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Portugal vs Ireland

Kind of conservative selection given the circumstances, but anyway. Bit mad not to start Gavin imo. I don't think we learn anything from playing McCloskey and a Gavin-Osborne combo would be very exciting. I am curious to see how Bolton does. He essentially displaced Kilgallen from Connacht and they both have similar profiles in being big lads of a similar age with not great injury profiles.

Kendellen clearly well liked in the Irish set up as he has jumped above the provincial que. I do really rate him in terms of attitude, skill and the technical size, but think he may be up against it physically at the international level compared to some of the lads coming up behind him.
 
I’m sorry but what is the point of these games?

How does it help Portugal getting steam rolled? Wouldn’t it be better to play a tier 2 nation and actually get some experience.

After the Italy vs sa game I’m a bit jaded by the whole summer internationals
 
I'm sorry but what is the point of these games?

How does it help Portugal getting steam rolled? Wouldn't it be better to play a tier 2 nation and actually get some experience.

After the Italy vs sa game I'm a bit jaded by the whole summer internationals
It's the sort of game you switch off after 15 mins because it's just boring.
 
How does it help Portugal getting steam rolled? Wouldn't it be better to play a tier 2 nation and actually get some experience.
They got a bit cocky after the RWC, they refused to play England A with their firsts and sent a seconds team instead, said they wanted to play tier 1 opposition

I get wanting to play the best to improve, but gotta be a gradual build not an all or nothing
 
I'm sorry but what is the point of these games?

How does it help Portugal getting steam rolled? Wouldn't it be better to play a tier 2 nation and actually get some experience.

After the Italy vs sa game I'm a bit jaded by the whole summer internationals

I was in Tbilisi last week and the exposure was huge. Attendance not great because of a deluge and they all just stayed in but so many people stopped me the day before in my Irish jersey to thank me for coming and how they were so happy Ireland came. Might do sweet fa for a team's development but if one of the best teams in the world is in your country / city in a niche sport, people take notice.
 
They've been training partners wity us before and I'd imagine there was an agreement we'd give them a game. There was also a lack of available opponents we tried get a test with Romania as well but that fell through.
 
They got a bit cocky after the RWC, they refused to play England A with their firsts and sent a seconds team instead, said they wanted to play tier 1 opposition

I get wanting to play the best to improve, but gotta be a gradual build not an all or nothing
Tbf most of their best play in France and weren't eligible for release
 
Maybe so, but they specifically said they were picking a binjuice team to make a point cause they felt disrespected we only gave them an A game
Ah hadn't seen that. Maybe a bit of face saving in that since they knew we were going in dry anyway and it would hurt.
 
Good try, Irish defence got lazy.

Least they weren’t nilled (looks at Italy)
 

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