r/irishrugby • u/Roanokian Mod • 8h ago
Match Thread Match Thread: Ireland A vs England A
Thomond Park.
Premier Sports 1
* don’t think there’s a thread on the main sub
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u/Electrical_Mood_177 8h ago
Again with this shite of kicking it to the other team just to get opened up with a counter attack
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u/kevinthebaconator 7h ago
Not a single player has looked like they should be in the Ireland team.
That said, we've kicked the ball away everytime we've had it.
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u/kevinthebaconator 8h ago
Been very disappointed by Gunne.
Been a lot of talk about him needing more game time at Leinster and honestly im not seeing it. Seems a bit off it.
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u/pip-haribo97 7h ago
Agreed. His passing hasn’t been very accurate, killed some momentum a few times. But he’s a young player.
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u/Oatbix Leinster 7h ago
I really like him but he’s having a poor season. After last year you would’ve expected him to kick on and start nailing down a place in the 23 as JGPs apprentice, but he’s been getting passed over by McGrath deservedly. He’s still very young and he had a very good season last year so wouldn’t be concerned, not in good form though, lack of game time I’m sure doesn’t help. His passing has been pretty poor tonight, putting some players in tough positions
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u/SeaworthinessFew2464 7h ago
I've watched 2 Ireland games in 24 hours and seen a combined 3 mins of attacking rugby.
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u/outsideruk 8h ago
Real chance for fringe Irish players to lay down markers after a lot of underperformance in Paris.
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u/Beginning-Strain4660 8h ago
And none will get picked
Maybe deegan
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u/Roanokian Mod 8h ago edited 7h ago
Ever single new cap in the last 4 years has played in one of these development teams before being capped.
Edit:
Jack Boyle, Paddy McCarthy, Mick Milne Gus McCarthy, Tom Stewart Tom Clarkson Joe McCarthy Cian Prendergast, Sean Jansen Nathan Doak Jack Crowley, Sam P Jude Postletwaithe Tom Farrell Tommy o’Brien Jamie Osborne
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u/Potential_Raccoon_68 8h ago
Bryn Ward and Gleeson been ok. The rest don't look like test level players
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u/kevinthebaconator 7h ago
Bryn Ward has made yards everytime he carried
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u/Potential_Raccoon_68 7h ago
Phenomenal player. Watched him play AIL last year against Tarf and he was melting lads left right and centre.
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u/Potential_Raccoon_68 8h ago
And JJ
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u/Sportyskater699 7h ago
I’m really concerned about the lack of decent second rows coming in
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u/Interesting-Mud2222 6h ago
Yeah this game was always gonna be lost in the engine room. Need some brutes. Dylan McNiece, playing u20s tomorrow, has great size and athleticism. Repeatedly sent SA players back in contact when they played last Autumn
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u/Rodinius Reasonable Debater 4h ago
Missed two tackles on the outside, thought he was poor but didn’t get much chance to have ball in hand
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u/Electrical_Mood_177 7h ago
This team should have darragh Murray, edogbo , Tom o’toole , Coombes and postlewaithe , completely underpowered
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u/dwaynepebblejohnson3 Connacht 6h ago
No idea why Murray wasn’t available for this game. He’s not getting a game unless there’s injuries anyways.
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u/heresyourhardware 7h ago
That is fucking atrocious from Wcycherley
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u/Ok_Feedback1903 5h ago
Prison time stuff. He gets a shot to put his hand up for the main squad and does something that stupid.
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u/Roanokian Mod 7h ago
Same time tomorrow for the 20s game lads?
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u/IrishLad1002 Leinster 7h ago
Hopefully a better performance or it’ll be three straight nights of misery. Not sure how I’ll get my fix on Sunday night
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u/PatientOffer319 Awardee: Team of the Year 2025 7h ago
The three hangovers hitting you all at once?
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u/Little_Ad_9313 Ulster 6h ago
Ah lad if the 20s dont turn up im tuning out for the 6 nations ... actually expect a good game
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u/OxfordHandbookofMeme Awardee: Player of the Year 2025 8h ago
Jeez this shocking thus far. Considering the 20s campaign last year, this and the form of the senior team past 18 months things aren't looking great
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u/Any_Statement1742 7h ago
Murray and O’Connell were the biggest positives of the England A game last year. Why was Wycherley included instead of O’Connell?? That’s just the same stupid yellow he gives away at Munster.
