RSA Tour squad
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Re: RSA Tour squad
Luke Fitzgerald has had to retire for medical reasons with immediate effect.
I know this will be greeted with delight by some here but in his heyday he had a marvellous talent.
My son had the privilege of playing with him in mini rugby and knowing him in school. He was simply outstanding.
He played for the Lions in 2009 after winning the Grand Slam and I'm afraid it was then all downhill with massive injury problems year after year.
I know this will be greeted with delight by some here but in his heyday he had a marvellous talent.
My son had the privilege of playing with him in mini rugby and knowing him in school. He was simply outstanding.
He played for the Lions in 2009 after winning the Grand Slam and I'm afraid it was then all downhill with massive injury problems year after year.
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Re: RSA Tour squad
His talent was not for scoring tries
So he was about as useful as the economic opinion of someone from Sunderland
One less central contract dilemma then
So he was about as useful as the economic opinion of someone from Sunderland
One less central contract dilemma then
Re: RSA Tour squad
Sorry the lad has had to retire but think Russ has summed up his career quite well, if he had been an Ulster or Connacht player he would never have got International or Lions capsRuss wrote:His talent was not for scoring tries
So he was about as useful as the economic opinion of someone from Sunderland
One less central contract dilemma then
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Rory Best
Rory Best
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Re: RSA Tour squad
Delight is entirely the wrong word D4, though the fact that he won't be picked by Old Blues Eyes, Schmidtferbrains is a relief. As I said elsewhere, you don't celebrate a player retiring through injury .........with the possible exception of Dylan Hartley.Dublin4 wrote:Luke Fitzgerald has had to retire for medical reasons with immediate effect.
I know this will be greeted with delight by some here but in his heyday he had a marvellous talent.
My son had the privilege of playing with him in mini rugby and knowing him in school. He was simply outstanding.
He played for the Lions in 2009 after winning the Grand Slam and I'm afraid it was then all downhill with massive injury problems year after year.
I don't share your opinion of his talent, for me he was more often than not an uncoordinated oaf whose feet hands and brain always worked at different speeds. Of course he had natural talent and occasionally something quite spectacular happened ..... very occasionally, but for me he most resembles the likes of wendyballists Yung Lee Sharpe, NIcola Butt, John O'Shea & many more who were feted as Man Utd players but at other clubs were exceedingly modest.
My fondest memory of him will be his yellow card for idiocy at Spanners in April and a close second, Sexton screaming in his face in the same game.
His try against the Argies in the RWC was one of his sublime moments that were almost as rare as hen's teeth, then of course, Quiff, The Dead Kearneys & cowardly match officials made it a pointless if glorious interlude in a shocking defeat for Leinster and a few others.
NEVER MOVE ON. Years on, I cannot ever watch Ireland with anything but indifference, I continue to wish for the imminent death of Donal Spring, the FIRFUC's executioner of Wee Paddy & Wee Stu, and I hate the FIRFUCs with undiminished passion.
Re: RSA Tour squad
Strauss offers nothing at this level.onefisbetterthan2 wrote:
2 - Best, Cronin, Strauss
5 - Toner, Ryan, Kearney (not Bob or Dave, the talented one)
6 - Stander, O'Mahoney, Ruddock
7 - VDF, Murphy, Henry
8 - Heaslip, O'Brien, Conan
Ryan is in decline as far as I can see. Think Kearney will overtake him soon.
O'Mahony, if he returns as good as he was, is first choice.
Tommy O'Donnell may be worth a mention at 7 even if Joe seems to have some issue with him.
Heaslip is a mile clear at 8. I'd have Stander next in line. I think SOB is done.
It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
Re: RSA Tour squad
I don't understand how it is claimed here that Leinster managed to get him unfairly selected for the Lions test team in 2009.
I can imagine that we might have had some influence over Declan Kidney picking him at the age of 21 for the Grand Slam team that year. Imagination can stretch that fa,r but the Lions? How is it alleged that Luke was selected for the 2009 Lions test team by W Gatland due to bias and unfairness? Why would Gatland have done that?
The truth is that Luke was a phenomenal player being just 19 when he was picked months after leaving Blackrock College in the last match at the old Lansdowne Road. I know memories are fading but he was really a class act in his early 20s before being blighted with serious injuries. I think that might be acknowledged at this time.
I can imagine that we might have had some influence over Declan Kidney picking him at the age of 21 for the Grand Slam team that year. Imagination can stretch that fa,r but the Lions? How is it alleged that Luke was selected for the 2009 Lions test team by W Gatland due to bias and unfairness? Why would Gatland have done that?
The truth is that Luke was a phenomenal player being just 19 when he was picked months after leaving Blackrock College in the last match at the old Lansdowne Road. I know memories are fading but he was really a class act in his early 20s before being blighted with serious injuries. I think that might be acknowledged at this time.
Re: RSA Tour squad
Sad news for Luke Fitz. Never good to see guys having to retire for these reasons.
It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
Re: RSA Tour squad
I wouldn't worry about it. There are hundreds of claims made here every year which are not based on reason or evidence. Not unusual for a provincial rugby forum.Dublin4 wrote:I don't understand how it is claimed here that Leinster managed to get him unfairly selected for the Lions test team in 2009.
It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
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Re: RSA Tour squad
If it weren't for his da would he ever have had a cap?
Re: RSA Tour squad
Well if his Da had decided to have a w-nk instead he wouldn't even be here. Same goes for all of us. Life eh?Russ wrote:If it weren't for his da would he ever have had a cap?
It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
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Re: RSA Tour squad
Why do you think the greater rugby world calls him fitzwank?Shan wrote:Well if his Da had decided to have a w-nk instead he wouldn't even be here. Same goes for all of us. Life eh?Russ wrote:If it weren't for his da would he ever have had a cap?
Re: RSA Tour squad
If the UAFC is the greater rugby world then the game has more serious issues that I thought.Russ wrote: Why do you think the greater rugby world calls him fitzwank?
It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
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Re: RSA Tour squad
I've heard kiwis saffas english and scots refer to him as thatShan wrote:If the UAFC is the greater rugby world then the game has more serious issues that I thought.Russ wrote: Why do you think the greater rugby world calls him fitzwank?
Seems his uselessness transends national borders
Re: RSA Tour squad
Doesn't surprise me he has had to many injuries over the years to actual achieve his promise .
Similarly he was unfortunate that the sum of his talents was equal to the sum of his weaknesses and always created a doubt about his status as an International
But hope he enjoys his retirement
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Similarly he was unfortunate that the sum of his talents was equal to the sum of his weaknesses and always created a doubt about his status as an International
But hope he enjoys his retirement
Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk
Within this carapace of skepticism there lives an optimist