RWC 2023: Ireland

[wixfjord]

If you look that that side, you can really see where the improvements in our game have come from - athletic, ball carrying forwards who can offload and 'messier' backs who can play make in field.

Kilcoyne -> Porter
Herring -> Sheehan
Stander -> Doris

Murray -> JGP
Stockdale -> Lowe
Earls -> Hansen

There was talk on here from a certain poster after game 1 of the NZ series that Ireland need to 'bulk up' and bring in bigger scrummaging hooker and TH options.

That's exactly what we didn't need and so it played out that way in test 2 & 3.

We are quite deliberately playing a fast paced game requiring high skill levels and with a fluid attack because that's the best way we can take on bigger teams with the phsyical profile we don't have.

A retrenchment to a less attacking, more forward/set piece based game bringing in forwards who aren't as skillful and are picked on size is a backwards step.

The emergence of Kelleher/Sheehan, the move of Porter and the selection of Doris in particular, along with JGP, Lowe, Hansen in the backline have allowed Ireland play a far more attack oriented game, get more power into the team and avoid reliance on 1-2 players to do all the carrying, as was the case at the end of the Schmidt era.

Bravo Faz et al.

[ronk]

If you look that that side, you can really see where the improvements in our game have come from - athletic, ball carrying forwards who can offload and 'messier' backs who can play make in field.

Kilcoyne -> Porter
Herring -> Sheehan
Stander -> Doris

Murray -> JGP
Stockdale -> Lowe
Earls -> Hansen

There was talk on here from a certain poster after game 1 of the NZ series that Ireland need to 'bulk up' and bring in bigger scrummaging hooker and TH options.

That's exactly what we didn't need and so it played out that way in test 2 & 3.

We are quite deliberately playing a fast paced game requiring high skill levels and with a fluid attack because that's the best way we can take on bigger teams with the phsyical profile we don't have.

A retrenchment to a less attacking, more forward/set piece based game bringing in forwards who aren't as skillful and are picked on size is a backwards step.

The emergence of Kelleher/Sheehan, the move of Porter and the selection of Doris in particular, along with JGP, Lowe, Hansen in the backline have allowed Ireland play a far more attack oriented game, get more power into the team and avoid reliance on 1-2 players to do all the carrying, as was the case at the end of the Schmidt era.

Bravo Faz et al.

Everything everywhere all at once. Defenders can rarely double up to make tackles or loiter to poach.

[Dave Cahill]

If at first you don't succeed, try again.

And if that doesn't succeed, try it again.

And if that doesn't succeed, try it again.

And if that doesn't succeed...

...and repeat

[ronk]

https://www.the42.ie/australia-team-new ... 1-Aug2022/

Foley back in the Oz team. So there goes the unlikely possibility of an Ireland call up.

[Twist]

https://www.the42.ie/australia-team-new ... 1-Aug2022/

Foley back in the Oz team. So there goes the unlikely possibility of an Ireland call up.

Wait, whats this? How was there any possibility of an Ireland call up?

[FLIP]

https://www.the42.ie/australia-team-new ... 1-Aug2022/

Foley back in the Oz team. So there goes the unlikely possibility of an Ireland call up.

Wait, whats this? How was there any possibility of an Ireland call up?

From 1 January 2022, in order to transfer from one union to another under the revised regulation 8 (eligibility), a player will need to achieve the below criteria:

• The player must stand-down from international rugby for 36 months

• The player must either be born in the country to which they wish to transfer or have a parent or grandparent born in that country

• Under the revised regulation 8 criteria, a player may only change union once and each case will be subject to approval by the World Rugby Regulations Committee to preserve integrity

[Twist]

https://www.the42.ie/australia-team-new ... 1-Aug2022/

Foley back in the Oz team. So there goes the unlikely possibility of an Ireland call up.

Wait, whats this? How was there any possibility of an Ireland call up?

From 1 January 2022, in order to transfer from one union to another under the revised regulation 8 (eligibility), a player will need to achieve the below criteria:

• The player must stand-down from international rugby for 36 months

• The player must either be born in the country to which they wish to transfer or have a parent or grandparent born in that country

• Under the revised regulation 8 criteria, a player may only change union once and each case will be subject to approval by the World Rugby Regulations Committee to preserve integrity

GRMA

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I don't think Foley was ever eligible for us though.

