Ireland

[Luimneach18]

What do Ireland need to do to solve their current problems, would just like to hear irish fans opinions on what needs to be implemented to really start getting consistency.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

The easiest thing to say is replace the coach and start again. If you're doing to get rid of Declan Kidney though, who can realistically replace him? The names which immediately come to mind are Joe Schmidt, Nick Mallett and Wayne Smith but all three would be risks. Schmidt has spent less than two (albeit extremely successful) seasons as a head coach, Mallett has done nothing of note for a long time and Smith is coming off an extended spell as an assistant. I think Ireland should stick with Kidney until 2013 with certain conditions attached.

1. Overhaul the backroom coaching team
Alan Gaffney was a disaster. Mark Tainton is a disaster. Gert Smal hasn't got his pack playing to their potential. Only Les Kiss has been a success but he's now double jobbing as both backs coach and defence coach.

Look at the kicking stats of Leinster's frontline kickers Jonny Sexton, Fergus McFadden, Isa Nacewa and Ian Madigan. They don't miss! Richie Murphy has done a phenomenal job getting those guys up to scratch because they were always so prolific in front of goal. Murphy should be promoted to national kicking coach.

In the pack, the set piece is the main problem. Dorian West has done a brilliant job building Northampton's scrum with previously unheralded players. There's our new head of scrummaging. If Anthony Foley doesn't get the Munster hjead coach gig, bring him onto the national coaching ticket too since he's done a fine job reigniting Munster's pack.

Backs coach is a difficult one. Maybe trying to add Wayne Smith to the coaching team as assistant head coach responsible for building an attacking game is the way to go. It would prime him for the head coaching gig in 2013.

2. More daring selection policy
Form players aren't being picked. Kidney is more interested in maintaining the players he knows than in rewarding form players. I hope he has the balls to call Felix Jones, Simon Zebo, Eoin O'Malley, Ian Madigan, Paul Marshall, Dan Tuohy, Devin Toner and Peter O'Mahony (amongst others) into the senior squad for the summer tour against New Zealand and use them.

3. Don't be afraid to let internationals leave the country
What harm has Mike Phillips moving to Bayonne done to the Welsh team? None I wager. It has freed up a spot in the Ospreys team for Rhys Webb. Webb is also an international now. I think allowing certain players leave the country can help our national team.

Take the shambolic Irish scrum against England for example. It fell apart completely when Tom Court, a loosehead primarily, was forced to play tighthead. Ireland have Healy, Ross, Court (as a loosehead), Buckle if we're badly stuck and nobody else. If, for example, Mike Ross and Cian Healy are offered big contracts by foreign clubs, they should be encouraged to move. They'll still start elsewhere and their departure will free up places for more Irish props to start for Leinster on a more regular basis. That will boost Ireland's playing pool. Likewise players like Gordon D'arcy, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paddy Wallace and Peter Stringer shouldn't be overpaid to remain here when there are adequate replacements for them and they'll still be viable international options if they play abroad.

 

[lucky number 7]

Ireland r gun hammer engurland !!!

 

[Teh Mite]

Has it been 2 weeks already?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Line em all up in single file and then run them over with a steam roller, I say.

 

[SelimNiai]

Inject them wish Welsh DNA, that would make them play rugby well again

 

[lucky number 7]

Line em all up in single file and then run them over with a steam roller, I say.

Ah they get enough being steamrollered while training with SOB...

 

[lucky number 7]

Inject them wish Welsh DNA, that would make them play rugby well again

Is that what you've been doing with the sheep all this time ?

 

[big ginger 8]

What do people think of this idea for developing players. At the start of every year Leinster, Ulster and Munster give a shortlist of players under 25 they're unlikely to use unless there's an injury crisis. And Connacht can pick a max of 5 players from each province based on their needs as they'd be more likely to be used gaining valuable experience and gametime.

 

[Luimneach18]

Ireland r gun hammer engurland !!!

done now?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

What do people think of this idea for developing players. At the start of every year Leinster, Ulster and Munster give a shortlist of players under 25 they're unlikely to use unless there's an injury crisis. And Connacht can pick a max of 5 players from each province based on their needs as they'd be more likely to be used gaining valuable experience and gametime.

Like the idea but don't think it's at all practical. What happens if Connacht pick up five really promising youngsters from Ulster, Munster or Leinster and in turn, finish ahead of one of those provinces. The other provinces won't want to risk young players leaving for Connacht if it could potentially result in failure to qualify for the Heineken Cup.

Judging from Connacht's signings for next season, they seem to have given up on bringing in young players from the other provinces in favour of developing their own and signing experienced pros to bring them along. Dan Parks isn't top class but he'll teach Niall O'Connor a thing or two about kicking the leather off the ball. Nathan White will teach Ronan Loughney and Stewart Maguire a few tricks when it comes to scrummaging etc. Connacht see no value in developing a player for a couple of years only to have them whisked away by another province. If the other provinces want their young players to go to Connacht to gain experience, Connacht need something in return.

