The IRISH RUGBY thread

[dublin7]

That was garbage. What in under god has happened Leinster. Can't remember last watching them and being excited. Awful dull. Cullen and Lancaster to blame.

Cullen and Lancaster have Leinster playing great rugby over the last few seasons.

Munster's defence and the abilities of the likes of Beirne and O'Mahony in the breakdown meant Leinster had to commit extra bodies to the breakdown to make sure the kept the ball leaving them short of numbers when they tried to spread the play.  3 times Leinster turned the ball over on Munster's try line. They normally get the try in situations like that.

Considering the freezing conditions and weather I thought it was a good game and a proper derby. Real intensity and some bone crunching tackles from both sides

[Walter Cronc]

That was garbage. What in under god has happened Leinster. Can't remember last watching them and being excited. Awful dull. Cullen and Lancaster to blame.

Cullen and Lancaster have Leinster playing great rugby over the last few seasons.

Munster's defence and the abilities of the likes of Beirne and O'Mahony in the breakdown meant Leinster had to commit extra bodies to the breakdown to make sure the kept the ball leaving them short of numbers when they tried to spread the play.  3 times Leinster turned the ball over on Munster's try line. They normally get the try in situations like that.

Considering the freezing conditions and weather I thought it was a good game and a proper derby. Real intensity and some bone crunching tackles from both sides

Will have to agree to disagree here Dublin7. I cannot remember the last time I watched Leinster play expansive rugby. It's just bosh bosh bosh. Ringrose, Henshaw used as battering rams and Larmour on the periphery of most games. Bar the odd bit of James Lowe magic it's been poor. With far fewer resources both Ulster and Connacht at least have a go.

[Hound]

That was garbage. What in under god has happened Leinster. Can't remember last watching them and being excited. Awful dull. Cullen and Lancaster to blame.

Cullen and Lancaster have Leinster playing great rugby over the last few seasons.

Munster's defence and the abilities of the likes of Beirne and O'Mahony in the breakdown meant Leinster had to commit extra bodies to the breakdown to make sure the kept the ball leaving them short of numbers when they tried to spread the play.  3 times Leinster turned the ball over on Munster's try line. They normally get the try in situations like that.

Considering the freezing conditions and weather I thought it was a good game and a proper derby. Real intensity and some bone crunching tackles from both sides

Will have to agree to disagree here Dublin7. I cannot remember the last time I watched Leinster play expansive rugby. It's just bosh bosh bosh. Ringrose, Henshaw used as battering rams and Larmour on the periphery of most games. Bar the odd bit of James Lowe magic it's been poor. With far fewer resources both Ulster and Connacht at least have a go.

You missed the 70 points in 2 games they scored in the Heineken Cup in December?

And the comparison that Ulster 'have a go' and Leinster don't is the height of nonsense given they just played each other a couple of weeks ago.

Ulster had 4 penalties in kickable range.  Went for goal each time, scored 12 points.
Leinster have 5 penalties in kickable range.  Only went for goal once. Went for the throat the other 4 times. And came away with 4 tries and 24 points on the board and a bonus point win.

Leinster not as good as they have been, but you need to be basing your analysis on more than one game!!

[johnnycool]

That was garbage. What in under god has happened Leinster. Can't remember last watching them and being excited. Awful dull. Cullen and Lancaster to blame.

Cullen and Lancaster have Leinster playing great rugby over the last few seasons.

Munster's defence and the abilities of the likes of Beirne and O'Mahony in the breakdown meant Leinster had to commit extra bodies to the breakdown to make sure the kept the ball leaving them short of numbers when they tried to spread the play.  3 times Leinster turned the ball over on Munster's try line. They normally get the try in situations like that.

Considering the freezing conditions and weather I thought it was a good game and a proper derby. Real intensity and some bone crunching tackles from both sides

Will have to agree to disagree here Dublin7. I cannot remember the last time I watched Leinster play expansive rugby. It's just bosh bosh bosh. Ringrose, Henshaw used as battering rams and Larmour on the periphery of most games. Bar the odd bit of James Lowe magic it's been poor. With far fewer resources both Ulster and Connacht at least have a go.

You missed the 70 points in 2 games they scored in the Heineken Cup in December?

And the comparison that Ulster 'have a go' and Leinster don't is the height of nonsense given they just played each other a couple of weeks ago.

