Mike Ross Appreciation Thread!

[suisse]

Damn you Suisse......

To be fair - your writing techniue is at least as much to blame as his quoting technique

Are you wumming again?

[Vamos los azules]

Somewhat disturbing that they need to play Hayes after 100+ caps rather than seeing what Mike Ross can do.

I appreciate his efforts for Leinster anyway.

[sarah_lennon]

I don't think the "where he comes from" means a geographical place but rather an acknowledgement of his experience


I hope...

[suisse]

I don't think the "where he comes from" means a geographical place but rather an acknowledgement of his experience


I hope...

It would be hilarious if it did though, in fairness (and probably not all that surprising).

IRFU player drive: If you're from Cappamore, you're guaranteed to play for Ireland.

[ronk]

I assume he is being rested to start against the All Blacks...can't wait

Judging by these comments by Gert Smal, don't hold your breath!

From IT

"Smal also gave a strong indication John Hayes, who needs games more than most to reach his best, remains ahead of Mike Ross not only in this week’s pecking order, but perhaps up until the World Cup. “Mike is one of the props we’re looking at, but I think John Hayes, where he comes from and with the amount of time we’ve invested in him over the past two years, I think we’ve just got too much,” said Smal.

“We’re very pleased with the way Mike Ross developed over the past year . . . but John needs that opportunity.”

We can pretty much write off the next year if we're going to be stuck playing with Hayes and Buckle, no matter what Ross does.

Is that Smal actually talking or just spouting the party line?

[Cianostays]

“Mike is one of the props we’re looking at, but I think John Hayes, where he comes from and with the amount of time we’ve invested in him over the past two years, I think we’ve just got too much,” said Smal.

“We’re very pleased with the way Mike Ross developed over the past year . . . but John needs that opportunity.”

We can pretty much write off the next year if we're going to be stuck playing with Hayes and Buckle, no matter what Ross does.

Is that Smal actually talking or just spouting the party line?

I'd hope to God that's him towing the party line. I can't imagine that he, as the forwards coach, really believes that Hayes is the better option.

[rdsblue]

I think Mike R showed great staying power last season when Cheika repeatedly picked CJVDL ahead of him even though VDL was almost always cr@p for Leinster (much better for SA).He also had to stay in line behind Stan who continued to be brilliant. Hayes and Mushy Buckle shouln't represent half as difficult a challenge. Mike should just keep on keeping on for Leinster and they wont be able to ignore him for ever.

[Donny B.]

Damn you Suisse......

To be fair - your writing technique is at least as much to blame as his quoting technique

HOW DARE YOU MADAM!!!!!!

EXPLAIN YOURSELF!!!!!!

[Munsterboy]

I think Mike R showed great staying power last season when Cheika repeatedly picked CJVDL ahead of him even though VDL was almost always cr@p for Leinster (much better for SA).He also had to stay in line behind Stan who continued to be brilliant. Hayes and Mushy Buckle shouln't represent half as difficult a challenge. Mike should just keep on keeping on for Leinster and they wont be able to ignore him for ever.

You gotta ask why Cheika kept leaving him on the bench last year and DK and Smal are doing so now. I'm not talking about scrummaging ability here - he clearly has that - but there may be something they see that we don't.

[fourthirtythree]

I think Mike R showed great staying power last season when Cheika repeatedly picked CJVDL ahead of him even though VDL was almost always cr@p for Leinster (much better for SA).He also had to stay in line behind Stan who continued to be brilliant. Hayes and Mushy Buckle shouln't represent half as difficult a challenge. Mike should just keep on keeping on for Leinster and they wont be able to ignore him for ever.

You gotta ask why Cheika kept leaving him on the bench last year and DK and Smal are doing so now. I'm not talking about scrummaging ability here - he clearly has that - but there may be something they see that we don't.

Yeah, Cheika saw it last year, and Kidney sees it this year. Nobody else sees it this year, and nobody at all saw it the year before that. This elusive thing they see that has nothing to do with how he's actually playing

He's playing fine. What is it? Is he not popular in the dressing room? Did Kidney not get a christmas card off him? Is Smal under orders when talking to the media?

