The IRISH RUGBY thread

[johnnycool]

It amuses when people people put GAA games on some sort of pedestal skill wise.

I have seen inter-county footballers trying to play Junior Rugby, most recently Aaron Kernan played J2 for Dundalk, admirable effort but poor tackler, couldn't pass but could run hard. Pretty much like your average inter-county hurler or footballer.

2 sports where tackling and passing are skills that aren't valued.

As for slow you will never see GAA games played at this pace. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNEAkIWMD64

2 teams going hell for leather in the hurling final might isn't that shabby.

The ball provides the pace in hurling. The biggest cheer is often when a defender wins the ball and huffs it 70m down the field. Am I wrong? Hardly a skill that few can master?

Sorry, is he trying to say rugby is more skillful than hurling?

He is. I contend it is easily the least skilled of any field sport I have witnessed where brawn and power are 95% of the requirement.

Actually you can't compare skills, my point the international rugby skills are executed at a standard way above inter-county GAA. Walter Walsh plays J1 (7 levels below International) rugby for New Ross and he's not a particularly good rugby player but an amazingly skilful hurler and plays at the highest level possible, the skills aren't transferable. Your lack of knowledge around rugby is really showing up here. It's obvious you never played the game.

Ben Youngs, Johnny May, Owen Farrell, Anthony Watson  and Elliot Day would all be smaller that your average inter-county midfielder, full-forward or fullback, hardly big strong powerful men.

Walter is lots of things on a hurling field but that's not one of them.

He's cack handed and a very deliberate hurler, i.e not a natural.
His physical attributes make up for his inefficiencies as a hurler but gets found out quite regularly at the top level.

I'm not sure where your argument is going but yes, Farrell, Watson and the lads are elite athletes in their field, i.e Rugby but most couldn't hit snow off a rope with a hurl but why would they?

Sweetnam for instance had the potential to be a fine hurler for Cork and was pacey but not outstandingly so at hurling and is played on the wing for Munster and similar, pacey but nothing spectacular!

[Dinny Breen]

It amuses when people people put GAA games on some sort of pedestal skill wise.

I have seen inter-county footballers trying to play Junior Rugby, most recently Aaron Kernan played J2 for Dundalk, admirable effort but poor tackler, couldn't pass but could run hard. Pretty much like your average inter-county hurler or footballer.

2 sports where tackling and passing are skills that aren't valued.

As for slow you will never see GAA games played at this pace. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNEAkIWMD64

2 teams going hell for leather in the hurling final might isn't that shabby.

The ball provides the pace in hurling. The biggest cheer is often when a defender wins the ball and huffs it 70m down the field. Am I wrong? Hardly a skill that few can master?

Sorry, is he trying to say rugby is more skillful than hurling?

He is. I contend it is easily the least skilled of any field sport I have witnessed where brawn and power are 95% of the requirement.

Actually you can't compare skills, my point the international rugby skills are executed at a standard way above inter-county GAA. Walter Walsh plays J1 (7 levels below International) rugby for New Ross and he's not a particularly good rugby player but an amazingly skilful hurler and plays at the highest level possible, the skills aren't transferable. Your lack of knowledge around rugby is really showing up here. It's obvious you never played the game.

Ben Youngs, Johnny May, Owen Farrell, Anthony Watson  and Elliot Day would all be smaller that your average inter-county midfielder, full-forward or fullback, hardly big strong powerful men.

Walter is lots of things on a hurling field but that's not one of them.

He's cack handed and a very deliberate hurler, i.e not a natural.
His physical attributes make up for his inefficiencies as a hurler but gets found out quite regularly at the top level.

I'm not sure where your argument is going but yes, Farrell, Watson and the lads are elite athletes in their field, i.e Rugby but most couldn't hit snow off a rope with a hurl but why would they?

Sweetnam for instance had the potential to be a fine hurler for Cork and was pacey but not outstandingly so at hurling and is played on the wing for Munster and similar, pacey but nothing spectacular!

Wait, what's this, you don't have to be skilful to play inter-county hurling?

Because to play international rugby you have to be very very skilful in your position.

[Baile Brigín 2]

It amuses when people people put GAA games on some sort of pedestal skill wise.

I have seen inter-county footballers trying to play Junior Rugby, most recently Aaron Kernan played J2 for Dundalk, admirable effort but poor tackler, couldn't pass but could run hard. Pretty much like your average inter-county hurler or footballer.

2 sports where tackling and passing are skills that aren't valued.

As for slow you will never see GAA games played at this pace. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNEAkIWMD64

2 teams going hell for leather in the hurling final might isn't that shabby.

