Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread VIII - ** MOD NOTE POST #4781 **

thomond2006

Here's a thread for you count:

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=105458157#post105458157

bilston

Marina Old-fashioned Locket wrote: »

schmidt is not building for japan, he stated this himself many times.
i believe it when he says he takes each tournament, test and tour on their own merits.
if you look at the age profile of the squad, many of the key players will be in their mid thirties by the time japan starts and that age profile will unfortunately be a serious potential problem.
Ireland have a better chance of winning six nations and so should fully concentrate on that.
Aim for a WC quarter which is very possible and anything else is a bonus.
Our player pool is just not good enough to go about it any other way - that is the lesson schmidt took from the 2015 world cup.

Interestingly NZ had 11 players over the age of 30 in their squad in 2015.

Experienced teams tend to win world cups, not a bunch of kids.

Yeah_Right

bilston wrote: »

Interestingly NZ had 11 players over the age of 30 in their squad in 2015.

Experienced teams tend to win world cups, not a bunch of kids.

He did specify "key players". I think we can all agree that McCaw, Read, Kaino, Carter, C. Smith and Nonu weren't key players. Seriously, what would players with their experience add to a World Cup squad? Imagine how good that AB team would have been if they'd selected players who were in form.

bilston

Yeah_Right wrote: »

He did specify "key players". I think we can all agree that McCaw, Read, Kaino, Carter, C. Smith and Nonu weren't key players. Seriously, what would players with their experience add to a World Cup squad? Imagine how good that AB team would have been if they'd selected players who were in form.

Maybe it's because I'm in my mid 30s myself now but it winds me up. Age is just a fecking number. If you're the best player for the job then it doesn't matter if you're 25 or 35. Sure it gets harder, but I can honestly say that as someone who still turns out every now and then at a very social level I know a hell of a lot more about the game of rugby now than I did 10 years ago.

You throw away experience at your peril.

Stheno

Going back to Heaslip and Payne I'd hate for them to retire without a send off

I was in the Aviva for PICs send off and it was lovely

Burkie1203

Stheno wrote: »

Going back to Heaslip and Payne I'd hate for them to retire without a send off

I was in the Aviva for PICs send off and it was lovely

Id be especially gutted for Heaslip not hitting 100 caps for ireland. Every success Leinster and Ireland have had in last 10 years he has been central to it.

errlloyd

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Id be especially gutted for Heaslip not hitting 100 caps for ireland. Every success Leinster and Ireland have had in last 10 years he has been central to it.

BOD was the OTB podcast a week or two ago, and one of the things he talked about was the Centurion Dinner he had attended. Jamie was at it, because he has a hundred caps including the Lions. The presenter joked that he had only just made it, and BOD sort of dismissed it out of hand and said he'd get a few more. Assuming BOD had been talking to Jamie at the dinner, then Jamie must have been confident he'd be back.

prawnsambo

errlloyd wrote: »

BOD was the OTB podcast a week or two ago, and one of the things he talked about was the Centurion Dinner he had attended. Jamie was at it, because he has a hundred caps including the Lions. The presenter joked that he had only just made it, and BOD sort of dismissed it out of hand and said he'd get a few more. Assuming BOD had been talking to Jamie at the dinner, then Jamie must have been confident he'd be back.

Even if he retired today, it'd be with some record. Apart from the 100 international caps, he has 3 European Cup medals, 3 Pro 12 medals, a Challenge Cup medal and 3 six nations medals.

Not many players can boast that kind of tally.

prawnsambo

prawnsambo wrote: »

Even if he retired today, it'd be with some record. Apart from the 100 international caps, he has 3 European Cup medals, 3 Pro 12 medals, a Challenge Cup medal and 3 six nations medals.

Not many players can boast that kind of tally.

Yeah but headphones

connemara man

prawnsambo wrote: »

Even if he retired today, it'd be with some record. Apart from the 100 international caps, he has 3 European Cup medals, 3 Pro 12 medals, a Challenge Cup medal and 3 six nations medals.

Not many players can boast that kind of tally.

But what's he done for me lately

prawnsambo

connemara man wrote: »

But what's he done for me lately

Well his injury has kept him out of pointless pages of posts on the Ireland thread.

awec

Closed pending review.

bilston

So a back three containing Stockdale and Larmour for the WC then???

