[RWC2019][Quarter-Final 2] New Zealand vs. Ireland (19/10/2019)

[bushytop]

I'm not sure Earls has been particularly bad (when on the wing) this year. I remember thinking he was one of Ireland's best players when we played in the 6 Nations it's just a lot of his work this year has been in defence. The way that the Irish team has played this year hasn't really provided him with many opportunities to show up in attack. Still I probably think it's as good a time as any to start developing other options now this cycle is over.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[BobbyM]

Think it shows that the EOY tests, be it June or November, are not a great indicator of how teams will perform when the pressure is on. A global calendar would help to strip out the different stages countries are at in June and November

 

[ThebigARena]

I think franchising/regional rugby at the expense of domestic depth and competitions is a problem.

You can assemble a decent enough squad but then it starts to look flaky and doesn't provide enough support for a proper professional game. I think the Japanese are looking to approach pro rugby in the correct manner but it may take some time to really reap the rewards. Super Rugby nations may be starting to feel the effects of this kind of things too, Oz before the others due to the falloff below their SR sides (see NRL and Kangaroos for the opposite). SA and NZ have better domestic competitions but numbers and quality are slowly starting to drop, Argentina put all their eggs in the SR basket and they've gone backwards.

If Ireland could figure out a means to grow the game domestically I think they'd go that little bit further.

Ireland lose a QF to the ABs the finest rugby country in the World and you suggest a National League ..

#overreaction

 

[Reiser99]

Looking at the current Ireland Squad and these seem to be the current players who will be there in four years. I'd say anyone at 33-34 is unlikely personally, though possible, so I won't include them. Dunno if there are any obvious injuries off the top of my head. Think maybe somewhere in the back row possibly...
As for younger players who might come through I'm sure our Irish contributors are in a much better position to comment.

Props: Furlong, Porter (Though both a tightheads)
Hooker: Scannell (Haven't seen enough to say he's the permanent solution, but others might disagree.)
Locks: Ryan, Beirne, Henderson, Kleyn (bit of depth here and Beirne can also slot in the back row)
Back Row: Conan, Stander, Van der Flier, Murphy and Ruddock. (All of them will be past 30 here and back row hasn't been hugely consistent for Ireland, so possibility to develop some younger players maybe?)

SH: McGrath (Marmion as well in the wings. However neither have really put their hand up to claim the shirt, potential for someone younger to upset the ranks?)
FH: Carbery, Carty (Again neither has stood up to claim the shirt post-Sexton and Ross Byrne also played in the warm ups. Hopefully competition might be healthy for them.)
Centres: Henshaw, Ringrose, Farrell (If Ireland can have Henshaw and Ringrose fit at the same time and on form they have an excellent centre pairing. This year didn't work out for them)
Backs: Stockdale, Larmour, Conway (Stockdale needs to learn when not to rush up, but attacking wise he's great. Larmour also looks like he'll be very composed at the back.)

So personally out of the current squad you have about 9 key players to develop around. I think SH and FH are a bit up in the air still and maybe have an issue with loosehead props, but as I said it's based purely on current squad.

 

[Leinster Fan]

I do after visiting, I think England's RFU had similar thoughts for a while. There are nearly always things that can be done better, in fairness it's probably harder to see from a Leinster perspective and maybe wrong time to be discussing after a very disappointing performance.

Obviously there are improvements that could be made, but overall I think we've got the right system for the situation. Even Connacht have gone from strength to strength in recent years (even excluding their Pro14 ***le there's been a steady upward curve).

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

Well, that was just super deflating. I actually just feel pretty empty about it all. It's not like the Wales game in the Six Nations or the Japan game where I was really angry, this is just so disappointing.

I remember growing up and watching England in the 2003 and 2007 (Cueto wasn't in touch) world cup finals and being really jealous. Much like Heineken Cups with Munster while Leinster failed year after year, I kind of just assumed that winning, or even competing, at the highest level was something my teams didn't do. Leinster eventually got there (and stayed there) but over a decade on and Ireland still haven't gotten any closer to the promised land. Like surely at some point I'm going to be able to watch a semi-final or a final as something other than an interested neutral but every four years I lose another bit of hope. Ffs this is easily the best team the island has ever produced (both in terms of player quality and when you compare them to other teams around the world) and the best they can come up with is a 32 point loss in the quarter final having lost to Japan in the pool stages. There's a bucket load of young talent at the provinces right now but what's to say they won't suffer the same fate in 4/8 years.

Don't get me wrong, I'm amazed and delighted by the improvement over the last decade, winning grand slams and being consistently competitive against the SH teams was fantasy not too long ago, both it is left feeling slightly hollow when we consistently fail badly at the top level. This is the fourth world cup in a row where we've come in with justifiable optimism and a team capable of making a difference, and the results have been a pool stage exit, followed by three quarter final defeats by a total of 12, 23 and now 32 points. It's just hard to take.

