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 pictures of Tommy Bowe, Ryan Jones, Dan Newton and birthday boy Prop above the bar.





Last Pub: https://www.606v2.com/t23758p1000-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub#970282

Rav, I can't understand why anyone would have that on them for an other reason than a malicious one. You only have a blade like that if you mean to something with it

Glas a du wrote:Also there is a story about social services telling a father he could not have access to his daughter whilst he had a machete. His response "well, it is an excellent tool, an excellent tool...I'll have to think about it".

If he can use it around the farm AND get rid of his teenage daughter, it's sort of like two birds with one stone right?

hughie1986 wrote:Rav, I can't understand why anyone would have that on them for an other reason than a malicious one. You only have a blade like that if you mean to something with it

What if you are Bear Mears?

Or a Mears Bar?

Anyhoo

Who else thinks W Gatland has a career in Politics ahead of him?

10 Downing Street, Warren Urquhart in a contemplative mood

Hmmmm. Time to put about a bit of stick I fear.

Press conference in front of 10 Downing Street

"Mr Urquhart, is the timing of this team announcement designed to place maximum pressure on the Opposition"

"You may think that...but I couldn't possibly comment..."

.

Happy Pancake Day to tossers everywhere....and anyone not making their own pancakes. I'm not cause I can't be arsed. I haven't bought any either.

Good Welsh side for Saturday...shame half of them will be off to France before long...OK, that's a slight exaggeration...but all this talk of a mass exodus from Welsh clubs makes pessimistic reading...

Hi Cari,

I'm more of a flipper so...

Pancakes made, cooked, served, cleaned up and now dinner on the go (late as everyone had the aforementioned crepe!)

Sure not everyone from there is headed to France.....

Don't remind me...speaking of Him...it's his birthday tomorrow...

Mam made me pancakes lunchtime and gave me a few extras for tea.

Back home from work and had two pancakes. Have a splitting headache this evening.

Tommy bowe has lost it, he's best off staying in Wales

Eh? Can you expand on that?

Nah, we'll nurse him back to form. Plus I think he'd be a better mentor for Gilroy than Trimble. Nothing against Trimble, just a different style of winger.

Ulster are a team on the way up Glas, bowe is on the way down. He will just be detrimental to ulsters progress

Notch wrote:Nah, we'll nurse him back to form. Plus I think he'd be a better mentor for Gilroy than Trimble. Nothing against Trimble, just a different style of winger.

No point spending two seasons nursing Bowe back to form notch. Have faith in your youngsters they have class and are the future

Yes, but with Danielli leaving we only have Andrew Trimble and Craig Gilroy as out and out wingers in the squad. We need to sign another winger, and he needs to be Irish qualified. And the IRFU will be paying Bowe's salary, it won't come out of our budget. And he wants to come back. Plus he remains a well-loved player amongst the fans and a marketable player that people will want to come and see play.

It just seems like a no-brainer to me. If we didn't need a winger anyway I might stop and think.

The Ospreys needed to get rid anyway.

Based on their budget, yep! They can't afford to pay him as much as they are if he isn't performing given he can't play for Wales.

But I think we are overstating his malaise. Right now he's playing in two teams that look pretty clueless in the backs. He doesn't look confident, but he hasn't played outside a decent centre partnership in a while. If Ulster can get a good backs coach sorted out for next season and we play well he'll probably look like twice the player already...

I get that, but are you saying Ulster have "a decent centre partnership"?

For someone who's "on the way down" - Tommy's doing very well with Ireland - and he hasn't done too badly at the O's individually considering the state of things in Ospreylia. Time will tell if the move does him good, and I hope it does.

Cari

I expect a Mrs P style defence.

Glas a du wrote:I get that, but are you saying Ulster have "a decent centre partnership"?

Well, it's no better in terms of personnel than Ireland or the Os but if he's playing outside Wallace and Cave, they know what they are doing and can create space and bring guys in. I'm not saying they are much better than the guys Bowe has been playing with but the centres for his nation and province play with an air of confusion and hesitancy regardless of their talent

I can't help feeling there's an emotional element to his decision.

