LEINSTER… 21 MUNSTER… 16 It wouldn’t be a meeting of the two old foes if it wasn’t an epic. Score for score, massive hits given and taken on both sides. The pendulum swinging one way and then the other. As is often the case in these situations, it came down to who managed error limitation… Read More Error-prone holders pay the price
South Africa… 12 New Zealand… 11 To a one-eyed fella sitting in a wheelchair thousands of miles away, it was blatantly obvious Ardie Savea had locked onto the ball, so how Wayne Barnes couldn’t see it from a foot away defies logic. Now read on… Furthermore, a squirming, half arsed apology in such a situation… Read More Boks deserving winners despite blundering Barnes
There was a reason it took this corner quite a while to come onside with rugby. Until the nuances of the game were understood properly, all it looked like to me was f*t fellas trundling around and jumping on top of each other like young bulls turned out to fresh grass. More fool I. For… Read More All the skill and bravery in the world won’t paper over the cracks
Ireland… 36 Scotland… 14 In sporting terms, the build up to and aftermath of the All Ireland SFC Final in 2001 is the one entry I wish could be struck from the record of my mental empire up top. Guilty as charged here in relation to getting caught up in the hideous Ole dross that… Read More Nothing we didn’t know but the work is only starting
Ireland… 13 South Africa… 8 One of the strange curiosities of the four match saga between Meath and Dublin in the Leinster SFC of 1991 was, after all the hype and coverage had subsided, it was only a first round encounter. The victors still had several hurdles to cross before they could even contemplate silverware.… Read More A game for the ages but ‘only’ an ordinary win
Ireland… 59 Tonga… 16 A connection currently in France at the rugby said to me the other day, with a tinge of sadness attached, that it was unlikely Keith Earls would be seen in an Irish jersey again. I wouldn’t be so sure. In the reverse of what often happens in this space, let’s go… Read More Another decent score with plenty to work on
IRELAND…82 ROMANIA…8 You’d hope Kevin The Carrot isn’t booked in for a session too early in the morning. Ireland’s favourite animated advertiser wouldn’t deserve to incur the wrath of an angry O’Connell. No living being would. You might wonder what Paul O’Connell might have to be put out by having seen those prepared by Andy… Read More Twelve tries but still room for Paulie to give them a bollicking
Ireland… 33 Italy… 17 Challenge matches, Test matches, friendlies, warm ups, whatever you want. Do they carry any value? Observers of a certain vintage would be of the view they’re not worth the grass they get played on. An easy conclusion to arrive at if using the 1988 case of Meath and Kildare as a… Read More A fine line between opportunity and risk
Hans Christian Andersen, you may stand down sir. For those who produce fairytales to rival anything ever penned by yourself did so again on Saturday evening in some far flung corner of South Africa. Though I don’t think anybody in the celebrated writer’s works ever endured as much heartache and disappointment between pots of gold… Read More Carlsberg don’t sponsor Munster…but if they did…
Leinster… 53 Leicester Tigers… 24 When the Dublin football team were in peak unbeatable mode under Jim Gavin, the manager repeatedly spoke about everyone in the camp ‘trusting the processes’. Watch their matches during that era and you can see it playing out. There was one signal in particular – where the player in possesion… Read More They do it however they have to