The IRISH RUGBY thread

[trileacman]

All evidence points to Schmidt being the right man, though perhaps getting the job a year later than he should have.

Someone was annoyed earlier on the topic about Schmidt's candid comments about the Paul O'Connell incident.
That sort of straight shooting is standard in the Southern hemisphere. They don't yerra, so we'd better get used to it.

It will be a big change from Declan Kidney, who was some man for the evasive interviews.
Every defeat regardless of misfortunate, abjectness or awfulness was blandly described as "they took their opportunities and we didn't". It was always about having to "looking at the video and learning where we went wrong"....4 years into the job!

To be fair it wasn't Kidneys job to entertain you with "candid comments" in the wake of a defeat so I doesn't matter what he said after a match. It's a manager's job to tow the party line after a defeat and not go around blaming all in front of him.

The flipside of the Kidney approach is the Lievermont school of thought where you go around blaming all asunder and calling them "cowards", thereby gaining favour with some middle aged hacks and alienating yourself from the players you're meant to be leading. I know I would prefer my coach to be at the Kidney end of the spectrum, displaying a level of decorum. If people don't want to see evasive interviews then they should just stop interviewing evasive managers.

[Main Street]

A sound tribute to O'Gara by Matt Williams in yesterday's IT

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/time-for-knockers-to-say-sorry-to-o-gara-for-all-the-cheap-shots-1.1375880?page=2

Time for knockers to say sorry to O'Gara for all the cheap shots
Munster outhalf showed that class really is permanent

[Bord na Mona man]

All evidence points to Schmidt being the right man, though perhaps getting the job a year later than he should have.

Someone was annoyed earlier on the topic about Schmidt's candid comments about the Paul O'Connell incident.
That sort of straight shooting is standard in the Southern hemisphere. They don't yerra, so we'd better get used to it.

It will be a big change from Declan Kidney, who was some man for the evasive interviews.
Every defeat regardless of misfortunate, abjectness or awfulness was blandly described as "they took their opportunities and we didn't". It was always about having to "looking at the video and learning where we went wrong"....4 years into the job!

To be fair it wasn't Kidneys job to entertain you with "candid comments" in the wake of a defeat so I doesn't matter what he said after a match. It's a manager's job to tow the party line after a defeat and not go around blaming all in front of him.

The flipside of the Kidney approach is the Lievermont school of thought where you go around blaming all asunder and calling them "cowards", thereby gaining favour with some middle aged hacks and alienating yourself from the players you're meant to be leading. I know I would prefer my coach to be at the Kidney end of the spectrum, displaying a level of decorum. If people don't want to see evasive interviews then they should just stop interviewing evasive managers.

Certainly not looking for tabloid stuff. A bit more honesty wouldn't have gone amiss.
He was happy enough to treat the viewer like a gom and portray himself as a bit of one too.

Every game was a down to chance - please God we'll get a bit of luck.
It did him no favours and long before they should have, the public had lost faith in him.

"Sure that's sport" as he would say himself.

[Crete Boom]

British and Irish Lions tour manager Andy Irvine has announced the 37-man squad that will face Australia this year, with Sam Warburton named as captain.

More to follow...

Forwards: Dan Cole, Cian Healy, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Matt Stevens, Mako Vunipola, Dylan Hartley, Richard Hibbard, Tom Youngs, Ian Evans, Richie Gray, Alun-Wyn Jones, Paul O'Connell, Geoff Parling, Tom Croft, Toby Faletau, Jamie Heaslip, Dan Lydiate, Sean O'Brien, Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton (capt).

Backs: Leigh Halfpenny, Stuart Hogg, Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe, Alex Cuthbert, Sean Maitland, George North, Jonathan Davies, Brian O'Driscoll, Jamie Roberts, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell, Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray, Mike Phillips, Ben Youngs.

Well we got 9 on the plane so far which is probably about right with only Rory Best the real unlucky one to lose out. Taking only two outhalves is risky as you probably need three to cover the specialist positions i.e. tight-head , hooker, scrumhalf and outhalf.

[Dinny Breen]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tZ61g4c1WU&feature=youtu.be

[seafoid]

End of the road for Ronan O Gara
So that was his last match for Ireland.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/european/2013/0517/450967-ogara/

Great player

[Main Street]

Pity O'Gara couldn't end his days with Ireland on a sweeter note as he did for Munster in his last few games for them.
One of the few outstanding Irish sportsmen so far this century.
My favourite was his performance in the HC group game against Gloucester at Thomond  Pk. where they had to beat them by a cricket score.

[muppet]

[CiKe]

Hartley sent off in premiership final for dissent. Will Best be heading Down Under?

[Hardy]

He seems to be a total fruitcacke. Apparently, having already been warned about his conduct, he called the ref a "f**king cheat".

[Walter Cronc]

Seen it. Clear as day! He claims he was saying it to Tom Youngs!

[Hardy]

Six week ban apparently is the penalty for ref abuse.

[Geoff Tipps]

Six week ban apparently is the penalty for ref abuse.

He didn't deserve to go on tour in the first place so hopefully this is the minimum he gets.

[everymanaman]

Shoud never have picked the ill disciplined New Zealand hooker in the first place. Would have been a liability on tour

[johnneycool]

Shoud never have picked the ill disciplined New Zealand hooker in the first place. Would have been a liability on tour

Rory is on the plane. Good to see the lad get a bit of recognition as he seems like a nice enough lad, hopefully he'll get some gametime.


Thought the Rabodirect game on saturday was pretty decent and also pleased to see Paddy Jackson make a few line breaks, maybe Hook will see that the lad is a decent enough bet as understudy to Sexton and longer term him and Madigan who can play in the centre give us a bit of strength in depth especially as Sexton seems a bit prone to injuries.