Babbling 'brook

France beat Wales U20s 45-12 in Cardiff tonight. Wales were awful, score could have been a lot worse for them. Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk Looks like Richie Murphy used the Wales game the way that Andy Farrell used the Italy match at senior level, i.e. giving games to players who had been o...

We have 3 senior tightheads, already too few if we are budgeting for lots of knockouts and international unavailability. If Clarkson bolts well enough that he can cover key big games if Furlong gets injured with only a (current) academy tighthead on the bench then he probably also becomes a risk fo...

As a unit, it's an effective and well coached Irish U20s side, and there are a handful of very high quality prospects in it IMO; Brian Gleeson, Hugh Gavin, Evan O'Connell and Ben O'Connor, plus a few others who might well become good quality prospects like Oliver Coffey, Andrew Sparrow (missed the ...

It’s entirely possible I’m reading too much into it but the fact that Clarkson is getting starts ahead of Ala’alatoa at the moment makes me wonder if there’s any direct replacement being recruited for Mike. Part of the remit at the provinces is to develop players and there comes a time where you’ve...

Church intending to keep playing: https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/youve-got-to-kind-of-turn-to-the-monk-life-cian-healy-on-longevity-and-overcoming-his-injury-obstacles/a1971208358.html Read that this morning. Cian is some animal. He is going for his fifth Six Nations championshi...

I don't think Thornbury is at a level where he'd be a big contributor for Leinster - I like him as a player, and at his best he absolutely could have been, but that's about 2 years ago at this point. I've seen him fail to shine at AIL level numerous times this season for Blackrock. He justifiably i...

Bookies have us at 11 points favourites and 1/6 for the match. 1/6 seem like crazy odds in a two horse race where a split second change in body height can result in a red card ... The odds are in line with what they expect the score to be I think. Are Ireland favourites? Yes I think so. I'd play do...

fair points. Wasps filling a 28,000 seater in Kent regularly, for URC games, will likely be a disaster for the RFU & premiership and would weaken their offering. As an aside, the RFU already offered WASPS a playing license to play in the Championship. That doesn't fit with Wasps plans and it wa...

Still don’t understand what happened with our disallowed try. 1) Clarkson gets over the line with the ball and Adamson signals for a try. 2) Adamson decides to go to the TMO for confirmation and states that his on-field decision is try. 3) Could be my eyesight but my memory is that none of the repl...

While watching the Cardiff match last night and discussing Milne's rumoured departure to Munster, an AIL Division 1A coach who was in the conversation stated emphatically that Milne is staying with Leinster having signed a new contract. That is good news, he played really well yesterday evening. I ...

Thought that was an unsatisfying performance, to be honest. I think most of the players put in a solid effort, but the decision-making and handling and tackling was unimpressive. The players out of position [Harry Byrne at No12 and Larmour at No15] made costly errors, made basic errors and played li...

There’s a lad I’ve heard commentating on ERC games called Justin Midleton. He’s a Saffa and has both knowledge and a love for the game. Why could he not be given a chance over the fraud that is Hugh Cahill? Middleton is a super commentator. He is really fluid and professional and has a good comment...

Flannery rumoured to be also leaving Ulster. They’re basically blaming the whole thing on the La Rochelle match being played behind closed doors, which definitely cost them a lot of money, but with how we bang on about the stability of Irish rugby, you’d like to think we could absorb a single cance...

I agree with ROG. You win the World Cup, you're the best team in the world. When you lose that title is definitely a moveable feast! You can be the reigning World Cup champions and not the best team in the world, most champions are at some stage. England were probably on the downhill when they won R...

Candidates for sub-academy next season: Prop Alex Usanov(Belvedere/Clontarf) - u20 Alex Mullan(Blackrock/Blackrock) - u20 Niall Smyth(Blackrock) - u20 Adam Watchorn(Kilkenny) - u20 Billy Bohan(Newbridge) - u20 Evan Shelley(Skerries RFC) - u19 Hooker Tom Stewart(St. Michaels/Terenure) - u20 Mikey Ya...

Flannery rumoured to be also leaving Ulster. They’re basically blaming the whole thing on the La Rochelle match being played behind closed doors, which definitely cost them a lot of money, but with how we bang on about the stability of Irish rugby, you’d like to think we could absorb a single cance...

Back on topic, big fan of Molony and I'd be sad to see him go. Best of luck to him he owes us nothing. McCarthy stepping up has probably changed his role within the squad. Snyman coming in too also works against him. With players coming in ahead of him and young players behind like Deeny ready to c...

Bit early I know, but I was prompted by Gatlands comments at the weekend to the effect that Ireland had 8 or 9 players over 30, whereas Wales were at the start of their rebuilding cycle. Gatland was nominally talking about and complimenting the "experience" of the Irish side, but as usual...

love the "happier coach" line in some of the media post match yesterday. kudos to Gatland for managing to manipulate & nurture this. Wales lost 31-7 playing against a team down to 14 for a large chunk of the game and their only score was a dubious penalty try (it looked like Wales bro...

Dante with a red card today. Suspension may follow into some La Rochelle games, given he not long back from previous suspension. 26 cards over the course of his career, is there a player with a worse record? Incredible. I had no idea it was that many. This is his fourth card, and second red, since ...