Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

CouchSmart · 18-06-2010 9:38pm #1

Thought it was odd that there's not one of these already..

What's everyone's thoughts on the current tour?

I think, despite all the detractors saying it's too much etc, it's actually seeming like a success. We're getting introduced to the new focus on allowing the attacking team the benefit as well as introducing some actual depth into the squad.

A fair few players have really stood up and there will be calls for them to be included in squads next season. Players such as Tuohy, Buckley, Henry, Ruddock can be very proud of there efforts so far on tour. Others too who have been in squads like Wallace, Trimble, Cronin have been looking good when they got the call.

Overall I think this tour will stand to us in the future(World Cup).

Diamondmaker · 19-06-2010 10:26am

CouchSmart wrote: »

What's everyone's thoughts on the current tour?

I think, despite all the detractors saying it's too much etc, it's actually seeming like a success. We're getting introduced to the new focus on allowing the attacking team the benefit as well as introducing some actual depth into the squad.

.

Agreed although I would much rather we clearly treated as a development tour and left some of the senior guys at home possibly Lions and the like. |Given they will have had no time off 3 summers in a row now, leading to the RWC - NOT GOOD !

Many say there is no benefit in sending kids out for a caning but experience is experience and leaving the lions at home, as it has now transpired we could have fielded an interesting team.

SomeFool · 19-06-2010 10:41am

Diamondmaker wrote: »

Agreed although I would much rather we clearly treated as a development tour and left some of the senior guys at home possibly Lions and the like. |Given they will have had no time off 3 summers in a row now, leading to the RWC - NOT GOOD !

Many say there is no benefit in sending kids out for a caning but experience is experience and leaving the lions at home, as it has now transpired we could have fielded an interesting team.

I think a secone midweek fixture against the likes of the Australian Babarians would have been a worthy addition to give the newer squad members more exposure, I don't think a full test for a development side is ever a good idea.

CouchSmart · 19-06-2010 2:41pm

Diamondmaker wrote: »

Given they will have had no time off 3 summers in a row now, leading to the RWC - NOT GOOD !

I'm pretty sure they get the same if not more time off than non internationals. All the Lions players got their full 6 weeks off season.

SomeFool wrote: »

I think a secone midweek fixture against the likes of the Australian Babarians would have been a worthy addition to give the newer squad members more exposure, I don't think a full test for a development side is ever a good idea.

Ye, another mid week test would have been good, see some of the guys trying to break into the setup playing an actual game.

Just as a point, NZ and OZ wouldn't accept us sending a development side down to them. And if we don't go to them eventually they'll stop coming to us. It's really all about keeping the suits happy but on the other hand you have to play the best to be the best so these tours are fairly necessary. An international season containing just the 6 nations wouldn't be very exciting imo.

profitius · 19-06-2010 3:40pm

CouchSmart wrote: »

Just as a point, NZ and OZ wouldn't accept us sending a development side down to them. And if we don't go to them eventually they'll stop coming to us. It's really all about keeping the suits happy but on the other hand you have to play the best to be the best so these tours are fairly necessary. An international season containing just the 6 nations wouldn't be very exciting imo.

I don't know if too much is better than too little. We're playing the same teams way too much these days.

Thats why its important to spread the game and help emerging nations like Romania, Georgia, USA, Canada and Russia. Not enough is being done IMO to help these teams especially the tier 2 European teams.

Jemo · 19-06-2010 8:34pm

I think this tour has been a success for one main reason, it has made it plainly obvious that attacking ball in hand rugby is our way forward and our players are more than capable of playing in such a manner, add to that the depth we have gained and it is looking good. Trimble has been somewhat of a revelation, Murphy came back and has probably won back his jersey, it provide rog and sexton with international gametime and allows us a look at the standard of rugby and laws in th south

profitius · 19-06-2010 8:37pm

Jemo wrote: »

I think this tour has been a success for one main reason, it has made it plainly obvious that attacking ball in hand rugby is our way forward and our players are more than capable of playing in such a manner, add to that the depth we have gained and it is looking good. Trimble has been somewhat of a revelation, Murphy came back and has probably won back his jersey, it provide rog and sexton with international gametime and allows us a look at the standard of rugby and laws in th south

Hopefully it'll change the Irish attitude of playing counter attacking rugby.

PhatPiggins · 19-06-2010 10:34pm

CouchSmart wrote: »

I'm pretty sure they get the same if not more time off than non internationals. All the Lions players got their full 6 weeks off season.

Ye, another mid week test would have been good, see some of the guys trying to break into the setup playing an actual game.

Just as a point, NZ and OZ wouldn't accept us sending a development side down to them. And if we don't go to them eventually they'll stop coming to us. It's really all about keeping the suits happy but on the other hand you have to play the best to be the best so these tours are fairly necessary. An international season containing just the 6 nations wouldn't be very exciting imo.

