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Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

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    #1022
    bamboozle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,699 ✭✭✭bamboozle


    Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »
    Jennings is a very good HC player but he showed yesterday that he isn't able to step it up another level for international rugby. He did nothing yesterday and Heaslip had to cover the workload of both 8 and 7. He just doesn't have the physicality for international rugby.

    Leamy didn't have a great season but, he was very good in the Irish games he has played so far. It is a risk by only bringing one recognised 7 in Wallace but, I'd rather see SOB at 7 than Jennings in a big international game - Jennings would get blown out of it against SA and I don't think he would fair too well against Australia or Italy either.

    in fairness Leamy was given a huge advantage by being played in the first 3 warm up games, albeit it in a position (no 8) where he wont play in the WC unless SOB and Heaslip are injured. Have you seen the size of Brussow or Pocock do you remember Neil Back? Jennings has no problems mixing it with larger forwards, his problems lie with the national coach's bias towards his old reliable munster players and their form of 3 seasons ago.


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    #1023
    molloyjh
    Registered Users Posts: 24,745 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »
    Jennings is a very good HC player but he showed yesterday that he isn't able to step it up another level for international rugby.

    So you give a guy the sum total of 60 mins to make his case having had no game time since coming back from injury and into a side that is performing very poorly? That's a tad harsh. A lot of players didn't do the business yesterday. Do you drop all of them? Darce and BOD were poor so should they just pack it in? How about Earls?

    Jenno was never going to travel and nothing he did yesterday was ever going to change that. I can guarantee that TOL will be in the squad and so will Boss over Murray. Buckley will more than likely be there too. As will Wallace. The selection will be just as most would have predicted 6 months ago.

    I have a 2007 feeling about this world cup. Italy must be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of facing us in the pool stage!


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    #1024
    Cpt_Blackbeard
    Registered Users Posts: 2,456 ✭✭✭Cpt_Blackbeard


    molloyjh wrote: »
    So you give a guy the sum total of 60 mins to make his case having had no game time since coming back from injury and into a side that is performing very poorly? That's a tad harsh. A lot of players didn't do the business yesterday. Do you drop all of them? Darce and BOD were poor so should they just pack it in? How about Earls?

    Jenno was never going to travel and nothing he did yesterday was ever going to change that. I can guarantee that TOL will be in the squad and so will Boss over Murray. Buckley will more than likely be there too. As will Wallace. The selection will be just as most would have predicted 6 months ago.

    I have a 2007 feeling about this world cup. Italy must be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of facing us in the pool stage!

    It wasn't a matter of Jennings just having a bad game ala. Earls, he just couldn't match the physicality of a second-choice French backrow. He was non-existent in attack or defense - The only thing of worth I saw him do in defense was get bounced. He was afforded a brilliant chance, which he did deserve, and he didn't/couldn't take it.

    Ryan and Leamy got a much worse doings on here after much better performances but, just because Jennings is a favourite of most posters here, his poor game was glossed over.


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    #1025
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    Have to say there's very little justification for bringing Jennings after yesterday, he just didn't take his opportunity. Which is a shame.


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    #1026
    totallegend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭totallegend


    Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »
    It wasn't a matter of Jennings just having a bad game ala. Earls, he just couldn't match the physicality of a second-choice French backrow. He was non-existent in attack or defense - The only thing of worth I saw him do in defense was get bounced. He was afforded a brilliant chance, which he did deserve, and he didn't/couldn't take it.

    Ryan and Leamy got a much worse doings on here after much better performances but, just because Jennings is a favourite of most posters here, his poor game was glossed over.

    Jennings was poor yesterday but no-one stood up to the physicality of the French yesterday and the French back-row of Picamoles, Bonnaire and Ouedraogo might be the back-up but one thing they don't lack is physical strength.

    No-one on this forum is claiming he played well yesterday, Jennings is a favourite of some posters because he's been an integral part of two Heineken Cup winning teams in the last three seasons; that's what I judge him on, rather than his first 60 minutes of action in three months, playing as part of a beaten team.


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    #1027
    padser
    Registered Users Posts: 2,375 ✭✭✭padser


    Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »
    molloyjh wrote: »
    So you give a guy the sum total of 60 mins to make his case having had no game time since coming back from injury and into a side that is performing very poorly? That's a tad harsh. A lot of players didn't do the business yesterday. Do you drop all of them? Darce and BOD were poor so should they just pack it in? How about Earls?

    Jenno was never going to travel and nothing he did yesterday was ever going to change that. I can guarantee that TOL will be in the squad and so will Boss over Murray. Buckley will more than likely be there too. As will Wallace. The selection will be just as most would have predicted 6 months ago.

    I have a 2007 feeling about this world cup. Italy must be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of facing us in the pool stage!

    It wasn't a matter of Jennings just having a bad game ala. Earls, he just couldn't match the physicality of a second-choice French backrow. He was non-existent in attack or defense - The only thing of worth I saw him do in defense was get bounced. He was afforded a brilliant chance, which he did deserve, and he didn't/couldn't take it.