Big rumours that Munster's head coach Tony McGahan will resign in the morning.

In order to take the Ireland job?

Actually Glas he is off to work with the Aussie national team apparently as their defence coach.

So they will have:

Robbie Deans - Head Coach
Jim Williams - Forwards Coach (former Munster forwards coach)
Tony McGahan - Defence Coach (former Munster defence and later head coach)

Deccie rides back on the back of a white charger in April, Foley takes care in the meantime.

I think that he'd leave at end of season. Anthony Foley and Eddie O'Sullivan are the likely contenders to get the job I would say.

EOS! That'd make Deccie's job hell!

Glas a du wrote:I can't help feeling there's an emotional element to his decision.

Would it not be very strange if there wasn't?

Does anyone change jobs without considering their happiness?

Easy Tiger!

Glas I think EOS would be very bad for Foleys development as a coach though it would be great for our talented but badly coached backs.

All about weighing up options

Oh and.Michael Bradley Id like most of all but not sure he'd do U Turn so soon after joining.Edinburgh.

I think Lyn Jones is a highly under rated coach.

Glas a du wrote:I can't help feeling there's an emotional element to his decision.

Probably. Same thing with Stephen Jones and the Scarlets though, and O'Driscoll deciding to stay with Leinster. Sport would be alot the poorer without that.

He is. It would be a big big gamble on Munsters part though. He wasn't been coaching in the top flight since being sacked.from Ospreys.

Notch wrote:

Glas a du wrote:I can't help feeling there's an emotional element to his decision.

Probably. Same thing with Stephen Jones and the Scarlets though, and O'Driscoll deciding to stay with Leinster. Sport would be alot the poorer without that.

Easy Tigger!

"Right now he's playing in two teams that look pretty clueless in the backs."

Notch - I'm not sure how many times Bowe has played for the Os this season, but they are 2nd in the league. Beck, for one, looks far from clueless, For Ireland they did not look clueless in the backs against Wales; you have to give some credit to Wales' defence at times in that game.

Irish Examiner.newspaper said they will have exclusive on the McGahan story tomorrow. They also said certain Munste players will be changing their future plans (whatever that means) as a result

Well thats it exactly Harrow. They have some individuals that have shone but are collectively underperforming.

McGahan to Ulster

EDIT; Looks like the Irish Examiners exclusive has been gazumped.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/rabodirectpro12/2012/0221/mcgahant_munster.html

Rte are just reporting what others are saying on twitter i understand there will be interview in paper tomorrow

O'Sullivan and Munster. Not so sure that would be a nice teaparty.

I think a man who constantly drags blood out of lesser players, or at least players that keep changing on him!!!, and coaches a nice brand of rugby that might not be too successful where he is at the moment but with a powerful side like Munster might thrive - Elwood. I think he deserves a shot at coaching a side considerably more resourced than Connacht.

O'Sullivan then could move into Connacht and let's see what he can do with them.

Article for the McGahan Munster discussion - https://www.606v2.com/t24381-tony-mcgahan-to-leave-munster

red_stag wrote:Irish Examiner.newspaper said they will have exclusive on the McGahan story tomorrow. They also said certain Munste players will be changing their future plans (whatever that means) as a result

Maybe TOL will stay in Limerick.

I bloody hope not though that actually makes sense.

Don't know if this is old news but TRP reckon Perpignan are close to signing Mafi, and also have T. O'Leary in their sights.

Hound it is being reported in Ireland as well. I'd imagine Mafi will have to leave as we have signed Casey Laulala and also James Downey. But O'Leary is still very much unconfirmed.

A few days ago it seemed like Perpignan just about had him, certainly Canal+ was confident enough to go so far as to announce the signing on air (later contradicted by his agent) but maybe Rava is right and he'll do about face.

In short, I know feic all but am good at phrasing it in a way that makes it seem like I know more than I'm letting on