The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Dinny Breen]

Yea his Dad is the Northamption head coach, Jim. Has he not played mainly either full back or centre for them though. He's a very good player but not a traditional 10 which is why I don't believe they're playing as structured a game as England normal do (shock and awe) - he's constantly looking to probe with ball in hand, I don't think he has the greatest kicking game though. Nullify his natural game, force him to kick more and we'd be right in the mix.

[AZOffaly]

Put a big man in on him, and let the ball in high. They'll not be expecting that.

[Walter Cronc]

Yea his Dad is the Northamption head coach, Jim. Has he not played mainly either full back or centre for them though. He's a very good player but not a traditional 10 which is why I don't believe they're playing as structured a game as England normal do (shock and awe) - he's constantly looking to probe with ball in hand, I don't think he has the greatest kicking game though. Nullify his natural game, force him to kick more and we'd be right in the mix.

You could be right - he may be seen as a ball playing 12 at Saints. It'll be a powerful England team as always but our pack seem very well drilled with a few outstanding players. It's not like the England U20 sides of 2013/2014 which I believe had Itoje, Clifford, Slade, Nowell etc.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

good game sa defense superb irish attack lacking imagination they played well though the problem was last week when they lost their heads in the last 15 mins a real blown opportunity to win the series

[Capt Pat]

The under 20s let us down as well today going down 45-21 against England.

[Walter Cronc]

The under 20s let us down as well today going down 45-21 against England.

'Let us down'??

Wise up you clown!! They done superbly to reach the final and becoming the first Irish men's side to beat NZ along the way.

[Il Bomber Destro]

They bottled it in a sport only taken anyway seriously by 8 countries.

It's what the Irish rugby team consistently do - brick it in the face of expectancy.

[Walter Cronc]

They bottled it in a sport only taken anyway seriously by 8 countries.

It's what the Irish rugby team consistently do - brick it in the face of expectancy.

Good man bomber. Time to crawl back under that rock in shitty Tyrone!

[Hardy]

Will there be a triumphant homecoming with open-topped buses and a fiesta in the Phoenix Park to celebrate losing, as is the custom in another sport?

[Dinny Breen]

I'd love to see the Kildare team on a open bus...



...as I quietly stack my pile of rocks..

[seafoid]

JS might be going soon due to family issues . Would Pat Lam be in the frame to replace him?


http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/is-this-the-end-of-the-road-for-joe-schmidt-and-ireland-1.2700706
All of this, and more, has to be considered when the latest question as to his future were put to him in a quiet corridor in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium about an hour after it had all ended. There are contracts on offer from both the IRFU and the New Zealand Rugby Union, whose chief executive Steve Tew had been on his case for years and on Friday again referenced Schmidt as a putative All Blacks coach come 2019.
Asked if this series had made his decision more difficult, he said: "Yeah, for all sorts of reasons. It's not really my decision to be honest. I've got a young fella struggling at the moment," he said, in reference to his unwell son Luke. "That's just the way it is," he added, struggling for words and becoming a little emotional.
One has the increasing impression that family circumstances, after a decade in Europe, may contribute to him returning permanently to New Zealand, where he will discuss his future with his family while on holidays there over the next three weeks.
If he then declares next season to be his last with Ireland, it would clearly be with a heavy heart and even more regrets, because almost everything about this tour would make him want to stay on beyond the end of next season.

[Dinny Breen]

JS might be going soon due to family issues . Would Pat Lam be in the frame to replace him?


http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/is-this-the-end-of-the-road-for-joe-schmidt-and-ireland-1.2700706
All of this, and more, has to be considered when the latest question as to his future were put to him in a quiet corridor in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium about an hour after it had all ended. There are contracts on offer from both the IRFU and the New Zealand Rugby Union, whose chief executive Steve Tew had been on his case for years and on Friday again referenced Schmidt as a putative All Blacks coach come 2019.
Asked if this series had made his decision more difficult, he said: "Yeah, for all sorts of reasons. It's not really my decision to be honest. I've got a young fella struggling at the moment," he said, in reference to his unwell son Luke. "That's just the way it is," he added, struggling for words and becoming a little emotional.
One has the increasing impression that family circumstances, after a decade in Europe, may contribute to him returning permanently to New Zealand, where he will discuss his future with his family while on holidays there over the next three weeks.
If he then declares next season to be his last with Ireland, it would clearly be with a heavy heart and even more regrets, because almost everything about this tour would make him want to stay on beyond the end of next season.

No.

David Rennie would be my choice.

[oakleaflad]

Luke Fitzgerald has retired from rugby on medical grounds

[Walter Cronc]

Luke Fitzgerald has retired from rugby on medical grounds

Superb talent but never got a proper crack at it through constant injuries.

[Dinny Breen]

Sad to hear. Looks like very few players in the professional game will be retiring on their own terms.