Leinster vs Ospreys match thread

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

First topic message reminder :

Hey all,

Thanks god club rugby is back (from an Irish perspective!) needed this.

Seems to be a lot happening Leinster's side of things, with BOD looking like he will come back into the team and the same being said for Cullen. Huge experience re-entering the team after youth has been keeping us more than just a float for a number of months. Very healthy to see. It will interesting to see where they slot in and (if they are on the bench as I imagine they will) who they will be paired with.

Thorn also looks set to make his Leinster debut giving the 3 players mentioned a run up of this game and the Munster derby in Thomond to the HCup 1/4 final.

From an Ospreys side of things, munster losing to Aironi a week back has given them a huge lifeline and they now have a chance to fight for 2nd place and a home semifinal which would prove invaluable I am sure. Bowe has decided he is leaving and there does seem to be an exodus of sorts coming from the Wlesh clubs who together have created a fantastic Grand slam winning team? Will anyone come back from that squad and play a part on Friday.

What are your score perdictions?
What team would you like to see?
If Ospreys were to win how big an impact could it have on the top 3?
Where can either team win it?

LEINSTER:

15: Isa Nacewa
14: David Kearney
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Fergus McFadden
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Ian Madigan
9: Isaac Boss

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Nathan White
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Brad Thorn
6: Rhys Ruddock
7: Dominic Ryan
8: Leo Auva'a

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Sean Cronin
17: Jack McGrath
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Damian Browne
20: Kevin McLaughlin
21: John Cooney
22: Eoin O'Malley
23: Fionn Carr

OSPREYS:

15: Richard Fussell
14: Hanno Dirksen
13: Andrew Bishop
12: Ashley Beck
11: Eli Walker
10: Dan Biggar
9: Kahn Fotuali'i

1: Paul James
2: Richard Hibbard
3: Aaron Jarvis
4: Ryan Jones
5: Alun Wyn Jones CAPTAIN
6: Tom Smith
7: Justin Tipuric
8: George Stowers

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Scott Baldwin
17: Ryan Bevington
18: Adam Jones
19: Ian Evans
20: James King
21: Rhys Webb
22: Matthew Morgan
23: Tom Isaacs

As an aside: I have 1 southstand ticket to the game for sale. €22. PM if you're interested.

[hugo124]

people are mixing up the idea of a specialist 7, and a world class 7. ireland's stats at the breakdown have been well above average over the past year. of course having a world class 7 will help you win, but you have to be lucky enough to have one. same as any other position! its not as simple as knowing your 7 needs to improve. sob has played 7 for leinster more times than 6. he is by definition a specialist 7. we cannot ask for any more than that

[Rory_Gallagher]

I dont know Jen, i just do and feel that he could be a very good player there. Just my thoughts though

If we had David Pocock waiting for a start....maybe I would try him there. But we just don't. POM may become a 7 but at the moment he is a guy who can play across the back row who's worst position is 8. Just like Seanie.

Have to say, so far the best game I have seen POM play is at 8, and I think 8 is his best position. He would need to bulk up though.

[Jenifer McLadyboy]

Jennings? He is a 'Natural 7' but i feel that SOB and POM are better options as 7 than Jennings.

In that order too. Although I have not seen enough of POM to assure me that he is a better 7 than Jeno.

[Jenifer McLadyboy]

I dont know Jen, i just do and feel that he could be a very good player there. Just my thoughts though

If we had David Pocock waiting for a start....maybe I would try him there. But we just don't. POM may become a 7 but at the moment he is a guy who can play across the back row who's worst position is 8. Just like Seanie.

Have to say, so far the best game I have seen POM play is at 8, and I think 8 is his best position. He would need to bulk up though.

How come no one is insisting that Heaslip should be dropped for POM at 8 then?

[eirebilly]

Yes Jen, in that order

POM is ahed of Jennings i feel. Not a huge fan of Jennings if i am totally honest.

[Rory_Gallagher]

Right people, what even is a natural 7? Please describe what you think a natural 7 looks like on the field.

[eirebilly]

Right people, what even is a natural 7? Please describe what you think a natural 7 looks like on the field.

I will let Jen answer that

[Jenifer McLadyboy]

Yes Jen, in that order

POM is ahed of Jennings i feel. Not a huge fan of Jennings if i am totally honest.