I look at the transfer dealing of Barcelona and see a potentially mutually beneficial arrangement that can be adapted for Connacht and the other provinces. When Bojan Krkic signed for Roma from Barcelona in summer 2011, Barcelona insisted on a buy back option being inserted in his contract at a higher fee. Similarly Jeffren Suarez joined Sporting Lisbon last summer and Oriol Romeu had a buy back clause inserted in his contract at Chelsea.

How is that relevent for Connacht? Say, for example, that Leinster offer them Andrew Conway and the player and Connacht accept the proposal. Connacht offer him a three year deal. Conway gets plenty of first team rugby and develops as a player. After one or two seasons, Leinster see the progression Conway has made and want him back. They invoke the "buy back clause" in his Connacht contract on the provision that Connacht can pick up two or three promising youngsters at Leinster. The player benefits from increased exposure. Leinster benefit from seeing a potential first team player develop without having to experience the growing pains themselves. Connacht benefit by getting multiple talented youngsters in return for developing the player. The cycle continues. Conway goes back to Leinster and Connacht pick up Conor Gilsenan and Luke McGrath to develop until Leinster decide to call them back.

 

[psychic duck]

how about the IRFU give Connacht the funds so they can keep the likes of Hagan, Cronin, Carr, Reddan, Keatley etc so Ireland can have four good teams

but no, they just put pretty much every single decent player from the Republic of Ireland plus a few quality overseas recruits into two teams

 

[Feicarsinn]

how about the IRFU give Connacht the funds so they can keep the likes of Hagan, Cronin, Carr, Reddan, Keatley etc so Ireland can have four good teams

but no, they just put pretty much every single decent player from the Republic of Ireland plus a few quality overseas recruits into two teams

Because then there'd probably be no chance that Leinster or Munster would let any of their young players move west. You'd end up with lots of journeymen as opposed to youngsters (a process that's already happening as Connacht become disillusioned with having to give up their best players every two years - see the signing of Niall O'Connor as proof).

With regard to Connacht, we can say the IRFU should be doing this and the IRFU should be doing that, but until they start producing quality players from within the province they stand no chance of being competitive. No team can build with so many of their important players being kids from other provinces. The players' loyalty will be questionable meaning there's no certainty that you'll have them for more than a season or two and should they get a better offer they'll be off. It pleases me to see that Connacht actually are starting to bring some quality through. Tiernan O'Halloran, Eoin Griffin, Michael Kearney Shane Layden & Daniel Qualter will all become important players for them in the future and actually look like they have a bit about them. If they can bring them into the panel as well as supplementing them with some decent imports (Nathan White and Dan Parks represent good signings. Is Richie Rees actually going out west?) and perhaps bring some Irish exiles home with the promise of international opportunity (although this would require a different national coach), they'll do well. I don't see them ever being truly competitive with the top three, but there's no reason they can't leap from Edinburgh, Dragons, Treviso, etc.

So here's some of the progress made imo:

1) The academy is starting to bring through some decent, home grown players, as was witnessed by their interpro victory last year.

2) They're bringing in some strong NIQ's that'll really aid their starting XV.

3) They've set more realistic targets for their signings from the other provinces. The likes of Willie Faloon, Paul O'Donohue, and Niall O'Connor are evidence of this. These guys aren't likely to return to their native provinces any time soon.

4) They're bringing in decent Irish players from England like Kyle Tonetti & Dave Gannon.

Lots to be happy about, but still a lot of work to do. Still, I think they're getting there, albeit slowly.

 

[big ginger 8]

how about the IRFU give Connacht the funds so they can keep the likes of Hagan, Cronin, Carr, Reddan, Keatley etc so Ireland can have four good teams

but no, they just put pretty much every single decent player from the Republic of Ireland plus a few quality overseas recruits into two teams

Not a single player there is actually from Connacht. Rugby is simply not big enough in the west (though it is growing) and like it or not rugby is now a business. Connacht are now starting to develop players themselves with a few on the u20's and i'll be interesting to see if they can hang on to them.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

how about the IRFU give Connacht the funds so they can keep the likes of Hagan, Cronin, Carr, Reddan, Keatley etc so Ireland can have four good teams

but no, they just put pretty much every single decent player from the Republic of Ireland plus a few quality overseas recruits into two teams

As big ginger 8 has said, none of those guys are from Connacht. While I disagree that the IRFU should subsidise Connacht (the westies have to get their own house in order first), I do agree with your point that Connacht shouldn't be viewed as the ******* child and should be allowed compete on an equal footing. At present the IRFU treat Connacht differently, as seen by their new overseas player policy which excluded the Galway based team.

We've gone from a situation where it was just Munster and Leinster duking it out, to one where Ulster got their act together and are now sitting at the same table as them. Connacht may never reach the heights of the other three provinces but if they can produce two or three viable prospects for the national team, that would be an achievement in itself.