RaboDirect Pro12 Round 8

[TRF_Cymro]

Wow ... Leinster have been poor.

 

[dullonien]

Fussell is bloody aggravating.
I don't think he is very good, but when he keeps scoring/setting up tries, I can't really say that.

Still, we ended up with Prydie, so it's all good.

I know what you mean. He's a lovely runner, and really is capable of a moment of magic every couple of games.

On another note, Isaacs has been utterly rubbish even in his preferred center position. Almost as poor as Gavin Evans! He's done bugger all, and has been stood up by Macken a couple of occasions which is unacceptable.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Well that was horrible from Leinster if not entirely unsurprising.

Leo Auva'a has taken a massive step backwards this season. Ian Madigan was decent with ball in hand but his tactical kicking was atrocious. The less said about Fionn Carr the better. Shane Jennings isn't a good captain.

Best today for Leinster were Brendan Macken, Isaac Boss and Jamie Hagan on the starting XV. Devin Toner was okay too. I was impressed with Martin Moore in his cameo. He's already more deserving of an Ireland call up than Stephen Archer!

Nice to see James Tracy, a converted loosehead prop, get a few minutes at hooker. He had one good carry which will do his confidence good.

 

[big ginger 8]

Agree with that Snoop I think Goodman also looks like he may be decent. Carr needs to be dropped.

 

[coonor]

McGrath looked good coming on aswell.

Our back three look about as dangerous as a wet paper bag.... Carr and Conway need to finish off chances. I bet Fitz, Nacewa and McFadden would have all scored those two near tries.

Jordi Murphy has to start instead of Auva'a. Atleast Ben Marshall came on and got himself involved. Who can we replace Carr with? Nacewa and Luke can't come back quick enough!

 

[big ginger 8]

I'd rather someone like Hudson or Coghlan-Murray over Carr atm.

 

[Draggs]

Is this Eli Walker related to the one from last year?

 

[psychic duck]

Fussell is bloody aggravating.
I don't think he is very good, but when he keeps scoring/setting up tries, I can't really say that.

Still, we ended up with Prydie, so it's all good.

I don't see why you don't think Fussell is very good, he was a very decent winger for the Dragons, and has achieved more at regional level than a few other wingers who have a couple of Wales caps.

He is a good winger and finisher, the problem is he was moved to full back when his move there didn't look natural as he didn't look like a winger with the best attributes to play there, and as a result has made a few basic full back errors. The Ospreys should have kept Prydie to play 15 alongside Ross Jones, with Dirksen, Eli Walker and Fussell all competing with each other for wing slots.

By the way, why do Wales keep selecting Harry Robinson in the squad?

To be good enough for Wales you should be good enough to keep Tom James out of the Cardiff Blues side imo. Robinson hasn't been so outstanding in his few appearances that he demands selection either. Wales should have just left him to play for the Cardiff Blues whilst Cuthbert was away instead of calling him up.

Even Eli Walker (who looks to have improved this season and is making far less unforced errors to last season) has impressed more than Robinson this season. Prydie has also been better than Robinson at regional level.

 

[Draggs]

Fussell is too inconsistent for my liking. He has improved immensely over the past two seasons. I was disappointed that we lost him, but I wouldn't see him starting over Evans, Prydie, Harries, or Chavhanga.

No clue about Robinson. Prydie has been in better form, amongst others.
I think Robinson will be released for at least the last two weeks. Cuthbert has been great, a light in the darkness of CAP.

 

[psychic duck]

Fussell is too inconsistent for my liking. He has improved immensely over the past two seasons. I was disappointed that we lost him, but I wouldn't see him starting over Evans, Prydie, Harries, or Chavhanga.

No clue about Robinson. Prydie has been in better form, amongst others.
I think Robinson will be released for at least the last two weeks. Cuthbert has been great, a light in the darkness of CAP.

That's because those players are all quite decent, not because Fussell isn't good though. Wing isn't an issue at the Dragons or any Welsh region except the Ospreys to be honest (only Brew is playing abroad in that position), however the Ospreys are the only region with a good props.

Another mystery by the way, how does Tom Isaacs keep getting in the Ospreys side?

He's becoming a backs version of what Tom Smith was. Does absouletly nothing on the field each week yet keeps himself in the matchday 23 all the time.

 

[Draggs]

Isaacs is keeping promising players such as Ben John out. I want to see Habberfield, he seemed like a decent scrum half during the JWC.
Bishop is certainly not an inside centre, the Ospreys need someone to backup Ashley Beck.

