Ireland squad v South Africa

[I R Geech]

Jaysus! Well done Ireland, top effort!

[Which Tyler]

Connor will be thanking any gods willing to listen tonight.

This weekend's rugby just keeps getting better.
SAA vs Saxons yesterday
NZ v Wales
Ire Jr v NZ Jr
Aus v Eng
Wal Jr v Geo Jr
SA v Ire

...

And we've still Eng Jr v Sco Jr & SA Jr v Arg Jr to look forwards to - KO in 2 minutes

[Spiffy]

The ref has spoiled this game as a fair contest.

So the referee should ignore dangerous play for the sake of the "game" ?
Seem to recall people saying that after Hogg was rightly sent off against Wales.. Similar situation..

I think the red was harsh, but so was Henshaw's yellow for a high tackle. In the second half a Bok made a similar high tackle in a fairly similar situation- penalty but no yellow card. Why not? Refs should be consistent on these things. (Never mind the Bok block on Marshall, leading to a try).

But shhiit!!!! Who cares now - we won anyway

[Mr Mwenda]

Seem more cohesive with 14!

[Sandydragon]

Incredible win that despite a dubious red card and a dubious try.

[Peat]

Got it wrong on Ross and Toner. Great result.

[Buggaluggs]

Facking fecked the fecking fackers!

Well played yer twats you.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

That's the best win by Ireland in my lifetime. Decimated by injury. Against the history of never having won in SA and with a pretty harsh red after 20 minutes and an even harsher yellow after that. That's just astonishing. And we played some really decent stuff at times. Though why in the name of all that's holy did Conor Murray kick the ball away with 45 seconds to go. He hasn't learned anything from THAT loss to the ABs.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Team for the 2nd Test?

I'd drop Stander. I don't think that was a red card but it seemed to me that he clearly jumped with the intention of making contact with Lambie (albeit not knocking him out) and knowing he wasn't going to get the ball. It was a stupid thing to do and well deserving of a yellow card which in normal circumstances could have lost us the game. I also want to see more of Dillane and Hendo can drop back to 6.

Apart from that, how could you possibly change anyone other than for injury. Tell the squad that it will be much harder next week but we'll hopefully have 15 players on the pitch to help out.

[Which Tyler]

How are the heads this morning boys? Fantastic wins for both juniors and seniors (oh for a wolfhounds tour in Aus to have made it perfect).
I like to think there was some incoherent celebrating yesterday.

I still think Connor Murray needs to be shot though - kicking that ball away with 40 seconds on the clock!

[Eugene Wrayburn]

How are the heads this morning boys? Fantastic wins for both juniors and seniors (oh for a wolfhounds tour in Aus to have made it perfect).
I like to think there was some incoherent celebrating yesterday.

I still think Connor Murray needs to be shot though - kicking that ball away with 40 seconds on the clock!

I wouldn't have minded so much except that it was EXACTLY Murray kicking the ball away which robbed us of our victory against the ABs in Dublin. Experienced heads are supposed to help closing out games and if he behaves like that there's no argument for not putting Marmion on to close the game out.

I've been thinking about this and for me it's probably the most impressive win in my lifetime by any NH team in the south except the England win in NZ in 2003 when they similarly ended up a man down.

[Banquo]

Great win by the sound of it, especially given the players you had missing at the start and then after 30 mins!! Will watch later today.

[fivepointer]

Fantastic win. Didnt expect that in all honesty and to do it with 14 men for the majority of the game was an incredible achievement.

[SerjeantWildgoose]

Team for the 2nd Test?

I'd drop Stander. I don't think that was a red card but it seemed to me that he clearly jumped with the intention of making contact with Lambie (albeit not knocking him out) and knowing he wasn't going to get the ball. It was a stupid thing to do and well deserving of a yellow card which in normal circumstances could have lost us the game.

Er, utter bollocks!

CJ was clearly going for the ball and was in the air (just) at the point the ball left Lambie's boot - so not late, fair challenge and while there were awful consequences that should not dictate the decision to go for the pocket - if it did Courtney Lawes would have spent 3/4 of his career suspended. Even were a yellow warranted (And I agree that often enough such challenges have gone without sanction - indeed the ref was content to let the game run for such a length of time that his first instinct was that all was fair), that should not justify any suggestion that it should cost CJ a start. He is, by some stretch the most aggressive ball carrier in the Irish pack and wins more than his share of turn-over ball. MOTM for about half of the games he starts at provincial and international level, any suggestion that you would drop him to reshuffle the pack to make way for the energetic, but as yet internationally unproven Dilane reeks of change for change's sake and a gross overreaction to a refereeing error.

