brotheroffrank wrote: ↑April 12th, 2021, 11:29 pm
Hmmm.....
For previous NIQ's we managed to chant "Rocky, Rocky, Rocky.."...then "Isa, Isa, Isa..." but "Alaalatoa, Alaalatoa, Alaalotoa" could be a difficult chant to get going....
How about just "Alaa, Alaa, Alah..... on wait...maybe not.
If you remember, Bentys was...
Oh Mickey, you're so fine,
You're so fine you blow my mind,
Hey Mickey!, Hey Mickey!
We could reuse that ?
How about
Alaa... Alaa... TOA!!!!! Very suitable as he burst through from 5 metres to score a try
bluemagic wrote: ↑April 12th, 2021, 8:34 pm
Unless porter is switching this is an absolutely crazy signing. Very disappointed. Foreign players should really add to the squad. Not be third choice in their position
Our third choice tighthead prop probably starts more games than any other third choice in Europe - as our first and second choice are regularly absent. The last number of years have shown the benefit of having a very high standard third choice tighthead.
Plus One
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.
Ireland don't really have anything decent coming through at loosehead, Healy and Killer both the wrong side of 30 with the former having loads of miles on the clock and the latter really more of an impact sub. I'd be very surprised if the call from above hasn't been to move Porter back over.
Be surprised if Pete Dooley isn't considering his options very strongly.
Degz wrote: ↑April 13th, 2021, 8:32 am
Ireland don't really have anything decent coming through at loosehead, Healy and Killer both the wrong side of 30 with the former having loads of miles on the clock and the latter really more of an impact sub. I'd be very surprised if the call from above hasn't been to move Porter back over.
Be surprised if Pete Dooley isn't considering his options very strongly.
Was thinking the same thing. Like Brian Byrne he would absolutely walk into a mid to lower Prem side 23 imo.
Degz wrote: ↑April 13th, 2021, 8:32 am
Ireland don't really have anything decent coming through at loosehead, Healy and Killer both the wrong side of 30 with the former having loads of miles on the clock and the latter really more of an impact sub. I'd be very surprised if the call from above hasn't been to move Porter back over.
Be surprised if Pete Dooley isn't considering his options very strongly.
Yeah, but look at it the other way around as well. Porter was playing near 80 minutes week after week for Ireland when Furlong was injured. Who is behind him? If one of both or Furlong or Porter was injured, who would be playing for Ireland?
It would be absolute madness to shift a genuinely world class Tighthead prop. We have an obvious problem at Loosehead, but it's not like we have an overabundance of Tightheads that means we wouldn't just be creating a new problem there for what is in no way a guaranteed solution.
“As you all know first prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Anyone wanna see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired.”
wixfjord wrote: ↑April 13th, 2021, 8:40 am
Was thinking the same thing. Like Brian Byrne he would absolutely walk into a mid to lower Prem side 23 imo.
As it happened - Bryan Byrne walked into a top of the table Prem side lol.
But the point on Ed and Pete does stand IMO. Both would be excellent starting options at a middling prem table
munster#1 wrote: ↑April 12th, 2021, 9:08 pm
There’ll be a few lads falling from some great heights off of those high horses after that announcement.
This signing would be contradictory towards a few comments by the vocal minority over the last few weeks and months.
By the looks of things he will be our only not Irish qualified player next year and in the position he plays we provide 2 viable options to the national team so I’m not sure why anybody would have any complaints.
We had sent tightheads east and south last year and have a guy playing north too. When the two boys are away we will be short enough with only a guy coming back from a year out and an academy prospect so an injury away from disaster without cover
munster#1 wrote: ↑April 12th, 2021, 9:08 pm
There’ll be a few lads falling from some great heights off of those high horses after that announcement.
This signing would be contradictory towards a few comments by the vocal minority over the last few weeks and months.
By the looks of things he will be our only not Irish qualified player next year and in the position he plays we provide 2 viable options to the national team so I’m not sure why anybody would have any complaints.
We had sent tightheads east and south last year and have a guy playing north too. When the two boys are away we will be short enough with only a guy coming back from a year out and an academy prospect so an injury away from disaster without cover
East?
Jack Aunger
**** LEINSTER Champions Of Europe 2009/2011/2012/2018 ****
By the looks of things he will be our only not Irish qualified player next year and in the position he plays we provide 2 viable options to the national team so I’m not sure why anybody would have any complaints.
We had sent tightheads east and south last year and have a guy playing north too. When the two boys are away we will be short enough with only a guy coming back from a year out and an academy prospect so an injury away from disaster without cover
East?
Jack Aunger
Edit: just realised I made the same basic error!
**** LEINSTER Champions Of Europe 2009/2011/2012/2018 ****
bluemagic wrote: ↑April 12th, 2021, 8:34 pm
Unless porter is switching this is an absolutely crazy signing. Very disappointed. Foreign players should really add to the squad. Not be third choice in their position
Our third choice tighthead prop probably starts more games than any other third choice in Europe - as our first and second choice are regularly absent. The last number of years have shown the benefit of having a very high standard third choice tighthead.
Plus One
Agreed this guy is hopefully Michael Bent Mark II. Will play a stack of Pro 14 games and be good enough to do a job in a big Euro match if we have injuries. Just see him as Benty replacement. Can't see the logic in moving Porter back across the scrum as we need need two top class tighheads at Ireland and Leinster.
wixfjord wrote: ↑April 13th, 2021, 8:40 am
Was thinking the same thing. Like Brian Byrne he would absolutely walk into a mid to lower Prem side 23 imo.
