The Left Wing: The provinces return to action and the downside to playing in Croke Park

The Left Wing: The provinces return to action and the downside to playing in Croke Park

[Applause] the Six Nations is firmly in the rear view mirror as all four provinces returned to URC action over the weekend lenser and moner recorded bonus Point wins but there were disappointing double digit defeats for both olster and conic so that leaves us with plenty to discuss

On the latest episode of the leftwing podcast will Slattery here with you and GL to be joined by Luke V Luke how are things good will is the studio lonely there let me lonely in as well I know the air is blazing so I have my tick

Winter jumper and a big collar on it to keep me warm I thought that is is that Tom Kanan no it’s actually it’s will St no yeah I’m rocking it well um yeah you know URC action it’s always funny you know switching from Six Nations back

Into Club Duty lots of big games to come over the next couple of weeks you know obviously the provin is All In Action over the weekend but first before we get into all that I you know a story that intrigued me over the weekend when it

Came out is that it looks like laner could be going back to cro Park you know 15 years later if they progress into in both competitions you know you’d expect them to maybe get at least one day out in GQ you obviously played in you know the most famous probably AR

Club game ever that was in croak Park but I’m pretty sure you have mixed memories of playing in the stadium generally just from an atmosphere perspective am I putting words in your mouth you’re not no no I think it’s like like was unbelievable experience to have

Done it I mean it’s something that you think you uh you give up when you head the rugby route um or I suppose the soccer route uh when you’re a young kid and uh to have got to play at our National Stadium was uh was a real treat

But look it’s a bigger pitch um than a rugby pitch so I think it doesn’t really I think atmosphere wise it doesn’t necessarily lend itself to an unbelievable atmosphere there um obviously there was a few occasions where it was you know unbelievable you know that that the English feet touching

The turf um I think I’m going to say it was 0708 I can’t remember which one it was 07 yeah 07 yeah um you know that obviously sticks out as an unbelievable uh kind of atmosphere but other than that I would think the crowd is just a

Little bit far away from the pitch it was difficult to get your bearings I thought particularly I remember talking to the kickers about it um it kind of ended up being an advantage for Ireland um in that our kickers got used to kicking into kind of space behind the

The goal post if you get me usually kickers would would use kind of hoarding um behind the goals or something behind the goals to kind of aim at and um because the the post were so far back or the the there was so much empty space behind the goals I think the opposition

Kickers found it very difficult our guys got used to it but um that was kind of my impressions of it I also thought it wasn’t it was a weird surface at the time I think they’ve improved it but it was very hard it was really slippy um

For whatever way I think they might have a mix between kind of natural and I’m going to was it a type of plastic or something there um something anyway on the pitch and I remember it was really difficult to get your footing there I think lots of guys had had lots of

Difficulty with that so there’s a couple things I probably remember um probably yeah you’re right probably more negative than positive it sounds like the worst idea like people think people give out the you’re making cro pars are like the worst place to play in the history of no

That’s that’s not the intention I think just for rugby I just think the pitch size is the big thing for me that stands out well I I I do want to round out the point and make sure that people know I I I do feel felt very grateful to have had

The opportunity to play there um and certainly had a few great days out I mean that was we some great out there uh during 09 of course um so yeah good memories from there and actually did very well for the most part there but uh

Yeah I I I do think L down Road or Viva whatever you want to call it uh is a um is a better fit uh for for rugby despite them forgetting to build one of the one one side of the stadium um it’s still it’s still a better fit pitch-wise the

Atmosphere must have been absolutely like it’s funny cuz I was at a lot of those games and I remember I like obviously you were playing in them so it was a different perspective my memory of was the atmospheres were all generally pretty good like that French one in 09

When you know he scored that try and Drisco scored a great try and I beat France for the first time in a long time my memory of that is the atmosphere was know electric and you were playing in that game as well and obviously lenser monster speaks for itself and I don’t

Know it’s F you obviously had a first time picky will maybe a picky I I think you know what always stands out to me about six nations uh atmosphere wise is maybe I just compare everything to Millennium I just like that’s just such a good Stadium like it’s the only place

I’ve played where you literally cannot you can’t talk to anyone like there’s people you’re like shouting if you’re you could be standing right next to someone shouting into their ear and you they still might not hear what you say that is a proper atmosphere so maybe I’m

Being a bit picky on it there I said in the previous Point like we had some great days out there like you know usually when there’s a win generally speaking the atmosphere is pretty good um but if you’re asking me is it up there with the best I played I’d still

Say I’d have it below Loftus and I’d have it below Millennium and I think I’d probably have it below the Aviva on say some of the New Zealand matches um I think they they were they were better atmospheres if if if honest opinion uh would be uh even murfield

Might have been slightly better than it sometimes um so yeah that’s just that’s just my opinion on it I think um I’m sure a few would disagree because just of how special a location it is but if you’re asking me pure atmosphere and quality of pitch and everything I think

I’d have a few ahead of it well it’ll be interest to see if they get a few days out like there is a possibility if monster and ler win their way to the semi-final that we could be having that game 15 years on ler monster once again

There’s a lot of Ruby to be played between now and then obviously we haven’t even got to the last 16 but that would be that would be pretty tasty it was funny Rob McBride the lenser forwards coach was discussing it in a press conference otherday and he said

You know I have a pretty good record there myself because he played on that wels team that won yeah was funny when War gin first campaign in charge and they W the Grand Slam back in8 which I thought was funny um moving towards the provinces now all

Back in Action over the weekend L be Zeb you know nothing massively of note from the game but I want to ask you one thing as we move towards glener playing the Bulls on Friday which is said to be an absolute cracker you know two locked and

Loaded teams it seems and then we’re going into the Champions Cup after that is Ross burn the nailed down starter do you think for for the runin now if we’re calling this period now given he was injured for a long time Harry burn was in the Six Nations Squad so was Kieran

Froley they kind of dived up the Champions Cup game time between them before Christmas obviously winning in larelle which was a big scalp now Ros his back fit like how do you see that shaking up over the next couple of weeks because it goes Bulls then leester and

Then potentially could be larelle or the stormers if ler beat Lester so there’s some very big games to come just in the next even three weeks yeah look I think it’s Ross burnwell I think he was pretty pretty measured on the weekend um you know he’s he’s led the team uh through

Some some tricky fixtures and through a few cup campaigns already so I think he’s he’s the man in possession I think H despite being in out out injured and not being in Irish squads um I think that frolle is not in the conversation uh which is interesting because he had

The best six nations out of all three obviously you know Ross didn’t get a chance but um you know that’s always the interesting thing about about broley situation isn’t it is that he’s playing 15 on the weekend um and it looks like he fits in wherever L lenser need him

But nothing is going to be fitting in for what he needs to to start in the big games so yeah that’s where I think froley know he he’s relying on an injury and uh both of those guys are fit I think uh for the next couple of weeks so

Yeah he’s uh he’s either on the bench or not in the squad so um tough tough for froley uh playing some very good rugby um but he’ll be the last one in the slot I think I think I think they’ll pick Harry burn ahead of him actually uh and

He’s supped to played some Six Nations you know he’s had some time in there in six nations so I think he’s uh he’ll get the CH he’ll get the shot there second in so yeah look that’s that’s where I see the pecking order um not necessarily where I think it probably would have

Been uh for you know but for for different reasons um but that’s where I think Leo [ __ ] will see her and that’s how he’ll pick her don’t know do you have another opinion no I agree with you I I think I actually think Farley might be injured this weekend I think he

Picked up a foot injury the weekend so I think he’s still he’s looked like he was limping all right yeah think he’s 5050 but no I I agree with you like I feel like you know Leo Collins has always picked Ross burn when he’s been fit in

