Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

jm08 · 01-03-2012 3:09pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

He'll have some stiff competition from Lualala at 13 for Munster from next season on. That's something he's never had before.

Competition will be good for him, but i can't see him not making a first xv anyway, whether its on the wing, fullback or centre.

He started off playing on the wing and ended up in the centre the season that de villiers was at munster putting both mafi and de villiers on the bench at one stage.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 3:14pm

jm08 wrote: »

Competition will be good for him, but i can't see him not making a first xv anyway, whether its on the wing, fullback or centre.

He started off playing on the wing and ended up in the centre the season that de villiers was at munster putting both mafi and de villiers on the bench at one stage.

Yeah i remember; that was a great season for Munster; everyone always talks about it

jm08 · 01-03-2012 3:19pm

leftleg wrote: »

Yeah i remember; that was a great season for Munster; everyone always talks about it

Yes, most people outside munster would have thought it a great season. Semi-final of a heineken cup (losing to the winners), playoffs of the magners. Great performance and win against Perpignam down there (and they were the french champs and top of the table at the time).

jm08 · 01-03-2012 3:22pm

fitz wrote: »

What the jaysus are you even talking about?
Complete gibberish.

who should be dropped to get all the people who deserve a change get a chance. Only way to do it is drop someone

or if you prefer rotate them.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 3:23pm

jm08 wrote: »

Yes, most people outside munster would have thought it a great season. Semi-final of a heineken cup (losing to the winners), playoffs of the magners. Great performance and win against Perpignam down there (and they were the french champs and top of the table at the time).

Not good enough for a great team like Munster; but whatever keep you warm at night :cool:

leftleg · 01-03-2012 3:28pm

jm08 wrote: »

who should be dropped to get all the people who deserve a change get a chance. Only way to do it is drop someone or if you prefer rotate them.

jm08 · 01-03-2012 3:28pm

leftleg wrote: »

Not good enough for a great team like Munster; but whatever keep you warm at night :cool:

Only one team can win the Heineken Cup every year. Only one of the 8 quarter finalists can win it. Not many would think they had a poor season if they made the semis of it. You must be a munster fan then to have such high expectations.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 3:35pm

jm08 wrote: »

Only one team can win the Heineken Cup every year. Only one of the 8 quarter finalists can win it. Not many would think they had a poor season if they made the semis of it. You must be a munster fan then to have such high expectations.

I used to be an Irish Rugby fan once......

.ak · 01-03-2012 3:38pm

jm08 wrote: »

the ones you seem to think who are not getting a chance

Henry for sean o'brian
andrew conway for kearney
kearney Jn for trimble
tommy bowe is lucky you don't rate zebo
sexton for ian humphreys
ROG for Ian Keatley (alright - we don't need to play him - just have him on the bench)
Paul marshall for Murray (so we can have humphs & marshall starting together)
boss for reddan (boss has played a bit with humphreys as well)
poc/doc/ryan for tuohy & toner

you wouldn't want too many changes - so i'd leave healy, best, ferris & heislip.

Heislip could captain the team.

Don't do drugs kids...

phog · 01-03-2012 4:20pm

leftleg wrote: »

dropping who per say?

Well between the French & Scottish games I'd go with dropping some or all of DOC, Murray, Darcy and drop one from either Heaslip or SOB and try and freshen things up.

Clegg · 01-03-2012 4:24pm

phog wrote: »

Well between the French & Scottish games I'd go with dropping some or all of DOC, Murray, Darcy and drop one from either Heaslip or SOB and try and freshen things up.

Freshen things up by dropping one of your most in form players.

Genius.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 4:25pm

phog wrote: »

Well between the French & Scottish games I'd go with dropping some or all of DOC, Murray, Darcy and drop one from either Heaslip or SOB and try and freshen things up.

It started off so well.....

phog · 01-03-2012 4:30pm

Clegg wrote: »

Freshen things up by dropping one of your most in form players.

Genius.

leftleg wrote: »

It started off so well.....

I'm not in favour of dropping Heaslip but a lot of posters claim that SOB is better at 8 than 7, to give him a chance to show his worth I'd consider dropping Heaslip for one game to give SOB a chance.

Otherwise just drop SOB.

