The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Hound]

Money and ranking points are also very important in terms of why Farrell is not really able to experiment and needs to try and win every game. Although the selection is way too conservative for my liking.

Every nation gets around £15M for competing in the 6N, with the following top-up depending on finishing position:

1st: £6m (£5m)
2nd. £3.5m (£3.7m)
3rd. £2.5m (£2.7m)
4th. £2m (£2.2m)
5th. £1.5m (£1.7m)
6th. £1.2m (£1m)
- figures in brackets is the prizemoney if there's no grand slam.

So a £1.5m difference between 2nd and 4th. IRFU will be keen to pocket that.

The World Cup draw takes place in November this year. So that makes this 6N and this year's Autumn Internationals very important in determining the seedings for the draw. No idea why they make the draw so ridiculously early!

[seafoid]

OK so hear me out as I am being shot down in a rugby WhatsApp group by lads who know a lot more than me BUT...
I'm told that there are serious lads coming up...BUT...not many new faces
I'm told that there are new tactics in place...BUT...Box Kick Murray is still at it and we have no width or offloads
I'm told that Andy Farrell is just in the door...BUT...he knows these lads inside out already and knows who could be brought in too.

Then I was totally shot down for saying we should feck one 6 Nations series for the sake of building...BUT...then you read stuff about the IRFU (no matter they say) care more for the 6 Nations as it brings coin and they can't afford a bad year.
Are we going to settle this year and do OK, and then rebuild next year?

There are good players coming through, problem is....they are mostly Leinster players and will they get the gametime needed? 

Farrell will be a good coach, I was a bit disheartened at the weekend....but it was a win none the less against Scotland. Suppose he didn't have the luxury of a summer or November series to get some testing out of the way either so perhaps I was too harsh in wanting Earls, Aki and Murray dropped.

I don't think you can ever bum off a six nations, but seeing in what France have done and still managed to hammer what was the RWC Finalists, makes you wonder if someone was brave enough, who knows. The French as RWC hosts are definitely planning for the future but they might just have stumbled upon gold....if.....they can sort out their away form, which I suppose is irrelevant in 2023

France won the last two U20 World Cups. Ireland finished 8th and 11th in those competitions.

Probably fair to say that France are better positioned to revamp their squad at the minute.

Not necessarily. Ireland have James Ryan and co waiting to take over from the current incumbents

[Art Mc Crory’s Sofa]

OK so hear me out as I am being shot down in a rugby WhatsApp group by lads who know a lot more than me BUT...
I'm told that there are serious lads coming up...BUT...not many new faces
I'm told that there are new tactics in place...BUT...Box Kick Murray is still at it and we have no width or offloads
I'm told that Andy Farrell is just in the door...BUT...he knows these lads inside out already and knows who could be brought in too.

Then I was totally shot down for saying we should feck one 6 Nations series for the sake of building...BUT...then you read stuff about the IRFU (no matter they say) care more for the 6 Nations as it brings coin and they can't afford a bad year.
Are we going to settle this year and do OK, and then rebuild next year?

There are good players coming through, problem is....they are mostly Leinster players and will they get the gametime needed? 

Farrell will be a good coach, I was a bit disheartened at the weekend....but it was a win none the less against Scotland. Suppose he didn't have the luxury of a summer or November series to get some testing out of the way either so perhaps I was too harsh in wanting Earls, Aki and Murray dropped.

I don't think you can ever bum off a six nations, but seeing in what France have done and still managed to hammer what was the RWC Finalists, makes you wonder if someone was brave enough, who knows. The French as RWC hosts are definitely planning for the future but they might just have stumbled upon gold....if.....they can sort out their away form, which I suppose is irrelevant in 2023

France won the last two U20 World Cups. Ireland finished 8th and 11th in those competitions.

Probably fair to say that France are better positioned to revamp their squad at the minute.

Not necessarily. Ireland have James Ryan and co waiting to take over from the current incumbents

Who's "James Ryan and co." I'm looking forward to that long list.

[johnnycool]

Murray starts again....

Here's hoping he improves given the confidence Farrell is showing in him.

[seafoid]

OK so hear me out as I am being shot down in a rugby WhatsApp group by lads who know a lot more than me BUT...
I'm told that there are serious lads coming up...BUT...not many new faces
I'm told that there are new tactics in place...BUT...Box Kick Murray is still at it and we have no width or offloads
I'm told that Andy Farrell is just in the door...BUT...he knows these lads inside out already and knows who could be brought in too.

Then I was totally shot down for saying we should feck one 6 Nations series for the sake of building...BUT...then you read stuff about the IRFU (no matter they say) care more for the 6 Nations as it brings coin and they can't afford a bad year.
Are we going to settle this year and do OK, and then rebuild next year?