The John O Neil piss and moan brigade will complain about sending down weakend teams till the cows come home but they'll never not tour in the autumn, they make too much money from it. Whats their alternative play each other four times a season, .............. oh wait.

profitius · 20-06-2010 12:18am

PhatPiggins wrote: »

The John O Neil piss and moan brigade will complain about sending down weakend teams till the cows come home but they'll never not tour in the autumn, they make too much money from it. Whats their alternative play each other four times a season, .............. oh wait.

The Aussies seem to always get their way so it looks like its not only on the field of play where they win. Argentina joining the tri nations is a good example. They'll give the competition a new freshness but the IRB had to pay compensation to the tri nation teams... typical.

sock puppet · 20-06-2010 12:44am

profitius wrote: »

The Aussies seem to always get their way so it looks like its not only on the field of play where they win. Argentina joining the tri nations is a good example. They'll give the competition a new freshness but the IRB had to pay compensation to the tri nation teams... typical.

These are the same unions that can't afford to fly referees from Australia to South Africa. Hardly rolling in it. Don't forget they stand to lose quite a bit if the expanded tournament doesn't work.

Gelio · 20-06-2010 10:41am

Wow this went OT fast . . .

thomond2006 · 20-06-2010 10:51am

CouchSmart wrote: »

I think, despite all the detractors saying it's too much etc, it's actually seeming like a success. We're getting introduced to the new focus on allowing the attacking team the benefit as well as introducing some actual depth into the squad.

A fair few players have really stood up and there will be calls for them to be included in squads next season. Players such as Tuohy, Buckley, Henry, Ruddock can be very proud of there efforts so far on tour. Others too who have been in squads like Wallace, Trimble, Cronin have been looking good when they got the call.

Overall I think this tour will stand to us in the future(World Cup).

We'll know how serious Kidney is taking performances on this tour by who he picks against the Wallabies.

CouchSmart · 20-06-2010 4:03pm

profitius wrote: »

I don't know if too much is better than too little. We're playing the same teams way too much these days.

Thats why its important to spread the game and help emerging nations like Romania, Georgia, USA, Canada and Russia. Not enough is being done IMO to help these teams especially the tier 2 European teams.

Our A team plays them yearly, this year is an exception, and we near always win. An east European tour would only benefit them, not us. Got to be a little selfish sometimes. We play a tier two side every autumn too.

PhatPiggins wrote: »

The John O Neil piss and moan brigade will complain about sending down weakend teams till the cows come home but they'll never not tour in the autumn, they make too much money from it. Whats their alternative play each other four times a season, .............. oh wait.

They'll just play the other nations, France etc. None of those countries complain about playing time and their players play a whole lot more than ours. And I know they have more players than us but most of the time they only use the same 30 or so.

profitius · 22-06-2010 9:58pm

CouchSmart wrote: »

Our A team plays them yearly, this year is an exception, and we near always win. An east European tour would only benefit them, not us. Got to be a little selfish sometimes. We play a tier two side every autumn too.

If we try to expand the game and play more eat European teams it'll have long term benefits for rugby. That would mean alot more money for European teams especially if it got popular in places like Russia.

CouchSmart · 23-06-2010 1:57pm

Play them when? And I don't understand how them getting hammered will help them. Up until this year our 'A' team played the best tier 2 had to offer and we were rarely troubled. The Nations Cup just finished and a lot of the east Europe teams struggled with the might of Italy 'A'.

Eastern European teams are effectively tier 3/4 at the minute. Being hammered by a tier 1 team will not build popularity in the sport.

profitius · 23-06-2010 2:54pm

CouchSmart wrote: »

Play them when? And I don't understand how them getting hammered will help them. Up until this year our 'A' team played the best tier 2 had to offer and we were rarely troubled. The Nations Cup just finished and a lot of the east Europe teams struggled with the might of Italy 'A'.

Eastern European teams are effectively tier 3/4 at the minute. Being hammered by a tier 1 team will not build popularity in the sport.

Ireland have never beaten NZ and still they're the No 1 crowd puller.

CouchSmart · 23-06-2010 6:26pm

profitius wrote: »

Ireland have never beaten NZ and still they're the No 1 crowd puller.

They're our last great hurdle. Romania etc can start to challenge us when they beat our 'A' sides.

There's no one higher than NZ so they have no choice but to continually play us lower ranked teams.