The ball provides the pace in hurling. The biggest cheer is often when a defender wins the ball and huffs it 70m down the field. Am I wrong? Hardly a skill that few can master?

Sorry, is he trying to say rugby is more skillful than hurling?

He is. I contend it is easily the least skilled of any field sport I have witnessed where brawn and power are 95% of the requirement.

Actually you can't compare skills, my point the international rugby skills are executed at a standard way above inter-county GAA. Walter Walsh plays J1 (7 levels below International) rugby for New Ross and he's not a particularly good rugby player but an amazingly skilful hurler and plays at the highest level possible, the skills aren't transferable. Your lack of knowledge around rugby is really showing up here. It's obvious you never played the game.

Ben Youngs, Johnny May, Owen Farrell, Anthony Watson  and Elliot Day would all be smaller that your average inter-county midfielder, full-forward or fullback, hardly big strong powerful men.

Walter is lots of things on a hurling field but that's not one of them.

He's cack handed and a very deliberate hurler, i.e not a natural.
His physical attributes make up for his inefficiencies as a hurler but gets found out quite regularly at the top level.

I'm not sure where your argument is going but yes, Farrell, Watson and the lads are elite athletes in their field, i.e Rugby but most couldn't hit snow off a rope with a hurl but why would they?

Sweetnam for instance had the potential to be a fine hurler for Cork and was pacey but not outstandingly so at hurling and is played on the wing for Munster and similar, pacey but nothing spectacular!

You have doubled down on his point for him

[johnnycool]

It amuses when people people put GAA games on some sort of pedestal skill wise.

I have seen inter-county footballers trying to play Junior Rugby, most recently Aaron Kernan played J2 for Dundalk, admirable effort but poor tackler, couldn't pass but could run hard. Pretty much like your average inter-county hurler or footballer.

2 sports where tackling and passing are skills that aren't valued.

As for slow you will never see GAA games played at this pace. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNEAkIWMD64

2 teams going hell for leather in the hurling final might isn't that shabby.

The ball provides the pace in hurling. The biggest cheer is often when a defender wins the ball and huffs it 70m down the field. Am I wrong? Hardly a skill that few can master?

Sorry, is he trying to say rugby is more skillful than hurling?

He is. I contend it is easily the least skilled of any field sport I have witnessed where brawn and power are 95% of the requirement.

Actually you can't compare skills, my point the international rugby skills are executed at a standard way above inter-county GAA. Walter Walsh plays J1 (7 levels below International) rugby for New Ross and he's not a particularly good rugby player but an amazingly skilful hurler and plays at the highest level possible, the skills aren't transferable. Your lack of knowledge around rugby is really showing up here. It's obvious you never played the game.

Ben Youngs, Johnny May, Owen Farrell, Anthony Watson  and Elliot Day would all be smaller that your average inter-county midfielder, full-forward or fullback, hardly big strong powerful men.

Walter is lots of things on a hurling field but that's not one of them.

He's cack handed and a very deliberate hurler, i.e not a natural.
His physical attributes make up for his inefficiencies as a hurler but gets found out quite regularly at the top level.

I'm not sure where your argument is going but yes, Farrell, Watson and the lads are elite athletes in their field, i.e Rugby but most couldn't hit snow off a rope with a hurl but why would they?

Sweetnam for instance had the potential to be a fine hurler for Cork and was pacey but not outstandingly so at hurling and is played on the wing for Munster and similar, pacey but nothing spectacular!

Wait, what's this, you don't have to be skilful to play inter-county hurling?

Because to play international rugby you have to be very very skilful in your position.

Is that why Ireland had an inordinate amount of knock ons and fumbles in Japan?

Big Walter is skillful enough but at top level IC level he can be found out, that's what I'm saying.

Cian Healy has hands like feet but he doesn't need them to be anything else as he's there to push in a scrum and tackle.
If he does get the ball in his hands, he runs straight as a die, gets tackled, falls down and then presents the ball back to someone else. That takes years and years of practice and nurturing, video analysis, specialist coaching and the rest.

Deft offloads or quick hands he isn't.

How does Sweetnam rate at the rugby?

He's the only lad I can think off that had/has the potential to be a top level hurler and I'm assuming he must be handy enough at the Rugby.

[johnnycool]

It amuses when people people put GAA games on some sort of pedestal skill wise.

I have seen inter-county footballers trying to play Junior Rugby, most recently Aaron Kernan played J2 for Dundalk, admirable effort but poor tackler, couldn't pass but could run hard. Pretty much like your average inter-county hurler or footballer.

2 sports where tackling and passing are skills that aren't valued.

