The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub, Cross Keys

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 pub has ventured to Cross Keys, as their team is in the British and Irish Cup Final.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no defacing the pictures of Richie McCaw, George Smith, Robert Nash,Billy Holland, John Muller, Greg Laidlaw, Aurelien Rougerie, Leo Cullen, Rhys Thomas and Iestyn Thomas.



Old Pub: https://www.606v2.com/t28083p1000-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub-edinburgh#1168404

red_stag wrote:Its how they say it in Munster too.

Really?



No, we are definately poking fun at ourselves.

Though I think the fantastic show of "flegs" at Thomond had us very jealous and possibly encouraged UR to organise a similar thing for us!

The best shirt i saw all weekend was the

Lienster fan for life
Ulster fan for a day

That was a cracker of a shirt.

I am really happy for both Leinster and Ulster. Totally neutral in this but i do want to see Ulster lift the cup. Sorry Gibbo

You mean Mickados? He posted it up in facebook didn't he?

I agree he outdone himself.

Thats the one Notch, absolute class that

You know he has promised to wear it to Twickenham, don't you?

Yeah thats going to happen MrsP

It was brilliant. Reading this makes you see how far Ulster have come in such a short space of time;

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0430/1224315361184.html

In 2008 when I arrived at Ulster, the situation was as bad as could be imagined. There were physical fights between players. Some team members did not talk to each other. Ulster were last in the Magners League with the worst defensive record in the competition. Yet the resolve in team leaders like Rory Best, Paddy Wallace and Stephen Ferris was so strong that it was clear to me that Ulster becoming a major force in European rugby was only a few seasons away. Success was not going to be instant and the pathway was going to be long and rocky but it was going to happen.

In 2008 Ulster had been humbled.

An Ulster man humbled is an angry beast. Channel that anger, born of adversity, into positive energy and with the right rugby structures to nurture it, and success will surely follow. The humiliation of their predicament in 2008 was fuel to their fire and the beginnings of their rugby redemption.

Re. the bolded part, thank you very much Neil Best and acolytes- best thing Matt Williams did was cut that tumour out of Ulster Rugby.

But guys like Ferris, Best, Trimble, Paddy Wallace- they all had contract offers from other, much more successful teams sitting on their agents desks. They stayed because it's Ulster, it means more to them to play for Ulster and win for Ulster than another team.

And now they are, feic the begruders, I can't help but feel so, so pleased for those guys who were with the team at it's lowest point and just rolled up their sleeves and pulled us forward. David Humphreys as Director of Rugby very much included in that number.

So proud to be an Ulster fan, and as far as the final goes- well Munster like to say "To the brave and faithful nothing is impossible"

eirebilly wrote:
I am really happy for both Leinster and Ulster. Totally neutral in this but i do want to see Ulster lift the cup. Sorry Gibbo

Cracker! That would make a good T-Shirt for you and stag Billy!

Rava/MrsP -

I wasn't looking for sympathy back there; just expressing what this week is beginning to feel like after being very happy for many of the regs over the weekend.

One bad result and the club I love could disappear. If we don’t stay up the likely looking backer will probably pull out of the deal, and that’s Wasps done for. We would never recover.

Jeebus Notch, your starting to rant like a Munster fan

I thin everyone will have their fingers crossed for Wasps hound- not for the people who ran the club into the ground, but for the fans.

May have to get that shirt rodders

Notch wrote:I thin everyone will have their fingers crossed for Wasps hound- not for the people who ran the club into the ground, but for the fans.

+1

Notch wrote:I thin everyone will have their fingers crossed for Wasps hound- not for the people who ran the club into the ground, but for the fans.

+2

Wasps are a team that have tremendous supporters so i agree with Notch that is why we will all have our fingers crossed for them.

rodders wrote:

eirebilly wrote:
I am really happy for both Leinster and Ulster. Totally neutral in this but i do want to see Ulster lift the cup. Sorry Gibbo

Cracker! That would make a good T-Shirt for you and stag Billy!

It would be a great tshirt. Though technically I wont be taking sides.

Spoken like a true ref stag!

red_stag wrote:

It would be a great tshirt. Though technically I wont be taking sides.

Bollix, you will be cheering Ulster on like the rest of us

Technical schmechnical

rodders wrote:Spoken like a true ref stag!

Spoken like a true ref... but not an Irish ref, obviously.

Notch wrote:See, Irish brothers in arms.

I follow a few Munster fans on twitter and man- I've not seen so much jealousy and bitterness of a weekend! Why is it always the crepe fans who are most apparent on the internet? Everyone I met in Limerick was incredibly sporting and then you go online...

Red and white, white and red, same thing really

Brian McLoughlin - make him Ireland coach. Send him on the NZ tour as an observer then give him the job in time for the AI's. Deccie's had it.

Gordon D'Arcy has been given a new central contract by the IRFU

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/26404.php

His club form is good. I can only assume contract decisions are made independent of international form!

So he's the next coach!

