The IRISH RUGBY thread

[gallsman]

I've heard plenty from Ruaidhri O'Connor during this tournament and that's absolute balls. Explaining why Ireland were, justifiably, favourites is not the same as saying "they would beat the all blacks" ffs.

[Franko]

You'd want to be seriously bitter to go to suxh serious lengths to explain why that was a bottle job. Sickening defeat against a country that doesn't do much else except chase sheep and play rugby. We'll get past a quarter final eventually.

Is it at a stage yet where there is a Mayo like curse on Irish rugby?

  

Such lengths

I've typed six sentences and posted them on an internet forum

Like some of your peers, it would maybe be a good idea to dial down the hyperbole a few notches

[JoG2]

Agreed, a bit of respect for the 'bottling scale' wouldn't go amiss 

[Taylor]

Farrell was far too loyal towards Sexton v NZ.
He was clearly shattered but with the game in the melting pot he was kept on - for the last 20 mins everything was very flat from him.

Nonetheless the game was there to be won but for the hold up by Barrett.

Dress it up any way you want with a shit draw etc but the harsh reality is we are out at the quarter final stage again.
Very disappointing for such a talented group

[RedHand88]

New Zealand had a shitter draw. They are probably going to the final.

[Milltown Row2]

New Zealand had a shitter draw. They are probably going to the final.

I think the draw was made up of how they faired in the last World Cup, if that doesn't change then Ireland will be in the same shitty side of the draw the next day.

France could be seen as the biggest bottlers seeing they were hosts and tournament favs ..

Though Ireland losing one game against the 3 times champions in a close game I wouldn't be too hard on them

[Applesisapples]

This year was different. The last number of years have been a capitulation - this was not. The draw was horrendous - Argentina and England are in the semis and we are very clearly better than either.

100%

[Applesisapples]

We played well, miles better than we ever have in any previous QF, but make no mistake, we underperformed in certain areas and positions compared to our current exceptional standards. The morons will of course bang on about it being a bottle job etc, and it certainly wasn't that. New Zealand were excellent, especially at the breakdown, but the game was there to be won. No point pretending otherwise.

Mistakes that we'd never make, panic setting in early etc. We can rue the opportunity that Jordie Barret saved all we want but equally Smith had a clean intercept and was gone other than for slipping. That came from JGP pushing things too much with 30 mins left in the game.

These statements are almost the definition of a bottle job

When the real pressure came on, we fell apart, we panicked, we failed regularly to execute the basics, we made a string of unforced errors

Granted it wasn't the implosion of previous years, but it was still a bottle job

Grossly unfair, anyone who has played sport at any level should understand that players make mistakes and wrong decisions under pressure. They don't set out to do it and to label them as bottlers is bullshit.

[Applesisapples]

No, Sexton wasn't good. What was the wattsapp lads say re. the blasphemy question? Gerry Thornley gushing all over Sexton, as ever, in The Irish Times. Almost embarrassing. He also had a pop at the ref. - again, as usual - but I didn't think Barnes was bad.

I think both of France and SA would have beaten Ireland the way they played the following night.

Sexton undoubtedly an all time great, I'm not a rugby expert but imo the mistake was having Crowley on the bench, he doesn't have enough experience to manage a game at that level. Ross Byrne has performed well for Leicester and Ireland in pressure situations, had he been on the bench he would have been on. I think Farrell gambled on Sexton getting Ireland to the point were Crowley could see it out.

[gallsman]

The game wasn't there to be managed, it had to be won. Byrne is not the man for that.

[LeoMc]

The game wasn't there to be managed, it had to be won. Byrne is not the man for that.

Who do we have could do that?

[Applesisapples]

The game wasn't there to be managed, it had to be won. Byrne is not the man for that.

Who do we have could do that?

I bow to your superior rugby knowledge, but in my humble opinion Byrne would have been a better option in the last 10 minute than either Crowley or an obviously exhausted 38 yo Sexton. But as I say only my opinion.

[WT4E]

Too many lads glad Ireland lost, can't understand that attitude. Better u stick on the GAA thread.

Have to agree. I'm far from a rugby fan, but just find it bizarre to not be cheering for your country in a sport. Even worse again to be gloating like a kid in the playground when they get beat. Takes all sorts I suppose.

DEATH TAXES AND IRELAND BEING KNOCKED OUT IN THE QUARTERS

[tonto1888]

Too many lads glad Ireland lost, can't understand that attitude. Better u stick on the GAA thread.

Have to agree. I'm far from a rugby fan, but just find it bizarre to not be cheering for your country in a sport. Even worse again to be gloating like a kid in the playground when they get beat. Takes all sorts I suppose.

DEATH TAXES AND IRELAND BEING KNOCKED OUT IN THE QUARTERS

are you in my family WhatsApp group?

[Franko]

We played well, miles better than we ever have in any previous QF, but make no mistake, we underperformed in certain areas and positions compared to our current exceptional standards. The morons will of course bang on about it being a bottle job etc, and it certainly wasn't that. New Zealand were excellent, especially at the breakdown, but the game was there to be won. No point pretending otherwise.

Mistakes that we'd never make, panic setting in early etc. We can rue the opportunity that Jordie Barret saved all we want but equally Smith had a clean intercept and was gone other than for slipping. That came from JGP pushing things too much with 30 mins left in the game.

These statements are almost the definition of a bottle job

When the real pressure came on, we fell apart, we panicked, we failed regularly to execute the basics, we made a string of unforced errors

Granted it wasn't the implosion of previous years, but it was still a bottle job

Grossly unfair, anyone who has played sport at any level should understand that players make mistakes and wrong decisions under pressure. They don't set out to do it and to label them as bottlers is bullshit.

They do indeed and you are correct - nobody sets out to do this

Both these points are irrelevant though

What's relevant is that Ireland made more mistakes and poor decisions under pressure than the All Blacks

Ireland (as in the Irish Rugby fraternity) could pat ourselves on the back or we could look at this coldly and try to come up with some sort of a plan to fix it

I don't see what's to be gained by the former, but it seems to be the Irish way