Rugby World Cup 2023/ Crochet & Knitting chit chat

Stringer was only emerging as well and had Tom Tierney in front of him with both Province and Country. Harsh to blame that on Gatland who was doing his best to right an absolute shitshow he’d be landed with.

He did in his eye.

Stringer made his Irish debut in 00 and didn’t become a regular until after the delayed six nations in 01. Gatland was sacked some point in between.

There’s a big chapter in mick Galway’s book about it.

Is there anything about Eddie Halvey in Mick Galweys book?

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Yes.

Incorrect. Gatland was sacked at the end of 2001 following a missed opportunity against the All-Blacks in November of that year. Gatland was in charge for the entire 2001 campaign where Stringer was a regular.

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You are forgetting the 01 six nations was delayed due to foot and mouth.

You are playing fast and loose with dates to prove your point.

It was guy Easterbuy at scrum half v Scotland when they got destroyed v Scotland in September 01. I think Gatland was gone then.

Yes and Gatland was in charge for all of it. He was removed from his position at the end of 2001. The 6 Nations had been completed by then. Eddie O’ Sullivan took over for the 2002 campaign then.

Gatland was still in charge. He presided over a memorable victory over England in Dublin after that.

You claimed stringer and o gara were regular starters.

It was guy Easterbuy and Humphrey’s at 9 and 10 v Scotland it was a crunch game.

I didn’t say O’ Gara was a regular. I said he was battling for a position at 10 with a prime David Humphrey’s. Stringer was starting against Wales, England and New Zealand that year. Gatland gave Stringer his big break with Ireland. Gatland was in charge when Stringer completed his first tap tackle against England in 2001.

It was, and it was decided to go with Easterby for his physical presence against the then formidable Scottish back row of Simpson Poutney and Taylor. It wasn’t lost at scrum half thats for sure.

So he wasn’t a regular nor was o Gara.

David Humphrey’s wasn’t in his prime in 01 either. He was into his 30s.

There’s an obsession with Gatland getting a hard time with Ireland.

He didn’t. He had a good period and it worked out well for both parties.

Hard be a regular when you’d only just made your debut, had an Ireland International ahead of you at provincial level, and there was a global foot and mouth crisis going on.

But sure, blame Warren.

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Garlands record is very sketchy without Shaun Edwards and it was gatlands messing with the lions which caused him to fall out with edwards and edwards to move to France.

If Gatland didn’t leave Ireland he doesn’t come across edwards and likely ends up having no career.

Stringer absolutely was a regular. He started against Italy, France, Wales and England in the 6 Nations. The one game he didn’t start we were hockeyed by Scotland. David Humphrey’s was a superb player in his own right which is often forgotten. No shame in O’ Gara being behind a player who’d just scored 37 points against Wasps in a Heineken Cup game at the time. O’ Gara came on and kicked a decisive penalty against England in 2001.

You were telling us that Gatland didn’t preside over the second half of the 2001 campaign which was incorrect. I’m no major Gatland fan but it mustn’t be forgotten that he capped 5 debutants against Scotland in 2000. Showing great faith in O’ Gara, Stringer, John Hayes, Shane Horgan and Simon Easterby.

He was sacked at the end of 2001.

He wasn’t a regular.

He didn’t start the crucial game v scotkand in which Ireland got hockeyed in against a fairly average Scotland side.

He started 80% of Irelands 6 Nations games and the big plumb game of the year v New Zealand. For context Jonathan Sexton started 80% of Irelands 6 Nations games this season. I don’t think anyone would be questioning if he was a regular in that campaign.

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You’ve already been comprehensively dismantled in this debate you should probably let it go.

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