pro XV vs amateur XV

[feicarsinn]

today the sunday tribune published a selection of the best irish teams from the amateur and pro eras. who would be in your countries' teams or your world team. the teams the tribune named were:
PRO XV
jim staples
shane horgan
brian o'driscoll
gordon d'arcy
Simon Geoghegan
ronan o'gara
peter stringer

nick popplewell
steve smith
john hayes
paul o'connell
neil francis
phil mathews
Denis leamy
David Wallace

AMATEUR XV
Jim staples
Simon Geoghegan
Brendan mullin
brian o'driscoll
denis hickie
ronan o'gara
rob saunders

nick popplewell
steve smith
des fitzgerald
donal lenihan
neil francis
phil mathews
denis leamy
david wallace

 

[An Tarbh]

Is this for real and by any chance did Franno write the piece?

 

[feicarsinn]

indeed he did then he went into a detailed analysis of the current squad in comparison to the past greats

 

[O'Rothlain]

Where is Keith Woods?

 

[An Tarbh]

well that explains it then and the tribune has always had a shite name but this just confirms that, you'd wonder how they keep their jobs with the drivel they produce.

 

[feicarsinn]

i really cant undeerstand how he puts hickie in the amateur catagory but not the pro he is far superior to shaggy

 

[An Tarbh]

so what exactly did he define as pro and amateur in this piece, since ROG made his debut in 2000 I don't think he qualifies for the amateur team, same applies to Hickie, BOD, Leamy and Wallace. As for the pro team Smith, himself and Matthews certainly didn't play in the pro era.

 

[feicarsinn]

i think they are the teams he believes that would be best suited to each era didnt read that bit before tho sorry about that

 

[An Tarbh]

what I meant to ask was whether there was a cut off point for the amateur players like 1985?

 

[feicarsinn]

i think hes nearly just using players he played with it doesnt really say. the full list of amateur players he uses are:
staples
crossan
mullin
curtis
geoghegan
keyes
saunders
popplewell
smith
fitzgerald
lenihan
francis
mathews
robinson
looks like the 91 world cup squad

 

[An Tarbh]

hardly a true reflection of pro vs amateur era then, loses all credibility when he picks himself as well cause he was a woeful player.

 

[stevemagoo]

He wasn't woeful....he was very talented....just a lazy lazy LAZY player!!! When he wanted to he'd own the pitch, but usually, he'd just plod around and lean on the odd ruck and maul.

 

[melon]

KEITH WOOD?! WHERE IS HE?????

THE RAGING POTATO NEEDS A SHOWING!!!!

 

[Caledfwlch]

where the hell is keith wood!?!?!?! some list this is