USA v Ireland

[Thelaw]

I thought Sky had it on red button or something - sorry for those 3 people who actually speak it but broadcasting an Ireland match in such a minority language is just bloody annoying

[darkside lightside]

I am currently east coast of the states, so at least I got the match at 8.30 pm, rather than waiting up all night - even so I was regretting bothering.. Cack match, and I must say I thought pretty poor reffing - among other things, offside was basically ignored, so the US blitz was on top of the Irish midfield before the ball had arrived. The Irish line out misfired inexcusably.

As an aside, I know that the US union has high hopes for an increase in the profile of the game, and who knows maybe they will - on the basis of my experience in Boston they have their work cut out.. The place is full of sports bars and Irish bars, but I spent ages wandering around fruitlessly asking if they were planning to show the US-Ireland rugby match - usually greeted by a blank, uncomprehending stare.. In fairness, Americans being generally helpful sorts, they generally had a hunt through their thousands of channels (turns out that Universal Sports is a pretty obscure pay channel, showing things like swimming and marathons, that hardly anywhere carries). I finally got it at Kitty O'Sheas, where I watched it on 3 screens alone, except for a couple of semi-interested bystanders..

Maybe I was just unlucky, or Boston isn't a particular hotbed (I think that maybe rugby is more played in Colorado and California?) but it does have a Div 1 rugby side, the Boston Irish Wolfhounds as it happens.

[BaggyTrousers]

No just TG4

What about the last 8 minutes?

Just as grim as the 72 before them .

IN defence of Darren Cave, Zebrother & FergMcF : FFS lads the ball rarely reached Olding never mind Cave & onwards, if you want to apportion blame look to a woeful pack effort, men just looking like they want to be on a beach somewhere, & very much at a thoroughly disappointing pair of halves. I have regarded Isaac as crap long before he left Ulster, not much better than the Beagle, though he played a decent Rabo final but he isn't and never was good enough for international rugby.

McFadden at least made the one good break of the match and but for the lamentable Henshaws inability to catch a ball it should have produced a try.

[Russ]

Was it the US blitz that harmed the Irish mid field, or the fact that Madigan is a show pony who would rather truck it up himself than unleash his outside backs?

[rumncoke]

Russ did you watch the game ?

It wasn't Boss's fault it wasn't Madigan's fault the U.S A were coming in from the side and off side at the ruck. Boss was getting the ball and man at the foot of the ruck and there was a lack of control of the re-cyle ball which meant the service from the foot of the ruck was mis-timed.

Neither of the half backs could exercise control of the game hurried passes, hurried kicks 9 times out of 10 with play focused at the ruck the U.S.A. back line could fringe off side denying Madigan access to the players outside him and options open to him.

It requires you to look at the effect and then identify the cause i.e don't just watch what Ireland are doing and think about what you would like them to do watch what the opposition do it may explain why Plan A won't work and Plan B is not an option.

Away from home Duggan's plan C is not an option either. ( Plan C --= kick the sh?t out of them.)

[Russ]

Except Madigan in every game I have watched him in this year prefers to go for the glory hunting break than give it?

[Shan]

Awful game. The only real positive is that they won.

Blaming refs for the breakdown is all very well but really the blame was in our 1-5 mostly. Particularly the two guys in the second row are extremely limited and neither would be capable of standing up and taking control. Shocking as at least one of your second rows must be a dominant force who will drive the others on and impact severely on the opposition.

Ross and Strauss may as well not have bothered turning up. That is par for the course with them though. Kilcoyne wasn't particulary good either.

POM and Henry were decent. Hendo wasn't.

Boss may have been inconvenienced by the forwards alleged efforts but he did show yet again why he was never and could never have been a serious consideration at international level. He just freezes because he clearly is not a natural 9 as I have always said.

As for the backs: Not much to say really. Olding did well enough and McFadden was OK. Zebo was only there in body. His mind was already turned to the possibility of representing the British Isles in some meaningless midweek game against Townsville Amateur XV rather than concentrating on playing for his country against a team who admittedly are somewhere between Townsville and a Super 15 team.

[Kofi Annan]

Great pre match party. Onslow residents would be having kittens



http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?feature=yo ... 3Dyoutu.be