Are the Irish Team too one-dimensional

[Medinah]

With our qualification from the pool stages almost sealed I want to bring up a topic which has been bothering me for some time and that is the one-dimensional nature of the Irish team in every way. True the set-up itself is not to blame it is indeed professional and pays attention to every detail but when we hit the pitch our lack of options in attack and how we play seems to be too apparent even a hark back to the old days of the 1980's of kick and chase or worse still kick and hope. And if that function doesn't work we seem to be out of options. Sexton brings the old flick and loop play into the fold but outside of him ticking the backline, it is all too predictable and one dimensional. Even the makeup of the team itself like in Leinster in recent years there is a lack of variety and even colour talent or flair to the team. Players who haven't been blooded in the schools game - country boys and farmers seem to be what we opt for in selection these days - the likes of O'Brien and Furlong who are good for the up the jumper type of play but not what we look for in Leinster in terms of skills and flair of those blooded in the schools game. Do we in Ireland look to the familiar for comfort and does that bring failure into our makeup? Do people tend to agree with this judgement and how do we get around being too predictable.

[Oldschool]

With our qualification from the pool stages almost sealed I want to bring up a topic which has been bothering me for a timee and that is the one-dimensional nature of the Irish team in every way. True the set-up itself is not to blame it is indeed professional and pays attention to every detail but when we hit the pitch our lack of options in attack and how we play seems to be too apparent even a hark back to the old days of the 1980's of kick and chase or worse still kick and hope. And if that function doesn't work we seem to be out of options. Sexton brings the old flick and loop play into the fold but outside of him ticking the backline, it is all too predictable and one dimensional. Even the makeup of the team itself like in Leinster in recent years there is a lack of variety and even colour talent or flair to the team. Players who haven't been blooded in the schools game - country boys and farmers seem to be what we opt for in selection these days - the likes of O'Brien and Furlong who are good for the up the jumper type of play but not what we look for in Leinster in terms of skills and flair of those blooded in the schools game. Do we in Ireland look to the familiar for comfort and does that bring failure into our makeup? Do people tend to agree with this judgement and how do we get around being too predictable.

Yeah, think you might be onto something there.
Joe spent his formative coaching years with Mullingar.
Tractors are high traction pieces of machinery and he might have gained a yen for that sort of high output, low maintenance type of equipment in his rugby teams. Big bullocking, agricultural forwards and such like.
After all he knew the soft boy tech. available in the big smoke had a tendancy to break down a little bit too easily.

[Ruckedtobits]

Congrats Oldschool for responding in the correct vein to this missive. My silage isn't ready yet, so nothing to add.

[Logorrhea]

Against Wales in the second warm up match we were too narrow, against Canada and Romania we were too wide ............... now we are just one dimensional.

Players like O'Brien, Healy, Henderson are holding us back I think. We need a team of Ian Madigans really. Otherwise its just not Leinster or Ireland.

[RoboProp]

Against Wales in the second warm up match we were too narrow, against Canada and Romania we were too wide ............... now we are just one dimensional.

Players like O'Brien, Healy, Henderson are holding us back I think. We need a team of Ian Madigans really. Otherwise its just not Leinster or Ireland.

Wrong. It's a team of Sean O'Briens we need. Sure, we've a song about it and all. We can get rid of Ireland's Call and everything. Winner. Now, altogether
Number one is Sean O'Brien, number two is Sean O'Brien

[Dave Cahill]

No.

[Peg Leg]

Against Wales in the second warm up match we were too narrow, against Canada and Romania we were too wide ............... now we are just one dimensional.

Players like O'Brien, Healy, Henderson are holding us back I think. We need a team of Ian Madigans really. Otherwise its just not Leinster or Ireland.

Wrong. It's a team of Sean O'Briens we need. Sure, we've a song about it and all. We can get rid of Ireland's Call and everything. Winner. Now, altogether
Number one is Sean O'Brien, number two is Sean O'Brien

Blue meanie

[Medinah]

If you ask me it's Blackrock College's influence - they feel bad they're such a schools focussed and successful school so they dumb down their teams with country boys and ordinary but big farmers.

They're very plain and they are pulling the selection strings so picking these non-schools - non-proven players is their way of feeling better about themselves - and is ridiculous.

[blockhead]

If you ask me it's Blackrock College's influence - they feel bad they're such a schools focussed and successful school so they dumb down their teams with country boys and ordinary but big farmers.

They're very plain and they are pulling the selection strings so picking these non-schools - non-proven players is their way of feeling better about themselves - and is ridiculous.

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