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Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread II

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    #152
    Higher
    Site Banned Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭Higher


    CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »
    ok my mistake. You are right that they didn't play together in 2009 anyway, just remembered Earls was on the Lions tour then :o

    :eek: the memories....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0yRPlA8bO8


    Hes come a LONG way


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    #153
    CatFromHue
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatFromHue


    Nerves got to Earls in that game with his handling but what I liked alot was that he never went into his shell. He was looking for work and his defence was good throughout the game.


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    #154
    Fishooks13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭Fishooks13


    Higher wrote: »
    :eek: the memories....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0yRPlA8bO8


    Hes come a LONG way

    You seem to be forgetting some of the memories........



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    #155
    Higher
    Site Banned Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭Higher


    Fishooks13 wrote: »
    You seem to be forgetting some of the memories........


    No I remember he got two tries (the one you didn't post was much better in my opinion). I don't think you can deny that he had an unmitigated disaster of a tour and that hes improved ten-fold since.


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    #156
    Fishooks13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭Fishooks13


    Higher wrote: »
    No I remember he got two tries (the one you didn't post was much better in my opinion). I don't think you can deny that he had an unmitigated disaster of a tour and that hes improved ten-fold since.

    Ha, oh god. No he didn't, in fact bar those few bad handling errors he was very solid for the Lions. Very unlucky not to get a run in the 3rd test I felt.


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    #157
    Higher
    Site Banned Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭Higher


    Fishooks13 wrote: »
    Ha, oh god. No he didn't, in fact bar those few bad handling errors he was very solid for the Lions. Very unlucky not to get a run in the 3rd test I felt.

    Are you serious? Heres another example from the game you posted that he scored a try in...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG12OYiHZRc



    I can't believe you're actually trying to deny what happened :confused: He was NOWHERE close to getting a cap for the an actual Lions test!


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    #158
    Fishooks13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭Fishooks13


    Higher wrote: »
    Are you serious? Heres another example from the game you posted that he scored a try in...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG12OYiHZRc



    I can't believe you're actually trying to deny what happened :confused:

    First of all, a few selective videos from some lunatics on youtube is no indication to how a players tour went.

    Secondly, Keith Earls was just gone 21 when travelling and had only played one game for Ireland (against Canada) prior to it. Of course he was going to make mistakes, he was very very green.

    And yes he did make some mistakes, but he did some very good things too.

    Did he light the tour up? No.

    Did he have the hysterically bad few weeks you're alluding to? No.

    He showed what he was at the time, an exciting player with a lot of potential.


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    #159
    Teferi
    Registered Users Posts: 6,320 ✭✭✭Teferi


    Higher wrote: »
    I can't believe you're actually trying to deny what happened

    Please confirm where Fishooks denied anything? I don't see it. Earls was green but didn't have an unmitigated disaster of a tour no matter what way you choose to spin it.


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    #160
    CatFromHue
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatFromHue


    Higher wrote: »
    I don't think you can deny that he had an unmitigated disaster of a tour

    I can.

    He started poorly in the first game as you've shown above but he then went on to play another 4 games mixing between 15 and 13. He wasn't in contention for a test spot but overall I think he had a good tour.


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    #161
    Fishooks13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭Fishooks13


    Teferi wrote: »
    Please confirm where Fishooks denied anything? I don't see it.

    Apparently "denying what happened" is code speak for not agreeing with Higher's opinion


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    #162
    Fishooks13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭Fishooks13


    CatFromHue wrote: »
    I can.

    He started poorly in the first game as you've shown above but he then went on to play another 4 games mixing between 15 and 13. He wasn't in contention for a test spot but overall I think he had a good tour.

    This

    Although I remember at the time there was talk of him getting the 13 jersey instead of Bowe for the last test

    Mad to think of Bowe at 13 for the Lions. I remember just assuming he'd go on to play his rugby for Ospreys and Ireland there after


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    #163
    Higher
    Site Banned Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭Higher


    O.K Fishooks, Earls had a wonderful tour and was unlucky (no seriously :D) not to start a test game for the Lions.

    It's only lunatics on youtube that have made him look bad. He was actually AMAZING in the first test and didn't make a calamity of errors in the second.

    Lets just get back to talking about Ireland.