Hmmmm, that's potentially devastating.

bilston

bilston wrote: »

So a back three containing Stockdale and Larmour for the WC then???

Hmmmm, that's potentially devastating.

The thread has just opened again

What have you done

Don Kiddick

Madelynn Glamorous Range wrote: »

The thread has just opened again

What have you done

What age will Dave Kearney be come the next WC?

bilston

Madelynn Glamorous Range wrote: »

bilston wrote: »

So a back three containing Stockdale and Larmour for the WC then???

Hmmmm, that's potentially devastating.

The thread has just opened again

What have you done

It's Christmas...everyone will be nice to each other!

connachta

bilston wrote: »

Madelynn Glamorous Range wrote: »

bilston wrote: »

So a back three containing Stockdale and Larmour for the WC then???

Hmmmm, that's potentially devastating.

The thread has just opened again

What have you done

It's Christmas...everyone will be nice to each other!

All-right

CIARAN_BOYLE

bilston wrote: »

So a back three containing Stockdale and Larmour for the WC then???

Hmmmm, that's potentially devastating.

74 hours from awec opening the thread to the first post.

I wondered how long it would take.

Now that's someone is posting does anyone have a list of players at the Irish camp last week?

MJohnston

See France have sacked Noves already, replaced him with Jacques Brunel. I'd say it's a positive for us, but I don't know if we need France to be even more unpredictable than usual.

MJohnston

MJohnston wrote: »

See France have sacked Noves already, replaced him with Jacques Brunel. I'd say it's a positive for us, but I don't know if we need France to be even more unpredictable than usual.

They can only get better imo. Can't remember an international coach of a 6N side ever losing their job at this time of year.

swiwi_

MJohnston wrote: »

See France have sacked Noves already, replaced him with Jacques Brunel. I'd say it's a positive for us, but I don't know if we need France to be even more unpredictable than usual.

I thought noves was hopeless. His teams never seemed to have any discernible shape or game plan. They potentially have a top 5 team, some really good talent on offer but you can’t just win based on talent alone at the higher levels.

pickarooney

swiwi_ wrote: »

I thought noves was hopeless. His teams never seemed to have any discernible shape or game plan. They potentially have a top 5 team, some really good talent on offer but you can’t just win based on talent alone at the higher levels.

I think they could yet be top 5




in the 6 nations

irishbucsfan

swiwi_ wrote: »

I thought noves was hopeless. His teams never seemed to have any discernible shape or game plan. They potentially have a top 5 team, some really good talent on offer but you can’t just win based on talent alone at the higher levels.

Potentially top 5... in the 6 Nations!n:D

errlloyd

pickarooney wrote: »

I think they could yet be top 5




in the 6 nations

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Potentially top 5... in the 6 Nations!n:D

You guys.

They need a kiwi coach tbh. I can respect them wanting to stick with a French one but they're falling behind of modern rugby.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

They need a kiwi coach tbh. I can respect them wanting to stick with a French one but they're falling behind of modern rugby.

They won't hire a non French fluent coach so that may be that catch

prawnsambo

Aarav Important Topic wrote: »

They won't hire a non French fluent coach so that may be that catch

Vern Cotter?

connachta

Worcester press conference
"Peter Stringer’s contract has come to an end and he has left the Club to return to Ireland."
Right on time for RWC squad at 41 y.o and 10 months

awec

I’d sign him.

FrannoFan

connachta wrote: »

Worcester press conference
"Peter Stringer’s contract has come to an end and he has left the Club to return to Ireland."
Right on time for RWC squad at 41 y.o and 10 months

Get him to leinster and we can pick lowe in europe

connachta

awec wrote: »

I’d sign him.

You should be happy with Cooney, but indeed a decent bencher he would be...

thomond2006

awec wrote: »

I’d sign him.

If you can sign him in a playing/ mentoring role to Cooney then go for it.

Buer

awec wrote: »

I’d sign him.

If he was as useful in a playing or mentoring capacity he wouldn't have just been let go by his 6th team in 6 years.

Don Kiddick

Buer wrote: »

If he was as useful in a playing or mentoring capacity he wouldn't have just been let go by his 6th team in 6 years.

He did an interview recently where he reckons he's fitter now than 15 years ago and he wants to continue playing....
He's not looking to sit on the bench or mentor guys just yet ... he'll have another year, maybe 2 in England I would think.

