A whiff of Cordite

[Ruckedtobits]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 08143.html

"Prop Idol"..........

I certainly will not pay to read this but I presume it's the usual nonsense.

That's a fairly accurate summary.......

[Peg Leg]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 08143.html

"Prop Idol"..........

I certainly will not pay to read this but I presume it's the usual nonsense.

That's a fairly accurate summary.......

Prop idol was the name of an actual RFU campaign to attract players to the front row around 2013 iirc

[joooooe]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 08143.html

"Prop Idol"..........

I certainly will not pay to read this but I presume it's the usual nonsense.

That's a fairly accurate summary.......

Prop idol was the name of an actual RFU campaign to attract players to the front row around 2013 iirc

Who can forget "Route 6'6" " and the hunt for second rows.

[ronk]

Who can forget "Route 6'6" " and the hunt for second rows.

And our abject failure to develop young locks lately...

[joooooe]

Who can forget "Route 6'6" " and the hunt for second rows.

And our abject failure to develop young locks lately...

I presume you're being sarcastic

[wixfjord]

For anyone who subscribes to Second Captains, there's an excellent episode recently with Cheiks where he talks about the game that changed his life. He chooses the Toulose 06 QF. Some very interesting stuff in it.

[wixfjord]

Not sure if this was posted, but a really interesting podcast with Isa from a while back.

He says that despite working with Henry, Schmidt, Cheika and others, he learned more about leadership from Stu in the <12 months he had with him.

Big praise.

https://leadersnotcaptains.libsyn.com/s ... isa+nacewa

[mildlyinterested]

There is a standing joke in Irish rugby that one of the most eagerly awaited news items in a season is the confirmation of Leinster’s first year academy intake, especially amongst the other provinces.

That announcement will come early this week and in Limerick, Cork, Galway and Belfast there’ll be more than a casual interest, both in the players nominated and several that don’t make it for a variety of reasons but one of which won’t be a lack of talent.

from the IT today..

[Dwarf]

There is a standing joke in Irish rugby that one of the most eagerly awaited news items in a season is the confirmation of Leinster’s first year academy intake, especially amongst the other provinces.

That announcement will come early this week and in Limerick, Cork, Galway and Belfast there’ll be more than a casual interest, both in the players nominated and several that don’t make it for a variety of reasons but one of which won’t be a lack of talent.

from the IT today..

Just out of interest - how do you define talent?

It seems like a very arbitrary term to be using about players who don’t have any extraordinary stats like height strength and speed.

Just so we’re clear I used the term back in my day for players who were ultra fast or could kick howitzers with their boot to pin point accuracy.

Would you say any of the academy and prospects for the academy have any “extraordinary” traits like those and others that you could codify as “talent”? If so who are the players that have them and what are the traits you define as talent?

[Oldschoolsocks]

There is a standing joke in Irish rugby that one of the most eagerly awaited news items in a season is the confirmation of Leinster’s first year academy intake, especially amongst the other provinces.

That announcement will come early this week and in Limerick, Cork, Galway and Belfast there’ll be more than a casual interest, both in the players nominated and several that don’t make it for a variety of reasons but one of which won’t be a lack of talent.

from the IT today..

Just out of interest - how do you define talent?

It seems like a very arbitrary term to be using about players who don’t have any extraordinary stats like height strength and speed.

Just so we’re clear I used the term back in my day for players who were ultra fast or could kick howitzers with their boot to pin point accuracy.

Would you say any of the academy and prospects for the academy have any “extraordinary” traits like those and others that you could codify as “talent”? If so who are the players that have them and what are the traits you define as talent?

So... where would you have ranked BOD or Richie McCaw or Matt Giteau “back in your day”, and would Carlin Isles have ranked better or worse?

[Dwarf]

I’d have ranked BOD and McCaw very highly but talent is more something I tend to associate with backs. McCaw was more of a dogged player. Yes good jumpers throwers and scrummagers can be classed as skilful or talented but it is a term more often than not reserved for backs.

