Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread IV

awec

Tox56 wrote: »

I'd simply favour any scenario that has Sexton on the field than not to be honest, he is way too important to us at this stage

IMO we are still capable of beating anyone without Sexton.

Don't get me wrong he's our top talent but if he gets injured in game 1 then I am sure this place will be flooded with "we're done", "tournament over" etc but I won't buy it at all.

I think we're prone to hyping him a bit too much on here. He's just 1 man.

.ak

awec wrote: »

IMO we are still capable of beating anyone without Sexton.

Don't get me wrong he's our top talent but if he gets injured in game 1 then I am sure this place will be flooded with "we're done", "tournament over" etc but I won't buy it at all.

I think we're prone to hyping him a bit too much on here. He's just 1 man.

I think we were capable of beating anyone without BOD (as a lot of the time he was overhyped in the sense of what our team was without him)

But not without Sexton.

The way we play, so much goes through the 10, more so than a lot of teams.

He's 1 man, but we're a 1 man team. I don't think we'd beat anyone in the top 6 without Sexton.

dub_skav

awec wrote: »

IMO we are still capable of beating anyone without Sexton.

Don't get me wrong he's our top talent but if he gets injured in game 1 then I am sure this place will be flooded with "we're done", "tournament over" etc but I won't buy it at all.

I think we're prone to hyping him a bit too much on here. He's just 1 man.

You shut your mouth

CatFromHue

John Connor was just 1 man
Rambo was just 1 man
Batman was just 1 man

total former

awec wrote: »

IMO we are still capable of beating anyone without Sexton.

Don't get me wrong he's our top talent but if he gets injured in game 1 then I am sure this place will be flooded with "we're done", "tournament over" etc but I won't buy it at all.

I think we're prone to hyping him a bit too much on here. He's just 1 man.

All fair enough, but I think that applies equally or moreso to Murray, no?

Buer

awec wrote: »

Don't get me wrong he's our top talent but if he gets injured in game 1 then I am sure this place will be flooded with "we're done", "tournament over" etc but I won't buy it at all.

Which would be the first time ever that you're the cheerful one on here!

awec

total former wrote: »

All fair enough, but I think that applies equally or moreso to Murray, no?

Murray doesn't suffer from the same hype as Sexton. You'd think without Sexton we turn into this average team.

I couldn't disagree more strongly with the notion that we are a one man, or a two man team.

total former

awec wrote: »

Murray doesn't suffer from the same hype as Sexton. You'd think without Sexton we turn into this average team.

I couldn't disagree more strongly with the notion that we are a one man, or a two man team.

I agree with the second sentence, we are very much a team team, especially with the way Joe has us playing now.

On the first point, the only game of note we've played without Sexton recently was the 6N trip to Italy and we were very, very average...

total former

total former wrote: »

I agree with the second sentence, we are very much a team team, especially with the way Joe has us playing now.

On the first point, the only game of note we've played without Sexton recently was the 6N trip to Italy and we were very, very average...

and Keatley had a decent game against Italy too IMO.

I'd be very interested to see how we'd have done with PJ at the helm in that game. I think he's a fair level above Keatley.

awec

total former wrote: »

I agree with the second sentence, we are very much a team team, especially with the way Joe has us playing now.

On the first point, the only game of note we've played without Sexton recently was the 6N trip to Italy and we were very, very average...

Yea, 1 game which we won, but hardly a sample we can deduce anything from.

If we lose Sexton we'll change it up. We have a team capable of beating anyone, there aren't 14 lads getting a free holiday cause they're lucky to play in the same team as this superhero 10 who carries them all. We've got to take ourselves more seriously than that.

total former

awec wrote: »

Yea, 1 game which we won, but hardly a sample we can deduce anything from.

If we lose Sexton we'll change it up. We have a team capable of beating anyone, there aren't 14 lads getting a free holiday cause they're lucky to play in the same team as this superhero 10 who carries them all. We've got to take ourselves more seriously than that.

I don't think anyone has said that though.

its_phil

awec wrote: »

Yea, 1 game which we won, but hardly a sample we can deduce anything from.

If we lose Sexton we'll change it up. We have a team capable of beating anyone, there aren't 14 lads getting a free holiday cause they're lucky to play in the same team as this superhero 10 who carries them all. We've got to take ourselves more seriously than that.

