The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Declan]

I'd say more an over reliance on pain killers and anti inflamatories. Look I'm no chemist, nor do I have a degree in sports science. But when I see the size of these lads, the punishment they take, the pain they are in and then they just do it all again a week later, you have to wonder.

Absolutely - there's recovery and then there's "recovery"

[Milltown Row2]

Considering the hammerings Ulster have taken lately that was a huge win!!

[screenexile]

Considering the hammerings Ulster have taken lately that was a huge win!!

Such an infuriating team capable of beating anyone in their day but they are so inconsistent!!

[Owen Brannigan]

Tommy Bowe has announced he will retire at the end of the season.

[Owen Brannigan]

Considering the hammerings Ulster have taken lately that was a huge win!!

Such an infuriating team capable of beating anyone in their day but they are so inconsistent!!

For the last few weeks Ulster couldn't defend and leaked tries all over the place but on Saturday they held La Rochelle the current best team in France. La Rochelle had some of the biggest players throughout their team and they played running rugby.  Some of the Ulster tackling was phenomenal.  Another abnormal factor was that Wayne Barnes didn't give Ulster a single penalty kick on goal all day.

[square_ball]

I think it's the right time for Tommy Bowe to retire he's had a superb career. Around the start of this decade he was as good as any winger in world rugby.

[manfromdelmonte]

I think it's the right time for Tommy Bowe to retire he's had a superb career. Around the start of this decade he was as good as any winger in world rugby.

great finisher alright

[Milltown Row2]

Great player who has the personality to match, won't be short on things to do, plenty of tv work for him I'd imagine

[LooseCannon]

Great player who has the personality to match, won't be short on things to do, plenty of tv work for him I'd imagine

And the SHOES.

[tonto1888]

hope he enjoys his retirement, really enjoyed watching him play

[screenexile]

Squad annouced for the 6N:

Ireland Squad (Nat West 6 Nations Championship 2018, Round 1 and 2)

FORWARDS (20)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) c 106 caps
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 5 caps
Sean Cronin (St Mary's College/Leinster) 56 caps
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht) 11 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 19 caps
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 73 caps
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 34 caps
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 3 cap
Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 22 caps
Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) 4 caps
Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster) 42 caps
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 18 caps
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 42 caps
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 3 caps
Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) 3 caps
James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 4 caps
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 11 caps
CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 18 caps
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 53 caps
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 9 caps

BACKS (16)
Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 2 caps
Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster) 6 caps
Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 6 caps
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 62 caps
Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster) 2 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 31 caps
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 78 caps
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster) 7 caps
Jordan Larmour (St Mary's College/Leinster)*
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 18 caps
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 32 caps
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 6 caps
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 59 caps
Johnny Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster) 68 caps
Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 3 caps
Jacob Stockdale (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 4 caps

Is Cooney not a bit hard done by? Arguably Ulster's best player this year!

[tonto1888]

Couple of notable injury absentees

[redhandefender]

McCloskey and Cooney missing out for Scannell and Marmion is ballicks.

McCloskey really must have done something to Scmidt

[Crete Boom]

Squad annouced for the 6N:

Ireland Squad (Nat West 6 Nations Championship 2018, Round 1 and 2)

FORWARDS (20)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) c 106 caps
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 5 caps
Sean Cronin (St Mary's College/Leinster) 56 caps
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht) 11 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 19 caps
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 73 caps
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 34 caps
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 3 cap
Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 22 caps
Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster) 4 caps
Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster) 42 caps
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 18 caps
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 42 caps
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 3 caps
Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht) 3 caps
James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 4 caps
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster) 11 caps
CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 18 caps
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 53 caps
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 9 caps

BACKS (16)
Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 2 caps
Joey Carbery (Clontarf/Leinster) 6 caps
Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 6 caps
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 62 caps
Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster) 2 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 31 caps
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 78 caps
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster) 7 caps
Jordan Larmour (St Mary's College/Leinster)*
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) 18 caps
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 32 caps
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 6 caps
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 59 caps
Johnny Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster) 68 caps
Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) 3 caps
Jacob Stockdale (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 4 caps

Is Cooney not a bit hard done by? Arguably Ulster's best player this year!

He is just unlucky that Marmion and McGrath are just a bit better than him!! Cooney is very consistent though.

[michaelg]

McCloskey and Cooney missing out for Scannell and Marmion is ballicks.

McCloskey really must have done something to Scmidt

Did he not go to the Euros instead of a US tour or something?