ROG.

[munster#1]

On the most successful Irish player and medal counting DOC must of won the same senior medals as rog but as far as I can remember BOD, DOC, P Wallace all have under19 world cup medals

nice 1 i will give you that, going on the fact that scoring and caps means nothing about being successful then you are 100% correct DOC is irelands most successful player and in fairness i am glad for him because he is a really nice guy and a great player, actually a very under rated player.

[suisse]

On the most successful Irish player and medal counting DOC must of won the same senior medals as rog but as far as I can remember BOD, DOC, P Wallace all have under19 world cup medals

nice 1 i will give you that, going on the fact that scoring and caps means nothing about being successful then you are 100% correct DOC is irelands most successful player and in fairness i am glad for him because he is a really nice guy and a great player, actually a very under rated player.

Sorry, munster#1, I'll happily defend most players, irrespective of club ties, but for DOC that just can't happen. The man has 55 caps, so being under-rated in just not an option. OK, I never played in the second row, or the pack for that, but I can never understand what the man brings to the party. When I watch games again, I find it incrediable how little I see DOC doing. I know people say he does the 'unseen work' but I honestly think that's a cop out. He virtually never takes the ball into contact, never seems to be the man making the tackles, and not exactly rallying the troops. He has lasted this long, so he must be doing right, but I just never see it. Ever.

[hugonaut]

I actually though that DOC had one of his best seasons for Ireland this year Suisse - I was at the matches in Croker, and once against England and once against France he engineered turnovers by holding up big runners in the tackle: getting his arms under the ball, taking the surge out of the run and sort of ... frogmarching is too strong a word,but essentially putting the momentum of the runner across the pitch rather than allowing him to go the shortest route to the gainline. He was then able to stand up the player in the maul/tackle and not let the ball get to deck, winning the scrum. It was an impressive feat of strength and strength endurance.

I also followed him around when I rewatched the Cheetahs game [because I had been so p*ssed off at how many turnovers we conceded], and in fairness to him, he was always in motion. He works bloody hard to get back on his feet after rucking and make the next one, he makes them early and he hits the thing. He doesn't really take breathers: as a result, he doesn't often put in the 100% effort huge counter-rucks you see from the likes of Sheridan or Botha, but then again, oftentimes those lads haven't been at the last ruck, or even the last two.

I'm not his biggest fan at all – I think his antics against Contepomi over a couple of matches have been irritating, and throwing Shane Jennings' gumshield into the crowd was the act of an a*sehole – and generally 'the unseen work' is the excuse of a fan in denial [I should know, I use it myself!], but a second viewing of a match with O'Callaghan on 'player cam' is pretty revealing.

With that said, his lack of carrying ability is a real negative. He should be capable of making the hard yards that O'Connell makes, and we've seen that the better teams have picked up the very predictable tactic of O'Connell one-out and been able to neutralise it. I actually can't think of an occasion where Donncha has taken the ball from depth and charged through the defensive line ... and he's probably quicker than O'Connell [thinking specifically of his breakaway try from 45-50m out for Munster a couple of seasons back]. Thought he had a good Lions tour as well, but needed to up the aggression factor.

[suisse]

As I said hugonaut, I just never see it, but if someone, like you have done so there, can offer something different, then very good. Good response, by the way. I'll give you the Lions examples, and I think he has upped his game dramatically. I thought he was very lucky to even make the squad, and when left out of the first 2 games (iirc) it looked like his chance had gone. But he has looked like a man possessed. The funny thing is, I was really surprised he captained one of the Lions' teams. I thought Ireland lacked that extra bit of leadership that, maybe, the likes of Casey or Cullen would offer. The Munster fans might disagree with their own club, but I just feel that in big events and matches, he tends to go missing for Ireland. I also took a big interest in watching him versus Cullen in the semi-final (replay viewing). He was totally and utterly anonymous, and seemed to spend the whole match lying at the bottom of rucks. I don't think he made a single contribution that day.

Do you remember after the Autumn Internationals, the RTE panel were saying his time was up. Hugh Farrelly in the Indo took offense, but it is clear that opinion is mixed.

With all due respect, he has forged a great career for himself, and is possibly looking at another Heineken Cup and 6 Nations title before being moved on.

[hugonaut]

Hugh Farrelly is a total kn*b though – one of these faux-'hard-nosed' journalists who think that if they espouse a Roy Keane-esque winning-is-the-only-thing-that-matters attitude that they're somehow mentally tough/on a par with the sportsmen they cover. That sort of attitude is fine if you're a professional sportsman, but unbelievably grating if you're a p¡ss-poor hack who writes for an ink-sodden rag.

"It's so tough being in the same hotel as the players. We don't have anything to say to each other in the lift and it can be awkward." That's a paraphrase, not a quote, but then you have the same c*nt saying something like "The Lions are – say it with me – losers" in one of his post-second test reports. Which is it Farrelly: delicate, socially-awkward little wallflower or win-at-all-costs, those-who-fall-behind-are-lost Ubersturmfuhrer? What an a*se-clown.

[downsouthdukin]

Howdi folks, anyone know where i can watch the second test. i was rocking in glasto so saw none of it just text message updates.... heard rog played a blinder....

[fourthirtythree]

Howdi folks, anyone know where i can watch the second test. i was rocking in glasto so saw none of it just text message updates.... heard rog played a blinder....

According to Fourie he did, just like Burger!

[Scott]

Howdi folks, anyone know where i can watch the second test. i was rocking in glasto so saw none of it just text message updates.... heard rog played a blinder....

Diawana.org

[fourthirtythree]

Howdi folks, anyone know where i can watch the second test. i was rocking in glasto so saw none of it just text message updates.... heard rog played a blinder....

Diawana.org

I think that just might have been a joke Scott.

Just maybe...

[downsouthdukin]

Howdi folks, anyone know where i can watch the second test. i was rocking in glasto so saw none of it just text message updates.... heard rog played a blinder....

Diawana.org

I think that just might have been a joke Scott.

Just maybe...

cheers scott.. the second part was, 4 33

[downsouthdukin]

Howdi folks, anyone know where i can watch the second test. i was rocking in glasto so saw none of it just text message updates.... heard rog played a blinder....

Diawana.org

says it can find server??

[fourthirtythree]

DSD - have you a torrent client? You could probably search for it on one like Vuze anyway (I just had to uninstall it so I can't check).

[downsouthdukin]

DSD - have you a torrent client? You could probably search for it on one like Vuze anyway (I just had to uninstall it so I can't check).

i did but i too had too uninstall it

[Danthefan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uplVGF9OGI4

[gfo]

http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4981691 ... _TEST_2009

[BlueArmyOriginal]

Howdi folks, anyone know where i can watch the second test. i was rocking in glasto so saw none of it just text message updates.... heard rog played a blinder....

They showed it on the big screens outside the Queen's Head DSD, there were about 4,000 of us there and the beer was absolutely flowing(the reason why I missed Dizzee Rascal and CS&N).

[gfo]

They showed it on the big screens outside the Queen's Head DSD, there were about 4,000 of us there and the beer was absolutely flowing(the reason why I missed Dizzee Rascal and CS&N).

some people would say you're bonkers for missing him





i'll get my coat