Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread IV

thomond2006

The Vodafone jersey would mean an Irish rugby shirt could double as a Mayo shirt.

RoundBox11

jm08 wrote: »

The discussion was to do with whether Henderson would be one of only 3 locks to travel. I think either Ryan or Tuohy will be one of 3 rocks to travel. The point was made by Podge (I think) that Tuohy had performed better than Ryan which I dispute as in the Ulster v Munster, Ulster were 75% on their own throw and Munster (100%) had a couple of steals (3). Ryan took 5 of the lineout calls.

He ran the lineout for 2 seasons while POC was out (carrying a shoulder injury for the 2nd year). Unfortunately for him, his partner for a lot of those games was McCarthy who is vertically challenged at 6ft4 as an international lock (though in saying that, a quick glance at his last international game against Italy, the calls were made to 5 different players).

Against France, he did call 8 (50%) on himself with a 94% success rate for the draw in Paris.

Ah come on, the discussion has always been whether Ryan is ahead of Tuohy and whether he would start if POC or Toner pick up an injury. Your go to argument was that Tuohy can't run a lineout, which he can.

Ah yeah, a quick glance to one of the 10 games to find the stats that suit your argument. What about the other 9 games?

aimee1

Zebo injured his knee at open training session today.


I presume a mod from here inflicted it to save the forum from meltdown

Zzippy

aimee1 wrote: »

Zebo injured his knee at open training session today.


I presume a mod from here inflicted it to save the forum from meltdown

I'm just back from the Sportsground


He was fairly hobbling when he came off. Lad beside me said he was just running down the line and it looked more like a muscle injury, torn calf possibly, but that's hearsay, I didn't see him do it myself. The way he was limping it didn't seem minor anyway.

Jeez them lads are big men up close! Interesting to see Denis Buckley and Nathan White training with them and wearing the Irish kit. All the kit has the player's initials on sleeve, didn't see if they had theirs or if it was just spare kit.

It wasn't a very intense session, 3 groups of 15 or so, 2 doing ball skills and offloading practice while one did shuttle sprints, but not at full pace, then rotating. Ian Madigan was limping at the end and had an ice pack strapped to his quad. Think Cian Healy finished the session very early too. Didn't notice any other injuries. They all look pretty fit already. Sean Cronin looks a bit less bulky than usual.

flangemeistro

aimee1 wrote: »

Zebo injured his knee at open training session today.


I presume a mod from here inflicted it to save the forum from meltdown

Schmidt must be absolutely delighted so he now doesn't have to contradict himself when stating past squad and team experience when omitting DR yet forgetting totally about those reasons when omitting Zebo.

flangemeistro

flangemeistro wrote: »

Schmidt must be absolutely delighted so he now doesn't have to contradict himself when stating past squad and team experience when omitting DR yet forgetting totally about those reasons when omitting Zebo.

When did that happen?

.ak

So... Donnacha Ryan to the wing?

molloyjh

flangemeistro wrote: »

Schmidt must be absolutely delighted so he now doesn't have to contradict himself when stating past squad and team experience when omitting DR yet forgetting totally about those reasons when omitting Zebo.

Jesus, really? :rolleyes:

Wang King

Fck! Hope its not a tear, just what we need nkw

Quint2010

The main talking point from today must surely be Paul O'Connell's hat...

The Lost Sheep

Zzippy wrote: »

I'm just back from the Sportsground

He was fairly hobbling when he came off. Lad beside me said he was just running down the line and it looked more like a muscle injury, torn calf possibly, but that's hearsay, I didn't see him do it myself. The way he was limping it didn't seem minor anyway.

Jeez them lads are big men up close! Interesting to see Denis Buckley and Nathan White training with them and wearing the Irish kit. All the kit has the player's initials on sleeve, didn't see if they had theirs or if it was just spare kit.

It wasn't a very intense session, 3 groups of 15 or so, 2 doing ball skills and offloading practice while one did shuttle sprints, but not at full pace, then rotating. Ian Madigan was limping at the end and had an ice pack strapped to his quad. Think Cian Healy finished the session very early too. Didn't notice any other injuries. They all look pretty fit already. Sean Cronin looks a bit less bulky than usual.

I was working at the sportsground....
Overheard medics say they weren't too worried initially about Zebo and while they stopped him training as precaution and he didn't seem to think it was too bad.
Healy didn't train at all as he had been tested by Irish Sports council this morning AFAIK and I thik someone in irish management team said he didn't train as he hadn't got enough rest/recovery yesterday/last night??

thomond2006

.ak wrote: »

So... Donnacha Ryan to the wing?

No ak, you see this is where John Hayes comes in...

total former

Minor injuries also to D'Arcy and Boss according to RTE.

.ak

Christ... All it was was fitness drills, no? How are we getting guys tightening up already? S&C team needs to be looking into their flexibility work I think...

dub_skav

.ak wrote: »

Christ... All it was was fitness drills, no? How are we getting guys tightening up already? S&C team needs to be looking into their flexibility work I think...