[Cianostays]

I think Mike R showed great staying power last season when Cheika repeatedly picked CJVDL ahead of him even though VDL was almost always cr@p for Leinster (much better for SA).He also had to stay in line behind Stan who continued to be brilliant. Hayes and Mushy Buckle shouln't represent half as difficult a challenge. Mike should just keep on keeping on for Leinster and they wont be able to ignore him for ever.

You gotta ask why Cheika kept leaving him on the bench last year and DK and Smal are doing so now. I'm not talking about scrummaging ability here - he clearly has that - but there may be something they see that we don't.

That arguement was a fairly valid one last year as far as Ross is concerned. This year however he has improved immensley. His ball carrying is more effective and he's put in some big hits in his defensive play as well. Cheika's excuse for not picking him were Ross' work in the loose wasn't up to standard and there were 2 viable options ahead of him (the excellent and extremely versatile Stan Wright and a world cup winning prop on his way back to fitness in CJ Van Der Linde).

DK and Smal, especially with Buckley injured, don't have such excuses (be it his work in the loose or viable options ahead of him) imo.

[johng]

I think Mike R showed great staying power last season when Cheika repeatedly picked CJVDL ahead of him even though VDL was almost always cr@p for Leinster (much better for SA).He also had to stay in line behind Stan who continued to be brilliant. Hayes and Mushy Buckle shouln't represent half as difficult a challenge. Mike should just keep on keeping on for Leinster and they wont be able to ignore him for ever.

You gotta ask why Cheika kept leaving him on the bench last year and DK and Smal are doing so now. I'm not talking about scrummaging ability here - he clearly has that - but there may be something they see that we don't.

That arguement was a fairly valid one last year as far as Ross is concerned. This year however he has improved immensley. His ball carrying is more effective and he's put in some big hits in his defensive play as well. Cheika's excuse for not picking him were Ross' work in the loose wasn't up to standard and there were 2 viable options ahead of him (the excellent and extremely versatile Stan Wright and a world cup winning prop on his way back to fitness in CJ Van Der Linde).

DK and Smal, especially with Buckley injured, don't have such excuses (be it his work in the loose or viable options ahead of him) imo.

The normally abominable Glennon came up with a good one tonight. Hayes and Toner in the lineout...........

I know, what was I doing listening to the g hook show (I was just going to pick up a daughter at about a quarter to 7 and it came out of the blue before I could turn it off......Honest)

[claire_m]

To be fair to Rossy, he's one of those guys who needs to be playing rugby every week. Not just 10 minutes here, possibly half an hour there, but whole games, week after week. He didn't get that last season, so when he did make it on the park (for 10 minutes here, or even 30 minutes there, woopie), he probably tried too hard because he wanted to play so much. For whatever reason he had, Cheika didn't rate him at all. There was some cr@p about him not being fit when he arrived, but seeing as the season over here finished in the middle of May and pre-season was probably, what, a month later, did he really take that big a step back then, or was it just a convenient line to use and then keep trotting out all year?

It doesn't really matter what happened last year, it's gone. What matters is this year and next. The only reason Mike is in Ireland is because he wants to play for the national team (and being the best prop in England didn't cut it). If he doesn't get to play for Ireland, then is there really any point in staying put, or might he move on? He's not getting any younger and if he doesn't make the World Cup, I wouldn't be surprised if he sticks two fingers up to Ireland and goes else where. (I'd like to add I have no idea if he would do that, but I know I would.)

Anyway, all he can do, is keep working at training, keep playing and keep being himself. If he doesn't get selected after that, there's not really anything he can do, he knows he gave it his all and he can stand proud, with his head held up.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

The Hayes and Toner in the lineout argument might be a runner if Ross wasn't part of the same lineout as Toner at Leinster! Fairly sure Mike can lift him! I thought he was under utilised last year (particularly behind a half crocked CJ) and that that penalty he gave away against LI was harshly held against him but there's no doubt he's playing much better this season. My guess is that that is simply down to playing time and the fact that that's being ignored by Kidney when he plays in what is a problem position crying out for new blood is a disgrace. I had no problem with Buckley starting last week because I could see the logic in it but for Ross to not be involved tomorrow is mindnumbingly stupid.

