The Official Irish Rugby Thread

[earl the beaver]

You don't absolutely need size to boss collisions, but size makes is much much easier.

Size and power are two cheeks of the same arse. I’m happy to accept the exceptions when they arrive, but it certainly isn’t Doris. I like him, but Ireland will never be anything other than competitive with him as the first choice 8.

Not picking on him. There are a lot of guys who played today who fit that description.

Rhys Ruddock says hello.

Needs to convince Leo to pick him in big games for Leinster.

[nabanoba]

What we now know to be fact:

We’re a mediocre rugby team

We don’t have a tight 5 that can compete with the best teams

We have a poor set piece

Our backs offer no threat in attack and are very easy to defend against.

We are really badly coached

We're very much in transition. We have a number of players breaking through at the provinces who could be really, really good. But all including the likes of Doris and Kelleher are probably a year or two off being top international standard. They have the potential to get there, but wouldn't be starting at the moment if there were other top quality options.

We will not win a 6 nations soon, so blooding lads especially in games like Georgia next week needs to be the way forward.

The coaching is a bigger worry for me.

We could potentially field a back 3 with 3 real gamebreakers with Lowe, Stockdale and Larmour offering real X factor, with Earls still a capable back up. We then have solid nuts and bolts players like Keenan and JOB as well as the likes of Daly, TOB and Balacoune breaking through. We need to find a way of getting these players on the ball much more and that has to the a second playmaker either at 12 or 15 and a 10 who threatens the line. Frawley, Lowry, H Bryne and Crowley could all potentially do this in the coming years, along with Carbery if he isn't fully broken.

No other top international team plays two boshers in the centre.

[earl the beaver]

No other top international team plays two boshers in the centre.

Not that I disagree with your post but the world champions do, just so happens their 13 can also make an outside break.

[Floppykid]

You don't absolutely need size to boss collisions, but size makes is much much easier.

Size and power are two cheeks of the same arse. I’m happy to accept the exceptions when they arrive, but it certainly isn’t Doris. I like him, but Ireland will never be anything other than competitive with him as the first choice 8.

Not picking on him. There are a lot of guys who played today who fit that description.

Rhys Ruddock says hello.

Needs to convince Leo to pick him in big games for Leinster.

Could've done with him against Sarries.

[Floppykid]

No other top international team plays two boshers in the centre.

Not that I disagree with your post but the world champions do, just so happens their 13 can also make an outside break.

It also comes down to how good their pack is.

[EverReady]

England have better players in nearly every position so the coaching doesn't make a huge difference.

I don’t buy that at all. Japan beat us at the World Cup because we were badly coached and they were very well coached. There is no excuse for Ireland losing so many lineouts today, for Lowe (who rarely kicks) panick kicking away every ball he got today etc etc

Japan have gamebreakers though, their wingers are genuine threats from anywhere and they have powerful and pacy carriers in the backrow (their backrow made 138m, compared to 43 from us), sure we might have on average better players but we are lacking game breakers, which is why we need Stockdale in the team somewhere and we need to hope someone like Coombs continues to smash through people as he moves up the levels in the backrow.

Stockdale has been shite. Why would he make any difference. Coming off the bench today he was a bit hungry so.maybe see how that goes. Overall and as many of us said a good while ago this is just a fallow few years ahead. We'll give Wales and Scotland a rattle and hide behind the couch for everybody else

[danthefan]

Didn't see it, who are we blaming today?

They can fudge off whoever they are

[Zico]

Itoje is a menace but letting him get at your 9 unopposed is a cardinal sin. JPG will take some flak but the forwards let him down too often on basic stuff like protecting his space.

These are all good players but just not organised enough against a well drilled team like England.

That falls on the coaches.

[earl the beaver]

England have better players in nearly every position so the coaching doesn't make a huge difference.

I don’t buy that at all. Japan beat us at the World Cup because we were badly coached and they were very well coached. There is no excuse for Ireland losing so many lineouts today, for Lowe (who rarely kicks) panick kicking away every ball he got today etc etc

Japan have gamebreakers though, their wingers are genuine threats from anywhere and they have powerful and pacy carriers in the backrow (their backrow made 138m, compared to 43 from us), sure we might have on average better players but we are lacking game breakers, which is why we need Stockdale in the team somewhere and we need to hope someone like Coombs continues to smash through people as he moves up the levels in the backrow.

