The Official Irish Provinces Rugby Thread

[Notch]

First topic message reminder :

Fans of Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht unite! A place is here to talk of your teams.

Discuss the Pro12 run-in, the provinces prospects in Europe next season, the tour to Argentina and why we're generally just the best. I mean, just how great are we? Lets talk about that.

But mainly whatever feckin' thing comes into your head!

[Sin é]

Why me?  They would be climbing the walls if I was around. Ask any of the Nordies here

[ME-109]

They could do with climbing some walls. Maybe this evening....

[Sin é]

They could do with climbing some walls. Maybe this evening....

I think Munster are going to win tonight. Munster are keeping their heads down, there is nothing but gloom about the place, no one expects them to do anything.

And Glasgow are on a high - already thinking about the Final.

[ME-109]

I always expect them to win...its just possible it could be a shambles (alá Ospreys a couple of years ago) as well.

[MunsterMac]

Foley was born in Limerick. The family moved to Killaloe when he was 7 or 8.

Unfortunately all Clare people are born in either Limerick or Galway for the last 40 years.

However whatever way you look at it Foley considers himself a Bannerman through and through.

[rodders]

They could do with climbing some walls. Maybe this evening....

I think Munster are going to win tonight. Munster are keeping their heads down, there is nothing but gloom about the place, no one expects them to do anything.

And Glasgow are on a high - already thinking about the Final.

Whoa back up the truck is the game on tonight? I thought it was Sunday?

[ME-109]

Wow Rodders...you have been completely out of it this week, asking about Ronan, Downey etc...game is on ko 19.35 this evening...

You alright?

[Sin é]

Tonight at 19.35 on ALBA/TG4/S4C

http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/schedule.php

[Sin é]

Wow Rodders...you have been completely out of it this week, asking about Ronan, Downey etc...game is on ko 19.35 this evening...

You alright?

He is really excited about his trip down to Thomond in a few weeks time   

[MunsterMac]

And for those who don't normally watch S4C you can get an English commentary via the red button.

[ME-109]

Never listen to S4C in English...the moaning would drive anyone to distraction...

[rodders]

Wow Rodders...you have been completely out of it this week, asking about Ronan, Downey etc...game is on ko 19.35 this evening...

You alright?

Still in shock from Paddy Wallace retiring... the week is just one big blur ME....

[MunsterMac]

Never listen to S4C in English...the moaning would drive anyone to distraction...

Have you ever watched a match on BBC Ulster?

[Don Alfonso]

Never listen to S4C in English...the moaning would drive anyone to distraction...

Have you ever watched a match on BBC Ulster?

Although there's no such thing as BBC Ulster, I think I know what you mean. But it's simply not true. Neilly is much, much less biased than RTE broadcasters, who in addition have much more onus on being even-handed, considering they're the national broadcasters for four Irish teams, rather than solely Ulster.

When was the last time someone from Ulster (the place) appeared in the studio for RTE?

[MunsterMac]

Hmmm. To be honest I've been astounded by the bias whenever I watch BBC NI or whatever it's called.

When I watch the Welsh coverage I find it very Welsh-centric as opposed to biased but I find the NI coverage unbelievable at times especially as it's the BBC who tend to pride themselves on being even handed (or used to at least).

[ME-109]

Neilly in fairness has improved...a few years back he was awful. Hugh Cahill is just the biggest pain in the whole going especially whenever Munster are playing.

RE people from Ulster are banned from RTÉ, they cant afford the subtitles...  

[Don Alfonso]

Hmmm. To be honest, I find the RTE coverage exactly the same, MunsterMac. And that they're the national broadcaster for at least three counties of my team is beyond a joke.
 
I suppose that's a value judgement.
 
Any ideas about the query about Ulster players/natives on RTE coverage?
 
ME - I don't actually want to watch RTE, so subtitles are unnecessary. I just want to be outraged and self-righteous.

[ME-109]

My guess on the RTE thing and Nordies is that BBC NI have their own coverage primarily of Ulster and RTÉ cover the other 3 primarily (with TG4). I dont believe there is any conspiracy to not have Ulster folk involved.

[Don Alfonso]

We have Mexicans involved all the time. EOS, Quinnie, some other unwashed guys.

I don't actually care. I just think that BBC NI is actually quite balanced compared to RTE, and I think if someone actually did a line-by-line breakdown of the commentary, you'd wonder what all the yapping is about.

Jim Neilly distinguishes himself in that he -

a) adores - adores - Mike McComish, who is rubbish
b) gets every Ulster player under 26 mixed up
c) loves Rhys patchell more than life itself
d) thinks "that's simply not good neough from Ulster"
e) doesn't wax lyrical about Leinster schools rugby

[Standulstermen]

Yep, reggie was commentating on the ulster game at the weekend. The other embarrassing thing I find about the BBC coverage is the interviewers (not always)

There was the guy who asked Pienaar was he worth the money and then I watched one this week with Payne where the interviewer just wouldn't stop asking about the red card. Payne was clearly getting fidgety chatting about it. It was like it was Paxman going after some slimy politician

[Sin é]

RTE wouldn't be too bad except for Ryle Nugent & Hugh Cahill who just love Leinster. Worth noting that Ryle Nugent is Head of Sport in RTE and that is probably why there are no Nordie pundits on RTE.

