Jacob Stockdale once again wins it for Ireland!!

[Shan]

Nice wee lineout play from the Jocks the day.

Still lost but it was a lovely move. I remember them catching us by the snaps with something similar before.

[BaggyTrousers]

Hey 69er,

nathin' to do with our Rory's throwing, it's the targets that are the problem. It was all purring along with Toner and POM on, although there was plenty of pressure and a few hiccups. Why oh why was Hendy not going for a fast and flat ball to 2, with him catching it going forward, i don't know..... It's extremely difficult for the defending team jumper to get to it, even if they know it's going there. Our line out was a shambles at the end and the game was nearly lost over it. That score line, should've been more like a 26 to 9 game IMO . The kiwis were shut down pretty nicely.

Not for the first time you are correct a chara. Definitely one of our late game lineouts should have resulted in major pressure on the NZ line and a possible try but instead Mr. Whitelock got his paws on our ball. Though Cronin was on at that stage of course. As far as I could see Rory Best had a fine game.

Of course, he did, it's just that the you are responding to is a who knows nothing but likes a wee post here and there as if he had an opinion that was his own.

Cronin looked to be crapping himself as he warmed up for his third throw having lost the first two but then, a such as 49er probably doesn't know there were two hookers in green.

All these arseholes who praise Coach Schmidt to the heavens, yet slate his captain on a regular basis, I wonder how someone as dismal as these fools think Rory is, can pull the wool over Schmidt's eyes?

[BaggyTrousers]

Nice wee lineout play from the Jocks the day.

Still lost but it was a lovely move. I remember them catching us by the snaps with something similar before.

A variation on one that Ospreys came up with in 2006 and used sparingly but scored one ridiculously easily against Ulster.

The Scottish game started with a bang but the second half was poor.

[BaggyTrousers]

Saves it for the big games doesn't he? Hat tricks agin the Mickey Mouse nations are all very well but when it matters …

Naughty Mervyn.

Now - Anyone know if Luke Fitz ever scored a hat trick against even a Mickey Mouse team?

Not in international rugby, two tries in meaningful games & 2 in RWC warm ups, played 34 scored 4 tries. Only Roger Baird amongst international wingers has a worse strike rate amongst players with 20 or more caps, scoring zero tries for Scotland, one for the Lions. Bizarrely both British Lions, then again so is Tom Court and far worse players.

[Lurgan Lad]

Lurgan Man Stockdale does it again, well done!

Tis good to see that even places like Lurgan can produce some things of positive value.

And he's giving back too, as far as I know he is coaching our U20s.

[big mervyn]

Saves it for the big games doesn't he? Hat tricks agin the Mickey Mouse nations are all very well but when it matters …

Naughty Mervyn.

Now - Anyone know if Luke Fitz ever scored a hat trick against even a Mickey Mouse team?

Not in international rugby, two tries in meaningful games & 2 in RWC warm ups, played 34 scored 4 tries. Only Roger Baird amongst international wingers has a worse strike rate amongst players with 20 or more caps, scoring zero tries for Scotland, one for the Lions. Bizarrely both British Lions, then again so is Tom Court and far worse players.

Talking of stats, Rory's success as Capt is now 69.64% from 28 games. BOD 63.25% from 86 ; POC 62.50% from 28.

For players who have skippered more than 10 games, you have to go back to Karl Mullen to beat that, an impressive 73.33% from 15 (and no easy fixtures in them days).

[Cap'n Grumpy]

For players who have skippered more than 10 games, you have to go back to Karl Mullen to beat that, an impressive 73.33% from 15 (and no easy fixtures in them days).

Mullen was lucky - he had another fine Ulster man winning games for him.

Some guy called John Wilson Kyle, but I suppose it's so long ago that nobody remembers him.

[BaggyTrousers]

Tom Kieran is the only Ireland captain not to have led a team to defeat against NZ. I remember it well, it was in the days when I gave a toss about Ireland.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Tom Kieran is the only Ireland captain not to have led a team to defeat against NZ. I remember it well, it was in the days when I gave a toss about Ireland.