We'll change it up alright, but we won't be a better team for it and I don't think we have a team capable of beating the All Blacks or the Boks without Sexton. Not many sides do mind, but Sexton is hugely important

awec

awec wrote: »

there aren't 14 lads getting a free holiday cause they're lucky to play in the same team as this superhero 10

Actually saw this advertised on the IRFU magazine, all you had to do was show up for some trial:

Tox56

awec wrote: »

IMO we are still capable of beating anyone without Sexton.

Don't get me wrong he's our top talent but if he gets injured in game 1 then I am sure this place will be flooded with "we're done", "tournament over" etc but I won't buy it at all.

I think we're prone to hyping him a bit too much on here. He's just 1 man.

I don't think he's the greatest player in the history of the sport, but he's our most important player by enough of a distance that I'd (much) prefer we be without any other 1 player than be without him. If 'we're done' means we won't win the World Cup I agree with it, although I'm sceptical we could win it with Sexton anyway

molloyjh

CatFromHue wrote: »

John Connor was will be just 1 man
Rambo was just 1 man
Batman was just 1 man

Fixed that for you.

Sorry, I'll get the door on my way out.

the baby bull elephant

CatFromHue wrote: »

Batman was just 1 man

Pretty sure he was more than just a man. A legend.

I hope in the warmups we get to see Jackson playing in a relatively full strength Ireland team. He's not as good as Sexton but his range of passing is quite brilliant, would like to see how he'd bring the backs into play.

CatFromHue

molloyjh wrote: »

Fixed that for you.

Sorry, I'll get the door on my way out.

JC was born in 1985, he could well be older than a few of the posters on here!

Podge_irl

CatFromHue wrote: »

JC was born in 1985, he could well be older than a few of the posters on here!

85!? I could be John Connor.

Apart from it not being my name I guess.

lucky_luke

I would be more worried about losing Murray than Sexton. Paddy Jackson was playing really well at the end of the season including nailing a pressure kick at the end of a game, (one of his weaker areas to me).

Boss and Reddan on the otherhand were pretty useless at the end of the season. I had high hopes for Marmion but wasn't too impressed with him in green so far.

lucky_luke

lucky_luke wrote: »

I would be more worried about losing Murray than Sexton. Paddy Jackson was playing really well at the end of the season including nailing a pressure kick at the end of a game, (one of his weaker areas to me).

Boss and Reddan on the otherhand were pretty useless at the end of the season. I had high hopes for Marmion but wasn't too impressed with him in green so far.

Reddan was suffering from Moc'ocaleinsteritus along with half our other internationals, he was good in the 6N and will be good in the RWC.

bilston

I reckon we can beat France, Italy and Argentina with Jackson at 10, however if we want to beat England, New Zealand and South Africa then we will need Sexton, no question about that. No reflection on Jackson, more of a compliment for JS.

homecouldbhere

bilston wrote: »

I reckon we can beat France, Italy and Argentina with Jackson at 10, however if we want to beat England, New Zealand and South Africa then we will need Sexton, no question about that. No reflection on Jackson, more of a compliment for JS.

Without any hint of rhetoric; is exiting at the semi final stage of this years world cup a 'successful' campaign or no? (Assuming we beat Italy, France and Argentina on the way)

bilston

homecouldbhere wrote: »

Without any hint of rhetoric; is exiting at the semi final stage of this years world cup a 'successful' campaign or no? (Assuming we beat Italy, France and Argentina on the way)

Well it would be our best ever performance obviously so you couldn't call it a failure. However given our potential path to the semi final I would be disappointed with anything less.

bilston

bilston wrote: »

Well it would be our best ever performance obviously so you couldn't call it a failure. However given our potential path to the semi final I would be disappointed with anything less.

I'd base it on our playing population and afaik we don't rank high given that a couple of other sports soak up plenty of our gifted athletes and we're not a huge country to begin with.

There is always talk of our golden generations and our is gone in the traditional (we only ever have 3/4 decent players at a time), but we probably have a better 15 now than we ever have had and certainly a better 23 which makes things more even with our competitors.

If we get a quarter final it's a good result that we can be extremely proud of as a nation and I personally would be (I hate Wales).

If we get a semi final it will be one of Ireland's greatest sporting achievements though teetering in and around the top 5.