Fitness drills, flexibility work, bah, that's the problem.

Game of tip, be grand

The Lost Sheep

.ak wrote: »

Christ... All it was was fitness drills, no? How are we getting guys tightening up already? S&C team needs to be looking into their flexibility work I think...

Fitness, handling and some other drills
Don't think we need to read into things that much......

.ak

.ak wrote: »

Christ... All it was was fitness drills, no? How are we getting guys tightening up already? S&C team needs to be looking into their flexibility work I think...

Ah start of the season is when you always pick up the niggles. Flexibility / Insufficient warm up etc can be to blame but often enough the first time in a few weeks you go at it the weakest link sometimes just says "no".

I've seen plenty of people hobble from training after the first run out only to be grand two days later.

Plus it's not like Zebo is going to be anywhere near the matchday 23 (:pac:)

Zzippy

Deleted User wrote: »

Ah start of the season is when you always pick up the niggles. Flexibility / Insufficient warm up etc can be to blame but often enough the first time in a few weeks you go at it the weakest link sometimes just says "no".

I've seen plenty of people hobble from training after the first run out only to be grand two days later.

Plus it's not like Zebo is going to be anywhere near the matchday 23 (:pac:)

Zzippy

Zzippy wrote: »

b.gud

Zzippy wrote: »

I'm just back from the Sportsground


He was fairly hobbling when he came off. Lad beside me said he was just running down the line and it looked more like a muscle injury, torn calf possibly, but that's hearsay, I didn't see him do it myself. The way he was limping it didn't seem minor anyway.

Jeez them lads are big men up close! Interesting to see Denis Buckley and Nathan White training with them and wearing the Irish kit. All the kit has the player's initials on sleeve, didn't see if they had theirs or if it was just spare kit.

It wasn't a very intense session, 3 groups of 15 or so, 2 doing ball skills and offloading practice while one did shuttle sprints, but not at full pace, then rotating. Ian Madigan was limping at the end and had an ice pack strapped to his quad. Think Cian Healy finished the session very early too. Didn't notice any other injuries. They all look pretty fit already. Sean Cronin looks a bit less bulky than usual.

Where Buckley and White the only Connacht players, apart from Henshaw and Marmion, that were training today?

If other Connacht players where training how were they kitted out? Connacht or Ireland gear?

Zzippy

b.gud wrote: »

Where Buckley and White the only Connacht players, apart from Henshaw and Marmion, that were training today?

If other Connacht players where training how were they kitted out? Connacht or Ireland gear?

Think the Connacht players were in the gym or training elsewhere. I saw Ultan Dillane jog down the sideline in Connacht training gear, and met John Muldoon when I was leaving in shorts and hoodie heading out the gate, didn't see any other players today.

b.gud

Zzippy wrote: »

Think the Connacht players were in the gym or training elsewhere. I saw Ultan Dillane jog down the sideline in Connacht training gear, and met John Muldoon when I was leaving in shorts and hoodie heading out the gate, didn't see any other players today.

Hopefully that means Buckley has been added to the squad. If not at least he's getting some time around the squad and it obviously means he's on Joes radar

.ak

Well Joe's a big fan of getting as many people involved in the Irish camps as possible, presumably it's good business in terms of keeping fringe players interested and motivated, but also a practical approach so that nobody is alien to the squad if called up and as such our depth becomes more tangible.

thomond2006

Nice hat Paul.

b.gud

thomond2006 wrote: »

Nice hat Paul.

I opened this thread to post that exact picture *shakes fist*

The Lost Sheep

Zzippy wrote: »

Think the Connacht players were in the gym or training elsewhere. I saw Ultan Dillane jog down the sideline in Connacht training gear, and met John Muldoon when I was leaving in shorts and hoodie heading out the gate, didn't see any other players today.

A lot of the Connacht players were around - academy guys and younger pros like Shane O Leary, Conor McKeon. They were in gym and were training later...

thomond2006

thomond2006 wrote: »

Nice hat Paul.

Today I learned that Paul O'Connell is a bit of a Chav.

flangemeistro

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Today I learned that Paul O'Connell is a bit of a Chav.

I don't get the hate for the hat? Is there some secret rugby dress code that forbids you from obstructing the sun's rays from your face and eyes?
Or are rugby players so tough that they are UV resistant?
I suppose all golfers, cyclists, cricketers and formula 1 drivers are chavs so?

.ak

flangemeistro wrote: »

I don't get the hate for the hat? Is there some secret rugby dress code that forbids you from obstructing the sun's rays from your face and eyes?
Or are rugby players so tough that they are UV resistant?
I suppose all golfers, cyclists, cricketers and formula 1 drivers are chavs so?

