Ireland v USA - Live Match Thread & Post Match Discussion

[Pal Joey]

First topic message reminder :

Ireland v USA, Sunday 11/9 4:00pm (EST), New Plymouth

Ireland (15-1): Geordan Murphy; Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Keith Earls, Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray, Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings, Stephen Ferris; Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callagha; Mike Ross, Rory Best, Tom Court.

Res: Jerry Flannery, Tony Buckley, Donnacha Ryan, Denis Leamy, Eoin Reddan, Sean O'Brien, Andrew Trimble.


United States (15-1): Blaine Scully, Takudzwa Ngwenya, Paul Emerick, Andrew Suniula, James Paterson; Roland Suniula, Mike Petri, Nic Johnson, Todd Clever (capt), Louis Stanfill, Hayden Smith, John van der Giessen, Shawn Pittman, Phil Thiel, Mike MacDonald.

Res: Chris Biller, Matekitonga Moeakiola, Scott LaValla, Pat Danahy, Tim Usasz, Nese Malifa, Colin Hawley.

[MMC]

I hope the lads in the Ireland camp are getting on better than us lot anyway!

I've just read through the last few pages and my god...

Let's see, if you praise a player from your province then you're completely biased and can't see any negatives in your players nor positives in a player from outside your province.

If you criticise a player from a different province then you're completely anti that province and aren't a true Ireland fan. Am I picking this up right?

Look, we didn't play well on Sunday. We haven't played well for a while so whether we like it or not we need to make some changes - be they personnel or tactical if we're even going to have a chance to beat Australia.

So here's my take on what we saw on Sunday. I'll be as objective as I can be, but by all means accuse me of provincial bias or I might feel a bit left out.

1) Sexton had an off-day from the kicking tee but it was in awful conditions and it's not as if he was alone in that. He's human after all.

2) Murray did a hell of a lot of dirty work trying to secure possession and was very good in that regard. He did, however, make 2 mistakes - one of which could've been very costly - namely the charged down kick and the pass into touch. I thought he did well considering what he had to put up with.

3) Heaslip was excellent in the lineout but utterly anonymous in every other aspect of the game.

4) Best had a far better all round showing than Jerry Flannery. I was very impressed with him.

5) DOC tries very hard when defending on the try line but doesn't seem to care all that much in the other parts of the pitch.

6) BOD is clearly injured.

7) D'Arcy needs to be dropped.

8) As much as I didn't like Trimble's kick in the 22 making him a scapegoat for it is ridiculous. I'd have him at 11 against Aus and play Earls at 15 or 22.

9) The weather WAS a huge factor but only because we turned it into one. You can't throw the ball around in a gale. Stick it up the jumper. Play heads-up rugby Ireland.

10) Sexton looks great at running a backline on front foot ball after the likes of Strauss or O'Brien have broken the line. He and Reddan are top class at taking advantage of that. With Healy and O'Brien in against Aus then we might see evidence of this.

11) ROG is much much better at attacking the gainline than people here give him credit for. It's as if a complement to ROG = a criticism of Sexton.

Consider exhibit A below -

What they said: "Jeez ROG is great at kicking to corners."
What they meant: "Jeez ROG is great at kicking to corners."
What it's taken as: "Sexton is CRAP at kicking the corners. He should retire cos he'll never be up to it."

Too cynical?

[Sin é]

ROG kicked front foot ball away in the opposition 22 (just as Sexton did in the first half) when a bit of patience and ball retention may have seen us open up the US defence. A kick in that situation is 50/50 at best from an Irish perspective.

The US defence was keeping them out all day. Why would it change in the last few minutes. By the way, I'd say the success rate of that kick from ROG is about 75%.

Im kind of sick of you pulling cowpat statistics out of your whole all the time. I'd say you talk utter shoite 99.9% of the time. Even sleep talk shoite.

There's a stat for you.

Surely you must think I talk shoite 100% of the time

ps - its 'hole', not 'whole'.

