30 thoughts on “Back To Back”

  1. Zarathustra

    What a day for Ireland, and rugby; the England v France was an absolute cracker, one of the best ever I think – leaving aside France’s kicking, and all the penalties conceded on both sides, but they made up for it in tries. Brilliant stuff!

      1. Zarathustra

        Absolutely agree, I was delighted France showed shades of their former brilliancy. So, what’s next? Leinster for the ERCC, and Ulster, Munster or Leinster for the Pro 12 silverware? – hopefully :)

  3. Joe the Lion

    I’m don’t supposing yous can lay off covering this crap now for a few months until the World Cup can yous?

    Fair play in fairness

    Fupping egg chasers

    1. Bacchus

      Seriously, and not for the first time, if you don’t like rugby just stay out of these threads. There’ll be X Factor, Winning Streak, soccer or some other form of light entertainment on the TV if you’re bored.

      2. Spaghetti Hoop

        Ah soccer… the game that drones on into scoreless eternity. I was waiting for kinfolk on the quays at 14:35 today and popped into the Chancery Inn for a gander at the rugby opening play. Barclays fuppin’ premier league??? On a National showdown day?
        Well done Ireland ;)

        1. Joe the Lion

          Haha it’s true that premier league is gone to shite
          The performance of Messi and Barca the other night would bring a tear to yer eye however. If ye had an eye or hadn’t cried a river of tears already, that is. I do find some of the Irish rugby lads curiously defeatist though. I did watch a bit of the France game and a lad there lambasted me for pronouncing the game “over” with I don’t know 10 minutes remaining on the clock or sommat. ” You’ve obviously never seen the French play before” he cried, in my general direction before proceeding to inform me that “the wife” ordered him to actually leave the house during internationals owing to how animated he would generally get. Sure, where would you get it

          1. Spaghetti Hoop

            GAA and the rugger make tickets and games worthwhile because of their high scoring set-up. Down to the whistle. The better soccer players perform, the lesser the scores. Which makes it a dead game. Admit it – you only like soccer because it’s 90 mins of pub-time Joe!!

  4. WOD

    Anyone getting a little annoyed like me that yer one on RTE keeps asking Paul O’Connell if it’s his last game???

  6. Zarathustra

    I just read that BO’D predicted we’d beat Scotland, but we wouldn’t take the title again; he was a very good player, but, he was far too revered and isolated as an individual player due to his celebrity status, even though there were 14 other men on the field. Obviously he thought we couldn’t make it again without him, and I’m glad he’s wrong – it’s a professional sport, and the thought of a win hanging on the form of any individual player, BO’D or otherwise, is disingenuous and insulting to the players and the staff behind them.

        1. Mike

          I thought Ireland would win the match but England the championship. So did lots of other people. And the bookies. Gettin a bit carried away there dude

    2. meh.

      I think a lot of people thought Wales would batter Italy and run up a big differential. Us beating Scotland was expected but not by the amount we did… we rarely have a score like that in Scotland.
      From listening to O’Driscoll speaking he said it would be so close but thought we’d beat the Scots by 10 and that would not be enough as Wales would hammer Italy. He was half right.
      I don’t know how you managed to interpret his comments as implying it couldn’t be done without him… although your choice of disingenuous as a description is apt.

      1. Zarathustra

        Hi meh, well, for a start, there’re a couple of reasons: firstly, I think aspects of the celebrity status which surrounded him, not just on the pitch, but off as well, lulled him in to a feeling of omnipotence as a player and as being more special than any other player – when he wasn’t: secondly, as a former player himself, he should have been able to admit that, as a squad, Ireland have played better this season [under Schmidt] than any other season in professional rugby history, even without him, so, he should have recognised, and attributed that to the squad from the start, unless he was basing his prediction solely on last week’s performance against Wales; in which case, it would not just have been disingenuous, but myopic. I think many people thought BO’D would be sorely missed when he retired, and that we wouldn’t be able to win a major title without him for a while, but, like I said, there’s far too much rugby talent in the academies/clubs/schools around the country, for so many platitudes to be laid at the feet of one player, when such status could come at the expense of the dreams and aspirations of so many young players, male and female.

        1. Jonotti

          The canonisation of bod came from the outside though and the man himself was rightfully embarrassed by It.

          1. Small Wonder

            +1
            BOD is one of the soundest people on the planet. You’re way off with your analysis.

        2. Spaghetti Hoop

          Dacent observation. Great player but the team dynamics he and ROG were vital to belong to the yesteryears.

        3. jungleman

          Zarathustra this is absolute hare-brained stuff you’re talking! O’driscoll was one of the greatest individual talents plain and simple. He was also however a professional and is more than capable of realising that Ireland can win without him. He has always struck me as a very genuine, sincere and humble fella. Why you feel the need to bring this up even is beyond me! None of the rte panel thought Ireland could do it either but you’re not ranting about them. You sound like one if those die-hard Munster fans with a chip on the shoulder about Leinster and Ireland success. Get over it.

        4. Joe the Lion

          Far be it from me to wade into a rolling maul

          But I did recall that when BoD retired he received unsolicited plaudits from the entire global rugby commentariat, it appeared to me he was acknowledged all round as one of the finest ever.

          That said, and the reason I actually was playing Hookie with that lad at the French game is that particularly in the epic draw against NZ and again this year I don’t recall EVER seeing Ireland utterly dominate matches against these top sides in particular. And consistently, you know? I’m on dangerous ground here so I should probably shut up now but I do find as an armchair fan this new pragmatism to be at the expense of entertainment.
          Anyway enjoy yissers Heinos and prawn sangwidges

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