The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Applesisapples]

Who is the Last genuinely youthful player to play for Ireland . Citing youth as an excuse for marshall is a Bit rich . hes 22  thats older than George north or stuart Hogg
Mcfadden is 27 so is  Toner these are hardly risks more like pee or get off the pot for them

i was going to point to Donncha Ryan as an example of a young player who took his chance when presented. But when I looked up the facts, firstly he is already 29. He was capped in November 2008 but as far as the 6N is concerned he made no appearances in 2009, only made two appearances as a sub in 2010, didn't appear in 2011 and when he made his 1st 6N start in 2012, he was MOTM.

I know earlier on this thread, a few years ago, I was defending Donncha O'Callaghan's selection for a while, but there is a happy medium somewhere.

Looking at the age profile of the current starters it can only end in tears.

There is no point in wholesale changes for the All Blacks, but certainly a few undroppables need to be demoted to focus the minds. I would start with putting Heaslip on the bench and would leave Reddan out of the squad altogether.

Surely the 4 provinces can offer one young scrum half with some potential? But, just as an example, if you look at Leinster Johhny Cooney (23) is number 3 behind Reddan & Boss, while the promising Luke McGrath (20) is behind Cooney. How is McGrath supposed to be developed?

The number 2 scrum halves at Ulster and Munster are Paul Marshall (28) and Duncan Williams (27) who aren't going to do much internationally given their ages.

Thankfully Conor Murray broke through when he did.

You have omitted the form scrum half on the Irish scene at the moment - Kieran Marmion.

What about big Davy Tweed, debut at 30 in jail at 40!

[deiseach]

What about big Davy Tweed, debut at 30 in jail at 40!

Just who we need to look after the new talent.

(Cold tea will be along shortly to express outrage at my flippancy in the face of such evil.)

[Mayo4Sam]

O'Connell isnt really suited to the schmidt gameplan, too slow of a return from carries, I cant see him being in the plans beynd the 6 nations

Am I the only one that sees zebo cannot defend, that he ball watches constantly and gets caught out? Maybe that can be knocked out of him

[DuffleKing]

I see that rte are streaming the game today in Ireland - will i be able to watch that in the north?

[seafoid]

A song for the goys tomorrow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsD9k82uAjo

[Syferus]

Clashing with the Connacht final? Those All Blacks have some balls.

[J OGorman]

what in unner a buck is going on @ Murrayfield with the on pitch advertising?? An online ticket tout agency...incredible

[trileacman]

That Scottish jersey is class. They'll take the Aussie scrum to the cleaners, especially when Murray rolls on, highlighting how awful we were last Saturday. I think Laidlaw is class too, but I'd prefer him at 10.

[Syferus]

Oul' Jackie Hurley made an awful clanger on the news just now - "with a win New Zealand would be come the first team of the professional era to go unbeaten in a calender year".

FFS, we did that in 2009!

I'm sure she meant win all their games in a calender year but that's an incredibly poor thing to slip through the net on the main news bulletin of the day.

[andoireabu]

Just watching the Scotland v Australia game. An Australian player was being held after the ball had gone. He turned around and punched the Scottish fella in the face. The ref used video evidence to review it and issued the Australian with a yellow card. Everyone seemed to accept that it was a punch in the face and that a yellow card was the correct decision.

What do you have to do to get a red card in rugby? Do they have a red card?
Surely digging someone in the bake should carry the most severe penalty, no?

Aussie player got sent off last week for lifting Peter O'Mahony off his feet and then dropping him on his head.  Video ref was called and the red card dished out.  Think Sam Warburton was sent off in the last World Cup for the same thing against France.

[Tony Baloney]

Punching is a penalty kick offence. A spear tackle could put someone in a wheelchair.

[Tony Baloney]

No reason why they couldn't both be a red card though. Punching someone could have them eating through a straw ffs.

Only if done correctly. 

Ireland might need to fire out a few digs tomorrow.

[johnneycool]

No reason why they couldn't both be a red card though. Punching someone could have them eating through a straw ffs.

Only if done correctly. 

Ireland might need to fire out a few digs tomorrow.

and they'll get hammered at that as well

[J OGorman]

Cam an te fcuk ireland!

[Harold Disgracey]

Who is this team in green? Some start.