The IRISH RUGBY thread

[thewobbler]

Trileac re the RWC, it should be a maximum of 16 teams. The 10 teams that have developed a rugby tradition get byes (to be reviewed every 2 cycles) and the other 6 spots are sorted out from a qualifying World Cup hosted one season before.

For that, something along the lines of those ranked 11-34 take part, are seeded accordingly, split into 6 groups of 4, round robin, and each group winner qualifies. The RWC draw/seedings then proper takes place at the culmination of that qualifying tournament.

Why I think this would work better is it would give the weaker nations a proper competitive tournament where they are in the spotlight, and with the most tangible of rewards for progress. It should also mean that these countries (with some financial support of course) should be able to build on established, settled teams given only one year of a gap.

Standards won't improve with their now 24 team format. It will only highlight that the gap between professional rugby players  and keen big buggers chasing a ball, has never been further apart.

[Tony Baloney]

Trileac re the RWC, it should be a maximum of 16 teams. The 10 teams that have developed a rugby tradition get byes (to be reviewed every 2 cycles) and the other 6 spots are sorted out from a qualifying World Cup hosted one season before.

For that, something along the lines of those ranked 11-34 take part, are seeded accordingly, split into 6 groups of 4, round robin, and each group winner qualifies. The RWC draw/seedings then proper takes place at the culmination of that qualifying tournament.

Why I think this would work better is it would give the weaker nations a proper competitive tournament where they are in the spotlight, and with the most tangible of rewards for progress. It should also mean that these countries (with some financial support of course) should be able to build on established, settled teams given only one year of a gap.

Standards won't improve with their now 24 team format. It will only highlight that the gap between professional rugby players  and keen big buggers chasing a ball, has never been further apart.

But that's contrary to every tournament we see. The Euros and WC are mad the way they are going. The blazers see expansion as greater exposure therefore broadening the appeal of the game. It just exposes more teams to a trouncing which serves nobody.

Re. the 6N - they'll have to have some form of relegation/promotion in the next few years otherwise why would Georgia etc. bother with hammering Switzerland or Netherlands in Rugby Europe.

[Wildweasel74]

Ireland going well, will never wear off, if u watched Ireland in the 90's and how bad they were, and it was the wooden spoon race betweem Ireland and Scotland every year, a period of dominance like this over the years, is a good thing, especially against the population bases of England and France.

[Truthsayer]

Ireland going well, will never wear off, if u watched Ireland in the 90's and how bad they were, and it was the wooden spoon race betweem Ireland and Scotland every year, a period of dominance like this over the years, is a good thing, especially against the population bases of England and France.

Aye brilliant between World Cups! Even with the domination it was England got bronze medals in last World Cup and reached 2019 final. Six Nations like a B competition.

[Dag Dog]

The absolute state of this!
I'd nearly cheer for Wales.
https://x.com/offtheball/status/1889283250847088992

[Never beat the deeler]

The absolute state of this!
I'd nearly cheer for Wales.
https://x.com/offtheball/status/1889283250847088992

It's gross

[Tony Baloney]

The absolute state of this!
I'd nearly cheer for Wales.
https://x.com/offtheball/status/1889283250847088992

Nauseating stuff.

[SaffronSports]

Ireland going well, will never wear off, if u watched Ireland in the 90's and how bad they were, and it was the wooden spoon race betweem Ireland and Scotland every year, a period of dominance like this over the years, is a good thing, especially against the population bases of England and France.

Aye brilliant between World Cups! Even with the domination it was England got bronze medals in last World Cup and reached 2019 final. Six Nations like a B competition.

Watched Lawrence Dallaglio on a podcast recently and he spoke about when Woodward came in they spoke about how England can win 5/6 nations no problem but none of those nations had their name on the Webb Ellis Cup so they had to learn to beat the 3 from the southern hemisphere. One World Cup aside, that's still the case. 

[Truthsayer]

Ireland going well, will never wear off, if u watched Ireland in the 90's and how bad they were, and it was the wooden spoon race betweem Ireland and Scotland every year, a period of dominance like this over the years, is a good thing, especially against the population bases of England and France.

Aye brilliant between World Cups! Even with the domination it was England got bronze medals in last World Cup and reached 2019 final. Six Nations like a B competition.

Watched Lawrence Dallaglio on a podcast recently and he spoke about when Woodward came in they spoke about how England can win 5/6 nations no problem but none of those nations had their name on the Webb Ellis Cup so they had to learn to beat the 3 from the southern hemisphere. One World Cup aside, that's still the case. 

Is a quarter-final jinx. Be great to get past it. I think France as well have got to the final. You can add Argentina to that mix that's beat Ireland in the knock-out stage...

[seafoid]

Ireland going well, will never wear off, if u watched Ireland in the 90's and how bad they were, and it was the wooden spoon race betweem Ireland and Scotland every year, a period of dominance like this over the years, is a good thing, especially against the population bases of England and France.

Aye brilliant between World Cups! Even with the domination it was England got bronze medals in last World Cup and reached 2019 final. Six Nations like a B competition.

