The Death of Irish Rugby

[jhc99]

Have we this weekend witnessed the death of the golden age of Irish Rugby?

All seems very like the 1990s.

[jhc99]

Is Kidney relentlessly hammering in the final nails to the coffin?

[deco]

Has the IRFU succeeded in taking the provinces down a peg or two "for the good of Irish rugby"?

[Dave Cahill]

Are people over-reacting a tad?

[Grumpy Old Man]

No.
Nope.
Unlikely
Yes.

[Oldschool]

Do you have any details yet?
Will there be a removal and a mass or just a mass or neither?
Will it be straight to cemetery from the Funeral parlour or is it going to be a Cremation and if so are the coaches included.
If it is a Cremation are the ashes likely to spread over the Aviva (It might help the grass grow a bit better)?
Where's the p!ss up going to be held?

[tackle-bag]

Are people over-reacting a tad?

Maybe, but this is still the most disappointing weekend during the HC group stages that I can recall. Four bad losses by the provinces which have left Connacht effectively out of the competition, Munster and Leinster needing a miracle to get out as best runners up, and Ulster without what previously looked like a certain home quarter-final. None of the teams performed to anything even resembling their potential.

[simonokeeffe]

nah, sure this is looking like the first year Leinster won;t be wrecked from a HC semi/final for league final

[Cianostays]

A bad weekend for us for sure but Ulster will get a home QF and I'd be pretty confident that Munster will get one of the 2 best runners up spots (we're not out of it yet either, especially if Toulon beat Montpellier in round 6).

Though all of this does come with the asterix that I'm a committed and practising optimist

[Dexter]

Have we this weekend witnessed the death of the golden age of Irish Rugby?

All seems very like the 1990s.

For sure. We're doomed!

[Oldschool]

Perhaps the real meaning of the Mayan "End of the World" prophecy.

[fitz]

When was the last time all provinces lost?

[Flash Gordon]

Are people over-reacting a tad?

Yep, there are very few teams in Europe that could get over our injury list - even those with budgets of €30million. But for a get able missed kick both ulster and Munster would have got a result this weekend. I do worry about us a little over the coming couple of years - our pack will continue to be an outstanding unit, and our out half is world class. The midfield would worry me to be honest, but we're far from dead!

[suisse]

Typical over-reaction. I saw someone post this on the Guardian blogs too.

Before this weekend, Irish sides had won 5 from the last 7 HECs, one was top of the pool and the other two were well in with a shout of a runner up spot. Between Ulster, Leinster and Munster, we had 7 wins from 9 games collectively.

It was a bad weekend for Irish rugby. No more.

[Donny B.]

When was the last time all provinces lost?

Final round of 2006/2007 according to Thornley in the IT this morning. Was the round we lost to Gloucester away and Munster lost to Leicester. Ulster lost to Toulouse and Connacht lost in the Challenge Cup too to Harlequins. All away matches in fact, which is something of an anomaly.

[tate]

Have the GAA finally pulled the trigger on the Free State and taken over?

[cormac]

When was the last time all provinces lost?

Final round of 2006/2007 according to Thornley in the IT this morning. Was the round we lost to Gloucester away and Munster lost to Leicester. Ulster lost to Toulouse and Connacht lost in the Challenge Cup too to Harlequins. All away matches in fact, which is something of an anomaly.

Munster lost that match to Leicester at home.

[Donny B.]

When was the last time all provinces lost?

Final round of 2006/2007 according to Thornley in the IT this morning. Was the round we lost to Gloucester away and Munster lost to Leicester. Ulster lost to Toulouse and Connacht lost in the Challenge Cup too to Harlequins. All away matches in fact, which is something of an anomaly.

Munster lost that match to Leicester at home.

They did of course, but we watched it in a pub in Bath so for some reason, I had it in my memory as an away game.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Munster lost that match to Leicester at home.

They did of course, but we watched it in a pub in Bath so for some reason, I had it in my memory as an away game.

Given the amount of drink that was taken that day, Im surprised you remember it at all Donny. We drank four taps dry that afternoon. i do remember the Bath fans all cheering Munster, Leinster fans all cheering Leicester!

One of the great days!

[Oldschool]

So was anyone at the wake - What was the craic like?