The IRISH RUGBY thread

[tiempo]

O'Connell looks like a man saying goodbye to the Aviva, but no one seems to notice!

And probably for the better, can't go through the whole BOD thing again (BOD didn't ask for it) and POC would probably find it a bit strange, they seem like a focused team on mission thinking about the 6 Nats and eyes firmly on the RWC too, its a thrill to see them peaking at the min, hopefully they can go again later in the year.

Ireland seem to be playing their A game now and their A stragegy, lots of time for opposition to figure a counter-plan before RWC, especially the southern hemisphere teams, hope it doesnt end up us being called one trick ponies a la Wales at the min, but Schmit is getting lorded as a genius and if he pulls a grade A plan B out of the hat when required then he truely is

[tiempo]

Another dirge, another concussion.

Compare the superb skill and entertainment on show in the Liverpool v Manchester City and Kerry v Dublin matches to that.

What a load of rubbish.

Here, you saying there was never a great rugby game played simultaneously with a pile of s**te soccer or Gaelic game?
Or never a great rugby game played period?
Behave.

[muppet]

Rumour now it was O'Connell's last competitive appearance at Aviva/LR.

[Syferus]

Rumour now it was O'Connell's last competitive appearance at Aviva/LR.

It's our last home game in the 6N this year. Unless Scmidt has decided five months in advance that POC won't play any part in the (full Test) warm-up games against Wales and Scotland that's a strange rumour.

[muppet]

Rumour now it was O'Connell's last competitive appearance at Aviva/LR.

It's our last home game in the 6N this year. Unless Scmidt has decided five months in advance that POC won't play any part in the (full Test) warm-up games against Wales and Scotland that's a strange rumour.

You are hardly comparing those games with the 6N?

[seafoid]

Conor Murray's kick for the try was perfection. He should have got MotM.
Stuart Lancaster on BBC was saying Ireland had that bit more experience and discipline. It would be great we could get past the QF at the RWC with this team. 

[deiseach]

England had a penalty in front of the posts early on and George Ford took the free shot at a drop goal. He should have done what Conor Murray did when the opportunity arose. Smart play, and fantastic presence of mind by Henshaw to focus everything on getting the ball down. Great stuff all round.

[gallsman]

Rumour now it was O'Connell's last competitive appearance at Aviva/LR.

It's our last home game in the 6N this year. Unless Scmidt has decided five months in advance that POC won't play any part in the (full Test) warm-up games against Wales and Scotland that's a strange rumour.

You are hardly comparing those games with the 6N?

That's exactly what he's doing.

Given Ireland's history with these games, I hope POC, Sexton, O'Brien etc are all wrapped in cotton wool!

[johnneycool]

Rumour now it was O'Connell's last competitive appearance at Aviva/LR.

It's our last home game in the 6N this year. Unless Scmidt has decided five months in advance that POC won't play any part in the (full Test) warm-up games against Wales and Scotland that's a strange rumour.

You are hardly comparing those games with the 6N?

That's exactly what he's doing.

Given Ireland's history with these games, I hope POC, Sexton, O'Brien etc are all wrapped in cotton wool!

First thing first, well done the Irish pack, parity if not more in the scrum, and destroyed the much vaunted English in the ruck and maul. I thought they and the replacements never gave an inch the whole day. The platform for the victory and even the very biased Clive Woodward accepted that whilst England gave away a huge amount of penalties and made basic mistakes it was mostly due to the intense pressure Ireland were putting on them.

Secondly, if Sexton gets injured in the world cup we're goosed. Neither Madigan, Jackson or Keatley are good enough replacement outhalfs as him and that became abundantly clear yesterday when he went off. Luckily Ireland had the points on the board to hold off the English.

Thirdly, I think the limited game England play is hampering their fantastic back division. It was only in broken play that they got the ball in hand and were doing what they do best and looked very dangerous, the only saving grace is that they were forced to do it in their own half. No English set play afforded them the opportunity to show their stuff, and that was with Mike Brown missing. If stats mad Lancaster allows these lads a bit of freedom to do what they do best, they'll be a problem in the WC.
They were trying to outdo the Irish at their own kicking game, madness, but we'll take the win all the same.