The last couple of years you obviously when Johnny seon was out as well it was the same thing his used of froley has always been as a utility player as you said plugging in when he needs them and he likes Harry burn as well like he’s tried to give burn a lot of

Opportunities fortunately for Harry he’s picked up a couple of injuries at different times like in warmup I think before a European game a couple of years ago which probably set him back a little bit so yeah know I I agree with you I think Ross is going to be wear a 10

Jersey on Friday night in that big game against the Bulls one versus two and then obviously we’re into the Champions Cup after that like generally how do you think ler are set because it’s funny obviously IR ended up winning the Six Nations but going into that tournament I

Did have a little a few quams about Ireland because I didn’t think Lancer were kind of squeaky clean or quite as good as they had been at similar periods of the season going back the last couple of Seasons so now that we’ve gone through a sixtion campaign they have you

Know a relatively clean bill of health they have pretty much everyone to to pick from for the most part how do you think they’re set for the next couple of weeks as I mentioned some of those big matches yeah it’s interesting isn’t it I mean I think

I’m I feel like I’ve talked a lot about that second half performance against Scotland and that being far more far nearer to what um you know arand need but I also think that’s kind of far more to what lenser as well I think that directness that they had in the second

Half H is something that’ll be important for lenser I think they’ve gone away from that a bit they’ve fall in love with the with the pass at the back um a little bit and not kind of earning their way around teams which I do think is

Still a thing um you know you bleue in the face saying that and most most rugby commentators are really aren’t they it’s nothing new um but even against zebra now I know it’s zebra and the Temptation can be there so I don’t know whether I’m reading into this too much will but I

Felt like they did use that out the back option an awful lot against Ze as well I don’t know if you noticed that and and I think they were employing kind of a longer pass to that first pod player so the first um forward carrier in the Pod

You know he has the option to go short carry himself or go out the back that that longer pass is something that sex I know had moved away from I know Joe Schmidt was big on that as well and I know Lancaster was bigger on it as well

So um you know they want shorter passes because it gives the opposition teams who are going to be coming racing up in their face less time to to get up there so I I wonder is there a couple of things there I wonder will we see the

Same issues for ler kind of stuttering a little bit in attack um you know that that’s something that I will will be watching I’m sure you will be too so I I thought you know they were decent against every but they still had their issues here and there I thought and and

I thought that was maybe the root of some of the issues uh and I thought the same with Ireland um so I wonder will it be a bit more direct like I would just be using that pack just a little bit more aggressively I think uh is probably

How I’d put it because I just think that that bench depth that lenser have it’s pretty much the they have pretty much an Irish Packer it’s certainly an international pack and a half there um to pick from you know and I just think um they’re not using that aggressively

Enough they’re just using the ball playing a little bit too much so watching that space closely um I think as well um the defense like how will they how will they get back into things when they come back from from Irish Camp yes it’s an pretty aggressive defense

There too but I think neab bars is certainly a step up it’s Al kind of Jones and and England you know that kind of really racing off the line so how will they integrate back into that will they be able to do that quickly they may not need to do that against Leicester

Will um but I think you know larell is that they’re kind of they’re in the background aren’t they again and and I just wonder like you will need to be really really tight against them I just feel like they’ll get the timing right this year um and having had a pretty

Ropey start I just feel like they’ll get it right I could be proved wrong on that one but that’s just my sense with that group and Raj so yeah there that’s that’s what I’ll be watching well I think you’re right I think you’re right to point it out that they’ve been a

Little bit mixed we we I think we all felt the same didn’t we um you know one other thing I think is interesting because remember we talked about it before Six Nations started about lster how many times they got held up over the line um it happened quite a bit with

Ireland did you did you that it was it was a Bo bear like watching the team over the last couple of weeks before the um the six Nation I remember against Lester particular Kay and Daris was like the equivalent of a tapping try and he

Just he took a ball about a yard out and somehow got held up and it is a the rule I actually do like cuz I do think it rewards good defensive play but there’s nothing more frustrating from a team perspective when it when you get held up

Or a team you know you’re you’re like all over them on their line it doesn’t feel like justice when you’re there attacking but I think I actually like the real because do you remember it’s it’s only Looking Back Now teams could just like hold the ball for like 5 10 15

Minutes you know held up another 5 meters SC held up another 5 met SC picking go hell up I actually think it’s a good it breaks up that monotony at times and it makes teams have to be either more clinical if they do go with the power game or more adventurous to

Like to maybe you know around the line so they don’t get get more clear Co opportunity yeah that’s interesting you think it’s you think that’s a good rle then yeah oh definitely I’m I’m AIG I’m a big fan of it I I just think I think

Holding someone up is a is a very difficult SK like thing to do so I think rewarding that and and the attacking team still gets the ball back in a pretty good position so I think it’s like kind of a kind of a fair way of ruling on that personally yeah

Interesting I I I you know what i’ every time I watch it maybe it’s because I’m watching l mostly that I’m like Jesus Christ they’re getting this like 40 m back it’s still as you say it’s still a good position like the tackle might end

Up being on the 22 depending on how good the drop goal is but and and the Chase and that but um that is interesting that we I always feel like it’s just really it’s a bit more punishing that it probably needs to be you nearly be like

I actually I don’t even know how I would how I would fix it but I I don’t have another proposal for it but um I say because Ireland and ler tend to have a lot of the ball and a lot of attacks they’re probably getting held up a lot

More than they’re doing the holding up so it probably seems a lot more magnified from an Irish perspective because as you saw you know what against in the bigger games for ler I’ve always felt like if if they were on the receiving end I’m always like oh do I

Want us have an A scrome against larette you know that way so maybe maybe on the other if the shoes on the other foot against the bigger teams that might be okay but um yeah no I look I think certainly an interesting space there’ll be in will isn’t it I mean I talked

About nebar was talking about kind of peing at this time um but like there was this was always going to be a little challenging period for them as a group to to kind of reintegrate the Irish Internationals into the squad because they so many gone and then to work with

What you have um and try and mesh everything together pretty quickly and get some pretty important results for them yeah like I like results wise like I do expect lster to to win their next couple of games and progress but in terms of like the N abber effect or you

Know his impact obviously he hasn’t had that much P you know on Pitch time with the actual first choice guys like he would have gotten like he came in in December so he would have gotten December and may half of January before the Ireland players went away and then

They’re only coming back in now so like his 14we plan realistically with the guys who are going to be playing the big matches later in the year he hasn’t gotten a whole pile of time there like how much time do you think he needs with the Frontline players before we can we

Start seeing it you know really in action or do you think that’s enough time and that we could see it over the next couple of weeks I I always think it takes you know it depends on the group right so I think that’s the first thing look at if you

Were thinking of how quickly can a coach bet in and it’s like a very top class group will you know and there’s good depth there as well so like you’re working with the best of the best I think uh in terms of your raw materials

As a coach and I think it’s a pretty high IQ team as well they’re pretty fit um so I think they’re all things that you’d say well you know he could probably do it in a pretty short period of time um the other thing though is yeah I mean generally speaking like Joe

Schmid had all those things too and it did take him you know a pre-season plus it took him kind of six or seven games before things kind of really B you probably say let’s say 10 games before the team started kind of Motoring along pretty consistently I

Would think will so um that’s quite a long period of time you know and that’s a lot of real high quality time on training you know training pitches betting things in so um that’s not like you know getting prepared for a game week to week uh which is very very

Different they’re more challenging because there’s that out a bit of pressure getting a result here and there will so I think um I I I’m saying conservatively I think um or sorry aggressively I’m saying uh half a year I think it’s probably what I think it should take a coach so we call