[rodders]

And for the umpteenth time - that kick is a fairly normal tactic for O'Gara to try in a game.

Thats exactly why Sexton needs to start against the Wallabies.

[rodders]

Great post MMC! OK thats me in my place anyway.

I'm behind whoever Kidney picks 100% and hopefully he has a plan, although there isn't much to suggest he has.

What time is the team announcement?

[Sin é]

If ROG does start he'll need to buck up his ideas because he has been rubbish in his last few starts for Ireland. He showed no control whatsoever against England or France and kicked the game away against Wales in the 6N.

He made the same number of kicks as James Hook (14). I also seem to remember that Ireland were in the lead against Wales when O'Gara came off, so perhaps the tactic was working

[rodders]

so perhaps the tactic was working

Yes the tactic was working for Lee Byrne....

[FitzStephen]

Agree that we need a good passionate performance, Dave. The mumbles and blank-eyed stares during Ireland's Call were uninspiring for those watching, and it didn't improve much during the game. I would like to see a bit of wild-eyed intensity backed up by adherence to Kidney's game plan, and I can see it coming against Oz (just as it did in the must win 6N game with Eng).

[MMC]

What time is the team announcement?

As far as I know it's on Wednesday at 1.15pm local time which is 2.15am here (so, in 14 hours time).

[Sin é]

so perhaps the tactic was working

Yes the tactic was working for Lee Byrne....

It certainly wasn't working for Tommy Bowe or Luke Fitzgerald who were doing most of the kicking.

[Frank The APC]

Call me crazy and a simple fool if you will but watching the wales game after the irish one i couldnt help but notice that the wales players had the strange tactic of running as fast as they could when they got the ball instead of just jogging until they were tackled and then flopping onto the ground? It was like someone hit the fast forward button. I think that was the simple reason why we weren't breaking the gain line and why we had no cutting edge.

Every player and their aunties were guilty of it and i think its more of an attitude change thats required as personel changes wont matter a damn if we stroll about like that again.

Give it a bag full of Oooomh for christ sake Ireland!! I am going to pull my hair out i tells ya!!

And how girly was the version of Irelands Call? Its not designed to be sang by a choir of school girls. This girlyness angered POC and made him loose the head. We need pavorotti (RIP) and Mr-T to duet singing it for the ozzie match.

Having said the personell changes are secondary to attitude changes i would still like to see
Healy, Flannery, Ross
POC, DOC,
Ferris, Heaslip, SOB
Murray, Sexton,
McFadden, BOD
Trimble, Earls, Bowe

And a toasted Ham and Cheese sandwich please

[Feagh McHugh]

Call me crazy and a simple fool if you will but watching the wales game after the irish one i couldnt help but notice that the wales players had the strange tactic of running as fast as they could when they got the ball instead of just jogging until they were tackled and then flopping onto the ground? It was like someone hit the fast forward button. I think that was the simple reason why we weren't breaking the gain line and why we had no cutting edge.

Every player and their aunties were guilty of it and i think its more of an attitude change thats required as personel changes wont matter a damn if we stroll about like that again.

Give it a bag full of Oooomh for christ sake Ireland!! I am going to pull my hair out i tells ya!!

And how girly was the version of Irelands Call? Its not designed to be sang by a choir of school girls. This girlyness angered POC and made him loose the head. We need pavorotti (RIP) and Mr-T to duet singing it for the ozzie match.

Having said the personell changes are secondary to attitude changes i would still like to see
Healy, Flannery, Ross
POC, DOC,
Ferris, Heaslip, SOB
Murray, Sexton,
McFadden, BOD
Trimble, Earls, Bowe

And a toasted Ham and Cheese sandwich please

Crazy fool, get some onions on that toasted sandwich.