    Ryan and Leamy got a much worse doings on here after much better performances but, just because Jennings is a favourite of most posters here, his poor game was glossed over.

    It's posts like this that constantly drag this forum down to the provincial bullsh1t that often threaten to ruin this forum.

    Jennings had his first 60 minutes since returning from injury. He had an average performance in a very poorly performing team. He was driven back one in the tackle. So was Sob and Drico - are they physically not capable of international standard?

    He has proven (as lately as the HC final) that he is capable of mixing it with the best backrows in the world. He had also shown he can change games at HC level. He holds his place ahead of quality players like mcloughlin, Dom Ryan and ruddock.

    Neither Ryan nor Leamy should have been afforded the opps they got, that's part of the reason they get lambasted. Leamy has lost his place at Minster to a second rate lock (at 6) and james coughlsn (at8). Ryan is the aforementioned second rate lock - he has struggled for years with mod to be back up to PoC / DoC.

    The two situations are not comparable.


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    #1028
    Kate Harsh Lightning
    Posts: 0 ✭✭✭✭ Kate Harsh Lightning


    totallegend wrote: »
    Jennings was poor yesterday but no-one stood up to the physicality of the French yesterday and the French back-row of Picamoles, Bonnaire and Ouedraogo might be the back-up but one thing they don't lack is physical strength.

    No-one on this forum is claiming he played well yesterday, Jennings is a favourite of some posters because he's been an integral part of two Heineken Cup winning teams in the last three seasons; that's what I judge him on, rather than his first 60 minutes of action in three months, playing as part of a beaten team.

    Integral part of the Leicester team that won the HEC too.

    To suggest he hasn't the physicality to front up to the French backrow is to completely misunderstand his game. He's not a destructive tackler, he's not supposed to be one. I think I made a post before on the difference between Wallace at 7 and Jennings at 7, and how they both bring things that the other can't to the position. Wallace is a machine, he is destructive with the ball in hand and without, but Jennings more than makes up for the deficit of power with his brains.

    Consistently the top tackler game in game out for Leinster in the past few seasons, consistently unpenalised even though we all know he's slowing opposition ball down, and consistently improving the quality of the ball that is delivered to our own #9. He's also a defensive leader, and you can see his organisational skills around the breakdowns that he's not got his hands on the ball in.


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    #1029
    CIARAN_BOYLE
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,599 Mod ✭✭✭✭CIARAN_BOYLE


    totallegend wrote: »
    No-one on this forum is claiming he played well yesterday, Jennings is a favourite of some posters because he's been an integral part of two Heineken Cup winning teams in the last three seasons; that's what I judge him on, rather than his first 60 minutes of action in three months, playing as part of a beaten team.
    On a weak where he had gastroenteritis and just back from a broken arm.

    If you are going to judge someone on one game judge Earls on his last two games. I wouldn't do that either.


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    #1030
    copacetic
    Subscribers Posts: 16,575 ✭✭✭✭copacetic


    PhatPiggins wrote: »
    First of all the first bit has nothing to do with it being on tv. The tickets are ridiculously good value at €20 but you'd complain if it they were free.

    Secondly RTE's coverage is terrible, SKY Sports are in 64% of Irish household but there'll be dozen of high quality streams available to those without.

    What people seem to be failing to grasp is that there would have been no game against Engalnd if it wasn't on Sky

    Where did you get that crazy stat from?

    I'd hazard a guess that its about 50 times overestimated? :confused:


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    #1031
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Integral part of the Leicester team that won the HEC too.

    Errr, no he wasn't. Leicester didn't win a HEC while he was there.


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    #1032
    Kate Harsh Lightning
    Posts: 0 ✭✭✭✭ Kate Harsh Lightning


    danthefan wrote: »
    Errr, no he wasn't. Leicester didn't win a HEC while he was there.

    oops, completely taking that out of my arse alright. Guiness Premiership it was. Very poor memory of this photo to make that mistake!

    DW_gloucester_leicester_2220_09.jpg


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    #1033
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    In one sense it would be absolutely farical if Kidney leaves out TOL now. He's invested so much time in this player, who everyone can see was in utterly rubbish form, denying gametime to Reddan, never giving Boss an opportunity, in these warm ups not giving Murray a real chance, to go and leave TOL behind.

    Whatever happens here it reflects very badly on Kidney, just shockingly poor management.


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    #1034
    CIARAN_BOYLE
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,599 Mod ✭✭✭✭CIARAN_BOYLE


    danthefan wrote: »
    In one sense it would be absolutely farical if Kidney leaves out TOL now. He's invested so much time in this player, who everyone can see was in utterly rubbish form, denying gametime to Reddan, never giving Boss an opportunity, in these warm ups not giving Murray a real chance, to go and leave TOL behind.

    Whatever happens here it reflects very badly on Kidney, just shockingly poor management.
    agreed in a way. To leave TOL behind would be to say I f*cked up. To bring him would be a roll of the dice saying please god work but knowing there is little or no chance.


