The Official Irish Rugby Thread

You'd also have to assume that at 38 he is unlikely to get through the wc unscathed and a back-up option will need to get plenty of time on the pitch in 6n.
That too, he's taken an enormous amount of punishment over his career. Even with a light schedule for the next 12 months an injury is worryingly likely.
 
The rest of the team is likely the best assembly of talent we have ever had, across the board.

See 2007, 2019 for same.

We have no real world clasd centres and our options on the wing are limited.

Still relying on a 37 year old at outhalf in International Rugby is nuts.

Ireland's over reliance on Dad's Army will be badly exposed come the world cup.
 
See 2007, 2019 for same.

We have no real world clasd centres and our options on the wing are limited.

Still relying on a 37 year old at outhalf in International Rugby is nuts.

Ireland's over reliance on Dad's Army will be badly exposed come the world cup.
think henshaw and Ringrose are pretty close to world class on their day but they arent BOD

Think we have plenty opptions on the wing with Lowe, Hansen, Balacoune, Conway, Stockdale, O Brien. Then throw in the likes of Larmour and Daly

Full back and 10 is the big worry but think Conway or Lowry could do a job there

But overall, I agree that we are going into a world cup again with some very old players in key positions like 10 ad that's worrying

Thow into the mix the likes of Healy, POM, Murray still regulars in the squad there could be a whiff of 2019 in the air

Lets see how the 6N goes as in 2019 the tactics were found out and individual players form fell off a cliff
 
think henshaw and Ringrose are pretty close to world class on their day but they arent BOD

Think we have plenty opptions on the wing with Lowe, Hansen, Balacoune, Conway, Stockdale, O Brien. Then throw in the likes of Larmour and Daly

Full back and 10 is the big worry but think Conway or Lowry could do a job there

But overall, I agree that we are going into a world cup again with some very old players in key positions like 10 ad that's worrying

Thow into the mix the likes of Healy, POM, Murray still regulars in the squad there could be a whiff of 2019 in the air

Lets see how the 6N goes as in 2019 the tactics were found out and individual players form fell off a cliff
Lowe and Stockdale can't defend, neither cut out for International rugby, Comway is never fit . The rest, meh.

Sexton should have been eased out two years ago.

No lessons were learned from the last world cup , yet again.


Its going to be between France, New Zealand and South Africa.


We will do our traditional quarter final disappearing act having peaked 12 months too early and persisted with selecting guys who won't be at the races come 2023.

But we beat NZ and the Springboks so the Aviva will still be full so the IRFU are happy.
 
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Lowe and Stockdale can't defend, neither cut out for International rugby, Comway is never fit . The rest, meh.

Sexton should have been eased out two years ago.

No lessons were learned from the last world cup , yet again.


Its going to be between France, New Zealand and South Africa.


We will do our traditional quarter final disappearing act having peaked 12 months too early and persistent selection of guys who won't be at the races come 2023.

But we beat NZ and the Springboks so the Aviva will still be full so the IRFU are happy.

Not your No. 1 criterion when picking wingers.


Lowe can beat defenders and score. He also has an enormous kick which has proven very, very valuable.


Don't think Ireland are going to win it but I think you're overdoing the pessimism.

think henshaw and Ringrose are pretty close to world class on their day but they arent BOD

Think we have plenty opptions on the wing with Lowe, Hansen, Balacoune, Conway, Stockdale, O Brien. Then throw in the likes of Larmour and Daly

Full back and 10 is the big worry but think Conway or Lowry could do a job there

But overall, I agree that we are going into a world cup again with some very old players in key positions like 10 ad that's worrying

Thow into the mix the likes of Healy, POM, Murray still regulars in the squad there could be a whiff of 2019 in the air

Lets see how the 6N goes as in 2019 the tactics were found out and individual players form fell off a cliff
Healy - 35/36
Murray - 34
POM - 34

POM has a 50/50 chance of starting IMO. The other two are bench warmers.

It's not unusual to have players getting on a bit playing for world cup winning teams. Take England 2003, Johnson was 33, Jason Leonard 35. Schalk Brits was 38 playing for SA in the last world cup (although didn't make the final). Os Du Randt was 35 when winning the 2007 world cup. Brad Thorn won the world cup in 2011 at 36, Mealamu was 36 in 2015.

Average age for teams at the world cup is usually between 27-29, not unusual to have a few players in their mid 30s.

Sexton would definitely be a bit of a freak if he makes it through, if Ireland do get to the final, would say there's no more than a 30% chance of him making it.
 
Not your No. 1 criterion when picking wingers.


Lowe can beat defenders and score. He also has an enormous kick which has proven very, very valuable.


Don't think Ireland are going to win it but I think you're overdoing the pessimism.


Healy - 35/36
Murray - 34
POM - 34

POM has a 50/50 chance of starting IMO. The other two are bench warmers.

It's not unusual to have players getting on a bit playing for world cup winning teams. Take England 2003, Johnson was 33, Jason Leonard 35. Schalk Brits was 38 playing for SA in the last world cup (although didn't make the final). Os Du Randt was 35 when winning the 2007 world cup. Brad Thorn won the world cup in 2011 at 36, Mealamu was 36 in 2015.

Average age for teams at the world cup is usually between 27-29, not unusual to have a few players in their mid 30s.

Sexton would definitely be a bit of a freak if he makes it through, if Ireland do get to the final, would say there's no more than a 30% chance of him making it.

No but some kind of defensive ability is a requirement.

Lowe will walk back into the team when he's fit and he will be targeted as he is poor.


Conway will probably have broken down again by the time the World Cup comes about.

Anyone who is optimistic about Irelands world cup prospects is out of their mind.
 
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No but some kind of defensive ability is a requirement.

Lowe will walk back into the team when he's fit and he will be targeted as he is poor.


Conway will probably have broken down again by the time the World Cup comes about.

Anyone who is optimistic about Irelands world cup prospects is out of their mind.
Lowe's defending isn't that awful. It's poor but not bad enough to make a great deal of difference to Ireland's defence, especially if Henshaw, Ringrose and Keenan are in the side, all of whom are good defenders.

I'm more optimistic about Ireland than I have been in a while. I think everyone will agree, Ireland haven't played at their potential for this autumn international series (at least in attack), and yet still beat Australia and South Africa.
What Ireland showed in games like the tests in NZ, England match and patches over the AI series, was an attacking pattern that, if they get it right, will be devastating. It's also not particularly reliant on any one individual's brilliance.

It's a difficult pattern to get right though, the timing of it is critical, as is the speed of ruck ball. Australia disrupted Ireland there, slowing things down, so clearly that's a vulnerability.

Anyway, it isn't exactly all doom and gloom, it's clear few are getting at all carried away like happened in 2018. Roll on the six nations.


France are the red hot favourites for this world cup, anyone who believes otherwise hasn't a clue.
 
I'm more optimistic about Ireland than I have been in a while.


No offence but you were spouting similar in 2018.

Let's see how well we do in the 6N. Then we will see where we are.

Farrell put all his chips in on Sexton and we saw on Saturday how well giving him every available minute played out. Crowley did so so given he was parachuted in with 15 mins notice and sod all minutes beforehand.

Ireland should have gotten over putting ANY stock in beating any of the big three one or two years before a World Cup.. won't matter a shit in France next September
 
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