Ireland v Fiji

[fourthirtythree]

Gilroy looked really sharp, how does Trimble keep him out of any team? Jackson so-so. Marshall L good 1st half, seemed to disappear 2nd half. Cave v good. Thought Murray was much better than before, fastest I've ever seen him move between rucks and in contrast I thought Marshall P didn't do a whole lot. All of the above obviously to be viewed in the context of the dreadful opposition. Why were substitutions made in the 75th minute (yet again)?

There were complaints about the kick/chase further up the thread and it's a fair point, almost none of the box kicks were taken despite someone almost always arriving on time.

Fair enough all around. Confirms my belief that Ulster have been hard done by with the incumberant management. On the other hand given a chance they haven't been infected by the seriously piss poor coaching the international squad gets.

[red49]

limerick is only 2 hours from dublin so rather than criticise why not travel and support?.

It's 2 hours 21 min according to AA routefinder.
Because you might get a large brick lammed through your front windscreen if you don't pay somebody to "mind your car mister". It has happened outside Thomond Park recently, not to me thankfully.

Cant afford a car myself i actually meant travel by train, try it some time, relaxing way to travel and meet fans, the old " i know something that happened to someone " story is really a lame excuse for not travelling.

[Poor Wing Forward]

They were watching the game. Whereas last week, the Dublin crowd were more interested in a Mexican wave at 67 minutes with the score 12 to 13 against the Springboks.[/quote]

Are they bound to a vow of silence when watching? Have they never heard of multi-tasking?

Fair cop though, the noise at the Aviva is just as non-existent.[/quote]

No problem with people who actually watch a game. Go to the pub if you want a sing song. The IRFU didn't help by deeming Dublin the only place where you can play international rugby in Ireland. The same city that couldn't fill Donnybrook for Heineken Cup a short few years ago.

[fourthirtythree]

No problem with people who actually watch a game. Go to the pub if you want a sing song. The IRFU didn't help by deeming Dublin the only place where you can play international rugby in Ireland. The same city that couldn't fill Donnybrook for Heineken Cup a short few years ago.

As with the player selection by the Irish management, it is ulster that can feel agrieved. Not Dun Laoghaire sized Limerick.

[Jackie Brown]

No problem with people who actually watch a game. Go to the pub if you want a sing song. The IRFU didn't help by deeming Dublin the only place where you can play international rugby in Ireland. The same city that couldn't fill Donnybrook for Heineken Cup a short few years ago.

As with the player selection by the Irish management, it is ulster that can feel agrieved. Not Dun Laoghaire sized Limerick.

Hopefully we'll get something with our new stadium. The past few years we've been behind Lansdowne, RDS, Thomond, even Athlone has had the U20s six nations!

[nc6000]

Didn't Ireland play Italy in a 2007 RWC warm-up game in Ravenhill?

[fourthirtythree]

Didn't Ireland play Italy in a 2007 RWC warm-up game in Ravenhill?

Yeah, we got a fake try from the local TMO didn't we? Or was that galway?

[TheBear]

Didn't Ireland play Italy in a 2007 RWC warm-up game in Ravenhill?

I'm pretty sure we played Italy there, just scraped a win.

[nc6000]

Didn't Ireland play Italy in a 2007 RWC warm-up game in Ravenhill?

Yeah, we got a fake try from the local TMO didn't we? Or was that galway?

Was it a dodgy late O'Gara try and conversion?

[TheBear]

I read somewhere (here, maybe?) that some of the English and French clubs didn't release players to Fiji and Samoa for these internationals. Do clubs not have to release players during an international window? Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

[pip14]

Keith wood mentioned it on bbc before hand about the Fiji players not being released by some clubs..pity

I know the opposition weren't the best in the world but the Ulster young guns tonight were impressive, Cave, Marshall and Gilroy in particular.

[ribs]

I read somewhere (here, maybe?) that some of the English and French clubs didn't release players to Fiji and Samoa for these internationals. Do clubs not have to release players during an international window? Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

I believe the IRB regulations require the clubs to release players for the international window (presume this weekend was included in that) if they are selected. However, players can't be forced to play for their countries if they don't want to.
There are allegations (no proof that I have seen) that these players are offered a second contract/payment by their clubs if they turn down their national squad requests. Can't imagine they get paid loads by fiji or samoa for representing them?

[Donny B.]

I read somewhere (here, maybe?) that some of the English and French clubs didn't release players to Fiji and Samoa for these internationals. Do clubs not have to release players during an international window? Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Simon Mannix has been a whistleblower about this. Said at his time at Racing that Fijian players were offered two contracts. One where they represented their international side and one much higher when they didn't. If the French clubs tried this shite with a major country, they'd be blown out of town but because it's poor old Fiji, the IRB turn a blind eye. Shameful stuff that further devalues international test rugby.

[Vamos los azules]

Can't imagine they get paid loads by fiji or samoa for representing them?

Interesting article in relation to that on the link below - not only do they not get paid by their country but they also lose a cut of their club money as well.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 90103.html

[Donny B.]

No problem with people who actually watch a game. Go to the pub if you want a sing song. The IRFU didn't help by deeming Dublin the only place where you can play international rugby in Ireland. The same city that couldn't fill Donnybrook for Heineken Cup a short few years ago.

As opposed to the heartland of Limerick who couldn't fill their stadium for an Ireland match today. Careful with those stones from the glasshouse eh?

And the difference between a supporter and a spectator is that a supporter can watch the match and get behind your team vocally.

[Bite and Belloq]

Hmm, hard to disagree with you in principle Donny but don't you think that Isa's latest contract was concluded on the understanding, implicit or otherwise, that he would rebuff any overtures from Fiji? From a Leinster point of view wouldn't it have actually been poor management not to have done so? Brewer was flying the kite at the time afterall.

[TerenureJim]

No problem with people who actually watch a game. Go to the pub if you want a sing song. The IRFU didn't help by deeming Dublin the only place where you can play international rugby in Ireland. The same city that couldn't fill Donnybrook for Heineken Cup a short few years ago.

As opposed to the heartland of Limerick who couldn't fill their stadium for an Ireland match today. Careful with those stones from the glasshouse eh?

And the difference between a supporter and a spectator is that a supporter can watch the match and get behind your team vocally.

I take exception to the Donnybrook point, it was always packed for HEC and to be frank Celtic League games even in the early days drew good crowds.

As for Isa I think it's relatively well documented that he felt he made a bad choice and should have waited for NZ very different situation to a proper islander playing in France/England.

[Donny B.]

Hmm, hard to disagree with you in principle Donny but don't you think that Isa's latest contract was concluded on the understanding, implicit or otherwise, that he would rebuff any overtures from Fiji? From a Leinster point of view wouldn't it have actually been poor management not to have done so? Brewer was flying the kite at the time afterall.

Actually I'd heard from a very good source that the reason Isa doesn't want to play for Fiji is that he doesn't feel in any way Fijian and only played in the World Cup for them for a laugh. He considers himself a Kiwi, with Fiji heritate, but a Kiwi all the same. Brewer tried to shame him into playing for them by naming him in the squad without talking to him and this backfired because it only hardened his position against them.

[Jackie Brown]

Didn't Ireland play Italy in a 2007 RWC warm-up game in Ravenhill?

I'm pretty sure we played Italy there, just scraped a win.

Yeah, over 5yrs...

[TheBear]

Didn't Ireland play Italy in a 2007 RWC warm-up game in Ravenhill?

I'm pretty sure we played Italy there, just scraped a win.

Yeah, over 5yrs...

?