The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
What are you lot on about? Ross is a better THP than Hayes. I'm not saying that the Bull was particularly bad, it's just that Ross is better than Hayes was.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Why not? If work around the pitch was so much more important than scrummaging why the hell dont we just play another flanker at TH then?ZappaMan wrote:Ross better than Hayes? Ah, come on, lads, you're jumping the shark now. He's not even in the same ballpark as Bull.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Fester, Hickie made a try scoring debut in Cardiff in 97. He then scored in Paris and Twickenham in 98. We also had Niall Woods and Girv around the same time, and O'Shea, for all his flaws, was tearing up the Prem back when it was a decent league. And don't tell me you wouldn't take any of the 12s (Bell, Hendo, Maggs) from back then in a heartbeat for this team. If you were nervous about Woods' defence, you could just stick Bell or Maggs on the wing too.
Horgan was an awful wing when he first came through. It wasn't until D'Arcy moved to centre full time that Shaggy really learned to play there.
And Bishop was still playing for Ireland as recently as the Grand Slam game with England in 2003! So how you can say we were better in 2001 without him...
Horgan was an awful wing when he first came through. It wasn't until D'Arcy moved to centre full time that Shaggy really learned to play there.
And Bishop was still playing for Ireland as recently as the Grand Slam game with England in 2003! So how you can say we were better in 2001 without him...
Last edited by DOB on Fri Mar 02, 2012 4:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
This.MunsterMan!!!!! wrote:Just a point on the whole coaching thing, there is definitely something wrong, we should be getting more out these players, the inconsistency is what pisses me off!
Really, it's a lot of the technical stuff that's the big problem. Numbers at rucks, body positions, support lines, defensive alignment etc. Les Kiss is in charge of all of that, and we all know Deccie knows fudge all about the nitty gritty of the game. The team needs a new, full time backs/skills coach, and the defensive coaching, especially after our last 2 games against Wales, needs a good hard look too.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
That's pretty much fair enough fester. I would add winning this weekend to that but I accept that beating France is difficult at the best of times. The squad for NZ will be massively important.Uncle Fester wrote:What is Reddan but a slightly taller and more brainfart-prone version of Stringer in the good old days?Nolanator wrote:We've currently got better players available at 3 and 9 than we ever did under Eddie.
Eddie also had BOD at the peak of his powers.
And while I despised how Eddie used the backrow, he had a considerably more balanced backrow available to him than we do now.
Don't get me wrong. Kidney should be getting more out of the players and if hasn't turned things around by the end of the season and we only manage 1 win from the next three games (which is possible IMO), then he should go and let a fresh face take over. Coaches are generals and like Napoleon's question to his marshalls asking "if they were lucky", has Kidney lost that old lucky touch of his? Performance this weekend and 2 wins after that, I'd be inclined to let him have next year and see can we build on that.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
I expect the lazy 'if we condensed all our teams into 3 provinces' argument from the English and French. It's bizarre that it's come from an Irishman. I don't even know where to start but for simplicity I'll say that I would far prefer to have the amount of players France do across two pro divisions with some top, top clubs leading the way rather than 3 and half provinces. The only caveat would be that the IRFU would have to be in control of the clubs as that's the main reason France are inconsistent.
As for the defence of Kidney, it's gotten ridiculous at this stage. He is not getting the best out of the squad and hasn't been for a long time. He nearly got there at the WC but then blinked at the last moment and picked the wrong halfbacks for the QF (not saying we would have won with the right halfbacks but we'd at least have given ourselves a better chance). He only gets the team playing in fits and starts (usually coinciding with picking the right halfbacks - has he got that condition that your man in Memento had that he forgets everything he's learned almost instantly) and results wise the team has regressed massively, especially at home. When he took over we'd lost 6 home games in 7 years, he's now 'led' us to 8 in 4 years.