Watched Lawrence Dallaglio on a podcast recently and he spoke about when Woodward came in they spoke about how England can win 5/6 nations no problem but none of those nations had their name on the Webb Ellis Cup so they had to learn to beat the 3 from the southern hemisphere. One World Cup aside, that's still the case. 

Is a quarter-final jinx. Be great to get past it. I think France as well have got to the final. You can add Argentina to that mix that's beat Ireland in the knock-out stage...

Wales have also done it

[Tony Baloney]

Ireland going well, will never wear off, if u watched Ireland in the 90's and how bad they were, and it was the wooden spoon race betweem Ireland and Scotland every year, a period of dominance like this over the years, is a good thing, especially against the population bases of England and France.

Aye brilliant between World Cups! Even with the domination it was England got bronze medals in last World Cup and reached 2019 final. Six Nations like a B competition.

Watched Lawrence Dallaglio on a podcast recently and he spoke about when Woodward came in they spoke about how England can win 5/6 nations no problem but none of those nations had their name on the Webb Ellis Cup so they had to learn to beat the 3 from the southern hemisphere. One World Cup aside, that's still the case. 

Is a quarter-final jinx. Be great to get past it. I think France as well have got to the final. You can add Argentina to that mix that's beat Ireland in the knock-out stage...

Wales have also done it

Got close to making the final in that semi in which Warburton got sent off.

[Truthsayer]

Ireland going well, will never wear off, if u watched Ireland in the 90's and how bad they were, and it was the wooden spoon race betweem Ireland and Scotland every year, a period of dominance like this over the years, is a good thing, especially against the population bases of England and France.

Aye brilliant between World Cups! Even with the domination it was England got bronze medals in last World Cup and reached 2019 final. Six Nations like a B competition.

Watched Lawrence Dallaglio on a podcast recently and he spoke about when Woodward came in they spoke about how England can win 5/6 nations no problem but none of those nations had their name on the Webb Ellis Cup so they had to learn to beat the 3 from the southern hemisphere. One World Cup aside, that's still the case. 

Is a quarter-final jinx. Be great to get past it. I think France as well have got to the final. You can add Argentina to that mix that's beat Ireland in the knock-out stage...

Wales have also done it

Ok. I'd happily forgo a six nations title... Grand Slam etc for a World Cup quarter-final win. Is hard to get excited about Six Nations after quarter-final World Cup exit every time. Though they gave it all last time so close against All Blacks... if only...

[SaffronSports]

Ireland going well, will never wear off, if u watched Ireland in the 90's and how bad they were, and it was the wooden spoon race betweem Ireland and Scotland every year, a period of dominance like this over the years, is a good thing, especially against the population bases of England and France.

Aye brilliant between World Cups! Even with the domination it was England got bronze medals in last World Cup and reached 2019 final. Six Nations like a B competition.

Watched Lawrence Dallaglio on a podcast recently and he spoke about when Woodward came in they spoke about how England can win 5/6 nations no problem but none of those nations had their name on the Webb Ellis Cup so they had to learn to beat the 3 from the southern hemisphere. One World Cup aside, that's still the case. 

Is a quarter-final jinx. Be great to get past it. I think France as well have got to the final. You can add Argentina to that mix that's beat Ireland in the knock-out stage...

Missing the point folks. Those countries have all maybe done better than Ireland but what Dallaglio was saying was none of the countries that are in the 6 nations had won the World Cup so winning the 6 nations was of little relevance when it came to winning a World Cup. Only Australia, South Africa and New Zealand had won it when Woodward took over and England needed to target them.

[Truthsayer]

Ireland going well, will never wear off, if u watched Ireland in the 90's and how bad they were, and it was the wooden spoon race betweem Ireland and Scotland every year, a period of dominance like this over the years, is a good thing, especially against the population bases of England and France.

Aye brilliant between World Cups! Even with the domination it was England got bronze medals in last World Cup and reached 2019 final. Six Nations like a B competition.

Watched Lawrence Dallaglio on a podcast recently and he spoke about when Woodward came in they spoke about how England can win 5/6 nations no problem but none of those nations had their name on the Webb Ellis Cup so they had to learn to beat the 3 from the southern hemisphere. One World Cup aside, that's still the case. 

Is a quarter-final jinx. Be great to get past it. I think France as well have got to the final. You can add Argentina to that mix that's beat Ireland in the knock-out stage...

Missing the point folks. Those countries have all maybe done better than Ireland but what Dallaglio was saying was none of the countries that are in the 6 nations had won the World Cup so winning the 6 nations was of little relevance when it came to winning a World Cup. Only Australia, South Africa and New Zealand had won it when Woodward took over and England needed to target them.

I think it indicates Six Nations not at the level of the big 3 and maybe they don't take those test or challenge games quite as serious between World Cups. Ireland not far away but need to learn to peak at the right time not get so carried away with beating All Blacks on some tour of the US.

[NAG1]

Its peaking in terms of the WC cycle and the lead up to it as well.

Ireland always seem to be flat out in the previous 6N and then have no where to go in the WC.

Surely there should be lessons learned at this stage.