The IRISH RUGBY thread

[AZOffaly]

Ultan Dillane's mother has sadly passed away, funeral is Saturday. His father wasn't around much so they were very tight, big driving force, he's understandably devastated. May she rest in peace.

Sad news. RIP.

[magpie seanie]

Very sad news. I'd read a lot about him and how close himself and his mother were. RIP.

[Crete Boom]

They need alternatives to Kearney for the RWC. The no try policy is hardly going to get them to a semí final.

There are plenty of alternatives for Kearney but Joe obviously doesn't feel comfortable with any of them in his system as long as Kearney is fit and ready to play!!

I think Schmitt is a little like Jack Charlton in that he feels Ireland just aren't talented enough to play a riskier attacking game and we are better off playing a controlled physical possesion game where if we win with four penalties every game so be it!!
Sadly looking at the provinces play I think Joe is wrong about Ireland's talent level but he has the six nations titles to prove his way is working although I can't see us getting past the quarter final stage at the world cup!

[Syferus]

He's the best coach in world rugby right now. I'd trust him before anyone else to make the right calls.

[seafoid]

They need alternatives to Kearney for the RWC. The no try policy is hardly going to get them to a semí final.

There are plenty of alternatives for Kearney but Joe obviously doesn't feel comfortable with any of them in his system as long as Kearney is fit and ready to play!!

I think Schmitt is a little like Jack Charlton in that he feels Ireland just aren't talented enough to play a riskier attacking game and we are better off playing a controlled physical possesion game where if we win with four penalties every game so be it!!
Sadly looking at the provinces play I think Joe is wrong about Ireland's talent level but he has the six nations titles to prove his way is working although I can't see us getting past the quarter final stage at the world cup!

The problem is playing against a southern hemisphere team who can run past the defence. Bosh bosh is only ok between consenting adults. 

[Crete Boom]

They need alternatives to Kearney for the RWC. The no try policy is hardly going to get them to a semí final.

There are plenty of alternatives for Kearney but Joe obviously doesn't feel comfortable with any of them in his system as long as Kearney is fit and ready to play!!

I think Schmitt is a little like Jack Charlton in that he feels Ireland just aren't talented enough to play a riskier attacking game and we are better off playing a controlled physical possesion game where if we win with four penalties every game so be it!!
Sadly looking at the provinces play I think Joe is wrong about Ireland's talent level but he has the six nations titles to prove his way is working although I can't see us getting past the quarter final stage at the world cup!

The problem is playing against a southern hemisphere team who can run past the defence. Bosh bosh is only ok between consenting adults.

Too true Seaf and to be honest when you look at England and how they have stretched their game and now maybe even Wales have turned a corner with a wide attack game!!
Scotland under Townsend have committed to a counter attack, off loading game and even Italy are playing the Connacht 2+2 attack, so apart from France who are probably the worst team in the six nations, we seem to be the only team playing what equates to Warren Ball which seems to have been abandoned by Gatland himself!!
Schmitt is a great coach but he is definitely struggling with an attacking philosophy outside of his brilliant strike plays from set pieces!!
I just think if we had a fullback who could counter attack and who is a playmaker, with Sexton and Murray who are already in place as playmakers we would in my opinion be ahead of England and be very close to the Kiwi's as the best in the world!!!

[Syferus]

They need alternatives to Kearney for the RWC. The no try policy is hardly going to get them to a semí final.

There are plenty of alternatives for Kearney but Joe obviously doesn't feel comfortable with any of them in his system as long as Kearney is fit and ready to play!!

I think Schmitt is a little like Jack Charlton in that he feels Ireland just aren't talented enough to play a riskier attacking game and we are better off playing a controlled physical possesion game where if we win with four penalties every game so be it!!
Sadly looking at the provinces play I think Joe is wrong about Ireland's talent level but he has the six nations titles to prove his way is working although I can't see us getting past the quarter final stage at the world cup!

The problem is playing against a southern hemisphere team who can run past the defence. Bosh bosh is only ok between consenting adults.

You mean the four of them we've beaten in the last 18 months or some team you've made up?

