riocard911 wrote:Cronin's darts are another reason we need a skills coach for next season.
I thought he's thrown well this year....Munster game in the Aviva seemed to be total lineout Mis-function
Other than that pretty solid
But open to correction.....
Cardiff and Connacht also off top of my head. There were more earlier in the year too. Cronin has shown regularly that he's a liability from touch.
I'd rather solid Strauss than Cronin who might make a huge run but will very likely mess up a few lineouts.
The Cardiff away game played in a hurricane, both lineouts were a shambles that day!!!
That's ludacris to criticise him for that game tbh and Pretty sure he had none in the Connacht match that went askew.You seem so sure but yet can't recall that many????
goreyguy wrote:I'd like to see James Tracy get more 1st team chances next season. Don't think his form this year has been rewarded enough.
Agree with this. Cronin was pretty good when Strauss was out with his heart problem because he was getting loads of gametime. His performances are inconsistent when he has to rotate with Strauss and isn't clearly first choice. Is Cronin going to get enough minutes to get him to a consistent high level? I'm not sure where it would leave Cronin but, going on how they've played this year, I think I'd like to see Tracy selected ahead of him
goreyguy wrote:I'd like to see James Tracy get more 1st team chances next season. Don't think his form this year has been rewarded enough.
Agree with this. Cronin was pretty good when Strauss was out with his heart problem because he was getting loads of gametime. His performances are inconsistent when he has to rotate with Strauss and isn't clearly first choice. Is Cronin going to get enough minutes to get him to a consistent high level? I'm not sure where it would leave Cronin but, going on how they've played this year, I think I'd like to see Tracy selected ahead of him
Cronin has had great days hooking, I think a summer just scrummaging hard and line out work, ignore his speed training is the way to go.
Work on your weaknesses, pick up on the strengths later on
simonokeeffe wrote:slight tangent but is John Hayes the oldest player to ever play for Ireland?
Ross would have to play AIs after next to beat Hayes in that regard
johng wrote:Mike Gibson must be up there. Surely the oldest back anyway.
Name DOB Last Game Age at last game
John Hayes 02-Nov-73 06-Aug-11 37 years 277 days
Mike Gibson 03-Dec-42 16-Jun-79 36 years 195 days
Phil Orr 14-Dec-50 07-Jun-87 36 years 175 days
Peter Clohessy 22-Mar-66 06-Apr-02 36 years 15 days
Paul O'Connell 20-Oct-79 12-Oct-15 35 years 356 days
Ronan O'Gara 07-Mar-77 24-Feb-13 35 years 354 days
#LiveLifeLoveLeinster
#BeSeenBeHeardBeBlueBELIEVE
I'm a Book Mark and damn proud of it. Storm 1:08 forever
simonokeeffe wrote:slight tangent but is John Hayes the oldest player to ever play for Ireland?
Ross would have to play AIs after next to beat Hayes in that regard
johng wrote:Mike Gibson must be up there. Surely the oldest back anyway.
Name DOB Last Game Age at last game
John Hayes 02-Nov-73 06-Aug-11 37 years 277 days
Mike Gibson 03-Dec-42 16-Jun-79 36 years 195 days
Phil Orr 14-Dec-50 07-Jun-87 36 years 175 days
Peter Clohessy 22-Mar-66 06-Apr-02 36 years 15 days
Paul O'Connell 20-Oct-79 12-Oct-15 35 years 356 days
Ronan O'Gara 07-Mar-77 24-Feb-13 35 years 354 days
Claw certainly wins the ~number of years played past his sell by date" award anyway........ his condition towards the end of his career was terrible.
Gearzbox2 wrote:
The Cardiff away game played in a hurricane, both lineouts were a shambles that day!!!
That's ludacris to criticise him for that game tbh and Pretty sure he had none in the Connacht match that went askew.You seem so sure but yet can't recall that many????
Oh I'm very sure that Cronin is a very poor lineout thrower! You seem to not want to accept that so fair enough!
Gearzbox2 wrote:
The Cardiff away game played in a hurricane, both lineouts were a shambles that day!!!
That's ludacris to criticise him for that game tbh and Pretty sure he had none in the Connacht match that went askew.You seem so sure but yet can't recall that many????
Oh I'm very sure that Cronin is a very poor lineout thrower! You seem to not want to accept that so fair enough!
Yes I can't except total BS....the fact you couldn't back up your statement with fact proves you're statement wasn't accurate
goreyguy wrote:I'd like to see James Tracy get more 1st team chances next season. Don't think his form this year has been rewarded enough.
Agree with this. Cronin was pretty good when Strauss was out with his heart problem because he was getting loads of gametime. His performances are inconsistent when he has to rotate with Strauss and isn't clearly first choice. Is Cronin going to get enough minutes to get him to a consistent high level? I'm not sure where it would leave Cronin but, going on how they've played this year, I think I'd like to see Tracy selected ahead of him
Doesn't make much sense what you're saying, so when cronin got gametime he was pretty good, (probably better than good considering he was player of the year last year) and I think he's shown down the years he's the best impact sub around so I can't see why you'd want to leave him out for Tracy full stop
Maybe he's fed up of coming off the bench and that's why he's been a bit lacking in terms of impact lately
Hard to work out really
I like the guy, I'll put my hand up, I love his style of play and think it benefits us hugely
Gearzbox2 wrote:
The Cardiff away game played in a hurricane, both lineouts were a shambles that day!!!
