[2024 Six Nations] Ireland vs Italy - 11/02/24

[munstermuffin]

Stuart Barnes thinks this is the best Ireland team in history, and they can go on to be the best Ireland team of all time.

Quite the compliment considering the standard of some of those pre-historic Ireland sides.

I think he is right like the 2020 onwards is phenomenonal

 

[Jimbo]

Yeah whilst they have often had quality sides, I can't recall any with the consistency or depth is most positions they currently have.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think he is right like the 2020 onwards is phenomenonal

You're welcome

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

View attachment 18996

You're welcome

A bald man, a South African, an Irish man and a common bridge troll. I don't see a single thing English about this photo?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

common bridge troll

I don't see a single thing English about this photo?

????

 

[Smurfy]

I don't often agree with Barnes but he's right this time. We have in the past had sides with one or two world class players but we've never had the riches we have today, with Sheehan, Beirne , Doris, VdF, Gibson Park, Keenan and Aki all in that category imo, with honourable mentions to Furlong, Henshaw, Ringrose and Lowe, and possibly Porter if he could get on the right side of refs at scrumtime. Also, for the first time, we have young players like McCarthy and Crowley coming through who are ready to step up when needed, due to unprecedented success at u20 level.

For guys like me who have been watching Ireland for almost 50 years it's actually difficult to believe we've got to this stage, even if it turns out to be temporary, and for all the abuse over that period that the IRFU have shipped in that period, a lot of it thoroughly deserve, their management of the professional game has been masterful. The structure, succession planning, and the coaching recruitment, has been excellent as evidenced by the quality of the coaching teams at Provincial (Ulster excepted) and International level. Don't know how long this last as history shows this level of success is cyclical unless you're NZ or SA, but I'm going to enjoy it in the meantime.

 

[BrokenWing]

A bald man, a South African, an Irish man and a common bridge troll. I don't see a single thing English about this photo?

Could almost be the Scottish back line.

 

[OwenPB]

I still don't think England will be easy, always raise their game for us. If they can avoid whacking our lads' heads they could be very dangerous.

I'll be very interested in our scrum play during the Wales game because I think it's where England are likely to hurt us most when we get to Twickenham. We've shown we can improve very specific areas quickly (our line-out now Vs the WC), can we find a way to protect Porter better?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I don't often agree with Barnes but he's right this time. We have in the past had sides with one or two world class players but we've never had the riches we have today, with Sheehan, Beirne , Doris, VdF, Gibson Park, Keenan and Aki all in that category imo, with honourable mentions to Furlong, Henshaw, Ringrose and Lowe, and possibly Porter if he could get on the right side of refs at scrumtime. Also, for the first time, we have young players like McCarthy and Crowley coming through who are ready to step up when needed, due to unprecedented success at u20 level.

For guys like me who have been watching Ireland for almost 50 years it's actually difficult to believe we've got to this stage, even if it turns out to be temporary, and for all the abuse over that period that the IRFU have shipped in that period, a lot of it thoroughly deserve, their management of the professional game has been masterful. The structure, succession planning, and the coaching recruitment, has been excellent as evidenced by the quality of the coaching teams at Provincial (Ulster excepted) and International level. Don't know how long this last as history shows this level of success is cyclical unless you're NZ or SA, but I'm going to enjoy it in the meantime.

Yeah I think we're definitely on a high at the moment and hitting this level requires a bit of luck (which makes last year hurt so much) but this is also fairly achievable through our academy set ups and sharing the wealth a bit more in the provinces. Really there's no reason we shouldn't continue competing at an NZ level like we have been but O expect peaks and troughs in that, possibly more varied than NZ because we'll never get their aura (we would have with three more wins last year though… French for bread).

I'll be very interested in our scrum play during the Wales game because I think it's where England are likely to hurt us most when we get to Twickenham. We've shown we can improve very specific areas quickly (our line-out now Vs the WC), can we find a way to protect Porter better?

A lot of discourse that refs are treating Porter unfairly. Barnesy ******* us from beyond the grave.

Could almost be the Scottish back line.

Excellent work.

 

[General Melchett]

Could almost be the Scottish back line.

An outrageous suggestion. The Scottish backline all have phenomenal hairlines. The only baldies we have are sat together in the coaches box (a sneaky peek into the future for JGP and Lowe).

 

[Smurfy]

Yeah I think we're definitely on a high at the moment and hitting this level requires a bit of luck (which makes last year hurt so much) but this is also fairly achievable through our academy set ups and sharing the wealth a bit more in the provinces. Really there's no reason we shouldn't continue competing at an NZ level like we have been but O expect peaks and troughs in that, possibly more varied than NZ because we'll never get their aura (we would have with three more wins last year though… French for bread).


A lot of discourse that refs are treating Porter unfairly. Barnesy ******* us from beyond the grave.


Excellent work.

I paused the TV at a couple of the scrum penalties and it looked like Atonio was hitting in on engage, forcing Porter to follow him in. To be honest it looked very much like he was being reffed on reputation and that France were playing on that. It's hard to criticise them after we bought a couple of penalties at the death against SA at the RWC, but Porter and the scrum coaches need to be able to counter that. It was encouraging against Italy that he stayed as straight as a dye, and I couldn't help wondering if Farrell hadn't made a presentation to the ref on the issue, as he's entitled to do. That, and better technique from Porter, seemed to result in a very dominant Irish scrum and hopefully Porter might have turned a corner.

 

[Amiga500]

View attachment 18996

You're welcome

Just goes to show what half decent coaches can do when they aren't trying to coach a bunch of thickos...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Just goes to show what half decent coaches can do when they aren't trying to coach a bunch of thickos...


View attachment 18998

Calling Haskell a thicko is an insult to thickos worldwide

 

[Smurfy]

With all the talk about Irelands six changes from the France match the fact that only six RWC starters (Porter, Ryan, Sheehan, Doris, Lowe and Keenan) actually started on Sunday seems to have been overlooked. Under normal circumstances that would be considered a massive turnover and hugely disruptive, but Farrell & Co seem to have done such a superb job in building the squad that it seemed seamless. It will be very interesting to see what side he picks for Wales given the performances of Bealham, Henshaw in particular. Conan, Ryan and McCloskey and Baird were excellent but it's hard to see them getting in, with McCloskey likely to miss out on the match day 23 completely, as will Henderson.