The IRISH RUGBY thread

[straightred]

It's crazy to think I was nearly twenty before I saw Ireland win even a Six Nations but now we have four titles in nine years and two Grand Slams in the same period, doubling what we'd achieved in our entire history before that. The rugby lads should be rightly proud of themselves tonight. Rugby is our #1 representative sport now.

beating the tans always tastes good no matter what the sport is.  However will you stop with the #1 business. Its got the #1 bandwagon - i'll concede that but there are no stats to back your last sentence up. We need to do it at a world cup before i'll be convinced. In a competition that has (at a big push) 8 or 9 good teams we have never got to the last 4. That's really poor. This time we will have a top 4 seeding so let's see can we live up to it.

[Dinny Breen]

There are still serious issues with the ability of teams even as bad as England to score tries almost at will down the wings.

The same England who were back to back champions coming into it, ranked number 2 in the world, completed a clean sweep in Australia, unbeaten at home since 2015, unbeaten at home in the 6 nations in 6 years.

You don't score tries at will down the wings against Ireland, you are playing against a very tight defensive line with massive line speed, so to get an outside edge who have to either execute on the gain line under immense pressure or you play from deep, by playing from deep you can get the edge but it's generally behind the gain line and the drift will catch you or if you do get over the gain line, the scramble always has the angle. Tries against Ireland generally come because of tiredness or lack of trust through combinations having not settled. Stockdale has had three different 13s inside him 2 from Leinster and 1 from Munster.

Stockdale for all of his ability to score a try is a very poor defender and is often left flapping at thin air as attackers run past him. Also Ringrose was left in the same situation at least twice today and on a number of occasions against Scotland.  All the hype on Ringrose ignores his poor tackling when wrong footed especially when  the attackers are coming at speed

You don't become a Schmidt player by being a poor defender, Stockdale if isolated has to make decisions a lot his decisions come off such as the two intercepts, it's easy focus on the bad decisions when he stepped in rather that trusting his inside man. This 21 year old kid as scored 7 tries in the 6 nations I will take that attacking threat with any on the job defensive learning as the trade-off is very much in the positive column. Ringrose is a superb defender his reading of the game from 13 the hardest position to defend by mile is second to none. You swear Ireland lost this game.

Schmidt is a lucky coach and that is great. Sexton's drop goal, playing McFadden, Stockdale's breakaway try, the poor Scottish passing in scoring positions, rejuvenation of Kearney, England only able to play with intensity, simplicity and speed in the last 15 minutes of games and no major refereeing decisions going against them.

You don't win 3 championships in 5 years through luck, you don't beat every test playing nation in the world through luck, you don't win 12 games in a row through luck, you don't win a 6 nations using 30 players through luck and you certainly don't score a drop goal after 40 phases of rugby through luck. England played with too much emotion and energy in the 1st 15 mins, they couldn't control it and the last 15 mins that mammoth defensive set when Ireland were down to 14 took it's toil married with replacements and a desperate England trying to salvage pride but Ireland were in control and never once looked like losing that game. That's not luck, that's player belief in the coaching and players executing that belief on the pitch. As for refereeing decisions, Ireland got no luck in Paris, Murray was constantly targeted by England yesterday but good teams control what they can control. They don't need the Gods or luck and you know what Ireland are a fine damn rugby team and even if you have no interest in rugby but understand team sports and the values of good coaching, good execution under intense pressure, high work-rate, strong discipline and an intense will to win then if you can, sit back take a sip of your beer and just admire this Irish rugby team.

[DuffleKing]

They are the 2nd best team in the world right now; who knows about 18months time! South africa and the aussies are crap right now and we beat them! Win a grand slam and all people can do is look at the negatives! Sad f**ks!!

Are we the 2nd best team as the standard has dropped elsewhere or have we really many world class players? Serious question, I know feck all about rugby.

World class players currently: Healy / McGrath, furlong, SOB, sexton and Murray

[Syferus]

They are the 2nd best team in the world right now; who knows about 18months time! South africa and the aussies are crap right now and we beat them! Win a grand slam and all people can do is look at the negatives! Sad f**ks!!

Are we the 2nd best team as the standard has dropped elsewhere or have we really many world class players? Serious question, I know feck all about rugby.

World class players currently: Healy / McGrathetter than him now., furlong, SOB, sexton and Murray

Injury O'Brien? Stander and O'Mahony are both better than him now.

[DuffleKing]

They are the 2nd best team in the world right now; who knows about 18months time! South africa and the aussies are crap right now and we beat them! Win a grand slam and all people can do is look at the negatives! Sad f**ks!!

Are we the 2nd best team as the standard has dropped elsewhere or have we really many world class players? Serious question, I know feck all about rugby.

World class players currently: Healy / McGrathetter than him now., furlong, SOB, sexton and Murray

Injury O'Brien? Stander and O'Mahony are both better than him now.

