Just watching the Ireland v Scotland highlights including that butchered Huw Jones pass to Hogg.

In the background you see Earls sprinting back to provide cover and I reckon he would have got to Hogg before the tryline. Momentum probably would have carried Hogg over but Earls did well to cover the ground he did having initially been chipped over.

Watch from about the 40 sec mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wopBB6NScRw

You might be right. Sexton's Jedi powers had slowed the move down considerably.

No.

Not even if they were the same speed - and Hogg is quicker.

<waves hand>

"this is not the pass you are looking for"

Just posted on the official thread that kudos to Sexton for forcing Jones to pass by nailing his tackle. It's what we're taught from minis on, make your tackle and force the oppo to make the pass to score. Jones couldn't.

why did Barnes not call it a forward pass ?
as jones passed the ball in front of the 22 line and ends up in the 22 ,
but it was a great tackle by sexton to force it.

No.

Quelle surprise !

I think he would have changed the category of the conversion from "Gimme" to "Bread and butter", but that's about it

This

We have much quicker lads coming through, such as Fiacre O'Hannrahooolihan.

Shame Super Rob had to go full scud there, you wonder if he knew where Sexton was.

Think Kearney was going for the ball and hoping for a more favourable bounce.

Certain try for someone in Hogg's class.

I don't know if he would have made up the ground. And anyway I'm not sure he'd have made the tackle, considering Hogg is a slippery fecker and Earls was adjusting.

Have you been following rugby long?

I don't think so.
Remember Earlsy chasing down the Italian winger from across the pitch.

Earls is fairly rapid and might have challenged Hogg in a foot race at his peak speed but I doubt he's as quick anymore. Hogg must be one of the fastest international backs at the moment?

No

Hogg in the corner.

I think Earls might now be quicker than ever as he seems to have settled on his optimum weight, and he was eating up the ground on Jones (also thinking of how he got back to make the tackle in the Italian game). I think he might have got to Hogg on the angle but doubt very much that he’d have stopped a try unless Hogg had to adjust to gather the ball.

This. Bounce rather than Jones beat him.

Hard to know if it was the right decision though. Looking at it again, I think not. He should have forgotten about the ball, the flight of it was never going to give a forward enough bounce.

Also, on Earls getting Hogg, think Hogg would have been able to step him easily enough.

If the pass was perfect he wouldn’t get a hand on him, but if Hogg had to check his run in any way Earls would’ve had him covered, but he could still step him of course.

I agree. He obv. thought he'd get the ball though. In retrospect standing back and smashing Jones when he caught it would have been the correct decision. It was a super bit of skill from Jones though, the chip had to be high enough to clear Earls yet soft enough not to travel too far so it couldn't be regathered.

Is Superman faster than the flash?

Great analysis of the chance here:

http://www.the42.ie/analysis-johnny-sex ... 9-Mar2018/

And pretty clear that Jones should have passed well before he got near Sexton. Hogg would have easily rounded the latter.

Text book defending alright. Don't dive in, make the man take on the pressurized pass.

Still expect to make it at this level but there's always a chance.

Am I right in saying that Hogg was offside when Jones kicked the ball, he was retreating but turned and chased from an offside position?

He was offside when the ball was kicked, but was played onside by Jones advancing up the field.
He was grand.

We had a Kiwi coach when we went up to the AIL and his mantra for the back three on one on ones or two on ones was always make the attacker make a decision, and don't make it for them, and if possible make them pass. I hadn't noticed Jonny's body position before reading this but its a lesson for any wannabe back three player, as is Earls workrate.

Nope. Never made any attempt to retreat. Some refs might let him off but technically he could have been called offside.

As is what not to do a few seconds earlier

He wasn't within 10 metres of where the kick landed so doesn't have to retreat, and was then brought onside b Hogg after he gathered it, so he was fine.

Ah, fair enough.

Talk about over-egging it

I think sometimes Murray really tries to justify his paycheck. It's obvious he's a complete nerd though.

He was offside and moving towards the ball, before Jones puts him back onside by running ahead of him. Whether the ball was kicked or not is moot, he’s still ahead of a team mate with the ball. He has to retreat. Few refs would pick that up in the heat of that moment though.

jones didn’t have to run past him to put him onside, as soon he regathered everyone was in play. You can’t interfere with play if you’re ahead of the carrier but you don’t have to retreat and AFAIK you can run in any direction you want.

The offside can only be judged from the kick to the regather, a split second in this case.

Sexton does the shit all the time. He runs ahead of the ball carrier from a couple of positions further infield in anticipation of a break. When the break does come, he's put onside by it and in a great supporting position.
This is similar, but just more exaggerated. He runs sideways more than anything to get across to a useful position.