The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Syferus]

Am I wrong in thinking Rory Best is a weak link in that team?

Only in the minds of some Leinster and Munster people.

Cronin has some extra speed but his line outs last night prevented Ireland putting up quite a score on NZ.

Best is still the best option in terms of experience, all round game and leadership.  Look how many times he was into the ruck with O'Mahoney, how well he led the scrum and how he took the right decisions for the team.

When Sexton, he who would be captain, wanted to go again for the line out at the end of the first half, Best told him to take the score, impetuous Sexton wasn't pleased but those 3 points made it a two score game for a long time and made it more difficult for NZ.  That's what you get with Best, he may not be the best hooker but he brings much more to the team than Cronin, Scannell or Herring.

Fair play to Toner on last nights performance given being out of favour as first choice for a while.

I wouldn't know much about lineouts but it seemed to me that Cronin threw the ball exactly where he was supposed to for both lineouts that were lost. In both cases, NZ out-jumped the receiver, which wasn't happening when Toner and O'Mahony were on.

I don't know much about being a rugby captain either and leadership is an intangible concept, but Best seems to have it in abundance and more than his rivals for the hooker position. If it were not for that I'd say Cronin would be the first choice.

So by your own admission, you don't know much

Am I missing something?
I see nowt wrong with what Hardy observations here. Dunno about Cronin being first choice but the rest is spot on.

So if Best throws them he'd be throwing them to the right place?  And those in the line out don't catch them?

I don't think Ireland are great at line outs regardless of Toner or not. But Best isn't just there to do lineouts, but most of what you said is right, you don't know much 

The tît in chief.

[Dougal Maguire]

Don't be so hard on yourself but the truth is you've posted some half baked nonsense on this board on virtually every thread on which you've commented

[Frank_The_Tank]

What is it with the ongoing wind up attempts here and all over social media on the friendly crap.

Only 9 countries play it to a high standard? How many teams can realistically win the world cup in soccer, the sam maguire, the liam mccarthy, the world baseball, the olympic basketball and the list goes on?

Worse is i think some people are convinced of their arguments.

We are number one in the world, for now, at rugby. It should be celebrated.

It's just ballbags being ballbags, no point trying to find sense in it.. There's at least 3 on this 1 page of the thread alone!

Agreed..the same clowns no doubtwould have been on saying Ireland no rocks if they had have lost the game.

[LCohen]

What is it with the ongoing wind up attempts here and all over social media on the friendly crap.

Only 9 countries play it to a high standard? How many teams can realistically win the world cup in soccer, the sam maguire, the liam mccarthy, the world baseball, the olympic basketball and the list goes on?

Worse is i think some people are convinced of their arguments.

We are number one in the world, for now, at rugby. It should be celebrated.

The Philosopher / Polemicist 🤔 McKenna was at his work.

He is an idiot. He argues that Canada vs Germany (because the winner quailifies for RWC) is a bigger game that a matchup between the top 2 ranked sides in the world (because it was a mere friendly). The man is an idiot. He borrows his "friendly" stuff from one sport and foists it ignorantly onto another.

He argues that because the people of Ireland were largely unaware of the RWC qualifier then it cannot a rugby country. Given the mass ignorance of junior provincial knock out games in recent weeks he must also contend that Ireland is not a hurling, camogie or indeed Gaelic football country. Who is his editor and are they offering their resignation?

[screenexile]

What is it with the ongoing wind up attempts here and all over social media on the friendly crap.

Only 9 countries play it to a high standard? How many teams can realistically win the world cup in soccer, the sam maguire, the liam mccarthy, the world baseball, the olympic basketball and the list goes on?

Worse is i think some people are convinced of their arguments.

We are number one in the world, for now, at rugby. It should be celebrated.

The Philosopher / Polemicist 🤔 McKenna was at his work.

He is an idiot. He argues that Canada vs Germany (because the winner quailifies for RWC) is a bigger game that a matchup between the top 2 ranked sides in the world (because it was a mere friendly). The man is an idiot. He borrows his "friendly" stuff from one sport and foists it ignorantly onto another.

He argues that because the people of Ireland were largely unaware of the RWC qualifier then it cannot a rugby country. Given the mass ignorance of junior provincial knock out games in recent weeks he must also contend that Ireland is not a hurling, camogie or indeed Gaelic football country. Who is his editor and are they offering their resignation?

He has a real axe to grind with Rygby and always has I reckon some of the lads on the Rugby team used to bully him at school.

A tit of the highest order he'll live that we're talking about him again on the board!

[imtommygunn]

I just don't get how he is regarded as a serious journalist.

[LCohen]

I just don't get how he is regarded as a serious journalist.

