Team news for Ireland.

[Digby]

Is this a world record selection of locks?

[Mikey Brown]

Is this a world record selection of locks?

This is only the beginning. Next time we face SA we'll be ready with a whole fleet of them.

Maybe we'll even try their maul trick from open play again and not totally butcher it.

[loudnconfident]

I thought it might provide some encouraging contrast when the real team came out. How naive of me.

Such is the fate of the satirist... Real life is always more lunatic...

[Bonzo]

Jones is in full contrarian, "mere mortals don't understand my genius" mode. It gets on my nerves. As does his revolving door for assistant coaches. No-one who works with him can stomach it for more than a couple of years. Why do we have to? He was a good appointment for picking up a demoralised team after the 2015 debacle. But enough already. He's won one 6N in 4 years and nothing else. Time for an Englishman to come in and botch things our way.

[Digby]

Is this a world record selection of locks?

This is only the beginning. Next time we face SA we'll be ready with a whole fleet of them.

Maybe we'll even try their maul trick from open play again and not totally butcher it.

I know Ireland have struggled with our power game, this doesn't feel like a sensible way to try and replicate that having been denied Mako, Billy and Cokanasiga

[Mellsblue]

5 locks and 2 back three players in the 23 is bonkers. Even with the injury to Furbank, why wouldn't you just bring Thorley in on the wing and move Daly to 15? What the hell is Eddie doing this tournament?!

Can’t argue with any of this.

[Mellsblue]

You clearly aren't that meticulous, chapter 7 is coaching Australia

To be honest I'm just shocked there is a chapter 7

On a serious note, its an interesting life and read.

Wait till you get your hands on Dors’ autobiography. Chap 10: ‘That Friday morning in February when an entire internet message board suddenly agreed with me’ is particularly worth a thorough read.

[Beasties]

To be honest I'm just shocked there is a chapter 7

On a serious note, its an interesting life and read.

Wait till you get your hands on Dors’ autobiography. Chap 10: ‘That Friday morning in February when an entire internet message board suddenly agreed with me’ is particularly worth a thorough read.

Bollox. I was just about to type how Eddie had managed to take the heat off Dors after the kicking he'd been getting for the previous 25 pages.

[Beasties]

Right now I'd take Mikey for the new head coach.

[Oakboy]

On a serious note, its an interesting life and read.

Wait till you get your hands on Dors’ autobiography. Chap 10: ‘That Friday morning in February when an entire internet message board suddenly agreed with me’ is particularly worth a thorough read.

Bollox. I was just about to type how Eddie had managed to take the heat off Dors after the kicking he'd been getting for the previous 25 pages.

Ah, you are so kind!

Seriously, I'm trying to work out where the debate will go if we win/lose. On the one hand, should his selection be justified by a win, what the f¥¥k can we look forward to next? Or, if we lose . . .

[Bonzo]

Since we are reflecting on who should be in charge, does anyone else think that Tier 1 countries should have the same qualification rules for coaches as for players? I would prefer it, not least to see the local unions have to work on coach development pathways rather than just chucking money at international mercs.

[p/d]

To be honest I'm just shocked there is a chapter 7

On a serious note, its an interesting life and read.

Wait till you get your hands on Dors’ autobiography. Chap 10: ‘That Friday morning in February when an entire internet message board suddenly agreed with me’ is particularly worth a thorough read.

Think many will gloss over it once they have absorbed Chapter 9; 'When Does A Glimpse of Nipple Become Unacceptable For An Avatar'

[Banquo]

Jones is in full contrarian, "mere mortals don't understand my genius" mode. It gets on my nerves. As does his revolving door for assistant coaches. No-one who works with him can stomach it for more than a couple of years. Why do we have to? He was a good appointment for picking up a demoralised team after the 2015 debacle. But enough already. He's won one 6N in 4 years and nothing else. Time for an Englishman to come in and botch things our way.

Not sure your assertion on assistant coaches is borne out by facts. Borthwick and Craig have been by his side for years, and Wisemantel (who wanted to go back to OZ) had worked with him a lot prior to England. As for Gustard and Hatley, they both moved onto better jobs, and like Amor is part of his commitment to develop English coaches. He's used a lot of coaches as temporary experts like Glen Ella. Its true he is very demanding, but who would want it another way.

He's won two 6N as it happens, inc one grandslam.

This is a mad selection tho.

[p/d]

Jones is in full contrarian, "mere mortals don't understand my genius" mode. It gets on my nerves. As does his revolving door for assistant coaches. No-one who works with him can stomach it for more than a couple of years. Why do we have to? He was a good appointment for picking up a demoralised team after the 2015 debacle. But enough already. He's won one 6N in 4 years and nothing else. Time for an Englishman to come in and botch things our way.