[rodders]

I'd like to see:

Healy, Best, Ross
POC, Cullen
Ferris, SOB, Jennings
Reddan, Sexton
BOD, Earls
Trimble, Kearney, Bowe

Bench: Court, Ryan, Flannery, Heaslip, Murray, O'Gara, McFadden

I'm a vegetarian so hold the ham, please .

[Frank The APC]

Lord god! Ill be having a cheese and onion sandwich if you have your way Feagh and Roddersm!! Who ever heard of a combination like that??

[Standulstermen]

Sin

My initial rant about trimble wasnt directed at you but to say that kick has a 75% success rate is ludicrous. Pope (rightly) got laid into Trimble but yet failed to mention the 3 (minimum) times we kicked what could best be described as "speculative" balls in the opposition 22.

Im certainly not defending Trimble and what he did smacked of a player who is frightened to make a mistake (which isnt good). I merely pointed out the inconsistency in one of the previous posts (not yours btw)

we should probably move on and create a ' team announcement' thread because it will be as long as this one.

[Frank The APC]

I'd like to see:

Healy, Best, Ross
POC, Cullen
Ferris, SOB, Jennings
Reddan, Sexton
BOD, Earls
Trimble, Kearney, Bowe

Bench: Court, Ryan, Flannery, Heaslip, Murray, O'Gara, McFadden

I'm a vegetarian so hold the ham, please .

I'd also be happy with this team to be honest

I like the thoughts of BOD at 12 i must say. Maybe with Bowe at 13 instead, i think we need some beef in there. Keep earls out in the open where he can inflict some damage. Oh we have a cracking team, why arent we really good?

[FitzStephen]

I would rather have a drunken crowd member break onto the pitch and nick the microphone than have that whiney, slow, passionless version of the anthem playing again. Fire them up for Christ's sake - and make mine a toastie!

Healy, Beast, Ross
POC, DOC
Ferris, Heaslip, SOAB
Reddan, Sexton
Trimble, Earls, Bowe

Run it back at 'em!!! With ooomph!!

[MMC]

I would rather have a drunken crowd member break onto the pitch and nick the microphone than have that whiney, slow, passionless version of the anthem playing again. Fire them up for Christ's sake - and make mine a toastie!

Healy, Beast, Ross
POC, DOC
Ferris, Heaslip, SOAB
Reddan, Sexton
Trimble, Earls, Bowe

Run it back at 'em!!! With ooomph!!

That's certainly a novel way of dealing with our problems at centre.

[asoreleftshoulder]

Yeah switch to Rugby League and see if we can do better there.

[rodders]

I would rather have a drunken crowd member break onto the pitch and nick the microphone than have that whiney, slow, passionless version of the anthem playing again. Fire them up for Christ's sake - and make mine a toastie!

Healy, Beast, Ross
POC, DOC
Ferris, Heaslip, SOAB
Reddan, Sexton
Trimble, Earls, Bowe

Run it back at 'em!!! With ooomph!!

That's certainly a novel way of dealing with our problems at centre.

Isn't that the same centre combo we played against the USA?

[MMC]

I would rather have a drunken crowd member break onto the pitch and nick the microphone than have that whiney, slow, passionless version of the anthem playing again. Fire them up for Christ's sake - and make mine a toastie!

Healy, Beast, Ross
POC, DOC
Ferris, Heaslip, SOAB
Reddan, Sexton
Trimble, Earls, Bowe

Run it back at 'em!!! With ooomph!!

That's certainly a novel way of dealing with our problems at centre.

Isn't that the same centre combo we played against the USA?

[Sin é]

Sin

My initial rant about trimble wasnt directed at you but to say that kick has a 75% success rate is ludicrous. Pope (rightly) got laid into Trimble but yet failed to mention the 3 (minimum) times we kicked what could best be described as "speculative" balls in the opposition 22.

Im certainly not defending Trimble and what he did smacked of a player who is frightened to make a mistake (which isnt good). I merely pointed out the inconsistency in one of the previous posts (not yours btw)

we should probably move on and create a ' team announcement' thread because it will be as long as this one.

