The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Sidney]

The RTE rhooogby team really outdid themselves with the bluster and bullshit this evening. "What an execution of a drop goal from Ireland's full back." The Kearnivore actually missed, Ryle.

"Execution" was Ryle's buzzword of the evening. You'd nearly have thought there was more "execution" going on in this match than in Iraq and Syria combined. But we've heard water charges protesters compared to ISIS this week, so perhaps Ryle's comments captured the zeitgeist of the times.

"They spend a lot of time training with each other", said Donal Lenihan about the Qantas Wallabies. Interesting innovation in terms of preparation, that, and I don't know why other teams don't think doing it.

Lenihan then stated that he thought that he thought Jonny Sexton would never get up again after a tackle in the Team Volvo NSW Waratahs - British Loins match last year. I think he may have been exaggerating, although you never can tell.

But Ryle definitely exaggerated a few seconds later when he called the Aussie chap who made that tackle and who had just come on as a sub, "a wrecking ball" and "an entire front five". The chap who made that tackle is not a wrecking ball or an an entire "front five". If he was, the Aussies would have picked four more backs and dropped the rest of their front row and second row.

Shane "Shaggy" Horgan went all matrimonial after the match when he said "Australia need to marry the way they play the game, and so do Ireland. We saw a very good marriage from Ireland in the second half."

George Hook then summed up the warrior-like nature of these, well, warriors, as only he can when he roaaaared: "What makes rugby the greatest game played on earth, is that unlike Gaelic football or soccer or hockey or American football, at the end of it it relies on the courage, character and commitment of MENNNN." The Irish women's team will be seething.

The Guinness ad at half-time also laid on generous portions of bluster . Two things that were wrong about that ad immediately spring to mind:
i) The historical inaccuracy of the implication that a (second string) New Zealand player was killed by a tackle from a Munster player in 1978. That player is in fact still alive.
ii) The glorification of the idea of killing somebody with a rugby tackle - if that's the culture that pervades this deviant pursuit, it's no wonder conscientious parents are steering their children away from it in their droves.

Nevertheless I'm gutted for my beloved Qantas Wallabies, Coach Cheika, and Tallaght native, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, that the boys have lost this prestigious Autumn international (played in winter).

I'll be honest. That was from the Brendan Grace school of comedy. And not the Fr Fintan Stack section.

It's not meant to be comedy. All of that stuff was genuinely said by the RTE commentators and pundits. If you have a problem with he comedy value of it, get on to Hooky or Ryle.

[INDIANA]

What was the name of the trophy awarded today? I missed that bit

The very prestigious Lansdowne Cup.

I'm sure they'll toast out of it in Krystle later. When they actually win something let me know.  Its a rarity.

I've never seen such mediocrity celebrated!

They were 6 Nations champions about 6 months ago you brain donor.

Have a look at the role of honour of the 6 nations and come back to me kid. 5-6 teams - I mean its the connacht championship in another guise

[Syferus]

While these games are taken seriously and aren't called friendlys, they're not a whole pile different to a friendly when it boils down to it. Will the Aussies lose much sleep over losing to us at the end of a long season? Not a chance. Would they rate it as more important than a match in the Rugby championship never mind the WC? Not a chance. The northern hemisphere teams rate these games higher than the southern but even then they're below the 6 nations games. Nice to win, esp beating two big teams back to back but ultimately meaningless

Beating all but NZ of the relevant Southern teams a year before the WC is never meaningless. It's a fair reflection of where this Irish team finds themselves; second only to NZ.

They have a great chance of breaking their duck and making the WC semi-finals, and a good chance at doing it as double Six Nations champions. Everything, even winning the WC, is within this team's reach now.

You are delusional.

So are the results, then.

SA are just England (bash, bash, bash) with the slightest more guile and we roundly beat them with a depleted squad. Aus have potential but it's hard to say the day after we beat them that we are inferior to them.

Very dismissive of Argentina there Syferus. Irish rugby has learnt that to its cost in the past.

