Can Ireland beat Italy?

First topic message reminder :

Italy are well overdue beating Ireland and I can see them pushing very hard for a second 6N victory. As an irishman I'll be watching this game very nervously in what may be O driscolls and kidneys last game...

Eh, you judged me to be a semi-autistic teenager, you told me that you don't think I'm capable of serving on a National Executive, you enthusistically endorsed Hook's post where he called me a moron! You bragged that all your friends here thought I was stupid.

All seem fairly judgemental to me.

Sin é wrote:Eh, you judged me to be a semi-autistic teenager, you told me that you don't think I'm capable of serving on a National Executive, you enthusistically endorsed Hook post where he called me a moron! You bragged that all your friends here thought I was stupid.

All seem fairly judgemental to me.

No, I didn't enthusiastically endorse him. I laughed because it was funny. He takes the pish out of you because the way you get on is absurd and it IS funny. The question is; why do you insist on making yourself the butt of the joke? I mean, take the thing with Earls. You defend a position way past the point of logic. You refuse to accept facts which don't fit. You end up making sure you look like a fool and you're so rude in the process of doing so, people lose patience. Its happened so many times now there are good posters who no longer post here with us almost entirely because of you. I'm certainly not bragging that people think you're stupid either. Its certainly true that some people think that of you, but its not a thing to be bragged about unless you're some kind of low-grade bully and no-one here is. Why confirm the ideas of those who think you're stupid with some of the bizarre twists of logic you come up with?

It's true I was perhaps wrong to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you're posting style was something you couldn't help, that you lack the benefit and insight to address. But you've got to ask yourself; why is it you come across as being slightly autistic in your understanding of things?

You end up making sure you look like a fool and you're so rude in the process of doing so, people lose patience.

Actually, I think you are wrong there Notch. I don't agree with a lot of what Sin e writes, but considering the amount of stick he takes on here I think he is remarkably restrained in the face of rudeness directed at him.
DOD, now he is rude! (sometimes funny, but always rude)

A lot of the time he makes legitimate points instead of just taking the party line, but nothing he says is given any credit because he is Sine.

I am from Ulster by the way.

Seriously lads, twice in two days I have seen posts from southerners making claims/assumptions/suggestions about religion with regards to the North and in a negative way.

I'm fed up with it, and considering in all my years on the original 606 and on here, I have never seen Ulster fans talk much about religion, I can only put these comments down to sectarian, segregative, judgemental, 'us and them' ideologies.

I want to firmly and clearly request that you all

SHUT THE **** UP

I could probably have asked moderators to look at these posts, but I'd rather just ask first.

How many times has Nordie posters made completely unrelated smart remarks about the Catholic Church and the south? I havnt seen any. So just grow up.

Also, Notch, lets keep it about rugby please.

As many people have told me from time to time, it gets to a point and you just have to leave it alone with certain posters. It doesn't mean they won. It just means you don't care. And you shouldnt care. Its only an online forum.

If Sin e wants to make it his be all and end all, thts fine, but don't let it absorb you!

carry on...

Er. Nervous about stepping into the rock throwing.
Please sir? Can I ask a question?

I see that Gilroy and Sexton are going to be available. My question was whether it's not just better to give Jackson one final game in this international window rather than playing Sexton?

You'll beat Italy regardless of whom you choose so why not give the youngfeller more game time now that you've started with the experiment. Or will Deccie regard this as a chance to save his job by hopefully racking up a big score against the Azzuri?

Also note that BOD and Marshall are doubtful unless they satisfy the concussion protocol. Whom would you have for this match, on the basis that the result doesn't particularly matter? Genuine questions.

Hey Feic off with the threadjack George! Take the Rugby somewhere else!

To answer your question though, yes they should stick with Jackson.....there's enough southerners in the side....

rodders wrote:Hey Feic off with the threadjack George! Take the Rugby somewhere else!

To answer your question though, yes they should stick with Jackson.....there's enough southerners in the side....

