Schools Rugby 2017 2018 Thread SEE MOD WARNING POST #1773

D14Rugby

Baird played 8 and captained the team in their last game so interesting he's not involved at all. A case of not showing too much and keeping cards close to their chest?

irishfan9

D14Rugby wrote: »

Baird played 8 and captained the team in their last game so interesting he's not involved at all. A case of not showing too much and keeping cards close to their chest?

Been dealing with injury for awhile.. could have had a setback..

Or could be as you said

Granny15

urbanchick wrote: »

Gonzaga sneaking in under radar: charging ahead I would say!

We have learned from their Jesuit brothers what sneakiness and cunning they have in going on on cup runs in successive years from the 90's and we won't get caught out with Gonzagas little surge.

Purist98

D14Rugby wrote: »

Baird played 8 and captained the team in their last game so interesting he's not involved at all. A case of not showing too much and keeping cards close to their chest?

Injured

urbanchick

Granny15 wrote: »

We have learned from their Jesuit brothers what sneakiness and cunning they have in going on on cup runs in successive years from the 90's and we won't get caught out with Gonzagas little surge.

I cannot disagree with that statement .....cynical play works for them, and unlike the proverb, they seem to prosper.

Ayewserious

Purist98 wrote: »

Injured

Long term?

Purist98

Ayewserious wrote: »

Long term?

No

Granny15

urbanchick wrote: »

I cannot disagree with that statement .....cynical play works for them, and unlike the proverb, they seem to prosper.

I was thinking more about hiding players and not putting much into the friendly season or 6 years of rugby before the SCT cup. I wouldn't write them down as dirty or cynical players just cunning coaches

urbanchick

Granny15 wrote: »

I was thinking more about hiding players and not putting much into the friendly season or 6 years of rugby before the SCT cup. I wouldn't write them down as dirty or cynical players just cunning coaches

Look it, they are a good team, there is no doubting that, imo and from what I have seen when the Run of play is against them they employ the whatever it takes mantra - some will argue it's no harm, I don't like it, but nevertheless they are doing well and it's always good to see a league team shake up the predictable SC!

Granny15

urbanchick wrote: »

Look it, they are a good team, there is no doubting that, imo and from what I have seen when the Run of play is against them they employ the whatever it takes mantra - some will argue it's no harm, I don't like it, but nevertheless they are doing well and it's always good to see a league team shake up the predictable SC!

I'm talking about their country cousins.

We won't be caught off guard by their city cousins in Gonzaga after the last act of war by their country cousins in the early 2000's

Whatever it takes is a good mantra to live by until someone gets hurt then a healing is needed. A coach who can heal a team.

MDunne14

Michaels beat rock 19 - 12 .. could be there year

Granny15

MDunne14 wrote: »

Michaels beat rock 19 - 12 .. could be there year

We won't take any friendly season results for granted.

They mean nothing come cup time.

Ayewserious

MDunne14 wrote: »

Michaels beat rock 19 - 12 .. could be there year

It won't be

Therajman

Ayewserious wrote: »

It won't be

Why

Ayewserious

They never do, they could crumble come cup time,if they play belvo/ Rock and its raining again they'll lose, hope I wrong tbhh

Chris hughes25

Ayewserious wrote: »

They never do, they could crumble come cup time,if they play belvo/ Rock and its raining again they'll lose, hope I wrong tbhh

If it’s raining ? They’ve the 3 best forwards in the competition it would suit them

irishfan9

Chris hughes25 wrote: »

If it’s raining ? They’ve the 3 best forwards in the competition it would suit them

And 4 extremely talented young ones in Boyle, Barron, Hickey & Guinane.

Granny15

Ayewserious wrote: »

It won't be

I have a tendency to agree . They bottle it when they come up against the grit of the Bellvos or Clongowes of this world in their cup mode

Chris hughes25

irishfan9 wrote: »

And 4 extremely talented young ones in Boyle, Barron, Hickey & Guinane.

