for my irish rugby loving friends...

catefrances

this opinion was in my sunday paper. apparently they are touring down here this year in june.

ireland, the first team to hit australian shores, peaked two years ago. they have an experienced side but it's on the way down. they had a dreadful world cup and keith wood has demanded new blood be brought in. i'm not sure where it's going to come from because there's not a great depth below their top 15. the question is how many top players will tour? they still have stars brian o'driscoll, gordon d'arcy and johnny o'connor, but they are a team heading in the wrong direction.

so what do you irish think? is this a fair assessment?

Heineken Helen

first of all Keith wood is demanding what? He's just an ex player... albeit one of our best ever but that makes me think the writer knows absolutely nothing.

Secondly Johnny O'Connor isn't even NEAR the first 15... so to name him as a star above the likes of Paul O'Connell, Leamy, O'Gara (who Dan Carter has even praised as someone close to himself) is a second raised eyebrow of mine... so yeh, 2 pieces of bullshit in such a short paragraph... :rolleyes:

Besides... they HAVE been trying out younger/newer players recently. Rob Kearney is definitely looking like he's there for the long haul. Tommy Bowe is something of an enigma these days... Andy Trimble is both young AND experienced and also excellent. There is new blood coming in but it's a very slow process at the moment.

Hitch-Hiker

catefrances wrote:

this opinion was in my sunday paper. apparently they are touring down here this year in june.

ireland, the first team to hit australian shores, peaked two years ago. they have an experienced side but it's on the way down. they had a dreadful world cup and keith wood has demanded new blood be brought in. i'm not sure where it's going to come from because there's not a great depth below their top 15. the question is how many top players will tour? they still have stars brian o'driscoll, gordon d'arcy and johnny o'connor, but they are a team heading in the wrong direction.

so what do you irish think? is this a fair assessment?

I agree with that. And Keith Wood, being a prominent figure in Irish rugby has every right to make such demands.

On a side note. I just had my picture taken with the 6 nations trophy

Heineken Helen

Hitch-Hiker wrote:

I agree with that. And Keith Wood, being a prominent figure in Irish rugby has every right to make such demands.

On a side note. I just had my picture taken with the 6 nations trophy

He can say what he wants... it's akin to Roy Keane making demands on the Irish football team NOW! Great player and great opinions but unless either of them want to be manager, they can't demand anything, they can suggest stuff but that's it.

Hitch-Hiker

Heineken Helen wrote:

He can say what he wants... it's akin to Roy Keane making demands on the Irish football team NOW! Great player and great opinions but unless either of them want to be manager, they can't demand anything, they can suggest stuff but that's it.

He can demand all he wants as far as I'm concerned. And so can Roy Keane for that matter. He knows the game, he knows the IRFU, and his opinion is just as valid as any of the current crop of players, and his opinions should be considered. They won't be, but they should be.

catefrances

Heineken Helen wrote:

first of all Keith wood is demanding what? He's just an ex player... albeit one of our best ever but that makes me think the writer knows absolutely nothing.

the opinion is that of john connolly, former coach of, amongst other teams, the wallabies.

Heineken Helen

catefrances wrote:

the opinion is that of john connolly, former coach of, amongst other teams, the wallabies.

so? Doesn't change my opinion on him it's just the usual aussie arrogant bullshit every time a game comes up

Hinny

Knuckles is an awful coach, and whatever he says, the opposite goes.

catefrances

Heineken Helen wrote:

so? Doesn't change my opinion on him it's just the usual aussie arrogant bullshit every time a game comes up

jeez if i didnt have irish blood running through my veins i'd think you were just a pissed off rugby fan whose team is shite. but i know better.

connolly didnt just limit his comments to the irish team, he also gave his opinion on the all blacks and the springboks for the upcoming tri nations series. as well as the french.

Heineken Helen

catefrances wrote:

jeez if i didnt have irish blood running through my veins i'd think you were just a pissed off rugby fan whose team is shite. but i know better.

connolly didnt just limit his comments to the irish team, he also gave his opinion on the all blacks and the springboks for the upcoming tri nations series. as well as the french.

I bet he did

catefrances

Heineken Helen wrote:

I bet he did

im so glad i didnt tell you that he thought in his opinion, the irish and the french are the two weakest sides to hit our shores in a long time.

hey helen, did you know youre sending a rugby league side down here this year to get their arses kicked.