Well they did more than us in in 2007 and we were playing putridly anyways. 1999 is an eon ago in rugby terms. Argentina have went backwards at an impressive click since their third place finish in 2007 - right now the sit bellow Scorland on the rankings and barely above the powerhouse of international rugby that is Japan - a team they were behind a few weeks ago.

They have the Italy problem now - maybe even worse given how their national association clings to amateurism - you've got a ticket to the big leagues but is being beaten down by your betters really doing anything to develop rugby?

I don't rate them at all right now and I think there's plenty of reason not to. They managed only a single draw in three seasons playing against the Tri Nations teams, two of whom we've just beaten. We will take them seriously if we meet them, and we will beat them.

[Wildweasel74]

Ireland have a good chance to make the final 4 this time next yr but if O`Connell or Sexton get injured they be well down the pecking order. The man they cant afford to get injured is Mike Ford, Tight head prop has become one of the biggest key positions in the game along with NO.7 the fact that we no real back up and relying in a man in his mid 30`s here is  a high area of concern.

[trileacman]

While these games are taken seriously and aren't called friendlys, they're not a whole pile different to a friendly when it boils down to it. Will the Aussies lose much sleep over losing to us at the end of a long season? Not a chance. Would they rate it as more important than a match in the Rugby championship never mind the WC? Not a chance. The northern hemisphere teams rate these games higher than the southern but even then they're below the 6 nations games. Nice to win, esp beating two big teams back to back but ultimately meaningless

Beating all but NZ of the relevant Southern teams a year before the WC is never meaningless. It's a fair reflection of where this Irish team finds themselves; second only to NZ.

They have a great chance of breaking their duck and making the WC semi-finals, and a good chance at doing it as double Six Nations champions. Everything, even winning the WC, is within this team's reach now.

You are delusional.

So are the results, then.

SA are just England (bash, bash, bash) with the slightest more guile and we roundly beat them with a depleted squad. Aus have potential but it's hard to say the day after we beat them that we are inferior to them.

Very dismissive of Argentina there Syferus. Irish rugby has learnt that to its cost in the past.

Well they did more than us in in 2007 and we were playing putridly anyways. 1999 is an eon ago in rugby terms. Argentina have went backwards at an impressive click since their third place finish in 2007 - right now the sit bellow Scorland on the rankings and barely above the powerhouse of international rugby that is Japan - a team they were behind a few weeks ago.

They have the Italy problem now - maybe even worse given how their nation association clings to amateurism - you've got a ticket to the big leagues but is being beaten down by your betters really doing anything to develop rugby?

I dont rate them at all right now and I think there's plenty of reason not to. They managed only a since draw in three seasons playing against the Tri Nations teams, two of whom we've just beaten.

Ireland recently drew with Germany in a competitive match, not just some meaningless friendly. By your bizarre logic the Irish soccer team are now as good as their German equivalents, the reigning world champions. But there both still worse than Scotland.

We beat the Australians and South Africa at home in a November friendly, that does not make us clearly superior to them.

[Syferus]

You're rehashing old ground trying to label test match rugby as friendlies. No interest in going around in circles.

[INDIANA]

You're rehashing old ground trying to label test match rugby as friendlies. No interest in going around in circles.

I think to be fair he's been proven right. Give us a call in April and we'll see if they've actually won anything to celebrate

[thewobbler]

Ireland have a good chance to make the final 4 this time next yr but if O`Connell or Sexton get injured they be well down the pecking order. The man they cant afford to get injured is Mike Ford, Tight head prop has become one of the biggest key positions in the game along with NO.7 the fact that we no real back up and relying in a man in his mid 30`s here is  a high area of concern.

The one thing rugby isn't short of is column inches about how important various players are, and it looks like you've been reading them all.

Paulie's leadership would be sorely missed. But if he's actually any improvement in terms of ability these days on the next 3-4 lads in the pecking order, it's doubtable.

Mike Ross is an interesting one. He's the new John Hayes in that we keep being told how irreplaceable he is, but until someone else gets a chance, we won't know. The only things we do know are that Hayes wasn't missed at all when he finally gave up the jersey, and the rather simple fact that Hook et al are prone to ignoring - Australia have been a super-competitive team at every WC tournament, but have never had anything close to a world class prop forward during that time. They've worked out that the scrum isn't half as important as it's made out to be. Everyone else will catch up eventually.