But they were not speculative. Someone was primed to run onto them. No different than a pass, just using your boot instead of your hands. Passes sometimes don't work out, just like kicks. Mayby Pope has a similar view of those kicks in the 22. By the way, Pope is a big fan of Sexton's (both St. Mary's men), and is always talking him up, so if he thought there was something wrong with O'Gara's kick, he would have said so.

I wouldn't have blamed Trimble entirely for kicking it away so aimlessly - Tommy Bowe should have been shouting for it.

Trimble has every reason to be confident from the warm-up games - why would he suddenly have lost that confidence now?

[FitzStephen]

Yeah, bit dramatic but I think we could convince the Aussies to go for it

BOD and D'Arcy to start for me. Not particularly outlandish but think it is still our best option. I rate Paddy W and Fergus but I think other players will be used to punch it up in the midfield, Trimble especially. D'arcy's defence is still best of the three 12s.

[The Great Aukster]

I find it totally ironic that someone can call for thinking outside the box and then slate Trimble's kick.

Everyone seems to think it was a bad idea, but was it really?

He had Bowe with him and the rest of the team in the US half. Ireland hadn't been breaking their defence all match so what was the chances of them running the length to score? Much more likely they run into contact and get turned over - end of game.
On the other hand putting a big punt up to put their receiver under pressure, especially in poor conditions wasn't a bad ploy. It could have resulted in a favourable bounce or a knock-on or a player isolated or a bad kick or... a try scoring opportunity. This was the USA after all not the All Blacks. The Eagles showed all game their tackle defence was superb, but what was their decision making like under pressure? Add to that the chance of turning the ball over in their half with the forwards in attendance was fair.

IMO Brent Pope should try thinking outside the box before slating a back three player, especially as he never played there.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

"By the way, Pope is a big fan of Sexton's (both St. Mary's men), and is always talking him up, so if he thought there was something wrong with O'Gara's kick, he would have said so."-Sin

That's really not a good way of looking at it and I'm not sure he would have anyway.

I'm gonna think outside the box and order a painini

[Sin é]

I find it totally ironic that someone can call for thinking outside the box and then slate Trimble's kick.

Everyone seems to think it was a bad idea, but was it really?

He had Bowe with him and the rest of the team in the US half. Ireland hadn't been breaking their defence all match so what was the chances of them running the length to score? Much more likely they run into contact and get turned over - end of game.
On the other hand putting a big punt up to put their receiver under pressure, especially in poor conditions wasn't a bad ploy. It could have resulted in a favourable bounce or a knock-on or a player isolated or a bad kick or... a try scoring opportunity. This was the USA after all not the All Blacks. The Eagles showed all game their tackle defence was superb, but what was their decision making like under pressure? Add to that the chance of turning the ball over in their half with the forwards in attendance was fair.

IMO Brent Pope should try thinking outside the box before slating a back three player, especially as he never played there.

There were 3 Irish players in the Ireland half and 1 US player running up. I've no doubt that a Luke Fits, Murphy, Earls, Kearney, Nacewa, Jones would have a go at running through that field, the US had not got their defence organised.


I know how you all love my stats

Here is a nice one:

The following teams didn't score more than 3 tries against the US in the world cup in '07: Results were - v England - 28-10; v Samoa 25-21; v Tonga 25-15. South Africa destroyed them 64-15 and got the bonus point win, but that was their last game of the tournament, so it probably was a game too far for them.

[Sin é]

"By the way, Pope is a big fan of Sexton's (both St. Mary's men), and is always talking him up, so if he thought there was something wrong with O'Gara's kick, he would have said so."-Sin

That's really not a good way of looking at it and I'm not sure he would have anyway.

I'm gonna think outside the box and order a painini

The point I'm making is that Pope isn't much of a fan of O'Gara's so if he disapproved of O'Gara trying that kick, he would not surprise anyone - its not Pope just picking on Andrew Trimble's kick.

