Declan Kidney- IRFU decide not to renew contract

First topic message reminder :

Declan Kidney has been sacked.

The search for a new ireland coach begins.

Les Kiss appointed interm coach. is this an interview for the top job. what can the IRFU learn about him during a tour to the states?
http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/28869.php

viewtothegym wrote:All the best to the guy i have always liked him.

Anyone else think the "AVIVA" factor is ruining Irish rugby?
I think they should have sold the land and broke a deal to stay at croke park.

No the Aviva is fine. Hate the name but it has nothing to do with the performance of the team.

Croke park wasnt the answer either. We lost to Scotland for the first time in years there too. Great stadium though. love it.

Kidney is very very good at some things but quite poor at others. His slam will never be forgotten though. Go raibh maith agat DK.

DOD wrote:

Feckless Rogue wrote:Good blog on Kidneys mistakes.

http://whiffofcordite.com/2013/04/03/je-ne-regrette-rien-except-maybe-these/

What a load of Poopie....I think the heading says it all...rugby nerds blog....i.e translates to clueless hook types who talk rubbish.

Reasonably good article. Some good points some bad.

DOD wrote:

Feckless Rogue wrote:Good blog on Kidneys mistakes.

http://whiffofcordite.com/2013/04/03/je-ne-regrette-rien-except-maybe-these/

What a load of Poopie....I think the heading says it all...rugby nerds blog....i.e translates to clueless hook types who talk rubbish.

Totally agree.... WOC is far too kind to Kidney here..mixed bag?? ... he was an unmitigated disaster.

He won a GS with EOS side then spent the next 4 years dismantling everything good Ireland had done in the pro era. Should have went after the 2011 RWC and maybe we wouldn't been in the mess we are now. 42% win ratio against tier one sides is appalling, down from 62% under EOS. Worst coach Ireland have had in the pro era by a distance.

The IRFU made the right decision but 2 years late.Every year Kidney had in control of the team they got worse,good luck to him in the future but I'm relieved he's gone and hoping like hell the blazers don't do something mental like appoint Kiss as head coach.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:The IRFU made the right decision but 2 years late.Every year Kidney had in control of the team they got worse,good luck to him in the future but I'm relieved he's gone and hoping like hell the blazers don't do something mental like appoint Kiss as head coach.

I am quite happy to see Kiss apointed as interim coach. There is no way of knowing if he will be a sucess until he is given a chance. Just look at how Lancaster and Schmidt have got on. Both untested as head coaches at the highest level. Both have done very well.

Ah here we go the gloves are off so to speak...good man rodders...I cant wait until we get a new coach it will probably be Kiss though as everyone else is running in the opposite direction at the moment and who can blame them.

Lets not rush a replacement for an end of season Beano to USA and Canada. No issue with Kiss,Smal and Foley being in charge.

As long as the new man has free reign to select his own backroom staff.

So we were punching well above our weight with Deccie - 5th in the 6 nations. 41% win ratio etc the last two years. Dear oh dear

Now he is gone we will see a rugby apocalypse in Ireland. We will be demoted from the 6 nations after 3 consecutive wooden spoons and end up in our rightful place competing with Georgia, Spain, Russia and Belgium in Europe's 2nd tier competition by 2017.

Kidney did some isolated good things in his time in charge (Grand Slam will always be remembered) but overall his tenure was disappointing for a manager/coach who came into the job with such a good reputation.

the whiff of cordite blog is a fair summation of his tenure.

rodders wrote:Should have went after the 2011 RWC and maybe we wouldn't been in the mess we are now.

+1

Ireland had been a shambles since 2010. The last two years rugby have been as excruciating for me to watch as the last two years of Fianna Fail in government. Credibility lost, lurching from crisis to crisis. "Please somebody make it end".

(Although I hear not to many people are delighted with Fianna Fails replacements).

dublin_dave wrote:Lets not rush a replacement for an end of season Beano to USA and Canada. No issue with Kiss,Smal and Foley being in charge.

As long as the new man has free reign to select his own backroom staff.

