The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub

First topic message reminder :

So there is no rugby on now that I can watch

MrP, I think 5 warm up games against opponents with a similar agenda to our own will do us the world of good. It was a shambles the last time around and I got the feeling the Irish camp didn't take them that seriously.

They paid the price when it mattered. Its like how you have to stretch before doing exercise.

Rava: Didn't see that move coming!!

In other news: good to see Glaws are sticking with home grown talent:

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/grfc/gloucesterrugby/Graulich-Heard-win-chance-impress-Academy/article-3601304-detail/article.html

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/sport/Gloucester-Rugby-Hartpury-skipper-Savage-wins-year-deal/article-3603161-detail/article.html

Was it Harlequins who fielded an entirely English XV this season? Conor O'Shea might be a good shout for next Irish coach. Fairly impressive CV and would bring a different approach to the team. He clearly understands the set up in the IRFU but cannot be tainted with accusations of bias having all his experience in England.

Morning all, echoing the TFIF from above.

I'm off to the London Scottish end of year dinner with Asbo et al tonight, then I have the house to myself for the weekend . My flatmate headed off to catch her flight over to Cork this morning, but she's packed her Munster jersey so I'm guessing the hen's do in Kerry will be having a little rugby interlude!

Anyone miss the old 660 emoticons? - I am secretly building a stash of them so I can expand my nonverbal communication skills - hope this doesn't upset the author of the present emoticons?
Anyone fancy a drink -

Nonu gets his second try for the Canes. 17-18.

Stag, he's a good candidate alright, but has he gotten over his grievances yet with the IRFU?

Kiwi,

Coming to the dinner myself tonight. Looking forward to it. Interesting to see us all in suits.

I do to some extent yes. I think we had kind of understood how each of them was meant to be used. We'll get there with the current batch too but not right away.

Thats what I'm wondering too Munsty. Time heals all wounds I'm hoping. I think his background would be superb. We had Eddie O'Sullivan and Declan Kidney - school teachers who turned their hand to rugby.

O'Shea with a degree in Sports Management. Got a Masters in United States Sports Academy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Sports_Academy), worked as National Director at English Institute of Sport.

He would bring a new level of professionalism to Irish rugby.

Ben McCalman scores a try for the Force set up by a lovely break by Stannard. 17-25.

red_stag wrote:Was it Harlequins who fielded an entirely English XV this season? Conor O'Shea might be a good shout for next Irish coach. Fairly impressive CV and would bring a different approach to the team. He clearly understands the set up in the IRFU but cannot be tainted with accusations of bias having all his experience in England.

Stag, do you seriously think it matters where the coach comes from or if the fans think he has a bias. If that was the case, Mike Ruddock shouldn't be let near the Ireland set up as he was a former Leinster coach & he has a son playing for Leinster. I haven't heard anyone trotting that out as an excuse yet that there are so few Munster players in the U20 squad!

I think I'll start bringing it up a bit

As regards O'Shea - I don't think he is too popular in IRFU circles since his days at London Irish which he turned into an England Academy which forced the IRFU to set up the Exiles.

poissonrouge wrote:Anyone miss the old 660 emoticons? - I am secretly building a stash of them so I can expand my nonverbal communication skills - hope this doesn't upset the author of the present emoticons?
Anyone fancy a drink -

Great effort MrP, I've saved copies of your links for myself . You just need to save Asbo his <friedegg> one. Now can I please have a ?

Munsty, you can have a good laugh at my ironing efforts. I swear those creases weren't there when I left the house this morning!

Stag, don't write off the Aussie pack completely. If they can get 40% of possession then I'd back their backs to win most games - at the moment they're the team I fear most come RWC.

I like getting my "sig" back too.

How do you do the old drinkie emotions? Can you get the mug of coffee and the tea one please for us teetotallers?

Cari, if you "quote" MrP's post you'll see you he did it

Stag,

I'd let O'Shea keep building up his coaching credentials at this point with Quins.

Sin,

I'm sure I read that O'Shea offered to look after the exiles at London Irish, but the IRFU didn't like the offer so set up their own, so he went off and set up an English academy.

Sin é wrote:

red_stag wrote:Was it Harlequins who fielded an entirely English XV this season? Conor O'Shea might be a good shout for next Irish coach. Fairly impressive CV and would bring a different approach to the team. He clearly understands the set up in the IRFU but cannot be tainted with accusations of bias having all his experience in England.