I think most Munster fans feel the same way about Jeno as most Leinster fans do about Leamy. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Jeno has never shone at international level the way Leamy did (briefly) whether that is because he never got a run or because he was never good enough at intl level we will never know at this stage.

[Jenifer McLadyboy]

Right people, what even is a natural 7? Please describe what you think a natural 7 looks like on the field.

I will let Jen answer that

Big biceps. Blond hair and answers to the name Dave.

[eirebilly]

To be honest Jen, i dont think that Leamy ever really shone at international level either, bar a few games.

I will say this, Munster or Leinster dont come into my mind when thinking about Ireland.

[hugo124]

natural 7 is a scapegoat for fans, used in order to avoid admitting that we aren't as good at certain elements of the game as other teams

[Gibson]

Its simple. He must be an out-and-out, down and durty - scavenger. Fastest to the breakdown to secure the ball for his team, be a complete all-round cheatin phhoker and a great link man going forward.

[hugo124]

in short a natural 7 is the ultimate rugby player, and slowly becoming an urban legend

[Rory_Gallagher]

Its simple. He must be an out-and-out, down and durty - scavenger. Fastest to the breakdown to secure the ball for his team, be a complete all-round cheatin phhoker and a great link man going forward.

Okay, and do you expect the "natural" 7 to be at every breakdown first? Or every breakdown in general. Is it a failing on his part if the team are consistently turned over, even if he is not involved in the breakdown in question? That is what is happening with SOB.

[Rory_Gallagher]

Great link-man - describes MANY back rowers who do not play 7. Describes the entire NZ team 1-15. And France (when they are actually good). Also describes SOB pretty well, I think he is best taking the ball at pace rather than making the hard yards.

[Gibson]

in short a natural 7 is the ultimate rugby player, and slowly becoming an urban legend

Dunno Hugo. In the NH - I think Wales have it right. Scotland have too.

NZ with McCaw and Oz with Pollock?

It has been an Irish urban legend since Keith Gleeson. Thats true.

[SecretFly]

natural 7 is a scapegoat for fans, used in order to avoid admitting that we aren't as good at certain elements of the game as other teams

Neither are Aussies, neither are All Blacks. All sides have weaknesses to be exploited either in their individual make-up or in their overall philosophy of how to play the game. Now, some might be better at disguising their weak points than others, some might have less obvious weak points to begin with, but I doubt there is an Irishman alive who thinks Ireland are a complete side.

Unfortunately we still have to try to unearth a side that can give us best return for our dollar - I say that's a mix of new players and a radical overhaul of all aspects of coaching - from diet, to weights, to skills, to drills, to sprint work, to scrum, to forwards, to backs, to punishing adherance to resolute gameplans more than fancy William Wallace pre-game speeches. We have fallen off the radar when it comes to preparing International sides for combat.

[Jenifer McLadyboy]

To be honest Jen, i dont think that Leamy ever really shone at international level either, bar a few games.

I will say this, Munster or Leinster dont come into my mind when thinking about Ireland.

I would try to be the same. But you always know more about your provinces players that other ones. The Emergence of POM for example. If he was a Leinster player I would have seen every minute of every game he has played, possibly seen him in "A" games etc. Watched him come through the academy.

Fact is I haven't. Maybe if I had I would think he was a better 7 than Jeno. Or that we should drop Heaslip to include him.

He surely has the potential to be a great player, but whether that is at 6, 7 or 8 depends more on Ireland's need than his ability.

[hugo124]

true secretfly, what i am getting at is that some suggest that it is a selection error at 7 that is causing us problems, when really i believe it is that we simply aren't as skillfull as other teams in the position. it cannot be fixed by picking someone else, and searching for this "natural 7". i amn't suggesting people here believe it, but the way it comes across in the media is that once we select the right man at 7, all our troubles will be gone. trouble is, at the moment that man dusnt exist within our immediate grasp

[Gibson]

natural 7 is a scapegoat for fans, used in order to avoid admitting that we aren't as good at certain elements of the game as other teams

Neither are Aussies, neither are All Blacks. All sides have weaknesses to be exploited either in their individual make-up or in their overall philosophy of how to play the game. Now, some might be better at disguising their weak points than others, some might have less obvious weak points to begin with, but I doubt there is an Irishman alive who thinks Ireland are a complete side.