There are good players coming through, problem is....they are mostly Leinster players and will they get the gametime needed? 

Farrell will be a good coach, I was a bit disheartened at the weekend....but it was a win none the less against Scotland. Suppose he didn't have the luxury of a summer or November series to get some testing out of the way either so perhaps I was too harsh in wanting Earls, Aki and Murray dropped.

I don't think you can ever bum off a six nations, but seeing in what France have done and still managed to hammer what was the RWC Finalists, makes you wonder if someone was brave enough, who knows. The French as RWC hosts are definitely planning for the future but they might just have stumbled upon gold....if.....they can sort out their away form, which I suppose is irrelevant in 2023

France won the last two U20 World Cups. Ireland finished 8th and 11th in those competitions.

Probably fair to say that France are better positioned to revamp their squad at the minute.

Not necessarily. Ireland have James Ryan and co waiting to take over from the current incumbents

Who's "James Ryan and co." I'm looking forward to that long list.

Ireland Under-20s reached the  World Cup final in 2016
So they are ahead of the 2019 French under 20s


https://www.irishrugby.ie/2016/05/23/ireland-squad-named-for-world-rugby-u-20-championship/

IRELAND UNDER-20 Squad (2016 World Rugby U-20 Championship, Manchester, England):

Backs (12):

Stephen Kerins (Sligo/Connacht)
Niall Saunders (Epsom College/Exiles)
Bill Johnston (Garryowen/Munster) *
Johnny McPhillips (Queen's University/Ulster)
Conor O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
Shane Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Jimmy O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
Paul Kiernan (UCC/Munster)
Jacob Stockdale (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)
Matthew Byrne (Terenure College/Leinster)

Forwards (16):

Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)
James Bollard (Dublin UniversityLeinster)
Vakh Abdaladze (Clontarf/Leinster) *
Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster)
Vincent O'Brien (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Conor Kenny (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Ben Betts (Young Munster/Munster)
Cillian Gallagher (Sligo/Connacht)
James Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) (capt)
Sean O'Connor (Cashel/Munster)
Evan Mintern (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Greg Jones (UCD/Leinster)
Will Connors (UCD/Leinster)
Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Kelvin Brown (Shannon/Munster)
David Aspil St. Mary's College RFC/Leinster) *

[johnnycool]

OK so hear me out as I am being shot down in a rugby WhatsApp group by lads who know a lot more than me BUT...
I'm told that there are serious lads coming up...BUT...not many new faces
I'm told that there are new tactics in place...BUT...Box Kick Murray is still at it and we have no width or offloads
I'm told that Andy Farrell is just in the door...BUT...he knows these lads inside out already and knows who could be brought in too.

Then I was totally shot down for saying we should feck one 6 Nations series for the sake of building...BUT...then you read stuff about the IRFU (no matter they say) care more for the 6 Nations as it brings coin and they can't afford a bad year.
Are we going to settle this year and do OK, and then rebuild next year?

There are good players coming through, problem is....they are mostly Leinster players and will they get the gametime needed? 

Farrell will be a good coach, I was a bit disheartened at the weekend....but it was a win none the less against Scotland. Suppose he didn't have the luxury of a summer or November series to get some testing out of the way either so perhaps I was too harsh in wanting Earls, Aki and Murray dropped.

I don't think you can ever bum off a six nations, but seeing in what France have done and still managed to hammer what was the RWC Finalists, makes you wonder if someone was brave enough, who knows. The French as RWC hosts are definitely planning for the future but they might just have stumbled upon gold....if.....they can sort out their away form, which I suppose is irrelevant in 2023

France won the last two U20 World Cups. Ireland finished 8th and 11th in those competitions.

Probably fair to say that France are better positioned to revamp their squad at the minute.

Not necessarily. Ireland have James Ryan and co waiting to take over from the current incumbents

Who's "James Ryan and co." I'm looking forward to that long list.

Ireland Under-20s reached the  World Cup final in 2016
So they are ahead of the 2019 French under 20s


https://www.irishrugby.ie/2016/05/23/ireland-squad-named-for-world-rugby-u-20-championship/

IRELAND UNDER-20 Squad (2016 World Rugby U-20 Championship, Manchester, England):

Backs (12):

Stephen Kerins (Sligo/Connacht)
Niall Saunders (Epsom College/Exiles)
Bill Johnston (Garryowen/Munster) *
Johnny McPhillips (Queen's University/Ulster)
Conor O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
Shane Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Jimmy O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
Paul Kiernan (UCC/Munster)
Jacob Stockdale (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)
Matthew Byrne (Terenure College/Leinster)

Forwards (16):

Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)
James Bollard (Dublin UniversityLeinster)
Vakh Abdaladze (Clontarf/Leinster) *
Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster)
Vincent O'Brien (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Conor Kenny (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Ben Betts (Young Munster/Munster)
Cillian Gallagher (Sligo/Connacht)
James Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) (capt)
Sean O'Connor (Cashel/Munster)
Evan Mintern (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Greg Jones (UCD/Leinster)
Will Connors (UCD/Leinster)
Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Kelvin Brown (Shannon/Munster)
David Aspil St. Mary's College RFC/Leinster) *

I'd say getting 4 from the one team is probably as good as it gets at this stage.