Only commentator I like is Michael Corcoran who seems to get on great with everyone and very popular with the players. But he never goes over the top in praise of anyone.

I think Donal Lenihan can be fairly sharp at times when he is commentating.

[Standulstermen]

Corcoran is excellent

I actually thought Wally was very good anytime I have seen him

[Don Alfonso]

I thought the Pienaar thing was cringe-worthy.

The Payne thing I'm not bothered about. Rugby coverage on this island, North and South, is far too lazy and placid. Asking Payne a couple of tough questions when he's giving platitudes is alright in my book.

[Standulstermen]

I think it was closer to 4/5 Don and pretty much all the same

[ME-109]

Yeah Corcoran is great...never biased....when Munster are playing is more likely to start giving out about the players etc...

Even though he is a fellow Corkman I wish someone would just dump Daire O'Brian....cant effing stand him.

[MunsterMac]

Neilly in fairness has improved...a few years back he was awful.

Seriously?!?

We must be in the realms of 'Effin Eddy' if that's the case.

[Don Alfonso]

I think it was closer to 4/5 Don and pretty much all the same

Meh.

I think the moral high ground about other nation's coverage was comprehensively surrendered when Irish broadcasters and the print media started being every bit as tiresome about "Jonny Sexton's Racing Metro" as the English media is about "Johnny Wilkinson's Toulon". There used to be considerable mirth in that, but now the Irish media are just as tedious about Sexton. Did you listen to Off The Ball from Monday night? I'm surprised Sexton wants to go to Argentina. He must be knackered, considering he won all those scrums and lineouts single-handed. He wasn't getting the blame when they were poor earleir in the season. Now they're doing well, it's because the team has adopted the Jonny Sexton Way. It was unintentionally hilarious.

[ME-109]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4FU9SvW-Bk

[ME-109]

Ah Don...now you are getting what is termed down in Munster as the D4 Meedja...

[Don Alfonso]

It's a conspiracy.

Or, as we Ulster fans say,

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Notch]

I think much of the bias on BBC NI stems from the involvement of Ryan Constable. Players agents shouldn't be let anywhere near broadcasting. Yes, this includes Frankie Sheahan.

[Don Alfonso]

I think much of the bias on BBC NI stems from the involvement of Ryan Constable. Players agents shouldn't be let anywhere near broadcasting. Yes, this includes Frankie Sheahan.

That is 100% true, all mirth aside. It's embarrassing.

[Sin é]

I think much of the bias on BBC NI stems from the involvement of Ryan Constable. Players agents shouldn't be let anywhere near broadcasting. Yes, this includes Frankie Sheahan.

And Brian O'Driscoll.

[asoreleftshoulder]

Ah Don...now you are getting what is termed down in Munster as the D4 Meedja...

Funny that,we call it the Munster Meedja.

[whocares]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4FU9SvW-Bk

Brilliant! the guy is passionate, I'll give him that.

Battles of the Jonnies tonight !

[ME-109]

Forgot about the Toulon Racing game...a good weekend would be Toulon and Sarries losing and Munster winning...

[MunsterMac]

The Toulon game is on TV5 Monde which can be picked up on the Sky box (Ch 799) and is FTA on some satellites.

They're also showing the Montpelier / Castres match tomorrow.

[brennomac]

Yeah Corcoran is great...never biased....when Munster are playing is more likely to start giving out about the players etc...

Even though he is a fellow Corkman I wish someone would just dump Daire O'Brian....cant effing stand him.

O'Brien doesn't bother me that much - it's another rebel I can't stand - Matt Cooper - and he's going to be the front man for TV3 coverage of the RWC. Thinks he's a bleedin expert on every bloody sport from rugby to gaa and hurling. But that said, anything is an improvement on the McGurk-Hook-Pope three-hander - McGurk can't shut up and wears awful suits, Hook is just a pantomime villain and what Pope brings to the equation. Maybe RTE thinks because he's a kiwi he must know everything.

Corcoran's always good for a laugh when he gets excited - and tbh it doesn't take much to get Mikey excited. Worst commentator of the lot has to be George Hamilton - has been doing rugby matches for about 20 years without ever bothering to learn the rules

[Jenifer McLadyboy]

Ah Don...now you are getting what is termed down in Munster as the D4 Meedja...

Funny that,we call it the Munster Meedja.

It's incredible how one eyed people can be. I have heard Leinster fans complain about ex Blackrock College and head of RTE sport Ryle Nugent having a Munster Bias.

Obviously Munster fans feel the opposite.

I have also seen comments from Munster and Leinster fans complain of bias ABOUT THE EXACT SAME ARTICLE in the paper.

For the record I think Ryle is grand.His voice can be a little cringey at times, but he is enthusiastic and if both sets of fans thing he is biased then he must be doing something right.