Booth will be Irish schools this years aswell

Granny15

Chris hughes25 wrote: »

If it’s raining ? They’ve the 3 best forwards in the competition it would suit them

Mobile forwards and mud bath forwards can both be good but are cut from very different cloth. Michaels would produce the former and country schools including rock would produce the latter

Ayewserious

Chris hughes25 wrote: »

If it’s raining ? They’ve the 3 best forwards in the competition it would suit them

They always try and throw the ball around regardless of the conditions, admirable but also high risk , maybe this year will be different

Granny15

Ayewserious wrote: »

They always try and throw the ball around regardless of the conditions, admirable but also high risk , maybe this year will be different

I wouldn't have thought they throw the ball around for the best part of two decades that's just a myth. More gonzagas style to throw it around especially in the backs. I'd be more concerned about the intelligent teams like your school Clongowes tho

Union123

Who were rock missing this morning? And any stand out players?

Therajman

Union123 wrote: »

Who were rock missing this morning? And any stand out players?

Tom Maher, Sean Molony, Donncha Mescal, David Fitzgibbon and Ben White were injured. Michaels also missing ryan Baird, Andrew smith and Chris hennessy

Ally Bren 92

SWORDS⚔️

Ayewserious

Granny15 wrote: »

I wouldn't have thought they throw the ball around for the best part of two decades that's just a myth. More gonzagas style to throw it around especially in the backs. I'd be more concerned about the intelligent teams like your school Clongowes tho

Clongowes are not my school, Thus michaels coach likes to throw it around, already conceded 3 intercept try's this year.

Granny15

Ayewserious wrote: »

Clongowes are not my school, Thus michaels coach likes to throw it around, already conceded 3 intercept try's this year.

Must have mixed you up wit someone else. If I see all round running rugby at cup time ill believe it. Until then.....

Granny15

Ne other results from SCT today?

irishfan9

Ayewserious wrote: »

Clongowes are not my school, Thus michaels coach likes to throw it around, already conceded 3 intercept try's this year.

Rather teams throw it around than not.. enjoy your rugby lads its only school.

irishfan9

Chris hughes25 wrote: »

Booth will be Irish schools this years aswell

Quite likely dunno what to make of him though long term..

Sudolife

Granny15 wrote: »

Ne other results from SCT today?

Belvo beat Munchins 23-22

Ayewserious

irishfan9 wrote: »

Rather teams throw it around than not.. enjoy your rugby lads its only school.

Agreed enjoyed belvo 206 cup win much more than roscrea 2015

Granny15

Ayewserious wrote: »

Agreed enjoyed belvo 206 cup win much more than roscrea 2015

Hey go easy on the country boys. Clongowes 98 was a team that threw it around despite bein country boys

1bluewombat

Question, possible limiting factor for the schools game is referring. The top 15 schools are training like semi pros, are the refs up to the same standard?

Quality of rugby in senior league and cup is on par with AIL 1. Are ref’s at the same standard?

How could this be improved? Branch assigned ref and touch? Matches at weekend to facilitate ref’s who work?

The Lost Sheep

1bluewombat wrote: »

Question, possible limiting factor for the schools game is referring. The top 15 schools are training like semi pros, are the refs up to the same standard?

Quality of rugby in senior league and cup is on par with AIL 1. Are ref’s at the same standard?

How could this be improved? Branch assigned ref and touch? Matches at weekend to facilitate ref’s who work?

