Ireland team v. Georgia

[Shan]

The game wasn't the most exciting you'd ever see but that is often the way against teams like Georgia. They were physical and dogged and they were consistently infringing. It is hard to avoid getting into a fight with a team whose primary interest is in stopping you illegally, especially when you have a guy refereeing who I wouldn't let ref a game of snakes and ladders. The moment with Reddan wanting to talk about the stamp on Ryan's face is enough to say this guy should never be allowed ref again but that was just the worst of tens of moments of incompetence.

That being said I don't think we'd be overjoyed with our performance, especially first half.

Kilcoyne and Strauss played well enough as did McCarthy to an extent. The backrow didn't shine but they were OK. Foley was probably the brightest shining forward.

Reddan is a hindrance. He's beyond the point where it can be argued he offers anything positive at this level.

Madigan did some things very well. He is an exciting player and improving as he goes. He's not a 10 really as he can't control the game but he would make an excellent 12 IMO.

Centres were disappointing. Neither really did anything of any particular note. What I would say is neither did too much particularly badly either- Just nothing positive from an attackng perspective. Oh and I note a shocking pass which cost us a try opportunity seems to have airbrushed out of history. It never ceases to amaze me how people refuse to be honest in their analysis.

Wingers were poor I thought. Both got some ball in hand and neither was capable of doing anything with it. To be fair to Gilroy he was unlucky that a pass arrived at his head when he probably would have scored. Zebo scored a try that to be honest I'd expect to score even after consuming a gallon of beer. Apart from that he, like Gilroy, spent much of his day running ball into contact.

Felix was excellent. I would have given him the man of the match. Always looking to do something when he got ball and very secure under the high ball, one moment excepted. Scored 2 tries and I was delighted for him as he deserved them.


Subs made a big change. Marmion was a breath of fresh air. He changed our ability to attack. Keatley also contributed while up front Ah You, after a shaky start, Copeland and Toner all added to the team. But Olding was the star man I thought. A class apart. Along with his undoubted talent he seems to have composure which belies his age and inexperience as we saw with his pass for the try when some guys would have gone hunting for glory and more than likely fecked it up.

I would love to see some of these guys given their head because they can offer us something else, some unpreditability and ability to unlock defences. The likes of Olding, Madigan, Jones and Marmion are too good to be left on the outside.

[Shan]

Oh and as for Zebo and his disgraceful act of smiling during a photo. He is clearly worse than Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot, Stalin, Attila and Vlad combined.

He should be hunted down and imprisoned immediately for his crimes against humanity, decency, professionalism and courtesy.......not to mention the biggest sin of all- the crime against the easily outraged and downright f-cking retarded.

[ruckover]

Am I the only one who thinks Felix is being overhyped after the game? He happened to be in the right place at the right time for the two tries but beyond that nothing spectacular.

[Russ]

Am I the only one who thinks Felix is being overhyped after the game? He happened to be in the right place at the right time for the two tries but beyond that nothing spectacular.

He scored 2?

Of course he is overhyped. Georgia offered nothing outside of 12 and nothing outside of 10 when their 12 was properly fixed

[Shan]

Am I the only one who thinks Felix is being overhyped after the game? He happened to be in the right place at the right time for the two tries but beyond that nothing spectacular.

I'm not sure he is being overhyped. He was a touch quiet in the first half but he did everything you'd want him to do in terms of catching and kicking, tackling and getting involved when he could in attack. I only recall him once failing to take a ball in the air. I don't think players end up in the right place by accident to score tries. Wingers maybe, if they are on their own wing and just waiting for ball to be shunted across.

I will admit, even though I suggested I would give him MOTM, my opinion of his performance may be slightly over-inflated due to the rest of the backline, Madigan apart, being extremely underwhelming which allowed him to possibly stand out more than he should.

[pythagoras]

Py Russ just wants to be Baggy except it is abuse without humour .He lacks that fine knowledge of the Shakepearian insult which is normalyl formed around either three or two word combinations.
such as" bird brained show boater"

Look and learn, Russ.

Russ fails to realise that to make use of your backs a team must first of all remove the cover defence which is why Redden kept feeding the forwards to suck the Georgians to commit to ruck and maul . The six trys in the second half were made by the forwards in the first.

Georgia had one of those moral victories that Ireland used to specialise in against the bigger teams.
They're pretty deflating games to watch for both sets of supporters.

Would anybody wish to identify the difference between an "offload" and a "pass" in my humble opinion the term "offload" is just a smartarsed bit of Sky commentary speak to sound knowledgable and or make the humble front row forward seem like a rugby player when he fumbles a ball into the hands of someone beside him.

Apparently an offload is a pass after you're tackled.
OK, I didn't know that until about 1 minute ago!

[Shan]

[
He scored 2?

Is that a genuine question or just some attempt at faux-shock? Whichever one is the answer it doesn't say much for you kid.

[pythagoras]

Am I the only one who thinks Felix is being overhyped after the game? He happened to be in the right place at the right time for the two tries but beyond that nothing spectacular.

