Certainly not Geoff, I’m just pointing out the flaw in the argument being proffered here that the absence of Dan Leavy being the reason for the pitiful recent performances is greatly flawed. He had close to zero impact in both the very successful summer and autumn series due to a combination of injury and non-selection, I think his impact on the gameplan is being massively overstated.
The view was proffered that a fit Dan Leavy would significantly improve what is now a pedestrian and one dimensional back row. Just like he did, when he excelled in the Grand Slam winning campaign last year. Your diagnosis of the problem in the Ireland team at the moment, the absence of Jared Payne is massively overstated. Jared Payne won the second last of his 20 caps all the way back in 2016. During the run of 18 wins from 19 test matches over the 20 month period from March 2017 to November 2018, Jared Payne featured in just one, the very first of those 19 tests against England in March 2017, which was last cap before retirement.
Ah lads … Ireland could have who ever the fuck they want in management or on the field … it still wont matter - they wont do anything at a world cup ffs 
Give over ye the lot of yee. – Be happy with the November friendlies and the 4 nations success, it’s a decent enough return.
The audit trail doesn’t lie Geoff, the first mention of Leavy was that he was vital to Irelands successful kicking game and so his absence this spring was a major factor in the non-performance. This fails to recognise that Leavy had almost no input in summer or autumn, when the very same kicking game was hugely successful. It looks to me like any excuse at all is being cobbled together to justify the poor recent performances.
I could see why a simple minded lad may think I was contradicting myself when highlighting the absence of Payne, but his absence was always going to be most keenly felt when Ireland needed on field leadership and intelligence to chase a lead, something they have rarely had to do in them 18 games.
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He had a mental breakdown
And here is the audit trail. The first mention I made of Dan Leavy in the aftermath of the match on Saturday. The outstanding form that Dan Leavy displayed during the Grand Slam winning campaign of 2018 would be a big improvement on the pedestrian back row play we’ve seen from Ireland this year.
Very odd views you are expressing on Jared Payne, a player who amassed 19 of his 20 caps in a two year window from his first cap against South Africa in November 2014 to November 2016. Presumably you’re going to provide details to substantiate your point as to all these matches in that two year window where Jared Payne’s on field leadership and intelligence helped Ireland to chase down a lead.
Are you honestly inferring that hurling supporters don’t wank off as loud as possible in as big the superlatives they can find about their sport to anyone who’ll listen and many many more who don’t want to listen. 
Even other GAA fans get sick of the hurling self-love after a while you deluded loon.
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Goodness me Geoff, have you gone scouring the Internet to find reference to Leavy that predates Applecrumbleds statement yesterday that Leavys absence was a massive loss to Irelands kicking game?!
Schmidt recently commented, when lamenting the absence of Payne, that he was someone who made others on the team feel comfortable because he understood the game. There is a very good reason why the top 3 teams in this years 6nations were coached by antipodeans and why 5 of the 8 centres to start for the Home Nations last Saturday were antipodeans. They understand the game and can think on their feet, it’s why the IRFU are throwing money about at an alarming rate to lure these lads over to wear the green jersey. I can’t believe I’m having to clarify why a B&I Lion who was a key figure in some of Irelands greatest results, including Irelands first win over his native country, is a bigger loss than a lad with 6 starts who was unable to make the match day 23 for the first test last summer.
Is SA win the wc Cj will be sick
Why?
Garry Ringrose is a superior player to what Jared Payne ever was at 13. Very odd that you view the departure of Jared Payne (to all intents and purposes two and a half years) ago as the root cause of the sudden dip in Ireland’s form even though Ireland won 17 of the next 18 tests after Payne’s departure and beat every one of the top ten seeded sides during that run. Why not go back another two and a half years pre Jard Payne and say we could do at the moment with the fellow that wore the Number 13 for 15 years before Payne and won 133 caps and scored 46 tries. Its about as relevant as Jared Payne at the moment.
Please tell me this is a joke geoff
Éire didn’t win the Grand Slam in 2019.
Jared Payne won the second last of his 20 caps and last at outside centre in November 2016. He didn’t feature in any of the first four matches in the 2017 Championship. He got his 20th and final cap against England in the last match of the 2017 Championship at full back.
I have no opinion on Jared Payne.
“Intensive purposes” isn’t a phrase, its “intents and purposes”
Typo. Predictive text.
That’s not what he said. He really shouldn’t bother to reply to you any more.
He’s not replying to me so don’t be fretting. I’ve identified a non-functioning back row and half back back pairing as the biggest problems in the Ireland team over this Championship campaign. He’s rambling on about an outside centre who got his last cap in that position in 2016.
Sigh.
I imagine we are boring everyone Geoff, to all intensive purposes, so il not carry on except to say that 3 of Paynes last 6 caps came at fullback and it is there he would now be lining out for Ireland but for his enforced retirement. Schmidt now has another antipodean in Aki to play the centre role, Payne was clearly earmarked for fullback where his rugby brain would be a huge asset. There are some players for whom their value is only recognised in times of real difficulty, and I believe Payne is clearly one of those. You are free to disagree.