The top schools train a lot but refs for mid week games will be the best of those available. And on Saturdays refs will go to competitive adult and underage games which are in competitions ahead of schools friendlys.
The quality of rugby in cup and league isnt on par with AIL 1 in most cases.
You are lucky to get refs for many mid week games as most refs work full time
Moving more games to weekends isnt the answer especially for friendlies.
Only cup games will get assigned touch judges and even then for some games especially junior cup level you wont have neutral touch judges.
Getting more students to become referees is one solution especially those who were good players playing to high standard but cant continue playing for one reason or another...

urbanchick

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

The top schools train a lot but refs for mid week games will be the best of those available. And on Saturdays refs will go to competitive adult and underage games which are in competitions ahead of schools friendlys.
The quality of rugby in cup and league isnt on par with AIL 1 in most cases.
You are lucky to get refs for many mid week games as most refs work full time
Moving more games to weekends isnt the answer especially for friendlies.
Only cup games will get assigned touch judges and even then for some games especially junior cup level you wont have neutral touch judges.
Getting more students to become referees is one solution especially those who were good players playing to high standard but cant continue playing for one reason or another...

At league level div1 the game deserves better than what is currently there. There are no touch judges, just duty boys from teams, oh the shenanigans. It is very poor. Friendlies are just that, I wouldn't expect the full Monty with those matches. The league games should be treated with the same kudos as the cup, and its not. Lads train 5 days a week, up at 7 - home late- Saturday's given up and let's face it 8 of the 16 who qualify for the cup get decent ref and touch judges for 1 game ......it's not really good enough at all, but it won't change.

Rugby5467

Michaels jct and sct have been looking extremely strong this year

Granny15

Rugby5467 wrote: »

Michaels jct and sct have been looking extremely strong this year

As have Clogowes. Playing the dark horses doesn't work any more

Rugby5467

Wouldn't but clongowes up to there level

Granny15

Rugby5467 wrote: »

Wouldn't but clongowes up to there level

They never were. It's all about well timed runs and internet trolling to get their players selected

Rugby5467

Belvo sct last year played dark horse and got the win

Granny15

Rugby5467 wrote: »

Belvo sct last year played dark horse and got the win

Yeah you should watch the Leinster fans site full of the "dark horses" bigging up their players

Ally Bren 92

Rugby5467 wrote: »

Michaels jct and sct have been looking extremely strong this year

Not so much juniors,we were beaten by Belvo 36-0

irishfan9

Rugby5467 wrote: »

Michaels jct and sct have been looking extremely strong this year

Nothing new there.. more notable if they were the opposite.

Ayewserious

Granny15 wrote: »

As have Clogowes. Playing the dark horses doesn't work any more

Surely clongowes jct aren't strong?

Rugby5467

Ally Bren 92 wrote: »

Not so much juniors,we were beaten by Belvo 36-0

Ye but beating favourites rock and putting a score on clongowes surely there up there to win it

irishfan9

Rugby5467 wrote: »

Ye but beating favourites rock and putting a score on clongowes surely there up there to win it

They are always up there.. not favourites though same as SCT

Rugby5467

irishfan9 wrote: »

They are always up there.. not favourites though same as SCT

Jct maybe not but sct I think they could be favourites with penny, O'donavan, Baird and booth in the pack with Dave Ryan out wide they look hard to beat

Granny15

Rugby5467 wrote: »

Ye but beating favourites rock and putting a score on clongowes surely there up there to win it

Look they put 40 points on Clongowes last season as well as this season in the friendlies. Clongowes got to the semis and michaels limped out in the quarters to a larger score to Belva than Clongowes lost to them in the semis. It is notable that Clongowes always rest their players pre season and for the 6 years before SCT only to unleash unknown quantities on the cup.

In short beating Clongowes this year in friendlies means nothing for Michaels Cup hopes

Rugby5467

Granny15 wrote: »

Look they put 40 points on Clongowes last season as well as this season in the friendlies. Clongowes got to the semis and michaels limped out in the quarters to a larger score to Belva than Clongowes lost to them in the semis. It is notable that Clongowes always rest their players pre season and for the 6 years before SCT only to unleash unknown quantities on the cup.

In short beating Clongowes this year in friendlies means nothing for Michaels Cup hopes

Ye but it's the luck of the draw clongowes should've went out in the first round last year and scrapped through and got an easy quarter final draw. Michaels eased through the first round before getting stopped by belvo in the quarters.
Michaels have the most potential and clongowes won't be going anywhere this year especially