CouchSmart · 29-06-2010 1:33pm

Paul O'Connell will be back to full fitness soon. Great to hear after all the horrible rumours that were being spread.
http://www.irishrugby.ie/283_21290.php

Zzippy · 29-06-2010 3:06pm

Is it just the cut of the suit, or does he look like he's lost a bit of weight not being able to train?
Great news, hopefully the rest will have done him good and he'll come back refreshed for a good season - except when he plays Connacht!

smurphy29 · 29-06-2010 3:43pm

Shockingly dull blog there Paulie! I've seen better from Premiership footballers!

It'll be great to have him back to full fitness and firing on all cylinders... and hopefully it'll put a halt to this tedium!

PhatPiggins · 29-06-2010 9:33pm

Zzippy wrote: »

Is it just the cut of the suit, or does he look like he's lost a bit of weight not being able to train?
Great news, hopefully the rest will have done him good and he'll come back refreshed for a good season - except when he plays Connacht!

If you were on hospital food for that long you'd lose weight too

wonton · 30-06-2010 12:51am

Zzippy wrote: »

Is it just the cut of the suit, or does he look like he's lost a bit of weight not being able to train?
Great news, hopefully the rest will have done him good and he'll come back refreshed for a good season - except when he plays Connacht!

ye really does look like hes lost weight

danthefan · 30-06-2010 12:59am

PhatPiggins wrote: »

If you were on hospital food for that long you'd lose weight too

That is damn true, spent 4 nights in hospital about a month ago and lost a good bit of weight. I would guess POC would be better taken care of than I was though.

CouchSmart · 10-04-2011 7:30pm

From the Munster thread: Who's going to be Ireland's starting fullback come WC?

Risteard · 10-04-2011 7:49pm

CouchSmart wrote: »

From the Munster thread: Who's going to be Ireland's starting fullback come WC?

Well our options are (in no particular order):

Kearney
Murphy
Jones
Earls
Duffy
Fitzgerald.

Two of those player will have minimal gametime by the time the WC comes round. Kearney will have at most 4 games. When's Murphy back?

One has no experience at this level but is going well at provincial level. (Jones)

One has shown some good form at international level but wasn't tested under the high ball but showed good attacking skill but plays wing at provincial level. (Earls)

One is an out and out full back who has shown to be decent when called upon, but hasn't played at this level in a while. haven't seen an awful lot of him myself this season. (Duffy)

And one has been out of form sine his return from injury and is playing on the wing, and is perhaps lucky to be ahead of McFadden. (Fitzgerald)

So it'll come down to who Kidney plays in the warm up games. Does he give Kearney and Murphy gametime to get back up to speed after long absences.

Does he give Jones some experience at this level to get accustomed to it? Will he let Earls get back into the groove at full-back to be tested under the high ball?

It's hard to say who will be our full back but I think the warm up games are going to be crucial to the decision an who Kidney picks in them will give us an idea.

Jemo · 10-04-2011 8:03pm

I agree entirely with the above post, its almost impossible to tell what way it will go. Kearney may not get a game this season the way the back three are going (I would hop that McFadden wouldn't be dropped from the team entirely for him at the drop of the hat). One thing I am sure of though is that Trimble should be in our back 3. He goes looking for work and ads a physical dimension like no other Irish back. I'd like to see Horgan travel too but his lack of versatility could be a problem as he won't start unless Bowe is unfortunate with injury

thomond2006 · 10-04-2011 8:30pm

Jones has a good chance if he continues his impressive form and holds onto the 15 jersey for the rest of the season. He can play wing too which will boost his chances of a call up.

brianthebard · 10-04-2011 8:49pm

Risteard wrote: »

One has shown some good form at international level but wasn't tested under the high ball but showed good attacking skill but plays wing at provincial level. (Earls)

One is an out and out full back who has shown to be decent when called upon, but hasn't played at this level in a while. haven't seen an awful lot of him myself this season. (Duffy)

Duffy was great against Edinburgh the other week and has been on form for the whole season really but Kidney will still put the munster winger in at fb ahead of him. Doubt he would even consider bringing Duffy to nz. Earls did ok against England but let's face it he wasn't asked to do much as a fb that game and it seemed like he kept trying to move back into wing positions.

CatFromHue · 10-04-2011 8:55pm

id like duffy to get in if kearney is injured or doesnt get much game time before the world cup, which it looks like he will be.

it was unfortunate for him to be injured before the 6 nations when he possible could have had a chance with ireland.

he has looked pretty good anytime ive seen him this season for connacht.

TheRevolution · 10-04-2011 9:08pm

I've been impressed whenever I've seen Duffy this season I have to admit.

Why is it that people just seem to write him off for no particular reason?

Risteard · 10-04-2011 9:09pm

TheRevolution wrote: »

I've been impressed whenever I've seen Duffy this season I have to admit.

Why is it that people just seem to write him off for no particular reason?

Probably because he plays for Connacht tbh.

Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

Comments