Stag, do you seriously think it matters where the coach comes from or if the fans think he has a bias. If that was the case, Mike Ruddock shouldn't be let near the Ireland set up as he was a former Leinster coach & he has a son playing for Leinster. I haven't heard anyone trotting that out as an excuse yet that there are so few Munster players in the U20 squad!

I think I'll start bringing it up a bit

Think I'm explaining myself badly. What I am fed up with is a divided fan base. I beleive that Irish coaches are teaching the same things they learnt to players who will play the same as before. Are our current Irish team actually that much better that Eddie O'Sullivans team?

I would bring in an outside man who can teach us something new. O'Shea ticks those with the added bonus that he is Irish.

Morning all. As its domestic finals weekend (and there is only one ML final to date, so not much history to draw on) here's a question.

Which player has played in 5 Premiership finals, winning 4 of them?

5 Premiership Finals, winning 4 of them. It has to be a Tiger.

Geordan Murphy?

27-28. 5 minutes to go.

red_stag wrote:Thats what I'm wondering too Munsty. Time heals all wounds I'm hoping. I think his background would be superb. We had Eddie O'Sullivan and Declan Kidney - school teachers who turned their hand to rugby.

O'Shea with a degree in Sports Management. Got a Masters in United States Sports Academy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Sports_Academy), worked as National Director at English Institute of Sport.

He would bring a new level of professionalism to Irish rugby.

I wouldn't have too much of an issue with the professionalism of the IRFU. Compare how successful it has been say to the IRFU of a similar size like Scotland & Wales. With his sports degree, its Browne's job that O'Shea would be suited too. Doesn't Eddie have a PE/teacher degree? And Deccie a Masters in Psychology as well as his Degree in Mathematics.

All English Quins XV - Evans? Is he leaving?

Jane scores a try to put the Canes ahead. Sickened!

Ah shoot, the Canes win.

Sorry folks, very hungover

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/
http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/rugby/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport?mobile-redirect=false
http://sport.scotsman.com/rugby
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/
http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/rugby

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/headlines.cfm?c_id=80
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union

Sin E - obviously not in every match. But against Wasps I think he had a full English XV.

"its Browne's job that O'Shea would be suited too" - But as a coach he's won the Powergen Cup with London Irish, won Zurich Rugby Director of the Season Award and won the Amlin Cup. He's obviously a good coach.

And he's 11 and 12 years younger than Kidney and Eddie.

= image at http://poisson.org.uk/emoticon/f_devil.gif
As above - you can see the principle - I dumped several emoticons to my web space and then you just put [img][/img] around the web address. I have only loaded a few so far - you can see what I have at http://poisson.org.uk/emoticon. I will hopefully expand the range in the near future

Staggy - Murphy played in 6 finals(a record), but only won 3.

The_Hound_of_Harrow wrote:Staggy - Murphy played in 6 finals(a record), but only won 3.

Jeez - he loses half the finals he plays what a jinx

Cari I reckon you want
f_cappuccino.gif f_coffee.gif or f_tea.gif - (put the http://poisson.org.uk/emoticon in front of what you want and enclose in img tags)

Peter Bills. Ouch.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby-world-cup-2011/news/article.cfm?c_id=522&objectid=10725843

Hound,

I bet it's a Wasps player. Maybe van Gisbergen?

Also, where are you watching the game tomorrow?

Anyone see Beckford's goal at the weekend? Stunning!

More
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10728514

Nice to see Peter Bills has stopped being a rugby journalist and moved to economics!!

red_stag wrote:Sin E - obviously not in every match. But against Wasps I think he had a full English XV.

"its Browne's job that O'Shea would be suited too" - But as a coach he's won the Powergen Cup with London Irish, won Zurich Rugby Director of the Season Award and won the Amlin Cup. He's obviously a good coach.

And he's 11 and 12 years younger than Kidney and Eddie.

But does he do the coaching? The Quins coaching team hasn't changed except for Richards. Quins wouldn't be playing Heineken Cup next season except for the Amlin. By the way, I think Declan Kidney won the IRB (World) Coach of the Year 2 years ago.

You have a very agist attitude. Guy Noves is 57. Ian McGeechan is 64. Both are still going strong.

I now listening to the likes of Gibbo banging on about Kidney is tiresome, but he is tiresome about a lot of stuff (Jennings for instance!)

[quote="Sin é"]

red_stag wrote:
You have a very agist attitude. Guy Noves is 57. Ian McGeechan is 64. Both are still going strong.

