The IRISH RUGBY thread

[rodney trotter]

Italy have been in the Six Nations since 2000 and are as far away as ever from the top teams. They need to bring in a Promotion and relegation into it, and let a Country like Portugal or Georgia compete.

[thewobbler]

Italy have been in the Six Nations since 2000 and are as far away as ever from the top teams. They need to bring in a Promotion and relegation into it, and let a Country like Portugal or Georgia compete.

Yep. Let's replace a dog to kick with a cat to kick.

That'll help.

[burdizzo]

Italy have been in the Six Nations since 2000 and are as far away as ever from the top teams. They need to bring in a Promotion and relegation into it, and let a Country like Portugal or Georgia compete.

Yep. Let's replace a dog to kick with a cat to kick.

That'll help.

Yeah. I've a feeling it was a good bit more than 20 years from when they were let in before France became competitive in the old Five Nations. Now look at them.

[Eire90]

scrap the 6 nations for a 8 team european championship every two years maybe.Bottom two teams in each group playoff for relegation to be replaced by a team winning a 2nd tier competition.

[Eire90]

scrap the 6 nations for a 8 team european championship every two years maybe.Bottom two teams in each group playoff for relegation to be replaced by a team winning a 2nd tier competition or you could play it every year rotating who plays at home  group winners get home advantage in semis final could be neutral it would only require 5 weeks of play.

[rodney trotter]

Italy have been in the Six Nations since 2000 and are as far away as ever from the top teams. They need to bring in a Promotion and relegation into it, and let a Country like Portugal or Georgia compete.

Yep. Let's replace a dog to kick with a cat to kick.

That'll help.

Yeah. I've a feeling it was a good bit more than 20 years from when they were let in before France became competitive in the old Five Nations. Now look at them.

Hardly the same thing. Rugby wasn't in a professional era.

Italy have been in the Six Nations since 2000 and are as far away as ever from the top teams. They need to bring in a Promotion and relegation into it, and let a Country like Portugal or Georgia compete.

Yep. Let's replace a dog to kick with a cat to kick.

That'll help.

Ah yeah. So just leave it be so. . Italy for the wodden spoon for another 20 odds years

[thewobbler]

scrap the 6 nations for a 8 team european championship every two years maybe.Bottom two teams in each group playoff for relegation to be replaced by a team winning a 2nd tier competition.

Yep. Let's take a competition that everyone looks forward to each year because it's competitive, meaningful, entertaining and has a ball of tradition underpinning it all... and replace it with something that can only be worse.

That'll help.

[thewobbler]

Italy have been in the Six Nations since 2000 and are as far away as ever from the top teams. They need to bring in a Promotion and relegation into it, and let a Country like Portugal or Georgia compete.

Yep. Let's replace a dog to kick with a cat to kick.

That'll help.

Yeah. I've a feeling it was a good bit more than 20 years from when they were let in before France became competitive in the old Five Nations. Now look at them.

Hardly the same thing. Rugby wasn't in a professional era.

Italy have been in the Six Nations since 2000 and are as far away as ever from the top teams. They need to bring in a Promotion and relegation into it, and let a Country like Portugal or Georgia compete.

Yep. Let's replace a dog to kick with a cat to kick.

That'll help.

Ah yeah. So just leave it be so. . Italy for the wodden spoon for another 20 odds years

The problem is that Italy aren't good enough.

The solution is NOT to replace them with worse again.

[From the Bunker]

It's not up to the other 5 Nations to improve them (Italy) either. Sport is about everyman for himself. Italy has become like a welcome training game in the middle of the 6 Nations. A chance to experiment with formations and tactics. And a chance every second year for Rugby fans to head to Rome for a piss up weekend in the spring.

[seafoid]

scrap the 6 nations for a 8 team european championship every two years maybe.Bottom two teams in each group playoff for relegation to be replaced by a team winning a 2nd tier competition.

Yep. Let's take a competition that everyone looks forward to each year because it's competitive, meaningful, entertaining and has a ball of tradition underpinning it all... and replace it with something that can only be worse.

That'll help.
[/quote ]the Northern Hemisphere of rugby has far more money than the Southern because of the 6N. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[trailer]

Ireland's performance on Saturday night was that of champions in waiting.

[Joeythelips]

Ireland's performance on Saturday night was that of champions in waiting.

Can Ireland win the world cup?
of course, they have shown they are more than good enough when at their best.