As for the defence of Kidney, it's gotten ridiculous at this stage. He is not getting the best out of the squad and hasn't been for a long time. He nearly got there at the WC but then blinked at the last moment and picked the wrong halfbacks for the QF (not saying we would have won with the right halfbacks but we'd at least have given ourselves a better chance). He only gets the team playing in fits and starts (usually coinciding with picking the right halfbacks - has he got that condition that your man in Memento had that he forgets everything he's learned almost instantly) and results wise the team has regressed massively, especially at home. When he took over we'd lost 6 home games in 7 years, he's now 'led' us to 8 in 4 years.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Just going to add that as Kidney is from Munster there is fudge all point in arguing with Grim, he makes me look balanced and objective and then tries to dress it up.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
ZappaMan wrote:Ross better than Hayes? Ah, come on, lads, you're jumping the shark now. He's not even in the same ballpark as Bull.
Nolan might catch a few out, its Friday people are emotional, tired after the week but excited about the week end, perfect time for fishing!!!
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Primary job of a THP is to scrummage. Ergo, Ross is better.MunsterMan!!!!! wrote:ZappaMan wrote:Ross better than Hayes? Ah, come on, lads, you're jumping the shark now. He's not even in the same ballpark as Bull.
Nolan might catch a few out, its Friday people are emotional, tired after the week but excited about the week end, perfect time for fishing!!!
Claiming something else would be as ludicrous as claiming a scrumhalf is better because he's a better defen...oh wait.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
It's not a ridiculous defence Statto.
The previous coach (who due to the length of his tenture is the only one we can benchmark Kidney against) also struggled to get the team to perform when it mattered and a lot of dross was covered up by England and Scotland being shit and Wales being shit every year bar two.
The previous coach (who due to the length of his tenture is the only one we can benchmark Kidney against) also struggled to get the team to perform when it mattered and a lot of dross was covered up by England and Scotland being shit and Wales being shit every year bar two.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Bringing Mike McCarthy and Brett Wilkinson to France is a f**king disgrace when they're badly needed in the Connacht pack tonight. If all the 2nd rows and props drop dead Kidney would probably draft in MOD, Cullen, Horan, Hayes and the likes anyway. They're badly needed v the Scarlets tonight and instead they're just carrying the water for the Irish team. Scandalous
Last edited by Porterbelly1 on Fri Mar 02, 2012 5:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Simon Best a better player than Hayes then?binge90 wrote:Primary job of a THP is to scrummage. Ergo, Ross is better.MunsterMan!!!!! wrote:ZappaMan wrote:Ross better than Hayes? Ah, come on, lads, you're jumping the shark now. He's not even in the same ballpark as Bull.
Nolan might catch a few out, its Friday people are emotional, tired after the week but excited about the week end, perfect time for fishing!!!
Claiming something else would be as ludicrous as claiming a scrumhalf is better because he's a better defen...oh wait.
Now I think the boy was much maligned by a lot of people, especially Neil Francis who stubbornly refused to acknowledge the decent performances Best had but if you believe that Best was a better THP than Hayes purely because he was better in the scrum, I'll have some of what you're on.
And now that we're talking about Ross, anybody else worried by his apparent drop in fitness? He is after getting noticeably slower since last year's 6N.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
I got what you need. I'll hook you up.Uncle Fester wrote:Simon Best a better player than Hayes then?binge90 wrote:Primary job of a THP is to scrummage. Ergo, Ross is better.MunsterMan!!!!! wrote:ZappaMan wrote:Ross better than Hayes? Ah, come on, lads, you're jumping the shark now. He's not even in the same ballpark as Bull.
Nolan might catch a few out, its Friday people are emotional, tired after the week but excited about the week end, perfect time for fishing!!!
Claiming something else would be as ludicrous as claiming a scrumhalf is better because he's a better defen...oh wait.
Now I think the boy was much maligned by a lot of people, especially Neil Francis who stubbornly refused to acknowledge the decent performances Best had but if you believe that Best was a better THP than Hayes purely because he was better in the scrum, I'll have some of what you're on.