Unfortunately we still have to try to unearth a side that can give us best return for our dollar - I say that's a mix of new players and a radical overhaul of all aspects of coaching - from diet, to weights, to skills, to drills, to sprint work, to scrum, to forwards, to backs, to punishing adherance to resolute gameplans more than fancy William Wallace pre-game speeches. We have fallen off the radar when it comes to preparing International sides for combat.

Sure seems that way. And its not getting any better under this head coach. The NZ Tour will tell us a lot more. His last chance to redeem himself. If he brings either Darcy, DOC or Leamy - we will know the answer.

We are going to lose all 3 Tests anyway. Lets not kid ourselves here, post the England debacle in the 6-N. So bring 5 or 6 talented players in from the cold and give em some top level experience. We'll soon find out if they have the right stuff.

[Notch]

in short a natural 7 is the ultimate rugby player, and slowly becoming an urban legend

Dunno Hugo. In the NH - I think Wales have it right. Scotland have too.

NZ with McCaw and Oz with Pollock?

It has been an Irish urban legend since Keith Gleeson. Thats true.

If we had Warburton, a load of people would have been saying he wasn't a natural 7 at the start of his career. His breakdown skills have improved greatly since then. He's a player who has been moulded into an excellent 7. Peter O'Mahony can be similar. When he came on at 7 against Scotland we saw a player who was tough, aggressive, loves tackling and has an eye for a turnover. There's your Irish 7 for the next number of years, just give him a chance to grow into the role. He will become a great 7 if we choose to play him there.

[geoff999rugby]

Above all else a 7 has to be a scavanger. Of course he will not get to every breakdown first but he should get to a fair few first.

Being able to be a good link man as well is a bonus.
We dont have anyone like that and we suffer for it.

This has been hidden because the likes of Best, Ferris, Wallace, BOD do much of the same work. Without the last two this is starting to be highlighted.

So what do we do ....I say play the player who is most likelty to develop into the best scavanger and thats isnt SOB. I am convinced it should be 2 from Ferris, SOB and Heaslip. I agree with Notch POM, at the moment, is the best bet as a player who could adapt. Henry has done a good job adapting at Ulster but is just short of international class

Someone mentioned SOB was a specialst 7 - he started 4 games at 7 for Leinster prior to the 6N - hardly the return of a specialist.

I go back to my comment earlier - some players are suffering because they are playing in a number of different position for their province. We do not want a bunch of players who are jack of all trades but master of none.

[Gibson]

I like O Mahony's attitude. Great worker and fears no one. Even looks like a 7. Gnarly feicer. Watched Dom Ryan at 7 the other night. Also looks like a 6.5. He has a way to go yet, to replace Jenno, but I hope he does, on merit - sooner rather than later.

And if SOB can dedicate himself to it, is given the time and improves at it... grand.

Also, Ireland need fixes all over the field. A natural/trained 7 is only one of many. A backs coach would help. So would a tighthead or 2. And a couple of international-class locks coming through. And some geezer with a game plan, to enhance our strengths and to negate our weaknesses. Make us believe we are winners. Expect to win every game we play. Maybe we expect too much?

[Gibson]

Its simple. He must be an out-and-out, down and durty - scavenger. Fastest to the breakdown to secure the ball for his team, be a complete all-round cheatin phhoker and a great link man going forward.

Okay, and do you expect the "natural" 7 to be at every breakdown first? Or every breakdown in general. Is it a failing on his part if the team are consistently turned over, even if he is not involved in the breakdown in question? That is what is happening with SOB.

YES. He should strive to be. Cant always be, but needs to be a great reader of the game to do so - as much as is possible.

[Gibson]

Stand, so true on BOD. He made up for the lack of a WC openside. Has done for years. It was badly exposed. Same with POC at the lineout, in the loose and in getting the pack going. Not half the team without either of em. Big concern.

Add a lack of Leaders to the list. Best & Kearney stand out. We need more of em.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

agree that pom is not the answer at 7, dom ryan looks the best bet for the future. heaslip would still be my lions pick at 8 , faletau a close second. agree that sob is harshly criticized , when in fact it should be the team strategy that is being called into question, not his abilities.

Hugo I think you just struck gold.

Personally I think SOB is a good 7. The only issue is the rest of the team don't carry their weight.

I see attacking rugby as very much a cycle

quick ball = unset defence = a good carry from the attacker = supporters running forward to clear the ruck = quick ball

and the cycle continues.

