Ireland u20 2017-2018

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mildlyinterested
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by mildlyinterested »

dropkick wrote:Another Ryan in the second row. There must be something in the Ryan clans' genes!


I'm sure the Italians will be another big, physical side. They beat Ireland last season and nearly beat Scotland too from what I can remember. Ireland make a number of changes but keep the same back 3. I thought the wingers would be most likely to be dropped but maybe there isn't a lot of options there this year.


It'll be interesting to see how Harry Byrne develops. Maybe Curtis is there to help with creativity. I'd like to see Tommy O'Brien get a bit more ball this week. He has some serious acceleration.
No relation to James as far as I'm aware. I think Ryan is the most common surname in Ireland, or at least in top 5.

Wing is weakest position IMO, not much depth there either.
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dropkick
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by dropkick »

Kelleher is out because he isn't feeling well. Clarke starts.


Conditions look good.
wixfjord
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by wixfjord »

This doesn't look like a vintage crop at the moment. With 15 Italy could've really troubled us.
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dropkick
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by dropkick »

wixfjord wrote:This doesn't look like a vintage crop at the moment. With 15 Italy could've really troubled us.

I think it is a good crop. There are some areas of weakness though. The backrow looked average, especially when JOS went off at half time. Still, himself and Doris are quality.

They second rows look quality too. Dunne especially and his frame (like many of the squad) is yet to fill out.

Some excellent attacking play and the likes of TOB, Byrne, Silvester, McCarthy and HOS had good games.

Theyll have to learn how to defend and not switch off at half time.
Raydollard
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by Raydollard »

It seems to me that they played second half with an unjustified arrogance and nearly got their comeuppance. Some of them were really good however.
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dropkick
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by dropkick »

To put things in perspective. The class of 2016 which got to the U20 world championship final (James Ryan, Porter, Deegan, Stockdale, Johnston etc) didn't have a great 6 nations.

Ireland 24-35 Wales
France 34-13 Ireland
*England 20-26 Ireland
Ireland 19-13 Italy
Ireland 26-18 Scotland


*Wales beat that England side by 26 points, in England.

Raydollard wrote:It seems to me that they played second half with an unjustified arrogance and nearly got their comeuppance. Some of them were really good however.

Yeah I was impressed with Ireland in the first half. There was some excellent free flowing rugby from the whole team so that was a big positive. You need talented players to play that way. The nitty gritty parts of the game will improve as they go along and when the U20 world championship comes around they'll be better prepared.
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by blockhead »

Rumour has it that James McCarthey is not lovin it over here. Misses the valley's en all that.
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mildlyinterested
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by mildlyinterested »

liked the look of Eoghan Clarke at hooker.
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LeRouxIsPHat
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by LeRouxIsPHat »

I didn't see the whole game but I'm struggling to see HOS as a nine just yet. He clearly has the skillset, but he just doesn't seem to read the game like a scrumhalf. He's very slow and hesitant to the breakdown, just doesn't look sure of himself and got confused when someone would beat him to the ruck, and didn't seem to organise those around him. Clearly a talented player and it's very early days, plus I always think halfbacks can develop surprisingly quickly, but it looks like there's a long way to go. I just hope that that learning of the position is doable.
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by mildlyinterested »

LeRouxIsPHat wrote:I didn't see the whole game but I'm struggling to see HOS as a nine just yet. He clearly has the skillset, but he just doesn't seem to read the game like a scrumhalf. He's very slow and hesitant to the breakdown, just doesn't look sure of himself and got confused when someone would beat him to the ruck, and didn't seem to organise those around him. Clearly a talented player and it's very early days, plus I always think halfbacks can develop surprisingly quickly, but it looks like there's a long way to go. I just hope that that learning of the position is doable.
don't agree.
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by dropkick »

I thought HOS was very good. He always seems to take the right option and seems to have time on the ball.


Cormac Daly deserves a mention too. He played well and what I like is he has excellent handling and had one or two great offloads. That's the future of forward play imo. Being able to do the basics won't be enough. He is of course good at doing the grunt work too.