That three three and a half months four months of of kind of of of rugby um and as you say half of that is kind of gone already you know isn’t it so uh pretty tricky for him to do that like the one thing is as I said at the start it’s

Probably the key thing it’s a pretty good group and I think particularly in the league you know they can afford to they can afford to have a few bad games and they’ll still win they still get the results so he probably doesn’t have as much pressure as we’re probably saying he

And he could probably try a few things or people can get comfortable in situations where they’re playing against teams that aren’t as good but uh still I think the next couple of weeks he probably doesn’t have that so this will be really bit of a litmas test for how

Far they’ve come I think and and and how good his coaching is yeah because the like their season really ramps up now you have the Bulls leester if they win that quarterfinal then a two- match toris South Africa which will be with the kind of the team we saw maybe at the

Weekend with the front liners if they’re still in the Champions Cup rested then you’re going back into Champions Cup semifinal like so like there’s a real kind of intense six is that six game block coming up that would be really intriguing and I suppose his on Pitch

Kind of defensive stuff as you say that could be a three and a half month job but one thing he should be able to bring You’ think is kind of the man management elements that have been talked of so highly like you know C Ki singing his

Praises or how he kind of can get the pitch of the group right and the way he speaks to the group and that can ring out a couple of percentage points I would have thought too and considering how close ler have been to taking home big honors like like having that nouse

Or having that fresh Voice or that fresh way of motivating guys or of getting them in the right head space like that could be pretty vital as well I would have thought yeah and look as well like so he’s going to try and make some changes but I think as well he’s got

Some pretty experienced operators around him well that’s probably an important Point as well um so it’s whether he tries to completely turn things upside upside down or whether he waits until kind of pre-season and says okay well look this is where I can make an impact this is where I’ll really focus my

Efforts and I’m going to let everyone else just continue to do what they’re doing i’ have my little bit of input here and there so I think there’s two ways you can go about this um you know I think if he’s looking be successful in the short term the more the slower

Approach um focusing on a few kind of narrow areas and then you know let’s do as we do because like I think that point about you made about couple of percentage points of improvement ler only need a very very small Improvement if even a couple of percentage points it

Might even just be half a point do you know what I mean that they need to to to improve on if you think about you know how close they’ve come the last couple years the three points in two games you know and and if they’re on the other

Side of that they’ve they’ve two Champions cups so um you know I think um yeah it’s an interest it’ll be interesting to watch him work I do think that yeah it’ll be important for for for you know his man of management skills would certainly come into play the next

Couple of weeks they have guys who just got married and things like that um you know trying to keep them focused and happy and they’ve come through a pretty heavy campaign and Six Nations where they get the win but how do they keep how do they stay motivated so um can he

Turn can he turn their heads around quickly enough and refocus um on what are going to be probably tired enough bodies and Minds so yeah look I think sounds like he’s the perfect guy for the job but I do think he’s got good support around him as well will um like they

Haven’t made wholesale changes there you know so H you’d expect a few of them to be able to have the pulls of the group as well and give them a dig out shouldn’t all fall in his shoulders yeah it is funny like obviously he’s coming in with such a big reputation two World

Cups and like say if ler du go on and win a Champions Cup this year he’ll be he’ll get so much credit as the real like you know the Messiah the guru he was the missing piece and to add to the World Cups where as you said they ler

Have been so close that like they don’t need a huge amount of change to to get over the line but I I he’s in a good position I feel like he’s coming in like they have if they had won last year you know you’re coming in and you have to

Maintain it or else like it’s a massive disappointment where he’s kind of coming in and he can kind of fall back on the well he didn’t even get a full season so give him a break exactly so it’s s like the perfect yeah exactly this one perfectly oh

Exactly big time two transfer stories I want to discuss with you firstly kind of a funny one you know ler have been linked with t yupo the tong and Thor the Australian Powerhouse prop you know was coming out of Australia the reports that if you know with the Melbourne Rebels

Financial difficulties that potentially he could be joining laner over the summer which would be a big money deal I don’t know how you you feel about it obviously you know very powerful player it’s funny I’ve been watching a couple of Melbourne rebels games at the moment

He looks wul out of shape so he would definitely need to get in kind game ready if he was coming to ler to be a big contributor but you know I know you kind of could have quam sometimes about you know the big overseas signings maybe blocking some PS org simman obviously

Has already signed up for next season how would you feel if lens were able to break the bank and bring this guy in as well uh probably not great I I think lenser have like got loads of kind of young props that I’d love to see them

Kind of bring on they still have some real nice kind of narl veterans your Keen Healey’s even burn on the weekend who’s had like an injury ravaged career really but you know he’s a 100 Capper too so um yeah I don’t know I’m I’m I’m a little bit uncomfortable about that I

Think let you the front row all the work that’s been done there on you know on Grassroots like even like other provinces are kind of poaching some of L’s hard work too I just feel like you’d be undoing that and undermining some of the work there I mean I think like for

Me snon is the perfect like that that’s it that you know snimon was where I would stop and I would even say they might have plugged that Gap with McCarthy without realizing that they had that so do they even need SN is the other question um so yeah I don’t know

I’m I’m uncomfortable about it will um you know I I just think I’d love to see some of the younger guys just given a bit of an opportunity to to to get more time in there and I just feel another body like that in means less time for an

Irish guy and I think even from an Ireland perspective I’m not sure they should let it happen because I think they need like Ty Furlong has a lot of miles on on the clock um he’s going to be a key guy he’s a good age still but

You know you’d like to see someone coming in be able to you know take 30 35 minutes off him AUM is there in fairness but um I think lens have a few guys who have the potential to to fill in that Gap behind him will so and they have

Some young talent I think that that tight head for Black Rock looks pretty good as well doesn’t he h he’s a bit of a unit so they have some good guys coming through the system and you would just hate to see um you know like maybe it’s a short-term deal I’m probably not

As big an issue with that but if it was a two or threee kind of type contract I would I would have i’ have big problems with that I want to see the lenser guys in there I think they’ve got loads of raw talent and they’ve got so much I

Think when you come in and you’re say These Guys these guys are going to be scrummaging against Andrew Porter they’re going to be scrummaging against Ty Furlong Kean Healey I just I can’t see a way where they don’t see how to train brilliantly but also how they don’t get exposed to like really

Worldclass props you know on a daily basis and how they can’t get better off the back of that as well I think a bit of patience would would would would would be good for Irish Rugby here and lster rugby so um yeah I hate to be I mean look

It fair M about the size aren they yeah Miko is leaving at the end of the season tigh head replacement so like it’s kind of like a a like for like except except TBO is definitely better than Al TOA so you’d be upgrading you know so you have

A furong kind of tupo onew punch like which would be pretty pretty lethal and you s the pack oh I see like their job is to win but like I think their job is also to look after the the next 10 years for the province too you know yeah cuz I think

You know if you look at the like know the central contracts some of the younger players like Dani guys like that Hugo Keenan whove recently moved under Central contracts that does free up lent their budget you you think so maybe they have because like tupo would be on a big

Deal like that would be that would be like probably three four like he’d be one of the top play players in Australia at the moment so he’s not coming over here for a small contract so like you know you will be paying a guy a lot of

Money which like I can see why other Prov would would look at that and say like lenser have a great Squad in their signing snyman and now this has only been linked with tupo and I don’t know if it’s linked with Melbourne Rebels and what happens with them but it would be

It would be a very interesting signing and I don’t think other provinces would be would be that pleased to see lenser being able to kind of swing that as well look it’ll be exciting look I’m sure it would help them to win that that uh that Champions Cup that they’ve really been searching

For will I do think he would definitely help but I just wonder is it a short-term solution you know and um I think are they panicking a little bit about these results that they’ve had that would be where that that’s where I I’m going straight away in my mind about

