Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

JustinDee

bamboozle wrote: »

Being selected for the Lions is top priority for most players this season

According to whom? I would say myself that it will be a priority when the time comes, not before.

Foxtrol

JustinDee wrote: »

According to whom? I would say myself that it will be a priority when the time comes, not before.

It’s being discussed in relation to a player getting surgery. I doubt there’s an already capped player who’d pick playing against Fiji/Argentina under Kidney ahead of touring with the Lions.

I’d say this stage all the players look forward to playing on any side that doesn’t involve Kidney in any form!

Teferi

JustinDee wrote: »

According to whom? I would say myself that it will be a priority when the time comes, not before.

You'd be mad to think that a player of the quality of Healy doesn't do everything this year with at least some level of thought on how it will effect a possible Lions selection.

JustinDee

Foxtrol wrote: »

It’s being discussed in relation to a player getting surgery. I doubt there’s an already capped player who’d pick playing against Fiji/Argentina under Kidney ahead of touring with the Lions

I'd disagree with your speculation myself.
Players' focus is on the games in-hand right now ie. the international season. Thats what their competitive nature entails.

They are more than games "under Kidney" too. RWC2015 seedings can be affected.

Foxtrol

JustinDee wrote: »

I'd disagree with your speculation myself.
Players' focus is on the games in-hand right now ie. the international season. Thats what their competitive nature entails.

If that was the case no player would ever have surgery until it got to the point where they physically could not play any further (ie there'd be no such thing as elective surgeries). Elective surgeries should be timed so that they are taken to cause the least disruption to important points in the season.

They are more than games "under Kidney" too. RWC2015 seedings can be affected.

Its an indictment on the IRFU that they've allowed Kidney run the team into the ground to the point where there's a chance we could drop out of the top eight. They should hang their heads in shame.

Tox56

JustinDee wrote: »

I'd disagree with your speculation myself.
Players' focus is on the games in-hand right now ie. the international season. Thats what their competitive nature entails.

They are more than games "under Kidney" too. RWC2015 seedings can be affected.

Sexton gave an interview about recently:

The 27-year-old even claims he’s trying hard not to focus on such a massive goal – something that is proving pretty difficult given the amount of tour talk in all four Home Nations.


“I think: ‘I’m thinking too much about it. I’ve got to just chill out,’” Sexton told the Irish Times when asked what he thought about the prospect of achieving the ultimate goal.

He can't speak for all players, but I'd wager many of the potential starters are already thinking about it

Fishooks12

Cian Healy just posted a photo of the inside of a hospital on twitter. Feck

JRant

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Cian Healy just posted a photo of the inside of a hospital on twitter. Feck

Ah bollix, thats all we need.
Fecking typical Kidney, playing injured players till they fall apart.

JustinDee

Foxtrol wrote: »

If that was the case no player would ever have surgery until it got to the point where they physically could not play any further (ie there'd be no such thing as elective surgeries). Elective surgeries should be timed so that they are taken to cause the least disruption to important points in the season

A tad subjective. Each case is different as is the degree of injury and rehabilitation.

bilston

Teferi wrote: »

Any reports of injury concerns after the match yesterday? It seemed like both Healy and Ross were nursing their shoulders at some points during the game.

Healy can't be right and I suspect Trimble picked up a knock as well which forced him off. There looked to be a few bumps and bruises (Sexton, Strauss, O'Mahony, Ryan) but hopefully nothing that will keep them out of the Argentina game but if there's any doubt they shouldn't be considered for the Fiji match.

dtpc191991

Heres the big question. Why is our backline so bad? Is it down to not having the players or the coaching team?

Fireball07

dtpc191991 wrote: »

Heres the big question. Why is our backline so bad? Is it down to not having the players or the coaching team?

It's obviously the coaching team. The players could perhaps have done a little better, but it's not easy against international standard defences. We've got basically no variety in attack, none of our players seem to run support lines, we don't even move the ball particularly well.

We seem to be relying on something special from an individual player. Like shovel the ball to Zebo, hope he can outpace the defence, same with Earls. Maybe once or twice bring Trimble into the line and hope he can make a break, the same with Bowe. But while all these players are talented...relying on one of them to produce some bit of truly individual brilliance against SA is not a good plan.

If we had a better coached backline, they would have a better chance to show their skills and link up together. We all know they can do it, they've done it for their provinces.

Lennonist

Argentina beat Wales at the weekend, Ireland must be worried about losing their top 8 ranking slot when they play Argentina in a couple of weeks.