[Flash Gordon]

I don't think Foley was ever eligible for us though.

Not unless you count residency. If memory serves, his Irish connection goes back to great grandparents.

[wixfjord]

I don't think Foley was ever eligible for us though.

Not unless you count residency. If memory serves, his Irish connection goes back to great grandparents.

How would Foley qualify under residency?

In related news Kerr Barlow has indicated he's open to playing for Oz (he's eligible due to being born there).

Him and Nic White would be a nice duo of 9s to take to the RWC.

[Flash Gordon]

I don't think Foley was ever eligible for us though.

Not unless you count residency. If memory serves, his Irish connection goes back to great grandparents.

How would Foley qualify under residency?

In related news Kerr Barlow has indicated he's open to playing for Oz (he's eligible due to being born there).

Him and Nic White would be a nice duo of 9s to take to the RWC.

He'd have qualified under residency if he lived here - which he didn't!! i.e. the James Lowe/JGP route.

[wixfjord]

Not unless you count residency. If memory serves, his Irish connection goes back to great grandparents.

How would Foley qualify under residency?

In related news Kerr Barlow has indicated he's open to playing for Oz (he's eligible due to being born there).

Him and Nic White would be a nice duo of 9s to take to the RWC.

He'd have qualified under residency if he lived here - which he didn't!! i.e. the James Lowe/JGP route.

Ah yes I get you. i don't think a capped player who wants to switch can qualify on residency though can they? Thought they need to have been born or have a grandparent/parent link?

[Flash Gordon]

How would Foley qualify under residency?

In related news Kerr Barlow has indicated he's open to playing for Oz (he's eligible due to being born there).

Him and Nic White would be a nice duo of 9s to take to the RWC.

He'd have qualified under residency if he lived here - which he didn't!! i.e. the James Lowe/JGP route.

Ah yes I get you. i don't think a capped player who wants to switch can qualify on residency though can they? Thought they need to have been born or have a grandparent/parent link?

Correct, you have to have a connection via birth or via (grand)parent. Not one we would have gone balls out for given the quality we had at outhalf and fullback though he would have been a nice asset to have in the coming year or two on the transition from Sexton. I'm sure he wouldn't have swapped his 70 caps for the Wallabies for that scenario!

[Ruckedtobits]

frankly we're a sport mad nation

Not a strong enough argument though, surely most recognised world nations are "sporting mad"?

I like your theory but I live in a country that is almost haunted by the demons of the 2002 Football World Cup. Those demons are 40,000+ beautiful and modern sporting arenas dominating city skies across the country. They are largely empty now and many have been partly transformed into huge shopping centres or malls. On a match day, you find more people queueing to pay for the groceries than queueing to buy a ticket. The city of Gwangju, where Korea beat Spain in the QFs (should have been Ireland) has a 42,000 seater. It is absolutely stunning. Their average league attendance is less than 4,000.

Attendances at GAA games appear to be falling (I have no link to prove this, only from reading newspaper reports over the summer) so I would be wary of greatly upgrading existing facilities when they might be left idle once the rugby world cup is over. We also only have 3.5 professional (professionally run) teams and that's a lot of stadiums for one tournement.

I'm going out on a limb here but culturally I would understand sport to play a far higher role in Irish life than it does in Korean society. We have a population of about 10% the size of South Korea yet you regurally see Pro 12 attendances in the 10k - 20k bracket, Airtricity League would seem to have 2-4k average attendances (terrible facilities) and GAA would have attendances on average I'm guessing of circa 20k (again in usually poor facilities). If you invest in modern stadia more people attend games, the English premiership proves this point as does the re-development of Croker. The new stadia can also be used for other events e.g. Thomund hosting Elton John recently, Lansdowne & Croker hosting confrences etc. I'm sure Cork, Galway, Waterford or wherever new municipal stadiums are built would well be able to facilitate their future use.

