Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Well said on Best, Rosco. He just seems to have got better and better over the past few years. He just does that shit every game now.
6 Nations 2015
- Thread starter Rosco
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I've said it for years at this point, I don't know whether you can only appreciate just how much he does if you've tried to do it yourself?
He's flawless. His set piece play is superb - you don't notice him. His workmate is immense. His tackles, carrying and his rucking.
A total pro. Brilliant player. No highlights like Hibbert or Hartley but both are Liabilities and can't hold a.candle ro him.
I fucking love this Irish side. We're such a dangerous team
I didnt expect to dominate the English pack but we did. I'm struggling to see why other teams shouldn't fear us at the World Cup.
He's flawless. His set piece play is superb - you don't notice him. His workmate is immense. His tackles, carrying and his rucking.
A total pro. Brilliant player. No highlights like Hibbert or Hartley but both are Liabilities and can't hold a.candle ro him.
I fucking love this Irish side. We're such a dangerous team
I didnt expect to dominate the English pack but we did. I'm struggling to see why other teams shouldn't fear us at the World Cup.
Well played Ireland - got the pivotal decisions right and seemed to be up for it that little bit more. Disappointed in England who - with the exception of Goode at fullback who, that one bit of play notwithstanding, made a series of wrong choices - had the wherewithal out there to have done better.
Bollocks 
Hahaha. That made me properly lol.
I was talking to my dad earlier and he told me about an article he had read about the style of the two teams. One aspect is how some of the Irish lads have also played Gaelic football growing up, they're more likely to attack the ball in the air than what the English lads are. The English players will jump up for the ball while holding their arms almost like a cradle, almost waiting for the ball to come to them, then they'll land and turn to pass the ball on.
Perhaps @Rosco can explain it better than I can.
Perhaps @Rosco can explain it better than I can.
Statistically Ireland have much more success at claiming garryowens than any other team, and this has long been attributed to the Gaelic footballing background of many of our players, especially in the last decade. In our current squad Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney, who at wing and FB have most need for this skill, both played gaelic to a good level, and a feature of their game is just how exceptional they are chasing down high kicks, or in Bowe's case claiming attacking cross-field kicks to score in the corners. Ireland are the masters of this side of the game.
If only we could convince more catholic lads to give rugby a go and more protestant lads to give Gaelic a go we might have better teams. Antrim might even win something once!
GAA explains some of it (and Bowe's size and athleticism, there was Shaggy before him) but in Sexton and ROG before we have two of the best kickers from hand that the game has seen in recent years.
Australia arguably have the same advantage from Aussie rules - but they dont use it like us. They haven't had a 10 like we've had.
Wales have the wingers for it but don't take advantage of them much.
The thing about it, most coaches hate kicking away possession in the 22 because it's so risky. The bounce of the ball, the fact it can go out for a 22 drop out or a line-out (which is close to guaranteed possession) . It's a risky move but we seem to just use it when we have a penalty and are playing advantage. That everyone is on the same page within split seconds in the heat of battle is a testament to the coaching and the intelligence of the players.
Also if it's executed well - how do you defend it? You're not going to beat Bowe when you're jumping from a standing position.
Australia arguably have the same advantage from Aussie rules - but they dont use it like us. They haven't had a 10 like we've had.
Wales have the wingers for it but don't take advantage of them much.
The thing about it, most coaches hate kicking away possession in the 22 because it's so risky. The bounce of the ball, the fact it can go out for a 22 drop out or a line-out (which is close to guaranteed possession) . It's a risky move but we seem to just use it when we have a penalty and are playing advantage. That everyone is on the same page within split seconds in the heat of battle is a testament to the coaching and the intelligence of the players.
Also if it's executed well - how do you defend it? You're not going to beat Bowe when you're jumping from a standing position.
