Latest / On The Edge Sports Podcast / On the Edge Rugby Ep.2: Champions Cup Round 1 , URC updates + Ireland November Squad Announcement

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On the Edge Rugby Ep.2: Champions Cup Round 1 , URC updates + Ireland November Squad Announcement · On The Edge Sports Podcast

• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: Hello and welcome back to On the Edge Rugby Show with myself, Brendan Tierney, and my co-host Mark Kennedy.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: Mark, let's get straight into the last time we talked, it was going into the Champions Cup weekend.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: So there's been a few good uh results for some of the provinces since then.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: So let's start at our own home home province here, Connucks.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um good week good couple of weeks of them.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the obviously the Sarason win kind of put them on the map.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: All of a sudden now you're listening to rugby podcasts, and they all talk about Leinster first, which is obviously like Leonister.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and they have the biggest amount.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: It used to be Munster second, it's not like they're talking about Connect second now.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: Just a quick thanks to our sponsors, EJ Menswear and EJ Mensweer.com here in Sligo Town.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: But not not because Connect are necessarily the second best team, but they're just so exciting to watch.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's such an exciting prospect of as to what they and I'm just looking back there, they again like they beat Saracens.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Let's just like that like this is Saracens Saracens riddled with English players, not all at their top of their game necessarily.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I like obviously the Saracens win is massive.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: I would just take it with a pinch of salt, just to be careful with the Saracens win, because I mean they have Owen Farrell there who is on the Cusper retirement.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: They have uh Otoji, they had Amaro Otoji, who's obviously Alliance captain, like still a phenomenal player.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: He is a phenomenal player.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_01: He was playing in the back row, he wasn't playing in the second row, but like he it's not he didn't quite have the same impact.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of those guys are Saracens players that won the English premiership and they would have been up there in the Champions Cup in the like 2000 2020.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, they're maybe 20 five years a long time like in rugby like.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_01: So they're kind of getting to the end of it.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: It's still a massive win.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: It's a huge, huge.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: That's what I was gonna say.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: For the new stadium and new C you know, real did Ireland or Sonic Connock need that burst, and they're seem to be getting it so far.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_01: They're getting it now, like, and the thing, this is the thing with Connocks, they're exciting to watch.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, they're actually mad exciting to watch.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: Seven tries against Saracen's who would have thought that some of the tries, some of the back plays were outrageous.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: They got a try off a line out that was like if Ireland were doing that in their prime when Sexton was running the uh was running their offense, God almighty, it was unbearable.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: And they walked through Saracens with us.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_01: It was so this is what they're doing.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: People might not care about this.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: The big play at 10, right?
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: This was Johnny Sexton's thing for years and years, and even when people knew he was doing it, you couldn't they found it hard to stop us.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_01: You would do a skip play where a center would cross over, so Sexton would get the ball, handed to his centre, and then loop around the back, and they would skip one player, right?
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: And then the ball would go back into Sexton's hands again.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's kind of annoyed, it's nearly a rugby league thing to do, to be honest.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_01: Like, but anyway, that's what Sexton was doing for years.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_01: Lancaster has Conock doing it, but they're skipping two men.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: Is that kind of unheard of?
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: Crazy, too.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_01: They did it twice in one play and walked in in the corner where you're like, what the hell is after happening?
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_01: Like, it was so weird, there was no defense for us because no one had seen it.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_01: Like, no, they're not the first people ever to do it, but it was so well executed.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_01: And the other thing I want to say about Connock is I'm delighted someone else pointed this out because when I was watching the Conx Saracens game, they are doing this thing at contact where they're taking a tiny, their footwork is unbelievable.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_01: Lancaster is clearly working on Connect's footwork, so when they get to the contact line, they're all taking a step either right or left, little tiny baby steps right or left.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_01: And when someone's about to hit them, even they're not getting driven back now, they're gaining even slightly.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: The centre of a target is moved at a little too much.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: Even just a little bit.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: So this is on the attack now, isn't it?
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: This is on the attack.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_01: They're back row forwards.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_01: Prendergast and Jansen and um Hurley Langton, and even their second rows like Murray, Darren Murray's so good at it as well.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_01: Once they know they're about to come into contact, they take a tiny baby step.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: And what it does is when the guy's about to tackle, all of a sudden he's not got this line in front of him that he was about to hit.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: He's seen us and he's about to hit you.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_01: All of a sudden, even subconsciously, a little move to the side means he has to make a tiny adjustment on contact.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and that misaligns the whole thing.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: And he's not, they're not conic aren't getting driven back like they used to anymore now.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_01: They're making it so hard to play against, and it means that the ball presentation then is better because you're the one on the front foot, then you're actually getting over the game line.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_01: You're not in the negative.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I noticed it in the Sarsens game, and I was like, maybe they've done this all the time, and I just haven't a clue about rugby.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: And then I was listening to another broadcaster, I think it might have been Luke Fitzgerald said us, he said, lads, watch Conock's feet in contact.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_01: It's unbelievable to watch.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: They are making it so hard to get any kind of drive-in behind them.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_01: The only thing that is still a problem, but this was a problem in 2016 as well, when they won the they're giving up so much scores.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_01: Like they've got to be.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: Well, 11 tries conceded in the last two minutes.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_01: Like they're giving up a lot, but they're it's kind of like do you remember those first couple of years under Jurg and Kloff and the club?
