Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread V

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Teferi wrote: »

Have you ever been particularly excited by a captains interview? Players in the modern era are media trained to the Nth degree, it's only at times of great emotional upheaval (ROG all but retiring at the WC for example) that you get a glimpse of them, for the most part they just give stock answers and try not to put their foot in it.

There are probably a few examples of captains who are a little more loose with their tongue but in general they tow the party line.

Not a captain but The Honey Badger sets a pretty high standard for interviews.

Teferi

Teferi wrote: »

Have you ever been particularly excited by a captains interview? Players in the modern era are media trained to the Nth degree, it's only at times of great emotional upheaval (ROG all but retiring at the WC for example) that you get a glimpse of them, for the most part they just give stock answers and try not to put their foot in it.

There are probably a few examples of captains who are a little more loose with their tongue but in general they tow the party line.

Mike Brown for Ireland captain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuSQEsVgnWE

Teferi

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Not a captain but The Honey Badger sets a pretty high standard for interviews.

Haha! The Badge does give good interview, very entertaining but he probably doesn't face the kind of questioning a captain does.

Teferi

Deleted User wrote: »

Mike Brown for Ireland captain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuSQEsVgnWE

Ah yes, up there with this one...

We joke now about Olding's height, but down the line he is going to be in a 50:50 selection for a position with another player, and someone with an axe to grind will come out with "he is too short for international rugby" as opposed to just being too slow.

In anycase, there have been plenty of terrific gaelic footballers who weren't the tallest but didn't lose out under the high ball in a game where it's significantly more important so I wouldn't worry about Olding if he has the physical attributes to get into the right position and get enough height in the air.

Either way, it's exciting to hear Kiss talk about him this way, will be interesting to see how the rest of his season goes.

Surely being relatively short is an advantage as a center

techdiver

Deleted User wrote: »

Surely being relatively short is an advantage as a center

Brian O'Driscoll was certainly not tall. He's down as a generous 5'10" on wikipeadia.

I don't really think height matters dramatically for backs. I mean a bigger frame has it's obvious advantages, but there is a balance between size and speed / agility so there are plenty of obvious varieties and variables.

Dave Kearney wouldn't be the biggest for example, yet he had 4 Wasps players trying to push him into touch, and he was able to withstand that pressure long enough to put an amazing offload out for Reddan to touch down a try.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

techdiver wrote: »

Brian O'Driscoll was certainly not tall. He's down as a generous 5'10" on wikipeadia.

I was just going to say. I happened to be coming through the airport once at the same time Leinster were coming home from somewhere and was walking past O'Driscoll and he didn't seem to have much height on me. I'm about 5ft8. He was with the wife too, who I knew was quite short so it was surprising to see with her heels on there wasn't much difference in them.

techdiver

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I was just going to say. I happened to be coming through the airport once at the same time Leinster were coming home from somewhere and was walking past O'Driscoll and he didn't seem to have much height on me. I'm about 5ft8. He was with the wife too, who I knew was quite short so it was surprising to see with her heels on there wasn't much difference in them.

I have a photo with him in 2009. I'm 6' 1" and I looked like I towered over him.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

techdiver wrote: »

I have a photo with him in 2009. I'm 6' 1" and I looked like I towered over him.

It's weird though, he's never looked that small during games.

techdiver

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

It's weird though, he's never looked that small during games.

I know.

It's very hard to judge sometimes.

As some of my older GAA club men would have said over the years - "He toggs out a big man!"

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

It's weird though, he's never looked that small during games.

In his early career he did, I thought around 2004 he looked a bit out of place at times as he physically hadn't quite developed into the athlete he became.

By 2007 he had gained a good bit of mass and it showed in terms of how he played the game, much more solid. By 2009 I thought he was at his very best, and I'd say he was at his best balance of pace, speed and power.

Certainly by his last six nations he was playing his smartest rugby, but was being physically outmatched at times and his lack of height probably saved him being able to tackle so low on much larger units.

But tall he isn't. Another player I was quite surprised by their lack of stature was Dom Ryan. Have met him a couple of times and compared to some of our other back rows he looks quite small. Same with Jordi Murphy but not quite as obvious as he is taller.

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

But tall he isn't. Another player I was quite surprised by their lack of stature was Dom Ryan. Have met him a couple of times and compared to some of our other back rows he looks quite small. Same with Jordi Murphy but not quite as obvious as he is taller.

Are you sure you're not mixing the two up?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I guess the point of all this is that it probably doesn't matter if Olding is a hobbit.

awec

Deleted User wrote: »

In his early career he did, I thought around 2004 he looked a bit out of place at times as he physically hadn't quite developed into the athlete he became.