Won't stop me going through the exact same process in 2023 though.

Keep the faith! I am a Boston Red Sox fan and it took them 80+ years to win a World Series in Baseball. Same thing with my Montreal Canadiens, it's been 26 years since Lord Stanley graced Canadian soil.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

The IRFU should have contracted that shithead MMA amateur Conor McGregor to throw a chair at the All Blacks bus. Need some more hype train!

 

[ThebigARena]

I'm not sure Earls has been particularly bad (when on the wing) this year. I remember thinking he was one of Ireland's best players when we played in the 6 Nations it's just a lot of his work this year has been in defence. The way that the Irish team has played this year hasn't really provided him with many opportunities to show up in attack. Still I probably think it's as good a time as any to start developing other options now this cycle is over.

Keep the faith! I am a Boston Red Sox fan and it took them 80+ years to win a World Series in Baseball. Same thing with my Montreal Canadiens, it's been 26 years since Lord Stanley graced Canadian soil.

Are you talking about that bat and ball game?

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

Are you talking about that bat and ball game?

Yes Baseball i.e. America's pass time.

Aka Colonial Cricket

 

[ThebigARena]

Yes Baseball i.e. America's pass time.

Aka Colonial Cricket

So irrelevant to this thread then..

 

[TRF_heineken]

Yes Baseball i.e. America's pass time.

Aka Colonial Cricket

that's so inaccurate, as the colonists are actually playing cricket, not baseball.

and to compare sports where only one country is competing makes it laughable to call their premier tournament a world league.

but to make snide comments about Ireland when your own country's team was probably the worst team at the WC just doesn't sit well with me. Argentina was definitely the most hyped team that underperformed at this world cup. That's not even debatable.

 

[ThebigARena]

that's so inaccurate, as the colonists are actually playing cricket, not baseball.

and to compare sports where only one country is competing makes it laughable to call their premier tournament a world league.

but to make snide comments about Ireland when your own country's team was probably the worst team at the WC just doesn't sit well with me. Argentina was definitely the most hyped team that underperformed at this world cup. That's not even debatable.

Didnt you know the World doesnt stretch beyond the United States and Canada? and the Earth is flat too.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

that's so inaccurate, as the colonists are actually playing cricket, not baseball.

and to compare sports where only one country is competing makes it laughable to call their premier tournament a world league.

but to make snide comments about Ireland when your own country's team was probably the worst team at the WC just doesn't sit well with me. Argentina was definitely the most hyped team that underperformed at this world cup. That's not even debatable.

Baseball is the number one sport in Japan amigo, it's also numero uno in South Korea and Taiwan and is also very popular in China. It's played all over South & Central America.

The Commonwealth minus Canada has Cricket, Americana has Baseball.

Also, Ireland have never made it past a QF, that's the definition of a pretender. They didn't even win their group this time around

Argentina have consistently done better despite never being given the respect they deserve.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

So irrelevant to this thread then..

Christ you guys are sensitive. I was trying to cheer Leinster Fan up, telling him not to despair.

Take a chill pill, clean the rifle out and recock the weapon in four years time.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Baseball is the number one sport in Japan amigo, it's also numero uno in South Korea and Taiwan and is also very popular in Chinam. It's played all over South & Central America.

The Commonwealth minus Canada has Cricket, Americana has Baseball.

Also, Ireland have never made it past a QF, that's the definition of a pretender. They didn't even win their group this time around

Argentina have consistently done better despite never being given the respect they deserve.

I know it is. But they don't participate in the World League, now do they?

By the way, USA and Canada also plays cricket. Even though they aren't yet in the Elite group.

Argentina has been given a lot of respect. They nearly beaten the All Blacks in June FFS!

Christ you guys are sensitive. I was trying to cheer Leinster Fan up, telling him not to despair.

Take a chill pill, clean the rifle out and recock the weapon in four years time.

That was probably the worst attempt ever. Do a better job. That is all.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

I know it is. But they don't participate in the World League, now do they?

By the way, USA and Canada also plays cricket. Even though they aren't yet in the Elite group.

Argentina has been given a lot of respect. They nearly beaten the All Blacks in June FFS!




That was probably the worst attempt ever. Do a better job. That is all.

Go drink some more bong water!

Btw I've played Cricket before, great sport, very similar to baseball.

 

[Jockstap]

Don't worry all part of Joe Schmidt's plan.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Go drink some more bong water!

Btw I've played Cricket before, great sport, very similar to baseball.

Dagnammit. Where were you during Italy vs Canada? The one poster who I could have lorded it over for my first time on these boards after a "tremendous" Italian victory and you rock up after we've been eliminated?

I need some gloating practice to shake off the decades long rust. Got to get myself in peak condition so I can hit the ground running for the dominant Howley era that awaits us.

 

[die_mole]

Go drink some more bong water!

Btw I've played Cricket before, great sport, very similar to baseball.

so you're officially a madman