Josh Van Der Flier

[Stuka]

What a gem of a player. Its great to see him make the break through, he really balances that back row out.

Hopefully he can stay injury free and get a few games under his belt!

[Logorrhea]

He reminds me of what we used to say about Dippy. Decent tackler, decent carrier, not very effective at the breakdown.

I'm not complaining as he has progressed really well, but I think he needs to be better at the breakdown to be taken seriously as a 7.

[Oldschoolsocks]

We're talking about Josh van der Flier here, right?

[Dave Cahill]

We're talking about Josh van der Flier here, right?

No, Bill van der Flier, the renowed coleopterist

[Grumpy Old Man]

We're talking about Josh van der Flier here, right?

No, Bill van der Flier, the renowed coleopterist

Anything goes. Its just one of those things but the difference between Bill & Josh is night & day. Josh is c'est magnifique but I'd worry that his love for Sale could see him playing his rugby in England.Although he has been heard to say "I love Paris" and talk about the can can. It's alright with me but then, every time we cay goodbye...

[Oldschoolsocks]

We're talking about Josh van der Flier here, right?

No, Bill van der Flier, the renowed coleopterist

Oh right, in that case (if we're talking about Bill) I can agree with loggers on this, if we're talking about Josh then I'm afraid you're talking out of your hole my friend.

Thanks for clearing that up Dave, helpful as ever

[simonokeeffe]

His jackalling in the league was first rate

[Logorrhea]

His jackalling in the league was first rate

Against second rate opposition.

[Keith]

His jackalling in the league was first rate

Against second rate opposition.

Shots fired.

[Logorrhea]

Ahhh look I'm not criticising VdF, I'm just trying to slow down the hype train. We are talking as if he's the next Pocock when all he's done is manage to look like he belongs at league and cup level. There is a long way to go before he's good enough for international call ups and that's the standard I expect of pretty much any of our players.

We did the same with Dippy, Jordi and pretty much any young player that comes in and doesn't make a complete arse of it. We should stop doing that.

[simonokeeffe]

I dont think we're overhyping him here at all eg very little mention of him playing for Ireland or keeping a fully fit and firing SOB out of the side

also compared to Murphy and Dippy especially hes a specialist in one position/has a natural one

[Ruckedtobits]

I'm calling for him to becalled up to National Squad, but also for him to be rested for game against Munster. He's had a fairly heavy duty 6 weeks sincebeginning of Nov.

He is a real No. 7, of the classic variety, i.e. with ability to support midfield half-breaks and tackle and pressure opposition out-half and first centre. He is decent at breakdown in clearing out, but not outrageous like the Aussie pair. But I dont want him to disappear into breakdowns, I want him supporting and carrying, with pace, and making line-breaks. Ground-hogs abound in the game now, but not players with the acceleration and pace to find gaps and support half-breaks by clever lines of running.

Ireland need a No 7 like this to enhance a fairly inexperienced mid-field who don't yet have the try-scoring abilities of BOD and Darcy

[CiaranIrl]

I'm calling for him to becalled up to National Squad, but also for him to be rested for game against Munster. He's had a fairly heavy duty 6 weeks sincebeginning of Nov.

He is a real No. 7, of the classic variety, i.e. with ability to support midfield half-breaks and tackle and pressure opposition out-half and first centre. He is decent at breakdown in clearing out, but not outrageous like the Aussie pair. But I dont want him to disappear into breakdowns, I want him supporting and carrying, with pace, and making line-breaks. Ground-hogs abound in the game now, but not players with the acceleration and pace to find gaps and support half-breaks by clever lines of running.

Ireland need a No 7 like this to enhance a fairly inexperienced mid-field who don't yet have the try-scoring abilities of BOD and Darcy

Yeah, agree with this a lot. Reminds me a bit of Martyn Williams. He is a really promising talent. He has a long way to go still, but theres no reason not to have him in the extended squad of 40 considering the injuries Ireland have right now.

[Oldschoolsocks]

I'm calling for him to becalled up to National Squad, but also for him to be rested for game against Munster. He's had a fairly heavy duty 6 weeks sincebeginning of Nov.

He is a real No. 7, of the classic variety, i.e. with ability to support midfield half-breaks and tackle and pressure opposition out-half and first centre. He is decent at breakdown in clearing out, but not outrageous like the Aussie pair. But I dont want him to disappear into breakdowns, I want him supporting and carrying, with pace, and making line-breaks. Ground-hogs abound in the game now, but not players with the acceleration and pace to find gaps and support half-breaks by clever lines of running.

Ireland need a No 7 like this to enhance a fairly inexperienced mid-field who don't yet have the try-scoring abilities of BOD and Darcy

I actually think TOD has displayed most if not all of the attributes you are calling out, I've no problem with the other provinces chipping in with a few players for the national squad

[simonokeeffe]

Yeah, agree with this a lot. Reminds me a bit of Martyn Williams. He is a really promising talent. He has a long way to go still, but theres no reason not to have him in the extended squad of 40 considering the injuries Ireland have right now.

how very dare you, most overrated international player of the pro era, any time he came up against a class 7 like McCaw, Smith or Gleeson he was demolished. He got lucky he played in a Wales team that had to play Babas rugby as they had no pack, had no competition for his jersey (Brett Sinkinson, Gavin Thomas, Robert Sowden Taylor) and lost his shirt to a 21 year old Sam Warburton

he reminds you of Hooper

I actually think TOD has displayed most if not all of the attributes you are calling out, I've no problem with the other provinces chipping in with a few players for the national squad

JVDF is probably 3rd best fit IQ 7 if you count SOB as fit and TOD as not

[Stuka]

He is the most natural 7 we have had since Jennings/Gleeson.

[Oldschoolsocks]

He is the most natural 7 we have had since Jennings/Gleeson.

In Leinster you mean, or in Ireland?

And tbf, Jenno's just retired, it's not like we're gazing back into the mists of time

[tate]

Irish hooper.

Ruddock, vdF and Heaslip is the best balanced back row leinster have and if vdF isn't at least in the everyone gets a text preliminary squad I'll be shocked.

[Ruckedtobits]

BTW, I'd also call in Connolly from Connacht as a No. 7. If the place to learn is playing with and against better players, both JVdF and Connolly need to be included in a National Squad so that they can learn what is the expectation at the highest level. If TO'D is fit, he also gets called. These sort of players give Ireland the capacity to develop an offloading game, which is one of the only ways to compete with gargantuan packs, viz. NZ v SA.

[goreyguy]

Irish hooper.

Ruddock, vdF and Heaslip is the best balanced back row leinster have and if vdF isn't at least in the everyone gets a text preliminary squad I'll be shocked.

no SOB?