Things you're unlikely to hear.

[BaggyTrousers]

And yet another full on 80 minute performance from Ulster, they put it in every minute of every game.

[Snipe Watson]

That Joe Schmidt is an awful eejit.

Guardian comments have some middle englander saying schmidt plays 1 dimensional rugby

Absolutely right, limited gameplan with a squad who believe in him and will sacrifice their personal ambitions to be part of his team. An centre shouldn't be expecting the ball being passed to them, wingers are only kick chasers and defenders.

Do they give a damn? I very much doubt it. Ireland's play in the 1st two games bored me shitless, much better today simply because we were batin' the world's greatest team and almost certain RWC winners.

Show me someone who doesn't like winning and I'll show you are arsewipe, it is though as Gorgeous George says, "efficient", not entertaining, efficient, the most efficient Irish team ever according to George and I agree with him 100%. The thing is, in 2009 we won the Grand Slam and played bugger all rugby, we were just the best team that year by small margins in every game bar Italia from memory.

Cardiff will be a test but I don't think Warrenball will beat Schmidtbore, unless Sexton is not there. I'm happy to be bored to a Grand Slam, no certainty but looking like Josef knows too much for the opposition. The best coach & best halfbacks are a potent combo.

What amuses me greatly is that all the people saying Paulie was done as recently as January are very quiet as he completes 80 minute games full of fecking manic aggression. Chubes. Doubtless he has to husband his energies at his age but when the call comes only an utter arsehole would question Paulie, just as great a player as the obnoxious BOD, just different positions & skill sets. Paulie has the added bonus of actually being likeable.

You're in a rare vein of form tonight Baggy.
A serious question. We are all decrying the quality of Ulster's play, but we continue to sit at the top of the league. Ireland are unbeaten playing dull rugby. When was the last time there was a decent game between two well matched sides? They are like the proverbial hen's teeth. Has the game become so structured and defensively oriented that creativity has been squeezed out of the game at top level? I'm becoming convinced that this world cup will be a snooze fest.

[BaggyTrousers]

Serious answer to a serious question Snipe.

Ulster first: I believe that we are one of 5 teams that have a reasonable depth of squad in our league, not in terms of the bigger English clubs & half of France, but in our league.

The truth of that is when you see Connacht hanging in this late in the season in 6th, though I fear that Scarlets may ultimately overhaul them. Great work by Pat Lam & all the guys who have stuck in at Connacht, some doubtless because nowhere offered them a bigger contract but increasingly younger players be they natural born Weshties or imported from Mustard & Linseed.

Back with Ulster, I genuinely believe that our "best XXIII" that mythical beast that you almost never see, are as good a team as the league has. Sure Weegies,with a very big squad as befits a 2 team country, would have something to say about that & Leinster too probably but I am as sure as can be that they are not as good as recent seasons having lost a few important players in recent seasons, BOD, Nacewa, Sexton, Plug and others such as SOB struggling to be fit almost all the time now (a tragedy for club & country) and other slightly more fringe & older players like Jennings, Boss, Reddan, beginning to show their years.

If we get our team or something close to it, the only thing that could blow up in our faces is iHumph who is more often than not rotten at present but 6 weeks ago was very good fernenst Tigers.

We have had our injury problems, none more so than Chad's illness which has left us threadbare at 7, no harm to Ross who is not a 7 or any of the other frauds who've tried to fill his boots. Allowing for injuries, we have been appalling for large periods of almost every match this year but really our league affords at least 50% of matches where home or away you should be mortified to lose, though in fairness all three major leagues are similar in that regard, there are haves & have nots everywhere.

With that as a background, the answer to your question is very closely related to the fixture lists in the respective leagues. In the last 2 weeks I enjoyed the bigger games, Weegies v Ospreys last week, Munster v Weegies this week, neither classics both played with intent to play rugby but in all cases weakened teams.

So in conclusion the reason we are not seeing great matches week in and week out is that the strengths of the leagues mean far too many games are mismatches. Even if your team are milling a team, you are clearly happy enough but there is no great satisfaction. In short there are too few games that really matter, even a good performance against Tigers actually meant nothing other than the joy of dumping them so no lasting satisfaction, a passing happiness & not much more.