As it happened - Bryan Byrne walked into a top of the table Prem side lol.
But the point on Ed and Pete does stand IMO. Both would be excellent starting options at a middling prem table
That's true! Just goes to show how high quality our 2nd or 3rd choice players are (and how incredible it is that we manage to keep guys like this happy).
Degz wrote: ↑April 13th, 2021, 8:32 am
Ireland don't really have anything decent coming through at loosehead, Healy and Killer both the wrong side of 30 with the former having loads of miles on the clock and the latter really more of an impact sub. I'd be very surprised if the call from above hasn't been to move Porter back over.
Be surprised if Pete Dooley isn't considering his options very strongly.
I think this is pretty much what has happened, Degz. It seems believable to me, even probable, that Farrell wants to get Furlong and Porter on the pitch at the same time. They are definitely the two best props in Ireland at the moment. He knows that Porter started out as a loosehead [both as an U20 international and as a pro for Leinster in the 2016-17 season]; I don't think he'd push for it otherwise.
Also, other people must have noticed that Porter has lost loads and loads of weight this season. He is now listed at 114kg [17st 11lbs] [source: https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/player?PlayGuid=AP382464 ] on the official site, having been listed at 122kg [19st 2lbs] in the 2019/20 Season Ticket Handbook.
I've no inside line on this at all, but the signing of Alaalatoa makes me think that this switch for Porter is something that is going to happen. We'll see how it goes.
I think this makes sense too in the context of next season, having to up against at 2 SA teams in the regular season which is likely to test the quality of depth more than has been in recent years
Degz wrote: ↑April 13th, 2021, 8:32 am
Ireland don't really have anything decent coming through at loosehead, Healy and Killer both the wrong side of 30 with the former having loads of miles on the clock and the latter really more of an impact sub. I'd be very surprised if the call from above hasn't been to move Porter back over.
Be surprised if Pete Dooley isn't considering his options very strongly.
I think this is pretty much what has happened, Degz. It seems believable to me, even probable, that Farrell wants to get Furlong and Porter on the pitch at the same time. They are definitely the two best props in Ireland at the moment. He knows that Porter started out as a loosehead [both as an U20 international and as a pro for Leinster in the 2016-17 season]; I don't think he'd push for it otherwise.
Also, other people must have noticed that Porter has lost loads and loads of weight this season. He is now listed at 114kg [17st 11lbs] [source: https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/player?PlayGuid=AP382464 ] on the official site, having been listed at 122kg [19st 2lbs] in the 2019/20 Season Ticket Handbook.
I've no inside line on this at all, but the signing of Alaalatoa makes me think that this switch for Porter is something that is going to happen. We'll see how it goes.
It's also not lost on anyone that he's playing and scrumming as a Tighthead better than ever at the new weight. I'm really sceptical that it would be a good idea to switch him over.
“As you all know first prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Anyone wanna see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired.”
wixfjord wrote: ↑April 13th, 2021, 8:40 am
Was thinking the same thing. Like Brian Byrne he would absolutely walk into a mid to lower Prem side 23 imo.
As it happened - Bryan Byrne walked into a top of the table Prem side lol.
But the point on Ed and Pete does stand IMO. Both would be excellent starting options at a middling prem table
Both ARE excellent starting options at a top European side.
CiaranIrl wrote: ↑April 13th, 2021, 10:23 am
It's also not lost on anyone that he's playing and scrumming as a Tighthead better than ever at the new weight. I'm really sceptical that it would be a good idea to switch him over.
It would be moronic. Its stupid to suggest it and it would be idiotic to do it.
wixfjord wrote: ↑April 13th, 2021, 8:40 am
Was thinking the same thing. Like Brian Byrne he would absolutely walk into a mid to lower Prem side 23 imo.
As it happened - Bryan Byrne walked into a top of the table Prem side lol.
But the point on Ed and Pete does stand IMO. Both would be excellent starting options at a middling prem table
Both ARE excellent starting options at a top European side.
Excellent?
They're not really.
I mean as long as Cian is available and not rested neither will start for us in a big game.
If Dooley wants to be a #1 LH, then it's unlikely he'll ever be one in blue.
That they aren't starting over Cian isn't really a knock on them, he is the best loosehead this country has ever produced and has seen off all contenders in Ireland and Leinster - it's a bit like saying Marty Holah wasn't that good because Richie McCaw was picked ahead of him.
Of course, Marty Holah took to the road in the end so that goes to your final point - though I think the age profile of all involved favours him if he stays
As it happened - Bryan Byrne walked into a top of the table Prem side lol.
But the point on Ed and Pete does stand IMO. Both would be excellent starting options at a middling prem table
Both ARE excellent starting options at a top European side.
Excellent?
They're not really.
I mean as long as Cian is available and not rested neither will start for us in a big game.
If Dooley wants to be a #1 LH, then it's unlikely he'll ever be one in blue.
I don’t know, Dooley like Porter is still learning his trade in a specialist role - he was a no.8 before this. I really like Dooley and think this year he has made great strides. He used to pop in and out of games which hurt his chances, this season he is on the ball from start to finish and in fairness if fans were anything to go by many here were asking that he be in the euro match day 23 ahead of Byrne.
