I was pleased and felt honoured to be in Croker last Sunday - not as good as the 2002 All-Ireland but not bad.
Funniest moment was just before the first French Penalty was kicked - in the middle of the reasonable hush a lone voice in the Upper Cusack bellowed 'Take your point@ Not bad - also heard a patron inform some D4 types that this was the stadioum the culchies built!
Any other gems?
No, but my jaysus rugby is a stop start game, they give a free for everytime a player drops the ball and they were all at it. it's one skilless sport.
Quoteit's one skilless sport.
Really.
A D4 head came up to me and said finally we're in, its about time.
QuoteReally.
Yip, there isn't much skill about it....a very tactical game, alot of brut force but not much serious skill involved imo anyway.
Can be great to watch though.
On another point, that Ireland's Call 'anthem' should be ditched once and for all. Apart from being a crap composition, there should be only one anthem played for Ireland, and not a mock up one written to apease those from the 'wee 6' who still have a touch of bigotry running through their veins....Ireland is Ireland is Ireland, end of.
Was in the vicinity (Hogan Premium) of Trevor Brennan and friends prior to the game and I can honestly say that no one mentioned his mother or pub ;)
Quote from: zoyler on February 16, 2007, 12:43:50 PM
I was pleased and felt honoured to be in Croker last Sunday - not as good as the 2002 All-Ireland but not bad.
Funniest moment was just before the first French Penalty was kicked - in the middle of the reasonable hush a lone voice in the Upper Cusack bellowed 'Take your point@ Not bad - also heard a patron inform some D4 types that this was the stadioum the culchies built!
Any other gems?
Hillarious...Not :-[
QuoteYip, there isn't much skill about it....a very tactical game, alot of brut force but not much serious skill involved imo anyway.
Sure some people say the same about gaelic football.
Yes they do, but they're obviously not rugby fans. Ah least in football every player can kick to some degree, the roar when the most skillfull player in rugby kicks the ball off the pitch say s it all. well done, you hit the sideline. Dropgoals are treated like they're an amazing display of skill, and they're invariably from directly in front of the posts.
Quote from: tayto on February 16, 2007, 02:40:08 PM
Yes they do, but they're obviously not rugby fans. Ah least in football every player can kick to some degree, the roar when the most skillfull player in rugby kicks the ball off the pitch say s it all. well done, you hit the sideline. Dropgoals are treated like they're an amazing display of skill, and they're invariably from directly in front of the posts.
You have tried kicking a rugby ball I presume. It's a lot more difficult than kicking an O'Neills.
At the end of the day I've had non GAA people say to me "what's so skillful about gaelic football? All they do is run around, throw the ball at each other and most of the time they can't even kick it over a bar from 30 yards away". Of course you have to explain to them the finer points.
There's a skill in all sports so it'd be churlish to say there's none in rugby. Try telling a New Zealander that there's no skill in rugby.
QuoteYou have tried kicking a rugby ball I presume. It's a lot more difficult than kicking an O'Neills.
Aaaheemmmm......there was a charity event a few years back which pitted Oisin McConville, I believe it was, against David Humphries in a kicking competition.
McConville kicked the oval ball over the bar all day.....however, Humphries reportedly hit so many grass cutters with the O'Neill's ball, it wasn't funny anymore.
Quote from: balladmaker on February 16, 2007, 03:00:24 PM
QuoteYou have tried kicking a rugby ball I presume. It's a lot more difficult than kicking an O'Neills.
Aaaheemmmm......there was a charity event a few years back which pitted Oisin McConville, I believe it was, against David Humphries in a kicking competition.
McConville kicked the oval ball over the bar all day.....however, Humphries reportedly hit so many grass cutters with the O'Neill's ball, it wasn't funny anymore.
didnt Maurice fitz beat the best of the rest in the world from US Football, Aussie rules, rugby etc etc some 10 - 15 years ago in australia in some kind of world championship best kicker in the world comp?
kicking a rugby ball is a piece of piss.
brute force is the biggest skill,ronan ogara would be the most skillfull man on the team only because of his kicking ability. American football is similar in the respect that only the quarter back and receivers have any real skills, the rest are just fat lumps that hit each other and jump around like kids when they manage to get to the quarter back (who is too busy trying to pick a spot to aim the pass).
Gaelic football has some degree of skill, 30 yard pass with the foot,point from 40 yards with a lad dragging you and then you have some like gooch or ciaran macdonald that do serious tricks,soccer is extremely skillful, pace and control.