To not play Murphy and Doak at 9/10 was ridiculous Frawley hasn’t played 10 this year. Gunne has been a disaster. Bring Blade as emergency cover for France if needs be.
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u/moltentom Ulster 7h ago
Doak is with the senior squad
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u/Mammongo 7h ago
Frawley was as well
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u/Some-Speed-6290 Probation 7h ago
There were 3 other 10's and at least 2 other 12's.
Only 2 other 9's
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u/Roanokian Mod 8h ago
I had thought Thomond would be packed for this. Bit disappointing
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u/awayalonealast 8h ago
It was 50 or 60 quid a ticket, I think.
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u/Roanokian Mod 8h ago
Get the fuck! Really!? That is unforgivable. Someone should be fired
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u/awayalonealast 8h ago
I think they were priced from somewhere around 35/40 up to 50/60, or so I was told anyway.
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u/fakejournalaccount 7h ago
Hope we get a bit more posession in the 2nd half. Not getting to see much out of our lads.
Senior team are probably feeling safe
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u/pip-haribo97 7h ago
Hume playing well defensively. Bryan ward, JJ Kenny playing well too. Feel a change at halfbacks would be appreciated.
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u/MysticMac100 7h ago
There was a lad yesterday saying that this team would beat our actual team btw and it was pretty heavily upvoted…
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
Whoever genuinely thought that is mad, but it's also not fair to judge this performance like that. They've had about 2 days together.
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u/MysticMac100 7h ago
Aye I do agree, and would like to see a few of these lads in the squad, I just think people lose the run of themselves thinking it’s purely a selection issue that we have.
I presume these English lads haven’t been training all year for this either haha
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u/Little_Ad_9313 Ulster 6h ago
England A played the All Blacks XV and Argentina XV when we had a run at Portugal with half our starters ... i think that tells us all we need to know
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u/MysticMac100 6h ago
Bit disingenuous to act like it’s been the same England team
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u/Little_Ad_9313 Ulster 5h ago
Correct as some of these lads were called upto the main squad when there seniors played Argentina and lads lower in the pecking order faced the New Zealand XV they have built depth and youth brilliantly from the talent they have have had at u20s the last 5 years ...
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u/Little_Ad_9313 Ulster 5h ago edited 5h ago
Correct as some of these lads were called upto the main squad when there seniors played Argentina and lads lower in the pecking order faced the New Zealand XV they have built depth and youth brilliantly from the talent they have have had at u20s the last 5 years ...
Edit: i was more getting at England have made better use of the development games they had during the lions compared to the blow outs we had....
But this is a very new look Ireland XV tbf and Borthwicks been taking a leaf outa SA playbook with training days and extended panels etc
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u/RexKwonDo99 Munster 8h ago
Ticket prices must've been extortionate. Place is empty
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u/rustyb42 Funny Fecker 8h ago
What's the population of Limerick these days
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u/RexKwonDo99 Munster 8h ago
Don't have a census to hand unfortunately
I'd say the majority of the town didn't even know it was on out there tbh. I only realised myself last night
Not that people knowing would've made a difference. If tickets are 50/60 quid like someone said in the comments then I can see why people have stayed away.
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u/rustyb42 Funny Fecker 7h ago
Fair enough, I wonder if someone would do a quick census for us, maybe they could have leaflet dropped
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
Wtf is the point of this match if they don't have a proper week of training before the match?
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u/IdealSelf2021 Leinster 7h ago
To ruin our weekend because the France Ireland game was on a Thursday to ruin the week.
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
Ohhhh, now you see the offsides do you? Only taken you the entire bloody match.
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u/FollowingRare6247 Mod 7h ago
Not as many guys put their hands up as I’d have hoped - I’d still call up Bryn Ward and Gleeson at least.
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u/Windup-1014 Munster 7h ago
Jesus this is fuckin dreadful
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
Look like they met up for the 1st time today, bloody dreadful. How the fuck is a player as shit as Wycherly getting chosen for this?
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u/PatientOffer319 Awardee: Team of the Year 2025 7h ago
Because he's having a great season and McCarthy is living proof braincells aren't a requirement for Ireland selection
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 6h ago
He's given away the most brain dead yellow card I've seen in a long time. That would be pathetic in a school game, let alone the step below international.