SOB and the whole Irish backrow and Best were asked to do too many jobs in a way. they were the ones who had to get over the advantage line, seal the ball off and do it again then if there was a turnover get out into our midfield to make tackles on big men then get up and compete for the ball or make more tackles.

If we had backs getting over the advantage line our backrow would be SEEN to be more effective. If our tight 5 were a bit more mobile maybe our backrow could take on more carrying and in wider channels.

To summarise I felt our backrow were wrongly criticised in the 6N, we didn't have a natural 7 but I don't think it mattered (look at Leinster) we just stretched our backrow to thin and the rest of our team weren't physically strong enough or fast enough to assist them as much as was needed.

[SecretFly]

Poor Ospreys. Come on thinking they might get a little banter going on their win and they end up tiptoeing backwards out the same door they came in...................... "Blimey, almost got caught up in the middle of one of them notorious What we gonna do????? Irish International threads!!!"

[SecretFly]

If we had backs getting over the advantage line our backrow would be SEEN to be more effective. If our tight 5 were a bit more mobile maybe our backrow could take on more carrying and in wider channels.

It's amazing how some of our attitudes collide so effortlessly. I was just about to post a comment when I read that and it seemed to say all I wanted to say in far less words!

But here it is anyway, a repeat of sorts of what Pete does be sayin'

Warburton can look so good at what he does because he has the players and, more importantly, the active gameplan ready to exploit his efforts. Therefore, you get the cinematic beauty of Warburton turning over, shipping it out at speed to the cheetahs on the edges so that the turnover reaps rewards...and away they go to either create a try from nothing or at the very least make 20 or 30 metres of sizzling ground. And the audience gasps, and Caesar Warburton gets his heroic close up and the adrenalin shot he needs for his next steal.

Ireland suffer in all aspects because there is nothing like that cohesive viciousness about our side. There is no design on what to do when we steal ball. Or rather the plan is often to do a little curl and run straight back into the crunch you've just emerged from. No impetus, dead energy recycled and no adrenalin to help you along doing it.
It's not really about 7s or lack of them - it's about the breakdown in unity between the diparate parts of our game. No plan to punch adrenalin into the mix. Adrenalin is such an important factor. It constantly creates the energy and the guile to take you on to the next breakdown and grab the opportunities you get. But defending and caution doesn't produce it.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

natural 7 is a scapegoat for fans, used in order to avoid admitting that we aren't as good at certain elements of the game as other teams

+1

[Rory_Gallagher]

Its simple. He must be an out-and-out, down and durty - scavenger. Fastest to the breakdown to secure the ball for his team, be a complete all-round cheatin phhoker and a great link man going forward.

Okay, and do you expect the "natural" 7 to be at every breakdown first? Or every breakdown in general. Is it a failing on his part if the team are consistently turned over, even if he is not involved in the breakdown in question? That is what is happening with SOB.

YES. He should strive to be. Cant always be, but needs to be a great reader of the game to do so - as much as is possible.

]

Honestly, the only player who does that nowadays is Pocock. And that is more to do with how bad the Australian pack are. Otherwise Pocock wouldn't have to do so much ground work, and could work on other aspects of his game. All other "natural" 7s are much more balanced and the role at the breakdown is shared amongst other players as it should be.

[Gibson]

Nah, McCaw does it too. The Master. Reads the game like a book and a spilt second before the rest. Warburton is nicely working towards it.

We just dont agree on this. And, Im not saying a more balanced backrow is the answer to all our ills. But, its a big one of a few. SOB, is not the long-term answer. IMHO.

[Rory_Gallagher]

McCaw is indeed the master, but not because he is at every breakdown like Pocock. He knows when to steal and when not to, and there are many great elements to his game. The entire NZ team make it possible for McCaw to do a bit of roaming, instead of having to be involved in every ruck. And no I agree with you there Gibson, there needs to be balance in the back row. The problem is the lack of a game-plan and at number 8 right now. In my opinion at least.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

Sure remember Bowe's chip over Poitrenaud and try in the French game?

That came from a SOB turnover on the left hand side of the pitch.

Lads to be honest, I think our backrow was one of the only good parts of our team, they were holding up the rest of them (to an extent). They were doing far too many tasks that they couldn't delegate between just 3 (and a select few others).

