Ireland Win in World Cup

Warper

Congratulations to the Irish Rugby League team on their great triumph against Samoa - they are just 80 mins away from a historic semi-final against the red-hot favs for the competition - Australia

zAbbo

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=599

Congrats to the lads, it has been good watching them this far.

il gatto

Yeah. Well done lads. Not big into League, but fair play for doing so well in an Ireland shirt. Big achievement considering League's standing in Ireland.

toomevara

Indeed, nice to see an irish rugby team actually performing above itself in a world cup..for a change:D

zenmonk

Saw it last night
great performance

tHE vAGGABOND

how many of the irish rugby league team were born here I wonder

toomevara

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

how many of the irish rugby league team were born here I wonder

Bah, humbug..always someone who wants a wazz on someone else's parade. Those guys are out there doing their best for Ireland...none of them have to be there, they could be suckin' down boat drinks in barbados.Instead they've opted for the dubious pleasure of facing some of the heaviest hitters in RL for a country that doesn't even know they exist!

If you could transfer that kind of commitment and team spirit to our union team we might actually win something. If you watch them play their pride in the shirt is evident. I'd have to say way more than Ireland showed in the disastrous '07 WC, which I had the great misfortune to attend on 2 occasions...

tHE vAGGABOND

I checked it out -> http://rli.ie/squad.php

A massive 4 of them were born here Fair play to them, but they are hardly our national team when some of them prolly have only set foot here once or twice

I saw Fiji earlier on the the tournament, and they looked damn good. So its going to be a big ask for them in the 1/4's. But as always we live in hope..

If we had the lax national rules in Union it would be handy too, we could get ourselves some kiwi's [like Nacewa, at Leinster] to sort out some problem positions

Mountjoy Mugger

I checked it out too...5 were allegedly born here. Nos. 8, 11, 12, 22 and 24

Well, Corcoran just says Ireland...the others are a bit more specific in fairness.

anonymous_joe

Who cares where they were born?

They're Irish enough to play for the team. Sure look at the 88 Football team... Or the Easterby's...

Amz

Aye, how many of you were cheering for the soccer team back in the 80s and 90s. Very few had an Irish accent.

They weren't obliged to play for Ireland. It looks like they're giving a lot more than some Irish born lads have given for their country in various sporting endeavours.

toomevara

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

I

If we had the lax national rules in Union it would be handy too, we could get ourselves some kiwi's [like Nacewa, at Leinster] to sort out some problem positions

Don't think the analogy holds, most of the irish team are second or third gen Irish, parents or grandparents Irish, tbh, thats plenty good enough for me..and many of them (i've met them) travel to Ireland regularly, and still have close links there...up here in the North, especially leeds, you throw a rock and you'll hit someone whose gran or dad is Irish...

Eoin

Let's not forget that O'Gara could be playing for the US Eagles if he wanted to.

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

If we had the lax national rules in Union it would be handy too, we could get ourselves some kiwi's [like Nacewa, at Leinster] to sort out some problem positions

Surely the residency clause makes rugby union about as lax as you can get?

anonymous_joe

toomevara wrote: »

Don't think the analogy holds, most of the irish team are second or third gen Irish, parents or grandparents Irish, tbh, thats plenty good enough for me..and many of them (i've met them) travel to Ireland regularly, and still have close links there...up here in the North, especially leeds, you throw a rock and you'll hit someone whose gran or dad is Irish...

Probably best to avoid throwing rocks at them though...

In fairness there's a whole rake of English lads who'd be eligible for our Union team, and if they'd play for us I'm sure we'd take them with open arms.

toomevara

eoin_s wrote: »

Surely the residency clause makes rugby union about as lax as you can get?

Exactly, just check out the english team just announced by Jonson, Hartley, Flutey, could have played for NZ...(if they were good enough)

Stev_o

toomevara wrote: »

Exactly, just check out the english team just announced by Jonson, Hartley, Flutey, could have played for NZ...(if they were good enough)

Sure Johnson himself played for New Zealand U-21 and learned his trade out there and in fairness to Hartley he's spent half his life now in England.

dreamer_ire

Regardless... it's great to see an Irish team doing so well. Good luck in the next match boys!

connundrum

I saw 'Ireland win World Cup' when I first saw this thread title, and I rang my brother up to tell him, and he in turn told loads of people.

That'll teach me to pick out the words I wanna believe in a sentence

Fair play to the lads though

thebaz

I don't think I have posted here since last year's heroics at the WC , so massive respect for the League lads , they show what playing for the jersey is all about - I think Ireland (Union) will be different this year , to last years shambles .

Amz

thebaz wrote: »

I don't think I have posted here since last year's heroics at the WC ...

Is that because you owe so many people a pint? (Or am I mixing you up with someone else?)

Jackz

Amz wrote: »

Is that because you owe so many people a pint? (Or am I mixing you up with someone else?)

I think that was Jabba.

Amz

Ah, very good.

Sangre

thanks for reminding me, im going to demand that pint next time i see him.

Sundy

Has this sport not got its own section?

Amazotheamazing

Stev_o wrote: »

Sure Johnson himself played for New Zealand U-21 and learned his trade out there and in fairness to Hartley he's spent half his life now in England.

That's a bit of a stretch about Johnson, loads of players go across on rugby exchanges to NZ.

Sundy

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

That's a bit of a stretch about Johnson, loads of players go across on rugby exchanges to NZ.

Add John Hayes to that list. Never player representational rugby over there though.

Stev_o

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

That's a bit of a stretch about Johnson, loads of players go across on rugby exchanges to NZ.

Sorry mate im a bit confused by what you mean there (you can tell iv had a match today:P)

The post was in regards to England using Nz qualified players and i was pointing out just what you have said that players do go over there and play and in the case of Johnson he managed to get to the NZ U-somethings. Sure you can add players that have gone and learned what it takes to play top class rugby or learn more about their own ability in New Zealand

komodosp

What happened to the rule NOT TO PUT RESULTS IN THE TITLE!!!

Amz

That's the rule for games of Union in the Union forum. If it's taken you nearly a week to find out the score then obviously you don't care enough for us to worry about spoilers for you.

Tough titty.

Amazotheamazing

Stev_o wrote: »

Sorry mate im a bit confused by what you mean there (you can tell iv had a match today:P)

The post was in regards to England using Nz qualified players and i was pointing out just what you have said that players do go over there and play and in the case of Johnson he managed to get to the NZ U-somethings. Sure you can add players that have gone and learned what it takes to play top class rugby or learn more about their own ability in New Zealand

He was born, bred, raised in England, only went to NZ for a year back before the residency rules were in force. In the same era we had players like Brian Smith being capped (in union) by both Australia and Ireland at senior level.

To say he "learned his trade" over in NZ is rubbish, he was a top prospect before he went over. Geordan Murphy spent a few months in NZ on a similar scheme and afaik Diarmuid McCarthy (the u-20's player Ward called the most exciting prospect in Ireland at the minute) turned down a chance to go on one too.

(as an aside) I hear McCarthy has turned down a chance to join the munster Academy, apparently he's not sure he wants to play professional rugby. Could be a big loss, but I think Heaslip did something similar so hopefully he'll come through all the same.

Hippo

It was a great effort by the whole squad, and they went down fighting against a very strong Fijian team. Great to see an Irish team doing so well.