[Frank The APC]

[quote="
I'm gonna think outside the box and order a painini[/quote]

A Panini eh. Thats very Celtic Tiger of you Pete.

If we could have:
A front row of Boiled Spuds,
2 curlywurlys for locks,
some ham sandwiches in the back row,
A mandarin orange at scrum half,
Panini at outhalf,
2 packs of HobNobs in the Centre
A banana and a Tangle Twister on the Wings
And a Spicy Curry that will go right through you at full back

Would be win the world cup?

My god this has been a long thread. But a goody! Tea anyone?

[D24tress]

no hot drinks freak me out

except soup

[clivemcl]

i wonder at one point in the week does the Ireland discussion progress from a thread on the previous match and onto a thread about the upcoming game...

[Frank The APC]

Probably around the point where we start fabricating starting line ups of common household foodstuffs. Im hungry

[rodders]

Who give a feck about what Brent Pope thinks about Trimbles kick? He's an ex backrower so it's not like he's an expert in back 3 play.

It was a totally insignificant moment in the game. I know Sin believes Earls, ROG or Jerry Flannery or whatever other Munster player that might have been in Trimble's position would have scored a Serge Blanco or Christian Cullen esq try but it really wasn't that important in the context of things and there wasn't much on.

BOD also kicked the ball away in the 1st half when he had an overlap outside him and no one has felt the need to slate him for it, in fact Quinlan praised the kick.

The 3 main missed oportunities were Bowe's KO from D'arcy's back pass, ROG kicking the ball away in the USA 22 and Flannery peeling off that maul. Other than Sexton and ROG's missed place kicks we didn't really leave any ther points behind.

[Tayto]

Boyne calling people hacks.
Pot calling the kettle there for you.


Healy,Best,Ross
DOC,POC
Ferris,Heaslip,O Brien
Murray,ROG,
Sexton,BOD
Trimble,Earls,Bowe

Bench Court,Flannery,Ryan,Leamy,Boss,McFadden and Kearney.

[Sin é]

Who give a feck about what Brent Pope thinks about Trimbles kick? He's an ex backrower so it's not like he's an expert in back 3 play.

It was a totally insignificant moment in the game. I know Sin believes Earls, ROG or Jerry Flannery or whatever other Munster player that might have been in Trimble's position would have scored a Serge Blanco or Christian Cullen esq try but it really wasn't that important in the context of things and there wasn't much on.

BOD also kicked the ball away in the 1st half when he had an overlap outside him and no one has felt the need to slate him for it, in fact Quinlan praised the kick.

The 3 main missed oportunities were Bowe's KO from D'arcy's back pass, ROG kicking the ball away in the USA 22 and Flannery peeling off that maul. Other than Sexton and ROG's missed place kicks we didn't really leave any ther points behind.

Quite a few Ulstermen seem to care what Brent Pope said about Trimble. And Rodders, I believe that Murphy (Leicester), Fitzgerald (Leinster), Nacewa (Leinster), Earls (Munster), Jones (Munster), Carr (Connacht), Warwick (Stade), Conway (Leinster) and Leamy* (Munster) would not have kicked that ball aimlessly away.

*See how to go about getting a bonus point try.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thjigUCMWwY

ROG 22 kick in the 22 against Perp - Howlett gets a bonus point try (2.30 in)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdD7L0fR-q8&feature=player_embedded

Kick in 22 for Earls try in Magners final

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_ua_E6jYCg

[rodders]

Yawn. Sin you are starting to sound like a .

Keith Earls has kicked away more ball aimlessly in an Ireland shirt than every other outside back put together.

Did you get up in arms when Murray kicked the ball away at the end of the France game too? It seems when the ball is kicked away in a try scoring position it doesn't seem to bother you much.

I suspect if Trimble played for Munster you'd think it was the best kick ever.

[Glas a du]

Quite a few Ulstermen seem to care what Brent Pope said about Trimble

Ah, that Pope!