So we were punching well above our weight with Deccie - 5th in the 6 nations. 41% win ratio etc the last two years. Dear oh dear

Now he is gone we will see a rugby apocalypse in Ireland. We will be demoted from the 6 nations after 3 consecutive wooden spoons and end up in our rightful place competing with Georgia, Spain, Russia and Belgium in Europe's 2nd tier competition by 2017.

Kidney did some isolated good things in his time in charge (Grand Slam will always be remembered) but overall his tenure was disappointing for a manager/coach who came into the job with such a good reputation.

the whiff of cordite blog is a fair summation of his tenure.

Very facetious (I know your a dub so you will need to look it up Dave ). Kidney made a few mistakes no doubt about it and yes time for him to go...but what do people expect. The players coming through are not in the same calibre of those from 1999 onwards. Kidney inherited a team at the end and managed to get them over the line for the GS since then as with the provinces its been a slow descent mixed with poor luck, poor performances by players and poor decisions by Kidney...it will be an interesting year no doubt....yes a foreign coach alá Ashton or Kidd looks like the right call..even O'Shea knows better (and he is a pure chancer).

O'Shea is a muppet too. In fact most of the names mentioned are muppets.

Schmidt is the exception so likely won't get the gig.

rodders wrote:O'Shea is a muppet too. In fact most of the names mentioned are muppets.

Schmidt is the exception so likely won't get the gig.

The Joe Schmidt who is taking Leinster to new heights...depending of course which hemisphere you look at it.

O'Shea rules himself out thank flip.....

There are very few top quality coaches to choose from. Because the best are usually already employed by someone else. McKenzie has a decent track record and will be available if the Aussie's don't want him. Not sure if he'll want to come though.

Kiss and Schmidt are already on the IRFU payroll, so might be easier to get. Who's to say Kiss wouldn't do a great job? He takes flak as the attack coach, but he equally must have something to do with what we did against Argentina and Wales. However I'd prefer a break with the past few years and go for Schmidt.

Or what about the Ulster crowd? They've turned a demoralized province around.

Again, all this talk is moot if we can nab St. Andre.

No mention of Elwood and Mike Forshaw ... that would be a cracking combination. Best Irish coach by miles Elwood.

I predict Kiss will be retained until the prodigal son Foley is ready to carry on the Munster dynasty. Schmidt to be offered some PT role which he'll turn down.

DOD wrote:

rodders wrote:O'Shea is a muppet too. In fact most of the names mentioned are muppets.

Schmidt is the exception so likely won't get the gig.

The Joe Schmidt who is taking Leinster to new heights...depending of course which hemisphere you look at it.

No, the other guy, the Schmidt who has won as many HECs as Declan. If it was a good enough résumé for Declan then it's probably good enough for Schmidt...considering we're lower down the rankings now than we were when Declan took over.

Plus...if O'Shea skulks back into the mix and mutters about him being misquoted the last time, about him always wanting a shot at Ireland, about his spiritual yearning was always to one day take the helm as he dreamed about the glory of it in his cot as a six month old.... I'll buy two things, a sick bag and a gun

haha good man DOD. You langers have a fine command of the queens English that us jackeens could only dream of.

Kidney did win a Grand Slam and deserves credit even if it was not pretty. It has been very much downhill since then save the occasional good win. Those occasional victories made his reign even more frustrating.

I do not expect world domination regardless of who the new coach is but it would be nice to come home from the aviva or any ireland game and not be cold wet depressed broke and bored to tears. I think our player pool is behind Wales of similar standard to England and France and considerably better than Scotland and Italy. So therefore i would hope for better than we have been delivering.

OShea is a plank of a pundit but is a canny operator.

SecretFly wrote:

DOD wrote:

rodders wrote:O'Shea is a muppet too. In fact most of the names mentioned are muppets.

Schmidt is the exception so likely won't get the gig.

The Joe Schmidt who is taking Leinster to new heights...depending of course which hemisphere you look at it.

