The IRISH RUGBY thread

[dublin7]

Good comparison. WRU and SRU teams generally well below the Irish provinces. They really wish they could impose the same restrictions the IRFU do.

Again, herein lies the issue with the approach taken. These are professional rugby players being denied representative honours by HQ Exec's who then go fishing to bring lads from overseas with no connection to Ireland with the carrot of representative honours. The whole thing stinks and shows a complete lack of faith in Irish players and respect for the value of the jersey.

For me a big part of the reason there is a ceiling to where Ireland can go (as borne out by their historical underachievement) is that imposing restrictions does not support an organic evolution of the game, culture, coaching and more importantly player skill sets.

England and NZ apply the same restrictions as the IRFU so it's not just an Irish thing. NZ did make an exception for Dan Carter when he moved to France as even NZ couldn't replace him. The qualifying time has been changed from 3 years to 5 years now to become eligible so why would anyone have a problem with that? That's half your career for most senior players. 

Ireland has a small playing pool to select from compared to England and France.  Also for countries like Wales and NZ rugby is the number one sport compared to |Ireland which is probably third behing GAA and soccer. Bringing international players/ coaches in to Ireland has raised standards in coaching and playing skills throughout the provinces and international sides.   

[tiempo]

Good comparison. WRU and SRU teams generally well below the Irish provinces. They really wish they could impose the same restrictions the IRFU do.

Again, herein lies the issue with the approach taken. These are professional rugby players being denied representative honours by HQ Exec's who then go fishing to bring lads from overseas with no connection to Ireland with the carrot of representative honours. The whole thing stinks and shows a complete lack of faith in Irish players and respect for the value of the jersey.

For me a big part of the reason there is a ceiling to where Ireland can go (as borne out by their historical underachievement) is that imposing restrictions does not support an organic evolution of the game, culture, coaching and more importantly player skill sets.

England and NZ apply the same restrictions as the IRFU so it's not just an Irish thing. NZ did make an exception for Dan Carter when he moved to France as even NZ couldn't replace him. The qualifying time has been changed from 3 years to 5 years now to become eligible so why would anyone have a problem with that? That's half your career for most senior players. 

Ireland has a small playing pool to select from compared to England and France.  Also for countries like Wales and NZ rugby is the number one sport compared to |Ireland which is probably third behing GAA and soccer. Bringing international players/ coaches in to Ireland has raised standards in coaching and playing skills throughout the provinces and international sides.

NZ won a WC without Carter, Stephen Donald was their 4th choice fly half who was playing for Bath at the time, mad what you can achieve when you have to put your faith in someone.

At the end of the day Irish lads are being denied the opportunity to play for Ireland based on restrictive criteria while opening the door to non-Irish "talent" coming the other way. Its more a goddamn United Nations team at this stage than a United Ireland, we really don't know where Ireland are at in rugby terms as the team lining out isn't representative of the country.

Maybe the overseas lads should wear their home nation shorts and socks similar to the Barbarians, would make as much sense as other decisions taken.

[Denn Forever]

Maybe it's been discussed before but haven't seen the designs of thee Irish and Welsh jerseys for this year's game,it is so colour blind fans can follow the games easier.

[screenexile]

Maybe it's been discussed before but haven't seen the designs of thee Irish and Welsh jerseys for this year's game,it is so colour blind fans can follow the games easier.

I think Ireland will wear that black and maroon machine they wore at the weekend.

There were a lot of haters for it but I think it's not too bad!

[dublin7]

Good comparison. WRU and SRU teams generally well below the Irish provinces. They really wish they could impose the same restrictions the IRFU do.

Again, herein lies the issue with the approach taken. These are professional rugby players being denied representative honours by HQ Exec's who then go fishing to bring lads from overseas with no connection to Ireland with the carrot of representative honours. The whole thing stinks and shows a complete lack of faith in Irish players and respect for the value of the jersey.

For me a big part of the reason there is a ceiling to where Ireland can go (as borne out by their historical underachievement) is that imposing restrictions does not support an organic evolution of the game, culture, coaching and more importantly player skill sets.

England and NZ apply the same restrictions as the IRFU so it's not just an Irish thing. NZ did make an exception for Dan Carter when he moved to France as even NZ couldn't replace him. The qualifying time has been changed from 3 years to 5 years now to become eligible so why would anyone have a problem with that? That's half your career for most senior players. 

Ireland has a small playing pool to select from compared to England and France.  Also for countries like Wales and NZ rugby is the number one sport compared to |Ireland which is probably third behing GAA and soccer. Bringing international players/ coaches in to Ireland has raised standards in coaching and playing skills throughout the provinces and international sides.

NZ won a WC without Carter, Stephen Donald was their 4th choice fly half who was playing for Bath at the time, mad what you can achieve when you have to put your faith in someone.

At the end of the day Irish lads are being denied the opportunity to play for Ireland based on restrictive criteria while opening the door to non-Irish "talent" coming the other way. Its more a goddamn United Nations team at this stage than a United Ireland, we really don't know where Ireland are at in rugby terms as the team lining out isn't representative of the country.

Maybe the overseas lads should wear their home nation shorts and socks similar to the Barbarians, would make as much sense as other decisions taken.

NZ picked Carter for that world cup and unfortunately for them he got injured mid tournament. Donald had signed for Bath making him ineligible for selection, but NZ were desperate so they changed the rules. He only played in one game (the final) There's no way NZ win that tournament if they had to rely on him the whole tournament. Strange how he never played for them again if they had so much faith in him.

