The IRISH RUGBY thread

Started by Donnellys Hollow, October 27, 2009, 05:26:16 PM

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Walter Cronc

Quote from: Falcao on May 12, 2019, 10:19:03 AM
Wasn't McGrath's call to keep the ball in play just before half time

Who's was it then? Surely a 9 has to take some element of responsibility as a key player. Just like a pre set move where a back sees a gap and go. There's a framework and you play what's in front of you.

David McKeown

I wouldn't claim to be a rugby expert but I thought Saracens came out on the right side of a lot of key decisions. For their yellow card there were three separate penalty offences in the one attack. For Leinster's it was one. Vunipola got away with a pretty clear to me deliberate knock on and the taking out of Kearney could easily have been yellow. In the build up to the last penalty and yellow card Williams clearly spilled the ball forward when collecting the high ball. Similarly before the last try a Saracens player dropped the ball forward in a tackle. All those went Saracens way. Not saying they weren't deserved victors but on such decisions games can change. I think had Leinster got those decisions they may have gone on to win. That's the nature of top level sports I suppose. Does go strengthen my belief for me at least that if video replay isn't used for everything it shouldn't be used for anything.
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Owen Brannigan

Quote from: Walter Cronc on May 11, 2019, 09:31:47 PM
I'm no Leinster fan but a few points OB.

- Leinster arguably missing 3 starters in Leavy, Van Der Flier and you could say Carbery. That would have made a fair difference.

- Leinster reached the European final playing in 3rd gear all season.

- Saracens brought a fair few of those lads through the academy - Farrell, George, Kruis, Itoje to name a few. 2 Vunipolas joined as young lads.

No doubt that Leinster missed out in not having Leavy in place of O'Brien and Van de Flier to strengthen the defence. Carberry would have made no difference because Sexton was never coming off the field but he would have been better on the wing in full back position than Larmour who was not near the game. Ireland in the World Cup will find the same problem in not having enough players of size and strength and too many just past their peak like O'Brien, Kearney, etc.

It looks now that Leinster were actually playing at the best they could throughout the competition. This 3rd gear theory was blown away in the knockout rounds where their invincibility was in doubt. The IRFU player protection scheme and then injuries on return makes it hard to develop the core team that Saracens have in the Premiership.

They do have some of their own players who are overpaid through all sorts of schemes to keep them from going elsewhere. The Vunipolas were hardly 2 lads who turned up but were brought to Saracens already known for being top men. Billy wanted to join Mako as he didn't want to play against him. Skelton had a huge influence on the game and between him and B Vunipola, Lenister had no answer to their physicality and strength. No one coming on for Leinster was anywhere near as good as those they would replace whereas every man on the Saracens bench made an impact. The addition of Williams and Maitland has given Saracens an edge in attack that few can match.

Walter Cronc

Elliott Daly joining the party next year as well. Only hope of bearing them is catching them cold in the 1/4 final after a tough 6 nations!

seafoid


There seems to be a structural problem,

https://www.newstalk.com/sport/joe-schmidt-andy-dunne-838374

"I'd nearly absolve all the players of blame," Dunne stated in conversation with Off the Ball, "I think the coaching staff are far too oppressive, and far too dictatorial about the style of play."
"Schmidt seems to want to control 12 to 15 phases from the stand at all times, and he needs to reverse out of that fast.
"There are too much rucks, and I've said this for a long period of time.
"It seems all the international coaches, or certainly those in the Six Nations, went away and analysed what we did in 2018 and worked out pretty quickly that if you match us physically we don't have much else in the locker.
"Once we've been matched physically in the England game and the Wales game, we've been unmercifully hammered on both days.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/billy-vunipola-delivers-special-performance-to-find-salvation-1.3889588

And so we witnessed a replay of England destroying Joe Schmidt's Ireland last February in Dublin. That victory showcased power and pressure – Itoje and Kruis – mixed with Owen Farrell's accuracy. This victory brought the very same heat mixed with Vunipola climbing inside Sexton's tactical mind.
Twice the 20-stoner cast his shadow over the Irish playmaker, daring him to fling pre-ordained passes.
"The intercepts for me are fun because [Sexton] kept doing them," said Vunipola. "He's amazing at those plays. If you let them unfold he can pick you apart. That's what he did in the first half. He uses those little plays to give them momentum and to get in behind you. I just saw it as an opportunity to get in his eye line to see if he was smart enough not to play those balls. Not saying he is not smart. I just kept putting myself in that channel. He kept throwing them. Luckily I did catch it because I think it would have been a penalty. I enjoyed it as much as scoring the try."

"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

Insane Bolt

Saracens deserving winners.....they are a super side. Leinster should have gone in at ht 10-3 up, but they failed to score in second half....so can have no complaints really. Keith Wood summed up Itoje.....the type of player you hated playing against.....but would love on your own team. Saracens will be very hard to stop over next 3-5 years.

GetOverTheBar

Quote from: Insane Bolt on May 13, 2019, 08:53:21 AM
Saracens deserving winners.....they are a super side. Leinster should have gone in at ht 10-3 up, but they failed to score in second half....so can have no complaints really. Keith Wood summed up Itoje.....the type of player you hated playing against.....but would love on your own team. Saracens will be very hard to stop over next 3-5 years.

Have to agree with this - Leinster will long rue shipping that try just before HT. If they got in ahead at that stage who knows but Saracens are extremely well drilled, extremely fit and extremely methodical. I had in my head it was like fighting quicksand during a bit of the 2nd half, they loved the battle.

Tony Baloney


screenexile

Jesus Ulster took some tanking this evening...

michaelg

Quote from: screenexile on May 17, 2019, 10:55:14 PM
Jesus Ulster took some tanking this evening...
Was very poor.  You would think Best would have learnt how to throw it in to the line-out by now.  Still not convinced by Burns at 10.

Tony Baloney

Didn't see it but that's a serious humping at that level in the last 4 of a competition. Shit one for Best and Cave to go out on.

Milltown Row2

Glasgow were big favourites for this game before the start in fairness, but a bigger defeat than expected. Home advantage plays a big part in these games
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

Capt Pat

Sean O Brien is out of the rugby world cup with a hip injury that requires surgery. :'( it is a shame to see his Ireland career end in such a way. It is bad news for Irelands world cup chances. We can't afford any more injuries in the back row.

Tony Baloney

The only luck O'Brien has is bad luck. His body has taken some battering but not entirely unexpected considering how he plays. He's definitely a gamble for London Irish.

Dinny Breen

Quote from: Tony Baloney on May 26, 2019, 10:56:01 PM
The only luck O'Brien has is bad luck. His body has taken some battering but not entirely unexpected considering how he plays. He's definitely a gamble for London Irish.

450K a year guaranteed gamble. Madness on their side.
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