Also comparing the RWC with Fifa isn't really fair as the facilities and stadia required by the RWC are much less. You're talking about a competition of 32 teams vs a competition of 20 and out of those 20 maybe 10 teams would be well supported and require to play their games in larger stadia of 40k plus.

Good posts

[Ruckedtobits]

Possibly amongst the lowest profile, but crucial sports announcements in Irish Rugby in the past decade, this one almost slipped by, or was almost slipped past:

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/08/26/da ... velopment/

This guy was a protégé of Gary Keegan in the days when he headed the Sports Council. Sheridan returns to Ireland after a 4-year stint in a key role in High Performance New Zealand Sport, where he was highly regarded.

Given that he isn't an Australian and his original sport's background was soccer, it fairly unlikely that his appointment was prompted by DN.

Really impressed with what I can research on the guy and in particular on his straight talking in public Lectures and interviews.

Good luck to him.

[Ruckedtobits]

Possibly amongst the lowest profile, but crucial sports announcements in Irish Rugby in the past decade, this one almost slipped by, or was almost slipped past:

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/08/26/da ... velopment/

This guy was a protégé of Gary Keegan in the days when he headed the Sports Council. Sheridan returns to Ireland after a 4-year stint in a key role in High Performance New Zealand Sport, where he was highly regarded.

Given that he isn't an Australian and his original sport's background was soccer, it fairly unlikely that his appointment was prompted by DN.

Really impressed with what I can research on the guy and in particular on his straight talking in public Lectures and interviews.

Good luck to him.

David Kelly of the Indo had this piece in Friday's paper which should have been their headline sports story:

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 39072.html

[JohnB]

Good luck to all those of you who might try to buy individual match tickets from 6pm tomorrow on that dreadful RWC Cup site. I clicked on the 'See the Prices' in the email earlier and it brought me immediately into the dreaded and very familiar, 'YOU ARE IN THE QUEUE. PLEASE WAIT...'

The RWC in France will have to proceed without me. I really cannot be arsed going through the whole queueing thing again tomorrow. Good luck to the rest of you who have more patience than I!

[FLIP]

Good luck to all those of you who might try to buy individual match tickets from 6pm tomorrow on that dreadful RWC Cup site. I clicked on the 'See the Prices' in the email earlier and it brought me immediately into the dreaded and very familiar, 'YOU ARE IN THE QUEUE. PLEASE WAIT...'

The RWC in France will have to proceed without me. I really cannot be arsed going through the whole queueing thing again tomorrow. Good luck to the rest of you who have more patience than I!

This World Cup has been a corrupt farce since before it was selected, so the ticketing being substandard compared to the last RWC in Japan is par for the course.

[footrush]

Just picked up 2 tickets for the South Africa and Scotland games Cat 4 €75 and €45 both at ground level behind the posts, excellent value !. Check out the Cat 4 ones at ground level in Stade de France excellent view !.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Obviously the internationals aren't back yet and there are injuries, but I think the number of young front rowers picked this weekend is still notable. There could be some big changes this season across the provinces and it's not like we have much depth in the Ireland squad so they won't be far off, especially when you consider that Scannell was called up last minute during the summer and even Benty had to bench for us.

Tom Stewart starting for Ulster and I think he'll be a great foil for Herring this season. Reid likely to be in the 23 most weeks I would say.

Hard to know if Dooley is a nailed on starter for Connacht but he'll certainly be playing every week if he's fit. Aungier has a big opportunity to cement his place in the 23 and play week in week out, you'd think that it's make or break for him this season. Illo getting his chance on the bench tomorrow too and it'll be interesting to see how he does. Tierney Martin seems to back on track after some time in the wildnerness too, very raw but a big talent.

Milne back in the mix for Leinster and you'd have to think the path is clear for him to be involved in a lot of big games if he takes his chance. Huge opportunity for McKee as well considering Sheehan and Kelleher will be with Ireland and JT is out until the new year. Clarkson not involved this weekend but he's another that I think will kick on this season.

Wycherley ahead of Kilcoyne is promising at Munster but obviously the big news there is that Knox is starting and Salanoa is on the bench.

They won't all perform, but regardless it seems like there will be big changes in that area over the next year.