Could be argued he picked up a good squad who would have progressed had they not been humped by Aus (which can happen - see NZ in 2019 semi), went on to land a grand slam and has been on a downward projection since.

[Digby]

Most importantly who will be the best dressed coach, Eddie or Andy?

[Mellsblue]

Most importantly who will be the best dressed coach, Eddie or Andy?

Neither will pick up a sponsorship deal as lucrative as Lancaster’s from Daz White.

[Digby]

Most importantly who will be the best dressed coach, Eddie or Andy?

Neither will pick up a sponsorship deal as lucrative as Lancaster’s from Daz White.

Is Daz still going? Eddie likes a zip up wooly cardigan, and in truth that doesn't seem a hue market awaiting exploitation

[Puja]

Since we are reflecting on who should be in charge, does anyone else think that Tier 1 countries should have the same qualification rules for coaches as for players? I would prefer it, not least to see the local unions have to work on coach development pathways rather than just chucking money at international mercs.

I am sort of tempted by that, although the qualification rules would be very difficult to work out and residency would be much easier to acquire - 5 years is a large chunk of a player's career, but might be one job for a coach.

Puja

[Banquo]

Jones is in full contrarian, "mere mortals don't understand my genius" mode. It gets on my nerves. As does his revolving door for assistant coaches. No-one who works with him can stomach it for more than a couple of years. Why do we have to? He was a good appointment for picking up a demoralised team after the 2015 debacle. But enough already. He's won one 6N in 4 years and nothing else. Time for an Englishman to come in and botch things our way.

(b)Could be argued he picked up a good squad [/b]who would have progressed had they not been humped by Aus (which can happen - see NZ in 2019 semi), went on to land a grand slam and has been on a downward projection since.

Well you could argue that if you had selective amnesia.He picked up a decent core of unfit and poorly lead players who were sh*t in the world cup, and produced a very good squad who have produced very good results in the round; the big issue has been the players inability to react to adversity as someone else has pointed out, and frankly there have been at least 5 games that would have been won but for colossally brain dead decision making on the park when games needed closing down. There have been two massively disappointing games for me where we haven't really shown up/been blown away. Unfortunately Eddie has not been able to instil basic rugby intelligence in sufficient quantity, or at least rugby intelligence that doesn't fall apart under pressure-- and I guess he has to cop some of that, systematic as it appears.

[Digby]

systematic as it appears

Was that the Pointer Sisters version?

I'm struggling to give two fecks about the rugby post that team announcement, but what goes around comes around

[Banquo]

systematic as it appears

Was that the Pointer Sisters version?

I'm struggling to give two fecks about the rugby post that team announcement, but what goes around comes around

You're on fire.

[morepork]

HaHa!

YOU ARE FALLING APART.

[p/d]

Jones is in full contrarian, "mere mortals don't understand my genius" mode. It gets on my nerves. As does his revolving door for assistant coaches. No-one who works with him can stomach it for more than a couple of years. Why do we have to? He was a good appointment for picking up a demoralised team after the 2015 debacle. But enough already. He's won one 6N in 4 years and nothing else. Time for an Englishman to come in and botch things our way.

(b)Could be argued he picked up a good squad [/b]who would have progressed had they not been humped by Aus (which can happen - see NZ in 2019 semi), went on to land a grand slam and has been on a downward projection since.

Well you could argue that if you had selective amnesia.He picked up a decent core of unfit and poorly lead players who were sh*t in the world cup, and produced a very good squad who have produced very good results in the round; the big issue has been the players inability to react to adversity as someone else has pointed out, and frankly there have been at least 5 games that would have been won but for colossally brain dead decision making on the park when games needed closing down. There have been two massively disappointing games for me where we haven't really shown up/been blown away. Unfortunately Eddie has not been able to instil basic rugby intelligence in sufficient quantity, or at least rugby intelligence that doesn't fall apart under pressure-- and I guess he has to cop some of that, systematic as it appears.

Burt had a bloody good 6n 2014 & 2015. Plus he did it all with Burrell in the team. Think people just look at the WC and dismiss Stu-pots tenure.

[Digby]

systematic as it appears

Was that the Pointer Sisters version?

I'm struggling to give two fecks about the rugby post that team announcement, but what goes around comes around

You're on fire.

Truth to tell it's steam heat

[jngf]

Clown shoes backrow - Oakboy you’ll get vindicated I expect this weekend!