Our less than mobile locks (before Ryan came in) and our blunt midfield really hamstrung us as a team and our backrow are being blamed unfairly IMO.

[Gibson]

Sure remember Bowe's chip over Poitrenaud and try in the French game?

That came from a SOB turnover on the left hand side of the pitch.

Lads to be honest, I think our backrow was one of the only good parts of our team, they were holding up the rest of them (to an extent). They were doing far too many tasks that they couldn't delegate between just 3 (and a select few others).

Our less than mobile locks (before Ryan came in) and our blunt midfield really hamstrung us as a team and our backrow are being blamed unfairly IMO.

Also true.

[eirebilly]

Bang on pete. The locks and midfield really were the weakest link for Ireland in the 6N. Those are areas that needed to be adressed before the 6N but now they seriously need to be adressed.

[gowales]

I think people are missing the point.
There is no balance in the Irish backrow. O'Brien is not a scavenging 7 and that isn't one his strengths, although as some have said he has been doing a good job judging by the stats. But as a coach you pick players for what they are good at. SOB's is running and breaking tackles, he needs to get back to doing that! Being stuck at the bottom of a ruck and making tackles on the back foot, you're not going to get the best out of SOB. Leave that to the David Pocock's and McCaw's of this world who are world class at those things.

[Mickado]

Go, so if O’Brien isn’t doing that then who will?

I think people are only now starting to realize how good O’Driscoll has made the Irish backrow look.

[Rava]

Go, so if O’Brien isn’t doing that then who will?

I think people are only now starting to realize how good O’Driscoll has made the Irish backrow look.

And Leinster's Mick. It never was Jennings, was it?

[Mickado]

Jennings is the oil in the gears of the Leinster breakdown. O’Driscoll is more like the clutch.

[geoff998rugby]

Of course 2nd row and midfield are problems but that doesn't negate the fact our backrow is unbalanced as well.

[Gibson]

I think people are missing the point.
There is no balance in the Irish backrow. O'Brien is not a scavenging 7 and that isn't one his strengths, although as some have said he has been doing a good job judging by the stats. But as a coach you pick players for what they are good at. SOB's is running and breaking tackles, he needs to get back to doing that! Being stuck at the bottom of a ruck and making tackles on the back foot, you're not going to get the best out of SOB. Leave that to the David Pocock's and McCaw's of this world who are world class at those things.

Go,
Spot on. But its pointless man. Like Kidney - some cant see it.
And, as Mickado says, we dont have one yet. We had, but we never used him and now he is past his best internationally, imo. I pray one comes through, in POM or Dom Ryan.
And we get a coach in, one who concurs with the best coaches on the Planet, as to what a balanced backrow actually is.

[Gibson]

Jennings is the oil in the gears of the Leinster breakdown. O’Driscoll is more like the clutch.

Sheer poetic Truth, roysh.

[Gibson]

Go, so if O’Brien isn’t doing that then who will?

I think people are only now starting to realize how good O’Driscoll has made the Irish backrow look.

And Leinsters. More of that Truth, Ted. And now, after years - he has had a good rest, has full vision and a painless shoulder... Man.

Still want Mcfadden to play alongside him on the run-in and next season. The year or two he has left, must be utilised to the max. O Malley can learn so much from him.

[BlueMuff]

Jennings is the oil in the gears of the Leinster breakdown. O’Driscoll is more like the clutch.

Sheer poetic Truth, roysh.

And James Coughlan is the equivalent of putting diesel in the Leinster petrol skoda

[SecretFly]

I think people are missing the point.
There is no balance in the Irish backrow. O'Brien is not a scavenging 7 and that isn't one his strengths, although as some have said he has been doing a good job judging by the stats. But as a coach you pick players for what they are good at. SOB's is running and breaking tackles, he needs to get back to doing that! Being stuck at the bottom of a ruck and making tackles on the back foot, you're not going to get the best out of SOB. Leave that to the David Pocock's and McCaw's of this world who are world class at those things.

We get frustrated by the lack of the latter (bold print).... but the stats do support the idea that SOB is not the worst at the old mole work tight in. I personally think he is being underused but Kidney will say he's getting productivity out of him...and Kidney is nothing is not pragmatic.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

Ireland's backrow isn't completely balanced this is true but it is a very good backrow, the BALANCE OF THE TEAM is the thing that makes us say our backrow isn't balanced.