As for slow you will never see GAA games played at this pace. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNEAkIWMD64

2 teams going hell for leather in the hurling final might isn't that shabby.

The ball provides the pace in hurling. The biggest cheer is often when a defender wins the ball and huffs it 70m down the field. Am I wrong? Hardly a skill that few can master?

Sorry, is he trying to say rugby is more skillful than hurling?

He is. I contend it is easily the least skilled of any field sport I have witnessed where brawn and power are 95% of the requirement.

Actually you can't compare skills, my point the international rugby skills are executed at a standard way above inter-county GAA. Walter Walsh plays J1 (7 levels below International) rugby for New Ross and he's not a particularly good rugby player but an amazingly skilful hurler and plays at the highest level possible, the skills aren't transferable. Your lack of knowledge around rugby is really showing up here. It's obvious you never played the game.

Ben Youngs, Johnny May, Owen Farrell, Anthony Watson  and Elliot Day would all be smaller that your average inter-county midfielder, full-forward or fullback, hardly big strong powerful men.

Walter is lots of things on a hurling field but that's not one of them.

He's cack handed and a very deliberate hurler, i.e not a natural.
His physical attributes make up for his inefficiencies as a hurler but gets found out quite regularly at the top level.

I'm not sure where your argument is going but yes, Farrell, Watson and the lads are elite athletes in their field, i.e Rugby but most couldn't hit snow off a rope with a hurl but why would they?

Sweetnam for instance had the potential to be a fine hurler for Cork and was pacey but not outstandingly so at hurling and is played on the wing for Munster and similar, pacey but nothing spectacular!

You have doubled down on his point for him

If his point is that you can't compare one code to another, then yes he's right.

[Ethan Tremblay]

I suppose gaa football is comparable to AFL, where a highly physical/intensive game is mixed with a great deal of skill.  AFL is known to be cut throat so reaching the top of that sport  is hard.  When the compromise rules are played, you can see amateur intercounty players more than hold their own against professional sportsmen, who as their full time job, hone their skills on a daily basis to maximum efficiency. 

[Dinny Breen]

It amuses when people people put GAA games on some sort of pedestal skill wise.

I have seen inter-county footballers trying to play Junior Rugby, most recently Aaron Kernan played J2 for Dundalk, admirable effort but poor tackler, couldn't pass but could run hard. Pretty much like your average inter-county hurler or footballer.

2 sports where tackling and passing are skills that aren't valued.

As for slow you will never see GAA games played at this pace. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNEAkIWMD64

2 teams going hell for leather in the hurling final might isn't that shabby.

The ball provides the pace in hurling. The biggest cheer is often when a defender wins the ball and huffs it 70m down the field. Am I wrong? Hardly a skill that few can master?

Sorry, is he trying to say rugby is more skillful than hurling?

He is. I contend it is easily the least skilled of any field sport I have witnessed where brawn and power are 95% of the requirement.

Actually you can't compare skills, my point the international rugby skills are executed at a standard way above inter-county GAA. Walter Walsh plays J1 (7 levels below International) rugby for New Ross and he's not a particularly good rugby player but an amazingly skilful hurler and plays at the highest level possible, the skills aren't transferable. Your lack of knowledge around rugby is really showing up here. It's obvious you never played the game.

Ben Youngs, Johnny May, Owen Farrell, Anthony Watson  and Elliot Day would all be smaller that your average inter-county midfielder, full-forward or fullback, hardly big strong powerful men.

Walter is lots of things on a hurling field but that's not one of them.

He's cack handed and a very deliberate hurler, i.e not a natural.
His physical attributes make up for his inefficiencies as a hurler but gets found out quite regularly at the top level.

I'm not sure where your argument is going but yes, Farrell, Watson and the lads are elite athletes in their field, i.e Rugby but most couldn't hit snow off a rope with a hurl but why would they?

Sweetnam for instance had the potential to be a fine hurler for Cork and was pacey but not outstandingly so at hurling and is played on the wing for Munster and similar, pacey but nothing spectacular!

Wait, what's this, you don't have to be skilful to play inter-county hurling?

Because to play international rugby you have to be very very skilful in your position.

Is that why Ireland had an inordinate amount of knock ons and fumbles in Japan?

Big Walter is skillful enough but at top level IC level he can be found out, that's what I'm saying.

Cian Healy has hands like feet but he doesn't need them to be anything else as he's there to push in a scrum and tackle.
If he does get the ball in his hands, he runs straight as a die, gets tackled, falls down and then presents the ball back to someone else. That takes years and years of practice and nurturing, video analysis, specialist coaching and the rest.