I think the lack of a good campaign in the SDC has coloured our season, usually that in addition to the big games in the league are what gives a season spice.

But is the creativity gone? It may be in a fallow period but not gone I fancy, after all Schmidt at Leinster produced some blisteringly good rugby, I think he is merely showing his pragmatism in playing to the strengths & in many ways, avoiding playing to expose the weaknesses that are in our current Ireland playing pool. Dull but really very impressive & his thirst for accurate efficient play is paying dividends, I posted at halftime today that it was the most accurate 40 minutes I've seen from Ireland in ages.

I think its a testimony to his skill as a coach that so many of what I described as shirt fillers during the week played above and beyond their normal levels, for we had several players out there who would not be coveted by other countries, yet to a man they all performed, Quiff perhaps the exception, I don't think any of what many Ulstermen regard as weak selections let anybody down, least of all Josef or themselves.

Best I can do Snipe, thems be my thoughts.

[Cornerfleg]

John Inverdale: Tell yiz what lads lets just talk about Ireland seeing as they won today ... we can wax on about England some other time. ....

[Dave]

What great 6 nations match today. Score 45-42.

[BR]

When was the last time there was a decent game between two well matched sides?

Sunday 3 p.m.

[Cornerfleg]

Nah BR Saturday 5pm - Bulls vs the Sharks head and shoulders above any other match on TV this weekend ... 100% commitment and carnage ... I was annoyed that we lost cos I hate the Bulles, but jeeeez that was a great match to watch.

[ruckover]

Nah BR Saturday 5pm - Bulls vs the Sharks head and shoulders above any other match on TV this weekend ... 100% commitment and carnage ... I was annoyed that we lost cos I hate the Bulles, but jeeeez that was a great match to watch.

Final 10 minutes of Lions v Stormers on Saturday. Stormers stealing the lead with 2 minutes to go and then the Lions refusing to settle for a draw and bombarding the line for 6 minutes after time was up - actually crossed the line but the winger dropped the ball. Absolutely thrilling stuff.

[Russ]

When was the last time there was a decent game between two well matched sides?

Sunday 3 p.m.

Before that Saturday evening in Cark

[Snipe Watson]

When was the last time there was a decent game between two well matched sides?

Sunday 3 p.m.

Before that Saturday evening in Cark

Both were exciting games, but were either laden with beautiful creative rugby? Nope.
Defences are so claustrophobic they are killing the game.

I blame all those rugby league coaches ............

Kiss out.

[Russ]

When was the last time there was a decent game between two well matched sides?

Sunday 3 p.m.

Before that Saturday evening in Cark

Both were exciting games, but were either laden with beautiful creative rugby? Nope.
Defences are so claustrophobic they are killing the game.

I blame all those rugby league coaches ............

Kiss out.

Actually

England played some enterprising creative stuff

As did munter and weegies

[Snipe Watson]

When was the last time there was a decent game between two well matched sides?

Sunday 3 p.m.

Before that Saturday evening in Cark

Both were exciting games, but were either laden with beautiful creative rugby? Nope.
Defences are so claustrophobic they are killing the game.

I blame all those rugby league coaches ............

Kiss out.

Actually

England played some enterprising creative stuff

As did munter and weegies

England attempted to play some fancy rugby, but Ireland's claustrophobic defence slammed the door in their bakes.

[Russ]

Sunday 3 p.m.

Before that Saturday evening in Cark

Both were exciting games, but were either laden with beautiful creative rugby? Nope.
Defences are so claustrophobic they are killing the game.

I blame all those rugby league coaches ............

Kiss out.

Actually

England played some enterprising creative stuff

As did munter and weegies

England attempted to play some fancy rugby, but Ireland's claustrophobic defence slammed the door in their bakes.

Only 36 cheating and being unable to throw a pass prevented England from winning

[Snipe Watson]

Is Rum editing your posts today Russ?

[Russ]

Is Rum editing your posts today Russ?

Being quite realistic

England were going to score a try when 36 blocked a defender

7 points

England were in the corner through Nowell when 36 threw a forward pass

5 points

Ireland lose by 2 by virtue of stopping playing when wee Mads came on

Story of both 22s not being good enough