The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub

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Space reserved for opening comments from the landlady/

I'm pleased Munsty, in that we need another body in the backrow, but yes- fairly underwhelming. I'm all for giving him a chance to prove his worth mind you.

I actually think our four core backrowers- Diack, Wannenburg, Faloon and Henry- have done well this season but you could see the number of games they'd played taking more and more of a toll on them at the end of the season as we began to run out of gas. We thought we were well served, but Pollock didn't play at all and Ferris barely played. We need to be able to rotate our backrow as all the top sides do. Not sure McComish is the answer but it's not an easy problem! Backrow is fast turning into an achilles heel for us.

I had no idea about Stade Francais- what a clusterflip Guazzani is presiding over now! His grandiose dreams seem to lie in ruin.

What happens to their new signings if they are demoted? Get out clauses? Would they be able to pay their wage bill? Just how likely is this?

Alright Cari. Nearly finished watching the Barbarians game from yesterday. You?

Alright Cari. I'm off to a BBQ in a little bit; sort of an end of year shindig for my whole Uni class. Everyone os finished now and of course a lot of people are moving on to new challenges and new pastures as happens after Uni, so it will likely be the last time to see a few of the guys.

It is, of course, raining.

Nearly at the end of my boxed set Munsty. I did pop out in the rain to get some supplies tho. Just having a brew and a biscuit.

25 degrees in the Dam.
Op de fiets jongen! :run2:

Have a lovely day all. Enjoy your BBQ Notch.

Wet and dull here Gibbo...and about 17 degrees at the most I'd say.

Gibbo, sent you a mail there pal.

Hello Mickado how's it going?

Alright Cari!

Going is good/good to firm in places , booked a few nights in Amsterdam with herself there last night so just looking to see if the hotel I booked is any use off our resident hamster-jammer!

10 hours round trip on Saturday ended in defeat (or middled in defeat more accurately!) but it was still good craic. We had good banter with those in the crowd, shook hands on the way out and wished eachother well. it’s hard to be too beat up about 1 game after the season we had so I walked out with a smile on my mush

Afternoon all, hope everyone's well.

My new flatmate is all moved in and we've already been out for a pint, reckon we'll head out for the footy later too, so tis all good on that front

Just reading back, and the job of optimist for Wales in the RWC is definitely not for me! I still break out in a cold sweat at just the thought of playing Fiji again in the group stages, still don't think I've fully got over 2007. Am going to be an absolutely nervous wreck come September time.

One for the wall...

https://www.606v2.com/t5853-tier-2-nations-and-the-world-cup#134673

Awh glad you enjoyed the Magners Final Mick. Looked like a good atmos on the telly. You guys didn't fancy crashing at Hotel Gibbo?

Dreamer - it's good you get on with your flatmate well. Is he cute?

Cari - haha aye yeah he's alright, reckon one of my best friends might take a bit of a shine to him Looking forward to a lazy hour or so before heading back out to the pub now

Right managed to catch up from this morning and I don't like what I'm seeing all, what the Flip is all the optimism about??? Me and munsty had s good chat about this on Saturday and we have enough for all of us right now, we've been optimistic since the beginning of the 6 nations when we saw the grand plan.

So say what you will but leave the optimism to me and munsty


Thank you

I meant for yourself, nevermind your mate Still, you don't wnat to make things awkward...how long's he there for at least six months?

You off to watch the Swansea match? I hope they win. Would be tidy to have a Welsh side in the premiership.

Afternoon all.

crisis finally over in here meaning I could go off to have some lunch. the GF made me a killer ham cheese and onion toasty that was only short of fantastic.

Face still looks ridiculious to be honest and have to meet with the head of europe at 4pm. hopefully he doesn't keep me too long, I want to get out of here early.

oh that's just reminded me, and although I'm not sure I want to ask, I will: Why are Irish posters in this pub so confident they will beat Wales in the QF of the World Cup IF we meet there? (and tis a big if!)