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: I was about to say, is this kind of the Liverpool thing going, we'll let them, we'll still score.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_01: So, like, my mami's saying, let them now score, and I'll score too.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so they they they they're is that Kieran Frawley's influence?
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_01: They've they uh the offensively, yeah.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's a huge influence on it.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, or is it Lancaster?
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_01: Do we are we listened to it?
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_01: It's Lancaster.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_01: It's Lancaster.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: This is Lancaster's second season with them now, and he's he has a team that all seem to be on the same page.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_01: They've got eight players in the Ireland squad now, but there's a reason for that though.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: The so Ireland are about to play Leinster on Friday night.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's Friday night to play in in the RC, right?
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: All the international who'd you say Connock's gonna play Lein's name, sorry.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_01: Connock's due to play Leinster uh this weekend, right?
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_01: Which should be a great game, but it's not going to be all the internationals are going to be in camp, so they're not going to be playing.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_01: I think for the first time ever that's actually going to suit Connacht because it seems like they have a player for every position who can come in and put in the same effort, and that is a depth that they've never had before.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_01: They have a whole new different back row, maybe number eight, it's hard to replace Janssen at number eight, like, but they have other sixes and sevens.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: They're maybe not as big a depth at second row as well, but the front row they've got great depth in.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: They've got a hooker who can come in and in victory can come in when he's not playing.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_01: And they have some backs as well that can cover the same, and it seems like Lancaster has got them all singing out the same hymn sheets.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_01: So the replacements are not as they know the play, they know the way to do it.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_01: They know the play and they know how we want to play.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_01: And that is the sign of a savage coach, and that seems to be Frawley is making a big difference there.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_01: He's got a real flair about him when he has to, but he's also a well-established international Irish number 10.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_01: Conoc never had that maybe.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: Conocts have not had that.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: And this weekend's game, and again, for the uneducated like myself, I mean I love rugby a follower, but I'm not too into ethical.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: Even though learning that little side foot step thing is cool to know about it.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, watch it next time.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Can Leinster Leinster Conoc's Irish players are not allowed to play this?
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_01: So they're just they're already in Irish camp.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so that's 17 Leinster players will not be weak.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, but like Leinster have eight academies, like they're like the restrooms, like the Chelsea dress room.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_01: It's just like which team might go on to today, lads, you know.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_01: But um, yeah, but like this is the first time ever.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: Connoct are going to have eight players in Irish camp.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: They've never had that before.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: So, like the thing is as a spectacle, it's not gonna be.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_01: I wish that they could draw up the season a bit better and go, lads, clearly in the URC, right?
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_01: The rivalries are the big games.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: So let's make sure that we don't have Leinster Connect on when there's an international break.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: I get you.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: You're missing out on that precise.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_01: Monster played Leinster last week and it was a phenomenal old school Leinster Munster game.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_01: Monster really if that game was this week, it would not have been yes, if that game was this week, it wouldn't have been the spectacle it was, like you know.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: And they're they're more accessible for people to go to a URC game most of the time.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure from a cost point of view and availability of tickets.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: So you're trying to go make the most out of that when you can.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_01: That that's the thing, yeah.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_01: So it worked out for them last week, whereas like it seems like to a certain extent contact to kind of draw in the shorts draw now because like a Conic Leinster game should be a no, they'll still sell out, like the Dex can might say, yeah, but you want to see that game being a big spectacle, and also you want to see can they put it up to them?
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I'd love to see Keegan Prendergas playing as a six opposite Ryan Baird, like, and go, who was more of an influence on this game now, like you know, because that'll be a great insight into internationals.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: I was gonna say it lays a real market to go, hold on, yeah, and like I know like we'll get into this the November uh internationals in a minute, but like you're kind of hoping that there's some new fresh lads coming in.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: The World Cup is up next year, so yeah, you're trying to go.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: There's a few older lads in that Irish squad the last couple of years, and you're going, are they are we holding on to them too long, maybe?
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: But you need fresh.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_01: I have a weird feeling, just you can call this now, whatever.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_01: See, 20 Pash one lads in October, October 28th, though, is it or whatever?
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I'm feeling like we'd I think we could see Bowen or Illo at the World Cup and not Finley Beatham.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_01: Like I think that'll probably end up being the case, you know.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: Bowen and Illo are both correct as well.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: So they're both kind of cross-sycle.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_01: For anyone that's kind of gone who I and the other thing is, well, sorry, one thing just to say before we move on, because I know if you're going to get on to the international thing, the Leinster Munster game last week that we were talking about, the who did it?
