paul O’Connell; Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Jordi Murphy.

Replacements: Damien Varley, Dave Kilcoyne, Rodney Ah You, Devin Toner, Jamie Heaslip, Kieran Marmion, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden.

Delighted for Diack well deserved. Really hope Ah You and Marmion get a chance to shine. Happy to that we have an all centre Ulster partnership should make it easier as the two lads know each other.

Had to follow the game on twitter as no sky, how did Dave do and did km get a go?

The reverse, Ah You just played 9 min and was quite passive, whereas Marmion played 20 minutes, very dynamic, nearly scored a try

PS : Murray could well be out next week, so possibly a start for Kieran!!

I thought the bite had gone out of the game before either Connacht lad came on. However Marmion looked sharp, made some nice passes and a break. Rodney did nothing wrong but nothing to recommend him either, hopefully will be given more time next week. Not sure he had a scrum at all?

Didn't push really straight on it, to be honnest

Kieran played well, but he went for a try himself when he could/should have let it for a certain try. And I hate to say it but Rodney looked shagged at the end when they scored their try even though he'd only been on the pitch 8 minutes or something. Still, I'm hopeful one or both will get a start next week and really show what they're made of.

Have to agree with the guys above. Rodney looked very average while Marmion looked the business. Hopefully Rod gets another chance next week and we see an improvement. Would love to see him get his hands on the ball and makes so hard runs with it. As for the overall performance the word clinical comes to mind. Three trys is nothing to sniff at either with Trimble's intercept being the pick of the bunch imo. Thought Diack looked very good also, it was clever of Schmidt to use him as the main line out operator as Argentina would have no video on him.

Sindo reported Rodney as getting done for the final try though it was actually Kilcoyne. Guess reality doesn't suit their agenda. Fanning had a go at Cave too - with nothing to back it up, no mention of Marshall tackling like Ashton or Jones being useless though.

salmson wrote: Sindo reported Rodney as getting done for the final try though it was actually Kilcoyne. Guess reality doesn't suit their agenda. Fanning had a go at Cave too - with nothing to back it up, no mention of Marshall tackling like Ashton or Jones being useless though.

Marmion does look the real deal as we all know, and hopefully will start next weekend to give him further invaluable exposure.

Unfortunately Rodney looked exactly as he is, not cut out for rugby at international level. While it's always nice to see a Connacht player be capped for the national side, one would really have to question Schmidt's decision to expose Rodney at this level. With Kilcoyne and Bent, they just aren't up to it internationally.

mary hinge wrote;
"Unfortunately Rodney looked exactly as he is, not cut out for rugby at international level. While it's always nice to see a Connacht player be capped for the national side, one would really have to question Schmidt's decision to expose Rodney at this level. With Kilcoyne and Bent, they just aren't up to it internationally."

Personally i think this is exactly what Rodney needs the improvements he has made to his game in the past 12 months have been exceptional, now that he has been exposed to international level he has seen what is required of him to make the next step in his career. Now it is up to him and he has proven this last season he is now willing to put in the hard work necessary to make the next step. Good Luck Rodney

I agree with everything Mary has said.
I know there's a lot of love for Rodney on here, but I have failed to see it. He has improved hugely, but I wouldnt consider him top class. Hopefully he will continue to improve and prove me wrong.

As far Marmion, there was definitely a bit of white line fever when he went for the try, but considering it was his debut, and he has scored similiar tries like that for us, I will forgive him.
I fear Redden will start next week. Hopefully not though

Attempting a bit of a counterargument here; In Marmion's defense I think we've seen Murray make a break like that plenty of times for Ireland, to the point where I have wondered in the past if its something Joe has given the sh's to attempt. If you don't score its the wrong decision but I don't think it was a bad idea.

Ah You, he's going to get nailed over the next few days especially if he doesn't perform in the next game. But I wonder as a late call up was he not possibly a bit jet lagged? The other possibility is having played every game this season (a big jump from 7 the previous season!) he's just a bit ragged. The latter is not an excuse you can get away wtih as an international, but its a reasonable possibility.

Sure it may be debatable whether Rodney can make the permanent step up to international level but I don't know how appropriate it is to judge him on less than 10 minutes of little more than a mop up job. Yes, he needs to take his opportunities when they are presented, but I'd like to see him given 20-30 minutes with maybe the game more in the balance.