Ireland 2017-18

[paddyor]

Excuse not quoting as it's a pain on the phone.

1 I agree with you - but a better comparison would be Madigan- Sexton was a different kettle of fish. I'd play Zeno for the big matches.

2 I do too. I feel sorry for his team mates who have said they hey want him playing. I feel sorry for his fans.

But the only way unfairness could come into this is if he was told that h could play for Ireland and then they changed it behind his back.

Mostly I feel sorry for his young fans. He knew what he was doing and his teammates are pros too. Racing are going to s lol a bunch of jerseys in Ireland I guess.

I doubt that. Top14 has a lower profile in Ireland than the Pro14.

[fourthirtythree]

Of course it does. But Zebo has a lot of kid fans. O'Gara being there wouldn't hurt I suppose. It I was just thinking of the kids.

[Peg Leg]

.

[simonokeeffe]

Assuming Conway cools his heels for a few weeks, who gets called up now?

[ronk]

Probably isn’t a need for call ups unless there are more withdrawals

[Ruckedtobits]

At present, it's clear that Leinster can squeeze the life out of Munster and Ulster at will. Connacht may have a different response. But, until they do get the chance to show that they can do that, the most obvious place Joe can look for any further players is in Leinster. O'Loughlin, Murphy and Byrne showed tonight how their standards have been improved by the calibre of competition for places in Leinster.

Porter and Healy are an awesome pair of scrumagers to bring on after 60 mins and Strauss proved in his cameo that he has increased his strength but not lost his turn-over instincts during his long absence.

[simonokeeffe]

Think Stockdale has to start now

[sunshiner1]

by simonokeeffe

Assuming Conway cools his heels for a few weeks, who gets called up now?

You'd hope it was TOH. As for Stockdale I'd really like to see him on the wing

[simonokeeffe]

If we want to divine some entrails Sweetnam, Farrell, Byrne, DK all starting this weekend

Keatley, Porter, Leavy benching

[johng]

Mmmmmmm Entrails! Allllggghhh.

[simonokeeffe]

Mmmmmmm Entrails! Allllggghhh.

I don't honestly expect anyone to swallow this tripe

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Bizarrely, TOH is in a new Vodafone ad along with Best, Furlong, and Murray. The way the ad goes means they probably did need someone who was born and bred in Connacht but it's backfired somewhat.

[simonokeeffe]

Bizarrely, TOH is in a new Vodafone ad along with Best, Furlong, and Murray. The way the ad goes means they probably did need someone who was born and bred in Connacht but it's backfired somewhat.

Zebo is on the cover of the official IRFU calender

Treadwell starts for Ulster and is only released player. None released for Connacht

So its Ryan v Dillane for no19
No clues on sub hooker, backrow
4 props obvious
McCloskey has a chance of no22
15 and 23 seem to be between Carbery, RK, Conway

[Dave Cahill]

Bizarrely, TOH is in a new Vodafone ad along with Best, Furlong, and Murray. The way the ad goes means they probably did need someone who was born and bred in Connacht but it's backfired somewhat.

Nothing compared to this...

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I felt really bad for all three but...

[Ruckedtobits]

http://www.the42.ie/rassie-erasmus-leav ... 3-Nov2017/

The comments from Erasmus about the quantity and quality of Irish professional players may be the best compliment about Irish rugby from any "independent" rugby person in a decade. Undoubtedly sincere it is a great accolade for the Irish professional set-up.

[blockhead]

Ireland V Italy Soilder Field Nov 2018.
Chicago will have seen nothing like it since Prohibition!

[blockhead]

Don't know if this was posted at the time, but here it is again anyways.

Ireland and Leinster's on-field success leads to €1.2 million profit for IRFU
Philip Browne hails 2017/18 season as a ‘record breaking one in terms of team and financial performance.’
Jul 13th 2018

IRELAND’S GLORIOUS GRAND Slam success, coupled with a fourth European crown for Leinster, has resulted in the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) returning to a budget surplus quicker than forecast.

After posting a €2.8 million deficit for the 2016/17 season, the union did not expect to break even until the end of next year at the earliest, but a third Six Nations crown in five years has boosted the coffers on Lansdowne Road considerably.

In addition, the IRFU had in fact budgeted a deficit of over €4 million for the 2017/18 season, due to the costs of hosting last summer’s Women’s World Cup, the costs associated with bidding to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup and ‘an increase in investment in the domestic game.’

But, in arguably Irish rugby’s greatest season, IRFU revenues rose by €9.1 million to €85.7 million, with €6.3 million of that increase attributable to the success of Joe Schmidt’s side, while €2 million was derived from Leinster’s European title and the advancement of Munster to two semi-finals.

Expenditure, meanwhile, increased to over €42 million, the union’s annual financial report says, a figure which includes the bonuses paid to players for the Six Nations and Champions Cup wins at international and provincial level.

Furthermore, the IRFU increased its spending on elite player development and in the area of academies and high performance units to €10.8 million over the last 12 months.

In breaking down expenditure, the union says over €3 million was spent on women’s rugby, which represents an increase from €2.2 million the previous year.

Commenting on the publication of the financial report, IRFU chief executive Philip Browne said: “The 2017/18 season was a record breaking one in terms of team and financial performance, and it is thanks to Joe Schmidt and his management team, the provincial management teams and all the players, as well as the loyal and ever increasing number of supporters who attend games, purchase merchandise and drive our teams on to winning performance

“The financing of the game has become increasingly important in the context of competing with international clubs who have deep pockets. Keeping our best players in our player management system has helped to deliver success and I congratulate David Nucifora and all our provinces for making the Irish system so attractive to players.

“Success is never guaranteed, and for that reason we must always be careful how we distribute funding across all aspects of the game.

“Given the political and economic uncertainty in the world at the moment, and as a number of the provinces are expecting that finances will be very tight next year, we must continue to ensure we don’t live beyond our means.”

[Ruckedtobits]

Following the Series win against Australia, I considered that an assessment of that victory should await the Aus v NZ series in August. But the Waratahs second-half performance against the Highlanders in Super Rugby Q/F today suggests that Aussie rugby is on the up. The NSW team were 6-24 behind at half-time but in a sparkling second-half performance, they scored 24 points and held the NZ team scoreless to finish 30-24 winners with Kepo, Phipps, Foley, Beale and Folea particularly prominent.

Best Super Rugby half contest I've seen for years.

[arsebiscuits1]

Following the Series win against Australia, I considered that an assessment of that victory should await the Aus v NZ series in August. But the Waratahs second-half performance against the Highlanders in Super Rugby Q/F today suggests that Aussie rugby is on the up. The NSW team were 6-24 behind at half-time but in a sparkling second-half performance, they scored 24 points and held the NZ team scoreless to finish 30-24 winners with Kepo, Phipps, Foley, Beale and Folea particularly prominent.

Best Super Rugby half contest I've seen for years.

The tahs are a really decent side. With Phipps, Foley, Beale (in sensational form it has to be said) and Folau in their backline they really are dangerous.

But my god as a side, they just leak really poor tries