France vs Ireland...England $hat the bed..it's on!

KaneToad

C__MC wrote: »

And considering all our players formerly played in GAA

That old chestnut. GAA has fu(k all to do with good rugby players.

Digifriendly

Hunky Monster wrote: »

Stockdale not good enough. Grinning as he went over there. Jesus wept.

Now that is taking things too far especially since Stockdale is a professing Christian.

omerin

The ref killed any momentum early on, the kick to the corner instead of taking the pen at the end of the 1st half was a kick in the nuts, unforced errors robbed them of hope in the 2nd half and having stockdale in the team to see the full 80 mins was the icing on the cake

WhoamI2022

mossie wrote: »

Only Sexton is allowed to play abroad. Special rules for him

Sexton situation was completely different which I think even the IRFU will admit they made the mistake and tried to hard ball him. Since Sexton took that decision it has worked in the favour of Irish player when negotiating with the IRFU.

Weepsie

Hunky Monster wrote: »

Decision by Sexton at the end of the first half to kick for the corner instead of taking the 3 was awful.

Earlier decision to go for points and not the corner was kind of odd too.

Morathi

Piehead wrote: »

Ross Byrne is a dreadful player

I'm new here but I assume we don't take this lad seriously?

Squidgy Black

Christy42 wrote: »

Keenan as well.

As for Sexton playing abroad, he was a lot better than Zebo and even then it was a mistake that really didn't work for us. Precedence is a terrible reason to keep making the same mistake.

Was also completely different scenario in that Sexton had it in his contract with Racing that he was to be released for all camps for Ireland, but it's like talking to a brick wall once they get rolling on the Zebo train.

touts

WhoamI2022 wrote: »

Zebo was offered a contract. He knew if moving to France he wouldn't play for Ireland.

The policy is in place to make sure Ireland can keep all players at home and make the provinces more competitive, also the players get rest for the international game.

Zebo has never and still is not good enough to risk all that for.

How has that worked out for the provences? They have all gone back and back and back especially in Europe.

Harpon

Zebo was rubbish when he played for Ireland. Laughable to think some people now think he is the solution to our problems.

ScrubsfanChris

leakyboots wrote: »

Genuinely happy for Stockdale, he'll learn from this

This has been said for nearly 2 years now.

C__MC

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

[/B]
This has been said for nearly 2 years now.

Jesus stockdale has fallen badly since 2018
Unbelievable IMO

almostover

Basil3 wrote: »

He was of the best in the world in his position, without anyone else in Ireland remotely near his level.

Very few Irish players find themselves in that position.

The problem is that Sexton is on the decline and we've nobody in the wings to take over. When O'Gara was in a similar position Sexton was more than good enough to be an international 10. Ross Byrne et al nowhere near the standard

WhoamI2022

It's great to see the usual Irish fans are still around. One loss and everything is sh*t, coach is sh*t, the whole IRFU is s**t, players are all s**t.....hahaha

typhoony

He'll learn from it, he still consistently breaks the line, in fact he caught all the high balls. But he'll need to go away and work on his ball skills and decision making

thomond2006

Zebo getting better and better in absentia. He's not making a difference today.

rodge123

Really dislike when they have a former player in the tv panel that’s too close to the players on the field, won’t call a spade a spade with players performance. Rob Kearney on virgin today.

6o9fv7jpreb180

James Ryan the only one who played well IMO.

Keenan and Stander did well at times.

Everyone else anonymous or poor.

C__MC

Poor by Virgin Media to have Kearney on

He isn't calling it, still in the bubble one would think

StevenToast

Looks like the thread needs to be changed...

IRELAND SHAT THE BED!!

KaneToad

Weepsie wrote: »

Zebo was woefully inconsistent for Ireland and up until very recently woefully so at club level too. For every moment of brilliance he had, he made criminal mistakes that were detrimental to the team. He didn't deserve ti have an exception made, as his form at the time and mostly since hasn't deserved it. There were times when he looked woefully unfit too.

He was our Finn Russell. But with less skill.

almostover

Christy42 wrote: »

Keenan as well.

As for Sexton playing abroad, he was a lot better than Zebo and even then it was a mistake that really didn't work for us. Precedence is a terrible reason to keep making the same mistake.

I'd make more of a case for Donnacha Ryan, granted he's well aged now but James Ryan's second row partners over the last while have been underpowered.

Richard Hillman

We didn't deserve to win the championship. Even before tonight. We are an outdated team. Playing outdated, slow motion rugby.

WhoamI2022

touts wrote: »

How has that worked out for the provences? They have all gone back and back and back especially in Europe.

