Rugby 2019 Discussion

JPRouve

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Why did Cotter leave?
He wanted to go back to club Rugby, in France or New Zealand. And the fact that Montpellier pays really well doesn't hurt but the alternative was the Chiefs.
 

Xaviesta

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He wanted to go back to club Rugby, in France or New Zealand. And the fact that Montpellier pays really well doesn't hurt but the alternative was the Chiefs.
So you're telling me he might not want to coach Australia after the World Cup...? :(:(
 

JPRouve

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So you're telling me he might not want to coach Australia after the World Cup...? :(:(
His contract ends in 2020 and he is now general manager instead of being head coach with Garbajosa as HC. So he may have different plans but I feel that the All Blacks are a better bet.
 

JPRouve

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Be honest lads, how strange it is to not see France completely clueless? It obviously means nothing long term but you can't imagine how nice it is to not be embarrassed.
 

JPRouve

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Perfect timing really if you've sorted yourselves out.
It's so obvious that Brunel isn't in charge anymore, only the french could create a monumental mess and potentially not pay for it. Now I don't have a lot of hope for the world cup but we may be good for the Six Nations.
 

Rooney1987

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Just watched some of the highlights of the England Wales game, allowing that Wales try was a bad call. Other the fact quick taps after a TMO isn’t allowed, carded player (it wasn’t even a yellow imo) has to leave the field first and Heinz has a head injury had to be replaced.

Overall was a bad game of rugby, Wales just about the better team. Positives for Wales, they won the game, no injures, Bigger looked good and Navidi look good on this return. England not many positives other then this was mostly a second string, no injuries, I guess Watson/JJ getting minutes.
 

McGrathsipan

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I'm going to England V Ireland at Twickenham next week.

Cant wait. Hope Ireland perform
 

diarm

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I'd say Six Nations got a shock at the level of backlash to this. Between the Twitter and Reddit campaigns, plus pretty much every rugby forum on the internet, I'd say their inbox looked like the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina when they got into work this Monday morning.
 

diarm

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Who does everyone think is getting picked in their world cup squads?

If we don't pick up any more injuries in these ridiculous matches against Wales and England, I reckon the following 28 are on the Irish plane:

Healy, Kilcoyne, Furlong, Ryan, Porter
Best, Cronin, Scannell
Ryan, Toner, Henderson
O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Stander, Conan
Murray, Marmion
Sexton, Carberry
Henshaw, Aki, Ringrose, Farrell
Earls, Stockdale, Conway
Kearney, Larmour

The last 3 places up for grabs are lock cover, backrow cover and outhalf cover:

Kleyn vs Beirne
Murphy vs Ruddock
Carty vs Byrne

I prefer Beirne and Ruddock as players but I think Joe will go with Kleyn and Murphy. Kleyn for that extra ballast in the second row that we so badly missed when Toner got injured in the 6N and Murphy because he better covers 7 where we are threadbare after VdFlier.

Carty and Byrne are completely 50/50 so it will come down to who performs better in these next 2 games. Both could still travel if Carberry doesn't recover in time.
 

McGrathsipan

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Im going to Twickenham tomorrow meself.
Be interesting to see how this team performs against England.

I think it's good to playing hi calibre opposition before the world cup.
 

diarm

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Im going to Twickenham tomorrow meself.
Be interesting to see how this team performs against England.

I think it's good to playing hi calibre opposition before the world cup.
I'll remind you of this when they're shipping Van Der Flier home on a stretcher tomorrow evening.
 

Xaviesta

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The men who I hope can pull off a miracle and win the World Cup.

2019 Wallabies World Cup Squad
Forwards
Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Jack Dempsey, Folau Fainga’a, Michael Hooper (c), Sekope Kepu, Tolu Latu, Isi Naisarani, David Pocock, Izack Rodda, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Jordan Uelese.

Backs
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Samu Kerevi (vc), Marika Koroibete, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, James O’Connor, Jordan Petaia*, Matt Toomua, Nic White.

*= uncapped player
 

unchanged_lineup

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Who does everyone think is getting picked in their world cup squads?

If we don't pick up any more injuries in these ridiculous matches against Wales and England, I reckon the following 28 are on the Irish plane:

Healy, Kilcoyne, Furlong, Ryan, Porter
Best, Cronin, Scannell
Ryan, Toner, Henderson
O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Stander, Conan
Murray, Marmion
Sexton, Carberry
Henshaw, Aki, Ringrose, Farrell
Earls, Stockdale, Conway
Kearney, Larmour

The last 3 places up for grabs are lock cover, backrow cover and outhalf cover:

Kleyn vs Beirne
Murphy vs Ruddock
Carty vs Byrne

I prefer Beirne and Ruddock as players but I think Joe will go with Kleyn and Murphy. Kleyn for that extra ballast in the second row that we so badly missed when Toner got injured in the 6N and Murphy because he better covers 7 where we are threadbare after VdFlier.

Carty and Byrne are completely 50/50 so it will come down to who performs better in these next 2 games. Both could still travel if Carberry doesn't recover in time.
We're surely going to pick up injuries, aren't we...

Desperately hope Carty gets the call. I think he's got fantastic temperament and has overcome an almost fatal career slump to be a fantastic player today. He should have got more of a chance in the 6N.
 

diarm

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We're surely going to pick up injuries, aren't we...
I think we'll do well to escape with two.

Desperately hope Carty gets the call. I think he's got fantastic temperament and has overcome an almost fatal career slump to be a fantastic player today. He should have got more of a chance in the 6N.
I think he will. If Sexton was the big doubt I think he'd opt for Byrne as the steady option. With Carberry a worry I think Carry brings more of that attacking impact off the bench.
 

RedDevilRoshi

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I'll be at Murrayfield tomorrow. Just hoping to avoid another gubbing.

I’m also at Murrayfield as well tomorrow. After last weeks shambles, I just want us to perform well and bring back a bit of pride.

A lot of that has been lost since Townsend took over from Cotter.
 
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RedDevilRoshi

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You wish we'd kept him? I know I do.
When we changed head coach, I thought we were making a massive mistake in taking Townsend after all the fantastic work Cotter had done. Why fix something that doesn’t need fixed? Yes, Townsend dome a fantastic job with Glasgow but Cotter done one just as equal with Scotland. Cotter even mentioned that he didn’t want to leave but the SRU wanted Townsend badly.

This year's 6 Nations and the absolute shambles last week against France, I'm not convinced I was wrong. Let’s not forget we even lost to USA! We haven’t won a game since playing Italy on the opening weekend of this year’s 6 Nations. Maybe I’m overreacting a bit and who knows, Scotland might surprise me tomorrow but it’s presently not looking good.
 

RORY65

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Barring the try this has been largely shite by Ireland, no real sign that the issues that were exposed in the Six Nations (Best and Murray being poor and struggling for fitness, lack of ability to make any progress despite going through numerous phases, being beaten up by big blokes running at them etc.) have been fixed.
 

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Barring the try this has been largely shite by Ireland, no real sign that the issues that were exposed in the Six Nations (Best and Murray being poor and struggling for fitness, lack of ability to make any progress despite going through numerous phases, being beaten up by big blokes running at them etc.) have been fixed.
Especially in the phase just gone there. Going backwards.