The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Tony Baloney]

I see the refs are helping Wales out again today. It might not be enough, England are fighting back.

That decision for the Liam William's try was peculiar. Even the TMO said the ball wasn't lost forward when it was clear (to me anyway) that it was.

[Estimator]

I see the refs are helping Wales out again today. It might not be enough, England are fighting back.

The two tries certainly were at the refs discretion. But England's discipline has been shockin throughout.

[sid waddell]

Welsh Wizards

The difference in mindset between Wales and Ireland is night and day

Wales are winners

[Captain Obvious]

They said on BBC Wales never scored 40 points before against England in test rugby.

[JoG2]

Welsh Wizards

The difference in mindset between Wales and Ireland is night and day

Wales are winners

Until next year when they may well finish just above Italy. Consistently inconsistent

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Fair play to Wales but I said it before they are lucky b@stards. They have had some incredible decisions gone for them in recent years but fair play they pounce on them and win grand slams. With their mentality we would have double the slams and championships over the last 20 years than we have

[seafoid]

England obviously do not care at this stage of the World Cup cycle. Except against Ireland.

[6th sam]

Welsh Wizards

The difference in mindset between Wales and Ireland is night and day

Wales are winners

Correct me if I'm wrong but Rugby in wales is a working class sport, it remains elitist here. I tried to watch ireland v Italy today, we won basically because we can push harder and smarter than Italy . I also listened to the ITV piece on concussion. "There's none so blind as those that can not see" . Only O'Driscolls uncle made sense. Far too many unnecessary skill-less collisions. Referees are acutely aware of head injury risks and cards are on the increase, players going off for Head injury assessment , on top of VMO ,disrupting an already boring game. Players switching international allegiance as a career move. Genuine question, Where does rugby go from here? 

[sid waddell]

Welsh Wizards

The difference in mindset between Wales and Ireland is night and day

Wales are winners

Until next year when they may well finish just above Italy. Consistently inconsistent

They've won four Grand Slams since 2005 to our two

They've reached two semi-finals in the last three World Cups and were only just edge out in both - and also performed very creditably in 2015

The only World Cup in which Ireland came out with their reputation enhanced was 1991

[sid waddell]

Welsh Wizards

The difference in mindset between Wales and Ireland is night and day

Wales are winners

Correct me if I'm wrong but Rugby in wales is a working class sport, it remains elitist here. I tried to watch ireland v Italy today, we won basically because we can push harder and smarter than Italy . I also listened to the ITV piece on concussion. "There's none so blind as those that can not see" . Only O'Driscolls uncle made sense. Far too many unnecessary skill-less collisions. Referees are acutely aware of head injury risks and cards are on the increase, players going off for Head injury assessment , on top of VMO ,disrupting an already boring game. Players switching international allegiance as a career move. Genuine question, Where does rugby go from here?

One thing I've never got about professional era rugby is why lifting is allowed at lineouts

Genuine competition at the lineout was a great feature of the game and it also allowed for tactical variation, because each lineout was maybe 55-45 in favour of the team with the out in, now it's 90-10

Gone are the days of the tactical kicker at out half, a Rob Andrew or an Eric Elwood, who would aim to pin teams back in their own corner from open play, with the knowledge that there was a good chance of stealing possession from the subsequent lineout, which is actually a pity

Gone also is the garryowen

The box kick is a bizarre feature of the modern game, it's like a safety shot in snooker, without the skill

I think this has played into the hands of defences as well - as there a smaller amount of attacking options available, defences are not kept guessing as much

Nevertheless I think this Six Nations has actually been very interesting, with a lot of good contests - Wales upped it in a huge way today and now look in fine fettle, they've uncovered some excellent new players in Sheedy and Rees-Zammit

I've always had a soft spot for the Welsh due to the working class nature of the game there, same with Limerick rugby and by extension Munster, while I appreciate the rugby Leinster have played over many years now I don't really feel much of an emotional connection with the team

[Capt Pat]

Welsh Wizards

The difference in mindset between Wales and Ireland is night and day

Wales are winners

Until next year when they may well finish just above Italy. Consistently inconsistent

They've won four Grand Slams since 2005 to our two

They've reached two semi-finals in the last three World Cups and were only just edge out in both - and also performed very creditably in 2015

The only World Cup in which Ireland came out with their reputation enhanced was 1991

I would save the Wales are winners maxims for a day when the ref didn't hand them 14 points they didn't deserve. Today and this years tournament make us think Wales are lucky. The luck continues with France suffering a covid outbreak which could help Wales in the future.

[sid waddell]

Welsh Wizards

The difference in mindset between Wales and Ireland is night and day

Wales are winners

Until next year when they may well finish just above Italy. Consistently inconsistent

They've won four Grand Slams since 2005 to our two

They've reached two semi-finals in the last three World Cups and were only just edge out in both - and also performed very creditably in 2015

The only World Cup in which Ireland came out with their reputation enhanced was 1991

I would save the Wales are winners maxims for a day when the ref didn't hand them 14 points they didn't deserve. Today and this years tournament make us think Wales are lucky. The luck continues with France suffering a covid outbreak which could help Wales in the future.

Wales are winners though

It's like tradition in GAA - they believe it's their birthright to win, they've been raised on stories of legends like JPR Williams and Gareth Edwards winning Grand Slams to beat the band and a Welsh dominated Lions team beating New Zealand, whereas Ireland have a history of failure through the decades and nearly always shit their togs when it matters

It's like the difference between Tipperary and Waterford in hurling

Strangely enough the one team we always believed we had a chance against on any given day was England

[Silver hill]

Welsh Wizards

The difference in mindset between Wales and Ireland is night and day

Wales are winners

Not so sure about that Sid. Not sure what age you are but from what I can remember we were always well able to take on Wales and Scotland, home or away. A win in twickenham was a rarity and as for Paris, forget about it!
Ireland had the Indian sign over Wales for a good ten years there. And only for the early red this year, it would have continued

Until next year when they may well finish just above Italy. Consistently inconsistent

They've won four Grand Slams since 2005 to our two

They've reached two semi-finals in the last three World Cups and were only just edge out in both - and also performed very creditably in 2015

The only World Cup in which Ireland came out with their reputation enhanced was 1991

I would save the Wales are winners maxims for a day when the ref didn't hand them 14 points they didn't deserve. Today and this years tournament make us think Wales are lucky. The luck continues with France suffering a covid outbreak which could help Wales in the future.

Wales are winners though

It's like tradition in GAA - they believe it's their birthright to win, they've been raised on stories of legends like JPR Williams and Gareth Edwards winning Grand Slams to beat the band and a Welsh dominated Lions team beating New Zealand, whereas Ireland have a history of failure through the decades and nearly always shit their togs when it matters

It's like the difference between Tipperary and Waterford in hurling

Strangely enough the one team we always believed we had a chance against on any given day was England

[TwoUpTwoDown]

I'm starting to think there is a genuine case for Cooney to make the Lions...nevermind Irish selection. I don't know who the form scrum half is of the "Home Nations".  But from watching him over the past two weeks and he just brings a different dimension to all of his Irish competitors. He also is a big utility option as a functioning 10.

JGP has a bit of zip about him but he's not a good enough footballer. Outside of game management and experience, I wouldn't rank Murray in the top 2 Irish scrum halves any more. What has Cooney done on the Irish management!?

[bannside]

Surely Andy Farrell must have one eye on the world cup with his selections. Sexton still a fit lad, but will be 36 when world cups comes around. Cooney ticks the same boxes, maybe more as an all round playmaker, and is about 3 or 4 years younger. Can't understand his omission myself.