 

[dullonien]

Isaacs is keeping promising players such as Ben John out. I want to see Habberfield, he seemed like a decent scrum half during the JWC.
Bishop is certainly not an inside centre, the Ospreys need someone to backup Ashley Beck.

I want to see Habberfield as well, very classy scrum half. Webb is doing nothing at the moment to warrant his place in the Ospreys starting 23, although I do think he will improve with time.

Bishop is playing quite well at the moment, but he's not quite up to the standard the Ospreys should be looking for to partner Beck. Isaacs should be nowhere near the starting 23.

 

[Amiga500]

After Ferris, Ireland's blindside stocks look a little weak these days.

I wouldn't exactly say that...


There is this boy that played blindside for Leinster before the IRFU got their dirty little mitts involved, he was quite a good blindside too... some fella called O'Brien.


The "long-term" solution for Ireland would be quite obvious: 6. O'Brien, 7. Henry, 8. Heaslip.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Well that was horrible from Leinster if not entirely unsurprising.

Leo Auva'a has taken a massive step backwards this season. Ian Madigan was decent with ball in hand but his tactical kicking was atrocious. The less said about Fionn Carr the better. Shane Jennings isn't a good captain.

Best today for Leinster were Brendan Macken, Isaac Boss and Jamie Hagan on the starting XV. Devin Toner was okay too. I was impressed with Martin Moore in his cameo. He's already more deserving of an Ireland call up than Stephen Archer!

Nice to see James Tracy, a converted loosehead prop, get a few minutes at hooker. He had one good carry which will do his confidence good.

20 players down away to the league champions. Hardly could have expected a result. The loss of Strauss and Isa are keenly felt on days like today, they're they guys we built our seconds around last season.

 

[Peat]

I wouldn't exactly say that...

There is this boy that played blindside for Leinster before the IRFU got their dirty little mitts involved, he was quite a good blindside too... some fella called O'Brien.

The "long-term" solution for Ireland would be quite obvious: 6. O'Brien, 7. Henry, 8. Heaslip.

Much as I rate Henry, he's yet to prove himself internationally, and I suspect he won't be the international player that Henderson will be - although he'll probably be a better one sooner.

... but mainly I forgot about O'Brien because he's crippled too.

 

[Amiga500]

Much as I rate Henry, he's yet to prove himself internationally, and I suspect he won't be the international player that Henderson will be - although he'll probably be a better one sooner.

IMO Henry has yet to prove himself internationally only because of that clown in charge of selection.

Regarding the ultimate potential of Henry & Henderson, no contest really. Henry is a good solid 7, he'll probably not become much better at this stage. Henderson can be the no.1 lock in the world - if he keeps learning/growing.

 

[Peat]

IMO Henry has yet to prove himself internationally only because of that clown in charge of selection.

Regarding the ultimate potential of Henry & Henderson, no contest really. Henry is a good solid 7, he'll probably not become much better at this stage. Henderson can be the no.1 lock in the world - if he keeps learning/growing.

Can't argue with any of that - except to point out Gert Smal seems to think he's a 6 as well...

 

[Amiga500]

Can't argue with any of that - except to point out Gert Smal seems to think he's a 6 as well...

Henderson's a 6?

 

[psychic duck]

Just seen the highlights of the tries from the Dragons vs Glasgow match ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20201491

Some awful play from the Men of Gwent.

1st Try: What was Robling doing? (And why didn't the Dragons sign a replacement 10 for Tovey? Robling isn't good enough to be first choice 10, he's probably the worst first choice 10 in the league)
2nd Try: Why was there no defence on the fringe of the ruck? Why was there no cover defence? And why was nobody quick enough to stop a prop charging to the line from 30 metres out?
4th Try: Who is that #22 who lines up the tackle and then pulls out completely allowing Seymour to score? Why didn't he at least make contact trying to stop him?
5th Try: Why don't the Dragons have scrummagers who can at least win their own ball? And what was Dan Evans doing?

Dragons now 1 win from the last 9 and half of the losses have been by over 20 points with just one losing bonus point gained against Bayonne.

Time for Edwards to go? ... Pressure mounting on Dragged Up (http://draggedup.co.uk/chat/viewtopic.php?t=4444&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=210).

Surely time for a change, the Dragons now seem to have swapped places with Connacht currently, with Connacht now more respectable and 8th in the league, and Dragons where Connacht always used to be towards the foot of the table along with Zebre.

 

[Draggs]

Our defence is awful. If we simply made tackles it would fix so much.
No clue what our players are being taught.

Robling might be better at inside centre. He is not worse than Tovey.