Womens' rugby Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Hippo

Huge gap between the sides in terms of quality, we're not at the races here

sydthebeat

Irish women's rugby is going to struggle for years due to the lack of constant top level 15s rugby.

Larbre34

Quite a lot of things going on here.

All 7's players are ringfenced, to focus fully on Olympic qualification. All of Ireland's best backs play 7's.

A number of players in the ~23-30 age cohort were not able to take up Pro contracts due to career and family commitments and so are either at a massive disadvantage in training and game time, or simply aren't playing at all.

6 months Pros up against 2 years Pros, are girls against women.

I don't know whether its by necessity or by design, but we have some tiny, light and very inexperienced girls in the front 5 and that simply won't cut it. A number of the front rows that have played over the last few years, like Cliodhna Moloney, are available but haven't been selected. Why not?

All of that and more, gives you a 60 point shellacking any day.

sydthebeat

When you have a 72kg loose head (who was coached as a centre growing up) up against a 111kg tight head... It's practically at an unsafe level.

Ireland are trying to play athletes in specialist positions which will never work.

Wooden spoon incoming unfortunately

Larbre34

Particularly when we aren't especially athletic.

We'll be lucky to get nil at this rate.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120399861#Comment_120399861

I absolutely fear what England and France could do to that team

minitrue

We know why Cliodhna Moloney has been exiled and that's the rub of it. It was noticeable RTÉ carefully decided to just leave it dangling unsaid in the build up.

I'm sure the IRFU will be happy to throw the players under the bus again though.

Strazdas

The lack of physical presence is noticeable - it's like watching an under 17s team taking on seniors. Very lightweight and easily brushed aside.

Fotish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120399903#Comment_120399903

Maybe the players should accept some responsibility, stop blaming everyone else.

They would get more respect in that case.

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120399878#Comment_120399878

Indeed. You'd have to rate the spread at 80 points.

But the mental scarring of being togged out for such a gulf in capability, could be lasting.

We really missed that World Cup in our cycle of development and experience. Like massively.

Fotish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120399929#Comment_120399929

Unable to kick a conversation from in front of the posts ! Basic skills lacking .

naughtyboy

Saying the difference is down to Welsh being more professional is not based in any form of reality

What are the Welsh women being paid? I bet you would get more on state benefits.

tall chapy

I do not rate the off field leadership IMHO, I think they talk a great game, then put in too many provisos. Speak out of both sides of the mouth.

Putting a team that was so young and too a degree a little lightweight in their first game, will just suck the confidence out of the team. Watching today, Ireland just lack speed, quality shape in defence and attack, everything is too slow, too ponderous especially at the ruck. I hate to be this blunt. Again this is only one persons opinion.

Larbre34

RTÉ panel mentioned 4 or 5 names with 20 or 30 caps that are playing at a good level and should be in that squad aiding a sustainable transition.

Between that and the end of 7's double-jobbing, what was asked of young shoulders today was far too much.

On Cliodhna Maloney in particular, we know what she said about the Union some time back. However, she wasn't one bit wrong and under new squad management, there is absolutely no excuse for her not being in this Ireland setup now. Except for pettiness from the blazers,the kind of thing killing the senior test game in Wales and England.

Fotish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120400172#Comment_120400172

Sustainable transition! Transition from what ?

The players put the boot into the Union when they failed miserably to qualify for the World Cup.

it’s time now to put up or shut up.

bingobango12

Watched some of this game today and not being harsh but the standard is absolutely shocking. A JCT Blackrock/Michaels/Clongowes would beat that team and comfortably. Not sure how people can expect the general public to tune in and come away wanting to watch again. RTE/Newstalk etc. trying to talk this nonsense up are surely doing so because they have to.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120399660#Comment_120399660

But Hunter has an exceptionally high cap rate even compared to vastly experienced players. Lynn Cantwell irelands most capped player ever got 78 caps.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120401213#Comment_120401213

Talking about boys under 16s just shows you havent a clue.. comparing them is pointless and completely irrelevant to any discussion about the womens game.

bingobango12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120401314#Comment_120401314

Why is it pointless? Did you watch that today, enjoy it and thought you can’t wait for the next game?