[Frank The APC]

it was a crap kick by Trimble. But he has been our best player so far this autumn. Im definately giving him a break

I think his instinct was to run but there was some coaches voice in the back of his head telling him to kick.

My main culprit in this whole debacle is Alan Gaffney. He's been ruining talent ever since i first heard his name mentioned as far as im concerned. Im sick of hearing of him saying they 'have trained really well' but they play like donkeys. The sooner that flaming drongo scooches off back home the better our back play will gel i reckon.

[Boyne]

Lets draw a line under this and hop onto Australia.

Thread is up there.

______________________________________________________________

[Sin é]

Yawn. Sin you are starting to sound like a .

Keith Earls has kicked away more ball aimlessly in an Ireland shirt than every other outside back put together.

Did you get up in arms when Murray kicked the ball away at the end of the France game too? It seems when the ball is kicked away in a try scoring position it doesn't seem to bother you much.

I suspect if Trimble played for Munster you'd think it was the best kick ever.

I didn't bring up Andrew Trimble's kick in the first place - just some people are criticising Brent Pope for being critical of the kick.

Earls being able to kick on the run is just another way of trying to get past defenses and fairly effective method at that. Far better than being bundled out and handing over possession that way.

I suspect if Ronan O'Gara played for Ulster you'd understand that if you can kick the ball as well as O'Gara can, its a good tactic.

[rodders]

Sin lets drop it and look forward to the Australia game. It really is a nothing point.

The kick was a poor option but it was the inconsistancy in singling out Trimble for criticsim that is the issue.

[dublin_dave]

see you on other thread lads. it has been thoroughly emotional.

[Standulstermen]

O'garas kick didnt bother me, he tried something it didnt come off
thats the problem with ireland one mistake and you are hung out to dry, who is going to try anything if thats the case, players need to be able to express themselves try things think outside the box

now what did annoy me was trimble kicking the ball away

Lads thats the quote that annoyed me which i thought i expressed quite clearly at the time. You cant criticise one guy for for kicking the ball in his own 22 and absolve a guy who kicks away attacking possession in the opposition 22 ten seconds earlier. If you cant see the hypocrisy in that i dont know.

Sin you put up 3 examples of ROGs kicks working since 2009. I assume then for a 75% success rate saturday was the 4th time he has done that in 2 years. The right tactic is to hold onto the ball in that situation, not give the US a decent shout to get their hands on it. Thats all i am saying. Im not saying Sexton should start or saying this has defined ROG's RWC. I took issue with the quoted statement above and your (rather random) 75% success assertion.

Yes see you on the other thread so i can have another moan! Cheers Lads

[Sin é]

O'garas kick didnt bother me, he tried something it didnt come off
thats the problem with ireland one mistake and you are hung out to dry, who is going to try anything if thats the case, players need to be able to express themselves try things think outside the box

now what did annoy me was trimble kicking the ball away

Lads thats the quote that annoyed me which i thought i expressed quite clearly at the time. You cant criticise one guy for for kicking the ball in his own 22 and absolve a guy who kicks away attacking possession in the opposition 22 ten seconds earlier. If you cant see the hypocrisy in that i dont know.

Sin you put up 3 examples of ROGs kicks working since 2009. I assume then for a 75% success rate saturday was the 4th time he has done that in 2 years. The right tactic is to hold onto the ball in that situation, not give the US a decent shout to get their hands on it. Thats all i am saying. Im not saying Sexton should start or saying this has defined ROG's RWC. I took issue with the quoted statement above and your (rather random) 75% success assertion.

Yes see you on the other thread so i can have another moan! Cheers Lads

Can you both acknowledge at least that other than you, no one else thinks there is anything wrong with trying a kick like that. Not all attacking play works out.

O'Gara has done that twice this year and it has worked and I assure you no one was complaining about him kicking away possession in his own 22. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I just don't get why Trimble didn't try and attack from deep. Its not as if kicking is a big part of his game.