Well I think there is a solution that answers all your questions and it includes Sexton AND Jackson

10 Sexton
12 Jackson
13 Cave

Preferably Gilroy and Trimble on wings to increase familiarity among the backline (but it won't happen).

Sin é wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Jackson wouldn't care what Hook says. He might affect him though if BOD (or one of his team mates) lay into him on the pitch for missing a kick.

Enough, Sin é. You're killing Earls with kindness. If he was listening in, my guess is he wouldn't like it either. He's a man, not a pup. Stop over-analysing and dragging his reputation back to a period when he was a teen going through angst issues.

He's a man. A robust International player of what is one of the toughest physical games on the planet. Stop soft sopping him, he wouldn't appreciate it. He's as strong minded as any of his team mates or as fragile as any of them. He's well able to cope with either.

He says himself he was very confident when he was a teen

My point is that it is human nature to go into your shell when you are criticised in public and its not rocket science that it doesn't help when your supposed fans also get on the back of their own players for making mistakes.(Though that seems to have passed them by up in Ravenhill - they still don't get why players who couldn't make it in Ulster seem to do ok elsewhere - i.e., Niall O'Connor when he went to Connacht).

[b]Is your claim Ulster fans have hounded players out of the Province that have subsequently gone on to excellent careers elsewhere. If so what a load of tosh.

Either put up the names that can be debated or keep you unsupported innuendoes to yourself

clivemcl wrote:Well I think there is a solution that answers all your questions and it includes Sexton AND Jackson

10 Sexton
12 Jackson
13 Cave

Preferably Gilroy and Trimble on wings to increase familiarity among the backline (but it won't happen).

Or 10. Jackson 12 Sexton 13 Cave. Would rather seeJonny out of position than Jackson. Not saying that's the lineout I'd have but its a midfield option

And as a sidenotw, I'm a born and raised GAA nut Ulster fan so about as far away from this stereotype that is trying to be put forward here and can't see any real need for religion to be brought into a rugby debate. Earls and Paddy are big boys and will have to put up with grief throughout their careers so they're gonna need a thick skin.

A couple of things who says I am f..k..g rude...you b....x...

Where did religion come into it, national stereotyping maybe but religion no...get over yourselves with the navel gazing and faux angst

I am sure everyone on here are decent folk who don't eat their children, however get a grip on things. Sin is a big boy and well able to look after himself but the inability of people to disengage from opinions they don't agree with is hilarious and immature.

At the end of the day this is a forum for opinions good bad or mad.

Look at the last suggestion...put Jackson in the centre...that is just mad....but hey if Clive and co want to suggest that fine....don't get offended when people fall of their chairs with laughing though...

So all the Ulster fans are Ulster biased , leinster fans are that way inclined and as for Connacht .......
Anyway guess what myself and Sin are Munster fans....but of course that is unreasonable and biased...

Haven't had such a good laugh in a while....

Why is Jackson at 12 mad - he has played there a number of times for Ulster when a centre has gone off and Marshall has come on (Pienaer switching to 10)

If we have no BOD, Marshall, McSharry, D'Arcy, Wallace or McFadden the cupboard is pretty bare.

I personally would play Jackson at 10 and Sexton at 12 with a lot of switching going on in given situations.

DOD wrote:
I am sure everyone on here are decent folk who don't eat their children

Speak for yourself.

Glad that's sorted then DOD...

Look, I couldn't give 1 feic what religion anyone here is. The merits of Irish rugby players should be focused on their rugby playing ability whether they're from Leinster, Ulster, Connacht or Munster. They're all from the same Island. Do english fans care about where the feic their players come from? Yes, to a certain extent they may want to see players from their own club playing. Are they as tribal as we are? Not a chance.

When it comes to Ireland playing Rugby the only territorial line that should matter is the water that surrounds the Island? (And of course parts of NZ, Australia and SA that we can steal from)

George, I said before I'd be inclined to start with Jackson and bring Sexton on early in the second half. The reason for that is we've been so poor in the second half of games. I think Paddy Jackson has given us a lot of reasons to be optimistic about a bright future for him in green, but Sexton is still number one.