There's genuine contenders in each province for both flanker positions, so no concern there.

Sexton is the biggie. He's a great all rounder.

But every time I see Madigan in a green jersey, he looks made for it.


Anyway in summary, Ireland have more depth than anyone is letting on.

[INDIANA]

Ireland have a good chance to make the final 4 this time next yr but if O`Connell or Sexton get injured they be well down the pecking order. The man they cant afford to get injured is Mike Ford, Tight head prop has become one of the biggest key positions in the game along with NO.7 the fact that we no real back up and relying in a man in his mid 30`s here is  a high area of concern.

The one thing rugby isn't short of is column inches about how important various players are, and it looks like you've been reading them all.

Paulie's leadership would be sorely missed. But if he's actually any improvement in terms of ability these days on the next 3-4 lads in the pecking order, it's doubtable.

Mike Ross is an interesting one. He's the new John Hayes in that we keep being told how irreplaceable he is, but until someone else gets a chance, we won't know. The only things we do know are that Hayes wasn't missed at all when he finally gave up the jersey, and the rather simple fact that Hook et al are prone to ignoring - Australia have been a super-competitive team at every WC tournament, but have never had anything close to a world class prop forward during that time. They've worked out that the scrum isn't half as important as it's made out to be. Everyone else will catch up eventually.

There's genuine contenders in each province for both flanker positions, so no concern there.

Sexton is the biggie. He's a great all rounder.

But every time I see Madigan in a green jersey, he looks made for it.


Anyway in summary, Ireland have more depth than anyone is letting on.

Not at tight-head they don't
Hooker- not one of them can throw straight on a consistent basis under pressure
Second row- not bad.
Backrow- fine
scrumhalf- ok certainly not rude health
out-half- not bad but a 30% drop to the quality of the next 10
- centre- ok . nothing better happen to henshaw- because if it does we're goosed. JS has said he won't be experimenting in the 6 nations.
- wings- fine
full back - ok

It's ok depth wise but as the Georgia game showed it's nothing to be boasting about

[Bord na Mona man]

The British Loins tour is the third biggest "sporting*" event in the world.

The Leinster schools cup must be the world's 2nd biggest!

[Sidney]

Ireland have a good chance to make the final 4 this time next yr but if O`Connell or Sexton get injured they be well down the pecking order. The man they cant afford to get injured is Mike Ford, Tight head prop has become one of the biggest key positions in the game along with NO.7 the fact that we no real back up and relying in a man in his mid 30`s here is  a high area of concern.

I doubt they'll be too worried if their defence coach during the Eddie O'Sullivan era gets injured.

[Sidney]

The British Loins tour is the third biggest "sporting*" event in the world.

The Leinster schools cup must be the world's 2nd biggest!

'Rock v 'Nure is 1000 times bigger than Dublin v Kerry or Cork v Tipp will ever be.

[seafoid]

The British Loins tour is the third biggest "sporting*" event in the world.

The Leinster schools cup must be the world's 2nd biggest!

'Rock v 'Nure is 1000 times bigger than Dublin v Kerry or Cork v Tipp will ever be.

http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/the-joke-is-on-ross-and-people-like-ross-1.1919018

The original Ross O'Carroll Kelly columns were inspired by what he saw when covering school rugby matches.
"Rugby didn't really engage me, but what was happening around it did – the idea that you would get 4,000 people at a schools game . . . the jocks who were heroes among their peer group and the rich dads and the Senior Cup Mothers, these rich ladies wearing clobber from Pia Bang and Pamela Scott. I didn't know anyone that posh growing up."

[Aaron Boone]

The British Loins tour is the third biggest "sporting*" event in the world.

The Leinster schools cup must be the world's 2nd biggest!

'Rock v 'Nure is 1000 times bigger than Dublin v Kerry or Cork v Tipp will ever be.

+1

[trileacman]

You're rehashing old ground trying to label test match rugby as friendlies. No interest in going around in circles.

Even if you ignore the part about test rugby the point still stands. But hey bury your head in the sand if that's what you want.