No, the other guy, the Schmidt who has won as many HECs as Declan. If it was a good enough résumé for Declan then it's probably good enough for Schmidt...considering we're lower down the rankings now than we were when Declan took over.

Yeah a few years back and with someone elses team (sounds familiar)....jeez fly senility is certainly setting in....the fall in the provinces performance has been around the same time as the fall in the national teams performances....certainly not rocket science....do pay attention....

Hey what about Martin O'Neill?

DOD wrote:

Yeah a few years back and with someone elses team (sounds familiar)....jeez fly senility is certainly setting in....the fall in the provinces performance has been around the same time as the fall in the national teams performances....certainly not rocket science....do pay attention....

Of course it sounds familiar...isn't it the damned Anti Kidneyite Blueshirts that first coined the phrase?

But back to this 'when did it all start to go wrongh?' bit.

The Provinces began to fall at the same time as the National side? So what's the common denominator there then, DOD?

Given that two Irish provinces are still in the running for HEC this year, one won it last year, one won it the year before, another was a finalist last year and in that time Ireland International have been wallowing in and around 7th, 8th and now 9th in world rankings - first loss to Italy in Six Nations, first time we've come in beneath Scotland in the Six Nations this year, destroyed by New Zealand, embarrassed all over in the pre-2011WC 'warm ups', embarrassed again in the 2011 WC itself?

Was there a reason, a common link between Provinces and International? All due to unfortunately timed injuries and a sodden run of shoddy journeymen players? - Really?

two Irish provinces are still in the running for HEC this year, one won it last year, one won it the year before, another was a finalist last year and in that time Ireland International have been wallowing in and around 7th, 8th and now 9th in world rankings - first loss to Italy in Six Nations, first time we've come in beneath Scotland in the Six Nations this year, destroyed by New Zealand, embarrassed all over in the pre-2011WC 'warm ups', embarrassed again in the 2011 WC itself?

At least us welsh did our best to help you out Fly

Yeah Ruby, thanks for the first 40 minutes of this year's 6N. We owe you

Denis Hickie says it best:

“In recent years, certainly this year and even last year, there has been an horrific run of injuries,” added Hickie.

“When Ireland won the Grand Slam they used 21 players and this year they used 36 and Ireland doesn’t have 36 front-line international players.”

Lets hope Mike Ruddock doesn't have the same bad luck

Ruby, I thought you were a Munsterman now? Whats this 'us Welsh' lark?

SecretFly wrote:Yeah Ruby, thanks for the first 40 minutes of this year's 6N. We owe you

45 minutes Fly

Although you knew my thoughts on Ireland before the 6 Nations

Sin é wrote:Denis Hickie says it best:

“In recent years, certainly this year and even last year, there has been an horrific run of injuries,” added Hickie.

“When Ireland won the Grand Slam they used 21 players and this year they used 36 and Ireland doesn’t have 36 front-line international players.”

Lets hope Mike Ruddock doesn't have the same bad luck

Bad Luck or Bad IRFUing???

The records show that injuries were just about Declan's last thoughts as Irish Coach. He put forward his concerns to the IRFU about the frequency of injuries.

That's Kidney himself saying it had nothing to do with 'bad luck' and therefore it remains a real concern if not addressed.

But it's also Kidney saying so far too late in the day to save his job. He and his crew should have been phoning in their concerns much earlier - by a factor of years! - as Irish players and injuries is not a new phenomemon or exclusive to this 6N season.

RubyGuby wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Yeah Ruby, thanks for the first 40 minutes of this year's 6N. We owe you

45 minutes Fly

Although you knew my thoughts on Ireland before the 6 Nations

And if you'd read enough of me (I wouldn't recommend it! ) you'd have known my thoughts on Ireland pre 6N. At least now, I'll have new thoughts... for a month or two.

SecretFly wrote:

Sin é wrote:Denis Hickie says it best:

“In recent years, certainly this year and even last year, there has been an horrific run of injuries,” added Hickie.

“When Ireland won the Grand Slam they used 21 players and this year they used 36 and Ireland doesn’t have 36 front-line international players.”