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120401329#Comment_120401329

I was at work and it was on some of the screens so didnt really see it. but having just seen result i didnt enjoy that. its pointless comparing boys teams to womens because its irrelevant and does nothing. waste of time comparing them, I will watch the game back tomorrow and if not tomorrow probably on tuesday and yes i cant wait for next game

IRFU have screwed over the womens game with their treatment of players, coaches and the entire womens system in the country. their messing around with players who play 7s and the 15s game is a total mess and a joke.

minitrue

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120401308#Comment_120401308

Of course I know Hunter is exceptional. We had 3 players with 20+ caps today though with the most being the captain with 29. The average number of caps in every other squad in the 6 nations ranges from 24 (Scotland and France) to 37 (England) with Italy also averaging more caps then our most capped current player.

As for talking about the quality and what I want to watch (or not). I watched Ireland beat New Zealand in the world cup and couldn't wait for the rest of their games. I watched the World Cup semi-finals day this year and the quality and entertainment all around was outstanding (including from the amateur Canadians against the beast that is England), can't wait for WXV division 1 to get cracking and lament that we have no chance of featuring in it let alone competing. It's not hard to imagine we'll be in WXV 3 and fail to get out of it before the next world cup. The question is how have we gone from where we were in 2014 to where we are now? For me the reasons are the same reasons we have such a callow squad without a single player we could call vastly experienced.

bingobango12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120401394#Comment_120401394

You are obviously more knowledgeable regarding the womens game than me but I don’t think the IRFU have done a bad job. Ireland number 1 in the world, U20s back to back grand slam champions, all 4 Provences in top 8 of URC. I would much rather that than waste money on the womens game to try keep a few people happy but can see how not everybody would agree with that.

Have watched and played rugby for years, watched bits of amateur womens rugby in the club. Watched the game today and knew going in the pace and intensity wouldn’t be the same as the mens game and that’s fine but was genuinely shocked at how poor the skill level was from both teams.

I am going to bow out of this thread and you are correct in your first response to me, I am pretty clueless regarding the womens game and will stay clueless after that today. No amount of blaming the IRFU equates to not being able to do the very basics of rugby skills.

kita99

Wales TH Tuipulora is a cousin of famous Vnipola brothers, and she is only 20 years old (7caps). She belongs to gloucester and already well known as strong TH.Although knowing about her strength , Ireland coaches ignored that fact, and selected squads with their own hobbit.This is that result. In Ireland,there are some sizable and strong players currently.Ireland must call up Elis Cahil,Rosin Ormond (munster) and Niamb O'Grady, Rosin Mater who is yet U18(both Connacht) at once. They may slow in running play, but very powerful. Neverthless, Ireland players looks the lack of basic rugby skill especialy for tackling. Only repeating (boreingly) practice is the way to become strong tackler.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120401492#Comment_120401492

All those things are in mens game and this is a thread on the womens game and money spent on womens game is not money wasted. Its money spent not to keep some people happy but allow any one who takes up the sport play to the top level. Of course the womens game wont be near same pace or intensity as mens game. it rarely is.

Caranica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120401185#Comment_120401185

You are incredibly harsh on the players over and over again on this thread. Try talking to them. Try finding out what's actually going on and give them some credit. It was 5-5 in the second half, a lot of teams would have rolled over going in so far down to nil after the first half and we didn't.

It takes time to build a team, our men are flying now but it hasn't always been so. Over 50 years between their first and second grand slam. Our women will come good but anyone who expects it to happen in the first season of a new regime really needs to get real.

Fotish

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120402203#Comment_120402203

It was 5-5 in the second half but Wales had secured the bonus point by half time.

I’m not sure what you mean when you say it takes time to build a team, Ireland beat Wales 45-0 two years ago.

About 188,000 females play Gaelic games in Ireland. Rugby has very few , about 8,000 ,and is also dwarfed by soccer, hockey and basketball.

I expect that a lot of the Rugby players probably hadn’t the skills or athleticism to succeed in the other codes.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120403412#Comment_120403412

You are wrong about the players. Way too harsh again. Saying players didnt have skills or athleticism... yet multiple players have played high level in other sports. nationally or otherwise

Caranica

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120403412#Comment_120403412

Look at that Ireland team, how many of them played yesterday? The IRFU have sabotaged women's rugby in Ireland. It will be a while before we fly high again.

naughtyboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120403678#Comment_120403678

Can you explain why so many are missing and why the irfu have sabotaged womens rugby

Genuine question.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120403678#Comment_120403678

Agreed, we will be doing well to prevent the wooden spoon for the foreseeable future.

Italy put it up to France today, with France needing a try 4 minutes from time to put the game safe. Finished Italy 12 - 22 France.

I think ireland will do well to get within 10 points of both scotland and Italy. England and France games could be a blood bath.