Babbling 'brook

My choice for the order of play would be Scotland, Asia 1, South Africa, Europe 2. Tough game ish against Scotland then a rest before the big one and a rest before the quarters.

Thats my start to fretting about something that is 3 years away.

Might be a case if staying in touch until the bench is released. It looks like a funny selection but I assume they are managing the load on the returning internationals. Would worry about the 6/2 bench but I think RB can fill the 12 slot if needed and the rest of the backline have some flexibility.

Will be an interesting selection. I am guessing RB to start at 10 and a Aki, Farrell midfield. But who will fill the bench positions. This is a real test for the depth chart.

How many points did they get from scrum penalties. For me that and the aerial battles is where we lost it. Played well almost everywhere else.

Watching through Now tv and my Internet keeps dropping. Pain in the........ Adds to the nerves.

Massive call to back Baird. Wouldn't be my choice personally but you've gotta respect Leo & Stu's backing of youth! Agree. I’m starting to agree with you too often. As a purely second row sub, I’ve no problem with Baird over Fardy. But VDF is a very specialist backrow sub, and Fardy would have bala...

There is also one for BT.

great experience for Baird. Imagine the praise heaped upon him by Toland if he were in red. Doris is definitely more effective at 8 though he did have a better 2nd half. VDF was his usual quietly brilliant self. Casey looks like a super 9 and he will give Murray a run for his money. Stander is by f...

johng wrote:After you remove the Taoiseachship from Leo and Micheál's cold dead hands.

Even some cold they would be preferable.

And now for something entirely different.........The rugby. Not sure about the thinking of naming the team so early in the week. I know some like to hold out until the last minute which can avoid giving the opposition the chance to make adjustments to their selection or tactics in reaction to yours...

And now for something entirely different.........The rugby. Not sure about the thinking of naming the team so early in the week. I know some like to hold out until the last minute which can avoid giving the opposition the chance to make adjustments to their selection or tactics in reaction to yours....

I find it hard to believe that clubs, all clubs in all professional sports, still allow their players to post on social media unapproved without some kind of content management or approval process in place What a horrid thought to have!! You're more than your job, you have right to self expression ...

With the competition within the squad, I would have no worries with any selection the coaches make. There are proper options in every position now and in many cases, there are multiple options. Even if Lyon sends their seconds I would expect bulk and a bigger physical test than we have had in the la...

Plenty of talk about Leinster having too much talent in the papers these days. David Kelly with the latest. Yep, Brendan Fanning cutting to the heart of it too, re: MUnsters problems and JVG in particular: "He is there long enough now to understand three things: complaining about the Player Managem...

A young team but not a callow one. I would not be going in confident but I would be more than hopefull. The 9/10 axis has delivered in bigger games than this and the pack is strong enough. As long as the pack is not going in reverse and can provide the backs some good quick ball this could be intere...

Japan v Scotland has rescued it. Combined with World Rankings showing the top 8 have all qualified for Q/F is beginning to reclaim respectibility to the Tournament. Totally agree with the first sentence. The pools are never great as there are usually too many weak teams and too few really competiti...

I had a theory which the loss to Jpan put a dent in. I thought that last year's 6n drop in form was part of the S&C development for the WC and the holding back of some plays and a new game plan. I thought that the limited game plan would be enough to see win our pool and lull the QF opposition into ...

I have a crazy theory. Really crazy.....

Any chance that Toner is left home to get fit and will be parachuted as an *injury* replacement late in the pool to be fresh and ready for the QF.

Thanks lads but I'm with VirginMedia. I have ITV but Irish version so nothing but crappy reruns of old ITV series. Of course I could have signed up to eir but that never happened. Still, it gives me something to complain about. I have Virgin as well and am watching the Tonga/England game on Eir cha...

Did I hear right. Eir sports channel is now going to be available on Virgin. If that is right I would imagine there is a bit of depression in TG4 offices as there will be a serious drop in their viewer numbers for the PRO14 games.