Autumn International squad

[Bobbievee]

Snipe, I missed your "effusiveness" .................easily done
I will be more alert to it next time!

[rumncoke]

Basically Leinster have had a solid performing front five for a number of years and the best back row unit of the four provinces -- note I see the back the back row as a unit rather than a bunch of individuals thus when one of three gets out of a key position in defence or attack his place is automatically filled by another member of the back row --- they have the instinctive reaction for what must be done.

Saturdays performance was based on denying the all Blacks the ball with the scrum half putting the ball in front of the runner not at him thus the carrier had momentum going into the tackle. Secondly the carrier was supported and Ireland never over committed to the break down -- secured possession on their own ball and avoided the penalties when ABS were in possession-- and ensured there were sufficient defenders in the line to disrupt and worry the ABs in possession ie the game was won by the forwards on the day the All black handling left a lot to desired .

[Snipe Watson]

Snipe, I missed your "effusiveness" .................easily done
I will be more alert to it next time!

Good man

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Snipe, I missed your "effusiveness" .................easily done
I will be more alert to it next time!

Blink and you'll miss it next time too Bobbie.

There's effusiveness and then there's Snipe's effussiveness ...

Snipe doesn't do effusiveness in superabundence, copiousness, plenitude or ebullience.

[Dublin4]

Maybe I was overharsh on the Ireland team but I still have to ask the question: can they do this in a RWC quarterfinal? Over decades they have simply failed to deliver when the chips are down.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Maybe I was overharsh on the Ireland team but I still have to ask the question: can they do this in a RWC quarterfinal? Over decades they have simply failed to deliver when the chips are down.

Usually because we don't trust too many players outside the first 15/23.
Then these players are used in the early matches to ensure qualification for the qf's and the wider squad is insufficiently used even against lower tier teams.
Once in the qf's, the best 15 are required to progress, but they've either picked up injuries or are knackered from being over used earlier, and the inevitable happens.

[germcevoy]

Sexton injured again. If this was the World Cup he’d be out for the remainder before the group stages were done. Anybody can get injured but he gets injured a lot and the recoveries will take longer at his age. He could end up playing the New Year’s Day match.

Great to see Carty hopefully get a run as he should have been in the squad on form alone.

[Snipe Watson]

Maybe I was overharsh on the Ireland team but I still have to ask the question: can they do this in a RWC quarterfinal? Over decades they have simply failed to deliver when the chips are down.

The short answer is probably no.
Ireland were fresh, up for it and at home. The ABs were away from home on a long tour at the end of their season. RWC will have everyone peaking at the same time.
Ireland can beat anyone else on a given day with the rub of the green. Just the ABs are different gravy.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Sexton injured again.

Yep - his HIA identified concussion of the lower leg.

His ankle and knee are now following return to play protocols.

[Snipe Watson]

Sexton injured again.

Yep - his HIA identified concussion of the lower leg.

His ankle and knee are now following return to play protocols.

There should be implications for teams abusing the HIA protocols. They're doing exactly what Dean Richards did with the fake blood capsule. Whoever lied to the ref should be taken to task. Once the wish to have a player eligible to return is prioritised above a protocol that should be sacrosanct, there is something seriously wrong.

[jean valjean]

Sexton injured again.

Yep - his HIA identified concussion of the lower leg.

His ankle and knee are now following return to play protocols.

There should be implications for teams abusing the HIA protocols. They're doing exactly what Dean Richards did with the fake blood capsule. Whoever lied to the ref should be taken to task. Once the wish to have a player eligible to return is prioritised above a protocol that should be sacrosanct, there is something seriously wrong.

To me they said it was an hia so that joey could take the immediate kick. If it was a tactical switch then he wasn't allowed to do so. There was no way sexton was coming back on but by saying it was an hia then it got ireland out of a hole at the time.

[Dave]

It was a fair bit of cheating that might have come under greater scrutiny had it not been a meaningless autumn wànkfest.

[Snipe Watson]

Sexton injured again.

Yep - his HIA identified concussion of the lower leg.

His ankle and knee are now following return to play protocols.

There should be implications for teams abusing the HIA protocols. They're doing exactly what Dean Richards did with the fake blood capsule. Whoever lied to the ref should be taken to task. Once the wish to have a player eligible to return is prioritised above a protocol that should be sacrosanct, there is something seriously wrong.

To me they said it was an hia so that joey could take the immediate kick. If it was a tactical switch then he wasn't allowed to do so. There was no way sexton was coming back on but by saying it was an hia then it got ireland out of a hole at the time.

Did Janny know he wasn't coming back on?

[Dave]

Didn't see any evidence of it. Jonny didn't appear to know. The players didn't know. Fogarty the waterboy claimed to the ref it was a HIA. Ref took his word. Easy as that.

I wonder will Jonny have a go at Fogarty for such a leak. I was surprised that Ringrose didn't go off for a HIA in the first half.

[Bobbievee]

Sexton injured again.

Yep - his HIA identified concussion of the lower leg.

His ankle and knee are now following return to play protocols.

There should be implications for teams abusing the HIA protocols. They're doing exactly what Dean Richards did with the fake blood capsule. Whoever lied to the ref should be taken to task. Once the wish to have a player eligible to return is prioritised above a protocol that should be sacrosanct, there is something seriously wrong.

To me they said it was an hia so that joey could take the immediate kick. If it was a tactical switch then he wasn't allowed to do so. There was no way sexton was coming back on but by saying it was an hia then it got ireland out of a hole at the time.

Yep it was a cheat
Who else was you going to take the kick?
Would the ABs have acted differently? I think not.
Move on