Rugby world cup 2015

[deiseach]

Here's a thought experiment. Imagine we could compete in the Rugby Championship as if we were in the Six Nations, overcoming time and travel. We'd get battered black (ho ho) and blue for four years but hey, we'd be ready for the World Cup! Excluding those who would revel in seeing Drico and Dorce and the like made to eat humble pie on a regular basis (an understandable impulse), is this something people really want?

[AZOffaly]

Yeah, but you'd improve so you wouldn't be battered in 6,7,8 years.

[ONeill]

Good analysis as usual here:
http://www.the42.ie/ireland-defence-argentina-analysis-rwc-15-2398472-Oct2015/

Enjoyed reading that. Whether you agree with the message or not, great to see a bit of detailed analysis. With pictures. Pictures are great.

[Canalman]

Listened to Off the Ball last night around 8ish when they had the rugby pundits on talking about the game.
Hadn't a clue alot of the time what they were talkin about............... gibberish to me. Reminded me of that Nicholas Cage war movie with the Navajo radio operators.


General consensus seems to be Argentina were rotters to start brightly and get an early lead. Ireland never seemed to recover from this currish behaviour.

[Dinny Breen]

Very reasoned and sensible article from Kieran Shannon . . .

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/kieran-shannon/prophets-of-doom-having-field-day-offloading-blame-360307.html

Kieran actually follows me on Twitter and I was part of a group that got sucked into various "discussions" with Ewan MacKenna and Miguel Delaney amongst others. They couldn't wait to stick the knife in. Pair of clowns! A pair of professional trolls.

[AZOffaly]

Ha ha!!! You finally coming round to my view of the Brazilian bombshell?

I thought that article from the 42 was fairly spot on. But that's because it agreed with me

[deiseach]

Ewan MacKenna is four corners of a bollix. I remember him getting into a right lather of indignation at how RTÉ were unwilling to confront Cian O'Connor in interviews on his history of doping. It was a pity Ewan had no other outlet for expressing his disquiet...

[Dinny Breen]

I think he's suffering from some sort of bi-polar syndrome, he contributes to the Kildare GAA forum. Sometime he makes intelligent points and other times he's off the wall. I don't follow him on twitter, a professional troll. I think that the Sunday Tribune made himself, Delaney, Hannigan and Howard cover the Leinster SCT at some stage or another and they have all been deeply scarred by that experience.

What I will say is that with the Tribune when they those guys were writing along with Shannon McEvoy and a few others it was the best Sunday newspaper for sports by a country mile and I for one miss it.

MacKenna joined here, think Heffo ran him though 

[Bingo]

Ewan McKenna seems to be very bitter about everything and anything.

Whats the story with him living out in Brazil at the minute? He reporting on the Olympics or just getting away from it all.

[AZOffaly]

He was there for the world cup too. And never gave up whinging I think he's married out there?

[Dinny Breen]

He was there for the world cup too. And never gave up whinging I think he's married out there?

He's from Athy they whinge from birth to grave. His wife is Brazilian, with WC and Olympics probably saw an opportunity. He has been picked up by the New York Times among others, so he has talent. Just needs to lose the negativity, just comes across as Bingo points out as bitter. Of course when you address him and his ilk as being deliberately negative you are told you can't handle realism. You can't win with those guys, professional writers on high horses.

[gallsman]

McKenna can make some very good points when he's not whinging, particularly about drugs, MMA and various organisational shambolics across the Irish sporting sphere. His problem is that he has his pet issues where he flat out refuses to consider a viewpoint other than his own.

Delaney can be good when writing about soccer but he should pretty much shut the f**k up about any other sport. He's also nowhere near as smart as he thinks himself to be.

[deiseach]

Delaney can be good when writing about soccer but he should pretty much shut the f**k up about any other sport. He's also nowhere near as smart as he thinks himself to be.

[gallsman]

Ha! I remember that one. In fairness, Linehan got on like a tosser. In fairness to him, Delaney was actually being extremely complimentary about Father Ted and mentioned that he thought the third season bombed compared to the others.

[deiseach]

Yeah, Linehan's reaction was a wee bit disproportionate. Made me laugh though.