If we win the final I'd say it's our greatest achievement in sport.

stephen_n

PJ has superb hands and a ability to bring players into the game better than any other 10 we have, but Sextons kicking game is light years ahead of Jackson and considering how we set out to play, it's fairly obvious which skillset is more important! Losing Murray though, we have no other 9 who can offer so many options, kicking, passing or running himself, there's a massive drop in standard there, that would seriously impact on how we play, the thoughts of Reddan kicking sends shivers down my spine.

homecouldbhere

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I'd base it on our playing population and afaik we don't rank high given that a couple of other sports soak up plenty of our gifted athletes and we're not a huge country to begin with.

There is always talk of our golden generations and our is gone in the traditional (we only ever have 3/4 decent players at a time), but we probably have a better 15 now than we ever have had and certainly a better 23 which makes things more even with our competitors.

If we get a quarter final it's a good result that we can be extremely proud of as a nation and I personally would be (I hate Wales).

If we get a semi final it will be one of Ireland's greatest sporting achievements though teetering in and around the top 5.

If we win the final I'd say it's our greatest achievement in sport.

Population of New Zealand: 4.471 million.

Population of the ISLAND of Ireland: 5.606 million.
(2013 figures)

I get your (very valid) point about other sports detracting from us reaching our true potential as a rugby nation. There are many GAA players I've watched (both hurling and football) and thought to myself "fukkin hell, put a no.11 jersey on him and an oval ball in his hand and he'd do wonders"
In my fantasy world we win the rugby world cup in October. Then follows a serious decline in numbers of young kids playing the 'other' sports matched by a tidal wave of new players of all ages taking up rugby.
20 years time we dominate world rugby because we've finally learned to stick to what we're best at.
(Not wishing ill to GAA btw)

RobbieRuns

Rugby is already taking lots of young players from the GAA in every part of the country. Kids love rugby and see the success of the national team, it is already happening. Two 6N titles help.

The network of top class coaching and extending the game to schools throughout the country is the challenge. If you get kids playing at school and at the weekends under proper guidance that will make a big difference.

Personally I do not think that GAA games will ever be displaced by rugby as the no1 activity in this country.

sydthebeat

Gaa and rugby at underage level don't compete. The gaa is a summer season, rugby is winter. There's a good overlap of players and in my experience a good relationship between both codes.

shaka

Rugby and GAA overlap considerably , hurling continues well into the winter every year in Limerick and while there isn't as much distain from the GAA for rugby as soccer there still is plenty of friction. I know some of the non rugby schools who play harty cup hurling also discourage rugby, Bruff rfc have three or four exceptional guys who look like they will concentrate on hurling.

The different sports need to start to work together as opposed to working against each other.

The Lost Sheep

homecouldbhere wrote: »

Population of New Zealand: 4.471 million.

Population of the ISLAND of Ireland: 5.606 million.
(2013 figures)

I get your (very valid) point about other sports detracting from us reaching our true potential as a rugby nation. There are many GAA players I've watched (both hurling and football) and thought to myself "fukkin hell, put a no.11 jersey on him and an oval ball in his hand and he'd do wonders"
In my fantasy world we win the rugby world cup in October. Then follows a serious decline in numbers of young kids playing the 'other' sports matched by a tidal wave of new players of all ages taking up rugby.
20 years time we dominate world rugby because we've finally learned to stick to what we're best at.
(Not wishing ill to GAA btw)

New Zealand rugby is national sport and they have serious competition from other sports as much as we do but as sport is national sport there they get more of the best athletes. We don't have enough clubs competing at all grades to provide enough games/opportunities for everyone across the coutry.

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Rugby is already taking lots of young players from the GAA in every part of the country. Kids love rugby and see the success of the national team, it is already happening. Two 6N titles help.

The network of top class coaching and extending the game to schools throughout the country is the challenge. If you get kids playing at school and at the weekends under proper guidance that will make a big difference.

Personally I do not think that GAA games will ever be displaced by rugby as the no1 activity in this country.

Rugby will never displace gaelic football but could if it gets its act together move ahead of hurling.
The work the development officers are doing in primary schools and secondary schools has to be brought to the clubs and getting kids playing the sport in new areas and getting them into local clubs or setting up new clubs has to happen more.

sydthebeat wrote: »

Gaa and rugby at underage level don't compete. The gaa is a summer season, rugby is winter. There's a good overlap of players and in my experience a good relationship between both codes.

Haha...
They totally compete. Hurling/gaelic are much more than summer sports and there is an overlap of players the relationship isn't that great.
The amount of times ive had GAA divisional boards and clubs doing their best to stop guys playing rugby is ridiculous....

shaka wrote: »

The different sports need to start to work together as opposed to working against each other.