Haha, no, it's just that it makes him look like a chav. He's no Rickie Fowler, let's just say that.

total former

It's an ironic homage to king of the sun-averse gingers, Steve Staunton.

flangemeistro

flangemeistro wrote: »

I don't get the hate for the hat? Is there some secret rugby dress code that forbids you from obstructing the sun's rays from your face and eyes?
Or are rugby players so tough that they are UV resistant?
I suppose all golfers, cyclists, cricketers and formula 1 drivers are chavs so?

Bit touchy there, just pointing out the similarity between:


Christina



Paul

mfceiling

.ak wrote: »

Haha, no, it's just that it makes him look like a chav. He's no Rickie Fowler, let's just say that.

With his little ronnie there is no sports person alive who looks more like a little gurrier than ricky fowler.

Showed a picture of him to my non golfing mate. His reply..."stick a tracksuit on that and throw him in the middle of crumlin and he'd fit right in"!!

vkid

jesus wept, POC is a chav because he wears a baseball hat?
silly season in full swing

molloyjh

vkid wrote: »

jesus wept, POC is a chav because he wears a baseball hat?
silly season in full swing

Eh, it was meant in jest. A bit of fun/banter. Tongue firmly in cheek.

What is going on that people are getting uppity over something so obviously a joke????

molloyjh

molloyjh wrote: »

Eh, it was meant in jest. A bit of fun/banter. Tongue firmly in cheek.

What is going on that people are getting uppity over something so obviously a joke????

I was being completely serious. I hate Munster and everything they stand for so when an opportunity arrives to take down one of their players I grasp it with both han... oh wait, he plays for Toulon now.

Nice hat Paul!

.ak

I've seen Venjur hanging around the Square on Tuesdays and he always wears a dodgy baseball hat.

Pot, kettle, black!

thomond2006

vkid wrote: »

jesus wept, POC is a chav because he wears a baseball hat?
silly season in full swing

awec

Deleted User wrote: »

I was being completely serious. I hate Munster and everything they stand for so when an opportunity arrives to take down one of their players I grasp it with both han... oh wait, he plays for Toulon now.

Nice hat Paul!

Declan wears baseball hats too.

awec

awec wrote: »

Declan wears baseball hats too.

Jesus awec... maybe nsfw that, when I opened the image I thought I was about to be robbed.

.ak

Ultimate skanger.

Teferi

.ak wrote: »

Ultimate skanger.

Genuinely looks like the local alco.

So, on a scale of worst to least worst, what is the order in which we can afford to lose likely 23 squad players before the RWC. My list as follows:

Sexton
Murray
Heaslip
POC
Henshaw
Best
SOB
Kearney
Jackson
Healy
Toner
Bowe
POM
Payne
Ross
Fitzgerald
Henderson
McGrath
Moore
Reddan
Cronin
Earls
Murphy

bilston

[Deleted User] wrote: »

So, on a scale of worst to least worst, what is the order in which we can afford to lose likely 23 squad players before the RWC. My list as follows:

Sexton
Murray
Heaslip
POC
Henshaw
Best
SOB
Kearney
Jackson
Healy
Toner
Bowe
POM
Payne
Ross
Fitzgerald
Henderson
McGrath
Moore
Reddan
Cronin
Earls
Murphy

Sexton, Murray, O'Connell, Heaslip and Kearney are the ones we don't want to lose. Everyone else can be replaced by someone of a similar standard. In fact if Payne was an option at 15 then I wouldn't be massively concerned if we lost Kearney (obviously I'd be disappointed) but he doesn't appear to be under consideration there.

.ak

If we lose Madigan it's game over imo.

wp_rathead

bilston wrote: »

Sexton, Murray, O'Connell, Heaslip and Kearney are the ones we don't want to lose.

Replace Kearney with Henshaw and I agree

Zzippy

bilston wrote: »

Sexton, Murray, O'Connell, Heaslip and Kearney are the ones we don't want to lose. Everyone else can be replaced by someone of a similar standard. In fact if Payne was an option at 15 then I wouldn't be massively concerned if we lost Kearney (obviously I'd be disappointed) but he doesn't appear to be under consideration there.

Why list them in order then contradict yourself by skipping on to Kearney in the discussion? Can Henshaw/POC be replaced by someone of a similar standard??? IMO Payne wouldn't be a step down from Kearney, think it would be less of a blow than people think if he was injured.

.ak

It would be interesting if Kearney doesn't make it. Who fits in at 15?

Did he ever actually get sub'd in the 6n? I know Jones was there for cover, but I'm pretty sure he played out every game on the wing IIRC?

flangemeistro

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Jesus awec... maybe nsfw that, when I opened the image I thought I was about to be robbed.

Na the only person Kidney ever robbed was ROG of the respectful and proud sending off he deserved.

thomond2006

flangemeistro wrote: »

Na the only person Kidney ever robbed was ROG of the respectful and proud sending off he deserved.