Really Enjoyable Match

First topic message reminder :

Hi all, have to say that Ireland v Wales match today rekindled my interest in the 6 Nations after many many years of being indifferent to it.

The most enjoyable international match I've been to in a LONG time.

I loved that the most important thing was what happened at the 80 minute mark not testing combinations for a game a few months away or anything. It was a win at all costs match and I loved it for that.

I loved that with 5 minutes to go and Bradley Davies in the sin bin the Welsh were shaking my hand saying Ireland would probably get the win and were gracious winners when they snatched it.

I loved above all else that we were watching a modern rugby rivarly at its peak. This isn't the usual "everyone has a rivarly with England as 800 years ago they took our land". This was a sporting rivarly that has been bubbling since 2005 and has now reached boiling point. Wales and Ireland are so intertwined and this has been the latest in their on going saga.

Long may it continue. I was really disinterested in the 6 Nations for a long long time. Looking forward to next weekend already.

That´s an interesting point you raise Stag. You would hope that the national jersey encourages the same level of intensity as the way they play in their provincial colours. It´d be intolerable for someone down south to put their provincial or Super 15 team ahead of their national team.

I do understand the frustration of Ireland´s inability to repeat their Heineken Cup success on the international stage. To an extent, a similar frustration exists in football. For example. Messi and Barcelona and Messi and Argentina are not the same player. Is this the corruptible influence of club rugby? Is it lack of preparation or time together as a national team? I don't know the answer but if for example Ireland won in NZ and Munster beat NZ, I´d hope that both were celebrated but the former received more attention.

Just seen this thread.

Got back from Dublin today and I had an amazing time.The match was a complete and utter highlight. Easily one of the best internationals I've ever been too.

The Irish fans were all brilliant, and I was lucky enough to be sat near a lot of Welsh fans too so there was plenty of singing to be had.

Just a really high intensity, really competitive test match. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I know there have been negatives taken from this game but I don't think we should forget also just what a brilliant contest it was from two fiercly competitive teams.

Wales v Ireland test matches I think have now become my favourite (ha but then I would say that going off the back of the last 3 results )

This was easily the best match of the weekend, and I hope there are more matches in this years 6N's that are just as exciting!

Just proves it's about competition rather than quality. Lot's of poor rucking (let go by ref), lot's of aimless kicking and poor tackling.

I agree with the Irish posters in saying that Wales and Ireland are starting to develop their own rivalry, traditionally the Celts tend to gang up on England, but now with us going head to head a lot on a week to week basis were finding rivalries starting to develop.

It's pretty clear that for Welsh or Irish teams to be successful the other nations teams cant be, so hence the squabbling!

Our rugby is so close together at the moment its great.

AlynDavies wrote:I agree with the Irish posters in saying that Wales and Ireland are starting to develop their own rivalry, traditionally the Celts tend to gang up on England, but now with us going head to head a lot on a week to week basis were finding rivalries starting to develop.

It's pretty clear that for Welsh or Irish teams to be successful the other nations teams cant be, so hence the squabbling!

Our rugby is so close together at the moment its great.

Thank god. Can you guys stop playing your best against us now you don't hate us the most?
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Actually I just thought that through. If your biggest rivalry is with each other we can't use that excuse anymore. We can't have that. What can we do to urine you off again? Other than invade, I doubt we'll have the support for that.

EDIT: IDEA, elect HERSH as PM

AlynDavies wrote:I agree with the Irish posters in saying that Wales and Ireland are starting to develop their own rivalry, traditionally the Celts tend to gang up on England, but now with us going head to head a lot on a week to week basis were finding rivalries starting to develop.

It's pretty clear that for Welsh or Irish teams to be successful the other nations teams cant be, so hence the squabbling!

Our rugby is so close together at the moment its great.

I hope the rivalry pushes our quality on even more. The Pro12 has it's knockers (mostly from those who begin to envy it a little after all the years of raised eyebrow sneers) but it is seeding some very exciting rugby and is slowly (slower here than in Wales!) feeding young very talented players into International competition.

HammerofThunor wrote:Thank god. Can you guys stop playing your best against us now you don't hate us the most?

I think you'll still find most of the Welsh fans in Cardiff on match day frothing at the mouth and baying for English blood.

It's always nice to beat Ireland and Scotland but the real competition is in the bar after the game. From what I've seen we tend to have a party with the Irish fans win or lose. It's not a national disaster to lose to Ireland, but it is to England.

HammerofThunor wrote:Just proves it's about competition rather than quality. Lot's of poor rucking (let go by ref), lot's of aimless kicking and poor tackling.

The aimless kicking I agree with, there was a 15 min spell in the 2nd half of it that was sooo frustrating. A lof of slow downed ball but it was still a match that included 5 tries, so it didn't affect it too much. And poor tackling? I thought Wales for the most part defended very, very well, very few missed tackles that I can recall, Ireland were a bit more under pressure there, with McFadden and Bowe unable to cope with North, but I though that added to the excitement.

It was easily the best quality match of the weekend.

AlynDavies wrote:

HammerofThunor wrote:Thank god. Can you guys stop playing your best against us now you don't hate us the most?

I think you'll still find most of the Welsh fans in Cardiff on match day frothing at the mouth and baying for English blood.

It's always nice to beat Ireland and Scotland but the real competition is in the bar after the game. From what I've seen we tend to have a party with the Irish fans win or lose. It's not a national disaster to lose to Ireland, but it is to England.

Thank goodness for that. Cheers

Dreamer, tackling was referring to Ireland rather than Wales.

If two perfect teams played flawlessly against each other it would probably be the most boring game ever. No-one would lose the ball at the set piece or ruck. No-one would breach the game line or be knocked back. No missed tackles, no overlaps, no penalties or free-kicks. Much like beauty it's the imperfection that give it character and make us interested.

EDIT: just released the ref could mess it up so they'd have to have a flawless game as well