ConnachtCows wrote:

sea_point wrote:

RonanL wrote: Very little talk about the national team on here these days.

Clearly an improvement at the weekend against Italy, but we'll need to up our game big time against France if we have any chance. I've never rated Conor Murray, because similar to POD for us, his passing just isn't up to scratch.I understand that it's easier for a scrum half coming on after 55 minutes because the opposition forwards are starting to tire, but I still think Redden improved things immesurably on Saturday, and for me, he is a better option to start than Murray. I also think we need to start thinking about a replacement for Darcy - he is anonymous for too long in too many games for my liking.

Not surprising really, not much to do with us.

Sorry for going off topic, but I dont really get this attitude on here.
I saw something similiar on the thread about McGahan leaving Munster, and Chabal possibly going to Leinster

We havea sub-forum for general rugby talk. I dont see why some people seem against it.
Would they rather everyone went to different forums to talk about different aspects of rugby?
We have our main Connacht forum which is easily the most popular forum on here. Why cant people discuss other matters in the other sub forums which exist here?
Seems petty to me

They aren't and they can, this is in a sub forum. The point of them is so that topics like this which are of less interest and get much less posts do not clog up the main forum which is not surprisingly exclusively Connacht focused. Particularly on this forum platform set up where much fewer topics are shown per page...

The point I was making was with my comment that I, and I expect many other Connacht supporters feel much lees committed to supporting the Ireland team as against the Wolfhounds/U-20's and Womens where our players are selected. There's a whole lot of Rugby on our tellys now on top of our other commitments so people are more selective. Personally my Rugby tree always has Connacht at the top and then any Ireland teams with Connacht representation....

ummm, wrote:

ConnachtCows wrote: Seems petty to me

Please don't mistake a genuine lack of interest in something with outright dislike.

Fair enough. I dont see why people bother going into threads obviously about a topic which they have no interest in, and provide pointless responses

Sorry, I had started on this post, before you edited you own.

I can understand that people would rather speak about Connacht on here, but as I mentioned previously, the Connacht sub-forum is easily the most popular place on here.

I just cant see, why if other people want to discuss other matters on here, it's snarled at

ConnachtCows wrote: Seems petty to me

I'm not interested in talking about the national side on this board. I find this board is best for Connacht discussion and I think it's much more productive when our members are really getting involved in Connacht related stuff.


Please don't mistake a genuine lack of interest in something with pettiness.

ConnachtCows wrote:

sea_point wrote:

RonanL wrote: <strong>Very little talk about the national team on here these days. </strong>

Clearly an improvement at the weekend against Italy, but we'll need to up our game big time against France if we have any chance. I've never rated Conor Murray, because similar to POD for us, his passing just isn't up to scratch.I understand that it's easier for a scrum half coming on after 55 minutes because the opposition forwards are starting to tire, but I still think Redden improved things immesurably on Saturday, and for me, he is a better option to start than Murray. I also think we need to start thinking about a replacement for Darcy - he is anonymous for too long in too many games for my liking.

<strong>Not surprising really, not much to do with us.</strong>

Sorry for going off topic, but I dont really get this attitude on here.
I saw something similiar on the thread about McGahan leaving Munster, and Chabal possibly going to Leinster

We havea sub-forum for general rugby talk. I dont see why some people seem against it.
Would they rather everyone went to different forums to talk about different aspects of rugby?
We have our main Connacht forum which is easily the most popular forum on here. Why cant people discuss other matters in the other sub forums which exist here?
Seems petty to me

I agree - everyone is different, but personally I enjoy discussing the Irish team as much as Connacht, and I'd consider myself a supporter of both fairly equally.

sea_point wrote:

RonanL wrote: <strong>Very little talk about the national team on here these days. </strong>

Clearly an improvement at the weekend against Italy, but we'll need to up our game big time against France if we have any chance. I've never rated Conor Murray, because similar to POD for us, his passing just isn't up to scratch.I understand that it's easier for a scrum half coming on after 55 minutes because the opposition forwards are starting to tire, but I still think Redden improved things immesurably on Saturday, and for me, he is a better option to start than Murray. I also think we need to start thinking about a replacement for Darcy - he is anonymous for too long in too many games for my liking.

Not surprising really, not much to do with us.

Sorry for going off topic, but I dont really get this attitude on here.
I saw something similiar on the thread about McGahan leaving Munster, and Chabal possibly going to Leinster

We havea sub-forum for general rugby talk. I dont see why some people seem against it.
Would they rather everyone went to different forums to talk about different aspects of rugby?
We have our main Connacht forum which is easily the most popular forum on here. Why cant people discuss other matters in the other sub forums which exist here?
Seems petty to me

Yes Heaslip seems to be doing most of the good work on the ground and seems far more likely to do a turnover than sob.
Heaslip should be left at 8 at scrum time as his the best we have controlling things at the back of it.
Sob is suffering a loss of form , looks less dynamic and his trying to get used to a new position. Ive played 7 myself and the player needs to be capable of reading the game and putting himself into positions where he can continue attacks and secure ball. Sob doesnt seem to have that knack yet. He can run all day but he needs to improve where his running to.
Its a pity Jennings or a-another couldnt step up and give us an option of a good 7.