Yes Leinster winning in 2018 was going back, Munster getting to semis nearly every year, Ulster into quarters this years. Remember Leinster won every game this season and lost a competitive quarter.


No idea how anyone could describe that going back and back and back. Are you actually for real?

Losty Dublin

Morathi wrote: »

I'm new here but I assume we don't take this lad seriously?

You’d be right.

Come back an hour after the end of an international loss when the Ole brigades like him slip away to watch Strictly or X Factor with ‘er indoors

ScrubsfanChris

Teresa Most Logger wrote: »

James Ryan the only one who played well IMO.

Keenan and Stander did well at times.

Everyone else anonymous or poor.

In the loose yes, but he's also the man calling the lineouts, so yeah.....

Man Vs ManUre

thomond2006 wrote: »

Zebo getting better and better in absentia. He's not making a difference today.

Why didn’t Zebra just play for France tonight??

awec

Kearney is the IRFU PR man on the telly.

It is pointless putting guys who have just retired in this position. Heaslip was the same. They won’t criticise their mates.

Skeetur

Thought Stockdale showed some spirit. Kept fighting for the full 80. Wasn't his night but he's a decent player. Just needs to move back to the wing.

tanko

rodge123 wrote: »

Really dislike when they have a former player in the tv panel that’s too close to the players on the field, won’t call a spade a spade with players performance. Rob Kearney on virgin today.

He came out with some rubbish this evening, i hope he's not replacing Shane Jennings.

almostover

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

In the loose yes, but he's also the man calling the lineouts, so yeah.....

The lineout is a systems failure, cant blame Ryan alone for that

Dickie10

matt williams will plough him out of it verbally if he doesnt analyze the game, williams is great so honest and raw

Speakerboxx

Pure silky hands by Stockdale

WhoamI2022

almostover wrote: »

I'd make more of a case for Donnacha Ryan, granted he's well aged now but James Ryan's second row partners over the last while have been underpowered.

Donnacha Ryan was again offered a contract, he was offered a huge contract at Racing. From the IRFU point of view he was injury prone and they knew Jame Ryan was coming up for the next season. As Donnacha had never really got a central contract and was getting on in years he made the decision to move. Again aware he wouldn't play. Nothing in comparison with Zebo who was always one of the higher earners in Ireland.

Speakerboxx

Skeetur wrote: »

Thought Stockdale showed some spirit. Kept fighting for the full 80. Wasn't his night but he's a decent player. Just needs to move back to the wing.

He not a 15 that's a certainty.

ScrubsfanChris

almostover wrote: »

The lineout is a systems failure, cant blame Ryan alone for that

Ehh I wasn't
Responding to someone who said he was the only player who had a great game.

Panrich

We looked poorly coached tonight. The Covid situation obviously didn't help with preparation for either team but we looked miles off. Sexton and Murray are past their best, and we will find it hard to replace them.

Skeetur

tanko wrote: »

He came out with some rubbish this evening, i hope he's not replacing Shane Jennings.

Jennings is one of the few players turned pundits that's actually decent. It'll be a travesty if they replace him with Kearney.

Dickie10

the elephant in the room is that in two years time half of our starting 15 will be playing club rugby in france or england, like IRFU cant haemorrage money at that rate, no crowds at any 6 nations home games next year either, or club games for rest of this season thats out til late may.

sydthebeat

You need to play the perfect game to beat France in Paris, and we were far off that.

However for a lot of the game, the first half particularity, we were as good if not better.

Test matches are won on Moments, and France had the exuberance, confidence and guile to carry them off, we didn't.
Our error count was way too high. Line outs went to crap and Easterby will have to answer some tough questions. Handling was dire, and the conditions were not that bad... Not as bad as Wales / Scotland or Australia / all blacks yet our handling was the worst of the lot.

We did score three tries. We did match up physically for most of the game. We just were not good enough.... And our third place in the competition is a good reflection of where we are currently as a team.

The Lost Sheep

Berties_Horse wrote: »

Rob Kearney is a travesty of a pundit, blinkers on "I wouldn't be so critical, what about 2018..." Don't blame him for wanting a time machine, 2020 has been pure scutter.

He's barely finished playing. He was never going to be overly critical when he is still so ridiculously close to the entire playing and coaching set up.

almostover wrote: »

The lineout is a systems failure, cant blame Ryan alone for that

No we cant but Ryan was poor. For all talk of him being world class etc if he was he would have done a lot more tonight

thebaz

Stockdale was dreadful - keep him on the wing - James Ryan was great and Henshawa, but we looked second best everywhere else, France had another gear -

and for me winning a Championchip means nothing, just seams to be over hyped , a yearly competition between 5 teams , really like to see us build for next World cup , never thought Farrel was that man.

lawrencesummers

The attitude from sexton is horrible to see.
Instead of encouraging his team mate coming on he is shaking his head which is saying that his replacement isn’t up to the task of replacing him.