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    #164
    thomond2006
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Unfortunately Keith's first game against Royal XV where he had a shocker meant he was probably written off by the coaches as a test team candidate. He definitely improved as the tour went on though and I wouldn't describe him as the 'flop of the tour' or anything like that given how inexperienced he was. That gong goes to Shane Williams who failed to produce any kind of form on the tour bar two easy tries in the third test.

    In the third test Earls may have had a chance of being on the bench due to all the injuries but they went with a 5-2 split with James Hook covering 10-15.


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    #165
    totallegend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭totallegend


    This won't go down well but Earls probably shouldn't have been picked for the tour; he wasn't ready for it. I vividly remember the first game, he had a shocker but he did steadily improve over the course of the tour. However, even by the end, he was never in contention for a test place.


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    #166
    Fishooks13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭Fishooks13


    totallegend wrote: »
    This won't go down well but Earls probably shouldn't have been picked for the tour; he wasn't ready for it. I vividly remember the first game, he had a shocker but he did steadily improve over the course of the tour. However, even by the end, he was never in contention for a test place.

    I agree, it was a bit mad considering his lack of experience


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    #167
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 25,798 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    I agree with TL. Earls had an entirely expected performance early on given his inexperience and youth. He improved steadily but was nowhere near a test spot. Unfortunately Lions tours these days are too short for the likes of Earls to really settle in and make an impact.


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    #168
    Higher
    Site Banned Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭Higher


    Fishooks13 wrote: »
    This

    Although I remember at the time there was talk of him getting the 13 jersey instead of Bowe for the last test

    Mad to think of Bowe at 13 for the Lions. I remember just assuming he'd go on to play his rugby for Ospreys and Ireland there after

    No there wasn't :D


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    #169
    Fishooks13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭Fishooks13


    Higher wrote: »
    O.K Fishooks, Earls had a wonderful tour and was unlucky (no seriously :D) not to start a test game for the Lions.

    It's only lunatics on youtube that have made him look bad. He was actually AMAZING in the first test and didn't make a calamity of errors in the second.

    Lets just get back to talking about Ireland.

    You're the one who said he had an unmitigated disaster of a series, which is complete hysterics. And now you're acting as if I was saying he was ripping it up down there :rolleyes:


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    #170
    Higher
    Site Banned Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭Higher


    Podge_irl wrote: »
    I agree with TL. Earls had an entirely expected performance early on given his inexperience and youth. He improved steadily but was nowhere near a test spot. Unfortunately Lions tours these days are too short for the likes of Earls to really settle in and make an impact.

    You see I never denied that. I said hes come on leaps and bounds since then. He should never have been brought on that tour and it showed.

    Fishooks claims that he was unlucky not to start 13 for Lions test team gave me a chuckle though. He wasn't even close.


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    #171
    Fishooks13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭Fishooks13


    Higher wrote: »
    No there wasn't :D

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=60959111&postcount=10

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=60959026&postcount=9 from Thomond actually

    Just two posts from the match thread here. It was definitely a possibility considering the lack of options at 13 due to injury. I remember quiet a few people being surprised that Bowe was given the nod, even though it was ultimately the right choice considering Earls' lack of experience

    Not sure how you can say there was not talk of it though

    btw, could you stop misrepresenting what I said? I said I felt he was unlucky not to get a run in the 3rd test, I didn't say he was unlucky not to start. I felt he would have been a good bench option. But even if I did think he should have started, that would be my opinion, just like your woefully misplaced one that he had some sort of disastrous tour.


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    #172
    Higher
    Site Banned Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭Higher


    Fishooks13 wrote: »
    You're the one who said he had an unmitigated disaster of a series, which is complete hysterics. And now you're acting as if I was saying he was ripping it up down there :rolleyes:

    First game was probably the worst game I've ever seen a Lions tour player play.

    Second game he made a calamity of errors including being directly responsible for a try.

    Third game he was decent. Bagged a try but nothing spectacular.


    All pundits said it was a tour too soon for him but that he'll be a better player for it. i.e it was awful but he'll learn.


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    #173
    Higher
    Site Banned Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭Higher


    Fishooks13 wrote: »
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=60959111&postcount=10

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=60959026&postcount=9

    Just two posts from the match thread here. It was definitely a possibility considering the lack of options at 13 due to injury. I remember quiet a few people being surprised that Bowe was given the nod, even though it was ultimately the right choice considering Earls' lack of experience

    Not sure how you can say there was not talk of it though

    Great, 2 posters on an Irish rugby board and one of them a die-hard Munster fan.