Will they win it?
F**k knows given they need to win 3 massive knockout games to do just that.
A huge game up next against All Blacks, the fact remains Ireland have never won a knockout game in a world cup so lots of pressure against an All Blacks side who are experts at exposing any chinks in the armour. McKenzie has been one of the best players I have seen at this world cup (albeit against weaker opposition) and he cant even get in the side.
Get over that massive hurdle and will most likely have to tackle a Welsh team on an upward curve, like the Scottish game Ireland would be expected to beat them but it would be a tricky fixture.
Then the final most likely against a French side with home advantage. Hopefully it is Ireland v France as they have been the 2 best sides and would make for a great final. Ireland would have to produce their absolute best rugby for 80 mins to beat them imo.
Still a long way to go and no real point of looking past the next hurdle. Fingers crossed.

[johnnycool]

Ireland's performance on Saturday night was that of champions in waiting.

Can Ireland win the world cup?
of course, they have shown they are more than good enough when at their best.

Will they win it?
F**k knows given they need to win 3 massive knockout games to do just that.
A huge game up next against All Blacks, the fact remains Ireland have never won a knockout game in a world cup so lots of pressure against an All Blacks side who are experts at exposing any chinks in the armour. McKenzie has been one of the best players I have seen at this world cup (albeit against weaker opposition) and he cant even get in the side.
Get over that massive hurdle and will most likely have to tackle a Welsh team on an upward curve, like the Scottish game Ireland would be expected to beat them but it would be a tricky fixture.
Then the final most likely against a French side with home advantage. Hopefully it is Ireland v France as they have been the 2 best sides and would make for a great final. Ireland would have to produce their absolute best rugby for 80 mins to beat them imo.
Still a long way to go and no real point of looking past the next hurdle. Fingers crossed.

The NZ game is one where Ireland need to keep it very tight, should have the upperhand in the scrum, but you'd fear for Ireland if NZ get a load of ball and start stringing the phases together, but Irelands defence has been strong v SA and for most of the Scotland game barring the two breakaway tries.
Ardie Savea will need some watching but not something beyond this current Irish team.

Need Tadgh, Hansen, Lowe, Ryan and Henshaw fit again though

[trailer]

Ireland's performance on Saturday night was that of champions in waiting.

Can Ireland win the world cup?
of course, they have shown they are more than good enough when at their best.

Will they win it?
F**k knows given they need to win 3 massive knockout games to do just that.
A huge game up next against All Blacks, the fact remains Ireland have never won a knockout game in a world cup so lots of pressure against an All Blacks side who are experts at exposing any chinks in the armour. McKenzie has been one of the best players I have seen at this world cup (albeit against weaker opposition) and he cant even get in the side.
Get over that massive hurdle and will most likely have to tackle a Welsh team on an upward curve, like the Scottish game Ireland would be expected to beat them but it would be a tricky fixture.
Then the final most likely against a French side with home advantage. Hopefully it is Ireland v France as they have been the 2 best sides and would make for a great final. Ireland would have to produce their absolute best rugby for 80 mins to beat them imo.
Still a long way to go and no real point of looking past the next hurdle. Fingers crossed.

The NZ game is one where Ireland need to keep it very tight, should have the upperhand in the scrum, but you'd fear for Ireland if NZ get a load of ball and start stringing the phases together, but Irelands defence has been strong v SA and for most of the Scotland game barring the two breakaway tries.
Ardie Savea will need some watching but not something beyond this current Irish team.

Need Tadgh, Hansen, Lowe, Ryan and Henshaw fit again though

Tight my arse. Ireland thrive in chaos. The madder and more unpredictable the play the better Ireland are. Once they win this world cup they will be talked about as one of the all time great sides and quite possibly the greatest.

[rodney trotter]

Italy have been in the Six Nations since 2000 and are as far away as ever from the top teams. They need to bring in a Promotion and relegation into it, and let a Country like Portugal or Georgia compete.

Yep. Let's replace a dog to kick with a cat to kick.

That'll help.

Yeah. I've a feeling it was a good bit more than 20 years from when they were let in before France became competitive in the old Five Nations. Now look at them.

Hardly the same thing. Rugby wasn't in a professional era.

Italy have been in the Six Nations since 2000 and are as far away as ever from the top teams. They need to bring in a Promotion and relegation into it, and let a Country like Portugal or Georgia compete.

Yep. Let's replace a dog to kick with a cat to kick.

That'll help.

Ah yeah. So just leave it be so. . Italy for the wodden spoon for another 20 odds years

The problem is that Italy aren't good enough.

The solution is NOT to replace them with worse again.

Obviously they aren't good enough that's why they are being discussed.

But either put it back to 5 Nations or give Portugal or Georgia 5 years to compete in it and then review it.