[johng]

The Hayes and Toner in the lineout argument might be a runner if Ross wasn't part of the same lineout as Toner at Leinster! Fairly sure Mike can lift him! I thought he was under utilised last year (particularly behind a half crocked CJ) and that that penalty he gave away against LI was harshly held against him but there's no doubt he's playing much better this season. My guess is that that is simply down to playing time and the fact that that's being ignored by Kidney when he plays in what is a problem position crying out for new blood is a disgrace. I had no problem with Buckley starting last week because I could see the logic in it but for Ross to not be involved tomorrow is mindnumbingly stupid.

I'm clutchin at straws here.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I'm clutchin at straws here.

Yeah I'm not arguing with you, I'd say that Kidney would use that as a reason for picking Hayes alright but it doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

[johng]

I'm clutchin at straws here.

Yeah I'm not arguing with you, I'd say that Kidney would use that as a reason for picking Hayes alright but it doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

The best thing that can happen to Mike Ross at this stage is if they bring in 23 man match squads, and 31/32 man WC squads.

They will then bring 6 Props. Buckko, Healy, Court, Hayes, Ross and probably Horan/Wilkinson.

Otherwise it will be Buckko and Hayes on the tight, and Healy and Horan/(Wilkinson if Horan is not fit) on the loose. With Court as number 5 covering both sides.

Feck it. Looking at that list, I would still take Ross ahead of Horan. Pity I'm not Dekko

[ronk]

Richardt Strauss barely played last year, he went from Currie Cup final to a serious fitness and nutrition program here. He's admitted in interviews that he had to completely change his diet, no more takeaways. With the benefit of time in the squad adapting to the way we play the game, he's looked the player I think a fair few of us knew he could be.

Stan Wright is a changed player from the one who first showed up. Ross got some fierce criticism for his overall play that was IMHO undeserved, a consensus was quickly built up that he could scrummage and nothing else, despite the evidence to the contrary for Quins and in a few appearances for Leinster. He wasn't the all action ball carrier that Stan Wright is, but his workrate couldn't really be faulted except in comparison to people like Stan and Healy. We are very highly demanding of our props when it comes to everything except scrummaging, it's only much later in their development do we show any interest in their scrummaging prowess.

I've heard stories about Ross being a bit mouthy when at Munster but if you look at the track record for producing props Kidney has had a model to aim for. Buckley is an attempt at a carbon copy of Hayes, that's why they've pushed so much development effort into him. Kidney never showed much interest in Ross, he wasn't in any rush to develop Tim Ryan. Ross is just not the type of player Kidney rates, he sees what he brings, but he's not a fan. Ross can force his way in, Kidney wouldn't cut off his nose to spite his face, but he'll have to prove that he's clearly better than the other options.

[slum]

here's a question; if hayes is being picked for his lineout skills now against samoa, why would his services not have been useful last week against the best lineout in the world?

i find the comments about the 2 years they have invested in hayes disgraceful. the most dangerous looking teams in the world have been investing in young players since the last world cup. only us dumb ould eijits in ireland would invest 2 years in a prop who is going to be 38 when the target age profile of the most successful teams is allegedly supposed to be 23 (source: ruggamatrix)

once again the selection philosophy is full of inconsistency and contradictions.

[Donny B.]

I've heard stories about Ross being a bit mouthy when at Munster but if you look at the track record for producing props Kidney has had a model to aim for. Buckley is an attempt at a carbon copy of Hayes, that's why they've pushed so much development effort into him. Kidney never showed much interest in Ross, he wasn't in any rush to develop Tim Ryan. Ross is just not the type of player Kidney rates, he sees what he brings, but he's not a fan. Ross can force his way in, Kidney wouldn't cut off his nose to spite his face, but he'll have to prove that he's clearly better than the other options.

Would be very surprised if these were true. Having met the man myself and judging by what Berch says about him in his book, if anything he's probably a bit too nice and quiet for his own good.