Otacon · 01-03-2012 4:32pm

Why don't we 'rest' Ferris? SOB to 6 and POM/Henry/DomR to 7?

irishbucsfan · 01-03-2012 4:33pm

I would like to see a back row of O'Brien, Henry, Heaslip. Ferris is our best player imo but also has pretty messed up knees.

Tox56 · 01-03-2012 4:33pm

HEASLIP TO 7, or let him wear 8 and let SOB pack down at the back of an attacking scrum.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 4:34pm

How about Ferris; SOB, Heaslip

Clegg · 01-03-2012 4:38pm

phog wrote: »

I'm not in favour of dropping Heaslip but a lot of posters claim that SOB is better at 8 than 7, to give him a chance to show his worth I'd consider dropping Heaslip for one game to give SOB a chance.

Otherwise just drop SOB.

If SOB has a poor game against France then it may be worth putting POM in at 7 against Scotland. I don't SOB is even playing that poorly. He isn't making big carries but he's still putting himself into every ruck he can. I'd play POM against the Scots just to see how he handles an international match.

SOB is a decent 8 but I'd pick Heaslip over him every time.

andrewdcs · 01-03-2012 4:38pm

I've worked it out...

Start with 2 in the backrow.... with the other one coming at 60 minutes for impact.

BOOM! HEADSHOT!

Podge_irl · 01-03-2012 4:46pm

Otacon wrote: »

All I can say is I hope it works out for him. He is young enough, and talented enough, to be a top class 13. He needs proper coaching there though.

He better hope Munster bring in a competent backs coach then.

It's gonna be very interesting to see what happens next season. I'm of the opinion that Laulau was definitely brought in to be first choice 13 ahead of Earls, but that's irrelevant now as he was brought in by McGahan. A new coach may have a new idea.

fitz · 01-03-2012 5:07pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

He better hope Munster bring in a competent backs coach then.

It's gonna be very interesting to see what happens next season. I'm of the opinion that Laulau was definitely brought in to be first choice 13 ahead of Earls, but that's irrelevant now as he was brought in by McGahan. A new coach may have a new idea.

Just as likely a new coach will tell Earls to get over it and put him back where he's at his best, on the wing.

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:18pm

fitz wrote: »

Just as likely a new coach will tell Earls to get over it and put him back where he's at his best, on the wing.

I'm sure axel would have had his say already about playing earls in the centre

leftleg · 01-03-2012 5:22pm

jm08 wrote: »

I'm sure axel would have had his say already about playing earls in the centre

no he wouldn't; hes a forward coach

Podge_irl · 01-03-2012 5:23pm

fitz wrote: »

Just as likely a new coach will tell Earls to get over it and put him back where he's at his best, on the wing.

Quite likely I would think, but it's Earls' only chance.

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:27pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

He better hope Munster bring in a competent backs coach then.

It's gonna be very interesting to see what happens next season. I'm of the opinion that Laulau was definitely brought in to be first choice 13 ahead of Earls, but that's irrelevant now as he was brought in by McGahan. A new coach may have a new idea.

Laulau will only be with Munster for 2 seasons and cannot be replaced with a NIQ player. What will happen then. If earls is not developed as an outside centre, that would leave Munster with 1 outside centre (danny barnes) in two seasons time.

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:29pm

leftleg wrote: »

no he wouldn't; hes a forward coach

Assistant Coach and Defence.

Tox56 · 01-03-2012 5:30pm

jm08 wrote: »

Laulau will only be with Munster for 2 seasons and cannot be replaced with a NIQ player. What will happen then. If earls is not developed as an outside centre, that would leave Munster with 1 outside centre (danny barnes) in two seasons time.

So Munster have to play two 13's, presumably one being Laulau, would it not make sense to develop Barnes there for two seasons? Is that not a possible reason Laulau was brought in?

irishbucsfan · 01-03-2012 5:31pm

jm08 wrote: »

Podge_irl wrote: »

He better hope Munster bring in a competent backs coach then.

It's gonna be very interesting to see what happens next season. I'm of the opinion that Laulau was definitely brought in to be first choice 13 ahead of Earls, but that's irrelevant now as he was brought in by McGahan. A new coach may have a new idea.