I do think though that Jackson has shown he's well capable of starting- we need something to kick us up a gear in the second half and having one of our best players coming off the bench could do that.

Amen to that then

The Boss wrote:Glad that's sorted then DOD...

Look, I couldn't give 1 feic what religion anyone here is. The merits of Irish rugby players should be focused on their rugby playing ability whether they're from Leinster, Ulster, Connacht or Munster. They're all from the same Island. Do english fans care about where the feic their players come from? Yes, to a certain extent they may want to see players from their own club playing. Are they as tribal as we are? Not a chance.

When it comes to Ireland playing Rugby the only territorial line that should matter is the water that surrounds the Island? (And of course parts of NZ, Australia and SA that we can steal from)

This is the problem though and there is no point trying to skirt around it. The rugby team and set up is a representation of the country, or in our case the 2 countries which make it up.

Southerners want a national team that represents them, their values and their country- we, or at least some of us, want them to accept us within their side without wishing to be part of their country and identity.

The fact that the rugby set up predates partition is neither here nor there. The media see the northerners different as do the bulk of the fans and this divide will continue to widen as the game becomes more mainstream and more removed from the old traditions. Its reflected in the debates here and its folly to believe this issue doesn't exist.

This is why we are so passionate about our provinces and it is a major reason why we will always fall short of even comparable sized countries like Wales at National level. When things are going well we are all united but when they are't the knives come out and the political, cultural and social divisions are there for all to see.

Irish rugby is a dead horse, a bit like the banking system and economy. Sport is the tail and can't wag the dog. Ireland (north and south) and its rugby team had its time in the sun.... time to move on, nothing more to see here .....

Notch wrote:

Sin é wrote:Eh, you judged me to be a semi-autistic teenager, you told me that you don't think I'm capable of serving on a National Executive, you enthusistically endorsed Hook post where he called me a moron! You bragged that all your friends here thought I was stupid.

All seem fairly judgemental to me.

No, I didn't enthusiastically endorse him. I laughed because it was funny. He takes the pish out of you because the way you get on is absurd and it IS funny. The question is; why do you insist on making yourself the butt of the joke? I mean, take the thing with Earls. You defend a position way past the point of logic. You refuse to accept facts which don't fit. You end up making sure you look like a fool and you're so rude in the process of doing so, people lose patience. Its happened so many times now there are good posters who no longer post here with us almost entirely because of you. I'm certainly not bragging that people think you're stupid either. Its certainly true that some people think that of you, but its not a thing to be bragged about unless you're some kind of low-grade bully and no-one here is. Why confirm the ideas of those who think you're stupid with some of the bizarre twists of logic you come up with?

It's true I was perhaps wrong to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you're posting style was something you couldn't help, that you lack the benefit and insight to address. But you've got to ask yourself; why is it you come across as being slightly autistic in your understanding of things?

Well, I'd just love to know why you won't listen to the interview that I provided a link for which refutes all of your views Keith Earls' confidence issues. I was even accused of making it up. You then insist that I'm myopic and spend all my time on here trying to annoy all you sound people . Meanwhile you refuse to listen to the Earls interview. Are you afraid to actually listen to it and learn something?

The funniest bit though was of you (13,016+ posts) accusing me (4, 961) of spending too much time on this forum.

Rodders - Is that a bit like you only sing when your winning

rapidsnowman wrote:

You end up making sure you look like a fool and you're so rude in the process of doing so, people lose patience.

Actually, I think you are wrong there Notch. I don't agree with a lot of what Sin e writes, but considering the amount of stick he takes on here I think he is remarkably restrained in the face of rudeness directed at him.
DOD, now he is rude! (sometimes funny, but always rude)

A lot of the time he makes legitimate points instead of just taking the party line, but nothing he says is given any credit because he is Sine.

I am from Ulster by the way.

Thanks rapidsnoman for a reasonable assessment.

