I suppose the real question who are "they ", as in what players are in constant contact with the national coaches. Is it the ~40 or so that are in or around the squad already or the next ~50 that would be the hopefuls
Healy, Murray, Larmour, Carbery, R Byrne, Carbery, Kilcoyne, Cooney and the list goes on.
Why does it matter? Crowley was brought into the EI tour and playing for Ireland when he wasn't really playing for Munster.
Joe ened up burning himself out trying to do everything, Farrell is right to delegate to his coachs.
Who just signed a contract?
"A little bit has to be learned from past experiences"
Oh I agree Andy. I agree
It doesn't matter to me as a fan or poster on a rugby forum but if I was a professional rugby player in Ireland I'd like to be on the inside of the circle than being on the outside with no contact from the coaches
Not a starter amongst them
That would be Crowley needing to contact Catt back in 2021 when he was being courted by the soon-to-be back-to-back European Champions, having served as the starting out half for a championship-winning u20s team the year previous.
But you do you.
Have they both got a ProX/URC title?
And lads like Crowley get on the phone and make that contact. The more I see the chap the more I like him, making stuff happen and not afraid of anything.
Came out last night
Nah, Irish people are just that averse to learning foreign languages.
"Great weather, contending for European titles, beautiful town, amazing salary..."
"But Dad, I'd need to learn French"
😳
"I'll get you Mike Catt's number....."
That's un tas de bollocks, frérot
So is ta mere
4 Games this autumn with 2 on a Friday night (one being New Zealand).
Autumn Series confirmed
2 Friday night matches. Not great for travelling supporters.
All started I think in 2020.
Ross has been dropped etc
People can make up all sorts of stuff but the transition of the squad from 2020 to now is massive. Even from the WC we have huge a number of changes.
And? Why on earth should Catt be contacting a player who, by the end of that season, would have 50 minutes of senior rugby under his belt? That is a completely unrealistic proposition. Fair play to Crowley for contacting him and fair play to Catt for taking the call. I can't possibly see anything that anyone did wrong here.
And for those who would want to make the comparison with Prendergast, he was brought into the training squad as a development player, and with zero prospect of making any matchday team, with 400 mins and 4 starts in senior rugby under his belt. Crowley was starting against Australia with 732 minutes of senior rugby and 6 starts at 10 behind him. The Irish management essentially fast-tracked Crowley into the squad - he has done exceptionally well with the opportunity and everyone should be happy.
If they're travelling from NZ or Arg I'm not sure the day of the week is going to make that much difference...
There's a reason we have development officers and development pathways.
Fair dues to Crowley for being pro-active, but to frame it as a negative against the senior test team coaches is simply ignorant.
I would expect you need to be in an around the squad, if not then you need to work harder with the coach;s in the province to get on the radar.
Not sure why the international coach would need to contact every single player in Ireland to give them tips. Or I don't think the provincial coachs would want that either
The lads that said Murray was correct in doing what he did certainly have no concept of the game at all.
I think McCloskey is entitled to feel a bit aggrieved at being left out of the last two squads tbh, i'd have had him ahead of Frawley last week and ahead of Ringrose (straight back after injury) and Nash (similar concerns to other posters) this week. He was fine on the wing against Wales and changed the momentum on one particular hit.
That would include the Irish coaching staff. Pretty bold claim.
Crowley I expect had a huge decision to make, moving to France was a big move and probably wanted to check if he was on radar at all at international.
ROG approached him after La Rochelle had just been in both Europe/French finals and he was going to jump in behind a questionable 10 and ROG was probably telling him he could overtake him. Starting for one of the top teams in Europe
I think it would have been an error from Crowley to not reach out, he clearly wanted to play for Ireland
If Sam Prendergast had been courted this season by La Rochelle, and was so unsure of his prospects for Ireland (whether that be on the coaches, development officers or whoever is tasked with such comms) that he needed to reach out to a senior coach, there'd be more than a hair raised.
If Prendergast was courted by LAR at the end of last season, I would consider it entirely a Leinster problem to solve. If he chose to reach out to an Ireland coach I'd say good for him.
The Ireland coaches have far too much on their plate to be keeping an eye on players who essentially have not yet played senior rugby.
Not sure what this fuss is about? Is there a strict heirarchy and set of protocols to be adhered to. See no problem with Prendergast getting guidance.
A dumb priest never got a good parish.
Really? The out-half of an u20 grand-slam winning side, arguably the 4th/5th in line for the senior side.
That's entirely a Leinster relationship to manage?
I'd honestly have to ask what is on the Ireland coahces' plate if not something like that... fuel inflation?
yes, the coaches and ex-pro players (not to mention the vast majority of fans) are all wrong.....
smacks of 'no, its the children who are wrong' to be honest
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