Have I missed anyone?

[seafoid]

OK so hear me out as I am being shot down in a rugby WhatsApp group by lads who know a lot more than me BUT...
I'm told that there are serious lads coming up...BUT...not many new faces
I'm told that there are new tactics in place...BUT...Box Kick Murray is still at it and we have no width or offloads
I'm told that Andy Farrell is just in the door...BUT...he knows these lads inside out already and knows who could be brought in too.

Then I was totally shot down for saying we should feck one 6 Nations series for the sake of building...BUT...then you read stuff about the IRFU (no matter they say) care more for the 6 Nations as it brings coin and they can't afford a bad year.
Are we going to settle this year and do OK, and then rebuild next year?

There are good players coming through, problem is....they are mostly Leinster players and will they get the gametime needed? 

Farrell will be a good coach, I was a bit disheartened at the weekend....but it was a win none the less against Scotland. Suppose he didn't have the luxury of a summer or November series to get some testing out of the way either so perhaps I was too harsh in wanting Earls, Aki and Murray dropped.

I don't think you can ever bum off a six nations, but seeing in what France have done and still managed to hammer what was the RWC Finalists, makes you wonder if someone was brave enough, who knows. The French as RWC hosts are definitely planning for the future but they might just have stumbled upon gold....if.....they can sort out their away form, which I suppose is irrelevant in 2023

France won the last two U20 World Cups. Ireland finished 8th and 11th in those competitions.

Probably fair to say that France are better positioned to revamp their squad at the minute.

Not necessarily. Ireland have James Ryan and co waiting to take over from the current incumbents

Who's "James Ryan and co." I'm looking forward to that long list.

Ireland Under-20s reached the  World Cup final in 2016
So they are ahead of the 2019 French under 20s


https://www.irishrugby.ie/2016/05/23/ireland-squad-named-for-world-rugby-u-20-championship/

IRELAND UNDER-20 Squad (2016 World Rugby U-20 Championship, Manchester, England):

Backs (12):

Stephen Kerins (Sligo/Connacht)
Niall Saunders (Epsom College/Exiles)
Bill Johnston (Garryowen/Munster) *
Johnny McPhillips (Queen's University/Ulster)
Conor O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
Shane Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Jimmy O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
Paul Kiernan (UCC/Munster)
Jacob Stockdale (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)
Matthew Byrne (Terenure College/Leinster)

Forwards (16):

Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)
James Bollard (Dublin UniversityLeinster)
Vakh Abdaladze (Clontarf/Leinster) *
Adam McBurney (Ballymena/Ulster)
Vincent O'Brien (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Conor Kenny (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Ben Betts (Young Munster/Munster)
Cillian Gallagher (Sligo/Connacht)
James Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) (capt)
Sean O'Connor (Cashel/Munster)
Evan Mintern (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Greg Jones (UCD/Leinster)
Will Connors (UCD/Leinster)
Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Kelvin Brown (Shannon/Munster)
David Aspil St. Mary's College RFC/Leinster) *

I'd say getting 4 from the one team is probably as good as it gets at this stage.

Have I missed anyone?

Add the other good young lads like Doris and Larmour etc
Ireland isn't too shabby in terms of Mol an Óige .

[Estimator]

Another good win for the U20s this evening. Commentator said it was the first time Ireland have won 7 consecutive games in the 6 Nations at this level. They've put themselves in a decent position to win back to back Slams.  The entire Irish bench were from Leinster.

[Estimator]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12306986

South Africa reportedly in talks to leave the Rugby Championship and join the 6 Nations. The move to happen after the next World Cup.

[Denn Forever]

Tired of playing the all-blacks?

[gallsman]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12306986

South Africa reportedly in talks to leave the Rugby Championship and join the 6 Nations. The move to happen after the next World Cup.

All tied up with the CVC attempt to buy into the 6 Nations and take commercial control.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Getting bossed in the scrum and at the breakdown, not good

[screenexile]

Getting bossed in the scrum and at the breakdown, not good

Now maybe people will realise what was meant when they said Best was an excellent scrummager!!

Playing with good intent but a lot of errors and agains the breeze in the second half will be more difficult!

[screenexile]

So Farrell is ok now... that's good!

Very good performance much more like the Ireland of 2018!!

[Capt Pat]

That is Irelands best performance in a good while. The bonus point secured against Wales a much better team than Scotland.