You didn’t answer half of what was asked… give us a link there to this list of 103 countries for the craic.
95, I didn’t go when I found out it was a rugby competition.
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They’re the same thing, mate.
I think it’s also time you stood behind your bizarre claim about Ireland winning the Rugby World Cup given that you’re such a proponent about tradition.
They lost to Tonga on Saturday ffs. I’d say nobody in Italy even knew it was going on.
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Tonga has a population equivalent to Waterford or that and most of their best players will go play for a bigger nation.
Rugby is only popular among ex pats and Lombardy farmers in Italy. I should know as I am Italian.
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And New Zealand ran up a cricket score against them.
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were the pre world cup games friendlies or tests?
Nothing at all bizarre about it. We have some of the best players in the world in their early 20’s, Josh Van der Flier, Ultan Dillane, Iain Henderson, Garry Ringrose, Joey Carberry, Robbie Henshaw, two outstanding young prop forwards in Jack McGrath and Tadhg Furlong. Throw in the existing playing pool, most of whom will still be there in 2019 and in their prime and we have a serious pool of players. In 2003, 2007 and 2011, talented groups of players were largely held back by coaching that was not up to scratch at the highest level. In 2019, there’ll be the Joe Schmidt factor as well. He is the best coach in world rugby. You can’t legislate in a knock out tournament for what happened against Argentina in the quarter final when we had to take the field without our four best players - Jonathan Sexton, Paul O’Connell, Peter O’Mahony and Sean O’Brien but if we can stay reasonably injury free, we’ll be one of the teams to beat in 2019 and should have the capabilities to win it.
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That’s a very outdated point on Christians.
Late 90s really when were considered a joke for bringing in so many scholarship rugby players.
They have one of the best maths departments in the country and their students regularly get in the top 10 results in the Leaving. Larry Jordan is known as a top class educator.
It’s bizarre that a guy who puts so much stock in tradition, brazenly ignores the fact that the West Brits have never won a knockout rugby game in a major competition and comes to a conclusion they can win it.
Gas cunts.
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If the playing talent is there and a great coach, then its on. As a Tyrone Italian, I thought you above anyone would have grasped that. Take the Tyrone football team as a case in point. They won next to nothing in 115 years prior to 2003. Then a great pool of players and a top coach come to together and they win three All Ireland titles in six seasons.
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Yet you have consistently argued against such a narrative in the past. I find it bizarre that you have had such a flip flop moment and reneged on your principles and ideology.
There was 19k at it. Almost a sell out in fact in a lovely little stadium in Padova. Any idea what the average attendance for ROI home friendlies is in the Aviva
Fella the best educational systems in the world gave up homework way back.
See my further posts on the topic. I said that changed.
utter horseshit
Schmit doesn’t understand about tournament management, every game is a war of attrition and his tactics lead to mass injuries - 4 games into any tournament and half the team will be missing
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That’s actually a very good point. I wish you and @Rocko would contribute more to rugby discussion here as ye have a very good knowledge of the game.
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Excellent point. Based on a sample size of one is it?
Did Joe ever coach in knockout tournaments before? Like say the Heineken cup. How did he get on there
FFS
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