Certainly someone at the Independent should be looking at his output. He is not reporting events he is attempting some form of insight and contextualisation. But he is hopelessly inadequate on both fronts.

[yellowcard]

Those claiming that McKenna is a tit, an idiot, a ball bag and a clown are only doing so because they disagree with him. Which is fine. However McKenna is an excellent journalist and whilst I don't always agree with him, he never takes the populist approach and is willing to ask the hard questions that a proper journalist should. Some people mightn't always like this as it is human nature to want to join in with the team that is winning but the likes of McKenna and Kimmage are rarely ever too far off the mark either.

Rather than attack McKenna with personal insults it would be better if the points he raised were dissected and debunked where relevant. It's easy to join in with the mob and particularly in the aftermath of a victory like last nights but it doesn't make some of the points that he made in last weeks article any less relevant.

[LCohen]

Those claiming that McKenna is a tit, an idiot, a ball bag and a clown are only doing so because they disagree with him. Which is fine. However McKenna is an excellent journalist and whilst I don't always agree with him, he never takes the populist approach and is willing to ask the hard questions that a proper journalist should. Some people mightn't always like this as it is human nature to want to join in with the team that is winning but the likes of McKenna and Kimmage are rarely ever too far off the mark either.

Rather than attack McKenna with personal insults it would be better if the points he raised were dissected and debunked where relevant. It's easy to join in with the mob and particularly in the aftermath of a victory like last nights but it doesn't make some of the points that he made in last weeks article any less relevant.

Post 7327

[yellowcard]

Those claiming that McKenna is a tit, an idiot, a ball bag and a clown are only doing so because they disagree with him. Which is fine. However McKenna is an excellent journalist and whilst I don't always agree with him, he never takes the populist approach and is willing to ask the hard questions that a proper journalist should. Some people mightn't always like this as it is human nature to want to join in with the team that is winning but the likes of McKenna and Kimmage are rarely ever too far off the mark either.

Rather than attack McKenna with personal insults it would be better if the points he raised were dissected and debunked where relevant. It's easy to join in with the mob and particularly in the aftermath of a victory like last nights but it doesn't make some of the points that he made in last weeks article any less relevant.

Post 7327

Fair enough, that was one of his points and one I would disagree with him on. But it's not enough for me to think he is an idiot either.

He did make some other good points about player welfare, player nationality and the medicalisation of the sport that media and former players ever rarely get asked about.

[Milltown Row2]

Those claiming that McKenna is a tit, an idiot, a ball bag and a clown are only doing so because they disagree with him. Which is fine. However McKenna is an excellent journalist and whilst I don't always agree with him, he never takes the populist approach and is willing to ask the hard questions that a proper journalist should. Some people mightn't always like this as it is human nature to want to join in with the team that is winning but the likes of McKenna and Kimmage are rarely ever too far off the mark either.

Rather than attack McKenna with personal insults it would be better if the points he raised were dissected and debunked where relevant. It's easy to join in with the mob and particularly in the aftermath of a victory like last nights but it doesn't make some of the points that he made in last weeks article any less relevant.

Post 7327

Fair enough, that was one of his points and one I would disagree with him on. But it's not enough for me to think he is an idiot either.

He did make some other good points about player welfare, player nationality and the medicalisation of the sport that media and former players ever rarely get asked about.

For players nationally, is he consistent across all sports?

[Lar Naparka]

Am I wrong in thinking Rory Best is a weak link in that team?

Only in the minds of some Leinster and Munster people.

Cronin has some extra speed but his line outs last night prevented Ireland putting up quite a score on NZ.

Best is still the best option in terms of experience, all round game and leadership.  Look how many times he was into the ruck with O'Mahoney, how well he led the scrum and how he took the right decisions for the team.

When Sexton, he who would be captain, wanted to go again for the line out at the end of the first half, Best told him to take the score, impetuous Sexton wasn't pleased but those 3 points made it a two score game for a long time and made it more difficult for NZ.  That's what you get with Best, he may not be the best hooker but he brings much more to the team than Cronin, Scannell or Herring.

Fair play to Toner on last nights performance given being out of favour as first choice for a while.

I wouldn't know much about lineouts but it seemed to me that Cronin threw the ball exactly where he was supposed to for both lineouts that were lost. In both cases, NZ out-jumped the receiver, which wasn't happening when Toner and O'Mahony were on.

I don't know much about being a rugby captain either and leadership is an intangible concept, but Best seems to have it in abundance and more than his rivals for the hooker position. If it were not for that I'd say Cronin would be the first choice.

So by your own admission, you don't know much

Am I missing something?
I see nowt wrong with what Hardy observations here. Dunno about Cronin being first choice but the rest is spot on.