And as for Murray's kick, I have never seen an Irish side more comfortable in defence (Some job Farrell!), but why the feck would you want to risk spilling the ball in your own 22 with less than a converted try in it? Fecking right that ye hoof it and defend the line in their half. Comparisons with the ABs (And let's remember that that game was lost with the points that Sexton left on the tee) are also bollocks.

And before we all end up losing the run of ourselves, The Bokke were utter shyte yesterday - our achievement needs to be set in that very real context. They'll come out stronger in Joburg and we'll need CJ and Connor's box kicking to pull off what would be a real achievement - a series win.

[SerjeantWildgoose]

And for the record, Toner was no where near in terms of MOTM. It was straight call between Henderson, Marshall or Payne.

It is a while since I have seen 1 man in green have such an imperious hold on a game as Payne did yesterday. He had a hand in everything that Ireland did well and how brilliant to see a full back in an Irish jersey who is confident enough to run at a defence without some dithering hop skip and jump. I wonder if Joe might drop him, mind; I distinctly saw him make 2 off loads!

[Spiffy]

Fantastic win. Didnt expect that in all honesty and to do it with 14 men for the majority of the game was an incredible achievement.

Eh?? Was there ever any doubt?

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Team for the 2nd Test?

I'd drop Stander. I don't think that was a red card but it seemed to me that he clearly jumped with the intention of making contact with Lambie (albeit not knocking him out) and knowing he wasn't going to get the ball. It was a stupid thing to do and well deserving of a yellow card which in normal circumstances could have lost us the game.

Er, utter bollocks!

CJ was clearly going for the ball and was in the air (just) at the point the ball left Lambie's boot - so not late, fair challenge and while there were awful consequences that should not dictate the decision to go for the pocket - if it did Courtney Lawes would have spent 3/4 of his career suspended. Even were a yellow warranted (And I agree that often enough such challenges have gone without sanction - indeed the ref was content to let the game run for such a length of time that his first instinct was that all was fair), that should not justify any suggestion that it should cost CJ a start. He is, by some stretch the most aggressive ball carrier in the Irish pack and wins more than his share of turn-over ball. MOTM for about half of the games he starts at provincial and international level, any suggestion that you would drop him to reshuffle the pack to make way for the energetic, but as yet internationally unproven Dilane reeks of change for change's sake and a gross overreaction to a refereeing error.

And as for Murray's kick, I have never seen an Irish side more comfortable in defence (Some job Farrell!), but why the feck would you want to risk spilling the ball in your own 22 with less than a converted try in it? Fecking right that ye hoof it and defend the line in their half. Comparisons with the ABs (And let's remember that that game was lost with the points that Sexton left on the tee) are also bollocks.

And before we all end up losing the run of ourselves, The Bokke were utter shyte yesterday - our achievement needs to be set in that very real context. They'll come out stronger in Joburg and we'll need CJ and Connor's box kicking to pull off what would be a real achievement - a series win.

Spoken like a true Munsterman. i have no philosphical objection to box kicking but kicking the ball away with 45 seconds to go was by far the riskier option than taking it into contact a maximum of three times.

ETA If you are actually charging the ball down then you don't pivot in the air to make yourself as small a target for the ball to hit as possible.

[SerjeantWildgoose]

Spoken like a true Munsterman. i have no philosphical objection to box kicking but kicking the ball away with 45 seconds to go was by far the riskier option than taking it into contact a maximum of three times.

ETA If you are actually charging the ball down then you don't pivot in the air to make yourself as small a target for the ball to hit as possible.

Funily enough I had initially posted accusing you of anti-Munster bias, but given that it was you, I edited it out. You'd not ordinarily be one to earn or wear such a tag.

Are you now actually suggesting that it was CJ's intent to take Lambie out? If so, your comment is absolutely fecking outrageous.