I'm sure there are lots of Ireland captains who never led a team to defeat against NZ.

Apart from Kiernan (sic) the same number as never captained Ireland against NZ.

[BaggyTrousers]

Tom Kieran is the only Ireland captain not to have led a team to defeat against NZ. I remember it well, it was in the days when I gave a toss about Ireland.

I'm sure there are lots of Ireland captains who never led a team to defeat against NZ.

Apart from Kiernan (sic) the same number as never captained Ireland against NZ.

A somewhat tortuous effort, albeit soundly based in fact.

I was right behind Barry McGann's late conversion attempt, after the Hon. Treasurer scored wide right, it was right between the posts, until as it ran out of steam the wind knocked it narrowly wide. Had they secured that win in 1973, perhaps all you girls wouldn't be going ludicrously over the top about a good contest but far removed from a classic if you had no dog in the fight.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

... perhaps all you girls wouldn't be going ludicrously over the top about a good contest but far removed from a classic if you had no dog in the fight.

Presumably you mean that in some disparaging way to anyone who got excited about last night's match?

If so, does that mean you consider girls in a lessor light to boys?

Shirley you're not admitting to misogyny, Baggy?

Why, it's like something Rumn might come out with

If it wasn't your meaning, perhaps you'd care to explain?

[BaggyTrousers]

... perhaps all you girls wouldn't be going ludicrously over the top about a good contest but far removed from a classic if you had no dog in the fight.

Presumably you mean that in some disparaging way to anyone who got excited about last night's match?

If so, does that mean you consider girls in a lessor light to boys?

Shirley you're not admitting to misogyny, Baggy?

Why, it's like something Rumn might come out with

If it wasn't your meaning, perhaps you'd care to explain?

Self-explanatory, I admit nothing........ever, should it prove necessary I shall swear black is just off-white.

It amazes me what excites some people at times, but generally, I feel content to comment on it as I see fit whilst allowing that it's not compulsory that everyone must feel the same level of excitement on a whole range things that may or may not interest me to the same or indeed any extent. I think that is a reasonable attitude, you, of course, may not agree.

That, of course, would be your problem, not mine and I have no fecks to give one way or another how you feel on my clarification.

In respect of last nights fixture in Dublin ..........well, yes I admire all aspects of rugby, therefore was disappointed that it had almost no decent attacking content with defence clearly the trump suit for both sides. As an exhibition of defence, it was an exemplary display from both sides. For my exacting standards sadly that left me pining for some degree of attacking play and very very little was on display. Anyone poo-hooing that latter bit is a lunatic, defence smothered arrack on both sides.

[rumncoke]

Very True but since neither team was kicking long but rather sticking to high box kicks -- there was little opportunity to run the ball at a disorganise defence .

Likewise both sides packed the middle with backrows in defence and props supporting the carrier.

If you get the ball quickly to the midfield -the recycle is slow because it awaits the arrival of the scrum half affording the defence time to reorganise .

in times gone by there were more set scrums meaning the backs were facing one on one -- in the modern game one on one is as rare as hens teeth .


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[Fortyniner]

Can anyone explain to me why McGrath was box kicking into NZ arms on 79 minutes when we had possession?
Here you are guys , see if you can snatch a draw from us?
Unbelievable.

[Cormac]

Can anyone explain to me why McGrath was box kicking into NZ arms on 79 minutes when we had possession?
Here you are guys , see if you can snatch a draw from us?
Unbelievable.

There's potential plusses and minuses to holding on or kicking it back to them.

Holding on to the ball in those last few minutes can be tricky. Refs tend to police the sealing off rule much more vigilantly in those situations, cost us big time when Jack McGrath was pinged for it in 2013. If Ireland conceded a penalty near halfway, NZ would then have had a potential lineout in our 22. When Luke McGrath kicked it to them we've an organised defence but they've the ball 70m from our try-line and our defence had been outstanding all match.