Lets hope Mike Ruddock doesn't have the same bad luck

Bad Luck or Bad IRFUing???

The records show that injuries were just about Declan's last thoughts as Irish Coach. He put forward his concerns to the IRFU about the frequency of injuries.

That's Kidney himself saying it had nothing to do with 'bad luck' and therefore it remains a real concern if not addressed.

But it's also Kidney saying so far too late in the day to save his job. He and his crew should have been phoning in their concerns much earlier - by a factor of years! - as Irish players and injuries is not a new phenomemon or exclusive to this 6N season.

Was last season not the first time Ireland had an 11 month season? Pretty much everyone was saying that this was too much this time last year when they were heading off to New Zealand for the 2nd time in 6 months. Do you really think Declan would have needed to point out the injury count to the IRFU? Please god they are not that thick not to notice that.

Sin é wrote:Denis Hickie says it best:

“In recent years, certainly this year and even last year, there has been an horrific run of injuries,” added Hickie.

“When Ireland won the Grand Slam they used 21 players and this year they used 36 and Ireland doesn’t have 36 front-line international players.”

Lets hope Mike Ruddock doesn't have the same bad luck

Luck yer a&se Sin they should be looking for deccies wage back for the past 3 seasons. He makes poor auld Brian Cowen seem competent.....

Sin é wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

Sin é wrote:Denis Hickie says it best:

“In recent years, certainly this year and even last year, there has been an horrific run of injuries,” added Hickie.

“When Ireland won the Grand Slam they used 21 players and this year they used 36 and Ireland doesn’t have 36 front-line international players.”

Lets hope Mike Ruddock doesn't have the same bad luck

Bad Luck or Bad IRFUing???

The records show that injuries were just about Declan's last thoughts as Irish Coach. He put forward his concerns to the IRFU about the frequency of injuries.

That's Kidney himself saying it had nothing to do with 'bad luck' and therefore it remains a real concern if not addressed.

But it's also Kidney saying so far too late in the day to save his job. He and his crew should have been phoning in their concerns much earlier - by a factor of years! - as Irish players and injuries is not a new phenomemon or exclusive to this 6N season.

Was last season not the first time Ireland had an 11 month season? Pretty much everyone was saying that this was too much this time last year when they were heading off to New Zealand for the 2nd time in 6 months. Do you really think Declan would have needed to point out the injury count to the IRFU? Please god they are not that thick not to notice that.

Someone was thick enough to send two concussed players into a game.

I think you are overstating the "demise" of the provinces DOD

Leinster have had an injury ravaged season and missed out to a very strong Clermont side in the HC. They were within a whisker of getting best 2nd place. We have always had tough draws in the HC and have not had the luxury of drawing Italian teams. 3HC's in 5 years aint too shabby. And its quite possible that the two years we did not win it we will be knocked out by the winners. Winning the RABO this year would rescue a challenging season

Munster despite and up and down campaign are in the quarters and have performed well in the RABO over the last few years. Harlequins are good but not unbeatable.

Ulster got to the final last year and have looked good this year and could well do the business v London South Africa

We will learn a lot in the coming months about the relative merits of the provinces

Munchkin wrote:

Sin é wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

Sin é wrote:Denis Hickie says it best:

“In recent years, certainly this year and even last year, there has been an horrific run of injuries,” added Hickie.

“When Ireland won the Grand Slam they used 21 players and this year they used 36 and Ireland doesn’t have 36 front-line international players.”

Lets hope Mike Ruddock doesn't have the same bad luck

Bad Luck or Bad IRFUing???

The records show that injuries were just about Declan's last thoughts as Irish Coach. He put forward his concerns to the IRFU about the frequency of injuries.

That's Kidney himself saying it had nothing to do with 'bad luck' and therefore it remains a real concern if not addressed.

But it's also Kidney saying so far too late in the day to save his job. He and his crew should have been phoning in their concerns much earlier - by a factor of years! - as Irish players and injuries is not a new phenomemon or exclusive to this 6N season.

