The IRISH RUGBY thread

[GetOverTheBar]

Can the rugby team beat the voices in their head and dump New Zealand out of the competition ?

Whatever about voices in their head, they can't beat the ABs.

And Armagh, Tyrone, Derry and Donegal could never win an All Ireland and they did. Through pure drive and determination(with some fantastic players of course). They can win and knock the All Blacks out. They have the talent and i think we will win.
     

Get off the beer, work in the morning.

Cool. Well done

Heard we've got a solicitor going out for the Bundee Aki hearing. Have we missed a trick in not sending Fergal Logan?

Safer off without him.

[GetOverTheBar]

Three game ban for Aki.

[screenexile]

Expected and shouldn't unduly affect the team.

Huge ask against the All Blacks but I just have a feeling that we've been holding back. That move for the first try against Samoa isn't something that just appeared without having been worked on, we've barely kicked the ball all year when it was a central tenet of our gameplan in 2018 also there's no way that one out runner shite is gonna fly against New Zealand Schmidt knows that.

There's every possibility we get beat of course but I think we'll see something more like the Ireland we've been expecting this weekend. Hopefully it will be enough.

[Capt Pat]

I thought the sending off was harsh as well. The 3 game ban is too harsh also. They should appeal it if they can.

[Hound]

I thought the sending off was harsh as well. The 3 game ban is too harsh also. They should appeal it if they can.

It is arguably harsh, but the law is crystal clear.

Red card. 6 week suspension. Reduced to 3 for previous good record.

While there can be mitigating factors, even those leave very little room for subjectivity as they are clearly laid out.

The independent Judicial Committee was chaired by Adam Casselden SC (Australia) joined by former international coach Frank Hadden (Scotland) and former referee Valeriu Toma (Romania).

The player sought to overturn the red card. Having considered all the angles of the incident, together with evidence from the player and his representatives, the committee upheld the decision of the referee.

The committee considered the High Tackle Sanction Framework and decided the following:

- There was direct contact of the player's left shoulder to the ball carrier's head
- The Judicial Committee did not accept that there was a low degree of danger
- Although the tackle occurred quickly, the player's tackle height was high and it was accepted he did not make a definite attempt to change his height in order to avoid the ball carrier's head
- The committee did not accept that there was sufficient evidence of a sudden drop in the ball carrier's height
- The tackle was an attempted dominant tackle, rather than a reactionary tackle, and in any event there was no immediate release as the player wrapped his arms around the Samoa No.10
- The player was in open space and had a clear line of sight before the contact
- There are accordingly no clear and obvious mitigating factors

Therefore, on the balance of probabilities, the committee did not find that the referee's decision was wrong and the red card was upheld.

Given the above outcomes, the committee applied World Rugby's mandatory minimum mid-range entry point, which was introduced in 2017 to protect player welfare, deter high contact and prevent head injuries. This resulted in a starting point of a six-week suspension.

Taking into account the mitigating factors that are considered in relation to sanction, including the player's good disciplinary record, the committee reduced the six-week entry point by the maximum permitted three weeks, resulting in a sanction of three weeks, which equates to three matches in the context of Rugby World Cup 2019.

[Gmac]

Heading out there today hope they can give a performance that at least rattles the kiwis , was in Chicago in 16 would be nice to see that again.

[magpie seanie]

Heading out there today hope they can give a performance that at least rattles the kiwis , was in Chicago in 16 would be nice to see that again.

Was in Chicago that day myself and it was absolutely fantastic.

This is a very different assignment though. Perhaps as some allude to, Joe Schmidt has masterminded this all along and Ireland will produce a performance miles above any for 12 months. That's what it will take to be competitive in this game. I just don't see why we'd play below par all season and in this competition and then suddenly be ready for this one game. I'd be very doubtful about this one to be honest. Hope I'm wrong.

[grounded]

Heading out there today hope they can give a performance that at least rattles the kiwis , was in Chicago in 16 would be nice to see that again.

Atmosphere should be brilliant. Good luck and enjoy. 
Its a shame about Aki, seems harsh.

[Wildweasel74]

All-blacks got too much out wide, it be tight for 60mins but all-blacks pull away to win  by 10+ points. They are odds on to do 3 in a row but not a inch on their last team in 2015 which was probably Rugby greatest ever team.

[GetOverTheBar]

All-blacks got too much out wide, it be tight for 60mins but all-blacks pull away to win  by 10+ points. They are odds on to do 3 in a row but not a inch on their last team in 2015 which was probably Rugby greatest ever team.

Some serious men in that squad that aren't there now. New Zealand just keep churning them out....although they are considered more fallible now I suppose.

Don't see Ireland winning if I'm perfectly honest, the form hasn't been great. Stockdale could crap on his foot, chip it over a defence line and it would fall for him in shape of a lovely clean rugby ball a year ago - just not happened for him in this RWC so far. Too much pressure on Sexton and physically, looking at the teams this morning I don't think Ireland can go at NZ like prior, not to mention we have very few players in form right now that could lead the team around.

But....it's a one off game, every bit of pressure will be on New Zealand. We know some of the refs calls can change a game drastically.

[oakleaflad]

Ireland team to face New Zealand: R Kearney; K Earls, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J Stockdale; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, R Best (capt), T Furlong; I Henderson, James Ryan; Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier, CJ Stander. Reps: N Scannell, D Kilcoyne, A Porter, T Beirne, R Ruddock, Luke McGrath, J Carbery, J Larmour.

As expected with Conway probably the unlucky one.

[gallsman]

Conway unlucky to miss out and picking Kearney is a mistake.

[Owen Brannigan]

Conway unlucky to miss out and picking Kearney is a mistake.

+1

A bigger mistake in the years of prep allowed to Schmidt that he failed to develop another full back. Larmour is a few years off and Kearney reached his sell-by date a year or two ago.  All of his moves are so predictable.

[Dinny Breen]

Conway unlucky to miss out and picking Kearney is a mistake.

+1

A bigger mistake in the years of prep allowed to Schmidt that he failed to develop another full back. Larmour is a few years off and Kearney reached his sell-by date a year or two ago.  All of his moves are so predictable.

He has moves?

Gives us a fighters chance tomorrow. 2/1. Looking forward to it.  Hon Ireland!

[Franko]

Will get hammered for this if I'm wrong but this is a mismatch.

New Zealand by 15+