The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Walter Cronc]

Some good podcasts on the NZ game for those rugby nerds out there

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/second-captains

http://www.the42.ie/the-rugby-show-eddie-osullivan-3094446-Nov2016/

http://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/Off_The_Ball/

[Estimator]

Any predictions for team selection this weekend? Obviously Henshaw and Sexton are out. Schmidt will probably replace with Jackson and Ringrose. If Kearney and/or Zebo are out then a few more changes may be necessary. With the forwards, I can't see Schmidt making too many changes, injuries permitting. Would like to see Dillane and Henderson getting more game time.

[The Trap]

Well according to Walter we have lots of cover for the injured guys and should easily beat a team that had to rely on a late try to beat Scotland.

[Walter Cronc]

Well according to Walter we have lots of cover for the injured guys and should easily beat a team that had to rely on a late try to beat Scotland.

Remind me where I said that trap?

I think Schmidt has learnt his lesson from the Argentina game but he's also been fortunate that we've consistently had excellent u20 sides now for the past 4/5 years. Looking at the '2' or more players in each position in certain positions the quality in 1st/2nd/3rd choice is greater than others and also there are overlaps.

15. Kearney/Payne/O'Halloran/Zebo
14. Trimble/Gilroy/Adeolokun - Sweetnam in 2017 in my opinion
13. Payne/Ringrose/Marshall
12. Henshaw/Marshall/Olding/McCloskey - Aki in 2017
11. Zebo/Earls
10. Sexton/Jackson/Carberry
9. Murray/Marmion/McGrath - Huge fall off here in terms of talent
8. Heaslip/Stander/O'Donoghue
7. O'Brien/Van der Flier/Murphy
6. Stander/O'Mahony/Leavy
5. Henderson/Ryan
4. Toner/Dillane
3. Furlong/Bealham
2. Best/Cronin
1. McGrath/Healy/Kilcoyne

I'm sure there are more I have missed but thats off the top of my head.

[The Stallion]

Still waiting on a response to my post Walt. No rush.

[Walter Cronc]

Still waiting on a response to my post Walt. No rush.

You ain't from Glen and you troll on here. That is all.

[AhNowRef]

You just have to laugh at anyone who has so much bile in them against something that they feel the continued need to go on a forum to spew it out, when the sensible thing to do would be to ignore it, dont watch the sport in question and dont go to website forums where people who love it are hanging out ... Why put yourself through all that hassle 

Jeez, its worse than the DUP Councillor Maurice Morrow's constant whinging about no traffic wardens in Coalisland ... Just bitter aul sh1te 

There's definitely a deeper reason behind all this hate against Rugby by some lads though.. ... and the same boys love the saccer ... you have to laugh at them for sure !!!

It's called trolling and enough people here were caught in the trick to make it completely worth his while. I don't for a minute believe he actually holds those views (or views that strong anyway).

Yeah I thought that at the start too but to keep it going this long ... seems a little much ...

I still think one or two of them either think all Rugby players/supporters are posh t**ts (wrong ..) or got their eyes wiped in some way ... the HATE seems genuine  lol

funny stuff though 

Hilarious to read and hear all the rugby pundits defending the ABs as not being a malicious or dirty team!

They've always been the dirtiest and biggest cheaters in world rugby

Completely agree 100% ..

[AhNowRef]

You just have to laugh at anyone who has so much bile in them against something that they feel the continued need to go on a forum to spew it out, when the sensible thing to do would be to ignore it, dont watch the sport in question and dont go to website forums where people who love it are hanging out ... Why put yourself through all that hassle 

Jeez, its worse than the DUP Councillor Maurice Morrow's constant whinging about no traffic wardens in Coalisland ... Just bitter aul sh1te 

There's definitely a deeper reason behind all this hate against Rugby by some lads though.. ... and the same boys love the saccer ... you have to laugh at them for sure !!!

Football is the greatest sport on the earth.

Rugby is a game taken seriously by 7/8 different countries who have links to the British commonwealth. Only one of those countries have it as their main sport.

Only an imbecile would try to argue that it isn't the national sport of Wales. It is also the national sport of Fiji and Samoa. It is one of the very top sports of England, France, South Africa.

Football outweighs it in participation and attendances in Wales. Only an idiot would completely ignore facts when making a conclusion. Like in Ireland, soccer is by far the greater sport but the national rugby side are the darlings of the nation because they play in a niche sport so the bandwagoners will be there due to the chance of success.

Lol, you're nuts old chap ... By your way of thinking, i.e. participation, you should be ranting about fishing as more people do that than any other sport ....

Try to understand that no one cares about your petty little insecurities regarding Rugby ... Most people in a "Rugby" thread like or love the game .. why waste your obviously precious time  trying "unsuccessfully" to demean it ...