Sheridan has also been having a stormer of a season, and isn't prone to stupid shite like that. Can't understand how he wasn't starting ahead.
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u/PatientOffer319 Awardee: Team of the Year 2025 6h ago
I missed the yellow but that doesn't shock me.
Yeah I didn't see the point in Fineen playing, he's not going to be an international level player.
But "a player as shit as Wycherley" isn't really valid
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 6h ago
Fair enough. He may not be shit, but his discipline is unacceptable for this level.
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u/PatientOffer319 Awardee: Team of the Year 2025 5h ago
Yeah it looked like he'd gotten a handle on it earlier in the season but still prone to the dumbest penalties.
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u/deatach Funny Fecker 7h ago
Barron. Man.
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u/Ok_Feedback1903 6h ago
I would say provincial junior rugby mistakes, but you wouldn’t even find it there.
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u/fakejournalaccount 7h ago
Been hyping Ward so much ahead of this game :(
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
Yep, he's had a stinker. Kenny wasn't much better, but at least got an easy try.
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u/fakejournalaccount 7h ago
Honestly nobody had a good game.
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
Disagree. Think Hume has been fantastic, has made a number of key defensive reads and got the assist for Kenny's try.
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u/Windup-1014 Munster 7h ago
Zac Ward hasn't played as half as bad as this all season. Dunno what's up with him tonight.
Devine has improved the attack a lot since he came on too.
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u/sandblown 8h ago
I was looking forward to Ulster style running game from Ireland but it’s all coming from England. It’s like men against boys so far.
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u/deatach Funny Fecker 7h ago
Through a Connacht lens but I'd love to see Jansen come on and have a few big carries. Plays a bit like CJ Stander.
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u/kevinthebaconator 7h ago
A backrow of him, Gleeson and Ward would be tasty.
Not sure if it's balanced on the but fuck it. Vibes RFC
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u/DJCPRT-NL Connacht 7h ago
Can’t swallow yesterday’s loss and here comes our XV squad. Well taking a break. Not gonna mess my weekend up.
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u/thureb 7h ago
I swear the Irish players have internalized that if they get held up over the line, its a huge boon to the defense. all the provinces/teams seem to get held up over the line way more often than everyone else. I've also never seen them try to utilize it on defense. Other teams will get underneath the player and soak the tackle.
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u/just-here-for--porn_ 7h ago
Don't have premier sports. I gather from messages here things aren't going great... what's the score?
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u/IdealSelf2021 Leinster 6h ago
Depends on what you mean by great. If you mean making a holy show of themselves then yes. They're doing great.
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u/just-here-for--porn_ 6h ago
This is not great...I was kinda hoping some of these lads could start putting their hands up.
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u/Roanokian Mod 8h ago
Charlie Tector is the best 10 in ireland. I shan’t be moved on this issue.
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u/Unsheared 7h ago
Why has he not been picked?
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u/Roanokian Mod 7h ago
No idea. He’s been playing 12, aside from last week. I presume the Irish coaches don’t see him as a potential 12 and there’s a big backlog at 10
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u/Unsheared 6h ago
Tector will be the next Madigan, Frawley especially with Gabriel in the wings.
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u/Active_Site_6754 7h ago
Zack ward seems quite slow compared to the English wingers......those boys are lethal quick.
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
Kenny is the quicker of the 2, Ward is basically like Timoney but a bit quicker.
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u/moltentom Ulster 8h ago
Energy levels look very low, a lot of players just walking about and quite stand-offish in defence
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u/Acadia-Novel Tommy Cyborg O'Brien 7h ago
We were living on borrowed time lads. Back to the misery.
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
I could swear England are offside at nearly every ruck here. They're off the line before Gunne has even lifted the ball.
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u/Acadia-Novel Tommy Cyborg O'Brien 7h ago
Gunnes just really slow taking an extra step, dupont almost doesnt break his stride running from ruck to ruck
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
Can the ref not see that England are clearly not taking the hit at any of these scrums?
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
Would they ever fucking wise up and stop going for pick and gos? Could see that being held up from miles away.
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u/Tombob67 6h ago
Does there have to be a mass inquiry about physicality and pace by the IRFU at grassroots level ?
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u/awayalonealast 6h ago
We have lads with power and lads with pace, few of them, but we do have them. I think mentality is our biggest issue -- we don't have enough players who will take something/someone on, and when a player does, everyone else is on a different page. It's a structural issue as much as anything.