Stockdale has been shite. Why would he make any difference. Coming off the bench today he was a bit hungry so.maybe see how that goes. Overall and as many of us said a good while ago this is just a fallow few years ahead. We'll give Wales and Scotland a rattle and hide behind the couch for everybody else

He hasn't been shite though, he's made a some mistakes but he's also had some really good play. People are hounding him over his mistakes but when Lowe and Keenan make mistakes do we see the same reaction? Do we fúck.

[nabanoba]

No other top international team plays two boshers in the centre.

Not that I disagree with your post but the world champions do, just so happens their 13 can also make an outside break.

Lukhanyo Am?

Nothing against the two boys in the centre, both as honest as the day is long. Just feel we need a bit more ball skills in there.

Appreciate today they were paying behind a beaten pack and a deep 10, so feck-all they could do.

[earl the beaver]

No other top international team plays two boshers in the centre.

Not that I disagree with your post but the world champions do, just so happens their 13 can also make an outside break.

Lukhanyo Am?

Nothing against the two boys in the centre, both as honest as the day is long. Just feel we need a bit more ball skills in there.

Appreciate today they were paying behind a beaten pack and a deep 10, so feck-all they could do.

Yes Am.

Both centres can make yards but there's nothing except run forward as you say. If we had a player who could bosh and step and go on an outside break like Am we'd be in a better place. Dare I say it but if Stockdale's defence was better he'd be a great option at 13 (and you would allow you to accomodate more wingers) given his size and pace, but his defence is just too dodgy and I think he could be a long term solution at 15.

[Armchair_Superstar]

There are youngsters absolutely ripping it up for the provinces but it doesn’t look like we are going to pick them.

They’ll be going backwards as long as they keep picking Sexton.

[EverReady]

England have better players in nearly every position so the coaching doesn't make a huge difference.

I don’t buy that at all. Japan beat us at the World Cup because we were badly coached and they were very well coached. There is no excuse for Ireland losing so many lineouts today, for Lowe (who rarely kicks) panick kicking away every ball he got today etc etc

Japan have gamebreakers though, their wingers are genuine threats from anywhere and they have powerful and pacy carriers in the backrow (their backrow made 138m, compared to 43 from us), sure we might have on average better players but we are lacking game breakers, which is why we need Stockdale in the team somewhere and we need to hope someone like Coombs continues to smash through people as he moves up the levels in the backrow.

Stockdale has been shite. Why would he make any difference. Coming off the bench today he was a bit hungry so.maybe see how that goes. Overall and as many of us said a good while ago this is just a fallow few years ahead. We'll give Wales and Scotland a rattle and hide behind the couch for everybody else

He hasn't been shite though, he's made a some mistakes but he's also had some really good play. People are hounding him over his mistakes but when Lowe and Keenan make mistakes do we see the same reaction? Do we fúck.

He has been consistently shite for ages that is why he gets grief. I haven't gone after him you may or may not recall but he has still been shite. Keenan and Lowe aren't around long enough to be pilloried. The way the forwards are playing we'll be giving them gift for a few years to.come.

[hermie]

What's John Plumtree up to these days?

Coaching the All Blacks!

[earl the beaver]

For Georgia I'd drop Ryan, consider Hendy as captain. I'd retain Kelleher.

Healy
Kelleher
Bealham/Ryan
Henderson
Roux
Stander
Connors
Doris
Murray
Burns
Lowe
McCloskey (there's a reason he's not been released to Ulster this week or last, they've probably planned on a token cap here)
Farrell
Keet
Stockdale

Herring
Fúck knows, really don't rate Byrne
Porter
Ryan
VDF
Cooney (we can but dream)
Byrne
Keenan

[earl the beaver]

I don’t buy that at all. Japan beat us at the World Cup because we were badly coached and they were very well coached. There is no excuse for Ireland losing so many lineouts today, for Lowe (who rarely kicks) panick kicking away every ball he got today etc etc

Japan have gamebreakers though, their wingers are genuine threats from anywhere and they have powerful and pacy carriers in the backrow (their backrow made 138m, compared to 43 from us), sure we might have on average better players but we are lacking game breakers, which is why we need Stockdale in the team somewhere and we need to hope someone like Coombs continues to smash through people as he moves up the levels in the backrow.