[AZOffaly]

Keatley actually probably would have been a better option to see the game home yesterday. He's still a major step down from Sexton, obviously, but he would have tried to be territorial and killed the game off by kicking for position.

Great win though, very impressive.

[screenexile]

We've beaten every major Rugby nation in the past 2 years except for New Zealand. . . I think our victory yesterday now puts us 3rd ranked in the world.

We can talk all we want about the aesthetics but nothing beats winning and if we can stay relatively injury free we have a great chance to give the WC a rattle!!

[Bord na Mona man]

One thing that isn't great about this Irish team is that you don't really fancy them to close out games. They survive rather than thrive.

Go back the last 3 or 4 years. The defeat to New Zealand obviously enough. 2 draws vs France when they were a decent bit ahead. Last year they barely closed out the win in Paris, this year shouldn't have ended up a one score game.

2 years ago in Cardiff when they 27 points ahead and still let Wales back to 8 points. The year before when they had a 6 point lead over Wales late on and lost to an unconverted try and a penalty.

England had a couple of decent try chances in the last quarter and had they nailed one of them, how confident would everyone have been of Ireland holding on?
Sexton and O'Brien going off obviously changed things, but Ireland mentally go into retreat when they have a lead against top tier opposition.

[deiseach]

It's strange all right. We were discussing that at home when Sexton landed the conversion. England were there to be absolutely pounded, yet we all agreed that it would be a slog rather than a sprint towards the finishing line. When Brent Pope said after the game that Ireland would now beat New Zealand in the circumstances, I thought "nah!" It's not necessarily a criticism of the Ireland setup, winning the competitive games is all that matters. But it's a quirk.

[Walter Cronc]

Rumour now it was O'Connell's last competitive appearance at Aviva/LR.

It's our last home game in the 6N this year. Unless Scmidt has decided five months in advance that POC won't play any part in the (full Test) warm-up games against Wales and Scotland that's a strange rumour.

You are hardly comparing those games with the 6N?

That's exactly what he's doing.

Given Ireland's history with these games, I hope POC, Sexton, O'Brien etc are all wrapped in cotton wool!

First thing first, well done the Irish pack, parity if not more in the scrum, and destroyed the much vaunted English in the ruck and maul. I thought they and the replacements never gave an inch the whole day. The platform for the victory and even the very biased Clive Woodward accepted that whilst England gave away a huge amount of penalties and made basic mistakes it was mostly due to the intense pressure Ireland were putting on them.

Secondly, if Sexton gets injured in the world cup we're goosed. Neither Madigan, Jackson or Keatley are good enough replacement outhalfs as him and that became abundantly clear yesterday when he went off. Luckily Ireland had the points on the board to hold off the English.

Thirdly, I think the limited game England play is hampering their fantastic back division. It was only in broken play that they got the ball in hand and were doing what they do best and looked very dangerous, the only saving grace is that they were forced to do it in their own half. No English set play afforded them the opportunity to show their stuff, and that was with Mike Brown missing. If stats mad Lancaster allows these lads a bit of freedom to do what they do best, they'll be a problem in the WC.
They were trying to outdo the Irish at their own kicking game, madness, but we'll take the win all the same.

Dont really agree with that. Woodward is fairly impartial. Or maybe he just appears that way beside that prat Guscott!!

[Bord na Mona man]

It's strange all right. We were discussing that at home when Sexton landed the conversion. England were there to be absolutely pounded, yet we all agreed that it would be a slog rather than a sprint towards the finishing line. When Brent Pope said after the game that Ireland would now beat New Zealand in the circumstances, I thought "nah!" It's not necessarily a criticism of the Ireland setup, winning the competitive games is all that matters. But it's a quirk.

The Tipp hurlers should be giving Joe Schmidt tips on how to feast on a carcass!

I remember Felipe Contepomi was talking about the Ireland sporting mindset. I think it was in the context of obsession with needing to be underdogs to perform.
He noted on Ireland's Grand Slam in 2009, that as soon as it became a possibility, Ireland went into their shell and squeeked out narrow wins over England and Scotland and then barely fell over the line against Wales. Quite simply, it isn't something our sportspeople wear very easily.