RubyGuby wrote:Rodders - Is that a bit like you only sing when your winning

Well more like we only sing the same songs when we are winning.....when we lose the different hymn sheets come out of the back pocket......

rodders wrote:

The Boss wrote:Glad that's sorted then DOD...

Look, I couldn't give 1 feic what religion anyone here is. The merits of Irish rugby players should be focused on their rugby playing ability whether they're from Leinster, Ulster, Connacht or Munster. They're all from the same Island. Do english fans care about where the feic their players come from? Yes, to a certain extent they may want to see players from their own club playing. Are they as tribal as we are? Not a chance.

When it comes to Ireland playing Rugby the only territorial line that should matter is the water that surrounds the Island? (And of course parts of NZ, Australia and SA that we can steal from)

This is the problem though and there is no point trying to skirt around it. The rugby team and set up is a representation of the country, or in our case the 2 countries which make it up.

Southerners want a national team that represents them, their values and their country- we, or at least some of us, want them to accept us within their side without wishing to be part of their country and identity.

The fact that the rugby set up predates partition is neither here nor there. The media see the northerners different as do the bulk of the fans and this divide will continue to widen as the game becomes more mainstream and more removed from the old traditions. Its reflected in the debates here and its folly to believe this issue doesn't exist.

This is why we are so passionate about our provinces and it is a major reason why we will always fall short of even comparable sized countries like Wales at National level. When things are going well we are all united but when they are't the knives come out and the political, cultural and social divisions are there for all to see.

Irish rugby is a dead horse, a bit like the banking system and economy. Sport is the tail and can't wag the dog. Ireland (north and south) and its rugby team had its time in the sun.... time to move on, nothing more to see here .....

I see where you're coming from Rodders but I can't agree. Maybe its because I'm a Jonny come lately to supporting Ulster. When I was younger I only followed Ireland and maybe didn't understand the cultural differences.

As I am now I can see the differences but still think, as an idealist, that the team should be picked on merit and I couldn't care less what the split is as long as the 15/23 is in place that gives Ireland the best chance of success.

Politics and religion should have no part on a rugby, football or gaelic pitch and its up to participants to make sure this happens, in my eyes.

Sin é wrote:

rapidsnowman wrote:

You end up making sure you look like a fool and you're so rude in the process of doing so, people lose patience.

Actually, I think you are wrong there Notch. I don't agree with a lot of what Sin e writes, but considering the amount of stick he takes on here I think he is remarkably restrained in the face of rudeness directed at him.
DOD, now he is rude! (sometimes funny, but always rude)

A lot of the time he makes legitimate points instead of just taking the party line, but nothing he says is given any credit because he is Sine.

I am from Ulster by the way.

Thanks rapidsnoman for a reasonable assessment.

Well for what its worth I also think Sin gets a disproportionate amount of unfair stick...... but then he does talk a disproportionate amount of old bollix ....... ....

geoff998rugby wrote:Is your claim Ulster fans have hounded players out of the Province that have subsequently gone on to excellent careers elsewhere. If so what a load of tosh.

Either put up the names that can be debated or keep you unsupported innuendoes to yourself

My exact words - "they still don't get why players who couldn't make it in Ulster seem to do ok elsewhere - i.e., Niall O'Connor when he went to Connacht)".

Please don't put words into my mouth.

Yes Sin. I was afraid to listen to the interview. I was quaking in my boots! I'm listening to it now and it's frankly the usual platitudes.

Thing is, I think Keith Earls is fine. Probably not meriting the start if Zebo, Bowe and Gilroy are available. Obviously he has a nasty habit of making bad decisions in games, yet he's very, very talented which makes him a frustrating player. He's a natural line breaker. I wish you wouldn't paint him as being mentally weak, unable to deal with on pitch criticism.

I'm not sure why you do that. He says he's starting to believe in himself and the work with sports psychologists is paying off. So why are you still so ultra-defensive of him? If he makes a mistake, he needs to be confident enough to deal with getting a bollocking. Its the way it goes.

Notch, I think you might need to backpedal.