To have some Welsh involvement in the final apart from Nigel and the Ospreys taught Cullen (if he survives the citing)...

https://www.606v2.com/t28436-erc-heineken-cup-final-thread-leinster-v-ulster#1175979

Appointing McLaughlin as ireland coach would be a mistake. He's going into the job which is perfect for him as of next season. No reason to promote him beyond what he is. He's a very astute rugby man, a great man for motivating players, making guys believe in themselves and fine-tuning player skills. But he's maybe just slightly behind the curve on tactics and devising patterns of play which can consistently unlock defences. I do believe a new coach will be able to bring Ulster forward even more next season.

However, he would be an outstanding addition to any new Ireland coaches backroom staff. Outstanding candidate to co-ordinate underage talent in Ireland, outstanding academy coach and a very good head coach at provincial level. Just not quite cut-out for the international job.

Notch wrote:Gordon D'Arcy has been given a new central contract by the IRFU

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/26404.php

His club form is good. I can only assume contract decisions are made independent of international form!

D'arcy is playing well but that descision shows everything that is wrong in Irish rugby and why we have hugely successful provinces and a shoite National side. No ambition, no vision, no direction.

Theres and elephant in the room and its called the IRFU.

Luckily for the fans, there's also an elephant gun. Make your voices heard.

Way to look to the future IRFU

Thats an apalling decision by the IRFU.

Dreamer, Stuart Gallagher is considering a change of name for the Scarlets - Ellicester, to cash in on the "L...I...STER" factor.

I would say there's a strong business descision behind it..I mean I presume D'arcy is one of the marketable players in terms of image rights?

The IRFU are really holding the national side back.

D'arcy is still a good player but how he can be deemed as one of the 20 or so key Irish players in beyond me.

Maybe he knows where the bodies are hidden?

We know how it works. When a player is on a central contract the pressure from the upper echelons of the IRFU is to start him. He'll get picked for the duration of his contract.

It's anti-meritocracy in many ways. I can't see the fortunes of our national side turning around. The IRFU blazers are holding us back. I'm just glad we have provincial rugby; I've never felt more distant from the national team.

For me, the process of disillusionment started when they began charging 100 euros for internationals. They lowered their prices when the stadium was half-empty but they never really got me back on board after that.

2 hours until I fly. Still haven't taken any of this in.

Munsty!



Stay safe my friend!

Stay in contact!

Enjoy every minute!

Munsty have a superb time. I think its something that will do wonders for you.

red_stag wrote:Munsty have a superb time. I think its something that will do wonders for you.

+1. Have a fantastic time mate.

Notch wrote:We know how it works. When a player is on a central contract the pressure from the upper echelons of the IRFU is to start him. He'll get picked for the duration of his contract.

It's anti-meritocracy in many ways.

It's anti-meritocracy in every way! Yeah I'm starting to get totally disillusioned with the National set up. I won't stop supporting Ireland but I've lost total faith in the system to put together a side capable of performing to our full potential.

Kiwi there was a guy beside me in the cinema who reminded me of you a lot the other night. He looked like you and had a Crusaders shirt on but spoke in an English accent. Just thought Id share.

Kiwi btw theres an moderator comment for you.

Glas a du wrote:Dreamer, Stuart Gallagher is considering a change of name for the Scarlets - Ellicester, to cash in on the "L...I...STER" factor.

You see, all that's done is to put red dwarf quotes in my head!

Munsty - have a brilliant time!

https://youtu.be/D9I1iZN2xQ4

Going by what Kiwi's just been saying about the breakdown, it was nice to see young Mr McCaw back yesterday. The commentators made a couple of comments about 'his' offside being different to everyone else's......

The Avengers was awesome, the Leisnter match was great. I had a very enjoyable weekend.

P.S I don't really care who wins the HC.....

Mrs Penfro wrote:Going by what Kiwi's just been saying about the breakdown, it was nice to see young Mr McCaw back yesterday. The commentators made a couple of comments about 'his' offside being different to everyone else's......

You'll note he got pinged for those too. He must have been a bit rusty.

Thomond wrote:The Avengers was awesome, the Leisnter match was great. I had a very enjoyable weekend.

P.S I don't really care who wins the HC.....

I'm going to count the number of Kiwis in each team, and cheer for whichever team has the most on the pitch at the time.

Some potential definitional issues coming up re Nacewa, Boss and Thorn

(ie any time they do something wrong they're Fijian, Irish and Australian respectively )

Hopefully off on a journey of a life time. See you around folks.

Phew, made it through to lunchtime; what a beetch of a morning. Thanks for all the 'crossed fingers'. Get this blwdi weekend over and I will enjoy the HC final with you on 19th May.



Noe, what sort of t-shirt will top Mickado's

Hound, where are you lot all meeting up before hand.

Enjoy, Munsty - and stay safe.

Have a great time Munsty

Stag - we are meeting up at a pub in Richmond for the final. As actually booked the place so I'll let him give out the details.

We will be converging on a different pub afterwards. Hoog sorted that one.