Stockdale has been shite. Why would he make any difference. Coming off the bench today he was a bit hungry so.maybe see how that goes. Overall and as many of us said a good while ago this is just a fallow few years ahead. We'll give Wales and Scotland a rattle and hide behind the couch for everybody else

He hasn't been shite though, he's made a some mistakes but he's also had some really good play. People are hounding him over his mistakes but when Lowe and Keenan make mistakes do we see the same reaction? Do we fúck.

He has been consistently shite for ages that is why he gets grief. I haven't gone after him you may or may not recall but he has still been shite. Keenan and Lowe aren't around long enough to be pilloried. The way the forwards are playing we'll be giving them gift for a few years to.come.

Wrong

[YOYO]

Georgia is a nothing game. Will find it hard to watch it.

[hermie]

Farrell is delusional. He thinks Ireland should be proud of themselves.

He was watching a different game from the rest of us

He was a bad choice and now we’re paying for it

Yep, unfortunately

[SFBB]

Keenan can make errors and never threaten to win a game. At least Stockdale concerns the defence of our opponents.

Keenan is a tidy footballer, but there will be 15 lads coming through schools in the next 2 years who could reach his level with appropriate coaching and development. It could be 5-10 years until we see a talent like Stockdale again

[Flametop]

Peter O'Mahony - 8

Ireland's stand-out player. Calling someone a fighter or dogged often seems like an intangible, but that's what O'Mahony showed all afternoon. Even in lost causes, he was swinging for the fences. Won his side a crucial turnover just metres from his own tryline. Nice grubber kick up the line for himself. Won another turnover in the final 10 minutes.

[TheBouncer]

Keenan can make errors and never threaten to win a game. At least Stockdale concerns the defence of our opponents.

Keenan is a tidy footballer, but there will be 15 lads coming through schools in the next 2 years who could reach his level with appropriate coaching and development. It could be 5-10 years until we see a talent like Stockdale again

Stockdale couldn't defend his man in a phonebox and the Paris calamity was without them even testing his tackling. Nobody should give up on him but he's been a liability for a lengthy spell now.

England are just playing a different sport, what can you do. We have no top end talent and the young guys are far from prodigies. We just need to take our medicine.

[YOYO]

Peter O'Mahony - 8

Ireland's stand-out player. Calling someone a fighter or dogged often seems like an intangible, but that's what O'Mahony showed all afternoon. Even in lost causes, he was swinging for the fences. Won his side a crucial turnover just metres from his own tryline. Nice grubber kick up the line for himself. Won another turnover in the final 10 minutes.

Agreed. Someone wrote above that he should be dropped. Not on that showing.

[hermie]

I don’t buy that at all. Japan beat us at the World Cup because we were badly coached and they were very well coached. There is no excuse for Ireland losing so many lineouts today, for Lowe (who rarely kicks) panick kicking away every ball he got today etc etc

Japan have gamebreakers though, their wingers are genuine threats from anywhere and they have powerful and pacy carriers in the backrow (their backrow made 138m, compared to 43 from us), sure we might have on average better players but we are lacking game breakers, which is why we need Stockdale in the team somewhere and we need to hope someone like Coombs continues to smash through people as he moves up the levels in the backrow.

Stockdale has been shite. Why would he make any difference. Coming off the bench today he was a bit hungry so.maybe see how that goes. Overall and as many of us said a good while ago this is just a fallow few years ahead. We'll give Wales and Scotland a rattle and hide behind the couch for everybody else

He hasn't been shite though, he's made a some mistakes but he's also had some really good play. People are hounding him over his mistakes but when Lowe and Keenan make mistakes do we see the same reaction? Do we fúck.

He has been consistently shite for ages that is why he gets grief. I haven't gone after him you may or may not recall but he has still been shite. Keenan and Lowe aren't around long enough to be pilloried. The way the forwards are playing we'll be giving them gift for a few years to.come.

Keenan, along with Earl's was our best player today

[earl the beaver]

Peter O'Mahony - 8

Ireland's stand-out player. Calling someone a fighter or dogged often seems like an intangible, but that's what O'Mahony showed all afternoon. Even in lost causes, he was swinging for the fences. Won his side a crucial turnover just metres from his own tryline. Nice grubber kick up the line for himself. Won another turnover in the final 10 minutes.

Lulz, where is that from?