Hurling would probably be the most skillful game around because of the speed and distance the ball travels.
As tayto says there - a game in which the object is to kick the ball out of play is a nonsense. Then they throw the ball back in and the opposition team kick it out. And so it continues until the ball is back on the field and about 10 men fall in a heap!
Each to their own and all that, but I personally don't see the attraction in it.
Quote from: SlimShady on February 16, 2007, 03:17:46 PM
kicking a rugby ball is a piece of piss.
have to agree with you for a change banjo boy!
I played a few games when younger, but only a couple of senior (junior) league matches. my last game of rugby ended up with me hammering the ball down the field from just outside my own 22, and ensuring it bounced into touch - about 15 metres short of the oppositions try line - with my left (weaker) foot.
The couple of games I played at full back , I found to be very easy and catching/kicking/finding touch/taking marks/ tackling etc etc etc - it was too easy.
there are a lot of 'different' skills in rugby so I wouldnt say it is an unskilled game, but only a few key players (outhalf/scrum half and full back ) would posess the skills Gaelic football people would recognise.
There are a lot of players on a rugby side that are only any use for their tackling/size and running ability.
While it is athletic in ways, I think we all know lads who are 'rugby players' that couldnt be construed as 'athletes' and this goes up to the top tier in club rugby!
The only comeback you need to retort with is - Geoffrey McGonigle
:)
QuoteI played a few games when younger, but only a couple of senior (junior) league matches. my last game of rugby ended up with me hammering the ball down the field from just outside my own 22, and ensuring it bounced into touch - about 15 metres short of the oppositions try line - with my left (weaker) foot.
The couple of games I played at full back , I found to be very easy and catching/kicking/finding touch/taking marks/ tackling etc etc etc - it was too easy.
Sounds like Ireland missed out on a future international.
Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on February 16, 2007, 03:46:23 PM
QuoteI played a few games when younger, but only a couple of senior (junior) league matches. my last game of rugby ended up with me hammering the ball down the field from just outside my own 22, and ensuring it bounced into touch - about 15 metres short of the oppositions try line - with my left (weaker) foot.
The couple of games I played at full back , I found to be very easy and catching/kicking/finding touch/taking marks/ tackling etc etc etc - it was too easy.
Sounds like Ireland missed out on a future international.
only in exaggerating...
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 03:37:19 PM
There are a lot of players on a rugby side that are only any use for their tackling/size and running ability.
While it is athletic in ways, I think we all know lads who are 'rugby players' that couldnt be construed as 'athletes' and this goes up to the top tier in club rugby!
:)
I think this is one of rugbys strengths in that all sizes with their varying athletic abilties can play the game.
Can't watch it myself.
Quote from: theskull1 on February 16, 2007, 03:53:27 PM
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 03:37:19 PM
There are a lot of players on a rugby side that are only any use for their tackling/size and running ability.
While it is athletic in ways, I think we all know lads who are 'rugby players' that couldnt be construed as 'athletes' and this goes up to the top tier in club rugby!
:)
I think this is one of rugbys strengths in that all sizes with their varying athletic abilties can play the game.
Can't watch it myself.
it used to get on my wick when various fat over fed no necked individuals (beefed up from eating rather thn weightlifting)
would swan about the place and let on they were as athletic as my then fit self - who trained like a hoor for three nights a week, and game/training at weekends , was able to run all day and all night etc - and have these tools compare themselves in the same breath
walking in a straight line was as much as their athletic prowess extended to.
Others I had respect for, but a lot of these front/back row plus winger/centres - they were mostly used to standing on a pitch 70 mins of the 80 (bit like the Derry FF line) and not imo 'athletes'
certainly good that all sizes can 'play' a sport , but not when they go around (collars up) spouting about it.
A lot of the lads I knew who played rugby round the midlands were failed GAA & failed soccer players.
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 03:58:41 PM
Quote from: theskull1 on February 16, 2007, 03:53:27 PM
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 03:37:19 PM
There are a lot of players on a rugby side that are only any use for their tackling/size and running ability.
While it is athletic in ways, I think we all know lads who are 'rugby players' that couldnt be construed as 'athletes' and this goes up to the top tier in club rugby!
:)
I think this is one of rugbys strengths in that all sizes with their varying athletic abilties can play the game.
