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RWC 2015 - build-up thread

12357…29

Comments

  • #202
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,831 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Definitely an addition to the Scottish squad, a battle hardened player at the top of his game. He's spent the last five years playing with the Highlanders and had been a stand out player for most of it.... though he spent a lot of this year injured.

    The whole purity argument doesn't interest me. Is the granny rule any more malleable than the niq rule?


  • #203
    total former
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,784 ✭✭✭total former


    Swiwi. wrote: »
    Ah come on the guy himself is not a clown. Has it been clarified whether he is only making a cameo World Cup appearance? In theory he can still play for highlanders and represent Scotland, I imagine the 6N falls during the recognised international window, although no doubt someone will correct me on this. And it's only bad management if it leads to a poor team performance - time will tell.

    OK, "clown" was a bit harsh, but a guy who declares for a national team two months ahead of the RWC (even though he's been eligible all his life) isn't exactly covering himself in glory.

    "In theory" he can play for both Scotland and Highlanders, but both you and I know that it is never going to happen. If I was to take a guess, I'd say he's going to see if he can break into the Scotland squad and if he can't, he'll stay in NZ.

    But after all, he's a pro rugby player and he has to do what's best for his career, just like Bent, Josh Strauss, Naholo or whoever else.

    However, if I was in the Scottish squad, plugging away for Edinburgh or whatever, playing by the rules, and then this guy arrives out of the blue and shoves someone else out, then I'd be pretty cheesed off with the coaches. It just can't be good for morale.


  • #204
    cp
    Registered Users Posts: 177 ✭✭cp


    Well, I'd imagine getting tanked by Ireland on the final day of the 6N can't have been good for morale either..

    Scotland badly need more quality. If he comes in and makes a positive impact, I can imagine the other players will quickly get over their morale issues.


  • #205
    Swiwi.
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,415 ✭✭✭Swiwi.


    total former wrote: »
    OK, "clown" was a bit harsh, but a guy who declares for a national team two months ahead of the RWC (even though he's been eligible all his life) isn't exactly covering himself in glory.

    "In theory" he can play for both Scotland and Highlanders, but both you and I know that it is never going to happen. If I was to take a guess, I'd say he's going to see if he can break into the Scotland squad and if he can't, he'll stay in NZ.

    I think he was going to declare for Scotland last year, but an untimely injury put those plans on hold.

    If he declares for Scotland, he of course becomes ineligible for NZ, and would then require NZRFU dispensation (as Scotland is obviously not one of Fiji/Tonga/Samoa who have free reign to keep playing Super Rugby) to keep playing in NZ, and he could only get a year by year contract. So I'd imagine he would request and be granted an end to his contract if he wanted to play for Edinburgh or Glasgow.

    He is an out and out 7, who reminds me of Tommy O'Donnell a bit, but more muscular. NZ always has depth at 7 (McCaw, Cane, Savea, Todd to name the main ones), but that doesn't mean he isn't a pretty good flanker.

    I honestly don't think it would damage morale, if such signings mean Scotland can win a few games, and avoid the 6N wooden spoon, I'd say players and fans would be happy enough, especially if he then confirms a move to Scotland.

    As it is, he is only in the extended squad, so may well be released, they also have Blair Cowan, he also of Antipodean origins.


  • #206
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Waisake Naholo is out of the World Cup after injuring his leg in his debut against Argentina yesterday.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/70343786/waisake-naholo-out-of-rugby-world-cup-contention-with-leg-injury


  • #207
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Watched the first half of Canada v Japan in the Pacific Nations Cup there. Canada look pretty poor, to be honest, although apparently some of them haven't played since last November? Japan look pretty nippy but it could just be Canada making them look like a half decent side. Can't see either side troubling anyone come the WC.


  • #208
    flangemeistro
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,695 ✭✭✭flangemeistro


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    Waisake Naholo is out of the World Cup after injuring his leg in his debut against Argentina yesterday.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/70343786/waisake-naholo-out-of-rugby-world-cup-contention-with-leg-injury
    I heard about this yesterday and I feel so sorry for the guy, I was raving about him to brother in law after the Argentinian game.
    Hopefully he won't be forgotten about when he recovers.
    Splendid talent.


  • #209
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    flangemeistro wrote: »
    I heard about this yesterday and I feel so sorry for the guy, I was raving about him to brother in law after the Argentinian game.
    Hopefully he won't be forgotten about when he recovers.
    Splendid talent.

    That's the trouble with NZ, you get injured there's always a string of people waiting to take your place.


