The IRISH RUGBY thread

[johnnycool]

Like I said they little among the top 4, The SA try over the line won them the game, the hold up on the line cost ours. I say France be sicker than us, saying they were at home. That was the real 2 semis.

The bounce of a ball....

That's all the Ireland/NZ game came down to..

Beauden Barrett put a fantastic kick behind the Ireland defence and it sat up nicely for himself to take it full on, resulted in the first NZ try, Ireland go crossfield only for it to bounce high into the air and off Sheehans fingers, catch that and he's in.

That's sport though and as much as it's disappointing for the Irish lads any of the top four can beat each other on a given night as we witnessed last night as well, favourites France succumb to SA who Ireland beat, France walloped NZ in their section.

England and the Argies are a level below that and they'll find that out next weekend.

[Pub Bore]

Superb game of rugby from start to finish last night.  Fine margins at this level as the cliche goes.  Charged down conversion (Kolbe must have started on the 22!) proved significant.  SA must be favourites but NZ are cute hoors.  The standard in the other two quarters looked well below the two big ones.  If SA play the way they did last night they'll put 40 points on Eng.

[Maroon Manc]

How many of the team will be around in 4 years time? Seems like so many of them are in their 30's already

[seafoid]

The RWC is even less competitive than elite hurling.
There are 9 decent teams but only 5 have played in the final since 1987.
Only 4 have won the tournament since 1987
Only 2 have won it since 2007.

Senior hurling has 2 sub championships. Munster and Leinster.
They both provide winners regularly. The RWC has 2 sub championships. There is a severe
imbalance between the N Hemisphere and S Hemisphere.

The RWC has been a 2 horse race since 2007. SA and  NZ. 

SA vs NZ is like Kilkenny vs Tipp. Australia would be Cork. Australia are shite. Last win was 99.
The RWC is like Kilkenny or Tipp every year since 2007. They can beat everyone else.
All the time. 
It doesn't matter how the groups are arranged.
Straight knockout would make more sense. 

[trailer]

Disappointed for Ireland but this was a lot different from all the other 1/4 final defeats. They played some scintillating Rugby and on another day they win. Wasn't to be but we can be extremely proud of this team and what they have achieved.

Ireland V NZ and SA V France had the feeling of the actual semi finals.

[tonto1888]

Disappointed for Ireland but this was a lot different from all the other 1/4 final defeats. They played some scintillating Rugby and on another day they win. Wasn't to be but we can be extremely proud of this team and what they have achieved.

Ireland V NZ and SA V France had the feeling of the actual semi finals.

should have been the semi finals. World rugby need to change how they organise the WC. Doing the draw 3 years out is a joke

[Rudi]

Possible 2027

Porter (?)
Sheehan (Kelleher)
Furlong (oToole) (?)
Ryan (Edogbo)
McCarthy (Ahern)
Baird ()
Van Der Flier (Hodnett)
Dorris (Coombes)
Casey (Gibson Park)
Prendergast (Crowley
Hanson
Henshaw (Aki 37)
Ringrose ()
Balcooune
Keenan

[Wildweasel74]

People Complaining about rugby competitiveness, look at Gaelic football, maybe 3 serious competive team in 15+ years, Hurling about the same

[JoG2]

Like I said they little among the top 4, The SA try over the line won them the game, the hold up on the line cost ours. I say France be sicker than us, saying they were at home. That was the real 2 semis.

The bounce of a ball....

That's all the Ireland/NZ game came down to..

Beauden Barrett put a fantastic kick behind the Ireland defence and it sat up nicely for himself to take it full on, resulted in the first NZ try, Ireland go crossfield only for it to bounce high into the air and off Sheehans fingers, catch that and he's in.

That's sport though and as much as it's disappointing for the Irish lads any of the top four can beat each other on a given night as we witnessed last night as well, favourites France succumb to SA who Ireland beat, France walloped NZ in their section.

England and the Argies are a level below that and they'll find that out next weekend.

[Applesisapples]

I'm not from the Rugby community, GAA to the core. I do however enjoy the game and follow the provinces in the URC & Heineken Cup, thanks mainly to the TV coverage. It is better than the soccer shit. You have to admire how the IRFU has developed rugby structures given that at best it is the third sport in the country. It also gives us all an International team to cheer which unlike soccer everyone can support. I have been following Sexton's career from his chubby faced debut for Leinster and admire his longevity and tenacity. Sad to see him end his career like this, but that's sport. The team let no one down and lost one match that would have graced any final in any year. Hopefully the next generation of players can deliver. It is a fact that they have over delivered from a small base.

[trailer]

I'm not from the Rugby community, GAA to the core. I do however enjoy the game and follow the provinces in the URC & Heineken Cup, thanks mainly to the TV coverage. It is better than the soccer shit. You have to admire how the IRFU has developed rugby structures given that at best it is the third sport in the country. It also gives us all an International team to cheer which unlike soccer everyone can support. I have been following Sexton's career from his chubby faced debut for Leinster and admire his longevity and tenacity. Sad to see him end his career like this, but that's sport. The team let no one down and lost one match that would have graced any final in any year. Hopefully the next generation of players can deliver. It is a fact that they have over delivered from a small base.

The provinces have thrived but the local club game hasn't and is on it's knees with participation numbers well down from before professionalism. A warning for the GAA and those who want more and more professionalism. You'll have a better game at elite level but the club could suffer.

[From the Bunker]

Courtesy of Ewan McKenna....

Rugby World Cup Semi-Final Appearances.

New Zealand 9
Australia 6
England 6
France 6
South Africa 6
Argentina 3
Wales 3
Scotland 1

[Joeythelips]

Courtesy of Ewan McKenna....

Rugby World Cup Semi-Final Appearances.

New Zealand 9
Australia 6
England 6
France 6
South Africa 6
Argentina 3
Wales 3
Scotland 1

I don't know or get this McKenna fella on Twitter (or X as its now known), he seems to get off on the Irish Rugby team failing. Odd to say the least.
Let's be honest, the only reason Ireland did not make a semi final this year was the fact the draw was made 3 years ago. The NZ v Ireland and France v SA games were a level above the other quarter finals. The semi finals will be a massive anti climax after those two epic matches but at least we get a top final.
SA and NZ seem to fully have a winning culture, nothing seems to phase them when the stakes are at their highest. Ireland and France are both fantastic sides who gave it everything and still ended up losing out. NZ dropped one of their best players for the game over a protocol breach and moved on like it was nothing, the team and jersey is far more then one individual.
Imagine the uproar if we dropped a top player for a big match for some protocol breach? The public and media would lose their minds. The All Blacks just got one with it just as they did with the 2 yellow cards. When is the last time you saw a side call a scrum penalty in their own 22? or someone actually block down a conversion? SA do both in the biggest match of the year. Incredible team. Should be some final

[Wildweasel74]

Yeah, you think they woukd dropped Lomu, Carter, McCaw if they were around.

[rodney trotter]

I wonder will there be much improvement in Australia by 2027. They are hosting the tournament so have time to get their act together. Lions tour Australia in 2025.