What would you want done that hasn't been done before??

salmocab

Its probably up to parents to get kids playing multiple sports. GAA and rugby have skill sets that compliment each other.

blackdog1

Poster on planet rugby saying healy is out after visiting specialist in the US. It would be a huge blow of true especially in the scrum. Anyone hear anything about this??

Wang King

blackdog1 wrote: »

Poster on planet rugby saying healy is out after visiting specialist in the US. It would be a huge blow of true especially in the scrum. Anyone hear anything about this??

Don't think so, he tweeted yesterday that he was dreading fitness training, too much eating and wanted to use a machine and not do any running

Podge_irl

By all accounts it's just some idiot talking nonsense.

McGrath is actually arguably better in some aspects of the game then Healy but it's Healy's carrying that we would really miss. The Healy/McGrath combo really is excellent.

Podge_irl

Podge_irl wrote: »

By all accounts it's just some idiot talking nonsense.

McGrath is actually arguably better in some aspects of the game then Healy but it's Healy's carrying that we would really miss. The Healy/McGrath combo really is excellent.

I said it at the time, I don't think McGrath should have been dropped by either Ireland or Leinster.

Podge_irl

I think McGrath is a better classical prop, but unfortunately for him both Leinster and Ireland are somewhat deficient in the ball carrying front in the pack, particularly when SOB isn't available.

clsmooth

McGrath is an excellent prop, and probably shouldn't have been dropped for Healy last year on form but Healy firing on all cylinders is a player who can change games with his carrying and dynamism.

molloyjh

I still think Healy has bulked up too much and lost a lot of his mobility as a result....

bilston

Speaking of Planet Rugby I see a poster on has claimed that BT have won the rights to the 6Ns. I only lurk there occasionally so no idea who is trustworthy and who isn't, but I hope it is wrong.

Larbre34

bilston wrote: »

Speaking of Planet Rugby I see a poster on has claimed that BT have won the rights to the 6Ns. I only lurk there occasionally so no idea who is trustworthy and who isn't, but I hope it is wrong.

Im pretty sure they arent even up for renewal at the moment.

The Lost Sheep

Larbre34 wrote: »

Im pretty sure they arent even up for renewal at the moment.

They're up in 2017. There was stories at start of year that 6 Nations will consider pay tv but that doesn't change anything from now...

molloyjh

molloyjh wrote: »

I still think Healy has bulked up too much and lost a lot of his mobility as a result....

Healy doesn't decide on what training he does. He is surrounded by a coaching and conditioning staff that seriously know their stuff.

Whatever size and shape he is, is the product of carefully decided physical training so I'm not too concerned about that. He is probably bigger than normal because he hasn't played a lot of matches this season, professional players struggle to maintain weight during the season and he is a product of the opposite.

But as for worrying about his body composition, I really wouldn't. It's exactly what it needs to be.

Micky Dolenz

Deleted User wrote: »

Healy doesn't decide on what training he does. He is surrounded by a coaching and conditioning staff that seriously know their stuff.

Whatever size and shape he is, is the product of carefully decided physical training so I'm not too concerned about that. He is probably bigger than normal because he hasn't played a lot of matches this season, professional players struggle to maintain weight during the season and he is a product of the opposite.

But as for worrying about his body composition, I really wouldn't. It's exactly what it needs to be.

I'm pretty sure Molly's tongue was firmly in cheek.

Micky Dolenz

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

I'm pretty sure Molly's tongue was firmly in cheek.

Damn.

bilston

Larbre34 wrote: »

Im pretty sure they arent even up for renewal at the moment.

Rights are up in 2017 so two more seasons anyway.

Having read on on PR I think it may be a wind up.

bilston

Anyone know when the squad announcedast week meet up to start the ball rolling towards the WC? Must be soon enough given we are only 5 weeks out from the first warm up game.

DGRulz

bilston wrote: »

Anyone know when the squad announcedast week meet up to start the ball rolling towards the WC? Must be soon enough given we are only 5 weeks out from the first warm up game.

Think I saw in one of the papers over the weekend that it was last night. Not 100% though.

sullivlo

DGRulz wrote: »

Think I saw in one of the papers over the weekend that it was last night. Not 100% though.

Toner just tweeted a pic of a cake from Carlton House so I assume they're there now.

.ak

sullivlo wrote: »

Toner just tweeted a pic of a cake from Carlton House so I assume they're there now.

That's interesting!


.... what sort of cake?