  • #210
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,831 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    That's the trouble with NZ, you get injured there's always a string of people waiting to take your place.

    They're in no better place for wingers than Ireland ;)


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  • #211
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Will Genia is now a doubt for Australia. Probably needs surgery on his knee.


  • #212
    stephen_n
    Registered Users Posts: 12,920 ✭✭✭✭stephen_n


    That would be a serious blow for the Aussies.


  • #213
    total former
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,784 ✭✭✭total former


    Being reported as minor surgery and Cheika is "confident" he'll be back before the end of the RC.


  • #214
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    How do we feel about the fact Ireland seem to just be preparing as normal for the World Cup while the likes of Wales and England are doing these high altitude and extreme heat training and by all accounts are killing themselves with their sessions?

    I'm no expert but it feels like overkill on their part? Maybe?


  • #215
    smiley_face
    Closed Accounts Posts: 469 ✭✭smiley_face


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    How do we feel about the fact Ireland seem to just be preparing as normal for the World Cup while the likes of Wales and England are doing these high altitude and extreme heat training and by all accounts are killing themselves with their sessions?

    I'm no expert but it feels like overkill on their part? Maybe?

    I reckon that's going to give them a mental edge, in that they'll think they deserve to win more than their opponents after putting themselves through a grueling schedule, but whether it makes them physically stronger or fitter I don't know. Any advantage physically is probably negligible. The summer tests will be more than enough for our players to get match fit I'd say. No worries. All we need to do is get our own focus right and get mentally tough as a team over the next few matches.


  • #216
    kuang1
    Registered Users Posts: 3,458 ✭✭✭kuang1


    I'm actually encouraged by how relatively low key our prep is. No song and dance or travelling halfway round the world to have a rare breed of ant eat pesto off your nether regions...

    in Joe we trust.


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  • #217
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    smiley_face wrote: »
    I reckon that's going to give them a mental edge, in that they'll think they deserve to win more than their opponents after putting themselves through a grueling schedule, but whether it makes them physically stronger or fitter I don't know. Any advantage physically is probably negligible. The summer tests will be more than enough for our players to get match fit I'd say. No worries. All we need to do is get our own focus right and get mentally tough as a team over the next few matches.

    I would have thought coming off the back of a full season most players at this level should be fit enough. Like you say, they'll need some game time, which the upcoming tests will provide, but the extreme workouts seem risky to me. I suppose given the group England and Wales are in they maybe need a little extra to get them over the line there.


  • #218
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    kuang1 wrote: »
    I'm actually encouraged by how relatively low key our prep is. No song and dance or travelling halfway round the world to have a rare breed of ant eat pesto off your nether regions...

    in Joe we trust.

    Funny you should mention "song and dance". Have you seen the "Wear The Rose Send Off" nonsense they're doing for England? I'm not sure where they're sending them off to, to be honest.


  • #219
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,496 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    We should have the lot of them out stacking hay bales instead of wasting time and money on that altitude ****e. The tournament is in England, FFS.


  • #220
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    pickarooney wrote: »
    We should have the lot of them out stacking hay bales instead of wasting time and money on that altitude ****e. The tournament is in England, FFS.

    I assumed the high altitude and extreme heat stuff is more to increase the intensity of the workouts, or whatever the technical term for that is. It's like doing a double workout, almost?


  • #221
    .ak
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,308 ✭✭✭✭.ak


    George North said it's been gruelling because of the heat. He says at times he's completely lost it and has seen Gremlins on his runs...


    ... I wonder how much he's recovered from those knocks exactly...


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  • #222
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,496 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    But because of the heat and altitude you just end up doing less and getting tired quicker. I don't get the logic of it.


  • #223
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,496 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    .ak wrote: »
    George North said it's been gruelling because of the heat. He says at times he's completely lost it and has seen Gremlins on his runs...


    ... I wonder how much he's recovered from those knocks exactly...

    Like he ducked out of a jog and went to the cinema?


  • #224
    kuang1
    Registered Users Posts: 3,458 ✭✭✭kuang1


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    Funny you should mention "song and dance". Have you seen the "Wear The Rose Send Off" nonsense they're doing for England? I'm not sure where they're sending them off to, to be honest.

    Haven't seen that but does sound amusing!
    And I definitely cracked a smile when I saw the ad for...whatever the fuk it was...where the English players are being carried around on peoples shoulders...major cringe. (And you can see it in some of the players faces too...not happy campers!)