Was last season not the first time Ireland had an 11 month season? Pretty much everyone was saying that this was too much this time last year when they were heading off to New Zealand for the 2nd time in 6 months. Do you really think Declan would have needed to point out the injury count to the IRFU? Please god they are not that thick not to notice that.

Someone was thick enough to send two concussed players into a game.

Yea, why bother with a medical doctor when the coach should be able to diagnose head injuries themselves?

PS - were there two concussed player going into the game or did they get a new bang on the head the following week as well?

Sin é wrote:

Was last season not the first time Ireland had an 11 month season? Pretty much everyone was saying that this was too much this time last year when they were heading off to New Zealand for the 2nd time in 6 months. Do you really think Declan would have needed to point out the injury count to the IRFU? Please god they are not that thick not to notice that.

I'm doing the reading of comments and working out why they get said when they get said Sin. So, Kidney makes it a point to voice his concerns about the frequency of player injuries (and I suppose he mentioned that a good few of them tend to be long lay off ones! - Bowe O'Connell, Fitz, Kearney)

That he brings up the subject with the IRFU means he's either had to repeat the concerns time and time again, or he's only just realised it isn't 'bad luck' - like you yourself put it down to not a few minutes ago.

Are we all being serious in declaring 'injuries' haven't mucked up some well laid plans before - before this 6N? Our memories are so short? It's an issue, it has been an issue for longer than this year and either Declan Kidney was saying so and not getting listened to - or he wasn't saying so and putting it down to 'bad luck'.

Why the injuries? I think there are a few theories out there. We won't go over them as Kidney is now gone but his methods were involved in some of those theories.

Anyway, it's still an issue until it is discussed properly. And the people who should be discussing it are the Ireland coaches and the Provincial coaches and their medical and fitness staff. Trends ought to be getting spotted well in advance of them becoming the joke they turned into this year. Bad Luck had no part to play in Ireland's 6N run.

I'd imagine Kidney wasn't going to be blabbing to the press about the injuries in the middle of the 6Ns as it was going to knock the confidence of those young players who came in.


edit: I'd imagine IRB/IRFU/NZRU greed has a big part to play in Ireland's injuries (whether it would be tours to NZ or Lions tours).

How about evolving the Irish Provinces and the Welsh Regions to up the anti a bit - How about these teams:

MunSpreys
Dragonnachts
Leiinster Blues
The Ulsterluts

RubyGuby wrote:How about evolving the Irish Provinces and the Welsh Regions to up the anti a bit - How about these teams:

MunSpreys
Dragonnachts
Leiinster Blues
The Ulsterluts

I'd prefer the Scarlets Ruby. I can't stand the spreys.

edit (and the scarlets wear red)

Why can't you stand the Spreys Sin?

"Yea, why bother with a medical doctor when the coach should be able to diagnose head injuries themselves?

PS - were there two concussed player going into the game or did they get a new bang on the head the following week as well?"

Certainly compounded the following week, but neither were ready to play against Italy.
Soon as Marshall had a knock he was off, and I believe that it was due to the previous weeks injury.
Bod wasn't right either. I don't know, but it's not unreasonable to suggest that this contributed to his rash stamp. Out of character for BOD really.

RubyGuby wrote:Why can't you stand the Spreys Sin?

That lieing little toerag Shane Williams

DOD wrote:What a load of Poopie....I think the heading says it all...rugby nerds blog....i.e translates to clueless hook types who talk rubbish.

Hook is only 200/1 for the job!

Munchkin wrote:"Yea, why bother with a medical doctor when the coach should be able to diagnose head injuries themselves?

PS - were there two concussed player going into the game or did they get a new bang on the head the following week as well?"

Certainly compounded the following week, but neither were ready to play against Italy.
Soon as Marshall had a knock he was off, and I believe that it was due to the previous weeks injury.
Bod wasn't right either. I don't know, but it's not unreasonable to suggest that this contributed to his rash stamp. Out of character for BOD really.

Ah here now .... I doubt if Declan Kidney (or any coach) would over rule a medical doctor about something like that.

