Captainron
Big Hitting, South African Sweary Person
Italy getting a proper behind the bike shed schoolboy beating from Ireland.
TigerBear
Active member
Ireland played some fantastic rugby. Yes it's Italy but what a team they have.
So frustrating that Scotland has a similar population but doesn't consistently produce the quality of player that the Irish have for the past good few years.
So frustrating that Scotland has a similar population but doesn't consistently produce the quality of player that the Irish have for the past good few years.
Voyager EMH
Slipper Wearing Plucker of Pheasants
Population size is an interesting one.
Wales population 3 million and England population 56 million.
If England split itself into 18 different regions and each region raised a rugby union side, how would each of those teams do against Wales, I wonder.
That theory would work perfectly if England was a purely rugby country. You have to take into account the number of people playing other sports, at a world class level, that reduce the talent pool to rugby.
IanM
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Rugby is also a religion in Wales, and a fairly minor in England where in some areas its hardly played.
You could argue that its already regional in England.
I think the Open Top bus parade for the bonus point leaves Penarth Pier at 2pm.
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Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
Might have something to do with Scotland having only two professional teams.
To be fair, the same point applies. How can Ireland generate more professional teams, at the level they are, whilst Scotland can only support 2 teams? I would guess that the answer is that rugby is not as important in Scotland, perfectly reasonable to have that situation. Scotland will lose too many players to football, the pool is not as wide.Might have something to do with Scotland having only two professional teams.
oleinone
Active member
Wales penalty try. It looked to me that Itoje had his big mitts on the ball so where was the likelihood that Wales would have definitely scored?
England spent the first 10 minutes camped in the Welsh half and 22. A series of poor decisions saw them come away with zilch. Eg The attacking 5 metre lime out should have been mauled keeping on the pressure. Penalties are a dime a dozen in this situation - see above.
England spent the first 10 minutes camped in the Welsh half and 22. A series of poor decisions saw them come away with zilch. Eg The attacking 5 metre lime out should have been mauled keeping on the pressure. Penalties are a dime a dozen in this situation - see above.
GB72
Money List Winner
Ireland have the regions funded by their Union and that ensures that all of the talent ends up in a concentrated pool. 19 of the 23 in the first week of the 6 Nations played for Leinster and so you effectively have the national team playing together week in and week out. Add to that the fact that the Irish union have more control over the players and so they are often rested for all but the biggest URC matches and you have a set up that is designed for success at international level.
Compare to Wales and England when the clubs are often at loggerheads with the unions and you can see some of the issues.
Plus, in England, you cannot get over the hurdle of football. It takes all of the sponsorship money, media money, column inches the lot and, whilst you can get interest in the international game, the club game remains almost unheard of to most and so money and funding is always an issue.
Compare to Wales and England when the clubs are often at loggerheads with the unions and you can see some of the issues.
Plus, in England, you cannot get over the hurdle of football. It takes all of the sponsorship money, media money, column inches the lot and, whilst you can get interest in the international game, the club game remains almost unheard of to most and so money and funding is always an issue.
Beedee
Assistant Pro
It's similar in Ireland. Rugby is not the religion it is in Wales. In Northern Ireland, rugby union is a very distant 2nd sport, that's only really played at school in the grammar schools. In the south, rugby is probably only the 4th most popular team sport.
I’ve stayed in contact with the team I played for in Ireland, and receive club announcements etc. The structure and organisation that goes right through to senior level across the regions is stunningly good. What has surprised me is the number of foreign players that are imported to play for various town teams. Each season I see club notices asking if anyone will take in a player that’s be flown over for trials and or the season. I watched a local Derby a few years back that had a couple of New Zealanders playing. Add to that rugby is in a lot of schools nowadays, unlike when I played there - Brit sport!
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
You want to borrow a hankie to dry those tears mate.
GB72
Money List Winner
You want to borrow a hankie to dry those tears mate.
Not sure where you get that from, I was complimentary about the Irish set up which is geared perfectly for club and national success where it matters, critical of the English and Welsh set ups that have the clubs and country constantly fighting rather than working together and a reasonable point that impacts many sports that companies and Media are only really interested in premier league football.
If anything I am only critical of the impact that the Irish system has on the club game at European level. Actually quite impressed that Tigers have done as well against Ireland as any national team so far
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
No idea if it’s any different these days to when I was at state secondary school…but back then rugby was a ‘nowhere sport’ that we got exposure to, but only on the same very limited level as cricket and hockey.
Culturally in Glasgow (especially) and I suspect also Edinburgh, my experience was that rugby was for the private schools, and something mostly played by the ‘posh‘ boys. Me and my school chums had little or no interest in playing rugby outside of school, for a start we generally didn't mix with the posh boys, and interest in the international team was fairly ambivalent.
I only started going to Murrayfield as a load of members of my church Youth Fellowship would get tickets for every home international. My mates outside of that group did eventually start going to occasional rugby matches…but largely for the day out in Edinburgh with them having little or no real understanding of the game. Think that may have changed a bit, but historical cultural perceptions and habits run deep.
The Borders were different, more like a little Wales…
Culturally in Glasgow (especially) and I suspect also Edinburgh, my experience was that rugby was for the private schools, and something mostly played by the ‘posh‘ boys. Me and my school chums had little or no interest in playing rugby outside of school, for a start we generally didn't mix with the posh boys, and interest in the international team was fairly ambivalent.
I only started going to Murrayfield as a load of members of my church Youth Fellowship would get tickets for every home international. My mates outside of that group did eventually start going to occasional rugby matches…but largely for the day out in Edinburgh with them having little or no real understanding of the game. Think that may have changed a bit, but historical cultural perceptions and habits run deep.
The Borders were different, more like a little Wales…
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
Final expert take on the Scotland try that was not a try, 
NearHull
Well-known member
Black and Whites being dominated by the Robins. FC lacking discipline. Looks like a third hammering in a row.
Not a classic in Dublin. Ireland bossed the first half, Wales have come back into the second. It's a slog though, not the most inventive.
Just as I was typing, Ireland have scored another try
. That should be game over.
Just as I was typing, Ireland have scored another try
. That should be game over.Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
Mess of a game at Murrayfield at half time.
Neither team deserves to win this game.
Neither team deserves to win this game.
ColchesterFC
Journeyman Pro
Not sure the second Scotland try should have been given. Looked as though he hit the corner flag with his elbow before grounding the ball.
D
Deleted member 15344
Guest
It doesn’t count as touch anymore - think it changed 3/4 years ago
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