  • #225
    .ak
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,308 ✭✭✭✭.ak


    pickarooney wrote: »
    But because of the heat and altitude you just end up doing less and getting tired quicker. I don't get the logic of it.

    Well your targets wouldn't change, so you're going to force through the body to go through with it, muscle endurance for one will probably improve, so will recovery times.


  • #226
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    kuang1 wrote: »
    Haven't seen that but does sound amusing!
    And I definitely cracked a smile when I saw the ad for...whatever the fuk it was...where the English players are being carried around on peoples shoulders...major cringe. (And you can see it in some of the players faces too...not happy campers!)

    Yeah it's the same thing. The public have them on their shoulders to #CarryThemHome.

    o2rugbycropped-20150721101910460.jpg

    Between this, the official single version of Swing Low and the rules for Social Media that they've been given it's all getting off to a fairly embarrassing start for them.

    I suppose it's an attempt to get the whole country behind the World Cup in general but are those who don't normally follow rugby likely to be swayed by any of this? It's not like they're New Zealand where the entire country is built around rugby, almost.


  • #227
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,496 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Have you seen the people who live at high altitudes though? Midgets, the lot of them. I'd love to read the science behind training big men high up.


  • #228
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    pickarooney wrote: »
    Have you seen the people who live at high altitudes though? Midgets, the lot of them. I'd love to read the science behind training big men high up.

    Well as far as I'm aware the point is to force your body to increase it's capacity for carrying oxygen in your bloodstream. It's not about the actual physical gains you make while you're there, it's about the chemical changes it induces that help you when you come down. Mind you, the closest I get to high altitude training at the moment is going up and down the stairs.


  • #229
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    irishbucsfan wrote: »
    Well as far as I'm aware the point is to force your body to increase it's capacity for carrying oxygen in your bloodstream. It's not about the actual physical gains you make while you're there, it's about the chemical changes it induces that help you when you come down. Mind you, the closest I get to high altitude training at the moment is going up and down the stairs.

    This would imply that players who usually play at high altitude are at an advantage coming down to low altitude?


  • #230
    razorblunt
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,300 ✭✭✭✭razorblunt


    irishbucsfan wrote: »
    Well as far as I'm aware the point is to force your body to increase it's capacity for carrying oxygen in your bloodstream. It's not about the actual physical gains you make while you're there, it's about the chemical changes it induces that help you when you come down. Mind you, the closest I get to high altitude training at the moment is going up and down the stairs.

    Yes, I think it was Neil Francis who said during RWC 1995 the Irish team were up there for the few days before the French QF, they came down to sea level 2 days before the game and smashed the training session the next day. He reckoned staying up there a day later may have helped them.

    That O2 England ad is so horrible, they're like fairgrade balloons on the shoulders, awful guff altogether. Credit to Marler though he looks like he embraced it.


  • #231
    irishbucsfan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    This would imply that players who usually play at high altitude are at an advantage coming down to low altitude?

    Yes it would, although the extent of the benefit I have no idea. You have to go pretty high though, the only professional side I know at that kind of altitude would be the Bulls.


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  • #232
    Rattlehead_ie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,882 ✭✭✭Rattlehead_ie


    That pic is bloody disturbing


  • #233
    kuang1
    Registered Users Posts: 3,458 ✭✭✭kuang1


    Rattlehead_ie wrote: »
    That pic is bloody disturbing

    It's definitely homoerotica at it's finest!


  • #234
    jacothelad
    Registered Users Posts: 5,933 ✭✭✭jacothelad


    pickarooney wrote: »
    Have you seen the people who live at high altitudes though? Midgets, the lot of them. I'd love to read the science behind training big men high up.

    The body adapts to high altitude / low oxygen zones by increasing the number of red blood cells. It can therefore make more efficient use of limited oxygen. At sea level, after a longish stint (weeks) at altitude there may be a benefit to SOME athletes such as distance runners and this lasts between one and 3 weeks by which time the body has recycled the extra cells and reverts to the normal level. It isn't a magic training method. I doubt if someone like Mike Ross would get much benefit as he walks everywhere any way.


  • #235
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,496 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    It's far too early to be doing that now surely for a tournament in the Autumn. As for team from high altitudes having an advantage in the lowlands... Compare Bolivia's football results home and away.


  • #236
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 27,270 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    That would have far more to do with opposition teams suffering badly at altitude. Whatever advantage they would get from the high altitude training/living would be far less than the disadvantage faced by teams unused to it playing at such altitude.