Its not out of character for BOD to insist on playing when he isn't fit. Ever watch him being dragged off sometimes? BOD is well capable of taking the risk himself, particularly with a Lions Tour at stake.

RubyGuby wrote:How about evolving the Irish Provinces and the Welsh Regions to up the anti a bit - How about these teams:

MunSpreys
Dragonnachts
Leiinster Blues
The Ulsterluts

The Dragonnachts have the sexiest name

The Ulsterluts.............. well, don't say it to a group of Belfast ladies when drunk.

Sin é wrote:

Munchkin wrote:"Yea, why bother with a medical doctor when the coach should be able to diagnose head injuries themselves?

PS - were there two concussed player going into the game or did they get a new bang on the head the following week as well?"

Certainly compounded the following week, but neither were ready to play against Italy.
Soon as Marshall had a knock he was off, and I believe that it was due to the previous weeks injury.
Bod wasn't right either. I don't know, but it's not unreasonable to suggest that this contributed to his rash stamp. Out of character for BOD really.

Ah here now .... I doubt if Declan Kidney (or any coach) would over rule a medical doctor about something like that.

Its not out of character for BOD to insist on playing when he isn't fit. Ever watch him being dragged off sometimes? BOD is well capable of taking the risk himself, particularly with a Lions Tour at stake.

They're not so stupid as to over rule medical advise, but that same advise can be soft. Players know how to work the tests in their favour. Both of them were knocked senseless the previous week. Obvious concussion, and yet BOD was aloud to come back on the field. He probably pushed it, but he shouldn't have been permitted, and neither should either have been starting the following week. Lions or no Lions.
The risk wasn't BODs to take, Sine, but you know this

I doubt if the medical advice can be soft. Don't medics take an hippocratic oath?

Considering that most of BOD's family are doctors, he would be well aware of the dangers as well and I'm sure his father would be the first one to stop him if he wasn't fit to play.

Kidney didn't want Brian O'Driscoll to play in the England game (his wife had just had a baby), but he couldn't stop him. You see, BOD is now bigger than the team.

Sin é wrote:I doubt if the medical advice can be soft. Don't medics take an hippocratic oath?

Considering that most of BOD's family are doctors, he would be well aware of the dangers as well and I'm sure his father would be the first one to stop him if he wasn't fit to play.

Kidney didn't want Brian O'Driscoll to play in the England game (his wife had just had a baby), but he couldn't stop him. You see, BOD is now bigger than the team.

Of course medical advise can be soft. Especially if the tests for head injury is suspect, and largely dependent on what the players are telling them. Concussion is such a complex area, Sine.
If that's true, and I don't doubt you, it isn't that he couldn't stop him, it's that he wouldn't stop him. Maybe it is because he has such standing in Irish rugby, but that still doesn't make the decision right, does it?
Anyway it's done now, and Deccies time is over. I genuinely like the man. He's easy to warm to, and I hope the future has only good things for him, as I'm sure it does.

Munchkin wrote:

Sin é wrote:I doubt if the medical advice can be soft. Don't medics take an hippocratic oath?

Considering that most of BOD's family are doctors, he would be well aware of the dangers as well and I'm sure his father would be the first one to stop him if he wasn't fit to play.

Kidney didn't want Brian O'Driscoll to play in the England game (his wife had just had a baby), but he couldn't stop him. You see, BOD is now bigger than the team.

Of course medical advise can be soft. Especially if the tests for head injury is suspect, and largely dependent on what the players are telling them. Concussion is such a complex area, Sine.
If that's true, and I don't doubt you, it isn't that he couldn't stop him, it's that he wouldn't stop him. Maybe it is because he has such standing in Irish rugby, but that still doesn't make the decision right, does it?
Anyway it's done now, and Deccies time is over. I genuinely like the man. He's easy to warm to, and I hope the future has only good things for him, as I'm sure it does.

Yep. Both BOD's parents are doctors and his first cousin (John O'Driscoll) used be the Ireland team doctor (he is now Arsensal's doctor) so its not as if he wouldn't know all about it as well.