I suppose I just wanted to get an outline of what he means when he uses the term as it is very vague and broad without giving specifics about a group of players‘ skillsets.

What sets this group or any individual from the pack? By my reasoning none of them are super fast or super big. So the talent must be in relation to other areas of their games or in relation to their ability compared to other players around the country? Greater numbers don’t make for better players always.

The point about Carlin Isles is a valid one. Obviously worse as he didn’t achieve as much but maybe in another country he could have been a great. Speed tends to paper over many shortcomings in players’ games and gives them a chance to make up for mistakes. Speedsters tend to be labelled as talented because they can go around players. I would usually label a speedster talented.

My definition of talent is the ability to do things on the pitch very few other players can do. Without making this about me I’d like to get Mildlys view on what makes these players talented as I don’t know enough about them.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Good answer

[dropkick]

Talent is one thing but you must also be able to use it. Sticking with BOD and McCaw, they were both very consistent and determined etc so they were very driven to keep improving themselves and to win. Based on empirical evidence they also have fairly high IQs which gave them an edge in terms of reading the game and thinking on the go.

[Oldschoolsocks]

I’d have ranked BOD and McCaw very highly but talent is more something I tend to associate with backs. McCaw was more of a dogged player. Yes good jumpers throwers and scrummagers can be classed as skilful or talented but it is a term more often than not reserved for backs.

I suppose I just wanted to get an outline of what he means when he uses the term as it is very vague and broad without giving specifics about a group of players‘ skillsets.

What sets this group or any individual from the pack? By my reasoning none of them are super fast or super big. So the talent must be in relation to other areas of their games or in relation to their ability compared to other players around the country? Greater numbers don’t make for better players always.

The point about Carlin Isles is a valid one. Obviously worse as he didn’t achieve as much but maybe in another country he could have been a great. Speed tends to paper over many shortcomings in players’ games and gives them a chance to make up for mistakes. Speedsters tend to be labelled as talented because they can go around players. I would usually label a speedster talented.

My definition of talent is the ability to do things on the pitch very few other players can do. Without making this about me I’d like to get Mildlys view on what makes these players talented as I don’t know enough about them.

Turns out is a direct quote, first 2 paragraphs in the article
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.4302638

[ronk]

I’d have ranked BOD and McCaw very highly but talent is more something I tend to associate with backs. McCaw was more of a dogged player. Yes good jumpers throwers and scrummagers can be classed as skilful or talented but it is a term more often than not reserved for backs.

I suppose I just wanted to get an outline of what he means when he uses the term as it is very vague and broad without giving specifics about a group of players‘ skillsets.

What sets this group or any individual from the pack? By my reasoning none of them are super fast or super big. So the talent must be in relation to other areas of their games or in relation to their ability compared to other players around the country? Greater numbers don’t make for better players always.

The point about Carlin Isles is a valid one. Obviously worse as he didn’t achieve as much but maybe in another country he could have been a great. Speed tends to paper over many shortcomings in players’ games and gives them a chance to make up for mistakes. Speedsters tend to be labelled as talented because they can go around players. I would usually label a speedster talented.

My definition of talent is the ability to do things on the pitch very few other players can do. Without making this about me I’d like to get Mildlys view on what makes these players talented as I don’t know enough about them.

We’re pretty quick to call a prop talented if he is both strong enough and athletic.

[johng]

Turns out is a direct quote, first 2 paragraphs in the article
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.4302638

Possibly why he wrote this underneath.

from the IT today..

[Oldschoolsocks]

You can prove anything with facts

[deco]

I see Gerry has another of his love-in articles about his beloved "Munster" in today's Times. I won't quote the populist dribble, as you've heard most of it before.

[mildlyinterested]

Turns out is a direct quote, first 2 paragraphs in the article
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.4302638

Possibly why he wrote this underneath.

from the IT today..

[Dwarf]

Turns out is a direct quote, first 2 paragraphs in the article
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.4302638

Possibly why he wrote this underneath.

from the IT today..

Correct but he throws around the term quite a lot without alluding to what he means. It’s a vague way of praising a players ability without getting into the specifics. Question still stands