Ireland vs Wales u20's

Just sat down to watch the under 20s.

Really bad conditions, but a good start by Wales.

Frankie Sheahan is a pundit and has yet to mention a non-munster Irish player and has mentioned playing for munster at least 4 times. Even replaced Ireland with Munster...

I think he likes Munster...

This is a kicker's worst nightmare!

Wales need to start making their scrum/breakdown dominance and territorial advantage count. Ireland are finding it difficult getting out of their half.

Ireland delighted to be only 3 points down at half time,that wind should give us a aizeable advantage in the 2nd half.

Wind definitely having a big role in the game... but it was mostly strongly behind Wales in the first half so the scoreline is better than it might have been for Ireland.
Wales playing the more threatening stuff so far.

Time for summer rugby now surely. Enough is enough!

Wales don't need Summer the way they're playing.

Welsh pack well on top,Ireland making too many errors and the dominant Welsh scrum is punishing us.

If Ireland score a point I will be surprised.More likely k Ely to get yellow card.

idiot.

not you taff...

SecretFly wrote:not you taff...

Although, if the cap fits...   

SecretFly wrote:Wales don't need Summer the way they're playing.

I meant more for the spectator! Although it has improved a lot since the rain has stopped.

Good second half by Wales, England have already lost a game and Wales have France at home - so they are in a good position in the tournament.

Good second half by Wales, England have already lost a game and Wales have France at home - so they are in a good position in the tournament.

Griff wrote:

SecretFly wrote:not you taff...

Although, if the cap fits...   

Steady in the ranks.

Terrible stuff from Ireland.  The usual...a little pressure applied against them, a little more pressure and then skill levels drift away on the .... wind.

The ref trying his best to give us a consolation..bless him

Well, I don't think there is much doubt that Wales had that one in the bag from early on.  Congratulations to them....  

Ruddock?... lots of work if we want to pretend we can compete at U20 level.

Very accomplished by our boys.Gave the Irish lads a bit of a lesson.Great effort.

Disappointing,we had a few chances to score but weren't clinical.When our scrum is that poor we have to take every chance we get.In good conditions we might have a chance against this Welsh side but then again they missed a huge amount of kicks due to the condition so maybe they're just a lot stronger than us this year.

They're stronger physically all round.  
If Ireland is serious about rugby we have to connect our levels and attach the same preparation philosophy to all levels.  It really did look like men and boys there tonight and if we want to seriously compete, we have to look at what the best of these teams look like.

Ireland get serious at some point but I have a feeling we start too late down the line.  U20s need to be seriously as competitive as the best in Europe or we're fooling ourselves about development into the future.

wales clearly better, scrum was smashed. felt the ref was a bit whistle heavy but if the players give him option I guess you can'y complain too much

SecretFly wrote:They're stronger physically all round.  
If Ireland is serious about rugby we have to connect our levels and attach the same preparation philosophy to all levels.  It really did look like men and boys there tonight and if we want to seriously compete, we have to look at what the best of these teams look like.

Ireland get serious at some point but I have a feeling we start too late down the line.  U20s need to seriously as competitive as the best in Europe or we're fooling ourselves about development into the future.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the Irish system. Yes, the u20s might have a disadvantage sometimes but I don't think they should change the system just for the u20s.


I didn't think much of the Irish backs tonight though. They were a big step down from the last 2 years. I'll hold off judgement until I see them in dry conditions.

profitius wrote:


I don't think there's anything wrong with the Irish system. Yes, the u20s might have a disadvantage sometimes but I don't think they should change the system just for the u20s.

We're seriously outgunned, profitius.  In most areas.  There's no other way of saying we ain't up to the standards required to compete at this level in the same way Ireland seniors compete.  We can't have our u20 standards so distant from what we want our seniors to be...we need joined up thinking.  We're too casual about U20s.  "We mature our players later" is usually what I hear.

I watched the Junior World Cup last summer... we're not in the same league as Wales or England.  We need to close that distance between underage and senior...and we will reap the rewards if we do.

SecretFly wrote:

profitius wrote:


I don't think there's anything wrong with the Irish system. Yes, the u20s might have a disadvantage sometimes but I don't think they should change the system just for the u20s.

We're seriously outgunned, profitius.  In most areas.  There's no other way of saying we ain't up to the standards required to compete at this level in the same way Ireland seniors compete.  We can't have our u20 standards so distant from what we want our seniors to be...we need joined up thinking.  We're too casual about U20s.  "We mature our players later" is usually what I hear.

I watched the Junior World Cup last summer... we're not in the same league as Wales or England.  We need to close that distance between underage and senior...and we will reap the rewards if we do.  

Oh come on the conditions were awful and it was basically who had the best scrum won. If it was dryer conditions it would be a completely different game. This is a good bunch of players and they will bounce back from this.

With regards to not being in the same league as Wales and England last season...If I recall correctly we beat England last season in the 6n and should have beaten Wales (Welsh supporters on here admitted we deserved it)
In the JWC we beat Aus with ease and then gave NZ a real scare and that really wasn't our best crop of u20 players. If you look at how many actually make the step up from u20 to senior level I'm pretty happy with how they are going.

SecretFly wrote:

profitius wrote:

I don't think there's anything wrong with the Irish system. Yes, the u20s might have a disadvantage sometimes but I don't think they should change the system just for the u20s.