By 2007 he had gained a good bit of mass and it showed in terms of how he played the game, much more solid. By 2009 I thought he was at his very best, and I'd say he was at his best balance of pace, speed and power.

Certainly by his last six nations he was playing his smartest rugby, but was being physically outmatched at times and his lack of height probably saved him being able to tackle so low on much larger units.

But tall he isn't. Another player I was quite surprised by their lack of stature was Dom Ryan. Have met him a couple of times and compared to some of our other back rows he looks quite small. Same with Jordi Murphy but not quite as obvious as he is taller.

Dom Ryan is the tallest back row at Leinster. Same height as Heaslip.

Murphy, O'Brien and Ruddock are all shorter.

Though the stats could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time!

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Are you sure you're not mixing the two up?

Ha!

You're right. Dominic Ryan is actually 5cm taller, Jordi is just heavier (and I'd argue more than what is listed on their stats page).

I'm the same height as Jordi but could have sworn Ryan wasn't any much taller.

Proves the point about perspective being unreliable!

AdamD

Dom Ryan looks very big in person. Jordi Murphy however is quite small for a backrow

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

Ha!

You're right. Dominic Ryan is actually 5cm taller, Jordi is just heavier (and I'd argue more than what is listed on their stats page).

I'm the same height as Jordi but could have sworn Ryan wasn't any much taller.

Proves the point about perspective being unreliable!

Jordi isn't listed as heavier on the Leinster site anyway. Ryan is naturally a lot bigger than Murphy but I think he's had conditioning issues at times since that period where he was injured, he's starting to look like he's past it now.

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Jordi isn't listed as heavier on the Leinster site anyway. Ryan is naturally a lot bigger than Murphy but I think he's had conditioning issues at times since that period where he was injured, he's starting to look like he's past it now.

Actually thought Ryan has been going well the last few games and is probably more on par with Murphy than he has been.

I met Ryan last March and honestly, he looked like a regular bloke that spends a bit of time in the gym. I was taken aback by how ordinary he looked when most rugby players (and especially forwards) are noticeably bigger than everybody else in the room. At least that was the impression I was left with.

Anyway, off topic for an Ireland thread.

CMOTDibbler

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Jordi isn't listed as heavier on the Leinster site anyway. Ryan is naturally a lot bigger than Murphy but I think he's had conditioning issues at times since that period where he was injured, he's starting to look like he's past it now.

I remember watching him playing a Vinny Murray game for Gonzaga and it doesn't seem that long ago. I know I'm getting on a bit but that's really hammering it home.

Thanks for that :mad:

bilston

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Jordi isn't listed as heavier on the Leinster site anyway. Ryan is naturally a lot bigger than Murphy but I think he's had conditioning issues at times since that period where he was injured, he's starting to look like he's past it now.

Past it! You've changed your tune from yesterday!

former total

bilston wrote: »

Past it! You've changed your tune from yesterday!

Think by "past it", he means his conditioning issues are behind him and is in good shape again.

former total

former total wrote: »

Think by "past it", he means his conditioning issues are behind him and is in good shape again.

awec

IBF:



"Dom Ryan's folks, I have Dom Ryan's for sale. You will not find a better product than this anywhere else. Two for a pound, can't say bad to that can you?"

irishbucsfan

former total wrote: »

Think by "past it", he means his conditioning issues are behind him and is in good shape again.

That's exactly what I meant but it was poorly worded

awec

IBF:



"Dom Ryan's folks, I have Dom Ryan's for sale. You will not find a better product than this anywhere else. Two for a pound, can't say bad to that can you?"

awec

irishbucsfan wrote: »

That's exactly what I meant but it was poorly worded

Suuuuuuuuuure you did. :pac:

irishbucsfan

awec wrote: »

Suuuuuuuuuure you did. :pac:

I'm looking forward to him proving you wrong next season

Wait till we hear Ulster fans calling for Dippy for Ireland!

awec

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I'm looking forward to him proving you wrong next season

Wait till we hear Ulster fans calling for Dippy for Ireland!

Certainly hope he does prove me wrong if this happens! I'll be the first to admit it and the first card carrying member of the Dom Ryan fan club.

awec

Is it in any way interesting that Henshaw has been released to play at 13 for Connacht tomorrow?

awec

awec wrote: »

Is it in any way interesting that Henshaw has been released to play at 13 for Connacht tomorrow?

By itself no, but in the context of neither Payne nor McCloskey being released then potentially.