Do I? I am just saying he has achieved a lot for someone so young and is clearly a good coach. I find that funny considering how much stick I get on these boards for advocating caution in "blooding" young players. I would say though and its not the first time I've noticed it is that you don't take criticism of Kidney well. I don't see what the big argument is here.

He was the right man for the job last time round but next time I'd like to see some new ideas come through.

O'Shea is a possible future Irish coach, but like said, he's still young and I think he needs more experience.

Sin,

Kidney does very little coaching. What difference does that make? O'Shea won't be going into a man to man coaching role with Ireland.

Munsty - Wasps have only made 4 finals (won the lot though!)

http://poisson.org.uk/emoticon/f_tea.gif

Well that doesn't work...perhaps Hobo can add them to the smileys list.

Good interview with Preistland in the papers there (thanks Hughie), love how he mentions how it was always the Scarlets for him (as it should be as a Llandeilo boy!) and that he feels a sense of loyalty to the region. I hope he gets a chance in the warm up games to show what he can do, even if it will most probably be at 15 and not his preferred position of 10.

Hound - I'm probably wrong in my guess, but is it Castro?

Cari, you've got to put the URL in between these two statments

Sorry munsty, I'm watching the Embra 7s, the AP final and either the T14 semi or the ML final at a pub in Ealing.

Interesting suggestion here http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10728355

It's not often a team changes it's "home" colours. Though there aren't any teams in SXV who play in green, so it'll stand out. Personally I just want Adidas to get over its obsession with grey for away strips. Shudder.

Louis Deacon or George Chuter?

Mickado wrote:

Cari, you've got to put the URL in between these two statments

Or click the "image" button on the tool bar then past in the url

Cariadwr, you should be able to use the image button (looks like TV screen)?

Alternatively, in my curmugeondly way, I will just post for the future as my friedegg emoticon will appear!!! :friedegg::friedegg:

And back in the real workd: (.)(.) - yes, they are fried eggs, just use your imaginations!!

For our viewing pleasure

https://www.606v2.com/t5703-penfro-pete-s-live-tv-guide-to-sunday-29-05


I miss chucking ‘tomatoes’ around.

Kiwi, I think that is a good idea as it might bring in the other provinces as playing in Blue probably doesn't appeal all that much to people from Southland.

MBTGOG wrote:Kiwi, I think that is a good idea as it might bring in the other provinces as playing in Blue probably doesn't appeal all that much to people from Southland.

Southland used to have some blue in their shirts, but http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wa5h0qCOxW8/SzMSr9FlzjI/AAAAAAAAAOc/5JO1qgXl730/s400/southland-09-jersey.jpg

Otago: http://www.mistersports.co.uk/products_images/z13488.jpg

Highlanders have caried their maroon over time http://www.odt.co.nz/files/story/2008/12/fullback_israel_dagg_left_models_the_new_home_high_6557432024.jpg but there's not much now http://www.goingtothegame.co.nz/productimages/2554med.jpg

Here’s a big clue to the earlier question. These seven Wasps players featured in all four of their winning finals.

Simon Shaw, Richard Birkett, Joe Worsley, Lawrence Dallaglio, Josh Lewsey, Ayoola Erinle, Mark van Gisbergen.

Erinle!

[quote="red_stag"]

Sin é wrote:

red_stag wrote:
You have a very agist attitude. Guy Noves is 57. Ian McGeechan is 64. Both are still going strong.

Do I? I am just saying he has achieved a lot for someone so young and is clearly a good coach. I find that funny considering how much stick I get on these boards for advocating caution in "blooding" young players. I would say though and its not the first time I've noticed it is that you don't take criticism of Kidney well. I don't see what the big argument is here.

He was the right man for the job last time round but next time I'd like to see some new ideas come through.

O'Shea has achieved something - but you did claim that one of the main reasons to appoint him was that he wouldn't be biased coming from outside Ireland (ignoring the fact that he grew up in Dublin, went to school in Dublin, played for a Leinster club and played for Leinster). And that he is young.

I think selecting a coach on where he doesn't come from or the fact that he is 'young' is bizarre, and the only reason I may appear intollerant of criticism of both Eddie & Kidney.

For the record, I think this talk which mainly comes from Leinster fans that you need an outside coach is silly talk. All coaches will have their favourites (i.e., Kidney likes both Luke Fitz & Paddy Wallace - neither of them are from Munster).

I'd be willing to put money on Kidney returning to club rugby anyway after his contract is up with the IRFU (after next 6Ns). He has said already that he misses day-to-day rugby and I'd be pretty sure there will be a Q of clubs willing to sign him.

Munsty's got him! Well done.