Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

CatFromHue

thomond2006 wrote: »

The ABs also have a selection issue at 9. They surely can't pick Weepu, he's been a complete flop at the Blues. Jimmy Cowan is going to Gloucester next season so his ABs career is probably over.

In the pack, Brad Thorn who has huge for them is gone plus Kaino is going to Japan, I don't know if that means he is unavailable for All Black selection. If he is missing that is a big blow. Plus McCaw is still getting back to full fitness with Crusaders, I doubt the rehab was easy given the alleged pain he played through at the World Cup.

The thing here is that NZ teams make up 4 of the top 8 and 3 of the top 6 positions in the Super XV's.

As far as I know Cowan isn't getting much game time at the Highlanders and I don't think Weepu is getting much at the Blues either so they do have other options at scrum half.

I think Kaino is out injured byt McCaw will have 4 games to get back up to match fitness before we play them.

thomond2006

Ah that's right Kaino is out injured, forgot.

totallegend

thomond2006 wrote: »

Plus Hansen has been talking about playing Kahui at fullback, which would be strange considering Dagg is awesome.

Listening to Newstalk tonight, they were talking about Earls' statement about wanting to play 13, Keith Wood made the point that maybe Ireland are too rigid about the numbers people have on their backs and we need to be a bit more flexible, and for some reason Kahui popped into my head. He seems to be pretty handy on the wing or at centre and I'd say he'd make a decent fist of it at FB too. The difference is that NZ will give it a lash and see what happens.

CatFromHue

Earls has played for Ireland at 15, 11, and 13.
D'arcy and BOD used to alternate between 12 and 13.
McFadden has played 13 and 11.
Dempsey, Kearney, Geordan Murphy have all played wing and full back for Ireland.
Even Sexton has played 10 and 12!

GerM

The results are in!

Supporters player of the year: Rob Kearney
Young player of the year: Peter O'Mahoney
Try of the year: Craig Gilroy
Unsung hero: Kev McLaughlin
Medal for Excellence: Mick O'Driscoll
Hall of fame: John Hayes
Player's player of the year: RONAN O'GARA!! No, seriously, Kearney got player's player of the year too, not O'Gara.

Big night for RK. Ferris can feel a little hard done by but Kearney has been superb throughout the season and, right now, is the standout 15 in the world for me.

Hagz

GerM wrote: »

Unsung hero: Kev McLaughlin

That's all I wanted to know. No player more deserving in my opinion.

Tox56

McLaughlin is the absolute personification of an "unsung hero", hes vital to Leinster.

Edit: Got in before me..

thomond2006

Feck the rest of them, the most important is John Hayes into the Hall of Fame.

LIGIND

Monty Burnz

GerM wrote: »

The results are in!

Updated results after a lost box of votes was found unopened, hidden underneath a pile of Leinster/Ulster Heineken Cup Final memorabilia:

Supporters player of the year: Ronan O'Gara
Young player of the year: Ronan O'Gara
Try of the year: Ronan O'Gara
Unsung hero: Ronan O'Gara
Medal for Excellence: Ronan O'Gara
Hall of fame: Ronan O'Gara
Player's player of the year: Ronan O'Gara

I have to say, I thought O'Mahony would get the young player award myself.

WeeBushy

Great results. Would've been nice to see Ferris recognised but every one of them were deserving if their award.

Especially Ronan O'Gara.

Fireball07

GerM wrote: »

The results are in!

Supporters player of the year: Rob Kearney
Young player of the year: Peter O'Mahoney
Try of the year: Craig Gilroy
Unsung hero: Kev McLaughlin
Medal for Excellence: Mick O'Driscoll
Hall of fame: John Hayes
Player's player of the year: RONAN O'GARA!! No, seriously, Kearney got player's player of the year too, not O'Gara.

Big night for RK. Ferris can feel a little hard done by but Kearney has been superb throughout the season and, right now, is the standout 15 in the world for me.

All fair enough imo...

Kearney's performances are definitely worth of player of the year, despite Ferris. POM was the best young player.

As people have said, there's no one more suited to winning unsung hero than McLaughlin.

And of course, the Bull Hayes getting into the hall of fame is great news What a man.

molloyjh

GerM wrote: »

The results are in!

Supporters player of the year: Rob Kearney
Young player of the year: Peter O'Mahoney
Try of the year: Craig Gilroy
Unsung hero: Kev McLaughlin
Medal for Excellence: Mick O'Driscoll
Hall of fame: John Hayes
Player's player of the year: RONAN O'GARA!! No, seriously, Kearney got player's player of the year too, not O'Gara.

Big night for RK. Ferris can feel a little hard done by but Kearney has been superb throughout the season and, right now, is the standout 15 in the world for me.

Can't argue with any of those. Ferris has been top class this season all right but Kearney has been excellent since his return from injury. Delighted for Locky too. The guy has been such a workhorse for Leinster and so rarely gets the recognition for it.

artvandelay48

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Updated results after a lost box of votes was found unopened, hidden underneath a pile of Leinster/Ulster Heineken Cup Final memorabilia:

Supporters player of the year: Ronan O'Gara
Young player of the year: Ronan O'Gara
Try of the year: Ronan O'Gara
Unsung hero: Ronan O'Gara
Medal for Excellence: Ronan O'Gara
Hall of fame: Ronan O'Gara
Player's player of the year: Ronan O'Gara

I have to say, I thought O'Mahony would get the young player award myself.

Those results courtesy of Diageo! ;-)

bilston

What exactly is the Medal of Excellence all about?