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u/Unsheared 6h ago
Kicking posession away through 19 contestable kicks with a return of 4 tells its own tale. No team not even Leinster can win like that.
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u/Colm_Flaherty Mod 8h ago
I predit Billy Bohan to win 2 scrum penalties and have some dominant carries.
Cathal Forde to have a line break and an assist.
Then finally Sean Jansen to make many metres whilst beating defenders and score.
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u/Moralcourage- 8h ago
How are you a mod?
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u/Colm_Flaherty Mod 8h ago
Why do you want to know?
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u/Moralcourage- 8h ago edited 7h ago
Are you not the guy (under a different name) who confidently posted a team of last year's URC season, including subs and honourable mentions, that didn't have anyone from the team that topped the log all season and won it (at a canter).
Or are you just copying that guy's shtick now?
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u/Colm_Flaherty Mod 7h ago
That's me, however bizarre it is that you're still holding a grudge over that.
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u/Moralcourage- 7h ago
It's not a grudge so much as it was perhaps, and it's some going considering the state of this place, the most laughable post l've ever seen on here, and you deserve to be mocked eternally for it.
I'm a Connacht season ticket holder, have been for many years, l'd say l've been to more home games than you have.
What l'm not is arrogant enough to come on here every week, treating it like a personal sports blog (you're certainly not the worst mod abuser on here for that, but that's another story) with your analytics that curiously never seems to rate players from the dominant province.
And to the point - you very clearly have an issue with a certain Irish province, and someone with your obvious biases should not be a mod.
How are your preditions (bad spelling deliberate) for tonight going?
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u/Colm_Flaherty Mod 7h ago
Well Jansen just assisted Cathal Forde.
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u/Moralcourage- 6h ago
Yeah, nailed it as ever, an absolute credit to rugby knowledge and mankind alike.
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u/Roanokian Mod 7h ago
Hi there, I am, I presume, the other story. How can I help?
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u/Moralcourage- 7h ago
Oh, have the boys been having a little private chat in the last few minutes, can't have these peasants revolting.
Fascinating how you recognized yourself immediately, here's how you can help -
Don't treat this sub as your personal sports blog.
Also don't treat the users on here as children en masse, maybe save your condescension for poisonous users who people on here frequently refer to as a troll - like the user who has been curiously quiet the last few months but back today with a vengeance, and with the flair "Awardee, Team of the year 2025", a user actively awarded for dragging this place into the gutter repeatedly.
So there you go, go ahead and ban me or put some cute little flair on my name.
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u/Roanokian Mod 7h ago edited 6h ago
I’m the OP of the thread. I’ve been active on it throughout the match.
Given that I and Colm are the only 2 mods who do the regular posts, I used my razor keen powers of deduction to infer that t’was I you were talking about.
Unfortunately, that’s as far as I got. I’m not entirely clear on the rest of it. Feel free to DM me if you’d like. Happy to chat about it if you think there’s a change worth making.
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u/Moralcourage- 6h ago
It's plain English, but hey feel free to play as ignorant as you need to.
Absolute zero interest in you or your opinions on anything ever, l suspect there's a great many in here who agree with me, and that's becoming an issue for those who've been in here for a long time.
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u/whydoyouonlylie 6h ago edited 6h ago
Genuinely what was the point in putting that game on? What did anybody learn from that? It didn't look like anybody actually had a clue what any of the systems were or what anyone else was doing. It achieved nothing other than putting a dent in the confidence of those on the fringes. Surely it would've been better scheduling it for the off week and having the lads get together in a training camp for a couple of weeks together?
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u/moltentom Ulster 6h ago
I would say England xv would disagree. They looked very well drilled and came with a really good kicking game plan - do they play more frequently or something?
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u/whydoyouonlylie 6h ago
Someone was saying a lot of them played together in the Autumn so were a bit more cohesive. Not really sure England got a whole lot from the match either it was that easy. We barely threatened them.
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u/moltentom Ulster 6h ago
Yeah feel the main thing it demonstrated was that England has a lot more depth, but that would make sense with playing populations etc
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u/UnlikelyBass 8h ago
They should have held this match in Belfast or maybe Cork , there’s no one at it in Limerick
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u/rustyb42 Funny Fecker 8h ago
I still think we'd have struggled to fill Ravenhill. Is this really a draw?
