The IRISH RUGBY thread

[johnnycool]

The front page of the New Zealand Herald on Sunday

That's the winning mentality of the All Blacks.

Ah, they are a real Rugby nation. Truth be told countries like Ireland toy with the idea.

There is no tolerance of glorious defeats in NZ and they're highly critical of anything other than excellence.
That's the harsh environment for a NZ manager and player. They all know it and embrace it for what it is.

Maybe that's why they are so consistently good.

England all the same were magnificent at all facets of the game and whilst much will be made of Ford and the backs the MOTM for me was the lad Curry in the back row. He was phenomenal throughout, must have won three or four turn overs himself alone.

SA were monstrous in the tackle yesterday and the Welsh crash ball tactic (much like Irelands) was just getting hammered back time and time again meaning there was little for Biggar to work with and he was poor enough himself but the doggedness of the Welsh kept them in the game till the end.

SA just about deserved the win.

As much as that wee shít Matt Dawson was ranting on five live on Saturday morning about how great England were and just give them the cup now type attitude it really is hard to look past them but can they hit those highs again and wee Eddie was right about getting the recovery right, that'll be as much mental as physical this coming week.

[The Subbie]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/international-rugby/paul-kimmage-i-have-more-questions-for-jamie-heaslip-but-will-he-answer-them-38634240.html

I suspect Kimmage has nothing up his sleeve after reading this tbh, trying to flush Heaslip & Cooper out to give him answers.

Do you not think it is strange that Heaslip sits on some type of world anti doping board yet cannot get his own story right about a doping issue and does nothing to clarify matters ?
I do and I'd say a lot of others would too.

If it's a simple mix up or elevated testosterone then speak up and back it up otherwise the doubts will remain and grow legs

[Farrandeelin]

Fair enough so FtB et al. However Ireland is either a top level rugby country or we're not. The media think we are, but are we really?

[rodney trotter]

In terms of World Cup performances obviously not. Never past the quarter finals. Good Provincial teams and perform well in 6 nations. Beat Nz in Chicago and once in Dublin but not when it mattered and outclassed in WC

There only is a handful of Rugby playing Countries,so being a top team isn't a huge accolade. Ireland has 4 Provincial teams and everything isn't geared towards improving the National team. If Ireland weren't competitive with those resources there would be something wrong

[johnnycool]

In terms of World Cup performances obviously not. Never past the quarter finals. Good Provincial teams and perform well in 6 nations. Beat Nz in Chicago and once in Dublin but not when it mattered and outclassed in WC

There only is a handful of Rugby playing Countries,so being a top team isn't a huge accolade. Ireland has 4 Provincial teams and everything isn't geared towards improving the National team. If Ireland weren't competitive with those resources there would be something wrong

is you mean?

[rodney trotter]

How many South Africans or Kiwis have played for Ireland.? Those players were brought to the province knowing they would be eligible for Ireland in 3 years.
Joey Carberry moved to Munster on advice of the National team, better chance of playing

[rodney trotter]

Yes meant is
How many South Africans or Kiwis have played for Ireland.? Those players were brought to the province knowing they would be eligible for Ireland in 3 years.
Joey Carberry moved to Munster on advice of the National team, better chance of playing

[JPGJOHNNYG]

The drop in form in less than 12 mths was incredible and only surpassed by an even faster and greater drop in form in 2007
We still dont know wtf happened then and Im not entirely sure wtf has happened this time either!

[johnnycool]

The drop in form in less than 12 mths was incredible and only surpassed by an even faster and greater drop in form in 2007
We still dont know wtf happened then and Im not entirely sure wtf has happened this time either!

It was coming.

Too many lads have had too many dinners and their best days were behind them.

Joe wasn't ruthless enough early enough or he really didn't fancy those coming through the ranks.

How Farrell goes about the 6N's will be interesting.

Does he keep some of the old guard to bed in new blood or go for broke with lads who'll be in their prime come 2023?

[seafoid]

The drop in form in less than 12 mths was incredible and only surpassed by an even faster and greater drop in form in 2007
We still dont know wtf happened then and Im not entirely sure wtf has happened this time either!

Tipp 2018
Waterford 2018
Galway 2019

[GetOverTheBar]

The drop in form in less than 12 mths was incredible and only surpassed by an even faster and greater drop in form in 2007
We still dont know wtf happened then and Im not entirely sure wtf has happened this time either!

It was coming.

Too many lads have had too many dinners and their best days were behind them.

Joe wasn't ruthless enough early enough or he really didn't fancy those coming through the ranks.

How Farrell goes about the 6N's will be interesting.

Does he keep some of the old guard to bed in new blood or go for broke with lads who'll be in their prime come 2023?

Time to try something different, time to be ruthless. I think we all knew Best was fairly finished coming into the tournament....sentiment and probably if we are honest, lack of competition brought him there. Easy to say now, but look at England with Dylan Hartley/Jamie George.