LostArt

awec wrote: »

Dom Ryan is the tallest back row at Leinster. Same height as Heaslip.

Murphy, O'Brien and Ruddock are all shorter.

Though the stats could be wrong, wouldn't be the first time!

Conan's huge. I'm 6'4" and I look up at him.

former total

awec wrote: »

Is it in any way interesting that Henshaw has been released to play at 13 for Connacht tomorrow?

Interesting that he's been released to play, or interesting that he's named at 13?

I'd say most likely he just needs game time. A single run-out against Enisei isn't exactly great prep work for the Six Nations.

awec

former total wrote: »

Interesting that he's been released to play, or interesting that he's named at 13?

I'd say most likely he just needs game time. A single run-out against Enisei isn't exactly great prep work for the Six Nations.

Both.

Payne has only played twice since the world cup and both at 15. And one of those games may as well have been a training session.

Zzippy

Well it suggests that possibly Payne doesn't need gametime at centre, as he's being considered for 15, or possibly that Henshaw is being considered for 13 but needs gametime, so a McCloskey/Henshaw midfield... then again it probably means sweet FA, as Henshaw and Aki interchange a lot when they play together.

awec

Yea I am probably reading way too much into it.

I have decided I won't get frustrated no matter what the selection is next week!

awec

Yea I am probably reading way too much into it.

I have decided I won't get frustrated no matter what the selection is next week!

irishbucsfan

Zzippy wrote: »

Well it suggests that possibly Payne doesn't need gametime at centre, as he's being considered for 15, or possibly that Henshaw is being considered for 13 but needs gametime, so a McCloskey/Henshaw midfield... then again it probably means sweet FA, as Henshaw and Aki interchange a lot when they play together.

There's a few little signs that we might see Payne/Henshaw at 15. Schmidt's comments suggested it, Henshaw at 13 etc... I'd still rate it as maybe < 5% chance that Rob Kearney isn't starting there but wouldn't be the first time Joe has thrown a curve ball of course.

Zzippy

irishbucsfan wrote: »

There's a few little signs that we might see Payne/Henshaw at 15. Schmidt's comments suggested it, Henshaw at 13 etc... I'd still rate it as maybe < 5% chance that Rob Kearney isn't starting there but wouldn't be the first time Joe has thrown a curve ball of course.

Yeah we never know with Joe, but his previous comments that we need to change and adapt our game to keep winning, plus how we weren't able to do so in the WC, suggest perhaps we might expand our game a bit more, so he might change things up a bit. Like you say though, RK being dropped is probably a very small possibility.

Mahatma Geansai

irishbucsfan wrote: »

There's a few little signs that we might see Payne/Henshaw at 15. Schmidt's comments suggested it, Henshaw at 13 etc... I'd still rate it as maybe < 5% chance that Rob Kearney isn't starting there but wouldn't be the first time Joe has thrown a curve ball of course.

It would only be a curve ball because most people would consider Joe to be too conservative to make such an unenforced change.

irishbucsfan

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

It would only be a curve ball because most people would consider Joe to be too conservative to make such an unenforced change.

If by "most" people you mean people with an agenda, then I'd certainly agree with that.

b.gud

I hate to be the party pooper but anyone expecting Schmidt to bring in a new expansive running game may be disappointed.

Quote from this article

“It’s funny, the game plan in the World Cup, I thought, served us really well and we still did get two tries against Argentina and I could show you a bit of footage that one good decision gives us another one at least,” said Schmidt. “That makes you competitive against a really good side.”
“Are we that far away? We’ve beaten all the Southern Hemisphere sides in the last two years apart from the All Blacks. I don’t think we’re that far away and ironically we change our game plan a little bit week to week, so we don’t do the same things.

stephen_n

There's no way in hell we will chuck the game plan out the window. If the levels of execution are good enough it may well become more expansive. It will adapt as it always has from game to game. Anyone expecting a rip it up and start again approach would be nuts.

Neil3030

Well the fatalistic interpretation of the released players is that we will see

15. Kearney
13. Payne
12. McCloskey

sydthebeat

fitzy injured in todays training

Mahatma Geansai

irishbucsfan wrote: »

If by "most" people you mean people with an agenda, then I'd certainly agree with that.

Shoot me for wanting to play progressive rugby by getting our best, and most-exciting players on to the field at the same time.

MJohnston

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

Shoot me for wanting to play progressive rugby by getting our best, and most-exciting players on to the field at the same time.

No, shoot me.

aimee1

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

play progressive rugby

Define progressive?

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Henshaw's been released? That's a surprise.... I think.