And now that we're talking about Ross, anybody else worried by his apparent drop in fitness? He is after getting noticeably slower since last year's 6N.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
International comes first.Porterbelly1 wrote:Bringing Mike McCarthy and Brett Wilkinson to France is a f**king disgrace when they're badly needed in the Connacht pack tonight.
But yes it is a disgrace they aren't the best options available.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Thanks Binge. You're a gent. 

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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Quite right. It should be MOD and Horan.earl the beaver wrote:International comes first.Porterbelly1 wrote:Bringing Mike McCarthy and Brett Wilkinson to France is a f**king disgrace when they're badly needed in the Connacht pack tonight.
But yes it is a disgrace they aren't the best options available.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
This. Although it could be argued that we are in fact quite consistently under performing, one or two blips aside.MunsterMan!!!!! wrote:Just a point on the whole coaching thing, there is definitely something wrong, we should be getting more out these players, the inconsistency is what pisses me off!
DOB - while the Golden Generation term is a complete load of bollocks and you made your point well about Hickie, Horgan et all, but Strings and ROG, as much as they have been maligned later in their careers, were almost as instrumental in the turnaround of Irish fortunes as BOD. We actually had passable half backs.
Re Hayes and Ross. Hayes is a legend for so many reasons, but if you offered me a 31 year old Bull or a 31 year old Ross, I'd be picking Ross.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
They'll be over there scratching themselves when they're the men in our pack, we've fudge all chance of picking up a win over there now.earl the beaver wrote:International comes first.Porterbelly1 wrote:Bringing Mike McCarthy and Brett Wilkinson to France is a f**king disgrace when they're badly needed in the Connacht pack tonight.
But yes it is a disgrace they aren't the best options available.
International my balls, they'll be sat in the stand. I'd imagine Elwood is raging. They should bring some other suckers like MOD and Horan who's presence won't be missed in their own team
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
That's no way to talk about 199 Munster capped MOD.Porterbelly1 wrote:They'll be over there scratching themselves when they're the men in our pack, we've fudge all chance of picking up a win over there now.earl the beaver wrote:International comes first.Porterbelly1 wrote:Bringing Mike McCarthy and Brett Wilkinson to France is a f**king disgrace when they're badly needed in the Connacht pack tonight.
But yes it is a disgrace they aren't the best options available.
International my balls, they'll be sat in the stand. I'd imagine Elwood is raging. They should bring some other suckers like MOD and Horan who's presence won't be missed in their own team
Province over country, shameful from a Westie.

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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Maybe if Connacht don't want to contribute to the IRFU then we can take back the money thats the difference between them filling their "developmental" team with utterly shit players and losing every game they play and not existing at all.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
I agree with the Weshtie. It's f**king stupid blocking players from playing for their province so they can sit there scratching themselves.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
I presume they're 23rd and 24th men. Which is normal.Porterbelly1 wrote:They'll be over there scratching themselves when they're the men in our pack, we've fudge all chance of picking up a win over there now.earl the beaver wrote:International comes first.Porterbelly1 wrote:Bringing Mike McCarthy and Brett Wilkinson to France is a f**king disgrace when they're badly needed in the Connacht pack tonight.
But yes it is a disgrace they aren't the best options available.
International my balls, they'll be sat in the stand. I'd imagine Elwood is raging. They should bring some other suckers like MOD and Horan who's presence won't be missed in their own team
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
NO he has never been quick plus he is able to last 80mins these days which he rarely did before. I would have Ross anytime before Hayes it is great to see an Irish scrum actually win the odd Scrum Peno rather then give away one.Uncle Fester wrote:Simon Best a better player than Hayes then?binge90 wrote:Primary job of a THP is to scrummage. Ergo, Ross is better.MunsterMan!!!!! wrote:ZappaMan wrote:Ross better than Hayes? Ah, come on, lads, you're jumping the shark now. He's not even in the same ballpark as Bull.