Deft offloads or quick hands he isn't.

How does Sweetnam rate at the rugby?

He's the only lad I can think off that had/has the potential to be a top level hurler and I'm assuming he must be handy enough at the Rugby.

He was a prospect when he broke through and deserved his Irish Cap but he looks like he has plateaued, solid Pro14 winger and European squad player for Munster. Can't see him at 26 getting back into contention for Ireland selection.  Sport is as much mental as technical or tactical and I think his confidence has suffered for some reason. Interestingly he also played underage hockey for Ireland.

[highorlow]

The irony is this Irish teams decline commenced around the same time as Simon Zebo's departure to France.

For all that Joe achieved with us over the years he or the IRFU can't be forgiven for this nonsense policy of not picking foreign based players (unless of course your Sexton or Wood).

[seafoid]

It amuses when people people put GAA games on some sort of pedestal skill wise.

I have seen inter-county footballers trying to play Junior Rugby, most recently Aaron Kernan played J2 for Dundalk, admirable effort but poor tackler, couldn't pass but could run hard. Pretty much like your average inter-county hurler or footballer.

2 sports where tackling and passing are skills that aren't valued.

As for slow you will never see GAA games played at this pace. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNEAkIWMD64

2 teams going hell for leather in the hurling final might isn't that shabby.

The ball provides the pace in hurling. The biggest cheer is often when a defender wins the ball and huffs it 70m down the field. Am I wrong? Hardly a skill that few can master?

Sorry, is he trying to say rugby is more skillful than hurling?

Top level professional sports have their skills performed at a level way higher than inter-county hurling or football. And in terms of say Cricket, NBA, Soccer astronomically higher.

With all due respect Dinny, that is a stupid argument. By definition a sport with a max catchment of 5m will have different parameters to one with 3 bn. You can't assert from that that  the sport with the max catchment of 5m has negligible skill levels even if you are from Leinster and into GF. Also I don't think cricket in England  pulls its players from a much bigger pool than Gaelic Football does.

[Sportacus]

I heard someone on the radio say there are about 150 Irish professionals to pick from.  When you think about it that way, it's hoping for a miracle to think we could reach a WC Final.  It's a tiny pick.

[seafoid]

I heard someone on the radio say there are about 150 Irish professionals to pick from.  When you think about it that way, it's hoping for a miracle to think we could reach a WC Final.  It's a tiny pick.

New Zealand Rugby's income is only 20% higher than that of the IRFU, I think , and they pay the pro salaries too so Ireland wouldn't be that far off in terms of numbers of pro players.

[Baile Brigín 2]

I heard someone on the radio say there are about 150 Irish professionals to pick from.  When you think about it that way, it's hoping for a miracle to think we could reach a WC Final.  It's a tiny pick.

New Zealand Rugby's income is only 20% higher than that of the IRFU, I think , and they pay the pro salaries too so Ireland wouldn't be that far off in terms of numbers of pro players.

We have a silly rule thst you must plsy in Ireland to play for Ireland, so it definitely reduces the amount playing abroad

[The Subbie]

I suppose gaa football is comparable to AFL, where a highly physical/intensive game is mixed with a great deal of skill.  AFL is known to be cut throat so reaching the top of that sport  is hard.  When the compromise rules are played, you can see amateur intercounty players more than hold their own against professional sportsmen, who as their full time job, hone their skills on a daily basis to maximum efficiency.

When the compromise rules are played all I see is the Aussies displaying much much better ball handling skills than us
Their kicking skills aren't too hot but their hand passing and handling are miles ahead of our lads

[Never beat the deeler]

I heard someone on the radio say there are about 150 Irish professionals to pick from.  When you think about it that way, it's hoping for a miracle to think we could reach a WC Final.  It's a tiny pick.

New Zealand Rugby's income is only 20% higher than that of the IRFU, I think , and they pay the pro salaries too so Ireland wouldn't be that far off in terms of numbers of pro players.

We have a silly rule thst you must plsy in Ireland to play for Ireland, so it definitely reduces the amount playing abroad

No we don't

[screenexile]

I heard someone on the radio say there are about 150 Irish professionals to pick from.  When you think about it that way, it's hoping for a miracle to think we could reach a WC Final.  It's a tiny pick.

New Zealand Rugby's income is only 20% higher than that of the IRFU, I think , and they pay the pro salaries too so Ireland wouldn't be that far off in terms of numbers of pro players.

We have a silly rule thst you must plsy in Ireland to play for Ireland, so it definitely reduces the amount playing abroad

No we don't

Yeah we do... so do New Zealand!!!