This I’m kind of thinking guys you’re in good shape here you still have loads of quality you have you know you you just lost out on those games like you know I I just don’t think it’s time to panic and that’s what the snyman and the that’s what that’s that’s what this

Would feel like to me too and that’s kind of what the simman feels like even though I think if they were patient they looked like they’ve fixed a problem with McCarthy so yeah furong is getting a bit older like you know he’ll be I think

He’d be 32 this year you know a lot of miles on the clock is m m after him I know a lot of toes there Tom Thomas Tom Clarkson as well plays playing you know he had a nice burst of pace in C a few

Weeks ago H you know he block down and catch yeah yeah Patty McCarthy as well I think is someone who’s on the 20s last said though I think they moved him I think they moved him to TI I’m trying remember if they moved him to no they said sorry yeah no I

Think he play no cuz they’ve been moving around guys as well to obviously the best suited so it’ll be interesting to watch that space But the other big one which came in just after we finished recording last week was Billy Burns leaving oler going to monster I know you know your feelings

About Billy Burns you talked about him a lot in this podcast but I actually think as a backup to Jack Crowley considering Johnny Joey cry is out is leaving at the end of the year Ben Haley obviously left at the end of last season I think it’s a

Good move to have a kind of a seasoned backup there when Jack Cowley is on Ireland Judy what do you think of it 100% a good move from Monster yeah and you know I I do you know what though it really does um it tells you everything you need to

Know about what what what oler have had though doesn’t this that he’s going end to be a sub a monster is that yeah but I think oler also having to cut budgets and cut players I think there’s a few other players heading out the door as

Well yeah no no but sorry if you just think about where he’s going like he’s going down as a very clear number two yeah a very very clear number two so that tells you they’ve been operating with a with a second class 10 you know like he’s he’s a good player like no

Doubt he’s a good player but he’s certainly not at the level that we’re ever going to get Ultra to the next level so yeah look things are pretty Grim up there at the moment up north um you know you would hope that Richie and John fogs and a few of these guys can

Have an impact but um you know I wouldn’t be unbelievably positive about you know what what what lies in front of them I think it it looks like a couple of lean years ahead of them before they can kind of hopefully get a few young heads through the door um to kind of

Revitalize things it looks like it’s not panic stations but it does look a little bit like that when you see Petri going as well you’re kind of going like you know yeah during the season as well like you know is in yeah who’s stemming the flow here now I know the

Books didn’t balance last year so um you know so I think they’re under they are under pressure you are right and I’m sure there’s been a few Cuts made but um yeah I you have to feel for them I think it’s a really difficult slot that

They’re in and um I hope they get fixed quick enough I look just to come back to the burns thing and more directly I just think that tells you everything that you need to know about about probably where he sees himself too like a one-year down to monster like definitely

Behind Crowley I think um yeah so good player he’ll be really good for Monster I think I think you’re right it’s a really good piece of business for them and and it works perfectly for them and he’ll get plenty of rugby because Crowley is now clearly H has that 10

Jersey for for Ireland so I think that works for all parties uh but it probably does um I feel a bit Justified on My Views the last couple years on on on where where you know the oler folk that was saying he was going to be taking

Them to the next the next level um you know you know yeah but said a good bit of business as a number two out half who will play a lot of you know URC games next year with Jack curly on Ireland Judy you know Monster had a good win

Over in the ospr bonus Point win you know it is he’s been injured so much but it’s been it’s great to see RG snon fit again I actually just love watching him play like he’s he seems so much bigger than everyone else freeing that with that right hand at every opportunity um

And it’s like he’s back fit at the perfect time like moner obviously theyve Northampton away which is a winnable I think knockout game in a couple of weeks time they’re kind of back into the URC playoff positions they make a run there it’d be great for him to be able to

Finish the season out showing what we know he can do like I thought he was really good at the World Cup when he played obviously he was going to use as a an impact second row and he and he really made some impact in some of the games in particular against Ireland um

And obviously he’ll be playing with ler next year as well so he won’t be going away from our kind of TV screens but from M perspective I think he have a really big end to the season yeah he could and I thought it was good to see himself on Hearn in

There that’s a great very nice yeah but it does pose a problem for them is like who where does where does burn comes back into the mix do you put him you put him at six and om maty at seven or or what do you do you

Know so they have a few um I think they’re good problems to have first of all um and it looks like I’m sure they probably will will put a hn at six just because he was so effective for them there he has a little bit extra Freedom

Um you know he was when when moner were playing some decent stuff at the start of the season I know they had lots of injuries in that but some of the decent stuff we did see them play Hearn was a big part of that wasn’t he um so yeah

Interesting to see where they deploy him because I think they have to play him I don’t think they can play him I don’t think he I don’t think he sits on the bench for them will do I think he will because I I think they’ll go I think

It’ll be burn and snyman in the second row I think it’ll be am Mani six I think they’ll have John hoden at at seven like he’s a class player and they really like him and Gavin kums at eight and then you have aarn has this massive impact like I

Think he’s a great impact player to have harsh on Hearn though no very harsh and to be fair sn’s leaving at the end of the year so but I think you have to start snyman I think the way he’s playing s starty yes bur I think hodnet

Is I think hodnet offers so much around the pitch I think he’s a brilliant player and I think he’s been UNL to get into a couple of Ireland squads he’s so Dynamic so and I think aarn is a great impact player I think having him to

Spring in the second half like as you say when they were playing good stuff before Christmas like I remember you know over in tulan I think you know he had a really good performance and was it an exor as well he he impressed even though they lost I think he’s been

Really really good yeah no I heard with that when you say maybe he’s the for terrible isn’t it he’s the kind of Forgotten man for me too maybe I was looking at all the Highlight stuff with a Hearn out in the wing um you know catching the high balls and stuff but um

Yeah okay so we watched that yeah like when you say that yeah would be very harsh and they do like hotn it I just wonder like for that size and that power you know your line out all of a sudden is pretty formidable as well if a Hearn

Is there and you’ve got omy in as well because obviously man he starts wherever wherever they put him but um yeah that’s actually going to be an interesting little selection headache for them it sounds like you you think it’s not a headache but I think it might be I I

Think I might have a Hearn in there um such a good athlete you know so um yeah we watched that one closely yeah look look good to have snyman back I thought sha O’Brien looked pretty good too um I’ve never tried one of those kind of dribbling tries uh pretty impressive

Very impressive yeah like it’s it it was a big risk to take but I thought he was he was brilliant so um good to see him kind of firing finding some form um you know could be just the right time for them as well you know Nash hopefully uh

Back in the mix as well um you know he finished Six Nations pretty strong I thought as well so um yeah I mean the thing for me actually which would be quite important for moner I think is what happens with um with that like do Zebo get back in time you know that

Would cause a few selection headaches but he was so good for them well I think if they want to get to the latter stages I think they need all those guys in the pack which I think they look like they’ll all be but they do need a Zebo

In there somewhere you know and I think that be that would be important because the Center Partners you know um for the bigger games that’s pretty set they look strong you’ve got Crowley playing some good rugby um you know and then you’ve got look you wouldn’t be wearing about nine for monser even

Though the two Lads haven’t been in unbelievable form I don’t think it’s fair to say but they’re still very strong there aren’t they so um yeah like it’s all all of a sudden they look like they’d be a team you wouldn’t want to come up

Against in a in a knockout match I think particularly their first kind of 17 18 guys I think lenser will have that extra bit from 18 to 23 if you know what I mean um but I think you wouldn’t want to play them on on a good day they’ll

They’ll give someone trouble 100% yeah I think from four to 15 on their team looks really really good like he mentioned Z’s back at fullback you have Calvin Nash on One Wing Shane Dy who’s really good in the other Wing but unfortunately like oi AER was a release