Nolan might catch a few out, its Friday people are emotional, tired after the week but excited about the week end, perfect time for fishing!!!
Claiming something else would be as ludicrous as claiming a scrumhalf is better because he's a better defen...oh wait.
Now I think the boy was much maligned by a lot of people, especially Neil Francis who stubbornly refused to acknowledge the decent performances Best had but if you believe that Best was a better THP than Hayes purely because he was better in the scrum, I'll have some of what you're on.
And now that we're talking about Ross, anybody else worried by his apparent drop in fitness? He is after getting noticeably slower since last year's 6N.
As for your bollix regarding Stringer V Reddan- Reddan can make a break thus keeping flankers honest- Stringer great passer but defenders just drifted out to the flyhalf due to lack of break.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Coach Played Won Drew Lost Win%Uncle Fester wrote:It's not a ridiculous defence Statto.
The previous coach (who due to the length of his tenture is the only one we can benchmark Kidney against) also struggled to get the team to perform when it mattered and a lot of dross was covered up by England and Scotland being shit and Wales being shit every year bar two.
DK 39 23 1 15 60.25
EOS 83 53 0 30 63.85
Gatland 33 15 1 17 46.96
vs Team...........Kidney.............O'SullivanIt is interesting to consider Kidneys record since the Grand Slam and to otherwise drill into the record a little
Kidney has been in charge for 31 games since the GS, during which time he's had 16 wins, 1 draw and 14 losses. The games began with a summer tour while a Lions tour was on, so excluding those two games (Canada and the USA) there were 14 wins, 1 draw and 14 losses from 29 games
O'Sullivans last 31 games, he had a record of 18 wins and 13 losses.
The periods are pretty comparable also - they start with the autumn after a Lions tour, and include a World cup and (part of) the subsequent 6N
If you bring it back to the same number of games (29) over the same period then O'Sullivans record is 17 wins and 12 losses.
In O'Sullivans case it includes one period where he nearly lost his job (Autumn 2005) and one where he actually did (2008 6N)
Kidneys win record in that period is 36% vs 3N (2.5 from 7 games), 44% vs 6N + Argentina (8 from 18) and 100% vs all others (4 games)
O'Sullivans is 29% (2 from 7), 56% (10 from 18) and 100% (4 games)
Their overall records are:
Kidney 31% (2 from 8, 5 at home and 1 on neutral territory), 58% (14 from 24) and 100% (7 from 7)
EOS 27% (4 from 15, 6 at home), 67% (30 from 45, including 2 tests in Argentina) and 100% (16 from 16)
It is also worth noting that EOS faced French and Welsh sides that won 2 grand slams each, and an English side that won a Grand Slam and a World cup, in the 7 years he was coach, while Kidney has faced 1 slam winner (maybe 2 if someone does it this year also) in his 4.
France.............1/6...................1/9
England............3/4...................4/7
Wales..............2/5...................6/8
Scotland...........2/4...................8/9
Italy................5/5...................9/9
Gatlands record was as follows:
0/8 (average loss of 19.3 points) versus 3N, 11/23 (average win of 5.7 points) vs 6N (and Argentina), and 6.5/7 (average win of 38 points) vs Others
Post Lens (at which stage EOS was assistant coach), the record was:
0/2 (average loss of 10.5 points) versus 3N, 9/13 (average win of 13.2 points) vs 6N (and Argentina), and 2.5/3 (average win of 34.3 points) vs Others
In terms of points differences, the records for Kidney and EOS were:
Kidney: -8, 4, 28.3
EOS: -9.7, 5.5, 31
Bear in mind too how many of EOS games vs 3N were away, versus Kidney
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Until they give a toss about us and while that gobshite Kidney is still in charge and making shitty selections then that will always be the caseCossax wrote:That's no way to talk about 199 Munster capped MOD.Porterbelly1 wrote:They'll be over there scratching themselves when they're the men in our pack, we've fudge all chance of picking up a win over there now.earl the beaver wrote:International comes first.Porterbelly1 wrote:Bringing Mike McCarthy and Brett Wilkinson to France is a f**king disgrace when they're badly needed in the Connacht pack tonight.
