Well based on the Twitter account alone I find that the most biased view on rugby in Ireland…..so won't be flicking that on
Of the media I like OTB because of the content they have from SA, ROG, etc, also James Tracey has surprised me and I find good, now he is Leinster biased of course but the detail he goes into is very good
Molecast I find great
The 42, Murray Kinsella is excellent and Jackman coverage, Jackman then ends up repeating the same stuff on other pods so I don't bother
Three Red Kings is on it, not sure much else needs to be said.
Not so sure about that, I find most of the calls they make unbiased and they have no problem calling for Munster players in Ireland team
When talking about Bala for years they championed him to start in the Irish jersey and couldn't see why Ireland wouldn't do a NZ and just play him for his speed…..less so in last while because of his form
No idea what PSOM is so can't make a call on that
I think that's harsh. They've favoured Coombes over Conan for a long time, backed Crowley as Sextons successor since November 22 and have called out issues in the development system that have led to a lack of elite athletes, particularly in the backs. You would never hear those points made in a Leinster echo chamber.
Ive only got a chance to listen to the first 20 minutes of the most recent podcast but I think it's one of the worst they've put out. They start out acknowledging that you can't really attribute the 2014 or 2015 6 nations wins to Nucifora as he just took the job in June 2014, but if you count the 2015 title (won 8 months after he took over), he has a 133% better record than the 10 years before he joined. An absolutely absurd point. It would be like crediting Humphries with the 2025 6 nations if we were to go on and win it. Realistically there were 3 titles won via the systems put in place before he joined; 2009, 2014 and 2015 and three won with his systems in place; 2018, 2023 and 2024. Maybe he will end up with a better record if we win in 2025 but saying he has a 133% better record than the 10 years before he joined is ridiculous.
It seems to me that there won't be much room for new players in the squad for the Tests against South Africa. It'll probably look something like the following
LH: Andrew Porter, Cian Healy, Tom O'Toole
H: Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher, Rob Herring/Tom Stewart
TH: Tadhg Furlong, Finlay Bealham, Oliver Jager
SR: Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Iain Henderson
BS: Peter O'Mahony, Ryan Baird
OS: Josh van der Flier
No. 8: Caelan Doris, Jack Conan
SH: Jamison Gibson-Park, Conor Murray, Craig Casey
OH: Jack Crowley, Harry Byrne, Ciarán Frawley
LW: James Lowe, Jacob Stockdale
IC: Fua Leiofi Bundellu Aki, Stuart McCloskey
OC: Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose
RW: Mack Hansen
FB: Hugo Keenan, Jimmy O'Brien
So I can't see too many of the following players breaking in:
LH: Jeremy Loughman, Michael Milne, Jack Boyle
H: Lee Barron
TH: Scott Wilson, Jack Aungier
SR: Kieran Treadwell, Thomas Ahern
BS: Cian Prendergast, David McCann
OS: Will Connors, John Hodnett
No. 8: Nick Timoney, Gavin Coombes, Max Deegan
SH: Nathan Doak, Matthew Devine
OH: Ross Byrne, Sam Prendergast
LW: Shane Daly
IC: Jamie Osborne, Cathal Forde
OC:
RW: Calvin Nash, Jordan Larmour, Robert Baloucoune, Shane Jennings
FB: Stewart Moore, Michael Lowry
Even some experienced players who've featured recently are likely to miss out. I'd like to see them tack Osborne on as a fifth travelling centre because of the age profile of the established options and because he looks so good.
You love it for the same reason Munster fans love PSOM. They tell you what you want to hear. It's a complete Leinster echo chamber.
There's no such thing as a good rugby personality. Well has been poisoned in that regard.
So the bar for "good rugby international personality" is "agrees with Leinster fans" while the bad, clickbait, nonsense talking internet personalities are the ones who talk about Munster.
Love the Molecast. A welcome tonic to the spoofery of Provincial State of Mind.
I got halfway through and stopped.
They described Munster’s decision not to sell stadium naming rights in 2008 as “pompous”.
When discussing Ravenhill, said “sure the Queen built that for them”.
I switched off when I got to the point of them suggesting people wanted John Hodnett on a central contract. I haven’t heard a single person suggest as much, complete strawman.
Listening to it now. It's all over the shop. Bunch of lads having an unstructured waffle. Not great at all.
The Molecast released an excellent podcast on the central contract situation today. Well worth listen.
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-molecast/id1347232071?i=1000653689074
Right, but Finlay, Tadgh and Cian Healy are coming in to land over the next few years. If we have prop anxiety its about the next 5 off the rank.
In that case we probably have 5
elite props can hold their own at international level against the top teams. Very simple.
Or could you list some Irish props who would fall into your idea of the elite category?
Ahhh.
I presume the reference is to Ben Healy.
Jesus help my eyes.
Ginger Scot? Finn is not a ginger, is he?
What do you define as elite as well.
And what's confused you. Are you confused by leinsters struggles for periods at producing some positions or ulster?
I’m not sure, I’m just so confused at how Munster and Connacht have failed to develop elite level props from the last 8 years worth of crop of front row players.
I don't think it is but what can you do to change or improve how props are developed? And if its such an issue that it could affect ability to win I'm coming years what needs to change even at age grade for an improvement?
I kinda wonder, is Irish rugby in the midst of a crisis of failing to develop elite props? I think it’ll be a major barrier to our provincial sides being able to compete and win trophies in the coming years
Have you ever heard of Danny Cipriani 🤣
Interesting Scotland made all sort of promises to try to get Smith to play for them. The ginger scot was getting dumped very quickly if Smith said he would move
Ireland has 4 provinces, England had 12 and now 10 in the Premiership
So a young 10 has more options.
Also Northampton, due to financial constraints, took the plunge and let a lot of senior players go and replaced with young kids a few seasons ago
Just a few reasons but maybe he just progressed quicker than Predergast
Smith is nearly 1 year older, 9 months anyway
Predergast has 12 appearances so far this season, wiki is not always up to date
Smith is already on his second club after his first went bankrupt by the way
In fairness to Marcus Smith if the English team played like Quins do he'd be far better, I don't know if Finn would fit in any better at international level when that team can't settle on a 10,12,13 axis with the past few years
Fin Smith looks a significantly better player than Sam Prendergast at this stage too it has to be said.
Also, Finn Smith looks a significantly better player than Marcus Smith, not even a close call. Inexplicably, the English media seem to adore Marcus..
Hard to argue that one system is better than the other in relation to age introduction of players. Would Sexton have made it to the level/age he did if he had that many games so young? One doubts it. That said, I do think we err on the Conservative side of things a lot of the time, but I think that's a better balance than the alternative.
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