The back 3 were also good. A big improvement from them and they proved the coaches correct.


Ireland could have had some more tries. 2 were canceled out. One for a foot in touch and one for crossing ( which was debatable since the Italian 13 was not blocked but followed TOB's run and there was nobody between him and McCarthy. Though it doesn't matter now). Another time Silvester slowed down when the Italians appealed for crossing. Another time McCarthy dropped the ball when he looked destined to score. So they created a lot more chances which is good to see.
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by mildlyinterested »

dropkick wrote:I thought HOS was very good. He always seems to take the right option and seems to have time on the ball.


Cormac Daly deserves a mention too. He played well and what I like is he has excellent handling and had one or two great offloads. That's the future of forward play imo. Being able to do the basics won't be enough. He is of course good at doing the grunt work too.


The back 3 were also good. A big improvement from them and they proved the coaches correct.


Ireland could have had some more tries. 2 were canceled out. One for a foot in touch and one for crossing ( which was debatable since the Italian 13 was not blocked but followed TOB's run and there was nobody between him and McCarthy. Though it doesn't matter now). Another time Silvester slowed down when the Italians appealed for crossing. Another time McCarthy dropped the ball when he looked destined to score. So they created a lot more chances which is good to see.
Agree with pretty much all of that, thought both starting second rows were pretty good and looked like future academy players for Leinster.

Not sure about Sullivan quite yet in regards to getting a leinster academy place.
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by IanD »

Would love to have Scotland up next.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/43052634

SRU suspends several under-20s backroom staff after late-night incident


Several members of the Scotland Under-20s backroom staff have been suspended following a late-night incident two days before their 36-3 defeat by Wales earlier this month.

The suspensions follow a dispute in a bar in Llandudno, North Wales.

One of the Scotland physios was taken to hospital to be treated for injuries.

Assistant coaches Ben Fisher and Nikki Walker, and team manager Andy Miller, are among those suspended pending an investigation.

The incident involved a disagreement with another group in the bar. No members of the Scotland party were arrested.

Scottish Rugby is believed to be satisfied its staff members were not the aggressors but will question why their employees exposed themselves to such a situation by embarking on a night out two days before the Under-20s' Six Nations opener.

Head coach Stevie Scott was not involved and, having retired to bed earlier in the evening, is thought to have been unaware of his colleagues' intentions to leave the team hotel.

"Scottish Rugby is currently conducting an internal disciplinary process involving members of the Scotland U-20s coaching team and backroom staff," said the governing body in a statement.

"The group are suspended until the disciplinary process has concluded and, in the interim, their roles will be taken on by appropriate staff.

"Scottish Rugby will make no further comment at this time."


Hardly good prep but guts of two weeks til next match may soften the blow.
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by wixfjord »

Is that THE Nikki Walker?
mildlyinterested
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by mildlyinterested »

Ireland u20 training with senior squad today in athlone.
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by simonokeeffe »

wixfjord wrote:Is that THE Nikki Walker?
The one and only

Angus Curtis mentioned in a Zimbabwean article on diaspora players De Villiers is trawling via Tier 2 Rugby
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by Dave Cahill »

I have Bumbleflex
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paddyor
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by paddyor »

Dave Cahill wrote:Interview with Tadgh McElroy

http://www.the42.ie/tadgh-mcelroy-sarac ... 9-Feb2018/
Do you believe him he hadn't already signed a deal with Saracens? I have my doubts. If he's lying we're unlikely to see him back on these shores again. Shocking if true.
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mildlyinterested
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by mildlyinterested »

of course he hadn't signed with saracens officially yet... as he knew if he did, he'd get pulled from the squad..
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Re: Ireland u20 2017-2018

Post by Dave Cahill »

paddyor wrote: Do you believe him he hadn't already signed a deal with Saracens? I have my doubts.
He hadn't signed anything with anybody.

It was yet another case of the IRFU trying to bully a young player, like the time a very senior official superciliously asked Declan Danaher if he was going to play for Ireland or 'take the shilling' - a bit of smartassery that they still hold against the IRFU in Sunbury
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