[2015 RWC] Pool D: France vs. Ireland (11/10/2015)

[RoosTah]

Most people, I believe, feel that the English and French club competitions are the best in the world and their supporters would not want to see their clubs subsumed for purported the benefit of an international game!

Really? Maybe in France and England a few think that, but I think Super Rugby is pretty widely considered the world's premier rugby competition...

 

[Kiwi_]

If that doesnt at least get cited the whole thing is a sham!

It's bloody ridiculous, I would rather they set a standard and stick to it with consistency than just punish players here or there. If Tuilagi didn't get cited and Poey didn't, then that's cool, we know where the bar is. Now we just have more amateurism and inconsistency.. The officiating, the citings are just so poor it's becoming a farce.

 

[MunsterMan]

Ireland have a really dangerous game to play in terms of calling up replacements to the squad. Payne is out, we know this much. All signs point to O'Connell being out too. O'Mahony and Sexton appear to be ok, but the situation with O'Brien complicates things. As far as i know, suspended players cannot be replaced, just injured players.

Jack Conan is the back row who was part of the warm up squad, and is favourite to be called up i presume. However, If O'Mahony is fit or will only miss 1 game, and O'Brien will miss 1-2, do we call up someone like Rhys Ruddock or Robin Copeland who can also act as emergency cover for the second row, despite the fact they are both back from long term injuries?

Or do we call up Tuohy for O'Connell and Conan for Payne? Could leave us in trouble as we only have two scrumhalves and two looseheads in the squad, if one of them was to take a minor knock.

Christ, i should go the bed

 

[RoosTah]

It's bloody ridiculous, I would rather they set a standard and stick to it with consistency than just punish players here or there. If Tuilagi didn't get cited and Poey didn't, then that's cool, we know where the bar is. Now we just have more amateurism and inconsistency.. The officiating, the citings are just so poor it's becoming a farce.

It's been a farce for a very VERY long time now mate... I can't remember any competition at any level of the game that wasn't riddled with inconsistent rulings.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Really? Maybe in France and England a few think that, but I think Super Rugby is pretty widely considered the world's premier rugby competition...

Not IMO.

Sure super rugby has a higher attacking skill set and fun to watch but as a league it doesn't come close.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ireland have a really dangerous game to play in terms of calling up replacements to the squad. Payne is out, we know this much. All signs point to O'Connell being out too. O'Mahony and Sexton appear to be ok, but the situation with O'Brien complicates things. As far as i know, suspended players cannot be replaced, just injured players.

Jack Conan is the back row who was part of the warm up squad, and is favourite to be called up i presume. However, If O'Mahony is fit or will only miss 1 game, and O'Brien will miss 1-2, do we call up someone like Rhys Ruddock or Robin Copeland who can also act as emergency cover for the second row, despite the fact they are both back from long term injuries?

Or do we call up Tuohy for O'Connell and Conan for Payne? Could leave us in trouble as we only have two scrumhalves and two looseheads in the squad, if one of them was to take a minor knock.

Christ, i should go the bed

It certainly puts the management in a very awkward position.

 

[RoosTah]

Not IMO.

Sure super rugby has a higher attacking skill set and fun to watch but as a league it doesn't come close.

I think that's a fairly outdated view to downplay Super Rugby as having simply a "higher attacking skill-set". We're talking about a competition that features talent from three powerhouses of the sport here. No offence to England and France, but the very fact that Super Rugby is the competition that NZ plays in kinda makes its quality almost guaranteed to be higher and more consistent than either the English or French leagues.

 

[Manti]

I'm not that worried about Argentina, I don't know what games people here are watching, but I'm coming straight out and saying I fancy my country Ireland, and not trying to type between the lines just to make ourselves look good after getting comprehensively beaten.

Same goes for the AB's and OZ, we can beat any of them, why not we're good enough, why wouldn't it be and Ireland V Wales final.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I think that's a fairly outdated view to downplay Super Rugby as having simply a "higher attacking skill-set". We're talking about a competition that features talent from three powerhouses of the sport here. No offence to England and France, but the very fact that Super Rugby is the competition that NZ plays in kinda makes its quality almost guaranteed to be higher and more consistent than either the English or French leagues.

Talk about arrogant.

NZ plays in it, it must be good. All it does is support my claims of higher attacking skill set.