I thought he was good under the high ball and didn't he collect one of his own kicks as well?

[rumncoke]

It was not the trys which impressed it was his Bravery under the high ball which has been obvious since he played in the Churchill Cup he has also a reasonable turn of pace but the fact is he can be somewhat inconsistent in his performance in my opinion like many Munster men he he can have too much confidence in his own ability .similarly playing for Munster the Munster supporters have an inability to understate or underestimate a Munsterplayers worth they all supermen and to every else they are not aliens but overhyped


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[pythagoras]

It was not the trys which impressed it was his Bravery under the high ball which has been obvious since he played in the Churchill Cup he has also a reasonable turn of pace but the fact is he can be somewhat inconsistent in his performance in my opinion like many Munster men he he can have too much confidence in his own ability .similarly playing for Munster the Munster supporters have an inability to understate or underestimate a Munsterplayers worth they all supermen and to every else they are not aliens but overhyped


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You were doing so well! What happened at the end, low brain sugar?

[Shan]

It was not the trys which impressed it was his Bravery under the high ball which has been obvious since he played in the Churchill Cup he has also a reasonable turn of pace but the fact is he can be somewhat inconsistent in his performance in my opinion like many Munster men he he can have too much confidence in his own ability .similarly playing for Munster the Munster supporters have an inability to understate or underestimate a Munsterplayers worth they all supermen and to every else they are not aliens but overhyped


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He's not a Munster man. He plays for Munster. That is the least thing wrong here though. We'll let the performances and results do the talking. The last few years we have not been brilliant in terms of winning things. With that came Munster supporters having reality bite 'em in the árse. When we were the best team in Europe it was easy to think our players were pretty good. No teams are the best unless they contain good players. Felix certainly does not overestimate his ability, quite the opposite I would say. His inconsistent performances prior to this season are mostly a result of horrendous injuries which robbed him of 2-3 years of development. He is delighted to be able to play again at the top level and has been performing consistently well this year- He's not a world beater, he is a good player who is finally getting his chance to perform and improve.

[ruckover]

Am I the only one who thinks Felix is being overhyped after the game? He happened to be in the right place at the right time for the two tries but beyond that nothing spectacular.

I'm not sure he is being overhyped. He was a touch quiet in the first half but he did everything you'd want him to do in terms of catching and kicking, tackling and getting involved when he could in attack. I only recall him once failing to take a ball in the air. I don't think players end up in the right place by accident to score tries. Wingers maybe, if they are on their own wing and just waiting for ball to be shunted across.

I will admit, even though I suggested I would give him MOTM, my opinion of his performance may be slightly over-inflated due to the rest of the backline, Madigan apart, being extremely underwhelming which allowed him to possibly stand out more than he should.

Shan you had convinced me I had Jones all wrong until you mentioned the infallible Quiffy and then I knew I had to disregard everything you had said before as uneducated waffle

Madigan is a good player, I will not deny that. But on Sunday he was alright, no better. He will not be given the same space and freedom against the best sides and that is what concerns me as he doesn't have the composure to seize a tight game by the scruff of the neck. From there it's 50/50 on which way the game will go.

[Shan]

Shan you had convinced me I had Jones all wrong until you mentioned the infallible Quiffy and then I knew I had to disregard everything you had said before as uneducated waffle

Madigan is a good player, I will not deny that. But on Sunday he was alright, no better. He will not be given the same space and freedom against the best sides and that is what concerns me as he doesn't have the composure to seize a tight game by the scruff of the neck. From there it's 50/50 on which way the game will go.

Fair enough. Tis good to disagree and even to dismiss my ramblings as waffle. I'm not even miffed by you calling such waffle uneducated.

I do agree with you in relation to the comment about composure to seize a tight game etc. As I said earlier I don't see him as a 10. I think at 12 he could be a big asset.

[Spiffsson]

I feel Madigan is harshly judged by many fans based on his flaky form of a couple of seasons ago. Many are reluctant to acknowledge that he has knuckled down and made significant improvements in his all-round game, including defence in particular. He is less of an egotist, more of a team player, has decent passing and kicking skills. Looks to me he is still improving too. As for space etc against Georgia, he can only play what's in front of him. I would have no qualms at all seeing him on the bench v. Oz. In fact, I'd probably start him at 12 ahead of Darce.

[Russ]

I feel Madigan is harshly judged by many fans based on his flaky form of a couple of seasons ago. Many are reluctant to acknowledge that he has knuckled down and made significant improvements in his all-round game, including defence in particular. He is less of an egotist, more of a team player, has decent passing and kicking skills. Looks to me he is still improving too. As for space etc against Georgia, he can only play what's in front of him. I would have no qualms at all seeing him on the bench v. Oz. In fact, I'd probably start him at 12 ahead of Darce.

He had the most carries of any Irish player on Saturday. Carries!
Not he got the ball, he carried the ball into contact!