[Armchair_Superstar]

If you look for reasons Burns is in the squad then they’ve got to be seeing something in Ulsters shape and they’re probably trying to play around the chip kick more. Byrne started kicking well and then just parked up. You’ve got to put pace on against that England defence, shuffling about buying time is just going to get swallowed up.

I’m not sure any of the 10s in this squad should be featuring beyond the end of this season.

[Flametop]

Peter O'Mahony - 8

Ireland's stand-out player. Calling someone a fighter or dogged often seems like an intangible, but that's what O'Mahony showed all afternoon. Even in lost causes, he was swinging for the fences. Won his side a crucial turnover just metres from his own tryline. Nice grubber kick up the line for himself. Won another turnover in the final 10 minutes.

Lulz, where is that from?

Yo-yo.. I posted that cos it was hilarious and you agreed with it like you thought I was serious?

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/rugby/ireland- ... ngs-220581

[Bogbunny]

Japan have gamebreakers though, their wingers are genuine threats from anywhere and they have powerful and pacy carriers in the backrow (their backrow made 138m, compared to 43 from us), sure we might have on average better players but we are lacking game breakers, which is why we need Stockdale in the team somewhere and we need to hope someone like Coombs continues to smash through people as he moves up the levels in the backrow.

Stockdale has been shite. Why would he make any difference. Coming off the bench today he was a bit hungry so.maybe see how that goes. Overall and as many of us said a good while ago this is just a fallow few years ahead. We'll give Wales and Scotland a rattle and hide behind the couch for everybody else

He hasn't been shite though, he's made a some mistakes but he's also had some really good play. People are hounding him over his mistakes but when Lowe and Keenan make mistakes do we see the same reaction? Do we fúck.

He has been consistently shite for ages that is why he gets grief. I haven't gone after him you may or may not recall but he has still been shite. Keenan and Lowe aren't around long enough to be pilloried. The way the forwards are playing we'll be giving them gift for a few years to.come.

Keenan, along with Earl's was our best player today

Nope and nope

[earl the beaver]

Japan have gamebreakers though, their wingers are genuine threats from anywhere and they have powerful and pacy carriers in the backrow (their backrow made 138m, compared to 43 from us), sure we might have on average better players but we are lacking game breakers, which is why we need Stockdale in the team somewhere and we need to hope someone like Coombs continues to smash through people as he moves up the levels in the backrow.

Stockdale has been shite. Why would he make any difference. Coming off the bench today he was a bit hungry so.maybe see how that goes. Overall and as many of us said a good while ago this is just a fallow few years ahead. We'll give Wales and Scotland a rattle and hide behind the couch for everybody else

He hasn't been shite though, he's made a some mistakes but he's also had some really good play. People are hounding him over his mistakes but when Lowe and Keenan make mistakes do we see the same reaction? Do we fúck.

He has been consistently shite for ages that is why he gets grief. I haven't gone after him you may or may not recall but he has still been shite. Keenan and Lowe aren't around long enough to be pilloried. The way the forwards are playing we'll be giving them gift for a few years to.come.

Keenan, along with Earl's was our best player today

Nah.

Misjudged the jump for the first May try, slice clearance kick down the line and a poor attempt to find space with another. I mean he wasn't terrible but he simply didn't do much.

[YOYO]

Peter O'Mahony - 8

Ireland's stand-out player. Calling someone a fighter or dogged often seems like an intangible, but that's what O'Mahony showed all afternoon. Even in lost causes, he was swinging for the fences. Won his side a crucial turnover just metres from his own tryline. Nice grubber kick up the line for himself. Won another turnover in the final 10 minutes.

Agreed. Someone wrote above that he should be dropped. Not on that showing.

Oh you’re quoting a media rating. I actually thought he was our best player.

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.sportsj ... ngs-220581

[Duff Paddy]

Peter O'Mahony - 8

Ireland's stand-out player. Calling someone a fighter or dogged often seems like an intangible, but that's what O'Mahony showed all afternoon. Even in lost causes, he was swinging for the fences. Won his side a crucial turnover just metres from his own tryline. Nice grubber kick up the line for himself. Won another turnover in the final 10 minutes.

Lulz, where is that from?

2010 or so

[Hellraiser]

Didn't see it, who are we blaming today?

They can fudge off whoever they are

Coaching staff.