That's ludacris to criticise him for that game tbh and Pretty sure he had none in the Connacht match that went askew.You seem so sure but yet can't recall that many????
Oh I'm very sure that Cronin is a very poor lineout thrower! You seem to not want to accept that so fair enough!
Yes I can't except total BS....the fact you couldn't back up your statement with fact proves you're statement wasn't accurate
Except I've given you three examples in the last few months.
So along with Munster & Cardiff, his first throw in Galway went directly to them - https://youtu.be/vFEq9s9Mw5M?t=1h1m21s
Here's a good example too: https://youtu.be/vNWAw7WMeVA?t=2m3s
Did pretty much the same thing against Toulon away in a critical area.
Bath at home was another example, Tracey hit all his jumpers, Cronin came on and with his first throw threw it to Bath lock (seems to like that trick!) - https://youtu.be/BMo2ZOVR1xU?t=1h8m4s
Again, these are off the top of my head! How many more 'facts' would you like?
You disagree that Cronin is a poor lineout thrower do you?
Yes I can't except total BS....the fact you couldn't back up your statement with fact proves you're statement wasn't accurate
Except I've given you three examples in the last few months.
So along with Munster & Cardiff, his first throw in Galway went directly to them - https://youtu.be/vFEq9s9Mw5M?t=1h1m21s
Here's a good example too: https://youtu.be/vNWAw7WMeVA?t=2m3s
Did pretty much the same thing against Toulon away in a critical area.
Bath at home was another example, Tracey hit all his jumpers, Cronin came on and with his first throw threw it to Bath lock (seems to like that trick!) - https://youtu.be/BMo2ZOVR1xU?t=1h8m4s
Again, these are off the top of my head! How many more 'facts' would you like?
You disagree that Cronin is a poor lineout thrower do you?
Pretty much all contested lineouts but hey you're clearly on the cronin hate bandwagon driving the bloody thing
I might have a run thru all the lineouts hes hit or maybe the 250 line breaks or Try's he's scored in the last 5 years that at times have saved leinsters bacon in games
Maybe you'll pipe down then....
Cronin is an excellent player, he brings many attributes to Leinster. Lineout throwing would not be foremost amongst them. He was a mediocre thrower for Shannon, for Connacht and currently for Leinster and Ireland, to argue otherwise is simply inaccurate, and like Keith Wood or Berch who also had issues at the oche, when it goes wrong, sometimes it goes completely wrong. But also like them, you make the decision to offset the negatives with the positives they bring in other parts of the game
Gearzbox2 wrote:Pretty much all contested lineouts but hey you're clearly on the cronin hate bandwagon driving the bloody thing
I might have a run thru all the lineouts hes hit or maybe the 250 line breaks or Try's he's scored in the last 5 years that at times have saved leinsters bacon in games
Maybe you'll pipe down then....
You're some man! 'The Cronin hate' bandwagon!
Cronin is a great rugby player with ball in hand. Brilliant to watch.
He's categorically not a great hooker though.
As I've said, Strauss would be my #1 because I personally look for a hooker first and foremost.
simonokeeffe wrote:slight tangent but is John Hayes the oldest player to ever play for Ireland?
Ross would have to play AIs after next to beat Hayes in that regard
johng wrote:Mike Gibson must be up there. Surely the oldest back anyway.
Name DOB Last Game Age at last game
John Hayes 02-Nov-73 06-Aug-11 37 years 277 days
Mike Gibson 03-Dec-42 16-Jun-79 36 years 195 days
Phil Orr 14-Dec-50 07-Jun-87 36 years 175 days
Peter Clohessy 22-Mar-66 06-Apr-02 36 years 15 days
Paul O'Connell 20-Oct-79 12-Oct-15 35 years 356 days
Ronan O'Gara 07-Mar-77 24-Feb-13 35 years 354 days
Claw was a better prop than Hayes regardless of sell by dates or any other age related criteria.
He probably still is.
Claw certainly wins the ~number of years played past his sell by date" award anyway........ his condition towards the end of his career was terrible.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.
Oldschool wrote:
Claw was a better prop than Hayes regardless of sell by dates or any other age related criteria.
He probably still is.
Depends on what you want from a prop.
Hayes' line out work was phenomenal, he was a huge part of our success during the EOS years where our line out was dominant in attack and was also defensively one of the strongest in world rugby.
Scrummaging wise he was not good at international level, however he could hold up a scrum and was cute enough to pull the wool over the refs eyes when under severe pressure.
The Claw was a better scrummager, but fuvk was he poor in his final couple of seasons.