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    #1035
    Otacon
    Registered Users Posts: 6,721 ✭✭✭Otacon


    Or it could mean he wasn't sure of TOL to begin with, and decided to give him the opportunity to play himself into the side.

    Either way, I hope he doesn't travel.


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    #1036
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    Otacon wrote: »
    Or it could mean he wasn't sure of TOL to begin with, and decided to give him the opportunity to play himself into the side.

    Either way, I hope he doesn't travel.

    It can't be this imo, because he's picked TOL for virtually every game Ireland have played in the last 2 years.


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    #1037
    Chucky the tree
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,341 ✭✭✭✭Chucky the tree


    My guess is that TOL is Kidneys son. I honestly can't think of any other reason why he picks him.


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    #1038
    molloyjh
    Registered Users Posts: 24,745 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »
    It wasn't a matter of Jennings just having a bad game ala. Earls, he just couldn't match the physicality of a second-choice French backrow. He was non-existent in attack or defense - The only thing of worth I saw him do in defense was get bounced. He was afforded a brilliant chance, which he did deserve, and he didn't/couldn't take it.

    Ryan and Leamy got a much worse doings on here after much better performances but, just because Jennings is a favourite of most posters here, his poor game was glossed over.

    I think you'll find most people had issues with the likes of Leamy because he couldn't hold his place down at Munster, let alone Ireland. There was no logic behind the selection as his form overall had not warranted it. Not only that but they weren't coming back from injury. Apples and oranges...

    And no Jenno didn't play his best, but then who did on the day? Earls had an absolute shocker and he's had game time and no injury. Should we leave him behind too?


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    #1039
    phog
    Registered Users Posts: 24,083 ✭✭✭✭phog


    Sexton looking to POC for tips :eek:


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    #1040
    theboss80
    Registered Users Posts: 1,838 ✭✭✭theboss80


    OK so I might be TOTALLY wrong but am looking at twitter and see a conversation between Hagan and Keatley who are on about bets they had with each other in the GAA last weekend and about another for the final and Keatley remarked that Hagan could afford it as he has free flights to Australia in September.

    I may be completely wrong so what do you make out of it? Is it just a throw away comment or is it possible Hagan will be travelling as far as Oz to be in reserve ? And if so, who would be most likely to be going with him? It would probably be max of 2/3 players.


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    #1041
    WeeBushy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,572 ✭✭✭WeeBushy


    Kidney said in the press conference after announcing the squad that he wouldn't be doing this, that the players were better served staying with their provinces, so I highly doubt it got anything to do with the WC, especially considering Hayes, Horan and Wilkinson (I think) were in the training squad ahead of him.

    Probably to do with something else entirely imo.


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    #1042
    theboss80
    Registered Users Posts: 1,838 ✭✭✭theboss80


    Kinda handy though don't you think? and free flights too


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    #1043
    Hagz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,257 ✭✭✭Hagz


    http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/23778.php


    NOT. D'arcy's departure delayed due to calf strain.


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    #1044
    totallegend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭totallegend


    Hagz wrote: »
    Things are looking up!

    Erm, how?


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    #1045
    SomeFool
    Registered Users Posts: 2,452 ✭✭✭SomeFool


    totallegend wrote: »
    Erm, how?

    Agreed, a sh!tty way to click a link and find out a player is injured :(


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    #1046
    peterako
    Registered Users Posts: 720 ✭✭✭peterako


    How are so many of the squad getting injured so close to the RWC?

    Bad planning?
    Overtraining?

    Worrying.....


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    #1047
    totallegend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭totallegend


    Hagz wrote: »
    http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/23778.php


    NOT. D'arcy's departure delayed due to calf strain.

    Oh right, you were going all secret agent on us, writing in hidden text.

    Slow day in work Hagz? :pac:


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    #1048
    CatFromHue
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,147 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatFromHue


    peterako wrote: »
    How are so many of the squad getting injured so close to the RWC?

    Bad planning?
    Overtraining?

    Worrying.....

    Well I think with Healy and Darcy them not flying with the squad is a preventitive measure. Being in an airplane for 30 hours is uncomfortable enough without a minor strain.


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    #1049
    sock puppet
    Registered Users Posts: 4,586 ✭✭✭sock puppet


    peterako wrote: »
    How are so many of the squad getting injured so close to the RWC?

    Bad planning?
    Overtraining?

    Worrying.....

    Shit happens. Scotland and New Zealand are probably the only unaffected sides.


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    #1050
    CatFromHue
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,147 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatFromHue


    sock puppet wrote: »
    Shit happens. Scotland and New Zealand are probably the only unaffected sides.

    Even they're not. Nikki Walker is ruled out of the tournament for Scotland. Kieran Read is out of most of the pool games and I'm not sure what the situation is with Adam Thompson.


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    #1051
    Gracelessly Tom
    Registered Users Posts: 1,053 ✭✭✭Gracelessly Tom


    sock puppet wrote: »
    Shit happens. Scotland and New Zealand are probably the only unaffected sides.

    What?? Both Scotland and NZ have suffered serious injuries with some key players.


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