    That is clearly indicative of what most people were thinking. :p


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    #174
    Fishooks13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭Fishooks13


    Higher wrote: »
    Great, 2 posters on an Irish rugby board and one of them a die-hard Munster fan.

    That is clearly indicative of what most people were thinking. :p

    I said there was talk of it. Never claimed it was something most people wanted to see. You're clearly just going to bend things to suit your own agenda (like you analysis of the games Earls played on tour above) so I suppose we'll leave it there


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    #175
    Lelantos
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,612 ✭✭✭Lelantos


    Higher wrote: »

    Great, 2 posters on an Irish rugby board and one of them a die-hard Munster fan.

    That is clearly indicative of what most people were thinking. :p
    Says the die hard Leinster fan ;)


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    #176
    Banbridgeman2
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 322 ✭✭Banbridgeman2


    Aye I don't think anyone would claim earls had a good tour but he was 21 and not ready. He admitted himself A few weeks after the tour in the papers that he wasn't happy but it was a learning curve. Fair play to him. One he'd want to forget though!


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    #177
    Fishooks13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,696 ✭✭✭Fishooks13


    Banbridgeman2 wrote: »
    Aye I don't think anyone would claim earls had a good tour but he was 21 and not ready. He admitted himself A few weeks after the tour in the papers that he wasn't happy but it was a learning curve. Fair play to him. One he'd want to forget though!

    Ya, he was better for the experience alright, and after a shaky start he settled. Decent tour and something I'm sure he credits a lot in his development, even if he was too young to travel.


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    #178
    molloyjh
    Registered Users Posts: 24,745 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    totallegend wrote: »
    Yeah, fair enough, but this is all a bit of a tangent to the main argument, which is that some people are claiming McFadden would be displacing D'Arcy at Leinster were it not for injuries to wingers.

    I wholeheartedly disagree with that.

    For the record I stated earlier (and have said it before) the Ferg could have supplanted Darce at 12 had it not been for the injuries elsewhere. I didn't say he would have though. Against Munster and Exeter Ferg played very well. I've never been one of Darces detractors, quite the opposite, but he's at the end of his career and even Leinster have no certain replacement for him never mind Ireland. And if we have a player doing well at inside centre it wouldn't be a terrible thing to give him a run at the jersey for a bit.


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    #179
    Higher
    Site Banned Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭Higher


    molloyjh wrote: »
    For the record I stated earlier (and have said it before) the Ferg could have supplanted Darce at 12 had it not been for the injuries elsewhere. I didn't say he would have though. Against Munster and Exeter Ferg played very well. I've never been one of Darces detractors, quite the opposite, but he's at the end of his career and even Leinster have no certain replacement for him never mind Ireland. And if we have a player doing well at inside centre it wouldn't be a terrible thing to give him a run at the jersey for a bit.

    Also its not necessarily people underrating D'arcy, its more a case that at times McFadden has been shown better form at 12.


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    #180
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    Higher wrote: »
    Also its not necessarily people underrating D'arcy, its more a case that at times McFadden has been shown better form at 12.

    I don't really think McFadden has ever been tested at 12 on the same level as D'Arcy, so you can't really say he's shown better form. When has Ferg gone on a streak of great form at 12?

    Someone a while ago said he was great at 12 under Cheika, that wasn't the case at all IMO, he was very dodgy in defense in those games, understandably so as he was really out of position. One game in particular (probably against the Dragons) springs to mind for me (when Niall Morris also had a shocker IIRC).


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    #181
    Higher
    Site Banned Posts: 1,519 ✭✭✭Higher


    irishbucsfan wrote: »
    I don't really think McFadden has ever been tested at 12 on the same level as D'Arcy, so you can't really say he's shown better form. When has Ferg gone on a streak of great form at 12?

    Someone a while ago said he was great at 12 under Cheika, that wasn't the case at all IMO, he was very dodgy in defense in those games, understandably so as he was really out of position. One game in particular (probably against the Dragons) springs to mind for me (when Niall Morris also had a shocker IIRC).

    Off the top of my head I can't remember but I do remember at times in the past I've wanted him ahead of D'arcy so he must have been playing well because I really rate D'arcy


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