Crowley has started 8 games since the game in Croke Park for club and country.
How many of those can you honestly say he played well in? 1 at a push against Toulon?
He's been in poor form and with an attitude to match it. It's not a controversial take whatsoever but yet some want to argue a toss with it.
Why are you showing me a screenshot of something I already said was harsh to criticise him on?
The reason why I get to a point where I don't engage with you is because you make it bluntly clear that you're reading what you want, and you're not reading what's actually written in front of you.
I'm the one reading what I want, from someone who has claimed I have a desperate desire for Prendergast to fail?
Irony.
Anyways, will leave you to it, FPS…. 👍️
hes played fairly well at times, even the castres game he was decent in open play - it was his goalkicking that was poor and even that was exaggerated apart from the last kick
but either way, 'playing well' is still a big difference from 'beyond awful'. the fact that you said that right after saying that JC gets less criticism than SP shows a complete lack of awareness
and now your questioning his attitude for some reason? i presume this is in relation to the leinster game at christmas, which i agree he should have kept his cool better, but he gets some grace from the fact that it was one of the worst referee performances i've seen in a long time (for both sides). and in terms of poor interactions that irish 10s have had with referees in the recent past, its not even worth thinking about really
To be equally fair, one of Prendergast's missed tackles (for the Jalibert try) was were he fairly hammered a French player in contact, stayed on his feet, JGP committed to a covered man and left LBB alone on the wing, SP recovered and hustled back and went for a tap tackle that missed. In no universe is that his fault but it goes down in the stats.
The Prendergast v Crowley debate is easy, Prendergast is a better player and should start until someone in better form takes the 10 jersey off him.
Of course he's young and doesn't always take the right option but the amount of criticism he gets is becoming a parody at this stage.
It's like the 'Blame Cananda' song in the South Park movie years ago, they should do a 'Blame Prendergast' version and release it for charity.
Only one big screen here tonight
I wouldn’t even say he missed the tap tackle. LBB went to ground. When is a tap tackle successful? The tackler is never going to complete the tackle by bringing the player to ground.
For that one, yep, I agree (it was the JBB try). But do you think them having the same tackle success % means the quality of their missed tackles was the same, overall? That’s what was being implied here. And you’ll be forgive me for being a bit prickly towards a poster who’s claimed I have “a desperate desire for Prendergast to fail”.
Which missed tackles by Sam do you think we’re particularly bad?
The one for the Jalibert try was very poor. TOB was far more at fault for the try, he shot and caught himself in no man’s land. But I think part of the reason he shot like he did was because he knew Prendergast was the defender on his inside. I’m sure there was another too.
MOD EDIT Poster warned
So the one where everybody in the studio agreed it was TOB at fault and Sam was enroute to get the outside man? How is that worse than Crowley’s missed tackles?
The try can be TOB’s fault AND it can be a really poor tackle attempt from Prendergast. Both things can be true. And with regards Crowley’s, as per the screenshot above, one was a 2 on 1 where he did really well to even lay a hand on Attisogbe. Neither were responsible for the resultant try. But Prendergast’s was an objectively worse effort at a tackle. That’s why I think Prendergast’s was worse. I think that pattern will be the same if you analyse all of the missed tackles. Because Crowley is obviously a better defender. Now, a question in return. Do you think it’s possible TOB shot like he did because Prendergast was the player inside him?
There’s an actual game of rugby happening and we’re still posting about who made more effort in situations that were ultimately conceded tries for Ireland.
You’ll forgive me for defending my position after being told I “desperately want Prendergast to fail”, FTD.
Yeah, I get that obviously, but I just don’t get the relevance of the focus on these situations.
I do think Sam’s defence has improved a bit this season - but from a very low base. He looks a lot more willing this year IMO. He’s still obviously not a good defender though.
Well if he did he made the wrong choice and that isn’t on Sam. Sam was doing his job.
First he shouldn't be subject to basic physics, now Prendergast is casting an aura over his teammates making them make terrible decisions and miss tackles themselves. Absolutely pathetic nonsense.
You "get that obviously", yet you saw fit to thank a post claiming I'm desperate for him to fail… cheers FTD…
The focus is because of this:
Crowley and Prendergast's tackle success rate from last night is similar, if that's how you want to compare the two.
Do you think the quality of their missed tackles was broadly comparable? I don't.
I have less than zero interest in getting into this nonsensical debate.
If anyone was hoping for the A team to put their hands up I'm pretty sure we are f*cked
We are in the weeds.
We are in for some rough rough years it looks like.
Our skills level across the board is actually worryingly poor. Basics of hooking, propping etc are really been shown up in this A game, and our ability to catch draw pass across both squads is so below the level it should be.
Worrying very worrying for Irish rugby
We have nothing of note coming through .
POC smiling for photos at full time.......I'm all for being fan friendly, but christ, probably the worst weekend for Irish rugby in 15 years.
Before the game, the camera panned to the Senior Irish coaches and they were all laughing and joking, didn't seem worried. I did notice though during the game when the camera panned to Farrell he didn't look happy at all. They are only snapshots of course .
Noticed that myself, in fairness Sexton had his serious head on too. But sure it means nothing. They are people too, they are allowed to smile every now and then!!
Ireland defence was on the back foot. France attacked at pace. A player like Jalibert stepping a defender unable to come forward is only gonna end one way.
Ireland defence was retreating the whole night because France had immense gainline success in contact. And quick ruck ball. And their players were coming onto the ball at pace.