Petulance, conceited petulance.

Harpon

Skeetur wrote: »

Thought Stockdale showed some spirit. Kept fighting for the full 80. Wasn't his night but he's a decent player. Just needs to move back to the wing.

He’s one of the few in the team who can actually beat players, he made some serious yards tonight

molloyjh

I'm not overly disappointed by that. We're missing 8-10 players from our 23. That really showed in the last 20. We lost that in the first 10 of the second half. We then went after the Championship rather than the game and forced it all a bit too much. We still had some good passages in that second half, and the Hemdhaw try was a beauty.

An 8 point loss away from home to a really talented French side whole missing a load of players isnt that bad. Some of the errors were frustrating, particularly some of the missed touch finds. And we do have a leadership issue. We needed calm heads in that half and didn't have them, not have anyone helping create them. Stockdale had a stinker, but was close to some special moments too. That spilled ball ahead of their last try was probably a 14 point swing. He had done all the hard work and created the opportunity.

Overall we had a decent 6Ns all things considered. Some disappointment all right, but we're completely changing how we play. That it was so badly disrupted was always going to hurt us. There are positive signs there.

mr_edge_to_you

Dickie10 wrote: »

the elephant in the room is that in two years time half of our starting 15 will be playing club rugby in france or england, like IRFU cant haemorrage money at that rate, no crowds at any 6 nations home games next year either, or club games for rest of this season thats out til late may.

They can always stay in Ireland and try to live on €350 a week......

leakyboots

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

[/B]
This has been said for nearly 2 years now.

He's young and starting in a new position. He did some good tonight and didn't hide. I'd cut him some slack, Paris away needing to win well with the championship on the line is one the highest pressure games you can think of.

I don't want to be that guy but Doris was absolutely anonymous bar the latch and then to compound it they sub Connors who at least was putting in his tackles and showing up for carrying. At least they're young and can get more experience in the upcoming tournament and hopefully build to becoming regulars. Should have started POM for this one given the stakes.

Sexton not going for the posts was criminal. Some senior players and management need to look at themselves as well.

Keenan has coped well at this level which has been a plus. Ross Byrne I'm really starting to doubt and that's a worry cos Sexton hasn't much road left and the trajectory usually only goes one way and quick. Good to see Henshaw back to his best, maybe it was injuries but he seemed to plateau for a couple of years. Beirne did well too I thought. Scrum and lineout disintegrated when the subs came on for whatever reason.

Lots of questions for Farrell after the end to this tournament

Edit to add, this has been so disrupted we probably shouldn't read all too much into it

razorblunt

Panrich wrote: »

We looked poorly coached tonight. The Covid situation obviously didn't help with preparation for either team but we looked miles off. Sexton and Murray are past their best, and we will find it hard to replace them.

I, for one, am shocked that a coach talking the head role in coaching, nevermind international coaching is holding on to the old guard and plans.

Dravokivich

mossie wrote: »

Only Sexton is allowed to play abroad. Special rules for him

Tommy Bowe was in Wales and in the squad. Geordan Murphy was in England.

vapor trails

I haven't checked out the Rugby portal on boards for ages because effectively this had become a "Munster Rugby Lives Matter" protection zone. No Munster bashing allowed because for about 10 years or so Munster V Leinster was too hot a topic. I'm a Leinster fan 100%. I will fully admit that. But what chance do we have tonight when it's effectively France V Leinster region of Origin bar one or two. 1 Munster man started the game and one finished the game (Munster = born, bread and developed in the province) Both in their mid 30's. All the injured players are 30's+ too (Kilcoyne, Earls). We are a small country so we need all 4 provinces on full capabilities. Ulster not much better, I'll give Connacht a free pass (use that as motivation)

thomond2006

vapor trails wrote: »

I haven't checked out the Rugby portal on boards for ages because effectively this had become a "Munster Rugby Lives Matter" protection zone. No Munster bashing allowed because for about 10 years or so Munster V Leinster was too hot a topic. I'm a Leinster fan 100%. I will fully admit that. But what chance do we have tonight when it's effectively France V Leinster region of Origin bar one or two. 1 Munster man started the game and one finished the game (Munster = born, bread and developed in the province) Both in their mid 30's. All the injured players are 30's+ too (Kilcoyne, Earls). We are a small country so we need all 4 provinces on full capabilities. Ulster not much better, I'll give Connacht a free pass (use that as motivation)

:pac:

Somehow this is Munster's fault!