Emerging Ireland to tour SA

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Above and beyond all considerations re the relevance of this tour to Ireland's prospects at RWC23, I think it further enhances IRFU-SARU collaboration. One can hear in the URC commentarty and for this tour how much the Saffers respect the provinces and the Irish rugby setup. At a time when the Prem is wracked with financial tribulations and looking around for someone to bail them out - quite possibly at our expense - I think anything we can do to keep our Southern Hemisphere pals happy and prove our value to them is good thinking.

I did wonder about the financial element that too, thought it was interesting that Toyota were advertising on our jersey.

[the spoofer]

Above and beyond all considerations re the relevance of this tour to Ireland's prospects at RWC23, I think it further enhances IRFU-SARU collaboration. One can hear in the URC commentary in general and for this tour in particular how much the Saffers respect the provinces and the Irish rugby setup. At a time when the Incredible Power of Prem (Whoar!!!) is wracked with financial tribulations and looking around for someone to bail them out - quite possibly at our expense - I think anything we can do to keep our Southern Hemisphere pals happy and underline our value to them is good thinking.

Except when the Saffa commentator referred to us coming from the UK!

[riocard911]

Above and beyond all considerations re the relevance of this tour to Ireland's prospects at RWC23, I think it further enhances IRFU-SARU collaboration. One can hear in the URC commentary in general and for this tour in particular how much the Saffers respect the provinces and the Irish rugby setup. At a time when the Incredible Power of Prem (Whoar!!!) is wracked with financial tribulations and looking around for someone to bail them out - quite possibly at our expense - I think anything we can do to keep our Southern Hemisphere pals happy and underline our value to them is good thinking.

Except when the Saffa commentator referred to us coming from the UK!

LOL! Perhaps a reference to one of the Ulster lads from one of the 6 out of 9?...

[FLIP]

Above and beyond all considerations re the relevance of this tour to Ireland's prospects at RWC23, I think it further enhances IRFU-SARU collaboration. One can hear in the URC commentary in general and for this tour in particular how much the Saffers respect the provinces and the Irish rugby setup. At a time when the Incredible Power of Prem (Whoar!!!) is wracked with financial tribulations and looking around for someone to bail them out - quite possibly at our expense - I think anything we can do to keep our Southern Hemisphere pals happy and underline our value to them is good thinking.

Except when the Saffa commentator referred to us coming from the UK!

LOL! Perhaps a reference to one of the Ulster lads from one of the 6 out of 9?...

Lets be fair, the weekday afternoon crew got a bit mixed up after having a few tinnies of Windhoek (gods own lager) while watching the match.

[Dave Cahill]

That's complete nonsense Dave. This tour isn't by any stretch of the imagination going to have any impact on Ireland's performance in 2023. Exactly which players do we expect from this tour to be in a world cup 33 man squad and of those players, who is only going to make it/contribute properly by virtue of this tour?

Baloucoune? We already knew he was good and he will be in camp with the Ireland team for Autumn and 6N. He will have plenty of exposure to a proper international camp. This tour isn't contributing to his development. Who else is realistically going to be in the 33?

If Frawley had gone you could maybe have made an argument that he would have got value from the experience at 10 that he so badly needs but since he got crocked there isn't even that argument.

We don't know, but the World Cup is 11 months away and a lot can happen in 11 months. Players who impress on this tour could get further chances with their provinces, injuries could kick in, and there are a number of players apart from Baloucoune who would see themselves with an outside shot of a place in the squad - Prendergast, Doak, McCarthy, Ahern and Lowry would expect to be in the initial larger squad that is usually named.

But even if they weren't - its all about how things are perceived after the event in a syllogistic way (even if it's a fallacy). Ireland has never won a knockout game at a world cup, Ireland has never sent away a junior squad at the beginning of a world cup year. Ireland win a knockout game, Ireland send a junior squad...etc.

[Ruckedtobits]

This afternoon's game for the Emerging Ireland Squad could take warning from the Leinster v Sharks game last evening in Dublin.