And as for playing it tight in your own 22 for 45 seconds with 6 points in it? There are perhaps only 2 sides on the planet where kicking the ball down the park is the riskier option and neither of them are the current South Africa.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Spoken like a true Munsterman. i have no philosphical objection to box kicking but kicking the ball away with 45 seconds to go was by far the riskier option than taking it into contact a maximum of three times.

ETA If you are actually charging the ball down then you don't pivot in the air to make yourself as small a target for the ball to hit as possible.

Funily enough I had initially posted accusing you of anti-Munster bias, but given that it was you, I edited it out. You'd not ordinarily be one to earn or wear such a tag.

Are you now actually suggesting that it was CJ's intent to take Lambie out? If so, your comment is absolutely fecking outrageous.

And as for playing it tight in your own 22 for 45 seconds with 6 points in it? There are perhaps only 2 sides on the planet where kicking the ball down the park is the riskier option and neither of them are the current South Africa.

You've seen what I said. He clearly intended to make contact. I don't for a moment think he intend to injure him.

You're entitled to your opinion on the kick. The Munster way has long been to kick the leather off the ball if in doubt (and quite often when not in doubt). You'll note that the weight of opinion - at least in this thread - is against you. We gave them the ball on halfway, having got to 35m from our line and in the end they were inches away from scoring. Hell if he'd kicked it to touch 5m from their line I'd have given him an ovation. A box kick was fecking stupid. The worst possible option at the worst possible time.

[Ross. S]

A box kick was fecking stupid. The worst possible option at the worst possible time.

Maybe hes been taking tips from the Welsh team?

[mcshinnertheligind]

1 match ban

[hellovating]

How are the heads this morning boys? Fantastic wins for both juniors and seniors (oh for a wolfhounds tour in Aus to have made it perfect).
I like to think there was some incoherent celebrating yesterday.

I still think Connor Murray needs to be shot though - kicking that ball away with 40 seconds on the clock!

I wouldn't have minded so much except that it was EXACTLY Murray kicking the ball away which robbed us of our victory against the ABs in Dublin. Experienced heads are supposed to help closing out games and if he behaves like that there's no argument for not putting Marmion on to close the game out.

I've been thinking about this and for me it's probably the most impressive win in my lifetime by any NH team in the south except the England win in NZ in 2003 when they similarly ended up a man down.

was it really Euge? my recollection is that we lost that possession through a series of pick and drives and we were eventually penalised by owens for sealing off. from there the ABs kept the ball alive and went on to score. he did kick the ball away a couple of times before that but we won it back on each occasion.

[BBD]

a week??? its an inevitable ban, they cant come out and say the ref got it wrong, but a week, its as good an admission as we were ever likely to get that the ref got it wrong to give a straight red for that, it was way too harsh, the fact he also missed the high tackles shows he was not quite ready to cope with games at this level

The box kick at the end had me shouting at the TV, a seemingly inexplicable move at that moment, why kick it away??? luckily it didn't come back to bite us

[Eugene Wrayburn]

How are the heads this morning boys? Fantastic wins for both juniors and seniors (oh for a wolfhounds tour in Aus to have made it perfect).
I like to think there was some incoherent celebrating yesterday.

I still think Connor Murray needs to be shot though - kicking that ball away with 40 seconds on the clock!

I wouldn't have minded so much except that it was EXACTLY Murray kicking the ball away which robbed us of our victory against the ABs in Dublin. Experienced heads are supposed to help closing out games and if he behaves like that there's no argument for not putting Marmion on to close the game out.

I've been thinking about this and for me it's probably the most impressive win in my lifetime by any NH team in the south except the England win in NZ in 2003 when they similarly ended up a man down.

was it really Euge? my recollection is that we lost that possession through a series of pick and drives and we were eventually penalised by owens for sealing off. from there the ABs kept the ball alive and went on to score. he did kick the ball away a couple of times before that but we won it back on each occasion.

HELLOV!

Ah maybe I was wrong, as i only saw that game live, not entirely sober, and so furious and disappointed at the end that I've not watched a single minute of it again. I'm prepared to say I was if it means you'll hang around. He still shouldn't have kicked the ball away for a 15m gain and loss of possession with 45 seconds to go.

[SerjeantWildgoose]

JUS-TICE for the Munster 2
Jus-TICE for the Munster 2
Jus-tice for the Munster 2
JUS_TICE - for the MUNSTER 2!