Benji wrote:
Sob looks out of form at 7. Im a long time saying it that he just isnt one and while his doing his best its hard to play a new position when your form is crap.

Heaslip's been getting some stick again, but for me with the balance of the back row all three can't be party boys, Sean O'Brien is not an openside and Heaslip is spending a lot more time with his head down and ass up which is not what you really want from a Number 8. Maybe Deccie should just swap Heaslip and O'Brien to 7 & 8 respectively and have done with it. Heaslip's got the pace and doesn't mind getting down and dirty, so if we're asking him to be an auxiliary openside then why not give him the role permanently. He's been criticised for not being effective at 8, yet he's really actually playing 7 1/2 at the moment...

Yes thats what Kidney seems to be looking for but its killing us.
We need fast ball to give us any chance of breaking through defences. Static ball is easy to defend.
Im hoping for loads of rain.

Kidney likes a big guy at 9 to play a 'sweeper' role in defence. It was the reason why TOL got picked instead of better passer like Reddan and Stringer the last few years. With TOL's mojo gone it makes sense for DK to go with a young giant like Murray. I'm not saying I'm agreeing with it but that's the reason why.

Agree that Darcy's no longer got that spark needed. His reliable but unlikely to do anything that would open things up for us. He made one fine break at the moment and its been a long time coming.
I think Deccie will stick with Murray who seems like a young Tol. Very slow with the pass and the decision making. Reddan looked good when he came on but were Italy any good at that stage. Its sometimes hard to evaluate performances like that at the end of games against opposition when the game is over.
I like watching Marshal play for Ulster his got that spark and speed that really keeps a backrow honest. I love if Kidney had the nads to give lads like him a chance.

Sob looks out of form at 7. Im a long time saying it that he just isnt one and while his doing his best its hard to play a new position when your form is crap.

RonanL wrote: Very little talk about the national team on here these days.

Clearly an improvement at the weekend against Italy, but we'll need to up our game big time against France if we have any chance. I've never rated Conor Murray, because similar to POD for us, his passing just isn't up to scratch.I understand that it's easier for a scrum half coming on after 55 minutes because the opposition forwards are starting to tire, but I still think Redden improved things immesurably on Saturday, and for me, he is a better option to start than Murray. I also think we need to start thinking about a replacement for Darcy - he is anonymous for too long in too many games for my liking.

Not surprising really, not much to do with us.

We beat a very poor Italian side who played nowhere near the level they achieved against England. No Castrogiavanni and a very inexperienced back line, I'd say overall we were about Par, nothing exceptional.

Thought we were very poor in the first half, Murray looked the International rookie that he is taking much too long pover the ball and getting caught too frequently. Needs to learn how to boss his pack, especially when the ball is buried/slow...

Very little talk about the national team on here these days.

Clearly an improvement at the weekend against Italy, but we'll need to up our game big time against France if we have any chance. I've never rated Conor Murray, because similar to POD for us, his passing just isn't up to scratch.I understand that it's easier for a scrum half coming on after 55 minutes because the opposition forwards are starting to tire, but I still think Redden improved things immesurably on Saturday, and for me, he is a better option to start than Murray. I also think we need to start thinking about a replacement for Darcy - he is anonymous for too long in too many games for my liking.

Benji wrote: Bradley Davis got banned for 7 weeks , No news on Ferris

Ferris is good to go, not upheld....

IrishRugby.ie wrote:
At a disciplinary hearing in London today, the citing made against Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris was considered but not upheld.

The independent Six Nations disciplinary committee, chaired by England's Antony Davies together with Douglas Hunter (Scotland) and John Doubleday (England), met to consider a citing complaint under law 10.4(j).

The citing was made by Achille Reali (Italy), the independent citing commissioner, appointed for the RBS 6 Nations match between Ireland and Wales in Dublin last weekend.

Bradley Davis got banned for 7 weeks , No news on Ferris

thanks that should read bowe on bench as 3/4s replacement

I forgot to add that darcy looks finished at 12. a great player for ireland over the years but his time looks to be up. With size being the order of the day perhaps kidney should use downey at 12 at least until spence is ready for international rugby.

My team wouldd be Healy,cronin,ross,d ryan, p o connell, ferris,p o mahoney,o brien.
murray, sexton, trimble, downey, Mc fadden, earls, kearney.
bench- court, best, doc/tuohy,heaslip, redden, rog,best.

Prob no chance of it happening for france game but id like to see it at some stage of 6n.they will prob go with earls at 13 and mcfadden at 12.
Jonnie shud retain kicking duties but it shud be moved to mcfadden asap if hes off form.

Some good points Rossie while I disagree with you about Darcy I think that Downey should be brought in. Earls & Mcfadden aren't the biggest of players and the likes of a Basteruad or Roguerie would railroad them. With O'Driscoll gone we need someone of Downey's physicality to counteract what will be a physical backline by France. For me Downey at 12 and either Darcy or McFadden at 13.

p.s. you've Best twice on your bench.