The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Crete Boom]

The southern hemisphere teams have bossed this level of the game over the years and beating the saffers at home is a great result as it would be at senior level. We didn't even have our best team starting today. Layden and McGrath at scrum half are better imho.

Layden broke his leg in the run up to this tournament so is not available. Marmion was picked ahead of McGrath for his physicality against a huge SA backrow. Also Paddy Jackson was pulled by Ulster who wanted him to get in a full pre-season with the senior setup.
  Great win for the U20's especially since our pack bossed South Africa all through the game.Also we destroyed them at the break down despite the ref trying his best to make sure the hosts came back in the second half. Special metion for the Irish backrow of Cogan, Gilsenan and Conan. Also Henderson , Furlong and Scannel will be senior internationals before long.

[AZOffaly]

anyone got the team to hand? I know the fly half was a Kerryman, but what was the breakdown of the rest?

[the Deel Rover]

anyone got the team to hand? I know the fly half was a Kerryman, but what was the breakdown of the rest?

Peter Nelson (Dungannon/Ulster); Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster), Chris Farrell (Dungannon/Ulster), Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Sam Coghlan Murray (UCD/Leinster); JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster), Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht); Des Merrey (Clontarf/Leinster), Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) (capt), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Queen's University/Ulster), Jordan Coghlan (UCD/Leinster), Conor Gilsenan (UCD/Mullingar/Leinster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster).
Replacements used: Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) for Marmion (57 mins), Aaron Conneely (Corinthians/Connacht) for Gilsenan (58-64, blood sub), James Rael (Garryowen/Munster) for Scannell (64), Mikey Sherlock (Clontarf/Leinster) for Coghlan Murray (67), Alan O'Connor (UCD/Leinster) for Beirne (71), Peter Reilly (Lansdowne/Leinster) for Merrey (73). Not used: Jack Cawley (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Jack Carty

[AZOffaly]

Still very Leinster dominated. They are some set up. Good to see a few Munster lads starting to drip through though. A few years ago there wasn't even 1 on the panel.

[Crete Boom]

Still very Leinster dominated. They are some set up. Good to see a few Munster lads starting to drip through though. A few years ago there wasn't even 1 on the panel.

Leinster have the biggest schools pick which is still where the majority of U20's and future senior internationals come bar a couple i.e Sean O'Brien and Steven Ferris. Connacht had Shane layden, Daniel Qualter, Jack Carty , Aaron Conneely and Connor Finn who all played a part in this years six nations with Layden, Finn, Conneely and Qualter starting most games. Layden is the best of these scoring 3 trys in 5 games and would have been a definite starter but for injury and is an oustanding attacking full back whereas Nelson is a more solid if less spectacular player. I think Qulater is injured also and I don't know about Finn.Connacht also had a clean sweep in this years u20 interpros which bodes well for the future.
While Scannell , Hanrahan and Rael are all excellent prospects it's a pretty poor showing from Munster that they cannot at least match Connacht for producing underage internationals over the last couple of years considering their advantage in numbers of schools players and the funding they have by comparison. It looks to me that they have been hit hardest by the criminal neglect of the club game by the IRFU which is where they traditionally developed and harderened their players like O Connel , Hayes , David Wallace and Quinlan.

anyone got the team to hand? I know the fly half was a Kerryman, but what was the breakdown of the rest?

Peter Nelson (Dungannon/Ulster); Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster), Chris Farrell (Dungannon/Ulster), Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Sam Coghlan Murray (UCD/Leinster); JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster), Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht); Des Merrey (Clontarf/Leinster), Niall Scannell (Dolphin/Munster) (capt), Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Leinster), Iain Henderson (Queen's University/Ulster), Jordan Coghlan (UCD/Leinster), Conor Gilsenan (UCD/Mullingar/Leinster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster).
Replacements used: Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) for Marmion (57 mins), Aaron Conneely (Corinthians/Connacht) for Gilsenan (58-64, blood sub), James Rael (Garryowen/Munster) for Scannell (64), Mikey Sherlock (Clontarf/Leinster) for Coghlan Murray (67), Alan O'Connor (UCD/Leinster) for Beirne (71), Peter Reilly (Lansdowne/Leinster) for Merrey (73). Not used: Jack Cawley (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Jack Carty

You forgot Jack Carty (Buccaners/Connacht) of Rosscommon minor fame Deel or was it on purpose . Either way you'll have the Rossies after you for that one!