  • #237
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Having trained at 2000m+ all I can say is that it's something you need to do for a couple of weeks to really see any benefit. The biggest thing I noticed initially was runs where my HR would normally have been around 120 - 130 I was hitting 160+!


  • #238
    Bogwoppit
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,794 ✭✭✭Bogwoppit


    Can anyone tell me which channel the warm up games will be on?


  • #239
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Bogwoppit wrote: »
    Can anyone tell me which channel the warm up games will be on?

    Sky, I think, or they have some of them anyway.


  • #240
    total former
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,784 ✭✭✭total former


    Bogwoppit wrote: »
    Can anyone tell me which channel the warm up games will be on?

    The home games and the match v England are on Sky. The game in Wales is on BBC Wales, no confirmation of Irish rights yet.


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  • #241
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Wales v Ireland this weekend isn't on anywhere except BBC Wales. Think you can get it on Sky under other channels. BBC Wales streams Pro 12 matches online so hopefully they'll stream this too.


  • #242
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    Wales v Ireland this weekend isn't on anywhere except BBC Wales. Think you can get it on Sky under other channels. BBC Wales streams Pro 12 matches online so hopefully they'll stream this too.

    Does anyone have any idea of anywhere in or near Portlaoise that will show the game?


  • #243
    davegrohl48
    Registered Users Posts: 1,530 ✭✭✭davegrohl48


    pickarooney wrote: »
    It's far too early to be doing that now surely for a tournament in the Autumn. As for team from high altitudes having an advantage in the lowlands... Compare Bolivia's football results home and away.
    Think its a lot of mindgames. Our regime is more brutal than your regime. I read All Blacks do 7 quality hours a week. Typical sessions might be one hour. Players have freedom to work on programs in their own time. Wales would be better off doing nothing but skills work, their biggest deficit on the SH teams.


  • #244
    Fireball07
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,264 ✭✭✭✭Fireball07


    pickarooney wrote: »
    It's far too early to be doing that now surely for a tournament in the Autumn. As for team from high altitudes having an advantage in the lowlands... Compare Bolivia's football results home and away.

    Bolivia & Ecuador are both a lot better at home than away, but it's more to do with other teams being worse at that height than them. The vast majority of their players play in Europe, presumably at lower altitudes and you don't see them smashing it up.


    At the end of the day, the better team is more likely to win, perhaps that extra physical edge is more of a factor in rugby than football but I would say it's minimal at best.

    Preparation is key but I have faith in Joe in that regard.


  • #245
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    There's been a couple of articles about the training with Irish players this past week and they all kind of say the same thing. The sessions are pretty brutal but they see no need to go abroad to do them.

    Luke Fitzgerald mentions the altitude thing too...

    http://www.the42.ie/luke-fitzgerald-pre-season-ireland-recovery-2015-2244131-Aug2015/

    Andrew Trimble
    http://www.the42.ie/andrew-trimble-world-cup-2249476-Aug2015/


  • #246
    b.gud
    Registered Users Posts: 4,817 ✭✭✭b.gud


    Ciprianis chances of staying in the WC squad looks to have got a bit of a boost

    http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/world-cup/danny-cipriani-free-to-play-at-world-cup-after-drinkdrive-charge-decision-is-put-on-hold-31425308.html

    I'm sure there were absolutely no outside factors in him being re-bailed until just after the tournament ends :rolleyes:


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  • #247
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    ^ It'll be interesting to see if Cipriani gets picked. They've given the players a list of rules on how to behave on social media and all that kind of thing, presumably in an effort to keep negative press away, so it would be pretty odd to then pick a player who is on bail for drink driving.


  • #248
    thomond2006
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Don't hate on Cipriani. His last incident led to this gem of a post: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=84320643&postcount=4


  • #249
    matthew8
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,599 ✭✭✭matthew8


    Fiji won the Pacific Nations Cup this morning, 39-29 from Samoa. Australia, England, Wales, Fiji and Uruguay has to be the toughest pool in history.


  • #250
    Wang King
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,169 ✭✭✭Wang King


    matthew8 wrote: »
    Fiji won the Pacific Nations Cup this morning, 39-29 from Samoa. Australia, England, Wales, Fiji and Uruguay has to be the toughest pool in history.

    I don't fancy Australia's chances at all


  • #251
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,931 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    In other Pacific Nations Cup news, Canada are beyond terrible. Wonder what kind of team we'll go with there? A B team would beat them handily but should we start the A team and ring the changes in 2nd half or start the B team and have some A players in reserv on the bench just in case?


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