[hermie]

Stockdale has been shite. Why would he make any difference. Coming off the bench today he was a bit hungry so.maybe see how that goes. Overall and as many of us said a good while ago this is just a fallow few years ahead. We'll give Wales and Scotland a rattle and hide behind the couch for everybody else

He hasn't been shite though, he's made a some mistakes but he's also had some really good play. People are hounding him over his mistakes but when Lowe and Keenan make mistakes do we see the same reaction? Do we fúck.

He has been consistently shite for ages that is why he gets grief. I haven't gone after him you may or may not recall but he has still been shite. Keenan and Lowe aren't around long enough to be pilloried. The way the forwards are playing we'll be giving them gift for a few years to.come.

Keenan, along with Earl's was our best player today

Nah.

Misjudged the jump for the first May try, slice clearance kick down the line and a poor attempt to find space with another. I mean he wasn't terrible but he simply didn't do much.

He was clearly targeted and handled everything thrown at him. Great in the air, very good defensively. One or two small blips aside.

[earl the beaver]

Everything thrown at him?

[hermie]

Everything thrown at him?

Solid, certainly in comparison to Stockdale

[Flametop]

Keenan had a 9/10 performance compared to Stockdale’s last effort starting at 15.

Other than that Keenan was about a 6.

[Duff Paddy]

I think Keenan did okay for his first real big test match. Certainly has potential. Ireland have a chronic problem with lack of game breakers. We could have had the ball all day today and didn’t look like scoring. That’s why we need our Ringroses and Stockdales in the team, without them we just don’t score tries. Earls was our only hope of scoring in our starting team today.

[hermie]

I think Keenan did okay for his first real big test match. Certainly has potential. Ireland have a chronic problem with lack of game breakers. We could have had the ball all day today and didn’t look like scoring. That’s why we need our Ringroses and Stockdales in the team, without them we just don’t score tries. Earls was our only hope of scoring in our starting team today.

A pack getting pasted and no direction from the 10 who wasn't a threat either himself. But mainly it's coaching. It's not news that they have a bigger, stronger pack than us. The plan wasn't in place to deal with that.

[Duff Paddy]

I think Keenan did okay for his first real big test match. Certainly has potential. Ireland have a chronic problem with lack of game breakers. We could have had the ball all day today and didn’t look like scoring. That’s why we need our Ringroses and Stockdales in the team, without them we just don’t score tries. Earls was our only hope of scoring in our starting team today.

A pack getting pasted and no direction from the 10 who wasn't a threat either himself. But mainly it's coaching. It's not news that they have a bigger, stronger pack than us. The plan wasn't in place to deal with that.

Poor Ross Byrne was just a complete rabbit in the headlights but he made his tackles fair play to him, and he can say he started for Ireland in Twickers which is more than any of us can say. Don’t think he’ll feature much from now on and that’s fair.

[Flametop]

The 42 have stopped their player ratings (and readers voting), no ratings from Indo or Irish Times.



Rabbits in headlights wondering who they should back.

[shabadoo]

Not a full of doom and gloom as most on here seem to be.

It was always going to be a struggle against that England pack - we all knew it.

1-8 we were well beaten and yet still showed guts all game long.

Anyone having a go at Doris needs their head checked, again - got hit by 2 man all game long but had the guts to just keep going.

While Ryan didn't have a great game he at least turned up physically on occasion.

I'm a big fan of Stander but thought he was completely anonymous today.

Still - blaming anyone is kinda nonsense, the England pack were on it from minute 1 and played really well.

Question is where do we go from here?

We need to find a beast of a losehead from somewhere - no idea where tbh. Similarly we need a big hooker - Sheehan might be that guy hopefully.

Hendo/Ryan are still a good enough second row for me.

Against bigger teams i'd be tempted to throw someone like Baird/Beirne in at 6 and Leavy in at 7. One of Doris/Stander at 8.

Thought JGP was ok - 1 brainfart aside and a few poor decisions. But he go zero protection from his pack.

Byrne at 10 was an absolute disaster - we badly need Harry or that gigner munster lad to put their hands up soon.

Outside 10 I thought our backs did about as well as they could, not perfect but when your 10 is taking the ball 15m behind the gainline life is never easy.

Anyway - hopefully we see a few new faces against Georgia and build well toward the 6N.

Don't think Farrell is anywhere near as bad as being made out. I'm relatively happy with him so far.

We are nowhere near the team that beat the AB's in 2018..we have been on the slide pretty much since then. That's just the reality. Farrell isn't the reason for that.