[the Deel Rover]

  Christ no Crete Boom didn't do it on purpose just copied and pasted . Life is bad enough without getting the rossies vexed and angry.

[Crete Boom]

Christ no Crete Boom didn't do it on purpose just copied and pasted . Life is bad enough without getting the rossies vexed and angry.

Ah sure if they do see the mistake Deel , just get Lar and Jinxy to throw a couple of post up on the Ballagh thread and they'll soon forget about it

[Crete Boom]

 Well this Saturday we turn up for our traditional hammering by the All Blacks and with quite a few injuries at the end of a long World Cup year. I'd love for Drico to get one victory against them down there just so the kiwis would finally admit he's one of the best to have ever played the game. What's worse is there is an extra test thrown in this time which could be painful if we ship a couple of big defeats in the first two.
  While I would have taken some more young blood down south this time to freshen things up at the end of a mammoth season Deccie isn't one for risks, so from what's in the squad this is how I'd like to see the them line out:

15.Kearney , 14. Trimble , 13. Earls , 12. Drico , 11. Zebo, 10. Sexton , 9. Murray, 8. O'Mahony, 7. O' Brien , 6. McLaughlin, 5. Ryan/Touhy 4. McCarthy , 3. Ross , 2. Best , 1. Healy.

One thing I can Guarantee is this team will not be picked or anything like it but I'll explain my logic anyway. I'm going for Zebo on the wing cause he's a natural winger (more so than Earls or McFadden) and this is the best place to find out a bit more about him, not at 25 against Canada or Western Soma in meaningless autumn international! Gone for Earls at outside centre for his eye for a break and speed over the first 5 yards and his form in the six nations dispelled any defensive worries I had about him. Drico at 12 cause he still has enough pace to match his guile and football brain plus his defence on the ground here would see a lot of turnovers. Also he played 12 against the All Blacks in 2002 in Dunedin and cut them open in game we nearly won!
Sexton and Murray pick themselves and before anyone says anything about Reddin's quicker service (it's a myth) just look at any game where he's under pressure, he's either swallowed up in the tackle or takes five steps before he passes the ball. Just because he runs around the field like mad thing doesn't mean he provides quicker service! In the back row I've gone for physicality, form and Ball carriers. A couple of seasons ago I would have had Heaslip as one of the first on my team sheet but his form this season has been patchy at best and O Mahony has been barnstorming all season so I'd let Jamie rest for this one. Kevin McLaughlin, well every team needs a player like him , apart from his work rate I'd love to see his stats on close in ball carries under pressure. The man's a beast to get over the gain line and set up go forward attacking ball for O'Brien etc.. Also he is an excellent line out performer and along with O'Mahony would give us options both on attack and defense out of touch. Donnacha Ryan is the form Irish second row this season and turning into a real leader but Touhy is snapping at his heels so either would  do for me in the number 5 shirt. Mike McCarthy has been a top performer for Connacht for two seasons now and is a top defender round the ruck. Also he is a specialist scrummag-er on the tight-head side of the second row which could be important if Ross doesn't make it. The front row if fit are our best on balance at the moment so I stick with the three amigos as long as they are healthy.
Overall I think this team would go close but sure we'll probably never know

[johnneycool]

The southern hemisphere teams have bossed this level of the game over the years and beating the saffers at home is a great result as it would be at senior level. We didn't even have our best team starting today. Layden and McGrath at scrum half are better imho.

