The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub

First topic message reminder :

Welcome to the virtual rugby pub - a place where you can come in for a sly beverage and discuss whatever's on your mind, or just eavesdrop on the regulars if you fancy a break from all the rugby chat.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no defacing the collage of great current hookers pictures on the bar. We've got Tincu, Ledesma, Ford, Best, Thompson and Bennett all in action. Graffiti's a banning offence

So pull up a chair....what'll it be?




Previous pub: https://www.606v2.com/t13864-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub#475041

Portnoy wrote:How well are Ireland going to progress through the remainder of the group with the tag of favourites?

Who knows? I can't wait to find out though.

I think basically if you gauge Six Nations by results we've been consistent, but I would be inclined to look at performances. I feel Ireland often pull out big performances only to fail to back them up.

Examples; thrashed England 43-13 in 2007 only to scrape by Scotland 19-18 in a poor game. Had a comfortable if hard-fought win against Italy in the opening round in 2006 only to completely fail to turn up against France in the next game until they were about 40 points ahead.

Jeebus I give up! I'll leave you glass half empty merchants to have sleepless nights in the build up to the Russia game..... where's Gibson when you need him...

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red_stag wrote:Notch, you say we are not consistent. We have continually come close but fail to deliver. Thats consistent - not acceptable though

Ah, but if we played every game at the standard we achieve once or twice in the tournament we would be consistent.

Morning all, what a weekend. Literally never had a better sporting weekend in my life, if Leinster had won against Glasgow it might have been unbeatable.

As for Ireland being favourites, just looking at Russia and Italy, we’re always going to be favourites there, but we haven’t lost to Italy in years. I don’t care if we scrape through with 3-0 wins, we just need to get out of the group and see how the land lies.

Notch wrote:

red_stag wrote:Notch, you say we are not consistent. We have continually come close but fail to deliver. Thats consistent - not acceptable though

Ah, but if we played every game at the standard we achieve once or twice in the tournament we would be consistent.

No we'd be consistently good.

Portnoy - its a good point about favourites tag.

roddersm wrote:Jeebus I give up! I'll leave you glass half empty merchants to have sleepless nights in the build up to the Russia game..... where's Gibson when you need him...

Feic off!

You were the one saying we were going to be sent home with our tails between our legs after the warm-ups when I was guardedly optimistic and slightly critical. Now I'm still guardedly optimistic and slightly critical and I'm a glass half empty merchant!

red_stag wrote:

Notch wrote:

red_stag wrote:Notch, you say we are not consistent. We have continually come close but fail to deliver. Thats consistent - not acceptable though

Ah, but if we played every game at the standard we achieve once or twice in the tournament we would be consistent.

No we'd be consistently good.

Portnoy - its a good point about favourites tag.

So would you agree we consistently underperform then? It's the wrong kind of consistency

Portnoy wrote:How well are Ireland going to progress through the remainder of the group with the tag of favourites?

Right Portnoy I've had enough of bloody negativity and ROG sympathisers!

I'm going to nail my colours to the flag now and say that if we stick to the selection policy we are using now and have no major injuries then we will beat Russia, Italy, wales, England/France and South Africa in that order.

You heard it here first .

Notch wrote:

red_stag wrote:

Notch wrote:

red_stag wrote:Notch, you say we are not consistent. We have continually come close but fail to deliver. Thats consistent - not acceptable though

Ah, but if we played every game at the standard we achieve once or twice in the tournament we would be consistent.

No we'd be consistently good.

Portnoy - its a good point about favourites tag.

So would you agree we consistently underperform then? It's the wrong kind of consistency

I would agree

I can't continue with this, I'm watching the old Batman episode thats come on after the RWC on ITV4.

Mr. Freeze has kidnapped Miss Iceland! Holy Hijack!

It looks like Gotham City is about to endure another icy wave of terror

roddersm wrote:

Portnoy wrote:How well are Ireland going to progress through the remainder of the group with the tag of favourites?

Right Portnoy I've had enough of bloody negativity and ROG sympathisers!

??? I don't follow. ROG sympathisers?

I found it a team victory - the coaching team (apart from Gaffney)

Les Kiss inspired a great defense which has been a god send to us.
Greg Feek turned our miserable scrum into our most effective weapon.
Declan Kidney was able to replace the likes of Horan, Flannery, Hayes, Wallace, Stringer, O'Leary, O'Gara, Murphy etc without any drop off.
Gert Small has addressed our previously poor discipline at breakdown

Our backs still aren't firing though.

In A Seemingly Abandoned Cold Storage Plant, Where Mr-Freeze Is Planning His Next Move in Operation Hate Batman!

This is so camp it's untrue. Brilliant!

