Ball Handling Hooker

Cian Prendergast is so underrated.

This is the best Henshaw has looked in months

The difference in entertainment level between the URC and international games has never been higher. Irish URC games have been the cure for insomnia this season at times.

The idea that neither James O’Leary nor Rob Carney were the first choice centres for Ireland U20 is both wild and very exciting.

Josh Neill is one of the few players you watch and can think: “I understand the hype”. There’s a lot to work with there.

I think in general it should be a missed tackle/yards conceded metric or something like that. Even most of Sam’s missed tackles don’t actually lose ground - albeit with a different intent to Ringrose’s

He’s also supposed to be doing it with the freedom of rushing onto a player about to receive the ball well behind the gainline and the system is supposed to protect him by covering across and tackle before reaching the gainline.

Missed tackle stats by themselves are empty enough, needs context

There are also injury doubts to McCarthy and Boyle as well. Not a great combination

Well shit

Connacht are currently up by 10 at HT.

Will they:
a) Be losing by 17 at one point?
b) be leading by 24 at one point?
c) Lose by 4?
d) all of the above?
e) have a last minute kick to win?

It’s been a while since (Irish) rugby has been as interesting or as engrossing to watch as that Leinster v La Rochelle game

It would be weird to watch it in April

The Great Escape

Losing by multiple scores to the Dragons should be grounds for folding as an entity. What an embarrassment

The current winger/centre?

I don’t think Ulster have. But Connacht have had 3. Leinster have had 2.

I need to pay more attention to Toulon. In my head La Rochelle are closer to Bordeaux and Dupont when it comes to Europe.

Are Toulon that good? What have I missed? Also the difference between where Sharks 🇿🇦 should be and where their performances put them is a giant chasm

*and performing at the same or comparable level. Is a 36 year old/almost 37 Etzebeth still 95% of what he was in 2019-2025?

I think the only threat to the Bok throne atm is age. If they maintain this level in 2027 it’ll be hard to see anyone get back up to them. Maybe France.

Ben Thomas showing the textbook definition of a straight red card.

It shouldn’t matter if there is contact or not.

I’ll see myself out

I’m more on board with the idea of a 20 minute red card knowing that a permanent red card still has its place.

For me, some yellows should be 20 minute reds, not reds being downgraded to 20 minutes.

Dan Kelly is very good at rugby. I’m not sure Munster fans realise just how good he is yet.

None of said outhalves took either of the first two kicks either

So Connacht’s backline now consists of 2 scrumhalves, 3 outhalves, another player who played outhalf all the way up to the pros, and Hugh Gavin whose best position is also up in the air.

Is Henry McErlean injured?

I’ve seen enough, Big Bob is fit. Get him back into the senior Ireland squad

Positives for me personally: Forde, Illo, Gunne, Dan Kelly, Wilson, Baloucoune

Disappointed to not see Hugh Gavin, Hugh Cooney, Andrew Osborne, DTM, James McNabney, Deegan, Ben O'Connor.

Its a very interesting squad no doubt, and very excited for most of the players there, I just dont get the thinking. It's inconsistent.