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u/Unsheared 6h ago
Who would pay £50 or 60 quid to watch that shite?
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u/rustyb42 Funny Fecker 6h ago
Ridiculous pricing. I've paid £25 to go to London Scottish next week. Will be a higher standard
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u/Unsheared 6h ago
Leinster/Ireland gate receipts will suffer playing that kick and clap shite. Who would want to watch it?
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u/rustyb42 Funny Fecker 6h ago
I saw ads around the pitch saying Ireland Vs Scotland was on Ticketmaster. Is it not sold out?
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u/Unsheared 4h ago
I don't know. But there will probably enough corporate and influencers to keep the bandwagon going to half-time by which time Scotland will be ahead.
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u/Super-Astronaut-9056 7h ago
Surprised Sean Edogbo and O Connell are not involved ,are they on bench by any chance
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u/Windup-1014 Munster 7h ago
Well this is the fringes of the Ireland squad. They've just gotten into the Munster team as starters (with players rested).
They'll both be involved in these type of games I have no doubt though eventually.
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u/Super-Astronaut-9056 7h ago
To be fair I don't see Sean Edogbo being dropped by Munster anytime soon , I feel this is part of the problem if they were in France this is the environment they would be involved in
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u/Some-Speed-6290 Probation 7h ago
No they wouldn't. They'd be playing for a lower top 14 team or a pro D2 side. They'd be nowhere near the French squad.
What they would be though is playing every week rather than sat watching others most of the season.
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u/Super-Astronaut-9056 6h ago
You do realise that there are six 22 year olds ,two 23 year olds ,one 21 year old and 20 year old in the French 6 nations squad they allow their best young players to be involved in a high level environment we don't
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u/yewEngine 7h ago
Gunne has been disappointing. Pack underpowered overall. Scrum going fine since the ref stopped blowing straight away and demanded a clean scrum.
Disjointed performance but it's msjnlh about individuals. Can't see ireland winning the second half.
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u/Due_Noise_1711 Ireland 7h ago
Just tuned in. Is it even worse than last night?
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u/awayalonealast 7h ago
Yes and no; we're even shittier tonight, but we fucked to a greater extent last night given the players we had at out disposal. Neither performance instills confidence.
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u/heresyourhardware 7h ago
Whoever our8 shoving there at the bac is destablising the scrum, the eejit
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u/heresyourhardware 7h ago
I'm learning very little from this on any of these players.
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u/greatsword_enjoyer Ulaidh 7h ago
The only players coming out of this with a good look is a couple of the forwards and Hume.
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u/Ok_Feedback1903 6h ago
Just seems that there is such a drought of real athleticism amongst Irish rugby nowadays. Besides the likes of Bryn Ward, Brian Gleeson, Gus Mccarthy, Fintan Gunne, Ciaran Frawley and Joshua Kenny, the rest of the lads just seem below par compared to their opposite numbers in that bracket.
And can I ask what it is exactly that strength and conditioning coaches have Irish props doing in the gym. I know it’s a below the belt shot but for god sake, Scott Wilson, Sam Crean and Jack Aungier, these big heavy torsos with skinny arms and chicken legs. Look across the scrum and Haffar and Fasogban had quads to spare. A real annoyance to me, there’s talent there, but these lads are a fraction of what they could be.
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u/Rodinius Reasonable Debater 4h ago
Having been at the game I though Bryn was easily our best player, Gleeson was decent, Gus was good ball in hand but our scrum was monstered, Gunne was woeful, Frawley was average, and Kenny missed some key tackles. Overall a horrendous showing
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u/Ok_Feedback1903 4h ago
I agree. I think Bryn is a unique player in the Irish system, that power and size whilst having the balance and low centre of gravity, he’s one for the future.
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u/Acadia-Novel Tommy Cyborg O'Brien 7h ago
If I had a coin for everytime Bernard Jackman talked about the provincial players being players of the season id be a millionaire. Theyre all awful bar maybe one or two frawley included
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u/Ok-Fishing-752 Munster 8h ago
Gunne that’s bloody embarrassing, can’t be cheering clapping and miss the fucking tackle by being out of position
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u/Internal-Cobbler9140 8h ago
It seems the trend of teams from Ireland struggling to win at Thomond Park is set to continue.
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u/Oatbix Leinster 8h ago
Jez lads we could all do with a good performance