I would have expected him to be even worse at 13 given his problems mostly revolve around his loss of pace. Aki was pretty much awful when he came on though - I don't know how you can go with anything but Henshaw/Ringrose (and I'd have JOB on the bench over Aki, though I expect he'll get that role).
Aki wasn't awful by any stretch. Do you have a problem with him or something?
He didn't have a great game, he was pretty quiet. Gave away a stupid penalty but made a great run for Baird's try.
Henshaw has had a lot of poor games at 12 for Ireland in recent times. Aki has been far better than him.
I definitely wouldn't play Aki ahead of Henshaw, but just wonder will Farrell look at the size of the Saffers and think he needs more power, even if Aki has not exactly been rampaging over people lately. Henshaw was good against Australia despite the doom and gloom, as he was against Japan, so he deserves to be kept.
I agree re Prendergast, I would still start Crowley this week.
In terms of depth we've come a long way, front row looking better and better, Baird's really grabbed hold of the shirt, Mack looks a fantastic back up option at 15 while the O Brien's and Osborne have shored up the right wing. BR is solid and second row is also in great shape even if Ryan's not been up to his usual standards. Still a question over centres, left wing and the obvious development path of Crowley and SP, but 2 years out from the World Cup the is a pretty good place to be.
Britney at second row? Too prone to a Spears tackle to be trusted IMO.
I'll get my coat....
oops, I did it again. Damn autocorrect.
I'd be very dissapointed if any province took Carbery certainly if it was as a 10. Media seem to be trying to set him for a move to connacht a bit like they did pushing eddie os for the coaching job. And it seems some of the fans from the other 3 provinces think it's a good idea for him to come back as long as it's not to their team
Munster would be better off saving the money for a NIQ prop. I read somewhere over the weekend that the IRFU are going to relax the rules to allow Munster to sign a prop
FFF to Autocorrect: You Drive Me Crazy. Why can't you just Work Bitch? You're doing this deliberately, aren't you? You're Toxic.
Here's a thought, the heroics of the Irish football team to be honoured in some way at the rugby this weekend!! As James Ryan and Caelin Doris mentioned recently we are all one!!
Let’s wait until they actually qualify before we start organising standing ovations. At this rate we’ll be giving out medals for turning up
Erm 5 goals for Parrott and 2 against a top 5 team is more than turning up. Its an honour that no Irish man has achieved
It is a good achievement but not worth celebrating at another sports event. If it had sealed us a world cup spot won ireland something then yes but its a playoff spot thats all theyve got. it doesnt need to be recognised
have they qualified for something?
did they win something?
I know some guy called Troy Parrot scored a load of goals, but I don't follow soccer and I rarely watch tv.
People around here would literally wet themselves if we made past a WC 1/4 final when we are top 5 in the world. Hungary are 30 spots above us in rankings, Portugal almost 60. We have zero pro soccer teams. Beating Portugal and Hungary in the space of a few days is arguably a bigger achievement than the rugby team has ever achieved.
Comparing the achievements of both teams against one another is ridiculous, futile, and rarely done in good faith. Just enjoy both.
Cool story.
The two teams aren't equivalent. We have an all-Ireland rugby team, but not an all-Ireland soccer team. So no.
Ah stop.
And we all know Irish rugby's greatest ever achievement was when Munster beat the All Blacks
I would subscribe to your newsletter…. ☝️
Great few days for Irish Football alright. What's it got to do with the rugby team?
The Cricket team have a game today, should they all do some kind of celebration for the football team aswell? Think there is an athletics meeting this weekend too actually. They should all clap before each race for Ireland getting to the playoffs in the football.
I like football, support a club and Ireland, but there is a strange need for many Irish football fans to talk down every other sport and constantly say how great football is and how terrible rugby, GAA, golf etc is.
To be very technical about it we are not exactly "all one" as there is a division in Irish soccer that doesn't exist in Irish rugby. Should the NI and ROI soccer team get through their respective qualifying then yes it's a good point
The GAA are by far the worst. They look down on everybody.
I've never experienced soccer teams in this country looking down at any other sport.
I really don't like GAA. I played it and experienced loads of crap that went on and it hasn't changed.
I coach kids at rugby and soccer and both sports just do their own thing trying to be the best they can. Kids are taught to be respectful to their teammates, coaches and referees.
Go to a GAA game and listen to the language coming out of the parents and coaches mouths. The kids are at it as well. There's loads of bullying going on there too.
As regards celebrating a different sport I think it's a ridiculous suggestion.
I don't think I've ever heard any other sports celebrate an Irish Six Nations grand slam.
MOD: Let's stick to rugby please
You defintiely experienced GAA in an outlier place in that case as that's not even close to the norm.
On the rugby front, team selection is interesting again this week. I would love to see Mccarthy get another start with Porter held in reserve but I could see how that might be too much of a risk. As someone said above the Australia game has quitened some of the doom merchants for a while and taking a step back and looking at it broadly there's been a decent amount of change int he squad over the last year and a half. I do think though if you're not in now it's going to be very difficult to get a sniff of the squad before the world cup (rightly so but tough on a few lads who've been mentioned on here as possible additions like Doak, the Connacht centers, Gleeson etc.) could still see Edogbo / aherne once fit as they are the kind of physical freak athlete who might be dropped in joe Mccarthy style
I know I have been critical of prendergast but I do hope he starts Saturday. if he is Farrells preferred 10 then he needs to start against South Africa and come 6 nations against England and France. he need the experience of playing against the very physical teams.
and if it does not go his way Saturday then Farrell must not drop him come the 6 nations.
If prendergast is the future then Farrell Must back him. Not good for the team to see prendergast benched for perceived poor defence and then Crowley benched for perceived poor attacking play.
Poor effort. 0/10. Must do better
I do think though if you're not in now it's going to be very difficult to get a sniff of the squad before the world cup
More difficult but not impossible. I think we'll continue to see a gradual evolution of the squad, all the way up to the RWC. We will probably need another option at TH, as Furlong and Bealham are both shoving on, another lock, a third SH and probably another centre. There are four possible/probable gaps without any real standout candidates right now.
in what way was it a poor effort, what reading between the lines am I missing?
He needs to back Crowley or Prendergast. And SA is the ultimate test at the moment.
why not back both