Today he said to have like knee surgery not apparently it’s a it’s it was like a not a serious knee operation but he’ll be out for at least couple of weeks so that their front row still looks a little underpowered for the teams they’re going to be playing against but

I do think with the team that we’ve outlined there and the options they have some of the good headaches and the forwards like that that Northampton game I think in a few weeks time especially after losing at home to them like they’ll have that bit of chip on their

Shoulder I think it’s a 12:30 kickoff on a Sunday so the atmosphere shouldn’t be like you know rock too Rock it’s in Franklin’s Gardens at that time like you might quite in the crow a little bit because it won’t be like a kind of a you know underlight job like I I think

That’s few few beers few beers in the belly at that stage the early days for it to be eting the beer like I’m sure a few people will kick off yeah yeah I do one o00 game in in the wreck a few years ago and Stu got

On at that time like um but yeah I think that’s Prim that’s that’s ripe for like a a monster a monster Scout I think but obviously there’s they have another game this weekend before we get that far like you mentioned oler there like Richie Murphy’s first game like the Sharks away

And the stormers away is his first two matches is pretty tough as an inter manager um especially when like you know ET was back for the sharks for the first time in a long time and it’s funny the Sharks were are like were last in the

Table before the weekend but one win out of like 11 matches and then you look at their team Sheet you’re like how is that humanly possible like they have Ambi you know am mimpi exit Vincent Co was on the bench Ox n was on the bench as well like

They had some team when they actually get going and like the scrums in the second half were were a bit of a blow B as well um but yeah like allar it’s like Richie Murphy for some ways I think will be a good guy to have around because he

Brings up positivity even the way he was I was reading his quotes before the game about how how excited he was to get the opportunity to be a head coach and he was I’m already looking at houses and Belfast and stuff like that like they might have their aspirations to get some

Sort of big name in but I’m not sure if that’s realistic but where they are in the finances so Richie Murphy could be potentially a good candidate to bring back some positivity and maybe get some young guys integrated as well yeah you know and he have a real

Good pulse for that too like he’s quite clearly got a really good eye for for for young talent and he’ll have you know the good thing for for them as well you know if you if you are struggling a little bit on the financial side and trying to get things trying to steady

The Shipe a little bit someone like Murphy could be absolutely ideal for for uh for ler because he might have the relationships with some of the younger guys to say listen you’re not going to be playing in lster but you could come up here you’re not going to be playing a

Monster whatever it is his two sons his two sons for one thing on the dinner table a nine and a 10 he could have his halfback sorted like yeah but do you know what I mean well think that actually he he could be that’s interesting that he’s talking about that

Long term because he’s been dying for that opportunity and I I love to see the indigenous guys get a good shot at at at leading the provinces you know so he could be the perfect guy he’s very shrewd uh you know he has a good pulse

For the Feld of a game having been in hour half himself pretty top quality one himself um you know and he’s obviously got the results behind him that you can clearly see yes there’s good systems in place in Ireland but they’ve been you know they only just lost out this year

But they have been unbelievably consistent in that competition and he’s able to building a team spirit into those good good players too where you know as we saw over in the wreck you know there’s no quitting in any of Richie Murphy’s teams either so I think

He could have a big impact up there will I wouldn’t underestimate if that if I wouldn’t underestimate that if I was olster and it could be the perfect time to get someone in for really good value who could have massive impact so I think that’s a good point you made and I think

He could be it’d be great for him too because I think the only way really is up at this stage for oler isn’t it so I think everyone’s a winner on this one and I still think there’s good talent up there I just think they need a bit back

Into the setup and they need to instill a bit of belief and he could be the perfect guy who’s done that he’s been he’s only really been involved in winning setups will he’s been he’s been a you know whether you say it’s a minor

Role or not he’s still had a role um you know from from back in the early days with Joe Schmidt coming up with different tactics he’s been around really good coaches for a long period of time I can’t but think someone is smart as Richie Murphy um won’t be a really

Good Top Class coach so yeah I’m excited to see what he can do the point you make about uh his relationship with some of the younger players I think is an interesting one because you know and especially with Richie Murphy’s background you know being in an irfu

Role with a 20s and probably having I presume good relationships with the provincial coaches and provincial setups like I’d love to see we know there’s a glut of talent coming through like you know multiple Six Nations Grand Slams you know World Cup final appearance another close run this year like

Utilizing maybe some loan deals I know it doesn’t really happen on Irish Ruby but he has those relationships could he get like 20 19 20 21 year olds who aren’t seen much game time with some of the other provinces even on shortterm deals to get that bit of experience I

Don’t like it’s not something that’s really dumb you’d like to see you’d like to think someone like humph might be able to facilitate those kind of deals for him as well because like it’s just no good for for us to see olster in kind of the the I’m not going to say they’re

Dire Straits right yet but they’re not in a good place they are in D stet when your head coach and your CEO leave midseason like that is not a good situation to be in there still seventh in the league though you know what I mean so yeah yeah they are better than that

Though they are better than that will think it they certainly have the the the potential to be better than that and I think that um yeah I I think it sounds like it this this could be a really good solution for everyone and I just think they the

Feeling needs to be better up there I just think there’s always been great support up there for the club they get good turnout um you know kingspan or whatever they call it Raven Hill I’m going to call it um just because the sponsors will come and go but um I just

Think you know that was always a tough place to go and play so that’s always a good place to start is that you win your home game so Ultra should always be doing that and then they just need to pick away 40 or 50% of their away games

And uh they’re in a really good slot but um haven’t been able to do that they’ve been really really patchy week to week have lost some big ones at home in in knockout games over the last couple of years someone like Richie should be able

To turn that around I think and um yeah I’d be backing him to do a good job up there um and hopefully just give him the time to do that and as you say or sorry as I was saying I think Humphrey’s coming in that could be a really lovely

Support for someone like uh for for Richie to use he should try and bed in that relationship pretty quick and say listen what you know look at this situation here it shouldn’t be like this I need some more resources but I need them on the cheap and also by the way

This is good for you too because youve more young Irish players playing in one of the top provinces against Top Class opposition so this should work for everyone you know the r you don’t want people sitting in waight rooms you know for for you know the whole year they

Want people out playing rugby so um yeah I have to think that that some of the talent should get a look in at olster yeah I am really intrigued to see how David Humphries operates versus how David N 4 operates just cuz we haven’t had an Irish person in this Ro who comes

From one of the four provinces and then like how that manifests itself David nfor came in as an outsider with no TI to any provinces so I am intrigued to see you know how that works over the next couple of months I think it’s in the summer when he comes in it’s maybe

After the Olympics maybe when when he’s officially hitting the ground running so yeah well we’ll watch that space kuk had a very disappointing defeat over the weekend kind of you know they were down by five at half time but the lines that a man sent off you were thinking okay

Con will kick on here in the second half the exact opposite like they got absolutely hos and you even listen to Matt Hansen I think he was on R after the game he was pretty blunt about H what had gone wrong saying he was shell shock that the team looked frazzled and

You know they’ve a away game against Benetton this weekend looks like all the Italian guys will be back and buyaki and Finley beum won’t be available to the meter so they’re not getting their Ireland contingent back their season could kind of go off the rails over the

Next couple of weeks they have po away then and the challenge the following weekend which is going to be tricky so yeah that I think it was a really damaging defeat for con and very disappointing yeah but like I I would I would say it’s more the manner of it

That I think is probably concerning to me I know the Lions aren’t great but they’re still pretty you know still still you know would you expect him to yeah I don’t know do you expect him to win that one definitely kind that’s probably no well to be fair the Lions have had have