Irish lads are competing for a jersey and if they're good enough they'll get picked. Betters players improve standards of the team and training and any sensible player would look at his teammates (especially international ones) to see what he could learn from them to make them better players. These same international players all live in Ireland and play here every week as well. It's not like they fly in and out of Ireland for a few times every year for the odd international

[johnnycool]

"We're stars at getting it right between cycles but never right on the cycle that matters, so that will have to be something that has to be reviewed but maybe the fact that (the performance against) Japan went much better than anticipated, you go extremely strong for New Zealand and then see where you are.


ROG bang on the money again..

Who gives a flying f**k for the Autumn internationals if they fill their togs come WC2023...

Is Sexton going to be the one and only No10 come 2023? Give the others a crack as we'll need a back up if not a starter come the time.

[seafoid]

"We're stars at getting it right between cycles but never right on the cycle that matters, so that will have to be something that has to be reviewed but maybe the fact that (the performance against) Japan went much better than anticipated, you go extremely strong for New Zealand and then see where you are.


ROG bang on the money again..

Who gives a flying f**k for the Autumn internationals if they fill their togs come WC2023...

Is Sexton going to be the one and only No10 come 2023? Give the others a crack as we'll need a back up if not a starter come the time.

Can't have just 1 #10 in a RWC. You need 3 players in each position given the injuries

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/ronan-o-gara-gives-ireland-a-50-50-chance-against-all-blacks-1.4723963

I think it's a difficult game (to call) because I think Ireland will test them. I think Ireland are a very intelligent team now. You could see Paul's straps all over that team last weekend," he said in reference to Paul O'Connell.
"I just think it's hard to know what Ireland are going to do off lineout strikes at the minute, whether they're going to drive it, whether peel it with Kelleher, peel it with the 8, peel it with the 9. There are so many derivatives of how they can attack New Zealand, and their ruck seems to be very good, but the massive shift was, I suppose, people running very good lines and running into holes as opposed to running into bodies.
"So for me, it's a very 50/50 game. I think if Ireland get ahead, they could be very hard to catch because Ireland are so disciplined as well," he said, before admitting that if a team "gets one kick-exit wrong or you get one miss-kick poorly placed" against New Zealand they suffer. "I mean, for example, Will Jordan is an absolute freak. Brilliant going forward but would have his deficiencies going back - no doubt about it.
"I think what was so refreshing last weekend was Ireland's ability just to have a go. We haven't seen that in a long, long time and I think that has re-energised or re-awoken so many of us who love watching the Irish rugby team."

[Baile Brigín 2]

Good comparison. WRU and SRU teams generally well below the Irish provinces. They really wish they could impose the same restrictions the IRFU do.

Again, herein lies the issue with the approach taken. These are professional rugby players being denied representative honours by HQ Exec's who then go fishing to bring lads from overseas with no connection to Ireland with the carrot of representative honours. The whole thing stinks and shows a complete lack of faith in Irish players and respect for the value of the jersey.

For me a big part of the reason there is a ceiling to where Ireland can go (as borne out by their historical underachievement) is that imposing restrictions does not support an organic evolution of the game, culture, coaching and more importantly player skill sets.

England and NZ apply the same restrictions as the IRFU so it's not just an Irish thing. NZ did make an exception for Dan Carter when he moved to France as even NZ couldn't replace him. The qualifying time has been changed from 3 years to 5 years now to become eligible so why would anyone have a problem with that? That's half your career for most senior players. 

Ireland has a small playing pool to select from compared to England and France.  Also for countries like Wales and NZ rugby is the number one sport compared to |Ireland which is probably third behing GAA and soccer. Bringing international players/ coaches in to Ireland has raised standards in coaching and playing skills throughout the provinces and international sides.

Because they aren't Irish. They aren't even citizens.

The point is the IRFU see development gaps in terms of potential players and buy in foreigners to plug those gaps - the famous South Africans at boarding school. Thats fine at club level but not international teams.

Why break your arses with a youth structure if you can just buy a 23 year old pro from NZ? And more importantly what happens if those pro's aren't better than what you have?

[Hound]

The narrative this week off the back of the Japan game has been mental in the press. You'd expect the last decade of this nonsense to in some way penetrate the consciousness of journalists and ex players but no, this is a new and world class Ireland suddenly with all the same players and coaching staff that delivered the most recent cycle of hype and underperformance.

That clown Thornley has been confidently predicting a victory over the All Blacks this weekend and there's any number of observers excitedly anticipating a brilliant game and that Ireland will "go close".

What planet are these people on?

I've always enjoyed the rugby, but the interest has definitely waned in the last while. 30 phases of making a yard gain mixed with box kicking, and I suppose the sheer brutality of the continuous hits.
Will watch the game at the weekend but I see no way of us getting close to the All Black's tbh.

The change at 8 and 9 is a massive change to how we play. We now have lads who's first plan is to pass, rather than always smash into an opponent or kick the ball away. Conan and GibsonPark were both excellent against Japan and the main reason why the backs saw so much more ball than usual. However, massive question mark about whether they could repeat that against NZ. Bookies have a 10 point handicap, I'd be surprised if NZ don't win by more than that, but hopefully be an entertaining game

[screenexile]

Think yellow is fair there wasn't that bad!

[Capt Pat]

Did the New Zealand sub hooker call Sexton a mouthy c*** to the ref?

[screenexile]

Did the New Zealand sub hooker call Sexton a mouthy c*** to the ref?

Yeah and he was 100% right!

[screenexile]

That was f**king terrible play!! Totally switched off 🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

[weareros]

Good game. But Ireland should have taken the 6 points on offer from penalties. NZ go down pitch and  get two easy scores.