Things are definitely changing in respect of traditionally Gaelic footballing communities taking an interest in rugby, but we're a while away from prods playing Gaelic, even if they are tremendous sports. I can remember about 20 years ago I was in Donegal where my girlfriend's parents had a holiday home. Ireland were playing England at Rugby that day and I headed to the bar looking forward to the game. They didn't even have it switched on, and when it went on, I was still the only one paying more than a passing interest (though my whoops gradually brought in some interest as we did the very rare thing of beating England at Twickenham). But no-one was there to watch the game other than me. I'd say if I went back to that same bar now for the same fixture it would have a good crowd watching the game.
Yeah I reckon you're right there. I think the removal of that rule that stopped members of the security forces (nearly wrote security forceps) helped a tiny bit but there doesn't seem to be any movement since then.
I think professionalism in rugby has been a major driver of it's relatively recent popularity in Ireland.
I am not sure if politics and changing attitudes have anything to do with it though that is only my gut feeling and can be countered by the belated but reciprocal rise in interest in cricket.
Since the turn of the millennium, Irish rugby has mostly been at least competitive, both at European and International level so that can account for some of it's move from the margins to mainstream.
Perhaps cricket is benefiting somewhat too from its relative success in recent years.
I don't really know what I am trying to say
I'm a little worried about the Welsh, I think we're better overall but the gamelan we've used - a territorial game based on taking advantage of opposition mistake - only really works well of you're ahead on the scoreboard.
I think the Welsh are capable of upsetting our line-out and capable of getting ahead early with Halfpenny Halfpennys booT.
If they do get a lead, it'll be interesting to see what happens when we're forced into a more risky gameplan
I think the Welsh are capable of upsetting our line-out and capable of getting ahead early with Halfpenny Halfpennys booT.
If they do get a lead, it'll be interesting to see what happens when we're forced into a more risky gameplan
We have looked like completely different teams with Sexton on and Sexton off, and I share your concern Athens. If Sexton plays 80 minutes then we've a great chance. I'd just like to see a bit more invention in the backline too.
If we stay disciplined and keep Halfpenny's opportunities with the boot to the minimum, then I fancy us strongly. In terms of the set piece, maybe I'm being complacent, but I thought England would pose the greatest threat to our scrum and lineout, but we were in complete control in these areas.
I must say, I'm being sucked in by the mythology growing up around Schmidt. He really does appear to have us meticulously prepared for each opponent. I'm hoping to see Gatland and Shaun Edwards looking thoroughly pissed off come the final whistle. I see someone accused Gatland of having the intellectual capacity of a tub of flora in the Irish press.
If we stay disciplined and keep Halfpenny's opportunities with the boot to the minimum, then I fancy us strongly. In terms of the set piece, maybe I'm being complacent, but I thought England would pose the greatest threat to our scrum and lineout, but we were in complete control in these areas.
I must say, I'm being sucked in by the mythology growing up around Schmidt. He really does appear to have us meticulously prepared for each opponent. I'm hoping to see Gatland and Shaun Edwards looking thoroughly pissed off come the final whistle. I see someone accused Gatland of having the intellectual capacity of a tub of flora in the Irish press.
No you weren't. You had the better of the lineouts but I saw it as pretty even in the tight. It was elsewhere that that game got away from us.
I think you misunderstand JJ. I don't mean we trampled over England in these areas, but that we had very good control over our ball, and were pretty comfortable. My worry before the game was that England would dominate, or at least disrupt our set piece, but actually we never looked threatened.
Fair enough Doc. I think you may be by the Welsh today though.
Maybe, but I think if we can cope with the English set piece, we should be able to manage the Welsh who don't look anywhere near as good as the English. In Wales v England the English won a third of scrums where the Welsh had the put in, and 3 of 10 of the Wales lineouts. Whilst I don't think we will dominate the scrum to the extent the English did, if we can achieve parity, I can see us having some joy in the lineout.
Nothing much.. went to school with him and a load of us go for a few pints (well we drink, he doesn't) every now and again.
I try to use the namedrop whenever I can cos it makes me look interesting.
Ireland doing their best to confound everything I've said in this thread. Wales winning the kicking and aerial battle. Think they could play zGAA alright.
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