EIGHT STITCHES AROUND Conor Murray’s eye were the full extent of new injury concerns for Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt after Saturday’s loss to England in Twickenham.
The Munster scrum-half will likely see his wound heal in plenty of time for Ireland’s next Six Nations outing against Italy on 5 March and he may be joined in the starting XV by Jared Payne, who Schmidt hopes will train fully tomorrow after a hamstring injury kept him out of the clash against England.
More worrying than the latest injury count was the trend of Ireland’s defence sitting off the ever-physical English ball carriers. While Ireland provided an incredible resistance inside their 22 during a first-half onslaught, the home side appeared to make midfield yards a formality at time.
Defensively we can’t afford to be passive,” says Schmidt, “we can’t afford to wait for things to happen. We’ve really got to be as competitive and as combative as we can on that side of the ball.”
Now on a run of four games without a win, well out of the running for the Championship and struggling to put together an attacking structure, there were positive signs for Ireland in the performances of three debutants thrown in at the deep end. Here’s Schmidt’s brief appraisal of how each of the trio went:
“Josh (van der Flier) grew into the game, got better as it went on.
“Stu (McCloskey) carried well and is learning every time he comes to training and he got a hell of a lot out of the Twickenham game.
“Ultan Dillane, the 15 minutes he got he made a super impact: getting a line-out steal, obviously making a really good line break as well. Again it was one of those things we were frustrated not to finish on the back of.”
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It’ll be just like them to beat Chelsea tomorrow night.
a hell of an achievement for him in fairness knocked out of 3 cups in a week.
Klopp will at least bring him on during the match. The team is cr@p without him. Recent results have proven that.
If not he be there for the end of season party on Wednesday at least ….
You’ve used that joke already Johnny
@Joe Bloggs: Mane should be grateful its Klopp… others would poke you in the eye instead.
Or compare you with Messi
Joe unfortunately for Liverpool fans it’s a joke that just keeps giving at the moment…
Or be called the special one.
Just as well you’re not a professional footballer Johnny cos you just can’t get past Liverpool.
I must be the only one then mick
Or quote ludicrous facts and have a meltdown on air
That was the joke Johnny
No joke is that everyone has got past Liverpool
Chelsea be happy with the draw tomorrow night the old Italian mentality.ill go 1all
Pathetic club. The fact them and their fans shamelessly blame their poor form on one player is pathetic. The fact they are rushing him back so quickly to play and all this private jet stuff is more pathetic. Pool fans would have a field day if this happened with Sanchez/Hazard/Zlatan/Aguero et al … yet they are doing it with Sadio bloody Mane. Hahahahaha. I have literally heard every Pool fan say the name “Mane” at least twice in every football conversation for the past month… they are a parody of themselves.
Look into his eyes and beg
Bit of Barry White to add to the atmosphere too. Might get the shift. Suck on my chocolate salted balls Jurgen. Put em in your mouth and suck em……