Have had an improved season like they’ve taken some SC you know they beat they hammered the sharks like two weeks ago or so they they’ve been pretty competitive this year compared to so that’s kind of what I’m saying like I I think I’m probably not expecting them to

Win that one will I don’t know probably why maybe I should but yeah I still think they they don’t sare mass of confidence he’d be nervous watching them if I was supporting them you know I’d be thinking yeah this could go either way even even against the

Fairly mediocre teams um you know like the Lions so uh I think it’s more the manner of it will I think is probably more worrying um wasn’t surprised to to read I didn’t hear but I wasn’t surprised to hear uh Hansen’s Hansen’s take on things you know it it got ugly

At different points didn’t it so um yeah some soul searching to do there big couple of weeks for them and as you say when they don’t have all the resources I mean you have to think the first thing pops my head is does not make sense for

Them not to have those resources because you could have a couple of guys a couple of weeks where these guys aren’t playing any rugby at all you know what I mean if they get knocked out so um you know is that wise to not let them have access to

To their key guys at a crucial Point yeah to to be fair that to my mind is mismanagement it’s not Management on this occasion I I was reading the quotes earlier Finley beum I think uh him and his partner had a child recently so he’s taking some time personal time so that’s

Why he’s not available apparently and then Baki unfortunately for K has that picked up a couple of knocks post Six Nations just as he did post World Cup he missed a couple of games he looked like he was digging Peter man he’s guarding up pretty good yeah like it’s it’s if

You’re a conic supporter like you’re seeing Baki be absolutely Sensational for B the World Cup in Six Nations and then like post both of those tournaments as unfortunate to miss a couple of games and by the time he gets back their season could be pretty much done and

Thed um he he could easily have put a shoulder out with that shoveling effort and to see actually nice golf apparents for a big fella but um yeah Jesus it was H it’ be tough to be a conic supporter at the moment wouldn’t it um so yeah you

Hope that they they can turn it around pretty quickly that might have been the shot you know a decent shock at the right time but that’s not my sense of it I don’t know about you my sense is that it’s they’re under pressure there I

Think yeah this game I think is a like their last three League games are against lster monster and the stormers so like that they’re probably not winning any of those so after this week they have the dragons and zebra which you presume they’ll win so this is their

Kind of a key game I think and they’re running I think if they don’t win this weekend they’re probably not making top eight in Champions Cup because they’re as I mentioned those fixtures are tricky so it’ll be a massive game and Benetton have kind of fallen off the pace with

Their Italian Guys away so with their them coming back and being at home that’ll be a very tough game I think just before he finish up tricky place to go actually it’s actually it’s a tricky place to play the fixtures actually it’s cre heavy pitch kind of a weird one and

Uh yeah just better atmosphere than croak Park is it not quite definitely a worst pitch but uh yeah that’ll be an interesting one to see the Italian Guys pitch up after six nations that would have been a huge effort for them they don’t have the same depth as Squad as

Well so guys who are in those places you know they’re be hard be a hard slog for those guys coming back so that maybe they’ be a little bit tired and it was a huge effort they expended you know to to come out on top in those last couple of

Games so um yeah I wonder will they mentally be at it you’d hope they would be but um there’s a sliver there of hope I think yeah I just want to reach out one comment on an unrelated point that we got in that I thought was interesting

I wanted to put it to you it was from Purple Crown 505 I doubt it’s his real name I presume he was christened something different parents didn’t his parents didn’t his parents weren’t big fans of him uh Ireland are increasingly being carried through games by Bundy Yaki Jameson Gibson Park and James low

They’re all New Zealand import that are in their 30s hopefully management have a succession plan but it’s unlikely that any home ground replacement will come close to their level in terms of skill or physicality um I just thought was an interesting point when you when you do

Think of the influence those three in particular have had under Andy Faron the last say 18 months from the maybe the New Zealand two are on like BND Yaki playing best R we his career James and Gibson Park routinely saying the player that makes the team tick James low not

Only scoring a lot of tries and giving go for it but you’ve mentioned how much they rely on him his kicking game to get them out of trouble you know in their own you know area all three guys who didn’t come up through the system who weren’t kind of like homegrown kind of

Developed guys great players and they’ve contributed a lot and it’s not that’s not the debate I’m trying to get into I’m just more talking about the impact they have on the team and you know the replacement levels that might come you know given their all in their 30s like

If they drop off or or have to move on in the next couple of years like that’d be three huge gaps in the team yeah know they would be all right yeah I mean I think BND Kei is the easiest fixed you’ve got Robbie heno there hav you you know that’s and and

You’ve got MOSI as well so I think but they’re all the similar age though so I feel like so like it’s in yeah no that’s fine but I think that to my mind like yeah that’s that’s not as big an issue to Phil he’s been brilliant for AR by

The way but I I think Robbie HW is a brilliant rugby player too I be he’s the easiest to replace uh I think with some real quality uh you know I think nine is probably a bit of an issue maybe I thought that um thought Casey would have kicked on a little bit

More at this stage but then again he hasn’t he’s still job sharing a little bit Murray isn’t he so uh that’s probably more more difficult um but I think you know there’s some there’s some decent talent coming up around the province I think at at nine but whe

They’ll get the game time is kind of tricky well isn’t no one’s there’s no real standout candidate at this point so yeah nine is definitely an area where he has a huge impact on the team and the pace that they play and it’s pretty important that they that they can play

At that pace because um we’re a physical team but we really rely on our fitness and our skills and if our nine is you know able to give us that really quick platform uh and really Snappy delivery it makes a big difference to how we kind of can overcome different teams and

Overpower them I think and play to our strengths so he’s he’s the most he’s the hardest one to to replace I think um low is pretty hard too uh you know he’s got that real power hasn’t he combined with the skills um but I think we’d be able

To I think Jim I like Jimmy O’Brien a huge amount obviously that’s a bad injury he got but you’d hope he’d come back pretty good from that uh you know there are certainly other ttimes like Stockdale but I don’t think Stockdale is at the level at the moment he has bit of

A to go on and he’s in a difficult place in olster to to go ahead and be trying to work his way back into the Irish team um and I think um I I actually think sorry to come in come in on that I actually think like Winger has been like

Not a problem position because we have a lot of good ones but like James though and M Hanson the starting wings of the World Cup both came from outside the system obviously there’s been a couple of no M Hanson has a has a family that

Like he’s no but I’m saying call him a project I’m not calling him a project I’m just saying but they didn’t come up through the IR system like they’re not like home I’m saying like land haven’t actually developed that many Top Class Wings in the last like five six years

Like since they Stockdale and lur came in and then like maybe lost their place Calvin Nash I suppose is maybe one but for a team a country that for years we we were like w we had loads of good Wings coming up to the system I feel

Like we haven’t actually produced of all positions that many really good ones like I think for instance if L and Hansen hadn’t come in and there easy world where they stay in their own respective countries and play there we we would have be struggling a little bit

I think in that position I don’t I think we’d be a behind the rest of the world in terms of our wing play if we didn’t have those two guys yeah maybe I do you know what I would say I think they’ve come into some pretty good teams like

That that Irish I I think I think M Hansen has come on massively as a player H being in the Irish setup by the way so I think the coaching is really good here um and I also think low has come on a huge amount as well uh and I think they

Play in really good systems for them you know I think that Irish system and for low the ler system as well um you know really lends itself to uh um you know Top Class back three play like I think Keenan is another good example of that

Will like I’m not so sure that those guys yes those guys have have made a big impact and they haven’t come all the way up through the system but I do think they’ve come on a huge amount since they’ve come into the system like low is certainly a more polished player his

Defense I think has come out a massive amount his kicking game was was decent always but it really like I I think they’ve improved massively and I think Hansen has two will so I’m not so sure that um I think there’s a bit of both on