I don't want to stick the knife into the Irish team because nobody expected the NZ loss to be as absolutely destructive but the questions have to be asked, would Tom Curry have made the Irish starting 15 coming from nowhere less than a year before the WC? I really don't think he would have and you have to ask if Schmidt was too loyal to some (Earls is another one who's been on easy street unchallenged for a good few years without justifying it).

Ireland are a damn good rugby nation but they've absolutely had shocker in past 12 months. Perhaps they fell into the trap of becoming too one dimensional?

One year ago I would have been confident Ireland could win the World Cup, I mean you can never be sure but they were at their absolute peak. Farrell was there, he knows what went right and what went wrong. Personally I'm of the belief a six nations is a six nations, they are yearly - our cycle must be a World Cup one.

[square_ball]

A bad 6 nations with the same faces could lead to Farrell losing his job. A poor 6 nations with a 'new' team/style will buy him some team possibly?

[johnnycool]

The drop in form in less than 12 mths was incredible and only surpassed by an even faster and greater drop in form in 2007
We still dont know wtf happened then and Im not entirely sure wtf has happened this time either!

It was coming.

Too many lads have had too many dinners and their best days were behind them.

Joe wasn't ruthless enough early enough or he really didn't fancy those coming through the ranks.

How Farrell goes about the 6N's will be interesting.

Does he keep some of the old guard to bed in new blood or go for broke with lads who'll be in their prime come 2023?

Time to try something different, time to be ruthless. I think we all knew Best was fairly finished coming into the tournament....sentiment and probably if we are honest, lack of competition brought him there. Easy to say now, but look at England with Dylan Hartley/Jamie George.

I don't want to stick the knife into the Irish team because nobody expected the NZ loss to be as absolutely destructive but the questions have to be asked, would Tom Curry have made the Irish starting 15 coming from nowhere less than a year before the WC? I really don't think he would have and you have to ask if Schmidt was too loyal to some (Earls is another one who's been on easy street unchallenged for a good few years without justifying it).

Ireland are a damn good rugby nation but they've absolutely had shocker in past 12 months. Perhaps they fell into the trap of becoming too one dimensional?

One year ago I would have been confident Ireland could win the World Cup, I mean you can never be sure but they were at their absolute peak. Farrell was there, he knows what went right and what went wrong. Personally I'm of the belief a six nations is a six nations, they are yearly - our cycle must be a World Cup one.

I'm in agreement with you but say Farrell does discard some of the older ones or maybe uses them sparingly and some results aren't great, do you think he'll get time to change the players and even the game Ireland play?

[seafoid]

The front page of the New Zealand Herald on Sunday

That's the winning mentality of the All Blacks.

Ah, they are a real Rugby nation. Truth be told countries like Ireland toy with the idea.

There is no tolerance of glorious defeats in NZ and they're highly critical of anything other than excellence.
That's the harsh environment for a NZ manager and player. They all know it and embrace it for what it is.

Maybe that's why they are so consistently good.

England all the same were magnificent at all facets of the game and whilst much will be made of Ford and the backs the MOTM for me was the lad Curry in the back row. He was phenomenal throughout, must have won three or four turn overs himself alone.

SA were monstrous in the tackle yesterday and the Welsh crash ball tactic (much like Irelands) was just getting hammered back time and time again meaning there was little for Biggar to work with and he was poor enough himself but the doggedness of the Welsh kept them in the game till the end.

SA just about deserved the win.

As much as that wee shít Matt Dawson was ranting on five live on Saturday morning about how great England were and just give them the cup now type attitude it really is hard to look past them but can they hit those highs again and wee Eddie was right about getting the recovery right, that'll be as much mental as physical this coming week.

NZ remind me of Kilkenny hurlers.
The pursuit of excellence.

[marty34]

The front page of the New Zealand Herald on Sunday

That's the winning mentality of the All Blacks.

Ah, they are a real Rugby nation. Truth be told countries like Ireland toy with the idea.

There is no tolerance of glorious defeats in NZ and they're highly critical of anything other than excellence.
That's the harsh environment for a NZ manager and player. They all know it and embrace it for what it is.

Maybe that's why they are so consistently good.

England all the same were magnificent at all facets of the game and whilst much will be made of Ford and the backs the MOTM for me was the lad Curry in the back row. He was phenomenal throughout, must have won three or four turn overs himself alone.

SA were monstrous in the tackle yesterday and the Welsh crash ball tactic (much like Irelands) was just getting hammered back time and time again meaning there was little for Biggar to work with and he was poor enough himself but the doggedness of the Welsh kept them in the game till the end.

SA just about deserved the win.

As much as that wee shít Matt Dawson was ranting on five live on Saturday morning about how great England were and just give them the cup now type attitude it really is hard to look past them but can they hit those highs again and wee Eddie was right about getting the recovery right, that'll be as much mental as physical this coming week.

NZ remind me of Kilkenny hurlers.
The pursuit of excellence.

And the key thing is modesty - very grounded lads.