CIARAN_BOYLE

http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/rugby/players-choose-kearney-as-player-of-the-year-550878.html wrote:

Recently retired Mick O’Driscoll was awarded the inaugural IRUPA Hibernia College Medal for Excellence, which rewards on-field effort combined with off-field commitment to the game.

Thats the best description I can find

Quint2010

thomond2006 wrote: »

Feck the rest of them, the most important is John Hayes into the Hall of Fame.

LIGIND

John Hayes IS the hall of fame!

GerM

bilston wrote: »

What exactly is the Medal of Excellence all about?

It is for the best behind the scenes player essentially. It is based on training, teamwork, work in the community etc.

siltirocker

GerM wrote: »

It is for the best behind the scenes player essentially. It is based on training, teamwork, work in the community etc.

Ah I see. Well then I can most definitely vouch for Ronan Loughney's nomination.

What community stuff did Micko do anyway? Great that they are awarding this award.

ray jay

siltirocker wrote: »

Ah I see. Well then I can most definitely vouch for Ronan Loughney's nomination.

What community stuff did Micko do anyway? Great that they are awarding this award.

Well he gave a very passionate performance for this charity event for a start.

CatFromHue

I was just watching The Breakdown there and they showed highlights of the Connacht Glasgow game. In particular the fight McCarthy was involved in. He's been cited and I have to say I'd wouldn't be surprised if he gets banned. Five years ago nothing would have been thought of it, but if you take Shane Jennings got 12 weeks for having his hands in Nick Kennedy's face a couple of seasons back, McCarthy will get banned for a few games at least.

its_phil

CatFromHue wrote: »

I was just watching The Breakdown there and they showed highlights of the Connacht Glasgow game. In particular the fight McCarthy was involved in. He's been cited and I have to say I'd wouldn't be surprised if he gets banned. Five years ago nothing would have been thought of it, but if you take Shane Jennings got 12 weeks for having his hands in Nick Kennedy's face a couple of seasons back, McCarthy will get banned for a few games at least.

Has it zoomed in or shown anything of infringing with someones eyes or face?

CatFromHue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tegozDPkvyw

It's on Youtube.

fitz

In the context of Quinny and Jennings bans, that doesn't look good for McCarthy.

Quint2010

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0511/1224315905500.html

Toland on why O'Gara shouldn't go to NZ..

...and in the other corner, Hugh Farrelly reckons "The view that Ronan O'Gara should be left at home is preposterous -- it's impossible to envisage Ireland beating the All Blacks for the first time this summer without the 35-year-old in the squad."

part time punk

Quint2010 wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0511/1224315905500.html

Toland on why O'Gara shouldn't go to NZ..

...and in the other corner, Hugh Farrelly reckons "The view that Ronan O'Gara should be left at home is preposterous -- it's impossible to envisage Ireland beating the All Blacks for the first time this summer without the 35-year-old in the squad."

Sad state of affairs when this common sense solution is labelled as a 'crazy thought'. And unfortunately Toland goes on to say that should anything happend to Sexton in NZ, O'Gara should be straight out on a plane. Don't think that would be great for Madigan/Keatley/Jackson. Still an article going in the right direction and saying what a lot of people are thinking so that's positive.

part time punk

part time punk wrote: »

Sad state of affairs when this common sense solution is labelled as a 'crazy thought'. And unfortunately Toland goes on to say that should anything happend to Sexton in NZ, O'Gara should be straight out on a plane. Don't think that would be great for Madigan/Keatley/Jackson. Still an article going in the right direction and saying what a lot of people are thinking so that's positive.

I fully agree that ROG should be starting OH should Sexton not be available. The other options would be best placed to make appearances from the bench.

However, in a particularly funny way, Toland's criticisms of Madigan and Jackson's "inexperience" being touted as reasons for them not to travel, while simple mentioning that "Keatley is starting for Munster" is pretty telling about how this journalist sees the battle for selection being decided.

.ak

Deleted User wrote: »

I fully agree that ROG should be starting OH should Sexton not be available. The other options would be best placed to make appearances from the bench.

However, in a particularly funny way, Toland's criticisms of Madigan and Jackson's "inexperience" being touted as reasons for them not to travel, while simple mentioning that "Keatley is starting for Munster" is pretty telling about how this journalist sees the battle for selection being decided.

That's one thing I picked up on also. He goes into detail about Mads and Jackson, but says nothing in regards to Keatley.

If Keatley travelled with a handful of Munster starts this season it'd be a farce.

The issue I have with both GT and Toland's point of view is that even though Toland is purposing someone else to travel, he still is labeling it as a 'crazy thought', where as everybody with a head on their body to knows something about Rugby has been urging it for the best part of a year. :rolleyes:

leftleg

.ak wrote: »

The issue I have with both GT and Toland's point of view is that even though Toland is purposing someone else to travel, he still is labeling it as a 'crazy thought', where as everybody with a head on their body to knows something about Rugby has been urging it for the best part of a year. :rolleyes:

There's still plenty of posters on here that have been, and still are, championing ROG's Provincial and international cause.

Teferi

leftleg wrote: »

There's still plenty of posters on here that have been, and still are, championing ROG's Provincial and international cause.

I've bolded the relevant part...

.ak wrote: »

where as everybody with a head on their body to knows something about Rugby has been urging it for the best part of a year. :rolleyes:

durkadurka

Thing that gets me is this: Toland is a very good and respected analyst and former pro. I would venture that he knows more about the game than anyone in this forum.

Yet he says ROG is still playing well. And I can't see evidence for this.
Aside from the miracle drop goals I can't remember him playing that well in the last few months. I don't even hear that many Munster fans saying he's playing great.