Ah we didn't want to impose on him. Plus this is the only holiday we're going on this year so a bit of time together is going to be good. We'll meet up with the man himself if he's about though, i'm looking forward to his tour of lesser spotted Amsterdam, and to be honest i can't wait to (ahem) sample the local delicacies!

hughie1986 wrote:Right managed to catch up from this morning and I don't like what I'm seeing all, what the Flip is all the optimism about??? Me and munsty had s good chat about this on Saturday and we have enough for all of us right now, we've been optimistic since the beginning of the 6 nations when we saw the grand plan.

So say what you will and leave the optimism to me and munsty


Thank you

Eh...I don't think anyone was saying different Hughie, I only questioned why it was just the pair of you (and none of the other Irish regs).

Mickado wrote:Ah we didn't want to impose on him. Plus this is the only holiday we're going on this year so a bit of time together is going to be good. We'll meet up with the man himself if he's about though, i'm looking forward to his tour of lesser spotted Amsterdam, and to be honest i can't wait to (ahem) sample the local delicacies!

That's true. You guys can do your own thing then. I'm sure you'll enjoy it and possibly meet up with Asbo too?

Cari - aye he's got a year contract so fingers crossed we can get on for the whole year, I reckon we will though. He's well into his football but knows nothing about rugby, but that will probably quickly change if I have anything to do with it!

And aye, out to watch Swansea, not sure I particularly want them to win, but should be a good match I reckon.

Mickado wrote:Ah we didn't want to impose on him. Plus this is the only holiday we're going on this year so a bit of time together is going to be good. We'll meet up with the man himself if he's about though, i'm looking forward to his tour of lesser spotted Amsterdam, and to be honest i can't wait to (ahem) sample the local delicacies!

Ha you are getting very fond of that delicacie lately Mickado..

myself and herself are plotting a trip over there ourselves actually. going to look into it later on in the week.

Cari wrote:

hughie1986 wrote:Right managed to catch up from this morning and I don't like what I'm seeing all, what the Flip is all the optimism about??? Me and munsty had s good chat about this on Saturday and we have enough for all of us right now, we've been optimistic since the beginning of the 6 nations when we saw the grand plan.

So say what you will and leave the optimism to me and munsty


Thank you

Eh...I don't think anyone was saying different Hughie, I only questioned why it was just the pair of you (and none of the other Irish regs).

Eh Hughie my man, I will be as confident as I want to be about my country. and I am very confident that at the very least a repeat of 2007 will not be on the cards.

Cari,

People got far too confident in 2007. We want people to more guarded.

MBTGOG wrote:
Cari,

People got far too confident in 2007. We want people to more guarded.

Zactly, this time I'm quietly optimistic, nothing more.

Good man Mick, we need more of your ilk. We want there to be whispers but nothing more.

Ilk - i like that word.

I don't LOVE it, i don't definitely think it's the best in the world, but i like where things seem to be headed with it and maybe given a bit of luck, it could win it's group and possibly make the semi finals. Either way, i'll be happy if it improves on it's performance from 4 years ago.

Kinda like that.

Exactly mick, just show a little faith there is magic in the night

What I'm looking forward to is Hughie's rousing speeches close to the games.

hughie1986 wrote:Right managed to catch up from this morning and I don't like what I'm seeing all, what the Flip is all the optimism about??? Me and munsty had s good chat about this on Saturday and we have enough for all of us right now, we've been optimistic since the beginning of the 6 nations when we saw the grand plan.

So say what you will but leave the optimism to me and munsty


Thank you

Hughie,

I must admit I am desperately trying to keep a hold on my optimism? So why am I optimistic?