[Gibson]

I hope the lads in the Ireland camp are getting on better than us lot anyway!

I've just read through the last few pages and my god...

Let's see, if you praise a player from your province then you're completely biased and can't see any negatives in your players nor positives in a player from outside your province.

If you criticise a player from a different province then you're completely anti that province and aren't a true Ireland fan. Am I picking this up right?

Look, we didn't play well on Sunday. We haven't played well for a while so whether we like it or not we need to make some changes - be they personnel or tactical if we're even going to have a chance to beat Australia.

So here's my take on what we saw on Sunday. I'll be as objective as I can be, but by all means accuse me of provincial bias or I might feel a bit left out.

1) Sexton had an off-day from the kicking tee but it was in awful conditions and it's not as if he was alone in that. He's human after all.

2) Murray did a hell of a lot of dirty work trying to secure possession and was very good in that regard. He did, however, make 2 mistakes - one of which could've been very costly - namely the charged down kick and the pass into touch. I thought he did well considering what he had to put up with.

3) Heaslip was excellent in the lineout but utterly anonymous in every other aspect of the game.

4) Best had a far better all round showing than Jerry Flannery. I was very impressed with him.

5) DOC tries very hard when defending on the try line but doesn't seem to care all that much in the other parts of the pitch.

6) BOD is clearly injured.

7) D'Arcy needs to be dropped.

8) As much as I didn't like Trimble's kick in the 22 making him a scapegoat for it is ridiculous. I'd have him at 11 against Aus and play Earls at 15 or 22.

9) The weather WAS a huge factor but only because we turned it into one. You can't throw the ball around in a gale. Stick it up the jumper. Play heads-up rugby Ireland.

10) Sexton looks great at running a backline on front foot ball after the likes of Strauss or O'Brien have broken the line. He and Reddan are top class at taking advantage of that. With Healy and O'Brien in against Aus then we might see evidence of this.

11) ROG is much much better at attacking the gainline than people here give him credit for. It's as if a complement to ROG = a criticism of Sexton.

Consider exhibit A below -

What they said: "Jeez ROG is great at kicking to corners."
What they meant: "Jeez ROG is great at kicking to corners."
What it's taken as: "Sexton is CRAP at kicking the corners. He should retire cos he'll never be up to it."

Too cynical?

MMC,
Yo da MAN. I mean that. Excellent post

[Glas a du]

6) BOD is clearly injured.

Why so? Is he not human? Is he not allowed to have an off day? Or get old?

He needs a rest, but please don't rest him against Australia.

[rodders]

6) BOD is clearly injured.

Why so? Is he not human? Is he not allowed to have an off day? Or get old?

No, no and no.

[Gibson]

Da. Da. Daaa! Are we there yet? Is it HT like?

If only us Micks could play as well as we talk.

No one and I mean NO one - could touch us.

Apparently, Earls says he wants to be a World Superstar at this WC.

I mean, someone talk to the lad. Really... Bless.

[Glas a du]

If that post was supposed to kill off the "live" thread I don't think it will work.

Does Earls tick any of the boxes:

Born great

Achieved greatness

Had greatness thrust upon him

[Gibson]

If that post was supposed to kill off the "live" thread I don't think it will work.

Does Earls tick any of the boxes:

Born great

Achieved greatness

Had greatness thrust upon him

He's no BOD. Lets put it that way. I had hopes he would be. But those hopes are long gone.
Still a great natural player. He may even score a try on Sat and be temporary hero. But... someone needs to talk to him. Ground the lad.
Like someone should have, with Gavin Henson and Shane a long time ago.

Each of these 3 had or still have - delusions of grandeur. Williams was fed with even more delusion. That much has been proved over time.

[Glas a du]

I'll do with the sparks.

[Glas a du]

Team's out. Oh dear, dear. Oh dear, dear. Oh dear.

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