Sharks arrived without any of their current SA Squad, including players such as SA captain Kolisa or second-row Etzebeth and despite the absence of possibly 6 players of their strongest Squad, they threw the gauntlet down to a strong Leinster team in front of a 17,000 home crowd and caused more than a few scares.

Players such as back three Fassi, Kok & Abrahams, back-rows Venter, & Notshe and front-rows du Toit and van Vuuren were the living proof of the depth, strength and skill of the majority of SA Provincial players. Last night a Sexton-led Leinster Squad were put to the pin of their collar to resist the attacking nous and aggressive tackling of the Sharks. Today's encounter will probably provide more of the same.

I'm like a broken record when it comes to support of the value of this Tour. Paul O'Connell figures in much media comment today in his promotion of the qualities of this young Irish Squad and how intelligent and coachable they are, allied to their fundamental athletic prowess. That latter point must not be under-estimated and today's front-five will certainly have their hands full. However, if they come through this examination, it augurs well for our Squad in their November meeting with SA.

A big game in every sense for Irish rugby.

2 pm on irishrugby.ie YouTube channel

[Oldschool]

This afternoon's game for the Emerging Ireland Squad could take warning from the Leinster v Sharks game last evening in Dublin.

Sharks arrived without any of their current SA Squad, including players such as SA captain Kolisa or second-row Etzebeth and despite the absence of possibly 6 players of their strongest Squad, they threw the gauntlet down to a strong Leinster team in front of a 17,000 home crowd and caused more than a few scares.

Players such as back three Fassi, Kok & Abrahams, back-rows Venter, & Notshe and front-rows du Toit and van Vuuren were the living proof of the depth, strength and skill of the majority of SA Provincial players. Last night a Sexton-led Leinster Squad were put to the pin of their collar to resist the attacking nous and aggressive tackling of the Sharks. Today's encounter will probably provide more of the same.

I'm like a broken record when it comes to support of the value of this Tour. Paul O'Connell figures in much media comment today in his promotion of the qualities of this young Irish Squad and how intelligent and coachable they are, allied to their fundamental athletic prowess. That latter point must not be under-estimated and today's front-five will certainly have their hands full. However, if they come through this examination, it augurs well for our Squad in their November meeting with SA.

A big game in every sense for Irish rugby.

2 pm on irishrugby.ie YouTube channel

Or they threw down the gauntlet to a weakened Leinster 23 missing up to 9/10 first choice players.
Let's not be building up the opposition overly.
However couldn't agree more this tour is a great idea.

[the spoofer]

SA commentator just used the word squanderous and I love it.

[wixfjord]

They've been under massive pressure so far, but have managed to lift the siege.

Ahern again looking really good.

[cormac]

Terrible discipline

[riocard911]

Any chance the TV bods could turn off the stadium microphone that's picking up that kid's screeching?!!!!

[OTT]

Hodnett did great off the back of that scrum.

[wixfjord]

Miraculous that it's 7-7. Cheetahs have had all the territory are are murdering the scrum.

Some heroic stuff from Irish defence and they're really battling hard. Need to be a bit smarter though.

McCarthy's yellow was crazy from him. He needs to work on his discipline and game intelligence a bit.

[cormac]

Lineout is keeping us in the game

[riocard911]

HT: 7-7. Can't complain bout that what with us holding them out when we were down to 13 men.

[the spoofer]

Rassie would have a two hour video out of this.

[Dexter]

Had to laugh, very hard, at the guy complaining about "injury breaks" every time the ball went dead. Said it with no sense of irony at all. Absolutely hilarious!

[Oldschoolsocks]

Nobody has ever reminded me more of Jan Molby than Fran Steyn. He might be huge and look out of shape, but hes seeing everything a few seconds before anyone else on the pitch

[Ruckedtobits]

The Re's interpretation of the scrum is quaint - his uncle must have been a THP. Their TH drove Milne downward on two scrums and got penalties and the Clarson drove their TH down and got a penalty. Props must scrum straight, both North / South and up and down.

Steyn must be tackled low and he is attacking Crowley when he can. Otherwise let's play the touchline & attack their lineouts.

[Ruckedtobits]

That is the first ever time I've seen a ref give an infringement for 'opening' the lineout.