That I think the Irish system is great for them too um but I get the point and you would like to see a few more guys coming through the system the problem for you know is that two of those slots are pretty much taken already isn’t it h so

Even if you look at I think sorry the success of the 20s over the last couple of years like none of those teams I don’t think have had like out and out unbelievable like raw talent on the wing they’ve had great players across the board and key contributors from loads of

Hosted positions but I haven’t looked at any of those teams and thought the Wingers were like oh that they know that’s the next you know X or Y he’ll be starting for Ireland whereas you could look at like the back grow and see Brian gleon at number eight or you know PTY

McCarthy a great prop Sam Pras a great at half in the recent teams or you know going back to the Grand Sam team the year before there was you know other guys in the back row H whose Name Escapes me who plays for Lancer I I

Don’t John Blan his name but none of the Wingers is was the Raw Talent on the wing I don’t for whatever reason doesn’t appear you’re not seeing an out now yeah I mean look I I thought Russell was good Russell took that try in the weekend

Very well I think uh you know he’s got great top end Pace um I really like Jim O’Brien you know I think lmer is a guy who probably has fallen off a bit as well but he’s come up all all the way up through the system too but he’s

Certainly had potential has had lots of injuries you know kind of some some downturns and form here and there so I think we do have a few of them if you think about it but it as in if you sit down and go okay do do those guys have

The potential um I think that’s that still is there it’s still within ourselves to produce these talents and I think we’d still be a very very effective team without without them um but yeah it’s an interesting one you know I would say we’ve given a huge man

To them too you know so I think they wouldn’t be the same players if they hadn’t come here either so it’s uh it’s a tricky one it’s whether you stick with what you have and trusted to come through and give it more opportunity or do you say well no

There’s someone who’s a few runs ahead and if we just polish them up a little bit in our system they’ll be like Top Class players which is work for them right now that’s what’s working for them so um you know I think as well it’s not that long ago we’re talking like balun

Has been ravaged he’s still come up through the system he’s high quality zebo’s come all the way up through the system and he’s older but he’s top quality I think Stockdale he was a top Troy scorer in the competition a couple years ago we weren’t able to you know

Polish him up defensively a bit but he suffered badly with injuries as well so there’s something there that you know there’s a bit of bad look too uh I think is probably uh at play I think uh because I still think I I would trust us

To have the raw materials I know we haven’t seen anything yet will but It’s Tricky what I think when you know you’re thinking you know lens or the team were watching the most closely because they’ve had the most opportunities but um you know it’s hard to break into that

Team isn’t it you know um I think you know moner we did like Nash I was Nash was a discovery from last year Shane DA’s pretty good as well too but yeah is it xfactor at International level maybe you’re right I sorry maybe I’m contradict myself it’s a tricky one I I

I’ I feel like I’ve had this conversation with a few people like who’s the next person and I can’t I thought Jimmy o Bren one of the best cameos of the World Cup I’ve ever seen but then he goes and gets injured so uh I had him kind of breaking through or at

Least really pushing hard for low so uh it’s it’s a difficult one I I I would believe in the system I believe in the kind of people were we’re producing here and I think uh you know you should be able to flourish once you get the right

Raw material so I expect us to have one or two coming through the next couple of years well yeah well bacon to be fair did look like he could be that X Factor player but he hasn’t kicked on between injuries and form he just hasn’t been as

Good over the last maybe 18 months and people T and Jimmy O’Brien I think is is coming back to Fitness uh I think I saw that report himself and Hugo Keenan should be hopefully available either this weekend or for the Champions Cup game oh was that’s fantastic j i I

Thought that was quite a serious one that’s brilant yeah unless I misread the report I don’t think I did it looks like he might be fit in the next couple of weeks cuz yeah when you hear neck injury kind of out of nowhere you’re you’re as you know like

Yeah it’s it’s not it couldn’t be great but it look it looks like he’s May he’s been able to make a recovery which would be brilliant as you said he had that great Cameo Off the Bench that kind of got a little I wouldn’t say forgotten about it because we everyone’s been

Talking about it a good bit but just when IR lost you know it’s not he didn’t get as much praise as he would have maybe if they had won but he had a seriously good shift you know kind of an all action kind of 20 minutes or so uh

That that really kind of you know I think not to people I surprised people were very impressed given the stage oh I was surprised I didn’t see that well like his tackling was unbelievable but he had a few BR high ball did everything in that kind of 20 25 30 minutes it was

He was unbelievable I thought that in the there was a period in the game where he everything he touched turned to gold and his tackling was off the chart so he’s very well-rounded because he actually started his career as like a center and a fullback coming out of

School so he actually kind of came to the wing not by action but as like he he has I know the feeling yeah exactly yeah same as yourself like so he’s a great footballer like he’s a good kicking game he can tackle he’s a good passer the

Ball he’s Pace as well maybe not like top end International Pace potentially but he’s a very good player and I would be interested what sort of opportunities he gets between now and the end of the year because obviously that injury kind of wiped them out for you know four or

Five months and before we get to our moment of the week can finish up just a word on the a women’s team schnake Assan obviously covered this in great depth this week on the podcast with Ali Donley and anac Capas they open their six nations with 38 17 defeat but

Considering they lost by 50 points to France in the corresponding fixer last year I think and I don’t think it’s patronizing was 41 yeah I don’t think it’s patronizing to come out of this thinking their green shoots there they defended a lot better they scored two tries which they actually struggled to

Score any tries in the tournament last year so I I’m actually feeling you know a lot more positive than maybe the score line would would indicate you should be oh 100% yeah and it was it’s going to be a difficult campaign with France and England away um you know I think the for

Them I think they’ll be aiming for the the three home wins I think it’s you hope it’s achievable even though I know they’ve kind of there’s been a concern about them going backwards um obviously they have a little bit more access to the sevens players as well H through

This period so that’ll be that that’ll be positive for them as well um and that’ll hopefully have a bit of an impact um but yeah like I thought there was a very brave performance I think that’s a really difficult France team to play against and look England way I

Think that might be a score line management um you know kind of game for them as well to be honest like England are just the the setup over there so professional bringing in John Mitchell as well like that’s a real statement like that they’re not they’re not messing around like you know they’ve

Gone and got it you know very well women are they are serious operators yeah and they’re very very professional and have been for a long period of time so that that’ll be I can’t see them knocking them off away from home a good outing there similar to the France game would

Be a big result for them and I think they brought through some younger people too into the squad um but I think what you’d like to see is certainly a few more of those kind of tries and things like that they talked about you know

Upping the pace and um and playing a bit more with with ball in hand showing a bit more kind of positivity um and I think you’d like to see that in the three home fixtures I think that’s what everyone’s going to be watching for will

I don’t know about you but that was what I picked up from from the media before the game on the weekend is that they were going to try and play a bit more uptempo so um France and England might not be the games to do that um but

Certainly the home games that’s what I’ll be watching to see if this has been a good tournament for them or not I think that’s probably what the camp things too yeah and I think Italy to be fair will be a tough test like they have been you know much improved over the

Last couple years and like for Ireland to beat them you know that might be a step too far on when they are on the journey at the moment but you’d hope with a home crowd and as you said the seven players like having B Parsons back

Like Eve Higgins in the backline as well like even though obviously the French game wasn’t a day that they were going to be able to show their Wares in a major way given that they were going to be under the cush but even just the message it sends to have them back in

The fold I think is important and you know we’ve talked about this a lot and I think a lot of people have that not having those key people involved not only really hurts the the onfield performance but it’s not good for moraler it’s not good for The Prestige

Of I think Irish wom’s Rugby to be kind of missing key players like that so to be able to have them involved in your first home game people will bring their children you know families might go and to be able to see those star players involved I think is actually massive as