Our backrow can't play independently because they have to cover so many other roles. I really think it is grossly unfair to criticise them the way we are.

SOB said himself that he can't keep running at lads the way he has because he is being double marked in a lot of instances. He needed to develop his game further and he has and he has has been doing it very well. I wish there was a camera that followed him around the pitch that all of us on this thread now could watch because his work rate and effectiveness are fantastic.

He is not complete and not even close, he does give away too many penalties, he is less involved in the right sort of (effective) attack and he isn't the best at speeding up our own ball but then again I go back to that cyclic feature.

quick ball = unset defence = good yardage made in carry = supporting ruckers able to run onto the ruck = quick ball

He and Ferris and Heaslip and POM need the rest of the team helping them.

Look at France or Scotlands formation there. They have guys like Rougerie, Morrisson, Gray, Hamilton, Maestri, Malzieu and co who are able to get beyond the advantage line and generate quick go forward ball. We have Healy outside of our backrow who is good at this.

This leaves their backrows to get to the breakdown first and supply quick ball. The backrow in general are the quickest of the pack so this is a huge advantage. They also have guys to get to the ball quickly if their backrow carry and who can get there first to protect the ball.

Example:

Morrison takes the ball up and can make positive yards due to his strength. He allows Denton/Rennie/Barclay (a quick backrow) to get to the ball before a slower forward. It plays in reverse too, you could have Denton take it up and he'd make good yards but Gray has the mobility to get to the ruck nearly as quickly as a backrow player.

In contrast to this Ireland.
Darcy is not going to make positive yards in contact that often neither is Earls meaning our backrow has to loop around and is not running on to the ruck. The size of our midfield also means that we can't attack where there are a lot of bigger defenders so we have to attack wider (where there are less defenders to use our pace) but it means our backrow have to run further and our other backs could be up against guys much bigger than them (eg: Rougerie, North, Tuilagi) in the ruck.

In reverse, it works poorly too. If SOB takes the ball on, we can't rely on POC or Ross or DOC getting to that breakdown quick enough to secure the ball. You may need more than one player at the breakdown (you generally do) so that leaves us with the rest of our backrow, healy and Best. We don't have the pack mobility needed to get there if we rely heavily on our backrow to carry for us.

In summary:
Our backrow have to be balanced enough to do the carrying and rucking. They can not be at every ruck. They can not carry every pass from 9 or 10.
The rest of the team needs to take some of the responsibility. We are expecting our backrow to do too much.

What we need is a physical presence in midfield to create go forward ball and a mobile lock (Ryan is perfect) who can deal with the game if it is sped up.

This is a selection mistake by Kidney. There is more wrong with this team, not getting motivated enough, game plan missing, players on different wavelenghts, there are a few more.

But we can not expect our backrow to do everything for us

[Rava]

Jennings is the oil in the gears of the Leinster breakdown. O’Driscoll is more like the clutch.

Sheer poetic Truth, roysh.

And James Coughlan is the equivalent of putting diesel in the Leinster petrol skoda

[Rory_Gallagher]

"I think people are only now starting to realize how good O’Driscoll has made the Irish backrow look."

I'm glad this has been brought up. So that goes to show that a 13, not a 7, is able to be there at the right time and make a difference. He is hardly at every ruck though. He just is great when he has to be there. Breakdown skills should be a necessity for every player on the pitch. SOB can still do his barging runs at 7, if the breakdown duties are shared amongst the team. Personally I would rather have an entire team who can compete and secure breakdown ball, than one player who is very good at it.

[SecretFly]

Multi-skilled players? It'll never catch on

Afterall, according to some purists, a 7 knows what he wants to be before he's born. He hears Mozart in the womb...and dreams 7.

[eirebilly]

"I think people are only now starting to realize how good O’Driscoll has made the Irish backrow look."

I'm glad this has been brought up. So that goes to show that a 13, not a 7, is able to be there at the right time and make a difference. He is hardly at every ruck though. He just is great when he has to be there. Breakdown skills should be a necessity for every player on the pitch. SOB can still do his barging runs at 7, if the breakdown duties are shared amongst the team. Personally I would rather have an entire team who can compete and secure breakdown ball, than one player who is very good at it.

Nah you're wrong Rory. Ireland need a 'Natural 7'

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