Ulster had 4 penalties in kickable range.  Went for goal each time, scored 12 points.
Leinster have 5 penalties in kickable range.  Only went for goal once. Went for the throat the other 4 times. And came away with 4 tries and 24 points on the board and a bonus point win.

Leinster not as good as they have been, but you need to be basing your analysis on more than one game!!

When you say "went for the throat" do you mean kick to the corner, win the lineout and then bosh your way over the tryline after x number of phases?

That style of play doesn't bother the English when it comes to the 6N's... Need a bit more innovation

[Estimator]

No Stockdale or Cooney in 6nations squad.

[Rudi]

No Carthy yet Ross Byrne is in.

[dublin7]

No Stockdale or Cooney in 6nations squad.

Stockdale went off injured a few weeks ago for Ulster and he'll miss at least the start of the 6N.

[Estimator]

No Stockdale or Cooney in 6nations squad.

Stockdale went off injured a few weeks ago for Ulster and he'll miss at least the start of the 6N.

Aware of that, but a few other have been selected despite carrying injuries or been out for some time.

[whitegoodman]

Its been said before, its harder to get dropped from the Ireland squad than to get into it.

It will be another drab 6 nations campaign where they will bosh it up with Aki in midfield only to be completely out muscled up front by the English and French.  Away to Scotland and Wales this year too so could very easily end up with 1 win from 5.

[Milltown Row2]

No Stockdale or Cooney in 6nations squad.

Stockdale went off injured a few weeks ago for Ulster and he'll miss at least the start of the 6N.

How Cooney can't get on this squad is beyond me, quality player

[Hound]

No Stockdale or Cooney in 6nations squad.

Stockdale went off injured a few weeks ago for Ulster and he'll miss at least the start of the 6N.

Aware of that, but a few other have been selected despite carrying injuries or been out for some time.

Stockdale, Furlong, Henderson and Lowe are all currently injured.

The latter 3 are expected to be fit for the 6N, hence they are in the squad. Stockdale's knee injury is a bit more serious and he won't be fit for it, so is not included in the squad.

Not really a hard one to work out!

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/gerry-thornley-without-crowds-matches-are-just-upgraded-training-sessions-1.4467658

As an aside, take your eyes off the action from the vantage point of the press box toward the keyboard and it's quite easy to miss something. It's the sudden increased noise levels that alert you something significant may be about to happen, or has happened. Nor, in the current spectator-free stadia, are there big screens showing replays.
In the heel of the hunt, without supporters, matches are upgraded training sessions, and that's all they can ever be.

[seafoid]

It looks pretty underwhelming given where England and France are at
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/six-nations-2021-jack-carty-among-the-faces-that-just-don-t-seem-to-fit-1.4467601


Ireland Squad 2021 Six Nations
Backs (17)
Bundee Aki (Connacht), Billy Burns (Ulster), Ross Byrne (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster), Andrew Conway (Munster), Shane Daly (Munster), Keith Earls (Munster), Chris Farrell (Munster), Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Hugo Keenan (Leinster), Jordan Larmour (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster), Stuart McCloskey (Ulster), Conor Murray (Munster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) - Captain.
Forwards (19)
Tadhg Beirne (Munster), Will Connors (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster), Ultan Dillane (Connacht), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Dave Heffernan (Connacht), Iain Henderson (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster), Ronan Kelleher (Leinster), Dave Kilcoyne (Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Tom O'Toole (Ulster), Andrew Porter (Leinster), Quinn Roux (Connacht), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster), James Ryan (Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster).
Fixtures
Wales v IRELAND - Principality Stadium, Cardiff
Sunday, 7th February, 3pm Virgin/BBC
IRELAND v France - Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Sunday, 14th February, 3pm Virgin/ITV
Italy v IRELAND - Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Saturday, 27th February, 2.15pm Virgin/ITV
Scotland v IRELAND - BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Sunday, 14th March, 3pm Virgin/BBC
IRELAND v England - Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Saturday, 20th March, 4.45pm Virgin/ITV

[seafoid]

https://www.oddschecker.com/rugby-union/six-nations/six-nations-2021/winner

England 2/1
France 5/1
Ireland 11/1
Wales 40/1

[Capt Pat]

Why are the Wales odds so long? Have they a bad injury crisis?