Well like let alone the impact they make on the pitch which is obviously important I I think young girls will want to see the likes of B like that is important I think well I think that’s a really good point that you make because there are it’s certainly a rebuild I

Think there’s still some questions about the structure and how things are particularly around a uh you know and and how who’s playing there on a regular basis you know the access that you know even the players were kind of not not playing or not involved in international or kind of provincial setups their

Access to play against the better players you know it probably is going to be in ail but they don’t seem to be able to do they don’t have access to them there those players the top players play very little there so I still think they’re they’re trying to figure out the

Best way to you know deep in the talent pool um while also kind of not completely losing sight of what funds the game and and and how uh how to grow it so it’s it’s a difficult period for them I think again uh three home wins would be a really really great result

For them and that’s what I be that’s what I’m hoping for them I think they’d love a bit of positivity around the women’s game I don’t know about you it’s like Irish women generally speaking have outperformed men pretty much across the board in sports you know you think of

All your son Sullivans your ktie Taylor all these kind of brilliant athletes the Irish women’s rugby team should be it should be way ahead of where it’s at considering where the men are there’s no reason that the the team should be in the do drums you know so I think they

Need to pick themselves up pretty quickly it’ll be a couple of tough years I think um but they still have I think to cling on to a couple of results just to get the positivity going around and it’s good that they have access to the sevens players that was ridiculous I

Think and too big an ask for the likes of a Greg McWilliams to come in and try and fix that without access to your best players I think so good to see that they’ve had a little bit more access there and um hopefully it’ll have an impact yeah and great I think they’ll

Have Sam manin back uh their co- captain in second row this weekend which is a massive boost she’s been one of the standout performers over the last couple of years so to add that back into the mix as well hopefully at the very least very competitive front foot performance

With some good Ruby get the ball into B and Parson’s hands get you know to get the crowd on their feet I think that will be another major step forward so wish some luck and obviously anyone uh who wants to listen to shade’s podcast you can get in this feed as well she’ll

Be talking as I mentioned to Alie and Anna kind of throughout the tournament building up to all the games and reviewing them H just before we finish up we’re going to do the left wing moment of the week in association with Bank of Ireland I have two moments I

Couldn’t split them there was a dead heat my first one was from the lenser game Max Dean offload for Luke mcgr Troy just as he was being shoved into touch Ross burn to be fair like an American football like the Bush was it called the bush push back in the day when Reggie

Bush like pushed your man into the end zone tush push the the bush yeah the tush push as well and the bush push uh like he kept them in field and Degan just did a lovely little drop off the Luke McGrath who went over and touch

That I enjoyed that and then my other one was Shawn O’Brien that like two kicks along the sideline for that second try the ball just about stayed in oh unbelievable skill and he got an intercept try like about 2 minutes earlier like M they got three Smash and grab tries in

The first like 10 minutes I like the ospr H supporters were probably wondering what was going on but they were my two moments of the week two two great bits of skill and uh you know for when the URC comes back after a long six

Ations campaign can be a bit of a slog sometimes but it was great to get a couple of moments like that over the weekend yeah know fair I I have to say I second that on the Sha O’Brien I thought that was we called it earlier on the Pod

Um impressive skills there good to see him come into some form hopefully at a key time uh my moment of the week is the Rob Russell Troy I just thought um lovely to see a bit of a set play um that’s a real old school one like the

Double switch um is is one I haven’t seen employed in a long time pretty awful def defense um by zebra and fairness to bite on the 10 Loop like pretty pretty shocking but um yeah it was a lovely finish and once once Russell goes through God he’s got some

Serious top end Pace you know I think part of me thought of fix and give to mcra who takes a lovely lovely support line on the inside um but backing yourself and finishing it from 50 that was always going to get my uh my vote I

Think as a Winger I just thought it was really really well finished and the timing of the Run was like it was well very well disguised pass to him but the the timing of the Run was really Top Class well so yeah it was uh there was a

Lot of good stuff to admire about that one two things just to finish up you know you mentioned Luke McGrath support line I think it was 50th laner try the weekend which and because he does get those lines so well like he’s always in a good position to take a pass like he

Did from Max Dean and he was in a position for Rob Russell like 50 lenser trys is I think he’s like close to like he’s maybe I think the top scorer ever is like Shane Horan with like 62 or tree and I think he’s right I think the Shag

Moister is the top top dog I think he’s Clos on odris even like they have more TR like I think lris is in the 50s I think so like yeah they don’t call him the ferret for no reason yeah he’s always sniffing around the TR line isn’t

He yeah no look what a player Luke MCG I mean I think he he’s the kind of Forgotten man had a few injuries and all that um but I think look I I loved playing with him like hard as nails like you know kind of tireless around the

Pitch um you know really really high energy and yeah has a great nose for Troy always had even before Gibson Park was there but I’m sure that’s probably um focused the mind a little bit more particularly on those positive support lines so yeah he was all over the pitch

I thought in the weekend it was great to see him back I think he’s a pretty important player for lenser too um because I think yeah Gibson Park is class for lster but you’re always going to need one more there at nine I think aren you to change up a game somewhere

He he’ll be a key guy in the running if lster win H the Cup this year so um I think it’s important he’s playing well it was good to see him and yeah good man for a try so not surprised to see the stats are pretty uh pretty high and yeah

It was good to see Andrew Osborne and his debut pick up a nice try from the chip and Chase as well and great to see you know him unbelievable of skill was kind of that’s a difficult skill that one when you’re going cuz he was going

Kind of sideways as well you know what I mean so so you know look I think it’s poor defense because you still have to try and clip him with a shoulder you don’t take him out but if you clip him on the shoulder you break a stride and

He doesn’t get there well but that’s a real that’s a really nice bit of skill to be able to do that chip without breaking Pace take him on the outside and the Finish was good he almost got one in the in the uh in the second half

As well do you remember the one that went dead the little chip like he that was that would have been a lovely finish too yeah yeah know great to see a bit of talent there and himself and Jamie Osborne lining out kind of alongside each other I think

The third set of Brothers this year to play for laner and there’s a great photo of the two of them I think from like a lenser open training session in nce Ruby club and like 2013 with their lenser jerseys there just nice that you know that they get able to play alongside

Each other for their first C you you might have even been there you might have snubbed them for an autograph or something back in the day probably injured but yeah um yeah no I think uh you’d love to see that that’s probably what I’ve been saying all along you know

You do need to trust some with the local talent he looks like a big kid too like he’d be well able once he fills out um you know I think he’ll uh he has a bit of he potential there certainly as well so good to see I mean that’s a great I

Mean Three Brothers in one year it’s got to be some that’s really unusual but it just shows you how much depth and talent there coming through at lster which I think they should be believing in and giving opportunities to well yeah and Joe McCarthy Patty McCarthy Jamie osor

Andrew osor thir four and the two burn Brothers of course who are well established but the other four guys massive prospects obviously Joe has has played a fair bit already on that note the LI to be joined by Luke this week we will be back next week with another

Leftwing podcast reviewing all the latest URC action and looking ahead head to the Champions Cup last 16 in the meantime you can subscribe to us on Spotify Apple podcast or listen on independent.ie so until next time thanks so much for listening and goodbye

The return of the URC and the downside to playing rugby in Croke Park is up for discussion on the latest episode of The Left Wing.

Will Slattery and Luke Fitzgerald discuss what Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Connacht need to do to ensure a strong finish to the season with some big games to come over the next few weeks.

The lads also discuss Ireland’s opening Women’s Six Nations game against France and with Leinster set to return to Croke Park later this season, Luke Fitzgerald explains why he didn’t think the atmosphere in GAA HQ was great when he was a player.

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