Ireland - Six Nations Champions 2014

[outcast eddie]

This thread is for the review of the whole campaign and where we are under Joe.

...but first let's enjoy the warm afterglow of victory.

We won a 6N when we were away to France and England, is that a bigger achievement than 2009?

Either way well done to the team, magnificent performance throughout.

[fourthirtythree]

It's feelgood time around here! My da has just left, I think the last time we watched a match on the telly together (rather than going to one together) was the Grand Slam n 09.

We were talking about how good England were during the week and how they had some key players to come back: well the same can be said for Ireland with O'Brien and Ferris and Earls and Fitzgerald and Bowe among others to come back. God but they made it scary at the end.

[simonokeeffe]

the fact that it was a spirited French side puts it in context

confidence for world cup and a serious shot at a grand slam next year, Cardiff will be the big game

[Made Of Ale]

You could argue that our winning the title ultimately came down to our being the only team to win away from home in a match between the top four sides. All others went with the home team. So Wales and ourselves were disadvantaged with having two of these games away, whereas France and England both had two at home. Bodes well for next year if the pattern's repeated.

[Donny B.]

A great start but there's more to come I feel. The more players get used to Joe's system and more importantly, his philosophy, the stronger Ireland will become.

Add O'Brien, Bowe, Ryan, Earls and (fingers crossed) Ferris into the mix and things look even rosier and then there's other players like Gilroy, Zebo, Copeland, O'Donnell, Ruddock and the rest who'll be busting a gut to get back into the mix.

[neilinboston]

but surely Joes lost the dressing room?

[simonokeeffe]

but surely Joes lost the dressing room?

yeah theres some non Leinster spies in there and BOD should have retired last year

[Twist]

So do the likes of Paddy Jackson get a medal or what?

[Broken Wing]

Yes, Paddy, Jordi and everyone else that played get a medal.

[munster#1]

Anyone who was involved in a match day squad, including stand by players will receive a medal. Earls and quinlan got one last time despite not playing a single minute.

[Oldschool]

but surely Joes lost the dressing room?

For sure, he got kicked out at the end of last season. Wonder how he's getting on with his new team?

[outcast eddie]

Overall this years campaign is a huge step forward compared to last, obviously. I think a lot of us were optimistic prior to the championship with Joe at the helm and the performance against the AB's but we were not on anyone's radar outside Ireland. My English friends didn't even figure Ireland as contenders. I think it was JH who let slip in an interview that the team had been targeting a GS, which shows the level of ambition they had.

There is a worrying similarity between the last 10 minutes in the AB's game, the England game and the France game ie. vital possession was handed over and players started to make critically poor decisions. This needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency...during the Summer.

I don't want to start in to critiques of individual players because this is not the time but we have found out a lot about the limits of coach and players over the past two months. I'm certain we will only see an improvement and there is certainly room for improvement.

A lot of people talking about the emergence of an England team that is to be feared but if they were to play Ireland next week in Dublin I doubt they would be favourites.

Ireland's place at the top of the European countries is deserved even if the world rankings don't reflect it.

[TerenureJim]

The limits of the coach? So really questioning the guy who hasn't gone a season without a trophy in I think 5 years? And turned a team in the run for the wooden spoon and demolished by Italy and Scotland last year into the 6 nations champions by building on the successes at provincial level rather than criticising it....

[Oldschool]

Overall this years campaign is a huge step forward compared to last, obviously. I think a lot of us were optimistic prior to the championship with Joe at the helm and the performance against the AB's but we were not on anyone's radar outside Ireland. My English friends didn't even figure Ireland as contenders. I think it was JH who let slip in an interview that the team had been targeting a GS, which shows the level of ambition they had.

There is a worrying similarity between the last 10 minutes in the AB's game, the England game and the France game ie. vital possession was handed over and players started to make critically poor decisions. This needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency...during the Summer.

I don't want to start in to critiques of individual players because this is not the time but we have found out a lot about the limits of coach and players over the past two months. I'm certain we will only see an improvement and there is certainly room for improvement.

A lot of people talking about the emergence of an England team that is to be feared but if they were to play Ireland next week in Dublin I doubt they would be favourites.

Ireland's place at the top of the European countries is deserved even if the world rankings don't reflect it.

You better be careful there some of the thought police are out on patrol.
I've criticised Sexton for his apparent mental frailty but more from the pov of what is wrong rather than he's shyte, because he isn't.
We should be prepared to discuss these issue. It could be down to the fact that with ROG as his kicking coach he's trying to change his "swing" a la Harrignton a few years ago and it's taking him some time to adjust. Because it's not a habit yet, he has to think too much about it before doing it and under pressure this is going to affect the quality of the execution. Some of the non Leinster players commented upon this very same effect in trying to assimulate what Joe was throwing at them early on in the season.

To add to the general thrust of your post, the English are also talking about how young their squad is, ONLY about 350 caps between them as against our +700.
If they took a closer look at our squad they'd see we've alot of up and coming young players who are going to be as good or better than the players they are replacing. Take even POC and BOD out of our total and the average age of our squad comes down dramatically. Only BOD will not make the RWC with maybe 2 or 3 others who may just be past it. The English build themselves up and we rubbish ourselves, Joe won't wear that attitude.

[outcast eddie]

The limits of the coach? So really questioning the guy who hasn't gone a season without a trophy in I think 5 years? And turned a team in the run for the wooden spoon and demolished by Italy and Scotland last year into the 6 nations champions by building on the successes at provincial level rather than criticising it....

I'm as much a Joe fan as anyone but I think he might actually be human and have made some errors during this campaign.

Where was the Irish maul in Twickenham? Should Jackson have come on earlier in Twickenham? Any others?

If that's the only two then great but Joe will no doubt be looking for areas to improve in himself as well as with the squad

[Oldschool]

The limits of the coach? So really questioning the guy who hasn't gone a season without a trophy in I think 5 years? And turned a team in the run for the wooden spoon and demolished by Italy and Scotland last year into the 6 nations champions by building on the successes at provincial level rather than criticising it....

I'm as much a Joe fan as anyone but I think he might actually be human and have made some errors during this campaign.

Where was the Irish maul in Twickenham? Should Jackson have come on earlier in Twickenham? Any others?

If that's the only two then great but Joe will no doubt be looking for areas to improve in himself as well as with the squad

He might have gambled on a few dodgy fitness calls too. As he broadens his squad that might become self correcting.

[Lar]

Am I correct in saying that this is the first time in the last five post Lions series that a team other than France has won the 5/6 Nations?

[Sionnach]

Am I correct in saying that this is the first time in the last five post Lions series that a team other than France has won the 5/6 Nations?

Yes, which resigns that fact to the "facts that are facts until they aren't" folder.

[Lar]

Or resigns what was a fact in the professional era to the mere status of a stat.

[munster#1]

A great start now is that the last 2 irish coaches have won a 6 nations in their first season. Puts no pressure on axel when he takes the job.

For all the talk of bias in selection and people not liking Joe, it was great to watch this match in a packed limerick pub, filled with fans in green jerseys signing their hearts out when the final whistle was blown.

Good to see differences being left aside when it comes to the national team.