Also is this the first match in a long long long time that Kidney nailed the subs (except for the bizarre decision to bring on Tom Court)

red_stag wrote:
??? I don't follow. ROG sympathisers?

Sorry not you stag.

red_stag wrote:Also is this the first match in a long long long time that Kidney nailed the subs (except for the bizarre decision to bring on Tom Court)

That was nuts! Ross must have been injured. Why bring on a loosehead to play tighthead in the last minute with a 5m scrum on your own line?

Dreamer, I had a great time. Wish I could have stayed longer!

Penblwydd hapus, Cymro - is it wise to ask how old you are now?

Jesus Christ lads, please for the love of god stop with all this and just believe. We finally have an actual real chance of doing something in this World Cup.

We just had our best result in the WC and your in here saying were not consistent enough. Just shut it and say were going to win



And rodders you havnt said it first, me and munsty have been saying it for months and no one would listen

roddersm wrote:

red_stag wrote:
??? I don't follow. ROG sympathisers?

Sorry not you stag.

No I just don't get what you mean by ROG sympathisers. ROG is simply another Irish player and I'd like to think that those who want him to play do so as they believe he's our best chance of victory.

I really think Ireland have the least united fan base in the whole RWC. There's too many people with agendas in who they want to see in the team and strange notions about why players do/don't get picked.

I was at my grandfathers house recently and his friend asked me if I thought it was a disgrace that Rory Best "was only taken as a token". I was amazed by it.

After Ireland's Six Nations hammering of England, you'd have got long odds on them losing all four of their warm-up matches. After Ireland lost all four of their warm-up matches, you'd have got long odds on them beating Australia.

I love the unpredictablility of sport.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:After Ireland's Six Nations hammering of England, you'd have got long odds on them losing all four of their warm-up matches. After losing all four of their warm-up matches, you'd have got long odds on them beating Australia.

I love the unpredictablility of sport.

+1

Notch wrote:In A Seemingly Abandoned Cold Storage Plant, Where Mr-Freeze Is Planning His Next Move in Operation Hate Batman!

This is so camp it's untrue. Brilliant!

I watched that one yesterday Notch. Classic!

luckless_pedestrian wrote:Dreamer, I had a great time. Wish I could have stayed longer!

Penblwydd hapus, Cymro - is it wise to ask how old you are now?

Diolch yn fawr... You may ask I'm 52 today.

I have to say I think Ireland v Wales is emerging as a really big rivarly which is born out of the modern game not going back decades.

Gatlands "Wales hate the Irish more than any others" comment, the Grand Slam decider in 2009, the Mike Phillips ball incident, Celtic League rivarly and now a World Cup knockout game between them is really upping the ante and I love it.

Its nice to see a new rivalry emerge that doesn't have its heritage in the fact a country was invaded in the past

Phew, what a manic day this is turning into!!

Morning people, and happy birthday Cymro

Back to the bedlam...

52 is the new 51.

It's a recent phenomenon Stag, true enough. There always seems to be some niggle when the Ospreys play Munster and Leinster and that might have something to do with it.

red_stag wrote:I was at my grandfathers house recently and his friend asked me if I thought it was a disgrace that Rory Best "was only taken as a token". I was amazed by it.

Especially given how well he's played so far in the World Cup. He made the NZ Herald RWC Team of the Week this week!

Some people are just prejudiced.

red_stag wrote:
No I just don't get what you mean by ROG sympathisers. ROG is simply another Irish player and I'd like to think that those who want him to play do so as they believe he's our best chance of victory.

I really think Ireland have the least united fan base in the whole RWC. There's too many people with agendas in who they want to see in the team and strange notions about why players do/don't get picked.

I was at my grandfathers house recently and his friend asked me if I thought it was a disgrace that Rory Best "was only taken as a token". I was amazed by it.

True Stag but there's quite a few who are picking apart Sextons game for their own agenda, exagerrating and inventing faults and looking at ROG's performances with rose tinted glasses.

The facts are we've played 2 and won 2 with Sexton as the starting 10 and still people won't get behind the team. ROG has made a big impact but I think people are ignoring how well Sexton has played and also that he's getting better. I don't care who starts but we need some constancy now after too much chopping and changing.

Rory Best has just put in the two best best performances of his career so hopefully your friend feels he's there on merit now.

Kiwireddevil wrote:

Notch wrote:In A Seemingly Abandoned Cold Storage Plant, Where Mr-Freeze Is Planning His Next Move in Operation Hate Batman!

This is so camp it's untrue. Brilliant!

I watched that one yesterday Notch. Classic!

I'm watching that too now!! Working from home is awesome.

I know Notch some people are. I see it so much on this site. People can't accept a player being there and launch into scathing exaggerated attacks and when all else is exhausted the bias word is rolled around.