Can't watch it myself.
it used to get on my wick when various fat over fed no necked individuals (beefed up from eating rather thn weightlifting)
would swan about the place and let on they were as athletic as my then fit self - who trained like a hoor for three nights a week, and game/training at weekends , was able to run all day and all night etc - and have these tools compare themselves in the same breath
walking in a straight line was as much as their athletic prowess extended to.
Others I had respect for, but a lot of these front/back row plus winger/centres - they were mostly used to standing on a pitch 70 mins of the 80 (bit like the Derry FF line) and not imo 'athletes'
certainly good that all sizes can 'play' a sport , but not when they go around (collars up) spouting about it.
A lot of the lads I knew who played rugby round the midlands were failed GAA & failed soccer players.
They must have been intimidated when they saw such a physical speciman as yourself let alone your multi-talented sporting ability.
Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on February 16, 2007, 04:15:23 PM
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 03:58:41 PM
Quote from: theskull1 on February 16, 2007, 03:53:27 PM
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 03:37:19 PM
There are a lot of players on a rugby side that are only any use for their tackling/size and running ability.
While it is athletic in ways, I think we all know lads who are 'rugby players' that couldnt be construed as 'athletes' and this goes up to the top tier in club rugby!
:)
I think this is one of rugbys strengths in that all sizes with their varying athletic abilties can play the game.
Can't watch it myself.
it used to get on my wick when various fat over fed no necked individuals (beefed up from eating rather thn weightlifting)
would swan about the place and let on they were as athletic as my then fit self - who trained like a hoor for three nights a week, and game/training at weekends , was able to run all day and all night etc - and have these tools compare themselves in the same breath
walking in a straight line was as much as their athletic prowess extended to.
Others I had respect for, but a lot of these front/back row plus winger/centres - they were mostly used to standing on a pitch 70 mins of the 80 (bit like the Derry FF line) and not imo 'athletes'
certainly good that all sizes can 'play' a sport , but not when they go around (collars up) spouting about it.
A lot of the lads I knew who played rugby round the midlands were failed GAA & failed soccer players.
They must have been intimidated when they saw such a physical speciman as yourself let alone your multi-talented sporting ability.
well myself and many more like me were fitter and more athletic than any fat hoor of an equivalent club level rugby player (or higher level rugby player at that).
you may mock, but its not far from the truth.
Rugby has improved though in recent years. I suppose every sport has its w***rs, but rugby just seemed to corner the market from people I met in the 1990's (not saying I have much of a personality myself - I dont)
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 04:19:53 PM
Quote from: GalwayBayBoy on February 16, 2007, 04:15:23 PM
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 03:58:41 PM
Quote from: theskull1 on February 16, 2007, 03:53:27 PM
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 03:37:19 PM
There are a lot of players on a rugby side that are only any use for their tackling/size and running ability.
While it is athletic in ways, I think we all know lads who are 'rugby players' that couldnt be construed as 'athletes' and this goes up to the top tier in club rugby!
:)
I think this is one of rugbys strengths in that all sizes with their varying athletic abilties can play the game.
Can't watch it myself.
it used to get on my wick when various fat over fed no necked individuals (beefed up from eating rather thn weightlifting)
would swan about the place and let on they were as athletic as my then fit self - who trained like a hoor for three nights a week, and game/training at weekends , was able to run all day and all night etc - and have these tools compare themselves in the same breath
walking in a straight line was as much as their athletic prowess extended to.
Others I had respect for, but a lot of these front/back row plus winger/centres - they were mostly used to standing on a pitch 70 mins of the 80 (bit like the Derry FF line) and not imo 'athletes'
certainly good that all sizes can 'play' a sport , but not when they go around (collars up) spouting about it.
A lot of the lads I knew who played rugby round the midlands were failed GAA & failed soccer players.
They must have been intimidated when they saw such a physical speciman as yourself let alone your multi-talented sporting ability.
well myself and many more like me were fitter and more athletic than any fat hoor of an equivalent club level rugby player (or higher level rugby player at that).
you may mock, but its not far from the truth.
Rugby has improved though in recent years. I suppose every sport has its w***rs, but rugby just seemed to corner the market from people I met in the 1990's (not saying I have much of a personality myself - I dont)
correct, you being the perfect example of the GAA's w****r contingent
:-*
Well having played both and hurling it is obvious hurling is the most skillful...with regards to gaelic and rugby they each have their own skills and I dislike people who knock one when comparing them to another....
A number of top Gaelic players like David Beggy, Graham Geraghty etc have played rugby but not got near the top of the pile at it....