Well, firstly nothing can be worse than 2007, and I mean nothing. It wasn't just the total deflation after all the hubris, EOS being awarded a new contract before the event, but all that guff about the "golden generation"...
Secondly, we have winners in the sqaud - men who are used to winning big games. Admittedly Munster have had a "bad" season other than winning the ML, Ulster have done nothing much , other than get out of their HC group for the first time in 11 years and getting into the ML play-offs; Connacht again failed, except that they were not bottom of the league and there are tentative signs of the west awakening; Leinster, well what have Leinster done - beaten a dog-tired Aviva premiership team to win the HC Cup .
Thirdly I have confidence in DK's man-management competence. He is a very quietly spoken person as we all know, But he manages players in a way that if it could be bottled the IRFU could make a fortune selling it. One example of this which I heard about him years ago when he was still with Munster was the way he would not only tell players they must improve, but would also give them a strategy for how to do it - this is the teacher / coach in him coming out. Contrast this with the arly days of MJ's tenure in England when he told Cips to improve but gave him no sense of how or where that improvement should be effected.
Fourthly I believe that DK has assembled a very good coaching team around him. Joe Schmidt's employment of Greg Feek was a genius stroke, but DK's "borrowing" of Feek for Ireland was similarly inspired. The days when Irish scrums (national and provincial) were pushed all over the park are beginning to recede into the bad memories of the past.
Fifthly There are enough players in the squad who will remember 2007. In the months between now and September, they will ensure that the whole squad - players, coaches and other backroom staff - will not lose the run of themselves as happened in 2007. These men are well grounded, they know how to win, they know what it is to lose, they know how to convert confidence into performance on the pitch, but most of all, I believe they know the difference between confidence and arrogance.

Other than for all those reasons, I must say I am feeling totally depressed about RWC 2011.

Off for some lunch

I am delighted that the games are all on weekends in the groups. that makes it a lot easier with work.

anyone know what time the swansea Reading game is?

Hughie,

I think we can allow Kia that one.


Face/Off is on the iPlayer. Result! Watch that after my washing.

We’ll have to have some early morning rugby parties Mick.

Although one of the games is on at 7 in the morning, after my pal’s wedding. Will almost definitely try to stay up for it and end up falling asleep in the middle…

Yeh Mickado that sounds good to me.

pity about the wedding but I am sure you can manage an all nighter. which game is it that you will be missing?

I kind of wished I kept more holidays to take off and just enjoy the whole thing but that wasn't to be so I won't dwell on it too much.

Heat wave coming the weekend folks. I am off all next week so I will be down in Wexford beside the beach.

everything is perfect about that place apart from network and internet signal

Mickado,

Which game is it after the wedding?

I've decided to come back to Ireland on 16th so will be back here for the Australia game.

I think it’s the Italy game – yep just checked and it is. And the match is actually on at 8.30am, which is going to be even tougher to stay awake for!

Wow that was a cook challenge if I ever did one!! Just cooked, special mash, chicken pasta bake and now about to finish cooking a toad in the hole!! Should see me through to the end of the month I hope!!

Now time to have the left over beer which I didn't use for the batter

red_stag wrote:What do people think the various countries strongest position and weakest positions are for the World Cup.

Scotland, our forwards and our backs respectively

Yeah I suppose kia can join us munsty, well let her away with that one

Oh I see now...you don't want everyone being TOO confident. That may change during the tournament depending how Ireland progress though...

As, did you get my text??

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

red_stag wrote:What do people think the various countries strongest position and weakest positions are for the World Cup.

Scotland, our forwards and our backs respectively

I wish ASBO.....

hughie, the one about france was your last, otherwise nope? A resend might be in order?

Stag,
In general, French clubs seem to be on an even keel as far as finances go;as well as good crowds and TV income,most of them have good local based main sponsors.If they don't go down the road of trying to keep up with Racing and Toulon in the glam stakes(SF started that and look where they are now,but not having a permanent stadium of adequate size doesn't help),the Top14(or better stillTop12) has sunny days ahead.

Mickado, what dates are you planning to be in de Dam? :run1:

ASbolian- we’ll be there from the 7th to the 11th of July <ok>

There is a lad playing a sax just outside junction today, feels like I'm living in a lethal weapon movie

One hell of a play of final going on at Wembley...

Swansea were 3-0 up at half time, and now 19 minutes into the second half Reading have scored twice to make it 3-2.....


GAME ON!

That will be blydi typical if Swansea lose at this rate. I see Cardiff sacked their coach.

Penalty for Swansea now Cari...