crunchfit says...

@kinsman

There is a glaring difference in quality between Irish players playing for Leinster, in particular, and those then playing Ireland, on many levels which aren't due to different quality opponents. I'm not sure if you're saying that isn't the case, or if you were simply saying that Ireland wouldn't be world beaters, but the difference would be quite noticeable.

Also, it is not an issue of form from what I understand but the differences in the coaching systems / coaches under which the players play.

We wouldn't be walking over the ABs on a regular basis, but we could be performing better / more consistently (not with a big performance once per year).

Posted 16:49 14th June 2012

bothhands says...

I am guessing Murray starting is a political move, if the backline is all Leinster those whinging red shirts (bar the red hand) will throw the toys out of the pram.

Posted 16:16 14th June 2012

Paddy91317 says...

I hope it rains all this talk of murray at 9 its the 8 people in front of him that can win this game the ab scrim was awfull last week against a rookie prop and irelanda line out has been made alot stronger with mcloughlan if the weather is bad and its 10 rugby which it probably is gonna be from ireland murray and trimble playing make alot more sense. PS. O mahony is crap i have seen bigger under 14 players than him so shut up about him already

Posted 15:28 14th June 2012

Norm says...

@ Kinsman

Absolutely spot on and a point which some of the more euphoric amongst us dont seem to get. Fact is though the confidence in the Ireland camp, from the outside at least, looks to be low and as much as it pains me to say it from that perspective the Leinster team would do no worse than Ireland did last week.

Some good some bad in my view. What on earth he is dropping OMahoney for is beyond me. If he was to drop someone from the back row it should have been Heaslip. He is a shadow of the talent he was! If this is about giving players a chance then what the hell has he dropped Cave for and kept Zebo in the match day 22! His defensive frailities and naievety were clear on Saturday.

Disappointed that Darcy is back but realistically options were limited, still would have gone for bust and seen what McFadden was made of at either 12 or 13.

I have to agree with most posters though, while around the fringes his defensive physicality is more assured than Reddans that pales in significance to the defensive pressure his woefull box kicking puts the team under time and again.

Reddan is far from a world class #9 but he does click with the Leinster back line and that has to count for something. Again we should have been building here and Marshall should have been on this tour.

A minor point, why risk aggravating Ross's injury, Fitzpatrick did alright last week and a second outing would most likely see a further step up. We gain with Ross on the field but lose if he gets shagged for the 3rd week.

Good to see he hasnt gone with DOC, this partnership needs to grow otherwise in a couple of years we have a complete dearth of tight 5 options at test level.

I'll ask again what the hell is O'Mahoney doing on the bench?

Posted 13:55 14th June 2012

deprop says...

Greetings Rostick.

I am indeed a Leinster fan but that did not form the basis of my posting. Leinster are far and away the best team in Europe, playing (for the most part) a lovely style of rugby based on quick ball. Its not only Leinster fans who would like to see Ireland emulate this style but anyone who wants to see Ireland succeed. For me, and it seems for many others, Murray just doesn't fit in to that style of play. At least not at the moment.

Posted 12:15 14th June 2012

kinsman says...

So many comments repeatedly claiming that if the Irish players could bring their club form (see Leinster) to the Ireland jersey, there would be a huge difference and by implication become world beaters.

Of course what everyone seems to fail to note is that on the international stage, you are not playing against club teams. I do not suggest for a second that Leinster is not a great team however, they are absolutely not an international team and neither are they of the calibre of an international side. When you are forming a team from the best of your provinces and relying predominantly on one club side, you are on a hiding to nothing.

The South Africans now seem to be voluntarily heading this route with the Bulls despite having some fantastic players in other sides and it is my view that unless changed, this will be to the detriment of South African rugby.

If you can combine the strengths from many high performing sides, logic suggests the finished article should be that much stronger. If the Irish domestic competition was expanded and improved as opposed to consolidated into small pockets, Irish rugby would be that much stronger.

Posted 11:19 14th June 2012

howrtings says...

IMO Dan Touhy is very lucky to hold onto his shirt for this weekend. Has been immense all season, but looked completely over awed last week, and was terrible. We all know he has the ability, but he needs to step up to the mark fast. I would wonder about his bottle!! I hope i'm wrong.

Posted 10:52 14th June 2012

KentBrockman says...

@GCP_JONES we dont have 12 Ospreys players in our side ;-). joking aside i agree with that point. Not the Heaslip one. Heaslip has had to sacrifice a lot of what made him stand out as a world class no8 for ireland to accomdate other ball carriers in the team. He does the donkey work of the backrow. A bit like the way DOC was supposed to be the one doing the 'unseen' work in the past.

Deccie nearly got things right but picked Murray again. Some day he might pick Redden......Probably with RoG though!!

Posted 10:48 14th June 2012

porridge_time says...

Ireland some how need to slow the pace of the game down and choke the AB's in the same manner in which they beat Aus in the World Cup... easier said than done.

Posted 09:58 14th June 2012

zoom23 says...

with style ? as in by more points than last week ?

another pointless test for Ireland and another cricket score for the ABs...

Posted 09:23 14th June 2012