Ireland lose Toner ahead of Six Nations

Yes I love how the word depth is thrown around until they actually need to use them.

ENG were off-side for a huge part of the game against IRE. FunBus you must a Pom not to realise that eh

You must be a Kiwi. It’s always great to be at the birth of a new NZ obsession. The new one is that any side that plays reasonably well, particularly if it’s against the ABs, is at least 5 metres offside all game, while the altruistic, fair-minded ABs are always onside and step an extra meter backwards just to make sure they’re not interrupting the flow of the game.

IRE got beat by ENG for 2 reasons, they played dumb rugby...and ENG were off side all day...oh and one final thing....I truly believe that they believed in their own press after the Nov game....one dimensional at best...

Anything can happen with Les Bleuz….they will beat ENG, SCOT will beat IRE and WAL will have a romp against ITA....

Personally, I think that losing Sexton is a much bigger issue for Ireland for two reasons. First, the gap between he and Carberry is bigger. Second, Schmidt’s team is so reliant on its structures, and Sexton is a very different sort of flyhalf than is Carberry - much more of a structured flyhalf. But I remain to be proven wrong. I think both of England and New Zealand could survive the loss of their first choice 10 better than Ireland could.

No. It can't. It just can't. Can it? Think it's amusing Jones has picked Ashton over Nowell, his only unforced change, for the French game. Ashton holding the Top 14 try-scoring record has to be a factor - more mind games from Eddie, or just a shrewd move .....

You can't lose the world player of the year without it having a big effect - but with Carberry available to line up with his Munster colleague Connor Murray, it's not a disaster. In some respects, England have a similar quandary with Farrell proving the far more effective 10. Losing him and slotting in Ford is not a disaster either - but the team would lose something.

Rory Arnold is our Toner ; or was until Mickey dropped him.

"implode against the visiting French – that can’t happen, can it?" That is what makes the game interesting.....and it is France....one would say it won't happen, but.....

"Ireland’s biggest concern to me is still what happens if Sexton goes down injured. " Agree, Fionn, but I wonder if that had happened last week, and Carberry had played the whole second half, for arguements sake, would we have seen a different and closer game ? Mind you, the kicking from the base of the ruck would have to have been curtailed a lot. I will be interested to see what happens today. Will Murray play a different game ? IMO he needs to read the situations much better than he did last week.

This could be a very tough game for Ireland. Would expect the sottish backrow to give problems at the breakdown. Finn Russell could outshine Sexton as well. It will be interesting to see what the Irish coaching team will have done to counter the lack of ability last week to adapt the game plan to what was happening on the field, on the day.

Ireland’s biggest concern to me is still what happens if Sexton goes down injured. At present, South Africa and England are the only teams with the depth to even vaguely rival New Zealand over a long tournament like the World Cup, which is why I think one of those teams will win.

For all the apparent depth Ireland has at lock, injuries have exposed them. They have replacements for Ringrose and Stander too but losing these guys to injury also hurts them pretty badly. It will only take a single point win by the Jocks to send Ireland down to 3rd and England will have moved from 4th to 2nd (albeit only for 24 hours if they implode against the visiting French - that can't happen, can it?). There's an awful lot of potential fluidity amongst the chasing pack at 2,3 and 4 with Ireland, England, and Wales.

Ouch

Yes, a serious blow for Ireland. Toner's lineout game on the day was a big element in the Nov. win over the Ab's.

Well, that really drags the tone down.