Well this I didn't know. Thought it was just NZ and England? Presuming it's NZ twice then?
Never knew either, info here...come on Cyprus
https://www.planetrugby.com/news/the-longest-unbeaten-and-winning-streaks-in-mens-test-rugby-history#:~:text=24%20Tests%20%E2%80%93%20Cyprus%20(Nov%202008,by%20the%20minnow%20rugby%20nation.
Cyprus have the outright record with 24 I think. NZ x2, SA and Lithuania have all won 17 in a row. Got to give some love to the minnows.
You do wonder if the Irish squad were announced a week later, would Stockdale still be there... maybe Smith from Connacht in his place?
Jaysus that's a brilliant counter from Lowe and Henshaw.
We should be looking to get the bonus and kill off the game in the next 10. Leicester down a man and Chessum off with a HIA.
Reffell and Chessum were Leicester's best player in the first half.
Huge blow for them that both have failed HIA's.
Leinster have been scrappy in the last 10 minutes. Match isn't anywhere near secure either.
Need another try to secure the bonus as well.
Not just scrappy, Leinster have been poor.
Bonus point would be great, but we really need to ensure the win.
Edit: Apologies wrong thread.
What does Farrell do now.
How can he start POM after that performance and say the team is picked on form
so Munster are nearly on their own goal line in the 79 minute with a losing bonus point almost in d bag and Crowley attempts a little dink ,WTF
Wasn’t that Carbery?
POM was getting plenty of praise from posters here for his part in how Munster performed last week, using it as part of the case for him to be made Irish captain.
Does the disastrous falling apart at home against 14, at times 13 players, similarly put the same portion of blame on him and question the sense in making him captain?
POM wasn't bad today, his pack were outplayed though, and there is an obvious question mark over leadership on the field with Munster who can't back up good performances. Ireland are a different kettle of fish. I'd be more worried about Crowley than POM honestly. Today under pressure in poor conditions he was at sea and his decision making got worse as the game progressed. Conditions and the belief the opposition had called for very deliberate territorial tactics but Crowley went for Hail Marys half the time. I'll bet NH's coaches loved to see it.
POM played fine
But I just saw Stockdales attempt v Quinns. I’m sorry but He should not be near the Ireland squad.
Lowe has been excellent on his return to rugby. Don't think there's any question that he'll start against France.
Joe McCarthy and Ryan Baird should be in the 23 as well. Both are in excellent form and have the physical impact to make a big difference whether starting or coming off the bench.
Stockdale is very low on brain cells.
Agree with trying to get them both in however it will be difficult with Baird unless they go 6-2.
POM is a guarantee now to start but cant do 80. If Baird is the backrow option then we're pretty stuck if Doris or VDF have to come off.
Just made a similar comment in the Leinster thread but it's entirely possible, and I would say even likely, that neither Baird nor McCarthy will make the 23 against France.
Starting back 5 of pack: Ryan, Beirne, POM, VDF, Doris
Subs: Henderson, Conan
I would think Conan might miss out. Baird will be a better fit v France, imo.
We're then relying on POM to cover 7 and 8 when he cant really last 80 at this stage
I reckon Baird could cover 7?
Doris would cover 7 in the case of Conan on the bench. Not sure what they'd do in the case of Baird.
Might be better to use POM to cover 678 from the bench.
He seems crocked anyway. Might not make the French game.
Wishful thinking from you
Nobody was making the case for him to be made captain just because of the Toulon game. Or even in any large part because of the Toulon game.
They were making the case for him to be captain because of a career where he has show his leadership credentials time and again over a decade or more.
One ok performance doesn't negate that.
In any 5-3 split, you pretty much never cover all backrow options. This isn't new.
It was used earlier in the week and it was as dumb a thing to bring in then as it would be to use the performance this week to say why it was the wrong decision.
With the makeup of the team with POM locked in and not able to really do 80 min, Conan provides a lot more cover than Baird does. We already have a 5/6 cover with Beirne.
AF doesn't seem as stressed about it so it could be something he does. It would likely however at some stage come back to bite us, like some of his other approaches
No one performance dictates the selection of a captain. No one was suggesting as much.
As I said, POM has a career of demonstrating his leadership credentials. One performance against Toulon, nor one performance against Northampton was going to sway it.
One match last weekend is an incredibly small part of the case for him to be made captain.
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