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I'm sorry but when is the last time this crack Irish team has EVER beaten anyone of note away from home? When was the last time this Irish team beat someone ranked higher than them when not playing in the wet of Lansdowne, Croke Park or Aviva stadium? When was the last time they beat any team...

Well, I'm going to take a contrarian view. The Irish will be smashed. It's not even going to be close. Ireland got owned at the breakdown this past weekend behind a dominant scrum and lineout. The USA are not close to being a good side, but yet Ireland only managed 3 line breaks all game, and 2...

It was only a matter of time before such a nefarious connection was made. Yawn.

He is an idiot, but I cant imagine he'll get much more than a 1-2 weeks if that. After today's performance against England, Ireland will need much more than Cooper's suspension to have much more than hope of defeating the Wallabies.

Cooper deliberately put his knee into McCaw's face when he McCaw was trapped on the ground. It was a punk thing to do and this kid has priors. If Cooper exhibited some courage in the tackle, some hardness in the defensive duties, then I probably wouldn't be so quick to view his act as just...

He has been poor all year and folds in contact but thought he played reasonably well tonight, enough for Henry to persist in picking him which will be a good thing. He's always good for a penalty or two in kickable positions. Wallaby locks are just better. Is there Quade Cooper is a gutless...

I believe the IRB restrictions are no different to those applied by FIFA or the Olympic Committee for their marquee events. Quite simply, the media doesn't believe that the IRB have the muscle to enforce their restrictions.

kick & chase, defensively sound back three with no real game breakers who can beat their man one on one with pace or footwork. The midfield is the most capped combination in the game and the front five is experienced and disciplined while their back row a no-nonsense smart, physical mobile...

Apart from the obvious (must start better, must have right attitude and intensity, dominate the tackle and collisions, must dominate them at set-piece etc.. etc.), what tactics will sway outcome in Wallaby favor if we assume parity at set-piece? On Defense: I'd argue strongly that Wallabies do...

One can only hope so..

Rebels really should have killed that Leinster outfit. Strauss is the only one of that entire group who could command a regular place in their first team last year. It has been months since any of them have had any game time whatsoever

A good tough win win in a dreadful game in which neither team respected the ball once they won it. Wallaby execution was poor at times but they played smarter rugby. Upfront, the tight 5 were strong and enabled the back-row to get into the game more. Pocock & Moore were standouts and Deans now...

Back on Elsom... I'm surprised by the lack of overt support emanating from the staff or players for their captain who has been taking a few hits lately, or have I missed something. Not even Deans was prepared to say a few token words. Smit had several supportive comments, but Elsom seems to be...

I agree to an extent. NZ restricted both Genia and Cooper's options to the few they felt obligated to chose. Having secured effective dominance at the tackle ball, NZ could structure their defense and drift with such agressive line speed that they were effectively forced down the wide channels...

Media gives it readership/viewers/listeners what they want. Until rugby is more popular across a broader demographic, it will struggle to get the coverage on which they have no claims, as Godfrey has pointed out.

If Boric's foot is given medical clearance, he will surely replace Hoeata in the squad for the WC.

No O Franks, Thorn, Read or McCaw. That's a shit load of oomph missing from the boys up front and then there is no Carter to manage the ball emerging from a weakened platform, and no Conrad Smith to marshall the defense. On top of that, we can expect the selection of Woodcock, Dagg, Kahui and...

Very disappointed Beau is no longer regarded as a possible squad member. There really is nobody who can cover for Pocock, but Beau is certainly his best understudy in my opinion.

There is not a chance in hell of blooding an entirely new center midfield combination before the WC and have any real confidence in it. In Test rugby, any hesitancy or indecision is exploited and with only one match left after the Boks against NZ before the WC kicks off against NZ, there is no...

The acid test is Nonu running after him phase after phase, and I'll doubt we'll see that under Deans.