Insuinating that Kidney was playing supposedly 'innocent' concussed players is a wee bit below the belt though. You are like a vulture preying over the carcass of a dead animal.

Sin é wrote:

Munchkin wrote:

Sin é wrote:I doubt if the medical advice can be soft. Don't medics take an hippocratic oath?

Considering that most of BOD's family are doctors, he would be well aware of the dangers as well and I'm sure his father would be the first one to stop him if he wasn't fit to play.

Kidney didn't want Brian O'Driscoll to play in the England game (his wife had just had a baby), but he couldn't stop him. You see, BOD is now bigger than the team.

Of course medical advise can be soft. Especially if the tests for head injury is suspect, and largely dependent on what the players are telling them. Concussion is such a complex area, Sine.
If that's true, and I don't doubt you, it isn't that he couldn't stop him, it's that he wouldn't stop him. Maybe it is because he has such standing in Irish rugby, but that still doesn't make the decision right, does it?
Anyway it's done now, and Deccies time is over. I genuinely like the man. He's easy to warm to, and I hope the future has only good things for him, as I'm sure it does.

Yep. Both BOD's parents are doctors and his first cousin (John O'Driscoll) used be the Ireland team doctor (he is now Arsensal's doctor) so its not as if he wouldn't know all about it as well.

Insuinating that Kidney was playing supposedly 'innocent' concussed players is a wee bit below the belt though. You are like a vulture preying over the carcass of a dead animal.

If anything is below the belt it's your silly comment at the end...
Sine, try to engage in debate without the need for abusive comments. People will respect you all the more for it.
You seem to believe that both Marshall, and BOD were fit to play Italy. You're entitled to your own opinion, Sine, but I find it difficult to understand that you actually believe that, and more so that you think all who take to the field are fit to play which is obviously not true.
I won't fall out with anyone over a discussion on sport though. Well... not permanently

Don't get the continuing debate over Kidney. He no longer matters, to put it simply.

I hope he doesn't suffer Eddie O'Sullivans fate in failing to land another decent coaching gig but he is going to have to move onto pastures new. What else could he bring to Irish rugby? A provincial job would be a step backwards for the province and for him.

His lack of technical coaching ability will probably see him move into a Director of Rugby role if he does get another job, but as he'll be moving outside Ireland its hard to see where that will come. I think he'll stay in rugby but not in a hands on coaching role. He has a lot of respect within the game as a person, more than Eddie 'Dagger' O'Sullivan.

For our next coach, well, it has to be someone with testicles like brass wrecking balls to thrive with the way the media is here. Someone who is uber-competitive and thrives on that- the more pressure, the better. McKenzie is probably my favourite of the obvious candidates.

Notch wrote:Don't get the continuing debate over Kidney. He no longer matters, to put it simply.

I hope he doesn't suffer Eddie O'Sullivans fate in failing to land another decent coaching gig but he is going to have to move onto pastures new. What else could he bring to Irish rugby? A provincial job would be a step backwards for the province and for him.

His lack of technical coaching ability will probably see him move into a Director of Rugby role if he does get another job, but as he'll be moving outside Ireland its hard to see where that will come. I think he'll stay in rugby but not in a hands on coaching role. He has a lot of respect within the game as a person, more than Eddie 'Dagger' O'Sullivan.

For our next coach, well, it has to be someone with testicles like brass wrecking balls to thrive with the way the media is here. Someone who is uber-competitive and thrives on that- the more pressure, the better. McKenzie is probably my favourite of the obvious candidates.

One thing about Declan, all his protege assistant coaches have done very well for themselves, so I'd imagine he wouldn't be short of offers from clubs across the sea. After his first stint with Ireland he picked up the Dragons, Leinster & Munster all within a year and his time as Assistant didn't go too well. It seems Irish coaches are much sought after in England and elsewhere so it shouldn't be an issue for the most successful Irish coach of all time to get offers as well.

Anyone hear ROG saying to the press that Deccie lost himself the job when he picked Jackson ahead of him v Scotland?

He also mentioned having ambitions to coach Munster some day.