[AZOffaly]

They need alternatives to Kearney for the RWC. The no try policy is hardly going to get them to a semí final.

There are plenty of alternatives for Kearney but Joe obviously doesn't feel comfortable with any of them in his system as long as Kearney is fit and ready to play!!

I think Schmitt is a little like Jack Charlton in that he feels Ireland just aren't talented enough to play a riskier attacking game and we are better off playing a controlled physical possesion game where if we win with four penalties every game so be it!!
Sadly looking at the provinces play I think Joe is wrong about Ireland's talent level but he has the six nations titles to prove his way is working although I can't see us getting past the quarter final stage at the world cup!

The problem is playing against a southern hemisphere team who can run past the defence. Bosh bosh is only ok between consenting adults.

You mean the four of them we've beaten in the last 18 months or some team you've made up?

Need to do it in a tournament though. The Autumn Internationals at the end of the SH season is the time to catch them boys. A World Cup, that they've been preparing for, is a different story.

[seafoid]

They need alternatives to Kearney for the RWC. The no try policy is hardly going to get them to a semí final.

There are plenty of alternatives for Kearney but Joe obviously doesn't feel comfortable with any of them in his system as long as Kearney is fit and ready to play!!

I think Schmitt is a little like Jack Charlton in that he feels Ireland just aren't talented enough to play a riskier attacking game and we are better off playing a controlled physical possesion game where if we win with four penalties every game so be it!!
Sadly looking at the provinces play I think Joe is wrong about Ireland's talent level but he has the six nations titles to prove his way is working although I can't see us getting past the quarter final stage at the world cup!

The problem is playing against a southern hemisphere team who can run past the defence. Bosh bosh is only ok between consenting adults.

You mean the four of them we've beaten in the last 18 months or some team you've made up?

Autumn internationals are like the Connacht final. World Cup is like the all Ireland series.

[Puckoon]

Are 6 nations tickets all snapped up at this stage? Home, or away games.

[trileacman]

He's the best coach in world rugby right now. I'd trust him before anyone else to make the right calls.

What's the evidence for that?

[tiempo]

He's the best coach in world rugby right now. I'd trust him before anyone else to make the right calls.

What's the evidence for that?

The wánkstain on syphilis keyboard for the most part, absolute quisling.

[Capt Pat]

Schmidt is a great coach. His biggest problem imho is he is a foreigner and not from one of the provinces. We had a great coach before in Gatland and got rid of him for no good reason. That was a big loss for Ireland and a big gain for Wales and the Lions.

[Crete Boom]

Schmidt is a great coach. His biggest problem imho is he is a foreigner and not from one of the provinces. We had a great coach before in Gatland and got rid of him for no good reason. That was a big loss for Ireland and a big gain for Wales and the Lions.

Why would a foreigner be a problem? We have had foreign coaches going right back to 1996 with Murray Kid!!
Gatland got the Ireland job too soon and was inexperienced!! It didn't help him that he was seen as a Connacht man when it came to his contract renewal which left him with little support politically at board level!!

Schmidt came through Leinster so he came through a province and is our most successful provincial coach and on track to be our most successful Irish coach if he lands a slam this year especially if that slam is won away to England!!

I don't see anyone saying we should get rid of Schmidt but you can't ignore our try scoring struggles with the amount of phases and possession we average per game!! Also the selection of Kearney and our lack of playmaking from the fullback position even compared to Italy and especially compared to New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Scotland and Wales it is a worry for us!!
Just look at the provinces at the moment , in Connacht you have O'Halloran , Ulster you have Piatau, Munster you have Zebo and Leinster you have Lamour or Nacewa!! All weapons and all light years ahead of Kearney in terms of attacking play at the moment!!!

[Syferus]

Schmidt is a great coach. His biggest problem imho is he is a foreigner and not from one of the provinces. We had a great coach before in Gatland and got rid of him for no good reason. That was a big loss for Ireland and a big gain for Wales and the Lions.

If anyone thinks we're not adventurous under Joe we'd have been walking lobotomies under Gatland, even now. Schmidt being a foreigner is neither here nor there as regards his ability to coach a national side.