Stringer

Tim Robbins

Kenny 5 wrote:

Predictability eh? They couldn't predict his winning try last year in the Heino cup :rolleyes:

The communication between the winger and the blindside flanker was at fault for that try. If the winger was coming off the blindside he should have shouted that at the blindside - he didn't and Stringer had a clean run in.
Not much tactical decision making there.
Apparently Kidney had spotted that weakness in Biaritz from video analysis and the kudos should go to him if that's the case.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Tim Robbins

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

Amz

Tim Robbins wrote:

Is that required or constructive?

Is this the polite version of your post?

I think it's in the charter that stupidity will not be tolerated on this forum, if it's not it shoudl be.

RuggieBear

Guys, lets be nice.

no more personal abuse or retarded sexist comments please.

Amazotheamazing

Firstly, whoever said Boss is better than Stringer is presumably just trying to have a laugh, Boss is just a better version of O'Leary, ie no pass. A scrumhalf who can't pass is useless.

Reddan might be better than Stringer, but he looked out of sorts against Argentina. He seems to be a big game player, see his tries in the HEC, but we haven't seen enough of him for Ireland to be really sure how good he is. The GP is not an accurate standard to judge a player on.

Back to the rumour of Stringer being injured, I said everything I had heard in my first post, seeing as no one else has heard anything I assume it's rubbish.

Tim Robbins

RuggieBear wrote:

Guys, lets be nice.

no more personal abuse or retarded sexist comments please.

I withdraw my remark about girls playing Tag Rugby. It wasn't meant to offend and I didn't think that was offensive but obviously was.
I thought by the fact that girls get three points for a try it in tag that it was ok to make a puerile joke as there obviously is already some accepted discrimination in this sport albeit positive discrimination!

Also, yes I edited out what I originally wrote which was a knee jerk reaction to what was said about me. I did this when I saw that Amz was a mod and I hadn't a hope in getting a level playing field in a slagging match. I don't think anybody has won a slagging match against a mod on boards.

I also looked at some of the other posts Amz has posted in the forums all seem perfectly reasonable which would indicate to me that it was my comment that provoked Amz and Amz's comment although unwarrented was more than likely due to been provoked.

Amz I apologise to you. My comment was stupid and only meant as a silly joke.

Apologies to all.

Amz

It was highly offensive. But apology accepted and the moron comment may have been OTT, but sexist remarks like that aren't welcome on this forum.

The 3 points for girl trys in tag has a lot to do with the fact that many of the men playing are total glory hunters so it's also an attempt to get these men to pass to the female members of their team.

Tim Robbins

Amz wrote:

It was highly offensive. But apology accepted and the moron comment may have been OTT, but sexist remarks like that aren't welcome on this forum.

The 3 points for girl trys in tag has a lot to do with the fact that many of the men playing are total glory hunters so it's also an attempt to get these men to pass to the female members of their team.

men glory hunters, are you sexist or something

Amz

There's no point in responding to you any more it would seem.

RuggieBear

back on topic please!

IMO Stringer is the best of a distinctly flawed lot. They all have strengths and weaknesses.

Tim Robbins

RuggieBear wrote:

back on topic please!

IMO Stringer is the best of a distinctly flawed lot. They all have strengths and weaknesses.

I think Boss or Reddan are both better and if given a few more caps would get some understanding with the Irish back row and 10 which would negate that advantage Stringer has.

Personally I'd go:

1. Boss
2. Reddan
3. Stringer

muboop1

Tim Robbins wrote:

I think Boss or Reddan are both better and if given a few more caps would get some understanding with the Irish back row and 10 which would negate that advantage Stringer has.

Personally I'd go:

1. Boss
2. Reddan
3. Stringer

a man after my own heart...

Bounty Hunter

i think stringer is the most underated scrum half around. He will be Irish first choice in the WC.

Tim Robbins

muboop1 wrote:

a man after my own heart...

I think a Boss is comfortable with the ball in his hands and running. Not just breaking from the scrum or ruck, but in open play. I think this pre requisite for any Rugby player, yourself?

muboop1

Tim Robbins wrote:

I think a Boss is comfortable with the ball in his hands and running. Not just breaking from the scrum or ruck, but in open play. I think this pre requisite for any Rugby player, yourself?

exactly! this means in attack we have an extra person who can carry the ball,and in defense an extra tackler! its not just about getting the ballout fast from a rook, its that stringer isnt world class imo at that even,let alone carrying ball or generally beiong involved in plays! he just passes off a rook and puts ball in scrum, this narrows down what ireland can do greatly!

other teams willlookat films of us playing and say,hey we can basicallly assume he wont run but pass, so when hes alone at back of rook, they know hes going to pass so concentrate players there, but with redding or boss, mabey he will run? mabey we shud keep a few more players near the scrum? draws players in leaving less if they do decide to pass! increases chance of finding a gap etc...

zAbbo

Alright, his name is Eoin Reddan

Realistically Eddie's not going to drop anyone, the only call on our starting XV is at hooker and blindside.

Tim Robbins

muboop1 wrote:

exactly! this means in attack we have an extra person who can carry the ball,and in defense an extra tackler! its not just about getting the ballout fast from a rook, its that stringer isnt world class imo at that even,let alone carrying ball or generally beiong involved in plays! he just passes off a rook and puts ball in scrum, this narrows down what ireland can do greatly!

other teams willlookat films of us playing and say,hey we can basicallly assume he wont run but pass, so when hes alone at back of rook, they know hes going to pass so concentrate players there, but with redding or boss, mabey he will run? mabey we shud keep a few more players near the scrum? draws players in leaving less if they do decide to pass! increases chance of finding a gap etc...

The reality is if you are a 7 playing against Ireland you know to run to the centers everytime because O'Gara and Stringer can't carry the ball and even they do any decent international Rugby player could tackle them and turnover the ball.

