I can tell you categorically that AAC is NOT Snipe.
what a ludicrous suggestion!
(cue discussion now of who is better between AAT and Snipe)
Almost as ludicrous as my spelling.
Damn my sausage fingers.
Ah the old class debate again!
To put it another way we have POC, Healy, SOB , Heaslip, Murray, Sexton and Kearney as our nailed on to start must be fit and firing.
Then there is the rest, much of a muchness horses for courses types of selection.
big mervyn wrote:My definition of "world class" would be somebody who is currently in the top 2 (3 at a stretch) in the world in his chosen position.
Sexton is there. Not sure if anybody else is.
Not in the Ireland team. Maybe Murray & SOB at their very peak. Every other position, Ireland certainly don't have top 2-3. but I guess the average sum of the parts and coach adds up.... perhaps.
big mervyn wrote:My definition of "world class" would be somebody who is currently in the top 2 (3 at a stretch) in the world in his chosen position.
Sexton is there. Not sure if anybody else is.
I would concur with your definition, but think Healy is in there too. His all round game is superb. Scrummaging is not world class, but the rest of his game is.
big mervyn wrote:My definition of "world class" would be somebody who is currently in the top 2 (3 at a stretch) in the world in his chosen position.
Sexton is there. Not sure if anybody else is.
Not in the Ireland team. Maybe Murray & SOB at their very peak. Every other position, Ireland certainly don't have top 2-3. but I guess the average sum of the parts and coach adds up.... perhaps.
I'd ask you to name a scrumhalf currently playing international rugby that has put in a better series of performances than Murray did in the AIs and 6N for Ireland? He's easily top three and I would, IMO, be the best currently playing.
I would tacitly agree, given I did say, "at his peak", which could arguably be now. I always saw him as Phillips "lite", but he's way past Phillips now, or should I say Phillips is past his best. Frenchie's are up and down, Youngs- Meh, Ditto Pyrgos etc. Leaves RP, basically. Who's the current AB and Oz scrummies? Says a lot.
I would tacitly agree, given I did say, "at his peak", which could arguably be now. I always saw him as Phillips "lite", but he's way past Phillips now, or should I say Phillips is past his best. Frenchie's are up and down, Youngs- Meh, Ditto Pyrgos etc. Leaves RP, basically. Who's the current AB and Oz scrummies? Says a lot.
TBH, from little I've honestly seen of Smith, that would put Murray in top 3 min., and supposedly meeting that criteria.
SOB, depends what position he's playing and if truly fit.
No-one else.
Strangely, Hendo was a better player than Etzebeth at U20's, but hasn't pushed on as fast. Altho he's been pushed around 6-lock and had a poor run of injury. Paly him at 6 for me. Too many good locks with POC, Ryan CHewy and even Toner to waste him there.
Hendo's injury/surgery last season stunted his rapid progression a little IMO. I'm also not sure I would agree he was better than Estebeth at U-20 but my memory really isn't good enough to bother quibbling.
Obviously hard to say with any certainty but had he been available and fit from the start of last season I believe there is every chance he would have been in that 'nailed on' category for Ireland as either a lock or at 6.
I think Murray is probably better than Pienaar. I think we are blinded a little by Pienaar due to his complete and total importance to our team. Strangely I would also say that although I think Murray is marginally better than Ruan I still would not pick Murray for Ulster over him even if one had the choice. Pienaar makes Ulster tick.
bazzaj wrote:Sorted Shan
AAC is iny my opinion snipe, one of of the greatest line cutters I have ever seen.
He is a different class and it frustrates me that he doesn't get the accolades he deserves.
Most certainly top drawer
Correct Jizzer, both he and Conrad Smith are wildly underrated, I disagree utterly about us having as good, both are exceptional.
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.
bazzaj wrote:Sorted Shan
AAC is iny my opinion snipe, one of of the greatest line cutters I have ever seen.
He is a different class and it frustrates me that he doesn't get the accolades he deserves.
Most certainly top drawer
Correct Jizzer, both he and Conrad Smith are wildly underrated, I disagree utterly about us having as good, both are exceptional.
Agree about AAC. A great player who would walk into the Ireland team and practically every other one too.
No so sure about Smith. If anything, I think he's a tad overrated now, and maybe just getting past his best. His strength is that he usually does everything right and hardly ever anything wrong, is a good backline general/organizer, and Mr. Consistent. On the other hand, he rarely appears brilliant, or close, and seems a little short in the gas department. I think commentators still rave about him just out of habitand his reputation, though recent perfformances have not been raveworthy.At the minute Fekitoa looks about the best 13 in NZ. Still, I'm sure Conrad will be nailed on for the RWC and will do a good job.
I'm not too worried about how many "world class" players we may or may not have. We have won 2 6n Championships in a row, we are number 2 in the world at the moment which shows how consistently successful we have been and we are in better shape , in terms of squad depth, than I've seen before as we head into the RWC. Winning is all that really matters. If you have a medal it is same no matter whether everything thinks yer a God or a lowly carpenter's son.
It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
Shan wrote:I'm not too worried about how many "world class" players we may or may not have. We have won 2 6n Championships in a row, we are number 2 in the world at the moment which shows how consistently successful we have been and we are in better shape , in terms of squad depth, than I've seen before as we head into the RWC. Winning is all that really matters. If you have a medal it is same no matter whether everything thinks yer a God or a lowly carpenter's son.
I didn't realise that. That's a first I believe.
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Big Neville Southall