SinE is on my ignore list so I don't know what he has said but certainly you have shouted off a list of personal insults.

If he is just being his usual self that's an over the top reaction. As DOD said why not just ignore things that bother you.

The Boss wrote:
As I am now I can see the differences but still think, as an idealist, that the team should be picked on merit and I couldn't care less what the split is as long as the 15/23 is in place that gives Ireland the best chance of success.

Politics and religion should have no part on a rugby, football or gaelic pitch and its up to participants to make sure this happens, in my eyes.

No I am 100% in agreement and if everyone else was like you then there would be no problem....but my point is that there is a problem and it can't be fixed from the top down. Its a sociatal problem not a sporting one. The issues in the Rugby teams and fans are the symptom not the cause.

Not since Rocky Balboa fought Ivan Drago in Moscow has sport and politics been so interwoven.

I think I've just broken my own mind Stag. You try and reason with someone who can't be reasoned with, eventually it just breaks your mind.

red_stag wrote:
SinE is on my ignore list so I don't know what he has said but certainly you have shouted off a list of personal insults.

If he is just being his usual self that's an over the top reaction. As DOD said why not just ignore things that bother you.

Wow stag for you this thread must be like watching a load of seagulls following an invisible trawler?

The Boss wrote:Politics and religion should have no part on a rugby, football or gaelic pitch and its up to participants to make sure this happens, in my eyes.

Culturally we are different - more different than say an English person with a southern Irish person. NI people probably are closer culturally to Scottish people (which all makes sense when you realise the way Ireland was planted - mostly Normans outside Ulster, Scottish Lowlanders in Ulster).

All rugby does is put a sticky plaster over a cultural divide.

Notch wrote:I think I've just broken my own mind Stag. You try and reason with someone who can't be reasoned with, eventually it just breaks your mind.

Exactly just ignore it. Do you honestly enjoy posting in those circular arguments.

It takes two to tango though it only takes one bloke to dance around doing the Macarena.

Sin é wrote:

The Boss wrote:Politics and religion should have no part on a rugby, football or gaelic pitch and its up to participants to make sure this happens, in my eyes.

Culturally we are different - more different than say an English person with a southern Irish person. NI people probably are closer culturally to Scottish people (which all makes sense when you realise the way Ireland was planted - mostly Normans outside Ulster, Scottish Lowlanders in Ulster).

All rugby does is put a sticky plaster over a cultural divide.

I grew up in Scotland and it's just not true. We are more alike than you can imagine. The place I've been in all my travels where the people most remind me of Belfast isn't Glasgow or Edinburgh. It's Limerick.

We're not different. We have the same flaws and strengths; we're friendly, sociable, good craic, passionate. We're also sentimental, parochial, prone to tribalism and bloody mindedness. We're different breeds of Irish. I went through a major culture shock adjusting to life in Scotland, whereas the South is just like the North in so many ways.

Munster rugby reminds me of Ulster. We have the same attitude towards our players and teams, the same pride and the same parochial bullsh*t. We don't fight because we are different. We fight because we are too similar.

You should never try to reason with the unreasonable - it's a lose lose situation - Move on and enjoy the debates, you're wasting too much good energy

RubyGuby wrote:You should never try to reason with the unreasonable - it's a lose lose situation - Move on and enjoy the debates, you're wasting too much good energy

Exactly Ruby.

Sin é wrote:

The Boss wrote:Politics and religion should have no part on a rugby, football or gaelic pitch and its up to participants to make sure this happens, in my eyes.

Culturally we are different - more different than say an English person with a southern Irish person. NI people probably are closer culturally to Scottish people (which all makes sense when you realise the way Ireland was planted - mostly Normans outside Ulster, Scottish Lowlanders in Ulster).

All rugby does is put a sticky plaster over a cultural divide.

See now we are discussing the real issues..... the only way to resolve this is to kick all southerners out of the sport. It is a a garrison game after all.

From hence forth the Irish national side should be made up only of northern protestants who have Ulster scots heritage and Saffers who've qualified via the project system.