Go on lad, tell us the "real" reason you hate Rugby 

[AhNowRef]

Only an idiot would say paul o'connell is a giant freak who has achieved nothing though bomber

Why? I'd say O'Connell would struggle to trap a football, I'd say he'd struggle with anything that would involve anything technical. He'd probably make a decent weightlifter of something.

He played off a 4 handicap in golf and was a notable swimmer too if I'm not mistaken. Soccer is not the national sport of Wales anymore than it is the national sport here. It's odd that you use attendance of domestic soccer in Wales to argue that it's more popular than rugby but dismiss the paltry attendances here.

The Welsh domestic attendances are even worse than the League of Ireland but the average attendances of Welsh teams in the English League Football would surpass that of the Provinces in Ireland.

Irish football fans are obsessed with English league football because that is where the money is and that is where all the best Irish players, ideally we'd have a thriving domestic league but the landscapes don't allow for that. Maybe Ireland should amalgamate all their clubs into four sides and go and have them compete in a cross channel league? You see what I did there?

In one post you talk of the "west brit" Rugby team and then hint at your "obsession" with the english saccer league...

and you talk about Irish people "jumping on the bandwagon" in supporting THEIR OWN RUGBY TEAM .... never mind tubes like you sycophanting over Celtic or Man United etc....   British teams I think you'll find 

You are a complete clown .. but hilarious with it ... keep em coming clown, this is great value altogether 

[Applesisapples]

Guys or should that be Goys? Bomber is Tony in disguise. Fun to debate with him sometimes but best not taken too seriously. IMO Hurling is the greatest game in the world, but realistically it is only played at the top level by a maximum of 6 teams, still that doesn't detract from its appeal. Gaelic football and Rugby would be next for me although rugby and soccer would be not far of the same level. Ignore bomber he is trolling at a level Tony would be proud off. Sport of any type is good for the human condition and to see it played at the level of Kilkenny and Tip, The All Blacks and Ireland, Dublin and Mayo or Barca Real is a joy to behold. If someone can't see that joy it's a pity.

[JoG2]

Guys or should that be Goys? Bomber is Tony in disguise. Fun to debate with him sometimes but best not taken too seriously. IMO Hurling is the greatest game in the world, but realistically it is only played at the top level by a maximum of 6 teams, still that doesn't detract from its appeal. Gaelic football and Rugby would be next for me although rugby and soccer would be not far of the same level. Ignore bomber he is trolling at a level Tony would be proud off. Sport of any type is good for the human condition and to see it played at the level of Kilkenny and Tip, The All Blacks and Ireland, Dublin and Mayo or Barca Real is a joy to behold. If someone can't see that joy it's a pity.

that's it, couldn't agree more.  Most trolls in all likely hood would secretly agree with those sentiments, but with an MO to annoy and seek attention, it matters not a jot.

[AhNowRef]

Guys or should that be Goys? Bomber is Tony in disguise. Fun to debate with him sometimes but best not taken too seriously. IMO Hurling is the greatest game in the world, but realistically it is only played at the top level by a maximum of 6 teams, still that doesn't detract from its appeal. Gaelic football and Rugby would be next for me although rugby and soccer would be not far of the same level. Ignore bomber he is trolling at a level Tony would be proud off. Sport of any type is good for the human condition and to see it played at the level of Kilkenny and Tip, The All Blacks and Ireland, Dublin and Mayo or Barca Real is a joy to behold. If someone can't see that joy it's a pity.

Hard for anyone to argue with that ... oh no lets just wait a minute I suppose..... 

[mikehunt]

Wouldn't usually watch the rugby but mrs said there was a game on. My brother who has no interest in sport was roaring at the tv too. After 20 minutes of savage hits and three subs on cos of injuries my bro says 'u wouldn't see that in hurling or footie'. I admitted he was right but also noted that sport should involve some semblance of skill, something only shown in glimpses by the best team out of the 8 that play it. A sport which is adored by as many women as men should be treated with total suspicion. 

[AhNowRef]

Wouldn't usually watch the rugby but mrs said there was a game on. My brother who has no interest in sport was roaring at the tv too. After 20 minutes of savage hits and three subs on cos of injuries my bro says 'u wouldn't see that in hurling or footie'. I admitted he was right but also noted that sport should involve some semblance of skill, something only shown in glimpses by the best team out of the 8 that play it. A sport which is adored by as many women as men should be treated with total suspicion.

Why's that ?

[lenny]

Wouldn't usually watch the rugby but mrs said there was a game on. My brother who has no interest in sport was roaring at the tv too. After 20 minutes of savage hits and three subs on cos of injuries my bro says 'u wouldn't see that in hurling or footie'. I admitted he was right but also noted that sport should involve some semblance of skill, something only shown in glimpses by the best team out of the 8 that play it. A sport which is adored by as many women as men should be treated with total suspicion.

Yawn, yawn, another troll.