[ME-109]

Yeah Corcoran is great...never biased....when Munster are playing is more likely to start giving out about the players etc...

Even though he is a fellow Corkman I wish someone would just dump Daire O'Brian....cant effing stand him.

O'Brien doesn't bother me that much - it's another rebel I can't stand - Matt Cooper - and he's going to be the front man for TV3 coverage of the RWC.  Thinks he's a bleedin expert on every bloody sport from rugby to gaa and hurling.  But that said, anything is an improvement on the McGurk-Hook-Pope three-hander - McGurk can't shut up and wears awful suits, Hook is just a pantomime villain and what Pope brings to the equation.  Maybe RTE thinks because he's a kiwi he must know everything.

Corcoran's always good for a laugh when he gets excited - and tbh it doesn't take much to get Mikey excited.  Worst commentator of the lot has to be George Hamilton - has been doing rugby matches for about 20 years without ever bothering to learn the rules

Forgot about Cooper and his high pitched whine...another self important eejit and mouth piece for his employer(s)....

[ME-109]

Ah Don...now you are getting what is termed down in Munster as the D4 Meedja...

Funny that,we call it the Munster Meedja.

It's incredible how one eyed people can be. I have heard Leinster fans complain about ex Blackrock College and head of RTE sport Ryle Nugent having a Munster Bias.

Obviously Munster fans feel the opposite.

I have also seen comments from Munster and Leinster fans complain of bias ABOUT THE EXACT SAME ARTICLE in the paper.

For the record I think Ryle is grand.His voice can be a little cringey at times, but he is enthusiastic and if both sets of fans thing he is biased then he must be doing something right.

Ryle isnt the worst its Hugh Cahill who is a pain

[Mickado]

My mate hates Nugent because he thinks he over-explains everything, but then he waits for him to explain LITERALLY ANYTHING and goes berserk.

Nugent: It will be a scrum after that knock on

My Mate: YES RYLE OF COURSE IT’S A F00KIN SCRUM, WE'RE NOT BLIND!!!!


Angry, angry young man...

[rodders]

Was watching a replay of the 2008 HEC final there last night between Munster and Toulouse.

You forget how good that Munster side were and what a great time that was. Amazing how much things have changed in that period - the Kidney era at Ireland hadn't even started, the banking crisis, the bail out, the GS....

Only O'Connell, Hurley and O'Callaghan remain which is incredible given it wasn't that long ago.

Contrast the Leinster 2009 side - D'arcy, Kearney, Reddan, Cullen, BOD, Heaslip, Jennings, Fitzgerald all still hanging in there....

[SecretFly]

The famous Dalkey-Killiney-Shrewsbury Road Shangrilla air

[MunsterMac]

by rodders on Tue May 20, 2014 10:52 am

Was watching a replay of the 2008 HEC final there last night between Munster and Toulouse.

You forget how good that Munster side were and what a great time that was. Amazing how much things have changed in that period - the Kidney era at Ireland hadn't even started, the banking crisis, the bail out, the GS....

Only O'Connell, Hurley and O'Callaghan remain which is incredible given it wasn't that long ago.

Contrast the Leinster 2009 side - D'arcy, Kearney, Reddan, Cullen, BOD, Heaslip, Jennings, Fitzgerald all still hanging in there....

And when you bear in mind that Topoki, Dowling, Barry Murphy, Wallace, Flannery and Leamy all had to retire prematurely along with Marcus Horan's heart problem you couldn't blame Munster supporters for pondering if things could have been different.

[rodders]

All those pick and goes and sealing off takes its toll on the best of them .....   

Some seriously good players there - Mafi and Tepoki, Quinlin, Wallace, Leamy - world class combinations. big John Hayes too - players like this don't grow on trees.

If Leinster peaked in 2011/12 then that 2008 side was vintage for Munster.

[ME-109]

Munster coaching staff has been confirmed...

Manager - Niall O Donovan
Head Coach - Axel Foley
Mick O'Driscoll - Technical Advisor and B&I team
Jerry Flannery - Scrum Coach and Academy and Underage squads.
Brian Walsh - Attach Coach and Backs
Ian Costelloe - Defence and Kicking.

[Feckless Rogue]

I would say Leinster peaked in 2010/11, Schmidt's first season. Knocked out Saracens, Clermont, Racing Metro, Leicester Tigers, Toulouse and Northampton. We weren't quite as good when Hines left. Stupid move by the IRFU. We're still signing locks every year to try and replace him.

[rodders]

I would say Leinster peaked in 2010/11, Schmidt's first season. Knocked out Saracens, Clermont, Racing Metro, Leicester Tigers, Toulouse and Northampton. We weren't quite as good when Hines left. Stupid move by the IRFU. We're still signing locks every year to try and replace him.

Nah that was the year Saints ran out of steam because they were tired.

[ME-109]

I think the Munster group that won in 08 peaked in the QF against the Ospreys in 2009/10. The loss in 09 to Leinster was a warning but the loss to Biarritz in the SF was the end...tired old men...

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