England were much older. A quick google there says they had 15 players 30+. Wilkinson was nearly the youngest at 24. We have 5 guys younger than that, one of whom is our best player James Ryan.
All blacks had 11 30+ in squad in 2015
Just saying x number of players were 30+ doesnât mean much though. Should he make it, Best will be by some distance the oldest player to play in a rugby world cup final. Kearney and Sexton Iâd say will also be the oldest players in their position to play in a final should they manage it.
Its just not the major negative it could be seen as. SA have an older hooker than Best in their squad!
He can probably throw the ball in straight though
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Interesting point. Are we still as dependent on the older players as we are then? I dunno if we have moved on as much as we should.
Like all sports, I think the peak age is slowly moving south. Best is a huge outlier at this stage.
Surely they are not superpowers seeing as they have never participated in The Championship, the pre eminent rugby competition?
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No surprise there was a much better performance from Ireland once OâMahony was dropped.
5 of the 10 will probably start. Reliant on Sexton and Murray out of that cohort. Reasonable alternatives for the rest.
5/10 are front rows so the age profile again is less of a negative. Best as said is a huge outlier
All sports? Maybe the average age, but the peak of the elite guys seems to be extending into the 30s more and more. Boxers especially lasting a lot longer (this is my impression and may or may not be backed up by fact).
Yes but he is unlikely to see any game time in the bigger games and their starting hooker will be a 25 year old. Not developing any serious alternative for Best in the last 4 years is some gamble by Schmidt.
Best mightnt start any of the big games either the form hes in. Im not sure it was a gamble by Schmidt, it is an area of weakness in Irish rugby for a good few years.
Loads of fellas who came through the provinces ended up retired ahead of time through injury.
No idea mate.
Nz scored 14 tries today, 14, remarkable. They even took off a player to make a game of it. Ireland wouldnât score 14 tries in a tournament.
Jonah Lomu was just fearfully unlucky.
Didnât another of that SA team nearly die also?
These 5 players plyed their trade mostly in an amateur era. I see Donal Lenihan hobbling around the place sometimes and wonder whether it was worth it or not from his point of view and how the current incumbents will fair out In 20 years time.
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Ireland are no.1 in the world?? Wow⌠Are they favourites with the bookies?
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They are. Theyâre number one in the world but I got a lambasting from the rubby lads for suggesting that not making it past the last eight in a competition with about 8 competitive teams would be a failure. You couldnât make it up.
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It would be a monumental failure⌠Thats not looking to wind up or anything, they have one group to worry about and thats itâŚ