Layden broke his leg in the run up to this tournament so is not available. Marmion was picked ahead of McGrath for his physicality against a huge SA backrow. Also Paddy Jackson was pulled by Ulster who wanted him to get in a full pre-season with the senior setup.
  Great win for the U20's especially since our pack bossed South Africa all through the game.Also we destroyed them at the break down despite the ref trying his best to make sure the hosts came back in the second half. Special metion for the Irish backrow of Cogan, Gilsenan and Conan. Also Henderson , Furlong and Scannel will be senior internationals before long.

Stumbled across this game the other night, trying to avoid jubilee pish. Was a great game and must be something to look forward to as the Irish scrum held its own even when under immense pressure at the end.  Hanranhan was outhalf and I thought he played on the wing or centre in the six nations equivalent, but if Jackson was missing then it made sense. He's a funny run up to the penalties but was pinging them over.
SA looked pretty pissed off at the end. Good to see.

[Crete Boom]

Stumbled across this game the other night, trying to avoid jubilee pish. Was a great game and must be something to look forward to as the Irish scrum held its own even when under immense pressure at the end.  Hanranhan was outhalf and I thought he played on the wing or centre in the six nations equivalent, but if Jackson was missing then it made sense. He's a funny run up to the penalties but was pinging them over.
SA looked pretty pissed off at the end. Good to see.

JJ Hanrahan was a top outhalf at schools level and plays outhalf for munster at u20 level. The main reason he was moved to 12 is because Jackson was the incumbent from last year and a top prospect too and Hanrahan was equally adept at no 12 which gives you a whole other option with a playmaker at inside center as well as 10 ala the All Blacks. He does have a funny kicking style but remember Dominguez for Italy, use to take one and a half steps then bang the ball over from all angles and distances.
It's a serious front row we have at this level and to think Furlong(tighthead) was injured all season and Merry (loosehead) played for him all through the six nations where we held oru own too even putting the french on their arse in a few scrums!

[johnneycool]

Stumbled across this game the other night, trying to avoid jubilee pish. Was a great game and must be something to look forward to as the Irish scrum held its own even when under immense pressure at the end.  Hanranhan was outhalf and I thought he played on the wing or centre in the six nations equivalent, but if Jackson was missing then it made sense. He's a funny run up to the penalties but was pinging them over.
SA looked pretty pissed off at the end. Good to see.

JJ Hanrahan was a top outhalf at schools level and plays outhalf for munster at u20 level. The main reason he was moved to 12 is because Jackson was the incumbent from last year and a top prospect too and Hanrahan was equally adept at no 12 which gives you a whole other option with a playmaker at inside center as well as 10 ala the All Blacks. He does have a funny kicking style but remember Dominguez for Italy, use to take one and a half steps then bang the ball over from all angles and distances.
It's a serious front row we have at this level and to think Furlong(tighthead) was injured all season and Merry (loosehead) played for him all through the six nations where we held oru own too even putting the french on their arse in a few scrums!

Ross out for Saturday, will the scrum be backpedaling like it was in Twickenham??

[Crete Boom]

Ross out for Saturday, will the scrum be backpedaling like it was in Twickenham??

We could be under pressure  johnney but the signs were Ross wouldn't make it anyway.Also New Zealand wouldn't be as fearsome as France or Argentina at scrum-time. I hope Declan Fitzpatrick has a good day and from what I have seen of him he's a good scrumm-ager but I would worry about him in general play and lifting at line-out time. Pretty good team from Kidney although I think Drico and Earls will swap positions and would still think we should have gone for McCarthy at no.4 if Ross was out. Delighted to see Ronan Loughney get on the bench and hope he gets on the field. Even though he grew up in Galway he reminds me every time I meet him he's a Mayo man come summer time with his mother a member of a famous Kiltane GAA family!

[Hardy]

I'm hoping to have time to watch this at Saturday morning time. That's if I make getting up time after bottle of plonk time at Friday nighttime time.

[screenexile]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwP9HFASqzQ

[Crete Boom]

U 20 World Cup , Ireland 12 England 3 with half an hour gone. Marmion and Hanrahan with trys for Ireland and Hanrahan with a conversion. Good start for Ireland with the pack and Henderson in paticular taking the game to England. Ireland playing some great rugby in terrible conditions.