In Gaelic football you would find most players can't kick with their weaker foot, can't kick accuratly over distance with their good foot, very rarely kick a point from over 30/35 yards out and can't take a tackle anymore without falling down especially if their jersey is tugged....they are probably more aerobically fit due to the extra running they do playing in most cases now a version of basketball with handpassing 5-10 yards the length of the pitch.....you obviously get class players but lets consider how many players in Gaelic who you would be condifident that the good hit an accurate 40-50 yard pass to a team mate on a regular basis....McDonald is the only one who springs to mind for me.....
In rugby you find a lot of players with limited skills but then again unlike in Gaelic set positions have set roles so everyone trains differently...most players can only play in at most 2/3 diffferent positions so become skilled in them positions....
Quote from: DUBSFORSAM1 on February 16, 2007, 04:35:39 PM
In Gaelic football you would find most players can't kick with their weaker foot, can't kick accuratly over distance with their good foot, very rarely kick a point from over 30/35 yards out and can't take a tackle anymore without falling down especially if their jersey is tugged....they are probably more aerobically fit due to the extra running they do playing in most cases now a version of basketball with handpassing 5-10 yards the length of the pitch.....you obviously get class players but lets consider how many players in Gaelic who you would be condifident that the good hit an accurate 40-50 yard pass to a team mate on a regular basis....McDonald is the only one who springs to mind for me.....
In rugby you find a lot of players with limited skills but then again unlike in Gaelic set positions have set roles so everyone trains differently...most players can only play in at most 2/3 diffferent positions so become skilled in them positions....
while the speed of Gaelic football has a lot to do with this not being as evident - I have to say that I disagree with you on all of the above.
on your last point - Tyrone would be an example of a SQUAD of players that can and have played in multiple positions.
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 04:40:44 PM
Quote from: DUBSFORSAM1 on February 16, 2007, 04:35:39 PM
In Gaelic football you would find most players can't kick with their weaker foot, can't kick accuratly over distance with their good foot, very rarely kick a point from over 30/35 yards out and can't take a tackle anymore without falling down especially if their jersey is tugged....they are probably more aerobically fit due to the extra running they do playing in most cases now a version of basketball with handpassing 5-10 yards the length of the pitch.....you obviously get class players but lets consider how many players in Gaelic who you would be condifident that the good hit an accurate 40-50 yard pass to a team mate on a regular basis....McDonald is the only one who springs to mind for me.....
In rugby you find a lot of players with limited skills but then again unlike in Gaelic set positions have set roles so everyone trains differently...most players can only play in at most 2/3 diffferent positions so become skilled in them positions....
Lynchboy - What has the speed of the game to do with an inability to kick a ball accurately to pass it or to shoot for scores???? Sorry but I can't accept that....players are handpassing and running because of an inability to kick accurately to retain possession....
I was arguing that in rugby you can only play 2/3 positions at most so you have to train for them specific positions - unlike in Gaelic where most of hte training is homogenous as players can play nearly every position...
while the speed of Gaelic football has a lot to do with this not being as evident - I have to say that I disagree with you on all of the above.
on your last point - Tyrone would be an example of a SQUAD of players that can and have played in multiple positions.
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 16, 2007, 03:03:50 PM
Aaaheemmmm......there was a charity event a few years back which pitted Oisin McConville, I believe it was, against David Humphries in a kicking competition.
McConville kicked the oval ball over the bar all day.....however, Humphries reportedly hit so many grass cutters with the O'Neill's ball, it wasn't funny anymore.
That is true..
Midmon, I take it you were sitting in the Ard Comhairle with the rest of your clubmates?!
you might feel more at home here GB
http://www.planetnz.com/rugbyheads/board/ (http://www.planetnz.com/rugbyheads/board/)
QuoteWell having played both and hurling it is obvious hurling is the most skillful................ In Gaelic football you would find most players can't kick with their weaker foot, can't kick accuratly over distance with their good foot, very rarely kick a point from over 30/35 yards out
Contracdictory statements there i would have thought. If the majority of players in gaelic football can't execute the skills you describe while the average hurler can execute a similar skill set in hurling, then surely it suggests the gaelic has a basic skill set that is more difficult to master and thus is a more skillful sport ???
Just because hurling can be more aesthetically pleasing on the eye because a higher percentage of players have mastered the basic skill set, doesn't mean it is a more skillful sport.