So if Best throws them he'd be throwing them to the right place?  And those in the line out don't catch them?

I don't think Ireland are great at line outs regardless of Toner or not. But Best isn't just there to do lineouts, but most of what you said is right, you don't know much 

Geez, what am I to make of that? Best is also the pack leader and for anyone on the sideline, it can be difficult to know what goes on out on the field at times but Best fits the job description to a tee- he never goes up exhorting his colleagues and he leads from the front- all the time. Best certainly isn't just there to throw in the ball. He does an above average job at that and at every other facet of the game as well.
However, I don't see any point in nit picking or ballbagging either.
It was an historic win and let's just take it for what it's worth.

[yellowcard]

Those claiming that McKenna is a tit, an idiot, a ball bag and a clown are only doing so because they disagree with him. Which is fine. However McKenna is an excellent journalist and whilst I don't always agree with him, he never takes the populist approach and is willing to ask the hard questions that a proper journalist should. Some people mightn't always like this as it is human nature to want to join in with the team that is winning but the likes of McKenna and Kimmage are rarely ever too far off the mark either.

Rather than attack McKenna with personal insults it would be better if the points he raised were dissected and debunked where relevant. It's easy to join in with the mob and particularly in the aftermath of a victory like last nights but it doesn't make some of the points that he made in last weeks article any less relevant.

Post 7327

Fair enough, that was one of his points and one I would disagree with him on. But it's not enough for me to think he is an idiot either.

He did make some other good points about player welfare, player nationality and the medicalisation of the sport that media and former players ever rarely get asked about.

For players nationally, is he consistent across all sports?

I honestly don't know but few other other sports define nationality so loosely. Cricket possibly.

Personally I don't think Aki, Stander or Van der Flier should be playing in a green jersey. They aren't Irish and have no bloodline connection with the country. Other than being bought by a provincial side to make a living here, they would be lining out for their own countries.

However those are the rules even if I strongly disagree with them.

[Milltown Row2]

Those claiming that McKenna is a tit, an idiot, a ball bag and a clown are only doing so because they disagree with him. Which is fine. However McKenna is an excellent journalist and whilst I don't always agree with him, he never takes the populist approach and is willing to ask the hard questions that a proper journalist should. Some people mightn't always like this as it is human nature to want to join in with the team that is winning but the likes of McKenna and Kimmage are rarely ever too far off the mark either.

Rather than attack McKenna with personal insults it would be better if the points he raised were dissected and debunked where relevant. It's easy to join in with the mob and particularly in the aftermath of a victory like last nights but it doesn't make some of the points that he made in last weeks article any less relevant.

Post 7327

Fair enough, that was one of his points and one I would disagree with him on. But it's not enough for me to think he is an idiot either.

He did make some other good points about player welfare, player nationality and the medicalisation of the sport that media and former players ever rarely get asked about.

For players nationally, is he consistent across all sports?

I honestly don't know but few other other sports define nationality so loosely. Cricket possibly.

Personally I don't think Aki, Stander or Van der Flier should be playing in a green jersey. They aren't Irish and have no bloodline connection with the country. Other than being bought by a provincial side to make a living here, they would be lining out for their own countries.

However those are the rules even if I strongly disagree with them.

Big Cas? Bloodline debatable even by him

[Armaghtothebone]

Those claiming that McKenna is a tit, an idiot, a ball bag and a clown are only doing so because they disagree with him. Which is fine. However McKenna is an excellent journalist and whilst I don't always agree with him, he never takes the populist approach and is willing to ask the hard questions that a proper journalist should. Some people mightn't always like this as it is human nature to want to join in with the team that is winning but the likes of McKenna and Kimmage are rarely ever too far off the mark either.

Rather than attack McKenna with personal insults it would be better if the points he raised were dissected and debunked where relevant. It's easy to join in with the mob and particularly in the aftermath of a victory like last nights but it doesn't make some of the points that he made in last weeks article any less relevant.

Post 7327

Fair enough, that was one of his points and one I would disagree with him on. But it's not enough for me to think he is an idiot either.

He did make some other good points about player welfare, player nationality and the medicalisation of the sport that media and former players ever rarely get asked about.

For players nationally, is he consistent across all sports?

I honestly don't know but few other other sports define nationality so loosely. Cricket possibly.

Personally I don't think Aki, Stander or Van der Flier should be playing in a green jersey. They aren't Irish and have no bloodline connection with the country. Other than being bought by a provincial side to make a living here, they would be lining out for their own countries.

However those are the rules even if I strongly disagree with them.

Josh van der Flier

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_van_der_Flier

You twat