It's tiring work...but last night made me do it...and I've been up all night doing it!....chiseling a trench around my house.

It's almost done, and then I'll chisel a trench to the Irish sea (about 7 miles or so) and let it surround me. And I'll call it Flymania and I'll have me own players and me own National team! And I won't pick players from Nordland, PinkCardiganLand, ClichédWeshtLand or SinDODLand. To hell with all of you. It's everyman from himself from here on in.... as is already happening with Ireland inc anyway.

So long suckers!


Be back at the weekend............ when the UN closes my country down.

red_stag wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:You should never try to reason with the unreasonable - it's a lose lose situation - Move on and enjoy the debates, you're wasting too much good energy

Exactly Ruby.

Indeed...

Notch wrote:Yes Sin. I was afraid to listen to the interview. I was quaking in my boots! I'm listening to it now and it's frankly the usual platitudes.

Thing is, I think Keith Earls is fine. Probably not meriting the start if Zebo, Bowe and Gilroy are available. Obviously he has a nasty habit of making bad decisions in games, yet he's very, very talented which makes him a frustrating player. He's a natural line breaker. I wish you wouldn't paint him as being mentally weak, unable to deal with on pitch criticism.

I'm not sure why you do that. He says he's starting to believe in himself and the work with sports psychologists is paying off. So why are you still so ultra-defensive of him? If he makes a mistake, he needs to be confident enough to deal with getting a bollocking. Its the way it goes.

Notch, you accused me of making stuff up about Earls confidence issues which is very revealing about you because you assumed I would come to this conclusion without being able to back it up factually. Why do you wish I don't paint a player exactly the way he is. Thats just sticking your head in the sand.

Just for the record about his confidence issues - Earls has also said in interviews that Alan Quinlan (well known for giving players a bollocking on the pitch) was always encouraging him. He said Alan would say to him on the pitch "you are as good as any of those guys here, don't be going into your shell now."

Something I find is that people always accuse others of stuff they are guilty of themselves.

Of all the nations on here the Irish posters IMO have always been the most articulate, balanced and knowledgeable - You can have reasoned debate with them and you can beg to differ. Bring it back on boys please, lots have gone missing and we need you on here -

Sin é wrote:Notch, you accused me of making stuff up about Earls confidence issues which is very revealing about you because you assumed I would come to this conclusion without being able to back it up factually.

See it;s this kind of thing that gets to me. There is no obvious correlation between this statement and reality. I don't even understand... oh never mind.

RubyGuby wrote:Of all the nations on here the Irish posters IMO have always been the most articulate, balanced and knowledgeable - You can have reasoned debate with them and you can beg to differ. Bring it back on boys please, lots have gone missing and we need you on here -

Sorry Ruby but the IMF, IRFU and UPF ruined the country. Things were much better when Arthur Guinness and Sean Quinn ran the show.

Notch wrote:

Sin é wrote:

The Boss wrote:Politics and religion should have no part on a rugby, football or gaelic pitch and its up to participants to make sure this happens, in my eyes.

Culturally we are different - more different than say an English person with a southern Irish person. NI people probably are closer culturally to Scottish people (which all makes sense when you realise the way Ireland was planted - mostly Normans outside Ulster, Scottish Lowlanders in Ulster).

All rugby does is put a sticky plaster over a cultural divide.

I grew up in Scotland and it's just not true. We are more alike than you can imagine. The place I've been in all my travels where the people most remind me of Belfast isn't Glasgow or Edinburgh. It's Limerick.


We're not different. We have the same flaws and strengths; we're friendly, sociable, good craic, passionate. We're also sentimental, parochial, prone to tribalism and bloody mindedness. We're different breeds of Irish. I went through a major culture shock adjusting to life in Scotland, whereas the South is just like the North in so many ways.

Munster rugby reminds me of Ulster. We have the same attitude towards our players and teams, the same pride and the same parochial bullsh*t. We don't fight because we are different. We fight because we are too similar.