Laulau will only be with Munster for 2 seasons and cannot be replaced with a NIQ player. What will happen then. If earls is not developed as an outside centre, that would leave Munster with 1 outside centre (danny barnes) in two seasons time.

Ah sure one of the lads will do a job

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:35pm

Tox56 wrote: »

So Munster have to play two 13's, presumably one being Laulau, would it not make sense to develop Barnes there for two seasons? Is that not a possible reason Laulau was brought in?

Hardly - munster have plenty of good wings & fullbacks, just very short on centres.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 5:35pm

jm08 wrote: »

Assistant Coach and Defence.

hes the forward coach at Munster

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/5796.php

hes the forwards coach instead of small with ireland

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0229/1224312523693.html

Podge_irl · 01-03-2012 5:36pm

jm08 wrote: »

Laulau will only be with Munster for 2 seasons and cannot be replaced with a NIQ player. What will happen then. If earls is not developed as an outside centre, that would leave Munster with 1 outside centre (danny barnes) in two seasons time.

I don't know, but I imagine that for the coming season a new coach frankly won't care. He'll be more concerned with getting the team firing.

Besides, it doesn't matter if Earls is the "reserve" 13. That means he'll be played on the wing for important games and get some games at 13. Which means his rotating around the backline will continue and he'll still have difficulties adjusting. He'll also continue to miss a lot of Rabo games because of the player management. Plus there will be new players coming in. Either he becomes Munster's 13 over the next season or it's not gonna happen imo.

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:48pm

leftleg wrote: »

hes the forward coach at Munster

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/5796.php

hes the forwards coach instead of small with ireland

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0229/1224312523693.html

Seems all forwards coaches in munster are also Assistant Coach (jim williams was and so was laurie fisher). Gert Smal is assistant coach for Ireland, as is Les kiss. Foley is Assistant Coach to the wolfhounds

I don't suppose joe schmidt is named as the defence coach of Leinster, but he is the one who does it and axel is the one who does it for Munster. He was named there last year and they have not promoted anyone else.

irishbucsfan · 01-03-2012 5:51pm

I always thought McGahan handled the defense. Isn't he off to become Australia's defense coach?

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:51pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

I don't know, but I imagine that for the coming season a new coach frankly won't care. He'll be more concerned with getting the team firing.

Besides, it doesn't matter if Earls is the "reserve" 13. That means he'll be played on the wing for important games and get some games at 13. Which means his rotating around the backline will continue and he'll still have difficulties adjusting. He'll also continue to miss a lot of Rabo games because of the player management. Plus there will be new players coming in. Either he becomes Munster's 13 over the next season or it's not gonna happen imo.

You don't rate Earls at 13 so you don't think he will be able to compete for the 13 jersey. To accommodate Earls on the wing, would you drop Zebo or Howlett?

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:56pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I always thought McGahan handled the defense. Isn't he off to become Australia's defense coach?

He came to Munster as a defence coach, then he became backs coach, then head coach in 2008. Axel was appointed defence coach at the beginning of last season, so axel should know all about his defence at 13 & 11.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 5:59pm

jm08 wrote: »

Seems all forwards coaches in munster are also Assistant Coach (jim williams was and so was laurie fisher). Gert Smal is assistant coach for Ireland, as is Les kiss. Foley is Assistant Coach to the wolfhounds

I don't suppose joe schmidt is named as the defence coach of Leinster, but he is the one who does it and axel is the one who does it for Munster. He was named there last year and they have not promoted anyone else.

gwan, admit you got it wrong . you'll feel better when you face up to that.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 6:01pm

jm08 wrote: »

He came to Munster as a defence coach, then he became backs coach, then head coach in 2008. Axel was appointed defence coach at the beginning of last season, so axel should know all about his defence at 13 & 11.

Forwards coach on the website; McGahan was Defence coach

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/5796.php

jm08 · 01-03-2012 6:04pm

leftleg wrote: »

gwan, admit you got it wrong . you'll feel better when you face up to that.

Nope, I'm not wrong (and I'm not going to congratulate you for it

)

from Irish times
Rugby: Ireland forwards’ coach Gert Smal will take no further part in the Six Nations Championship because of an eye condition. Anthony Foley, assistant coach at Munster, has been drafted in to replace the South African for the remainder of the championship.