Fireball07

Lennonist wrote: »

Argentina beat Wales at the weekend, Ireland must be worried about losing their top 8 ranking slot when they play Argentina in a couple of weeks.

Only if Scotland beat SA afaik.

JRant

Fireball07 wrote: »

Only if Scotland beat SA afaik.

Scotland looked very good yesterday though. That Visser fella is a finisher par excellence.

Fireball07

JRant wrote: »

Scotland looked very good yesterday though. That Visser fella is a finisher par excellence.

They looked reasonably good in attack (a lot better than some of their efforts in recent years) but their defence still wasn't great. Should be closer against SA, but I don't think they'll beat them.

PhatPiggins

Fireball07 wrote: »

Only if Scotland beat SA afaik.

With Andy Robinson's Scottish record against SH teams I wouldn't put it past them.

TBH I think we deserve to lose our top 8 position. I don't agree with the ranking system and on current form we're not the eight best team in the world.

irishbucsfan

I wonder if we drop to 9th will Kidney go immediately?

Or will they just put out a press release saying they're advertising for a new coach and stall until the end of the 6 Nations?

Fireball07

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I wonder if we drop to 9th will Kidney go immediately?

Or will they just put out a press release saying they're advertising for a new coach and stall until the end of the 6 Nations?

The latter is more likely, sadly.


It still baffles me that they gave Kidney a new contract before the World Cup, it makes no sense.

Teferi

Fireball07 wrote: »

It still baffles me that they gave Kidney a new contract before the World Cup, it makes no sense.

You'd think they would have learned after EOS.

I reckon I got annoyed by 99% of what Kidney said in this article.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/irish-international/2012/1112/345215-kidney-argentina-clash-is-crucial/

CatFromHue

That article says POC is unlikely to be fit for the Argentina game!

Burgo

CatFromHue wrote: »

That article says POC is unlikely to be fit for the Argentina game!

Looks like we'll get to see more of Ryan and Macca together! (hopefully)

justsomebloke

CatFromHue wrote: »

That article says POC is unlikely to be fit for the Argentina game!

ye reported on the radio this morning that POC is most likely out of the remainder of the Autumn Internationals

Mr.Applepie

justsomebloke wrote: »

ye reported on the radio this morning that POC is most likely out of the remainder of the Autumn Internationals

Very worrying injury. Backs are notoriously fickle and once you hurt them, they are very hard to sort out. This has been going on since the start of the season - 3months - hopefully this doesn't go down the route of Flannery!

clsmooth

CatFromHue wrote: »

That article says POC is unlikely to be fit for the Argentina game!

I don't think POC will be that much of a loss player wise. Leadership wise yes

Fireball07

clsmooth wrote: »

I don't think POC will be that much of a loss player wise. Leadership wise yes

Hmm...not sure I agree. Against someone like Argentina, I'd much rather have POC than not have him.

And even against SA, POC has always been excellent at disrupting oppositon mauls and directing the pack in dealing with them. And considering that was probably SA's main attacking threat (and they scored a try from it), I think we did miss him at the weekend.

Hope he recovers soon, these re-occurring injuries are worrying me

totallegend

Fireball07 wrote: »

Hope he recovers soon, these re-occurring injuries are worrying me

It's getting to the stage where it's more and more like the Flannery situation; vague descriptions of injuries, relapses, recovering from a knee injury when his back gives out etc etc. I would not be surprised if this is his last season.

Quint2010

"So it would be handy to get two wins now to give us a bit of momentum into the Six Nations."-Kidney.


Handy? Like-useful? How about-imperative?

dtpc191991

Fireball07 wrote: »

It's obviously the coaching team. The players could perhaps have done a little better, but it's not easy against international standard defences. We've got basically no variety in attack, none of our players seem to run support lines, we don't even move the ball particularly well.

We seem to be relying on something special from an individual player. Like shovel the ball to Zebo, hope he can outpace the defence, same with Earls. Maybe once or twice bring Trimble into the line and hope he can make a break, the same with Bowe. But while all these players are talented...relying on one of them to produce some bit of truly individual brilliance against SA is not a good plan.

If we had a better coached backline, they would have a better chance to show their skills and link up together. We all know they can do it, they've done it for their provinces.

This is what worries me. All these players have had access to good backs coaches and no how to run support plays. Why dont they bring that to the national side? Why do they persist with Kidney's gameplan which clearly does not work? They are the ones on the field so there is no excuse for them to not go "stuff this" and just play some god damn rugby for once.