I don't see this with other teams.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:It's a recent phenomenon Stag, true enough. There always seems to be some niggle when the Ospreys play Munster and Leinster and that might have something to do with it.

I'll tell you what, Wales are on a footing with England as the team I most enjoy beating and least like to lose to. Those two teams are on equal footing as our rivals for me.

red_stag wrote:
I don't see this with other teams.

Well actually you should how much stick Jonathon Davis and James Hook are getting.....

roddersm wrote: there's quite a few who are picking apart Sextons game for their own agenda

hopefully your friend feels he's there on merit now.

Firstly, thats the whole problem and then others respond in kind. Its like football behaviour and is alien to how its meant to be.

Second that fellas no friend of mine. Some old senile neighbour of my grandfathers

Rory had a stormer on Saturday, I even felt the need to txt Notch to let him know I could finally see why he’s been picked.
If it was any other player I wouldn’t have bothered, but when a token starts to pull his weight then I sit up and take notice!

Notch what have the Welsh and English done to upset you ?

I'm not picking Sexton apart, I just think O'Gara has been playing well and deserves to be starting our next game!

Why can't we see the difference between 'I want this player to start because he's playing well and is experienced, get him in' and 'I want this guy to start because I have an agenda'.

Cymroglan wrote:Notch what have the Welsh and English done to upset you ?

Nothing, it's just a game. Some teams you want to beat more than others. I'm very happy to socialise and sit with English and Welsh fans but I like it when we beat them because they are our rivals. England, historically, and Wales more recently.

I'll shake hands with them after the game and wish them well if they win, but I won't enjoy it!

Interesting debate here:

https://www.606v2.com/t14312-the-slaughter-of-the-innocents

Notch wrote:Why can't we see the difference between 'I want this player to start because he's playing well and is experienced, get him in' and 'I want this guy to start because I have an agenda'.

My point exactly. I genuinely couldn't give a fiddlers who plays once we win. My gut tells me to start ROG against Russia (along with a large number of changes) and then Sexton against Italy.

The innuendo's in this show are awful!!

roddersm wrote: there's quite a few who are picking apart Sextons game for their own agenda

Is exactly what is to be expected at the end (or near end) of a long-established player's career (cf Wilko/Flood).

Just wait until BOD and POC have to go - where there is no realistic apparent replacement on the horizon...

Notch wrote:I'm not picking Sexton apart, I just think O'Gara has been playing well and deserves to be starting our next game!

Why can't we see the difference between 'I want this player to start because he's playing well and is experienced, get him in' and 'I want this guy to start because I have an agenda'.

I can. I don't think you have an agenda...I just think you are wrong

Unfortunately that is not the case with certain other people....

They are Prop! You know who plays Mr.Freeze though? Otto Feicing Preminger!!

The guy was an A-List director at this time! He helped define the (Hollywood) film noir genre in the 40s. That's like Quentin Tarantino guest starring in Doctor Who!

haha awesome!!

Afternoon,

I have to say I am always disappointed by the attitude of some fans of the other provinces to Ulster players.

Some seem to think they are doing Ulster a favour by allowing Ulstermen on their team. And there are more than a few who think the way Stag's grandad's neighbour does!

Very sad.

Its sad MrsP but I reckon there is just the same amount who trot out the lines about Declan Kidney picking all his old Munster favourites or how Leinster players are picked undeservedly etc.

Its not limited to Ulster at all.

Its similar to the Dublin politician who recently called for Amhran bna Fiann to be played at all Ireland games and Ireland's Call to be disregarded entirely.

I personally woulds have no problem with that, I feel more Irish than British anyway, but I feel I have to stick up for the minority of people in Ireland who would because the team belongs to them every bit as much.

Ireland Rugby has always been something that brings Unionist and Nationalist together but it seems some don't care for that- they should take a leaf out of Martin McGuinesses book! If Martin blydi McGuinness can say Unionists should be loved and cherished I think we can keep Ireland's Call

red_stag wrote:I have to say I think Ireland v Wales is emerging as a really big rivarly which is born out of the modern game not going back decades.

Gatlands "Wales hate the Irish more than any others" comment, the Grand Slam decider in 2009, the Mike Phillips ball incident, Celtic League rivarly and now a World Cup knockout game between them is really upping the ante and I love it.

Its nice to see a new rivalry emerge that doesn't have its heritage in the fact a country was invaded in the past

The Gatland quote is wrong, you headline reader

The three points you robbed off us in the last game too, don't forget.

I wanted a quarter v Australia to be honest, but I'll just be glad to get out of the group this time. At least against Aus we'll be underdogs, but Ireland will probably see us as pretty level pegging.

Anyway, back to work I go. Happy birthday Cymro.