We're seriously outgunned, profitius.  In most areas.  There's no other way of saying we ain't up to the standards required to compete at this level in the same way Ireland seniors compete.  We can't have our u20 standards so distant from what we want our seniors to be...we need joined up thinking.  We're too casual about U20s.  "We mature our players later" is usually what I hear.

I watched the Junior World Cup last summer... we're not in the same league as Wales or England.  We need to close that distance between underage and senior...and we will reap the rewards if we do.  

We beat England, south Africa, France , Australia and almost beat NZ in the last 2 years. I think that's good going. And I would prefer to keep things as they are ie have technical ability as the main priority.

The main problem could be team selection. The interpros were very close yet there's 2 or less players from Ulster and Connacht in the squad while there are 17 from Leinster. That's a bit OTT I think. Loads of players from Ruddock's club too.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

SecretFly wrote:

profitius wrote:


I don't think there's anything wrong with the Irish system. Yes, the u20s might have a disadvantage sometimes but I don't think they should change the system just for the u20s.

We're seriously outgunned, profitius.  In most areas.  There's no other way of saying we ain't up to the standards required to compete at this level in the same way Ireland seniors compete.  We can't have our u20 standards so distant from what we want our seniors to be...we need joined up thinking.  We're too casual about U20s.  "We mature our players later" is usually what I hear.

I watched the Junior World Cup last summer... we're not in the same league as Wales or England.  We need to close that distance between underage and senior...and we will reap the rewards if we do.  

Oh come on the conditions were awful and it was basically who had the best scrum won. If it was dryer conditions it would be a completely different game. This is a good bunch of players and they will bounce back from this.

With regards to not being in the same league as Wales and England last season...If I recall correctly we beat England last season in the 6n and should have beaten Wales (Welsh supporters on here admitted we deserved it)
In the JWC we beat Aus with ease and then gave NZ a real scare and that really wasn't our best crop of u20 players. If you look at how many actually make the step up from u20 to senior level I'm pretty happy with how they are going.

Well we'll obviously disagree then.  Rugby is about all conditions....Wales had to play in the same climate.  We're not always going to get hard, fast ground and dry conditions.  They could play the conditions even against the wind, we couldn't.

Wales and England in the Junior World Cup were nothing like their 6N selves (they were both building towards it - two finalists after England destroyed NZ getting there).  They also both strengthened into the tournament as we eventually and inevitably fell away - conditioning.

But no need for angry arguments, I reckon.  You think we're in a good place, I think we're below relative senior standards when meeting these neighbouring sides. So be it.

Thats fine but I think Ireland fell away because of the desvatation of not making the play offs after coming so close. They were way, way better than both Framce and Aus but lost to them. They obviously struggled to get up for the game and also Ruddock is awful for squad rotation and bringing on subs.

Like I said last year was one of our weaker groups of players but they still did well imo in both the 6n and and JWC.

If you feel as though England and Wales both use this comp to build towards the JWC then maybe we should wait until after the JWC until we rate this group as we usually peak at the JWC too (remember two years ago).

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

If you feel as though England and Wales both use this comp to build towards the JWC then maybe we should wait until after the JWC until we rate this group as we usually peak at the JWC too (remember two years ago).

We'll see... and I hope. I saw men vs boys tonight though. I want our players prepared with the same organisational passion as the Welsh or English - and I don't think it's happening. But like I said, it's opinions. And that's mine.

As Gibbo would say... Believe!

Ireland v Italy in Italy should be a challenge

Awesome performance from our U20's, our front 5 were amazing again.
I was surprised to see we had made double the amount of tackles though, I thought we had the ball more and the Irish were unlucky not to get more ball but the 9 put real pressure on the backs.
Both Nicky's are absolutely amazing (should have been between them for MOM), not only in the scrum but around the pitch. Nicky Thomas was great at putting pressure at the break down and Smith has similar qualities in his defense to Gethin Jenkins.
I do think the score line should have been a bigger margin though, Wales were the only team in it really but the conditions were bad (im not taking anything away from Ireland though because they has some good patches of play)
Some great props coming through with us, it's just time the Dragons and Blues start producing them, the past 3 seasons we have scene great props come through at the same time at each region. First Samson Lee and Rob Evans for Scarlet's and Nicky Smith and Thomas for Ospreys. It's the other regions turn to produce the goods now.
Well done boys, Ruddock chose the wrong U20's team to coach

The conditions dictated the game and there was only ever going to be one outcome as Wales had the better tight 5 especially with SoB going off early. I really fear for the Scots safety in the scrum as Ireland destroyed theirs so whats going to happen when they play Wales   

Jhamer25 wrote:
Well done boys, Ruddock chose the wrong U20's team to coach

Either that or they themselves chose the wrong coach It's a toss up...but if we continue losing in that nature the answer will arrive one day on Ruddock's desk.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:The conditions dictated the game and there was only ever going to be one outcome as Wales had the better tight 5 especially with SoB going off early. I really fear for the Scots safety in the scrum as Ireland destroyed theirs so whats going to happen when they play Wales   

Cricket scoreboard perhaps needed for that game?

SecretFly wrote:

Jhamer25 wrote:
Well done boys, Ruddock chose the wrong U20's team to coach

Either that or they themselves chose the wrong coach  It's a toss up...but if we continue losing in that nature the answer will arrive one day on Ruddock's desk.

Haha, Ruddock i a good coach so I don;t think he should come under much criticism because this Irish team are not a bad team at all.
The two big factors were our front 5 and the poor poor service from your scrum half.
It wasn't their day but as people have said it is a learning curve and Ireland aren't a bad team.