Sin, I just don't agree with that. I see myself as Irish. Always have and always will. I don't see where this cultural difference is coming from that you mention. Were all cut from the same cloth religiously half of ulster or different but values are the same.

Rodderrs, I agree there. Apologies if my responses are a bit short or confusing but I'm working as a labourer at the minute and just getting a chance to reply on my phone between mixing gagens of cement.

The Boss wrote:
Rodderrs, I agree there. Apologies if my responses are a bit short or confusing but I'm working as a labourer at the minute and just getting a chance to reply on my phone between mixing gagens of cement.

Well get mixing and stop yapping Boss old bud! We need to get this place back on it's feet!

Notch wrote:

Sin é wrote:

The Boss wrote:Politics and religion should have no part on a rugby, football or gaelic pitch and its up to participants to make sure this happens, in my eyes.

Culturally we are different - more different than say an English person with a southern Irish person. NI people probably are closer culturally to Scottish people (which all makes sense when you realise the way Ireland was planted - mostly Normans outside Ulster, Scottish Lowlanders in Ulster).

All rugby does is put a sticky plaster over a cultural divide.

I grew up in Scotland and it's just not true. We are more alike than you can imagine. The place I've been in all my travels where the people most remind me of Belfast isn't Glasgow or Edinburgh. It's Limerick.

We're not different. We have the same flaws and strengths; we're friendly, sociable, good craic, passionate. We're also sentimental, parochial, prone to tribalism and bloody mindedness. We're different breeds of Irish. I went through a major culture shock adjusting to life in Scotland, whereas the South is just like the North in so many ways.

Munster rugby reminds me of Ulster. We have the same attitude towards our players and teams, the same pride and the same parochial bullsh*t. We don't fight because we are different. We fight because we are too similar.

How much time have you spent in Limerick. Munster & Ulster are similar in ways but very different. One is mostly rural and the religion is sport (hurling, horse racing, gaelic football, rugby, dogs - even the best athletes come from Munster).

How would you describe Ulster?

Sin é wrote:

geoff998rugby wrote:Is your claim Ulster fans have hounded players out of the Province that have subsequently gone on to excellent careers elsewhere. If so what a load of tosh.

Either put up the names that can be debated or keep you unsupported innuendoes to yourself

My exact words - "they still don't get why players who couldn't make it in Ulster seem to do ok elsewhere - i.e., Niall O'Connor when he went to Connacht)".

Please don't put words into my mouth.

What is it that we dont get and who are we talking about
Sure players have left who have done ok elsewhere but that happens everywhere - what is different about Ulster to justify your comment.
For the record the only Ulsterman who currently could come back and improve the squad is Andress.
I see no point in the likes of Steenson coming back for example when we have the likes of Jackson, McKinney, and Olding.
Players leave because they are surplus to requirements not because they want to go - Bowe is the one obvious exception and he has returned.

I cant think of any player in the Logan/Humphreys era for whom you comment is applicable.

You don't think Ulster is mostly Rural or that we don't have those sports too?

Sin, sport is a religion in Ulster too and I live in a pretty rural part of Ireland.

Rodders, relax yourself and just lemme know if ya hear of any physio jobs till I get off the building site.

The Boss wrote:Sin, I just don't agree with that. I see myself as Irish. Always have and always will. I don't see where this cultural difference is coming from that you mention. Were all cut from the same cloth religiously half of ulster or different but values are the same.

We have different cultures though (based on the religious upbringing - nothing to do with which church you go (or not go to) now. An example of a small cultural difference is cultural protestants don't wash fruit, cultural catholics do. There are 1,000s of little things like that).

I see you anyone who is born or brought up on the island of Ireland as Irish and think it kind of difficult for most people to understand that people who are born deny that they are Irish.

Do you think of yourself as just 'Irish' or 'Northern Irish'?

So.... any predictions for the Italy game?

profitius wrote:So.... any predictions for the Italy game?

I think we will turn up and get a good win. Ireland by 16 and to score at least four tries.