The fact is after week 9/10 how many teams are out of it and have nothing to play for on the whole? Like the blues this season what did they have to play for after week 5?

Whereas the AP and Top 14 all team have something to play for usually till right the end be it playoffs or champions cup place or relegation. (London welsh excluded)

 

[RoosTah]

Talk about arrogant.

NZ plays in it, it must be good. All it does is support my claims of higher attacking skill set.

The fact is after week 9/10 how many teams are out of it and have nothing to play for on the whole? Like the blues this season what did they have to play for after week 5?

Whereas the AP and Top 14 all team have something to play for usually till right the end be it playoffs or champions cup place or relegation. (London welsh excluded)

It's not really arrogant given I'm not a Kiwi, but there's no denying that NZ have been a smothering force on the sport over the past 10 years in particular, and it stands to reason that their developmental systems leading up through to Super Rugby have a lot to do with that. But it's not just them of course, I simply use their involvement simply due to how large their footprint on the game as a whole is. We're talking about quality here, and so promotion/relegation is kind of irrelevant... Ultimately the pool of players available across three countries is also just larger, and represents a greater diversity of style and skill than the more narrow pickings of France and England.

 

[Kiwi_]

SR competition itself is poorly designed and run, but the player quality is far superior to anything the rest of the world offers, the Rugby is better as well. Don't think anyone would argue with that. There's a reason they keep dipping their hands into SA, Australia and NZ Rugby up North and not vice versa, you also dip into our coaches as well.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

SR competition itself is poorly designed and run, but the player quality is far superior to anything the rest of the world offers, the Rugby is better as well. Don't think anyone would argue with that. There's a reason they keep dipping their hands into SA, Australia and NZ Rugby up North and not vice versa, you also dip into our coaches as well.

I did say that SR is generally better but as a league/competition it isn't.

I'm not doubting the standard of rugby is better just to clear things up.

Also on point of pool of players I believe England has more register players than NZ, Aus and SA combined which makes hints all the more sad.

 

[RoosTah]

I did say that SR is generally better but as a league/competition it isn't.

I'm not doubting the standard of rugby is better just to clear things up.

Yeah, I agree with that. Sadly SR is about to get a whole lot worse in terms of structure too...

 

[Maverick1987]

Guys can we not derail a thread about a great game with tonnes of stuff to talk about by going on about super rugby and David Pocock .....

 

[WaterboySA]

For me, Ireland never looked like losing the game. I'm surprised that so many write off France now, even their own supporters. I think they have some rugby left in them, and NZ should not underestimate them. I hope the Irish management are not hiding the seriousness of Sexton's injury.

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

For me, Ireland never looked like losing the game. I'm surprised that so many write off France now, even their own supporters. I think they have some rugby left in them, and NZ should not underestimate them. I hope the Irish management are not hiding the seriousness of Sexton's injury.

I think NZ of all teams would be the last to write off the French Fries.

 

[FrenchFan]

You cannot change the past!!

Most people, I believe, feel that the English and French club competitions are the best in the world and their supporters would not want to see their clubs subsumed for the purported benefit of an international game!

Same sentiment shared by a majority of club fans over here.

The Union's boat sailed a long time ago. Saint-Andre got all his wishes granted. He wanted 3 wks before 6N he got it. He wanted the 30-game limit, he got it. It was shoved down the throat of the clubs courtesy of FFr. He wanted 3 mths training camp. He got it. Only problem he's got nothing to show for it after 4 yrs coaching players out, not in.

The clubs are not going to be as forthcoming next time around, starting from Nov 1st onward. Noves is going to have a nightmare. The big clubs, except Toulouse, will only be too happy to give him a taste of his own medicine.

Les bleus are not thru taking a major back seat. This is only the begining. We have 2 leagues with 30 pro clubs that will be more than happy to fill the gap. They already are.

 

[Tarasque]

Great game and well done Ireland!
Good luck with Argentina!

We have been dominated everywhere, injuring 3 players was a mistake their bench is as good if not better.
Great team, great fans, great game for a small great country!

 

[Peat]

First time I've seen the POM and Madigan that their provincial fans see and gotta say I was rather impressed.

 

[munstermuffin]

Pom out. Looking like a possible long term knee. Sexton and Paulie have a fighting chance.