This predictability completly negates any split second advantage, Stringer's pass might give.

Also when teams fan out their defensive line, they know to crowd the midfield because they know that is where we are most likely to attack.

A good Rugby team has as many ball carriers as possible. Look at the last English team that won the world cup and the amount of ball carriers on that team. Nearly every player 1 - 15 could carry the ball, could tackle and could pass. Dawson certainly didn't have the fastest pass in the world and they still won the world cup.

We're too flipping predictable.

kevmy

Okay first off this is an irrelevant thread in the fact that Eddie will not drop Stringer for the World Cup, end of.
However it is useful as after the WC we have to start planning for the future.
At the moment our team is set up slightly different than most teams, this is in a way due to our lack of options, small playing base, cutting our cloth etc.
We have two breaking centres essentially, with quick feet. Most teams usually have a bit of basher playing in centre but we haven't. Now we're lucky that we have O' Driscoll who is also a fabulous defender as well as a quick footed line breaker.
How does this relate to Stringer, well it means there is less onus on an Irish SH to break than on a more traditional outfit. Now it would be nice if Stringer had the break but it's really not his thing. However I would disagree that ROG isn't able to break in the last couple of years this part of his game has really come on, look at his try against Leinster in the HEC semi last year and in this years 6N.
So what I'm really saying is that this team, setup as it is, plays to Stringers strengths rather than highlighting his weaknesses. Dropping a player in at this stage in such a crucial position would upset the balance of the team. I thought this happenned against France when the rest of the team weren't quite on the same wavelength as Boss as he's a very different style of player. Reddan would be more similar but is just too inexperienced to pin our hopes on in a competition we have been building towards for 4 years.

As for being too predictable, well every one knew what England were going to do in the last WC and they won the fecking thing. So IMO as long as you do it to a better level than everyone else then predictability is not fatal.

Sangre

Teams can't just rush our centres and ignore the SH/OH. If they do they'll be penalised quickly with a winger on ROGs inside shoulder or a few chip and chases.

marco_polo

Tim Robbins wrote:

I think Boss or Reddan are both better and if given a few more caps would get some understanding with the Irish back row and 10 which would negate that advantage Stringer has.

Personally I'd go:

1. Boss
2. Reddan
3. Stringer

I would flip your list upside down TBH.

Ha it not occured to anyone else that perhaps Stringer has been hiding his break all these years so he can unleash it on the unsuspecting ABs in the last minute of the RWC final?

Just like against Biaritz in the HEC final :cool:.

Tim Robbins

kevmy wrote:

Okay first off this is an irrelevant thread in the fact that Eddie will not drop Stringer for the World Cup, end of.
However it is useful as after the WC we have to start planning for the future.
At the moment our team is set up slightly different than most teams, this is in a way due to our lack of options, small playing base, cutting our cloth etc.
We have two breaking centres essentially, with quick feet. Most teams usually have a bit of basher playing in centre but we haven't. Now we're lucky that we have O' Driscoll who is also a fabulous defender as well as a quick footed line breaker.

No way - O'Driscoll and D'Arcy can crash ball just as well as any big defender. It takes 2 - 3players to bring either down and they always get over the gain line when they take a crash ball.

How does this relate to Stringer, well it means there is less onus on an Irish SH to break than on a more traditional outfit. Now it would be nice if Stringer had the break but it's really not his thing. However I would disagree that ROG isn't able to break in the last couple of years this part of his game has really come on, look at his try against Leinster in the HEC semi last year and in this years 6N.

His try against Leinster was because of a huge hole and he only had to beat Malcolm O'Kelly who he had aabout 3 yards on.
He can rarely beat his opposite man, under normal circumstances.

So what I'm really saying is that this team, setup as it is, plays to Stringers strengths rather than highlighting his weaknesses. Dropping a player in at this stage in such a crucial position would upset the balance of the team. I thought this happenned against France when the rest of the team weren't quite on the same wavelength as Boss as he's a very different style of player. Reddan would be more similar but is just too inexperienced to pin our hopes on in a competition we have been building towards for 4 years.

France destroyed as the breakdown and Shaggy cannot play against a rush defense which was the system the french used that day. This is because he cannot use quick footwork to beat a full speed defender. Dricko would take a step and easily beat a rush defense.

As for being too predictable, well every one knew what England were going to do in the last WC and they won the fecking thing. So IMO as long as you do it to a better level than everyone else then predictability is not fatal.

Completly disagree. England had a huge amout of tactical options in that team. They ahd a good maul, a good scrum, a good lineout, good backs a very good defense. They also had loads of ball carriers, some superb broken field runners (Robinson, Lewsey at their peak) and a world class kicker.
They were a superb team in all respects.

Tim Robbins

Sangre wrote:

Teams can't just rush our centres and ignore the SH/OH. If they do they'll be penalised quickly with a winger on ROGs inside shoulder or a few chip and chases.

It's not that the hole team rushes the centres, it's more about the defensive line of the oher team crowding the midfield and the 7 knowing to run to the midfield and not having to worry about the fringes.
A rush defense is probably the worst defense to use against BOD and D'Arcy as there are too quick at stepping. A Rush defense works better against big centres, who tend to just run straight and take a crash ball.

The reason is that the speed of the defender should be faster than the attacker and the defense should come off better in the collision and break down.

This doesn't work well against Drico and Darcy because they can step off either foot to quickly and it is too hard if the defender is at full sped to readjust his line of running to make the hit.

If I was coach playing against Ireland I would use and in and out drift defense and tell your 7 to keep aiming for the midfield.

Go back to semi final Leinster Munster match - sure Kidney put Wallace marking the midfield for the hole match,a clever tactic which has been used in Munster for donkey years.