But yes it is a disgrace they aren't the best options available.
International my balls, they'll be sat in the stand. I'd imagine Elwood is raging. They should bring some other suckers like MOD and Horan who's presence won't be missed in their own team
Province over country, shameful from a Westie.
Last edited by Porterbelly1 on Fri Mar 02, 2012 6:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
You're being massively subsidised ffsPorterbelly1 wrote: Until they give a toss about us that will always be the case

Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Apparently BOD's old man was on the radio earlier today saying he'd be back in 3 or 4 weeks. f**king awesome.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Sure I said that weeks ago...danthefan wrote:Apparently BOD's old man was on the radio earlier today saying he'd be back in 3 or 4 weeks. f**king awesome.
Mind you, I did hear it indirectly from FOD
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
I posted this a few days back, but look at him go!Tecumseh wrote:Sure I said that weeks ago...danthefan wrote:Apparently BOD's old man was on the radio earlier today saying he'd be back in 3 or 4 weeks. f**king awesome.
Mind you, I did hear it indirectly from FOD
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
The combined tackle count of DOC and Ryan in the France game is one less than POC.
Fairly obvious DOC is not up to this level anymore. Are there still some here thinking his "unseen" work is whats keeping him in the team.
No harm to the big guy but your times up. Retire from international rugby and hand back that central contract.
Fairly obvious DOC is not up to this level anymore. Are there still some here thinking his "unseen" work is whats keeping him in the team.
No harm to the big guy but your times up. Retire from international rugby and hand back that central contract.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Need a change in the centres desperately for next week.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Ian Whitten may be going to Exeter for twice the wage he is getting at Ulster. Not a major problem for Ulster with Wallace, Marshall and Farrell there. Great news for Ian if he can get a good wage in England.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Ian Whitten may be going to Exeter for twice the wage he is getting at Ulster. Not a major problem for Ulster with Wallace, Marshall and Farrell there. Great news for Ian if he can get a good wage in England.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
I await sky to call for his inclusion in the Ireland squad when he tears up the AP a la Downey.Willie Falloon wrote:Ian Whitten may be going to Exeter for twice the wage he is getting at Ulster. Not a major problem for Ulster with Wallace, Marshall and Farrell there. Great news for Ian if he can get a good wage in England.
Munster should have signed him tbf.
Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Could do. It'll probably be good for himearl the beaver wrote:I await sky to call for his inclusion in the Ireland squad when he tears up the AP a la Downey.Willie Falloon wrote:Ian Whitten may be going to Exeter for twice the wage he is getting at Ulster. Not a major problem for Ulster with Wallace, Marshall and Farrell there. Great news for Ian if he can get a good wage in England.
Munster should have signed him tbf.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Sorry Earl. Paddy won't be getting the call.earl the beaver wrote:Need a change in the centres desperately for next week.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
I would have thought the need for a change at hooker to be more pressing. While a fan of his I thought Best had a poor match both in the lineout and loose. With Cronins recent improvement with throwing I think he is worth a look at 2. Trimble was unusually quiet but deserves to hang onto the jersey. Would like to see McFadden given a run at 12 for the Scots.
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Re: The Official Irish Rugby Thread
Much as I enjoy fishing for Earl, Best has been excellent for much of the past year and if we dropped every player after one poor game, we'd be changing more than Claudio Ranieri.rialtoblue wrote:I would have thought the need for a change at hooker to be more pressing. While a fan of his I thought Best had a poor match both in the lineout and loose. With Cronins recent improvement with throwing I think he is worth a look at 2. Trimble was unusually quiet but deserves to hang onto the jersey. Would like to see McFadden given a run at 12 for the Scots.