Former Former

thomond2006 wrote: »

If you can sign him in a playing/ mentoring role to Cooney then go for it.

Cooney is 27 (28 before the season is out). You can't sign someone to 'mentor' him.

Under no circumstances should any province sign Stringer.
Edit: maybe some horrendous injury crisis...

thomond2006

Former Former wrote: »

Cooney is 27 (28 before the season is out). You can't sign someone to 'mentor' him.

Under no circumstances should any province sign Stringer.
Edit: maybe some horrendous injury crisis...

Yikes, my mistake. I had it in my head that Cooney was 24/25.

Cooney doesn't need any mentoring, he's doing just fine.

Rigor Mortis

Madelynn Glamorous Range wrote: »

Cooney doesn't need any mentoring, he's doing just fine.

No, but Stringer would be a far better reserve than Marshall.

thomond2006

Madelynn Glamorous Range wrote: »

Cooney doesn't need any mentoring, he's doing just fine.

I didn't say he wasn't doing fine to be fair.

Anyway now that Cooney's age has been clarified for me, there's no use for Stringer in any of the provinces.

stephen_n

thomond2006 wrote: »

I didn't say he wasn't doing fine to be fair.

Anyway now that Cooney's age has been clarified for me, there's no use for Stringer in any of the provinces.

Well if Ulster don’t sign a 10 and Cooney ends up playing there, then Ulster could certainly use a good 9.

Squidgy Black

stephen_n wrote: »

Well if Ulster don’t sign a 10 and Cooney ends up playing there, then Ulster could certainly use a good 9.

It would be an absolute shocker of a decision to shunt Cooney into 10. Fair enough playing there in a pinch or covering from the bench, but to play him there full time would be crazy. He's starting to build up a real run of form at 9, he's a mediocre 10 at best. And the options at 9 below him are worse than the likes of McPhillips playing 10 with a solid 9 to support him.

Peregrine

I'd rather see 9. Cooney 10. McPhillips than 9. Marshall 10. Cooney, 9. Cairns 10. Cooney, or 9. Shanahan 10. Cooney. Basically, please don't play Cooney at 10.

*remembers that it's Les*

Oh. Right.

prawnsambo

prawnsambo wrote: »

Vern Cotter?

Would he want the France job

It'd be unreal to somehow get stronger that 100th Irish cap

thomond2006

Aarav Important Topic wrote: »

It'd be unreal to somehow get stronger that 100th Irish cap

Nah. Let's not do a Martyn Williams on it. It's a pity he didn't make 100 though.

thomond2006

thomond2006 wrote: »

Nah. Let's not do a Martyn Williams on it. It's a pity he didn't make 100 though.

Prob unfair to keep a cap from one of the younger guys anyway 99 caps is just a shame

The Lost Sheep

Aarav Important Topic wrote: »

Prob unfair to keep a cap from one of the younger guys anyway 99 caps is just a shame

He didnt end on 99. Stringer has 98 so it would be two games.

The Lost Sheep

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

He didnt end on 99. Stringer has 98 so it would be two games.

Well **** so he did never mind so

prawnsambo

Aarav Important Topic wrote: »

Would he want the France job

It's a bit of a poisoned chalice alright, but Cotter is an experienced guy who wouldn't go into it all starry eyed. He's probably one of the most successful and experienced coaches based in France. Language wouldn't be an issue and he would know a lot of the players already. I'd be afraid of a France team with him at the helm tbh.

stephen_n

_Tyrrell_ wrote: »

It would be an absolute shocker of a decision to shunt Cooney into 10. Fair enough playing there in a pinch or covering from the bench, but to play him there full time would be crazy. He's starting to build up a real run of form at 9, he's a mediocre 10 at best. And the options at 9 below him are worse than the likes of McPhillips playing 10 with a solid 9 to support him.

I’d agree, but it’s Ulster we are talking about. Allowing the situation arrive that their main 10 is leaving, after playing nearly every minute possible for the last four months, giving no real game time to any other 10 is a far more shocking decision and one which makes Cooney at 10 seem a very conceivable outcome. Personally I think it would be a disaster for Cooney, who’s really flourishing with game time at 9 and is going to be pushing McGrath and Marmion for the bench spot.