Aye, this month when he's injured. A fit SOB is a world class back row whatever way you look at it. Stander and O'Mahoney are excellent players in their own right but not in my view "world class". As with all things though, you'll know best so I'll defer to the vast knowledge bank you've amassed googling on your da's tablet under the bed while you're supposed to be doing your homework.

[bennydorano]

I think Ireland have to sacrafice notions of a GS at next year's 6 Nations to give the World Cup a proper go.

[Syferus]

They are the 2nd best team in the world right now; who knows about 18months time! South africa and the aussies are crap right now and we beat them! Win a grand slam and all people can do is look at the negatives! Sad f**ks!!

Are we the 2nd best team as the standard has dropped elsewhere or have we really many world class players? Serious question, I know feck all about rugby.

World class players currently: Healy / McGrathetter than him now., furlong, SOB, sexton and Murray

Injury O'Brien? Stander and O'Mahony are both better than him now.

Aye, this month when he's injured. A fit SOB is a world class back row whatever way you look at it. Stander and O'Mahoney are excellent players in their own right but not in my view "world class". As with all things though, you'll know best so I'll defer to the vast knowledge bank you've amassed googling on your da's tablet under the bed while you're supposed to be doing your homework.

You sound like a proper tît there. Someone says something you don't like and you try to play the man immediately.

When exactly is O'Brien not injured? Stander outplayed him the last season he was fit too. Nostalgia for the O'Brien of five years ago.

[Taylor]

They are the 2nd best team in the world right now; who knows about 18months time! South africa and the aussies are crap right now and we beat them! Win a grand slam and all people can do is look at the negatives! Sad f**ks!!

Are we the 2nd best team as the standard has dropped elsewhere or have we really many world class players? Serious question, I know feck all about rugby.

World class players currently: Healy / McGrathetter than him now., furlong, SOB, sexton and Murray

Injury O'Brien? Stander and O'Mahony are both better than him now.

Aye, this month when he's injured. A fit SOB is a world class back row whatever way you look at it. Stander and O'Mahoney are excellent players in their own right but not in my view "world class". As with all things though, you'll know best so I'll defer to the vast knowledge bank you've amassed googling on your da's tablet under the bed while you're supposed to be doing your homework.

You sound like a proper tît there. Someone says something you don't like and you try to play the man immediately.

When exactly is O'Brien not injured? Stander outplayed him the last season he was fit too. Nostalgia for the ao'Btien of five years ago.

That gave some a right laugh there.

Syf saying someone sounds like a tit and then saying someone plays the man when they don't like what is said.

Top top WUMMING

[Syferus]

They are the 2nd best team in the world right now; who knows about 18months time! South africa and the aussies are crap right now and we beat them! Win a grand slam and all people can do is look at the negatives! Sad f**ks!!

Are we the 2nd best team as the standard has dropped elsewhere or have we really many world class players? Serious question, I know feck all about rugby.

World class players currently: Healy / McGrathetter than him now., furlong, SOB, sexton and Murray

Injury O'Brien? Stander and O'Mahony are both better than him now.

Aye, this month when he's injured. A fit SOB is a world class back row whatever way you look at it. Stander and O'Mahoney are excellent players in their own right but not in my view "world class". As with all things though, you'll know best so I'll defer to the vast knowledge bank you've amassed googling on your da's tablet under the bed while you're supposed to be doing your homework.

You sound like a proper tît there. Someone says something you don't like and you try to play the man immediately.

When exactly is O'Brien not injured? Stander outplayed him the last season he was fit too. Nostalgia for the ao'Btien of five years ago.

That gave some a right laugh there.

Syf saying someone sounds like a tit and then saying someone plays the man when they don't like what is said.

Top top WUMMING

You clearly don't know what trolling looks like.

[gallsman]

SOB has barely been fit for a sustained period of time since his breakthrough season as an elite player. The way Leavy in particular played in the 6 Nations, I wouldn't be changing the first choice back row, and I'm a massive SOB fan.

[An Watcher]

No harm in a bit of competition for places

[seafoid]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2018/mar/17/eddie-jones-feels-chill-of-the-fans-after-uncomfortable-defeat-by-ireland

[Walter Cronc]

Some sad people complaining on here.

Typical armchair 6 nations fans who know everything about the game then never a peep out of them for the rest of the year.

Saturday was class!! Legends.

Now to rest Sexton, Murray and Best for Australia. Lets see how Carberry, Marmion, Cooney etc get on.

[Milltown Row2]

Some sad people complaining on here.

Typical armchair 6 nations fans who know everything about the game then never a peep out of them for the rest of the year.

Saturday was class!! Legends.

Now to rest Sexton, Murray and Best for Australia. Lets see how Carberry, Marmion, Cooney etc get on.

And Jackson ?

[nrico2006]

Zebo would have been another useful addition. Shame about the double standards.