Irish Independent - 5 days ago
IRELAND forwards coach Gert Smal will take no further part in the RBS 6 Nations because of an eye condition. Anthony Foley, assistant coach at Munster, ...

Podge_irl · 01-03-2012 6:04pm

jm08 wrote: »

You don't rate Earls at 13 so you don't think he will be able to compete for the 13 jersey. To accommodate Earls on the wing, would you drop Zebo or Howlett?

I don't (though I think he gets better there with a run of games, but his passing simply isn't up to scratch), but more to the point it appears the Munster management don't either as they have gone and signed Laulau.

Earls would easily start ahead of Zebo, and Howlett only has one season left - at the end of which Zebo would hopefully be ready to step into the first team.

irishbucsfan · 01-03-2012 6:06pm

I seem to remember Foley taking over the defense alright... The team are definitely improved in that area this season.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 6:06pm

jm08 wrote: »

Nope, I'm not wrong (and I'm not going to congratulate you for it )

You said hes defence coach link please or admit your wrong

Tox56 · 01-03-2012 6:08pm

leftleg wrote: »

You said hes defence coach link please or admit your wrong

I think you might be taking this a little too personally..

molloyjh · 01-03-2012 6:09pm

Interesting piece on our "tactics" in this years 6 Nations, with a fairly funny pic at the top of the article.

http://dementedmole.com/2012/03/01/territorial-army/

jm08 · 01-03-2012 6:11pm

leftleg wrote: »

You said hes defence coach link please or admit your wrong

The Irish Times - Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Foley comes with a burgeoning reputation after being carefully cultivated by Munster. Initially he served as their A coach before learning the nuances of being a defensive coach – during which time one of the Munster backs

described him as a “class” operator – and then helped to oversee a transformation in Munster’s forward play this season. With a little help from BJ Botha’s acquisition, their scrum (the Northampton games excepted) and their maul have become weapons again.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0229/1224312523693.html

leftleg · 01-03-2012 6:11pm

molloyjh wrote: »

Interesting piece on our "tactics" in this years 6 Nations, with a fairly funny pic at the top of the article.

http://dementedmole.com/2012/03/01/territorial-army/

pictures tell a thousand words or posts

jm08 · 01-03-2012 6:15pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

I don't (though I think he gets better there with a run of games, but his passing simply isn't up to scratch), but more to the point it appears the Munster management don't either as they have gone and signed Laulau.

Earls would easily start ahead of Zebo, and Howlett only has one season left - at the end of which Zebo would hopefully be ready to step into the first team.

But there is also O'dea coming through who looks like a real talent.

Munster are down a couple of centres - barry murphy was not replaced this year.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 6:15pm

jm08 wrote: »

The Irish Times - Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Foley comes with a burgeoning reputation after being carefully cultivated by Munster. Initially he served as their A coach before learning the nuances of being a defensive coach – during which time one of the Munster backs described him as a “class” operator – and then helped to oversee a transformation in Munster’s forward play this season. With a little help from BJ Botha’s acquisition, their scrum (the Northampton games excepted) and their maul have become weapons again.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0229/1224312523693.html

All that says is hes learning to be a defence coach; he most certainly is not that till McGahan leaves so youve jumped the gun there. Nice try

leftleg · 01-03-2012 6:16pm

jm08 wrote: »

But there is also O'dea coming through who looks like a real talent.

Munster are down a couple of centres - barry murphy was not replaced this year.

30 caps was injured for years; They had plenty of time to cultivate something.

irishbucsfan · 01-03-2012 6:19pm

leftleg wrote: »

jm08 wrote: »

The Irish Times - Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Foley comes with a burgeoning reputation after being carefully cultivated by Munster. Initially he served as their A coach before learning the nuances of being a defensive coach – during which time one of the Munster backs described him as a “class” operator – and then helped to oversee a transformation in Munster’s forward play this season. With a little help from BJ Botha’s acquisition, their scrum (the Northampton games excepted) and their maul have become weapons again.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0229/1224312523693.html

All that says is hes learning to be a defence coach; he most certainly is not that till McGahan leaves so youve jumped the gun there. Nice try

Give it a rest. He's been there defense coach for a while. Posters on here were praising what he has done with them after the leinster Munster match in October. He's a top coaching prospect.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 6:21pm

Take it back so; i was wrong

Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

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