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2024 Guinness Six Nations
[2024 Six Nations] Ireland vs Italy - 11/02/24
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<blockquote data-quote="Smurfy" data-source="post: 1175882" data-attributes="member: 85743"><p>I don't often agree with Barnes but he's right this time. We have in the past had sides with one or two world class players but we've never had the riches we have today, with Sheehan, Beirne , Doris, VdF, Gibson Park, Keenan and Aki all in that category imo, with honourable mentions to Furlong, Henshaw, Ringrose and Lowe, and possibly Porter if he could get on the right side of refs at scrumtime. Also, for the first time, we have young players like McCarthy and Crowley coming through who are ready to step up when needed, due to unprecedented success at u20 level.</p><p></p><p>For guys like me who have been watching Ireland for almost 50 years it's actually difficult to believe we've got to this stage, even if it turns out to be temporary, and for all the abuse over that period that the IRFU have shipped in that period, a lot of it thoroughly deserve, their management of the professional game has been masterful. The structure, succession planning, and the coaching recruitment, has been excellent as evidenced by the quality of the coaching teams at Provincial (Ulster excepted) and International level. Don't know how long this last as history shows this level of success is cyclical unless you're NZ or SA, but I'm going to enjoy it in the meantime.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Smurfy, post: 1175882, member: 85743"] I don’t often agree with Barnes but he‘s right this time. We have in the past had sides with one or two world class players but we’ve never had the riches we have today, with Sheehan, Beirne , Doris, VdF, Gibson Park, Keenan and Aki all in that category imo, with honourable mentions to Furlong, Henshaw, Ringrose and Lowe, and possibly Porter if he could get on the right side of refs at scrumtime. Also, for the first time, we have young players like McCarthy and Crowley coming through who are ready to step up when needed, due to unprecedented success at u20 level. For guys like me who have been watching Ireland for almost 50 years it‘s actually difficult to believe we’ve got to this stage, even if it turns out to be temporary, and for all the abuse over that period that the IRFU have shipped in that period, a lot of it thoroughly deserve, their management of the professional game has been masterful. The structure, succession planning, and the coaching recruitment, has been excellent as evidenced by the quality of the coaching teams at Provincial (Ulster excepted) and International level. Don’t know how long this last as history shows this level of success is cyclical unless you’re NZ or SA, but I’m going to enjoy it in the meantime. [/QUOTE]
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2024 Guinness Six Nations
[2024 Six Nations] Ireland vs Italy - 11/02/24
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