Comments on: Ireland v New Zealand: Ireland player ratings

By: Jacob

Jacob — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 08:52:28 +0000

To be fair, Donald said robbed of the chance to lead the Lions in NZ. So it was his cruel injury inflicted by Umaga that he is referring, and not Gatland not picking him in Australia.

By: Staggy

Staggy — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 05:42:31 +0000

Understand the point, but cannot someone have a perfect game in a losing cause?

By: bazzar

bazzar — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 00:42:38 +0000

They need to win.

By: Sammie

Sammie — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 19:59:15 +0000

Donald – don’t think there is room for sentiment in the professional game. BOD was a very good player but Gatland picked a team to do a job and that is exactly what Test team did in the deciding match.

Irish fans will have to accept putting BOD and some of the others out to seed or they will end up with a Dads Army like in the late 70s.

By: DONALD LAIRD

DONALD LAIRD — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 17:05:54 +0000

It was a fantastic game with a heartbreaking end for Ireland, who overall were clearly the better team on the day. I feel particularly sad for Brian O’Driscoll, the best centre in all my lifetime of playing and watching rugby (69 years), who, more than anyone deserved his moment in rugby history after being so cruelly denied his opportunity to lead the Lions in New Zealand. Anyway keep your heads up guys in green. It could be worse …… you could be Scots!

By: brighty

brighty — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:45:46 +0000

Oh, and for the record, that was a red card by the rules every single time (RWC 2011). Did I like it? No. Would I have loved to see some leniency shown, some empathy for the occasion, the match in progress and the undoubtedly technical mistake rather than malicious attempt at injury? Yes. Could I extend this to saying Rolland shafted us with an incorrect decision? No. Was he biased? No.

By: brighty

brighty — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:43:47 +0000

What are you saying Enoch – that the ref gave the win to the ABs?

By: The Prophet Enoch

The Prophet Enoch — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:27:14 +0000

Irish fans now know how the English fans felt after Roland Rat’s antics at RWC 2007 and the Welsh after RWC 2011.

And lets not forget the Irish ref who dismissed Paul Ringer at Twickenham in 1980 or the one who disallowed JJ Williams’ try at Twickenham in 1974.

Still we cannot blame Roland Rat for those just two other blind Irish referees who now reside in the Sunshine Home in Dublin.

By: Staggy

Staggy — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 22:13:57 +0000

Not sure what a player needs to do to score a 10. There were some damn near perfect performances out there. Also back up Brighty on the forward pass rule – it was a legal score although heartbreaking!

By: Terry

Terry — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 17:36:34 +0000

Forward pass explained.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=box08lq9ylg

As brighty said, relative velocity means the ball will pretty much always go forward if you’re running at speed when you pass the ball, but doesn’t mean it’s a forward pass.

By: bakkies4

bakkies4 — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 17:02:41 +0000

Amazed by how good O’Brien was, his work at the breakdown is really coming along well and in terms of his carrying and tackling he has always been great, our best player by a blue mile in a poor year!

By: Rugby7sinrio2016

Rugby7sinrio2016 — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 13:43:21 +0000

Don,t understand how Rory Best was only given 7 for his 20mins of high intensity
and try….one of his best performances ever no matter how short….if Dricko had remained
on possibly would have hung on….