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_01: Was it Leeson?
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: Someone said I was grabbed in the crotch during the game.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_01: Coombs.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: Gavin Coombs said us.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Tyke Furlang is the guy who's been cited for us.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: Did you see is there evidence out there of this?
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_01: There is evidence of what happened, yeah, but there's no evidence of the grab.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_01: There's the so they're gonna have to review this.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_01: The so really what happened was Leinster rook slightly different than a lot of teams.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_01: So what they do is they go under a leg and then over a shoulder and they'll they'll knock it off the balance.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_01: It's a really effective way of rooking someone off a ball, knocking them off their balance, like you know.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: Furlong did that, he put a hand up underneath.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_01: You can't see then what happened after that.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_01: Coombs is saying what he was grabbed in the crotch.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: Now the thing is, I'm just preempting this.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_01: I I don't think Ty Furlong meant to do that if he did.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: I just yeah, no, no, it was Leo Cullen said something along the lines.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: I think Coombs was having second doubt or doubting it at the end of the year.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, no, yeah, but can I just say Leo Cullen, like you have to let due course happen here, like and Coombs didn't say it for no reason now, because he's about to get Tyke Furlong.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: Tyke Furlong is going to be cited here.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_01: If if Coombs all the November internals, he'll miss all the November internationals and he'll probably miss Champions Cup in December because the precedence was set last year by a South African player who did it intentionally and got a nine-game ban.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_01: So now all of a sudden the South Africans are on Twitter now and Instagram going, okay.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_01: Now come on, you you caught us for us.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_01: South Africa are the Donegal of the rugby world.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_01: They're just the victims and everything back.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_01: Everyone's against us.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_01: How many more people could I insult on this rugby podcast?
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_01: But that's but they're going, they're going, no, no, he needs to be sighted for nine games now.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_01: But uh, this is me with the Irish hat on.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_01: I have a weird feeling that Furlang, and I think that's why Gavin Coombs he might be saying he went back on, is that I don't think anyone knew what and I think Coombs thought he probably did.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_01: And maybe Furlang was like, I didn't know what I was grabbing.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_01: I thought it was a knee, it was a squishy knee, is what I thought I was grabbing, you know.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't know, or maybe he did, maybe Furlang.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, he doesn't have any history of Anthony like that ever since.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: It'd be an odd thing, yeah.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: It'd be an odd thing.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: That might.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_01: But anyway, the thing is now an Irish player is about to get another pair sided, and so he he's not doing it for no reason, like he thought it happened.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, yeah, and for Cullen to be going like, I don't know, he looks like he's backtracking all of a sudden.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_01: This is a very serious allegation, like a very, very serious allegation.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_01: All fun aside, it's grabbing someone in a private part, like, which is a serious allegation.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_01: I think Leo Cullen hopefully has learned, geez, I shouldn't have kind of called him a liar there, nearly.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: That's nearly what he was calling.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: Well, it it I wouldn't want to try and say, but he I just remember reading a quote of something along the lines of he wasn't maybe so sure after.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, he said, Oh, he's backtracking already on it, and you're like, hang on a minute here.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_01: Now, this is a very serious allegation.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: Leave it to the and I think that in fairness that was said though, that goof, there's a due process now.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, there's a due process that's ongoing now, like, so we'll see what happens.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: But like I look at Leinster, they've uh they've three wins now so far, but like, and I only watched highlights of the games.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Gibson Park, some of the passes they were ridiculous.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_01: Like, it's amazing when he's not there.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: There's a lot of pressure on Billy Gunn, like who's a young lad at Leinster.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um he wasn't great like in the Champions Cup, whatever.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: But uh, when you see Gibson Park flinging balls out like that again.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: I've seen a couple times like that.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: Have you ever seen that like it in your life?
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: It was absolutely mental.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: I couldn't have to be a few.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: Not once but twice.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_01: He did it on either side as well, I think.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and like thing about those passes is for a scrum half as well, is it's not like he's flinging them mad up into the air.
• 12:03
  SPEAKER_01: It's not the length that's the the it's the it's the accuracy and the ability to get a ball up but down just as quick.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_01: You can see him when he's throwing those passes, he's getting his his backhand up over the ball so that the spin he throws is it dips just as quick.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_01: Because you can't just fling a ball into the sky because a winger will be waiting for it.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: Like he has those telegraphed, they're un he's unbelievable.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: And the other thing about Gibson Park is, and it hasn't been shown the last little while, is that his kicking game is going to be so important against South Africa.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_01: If Ireland are going to beat South Africa in November, they need to make it quite nutritional and annoying.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: And the one thing that Arnold have been doing well is box kicking uh and up and under kicking.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: They need to challenge that back three and make the game a bit gritty there, where this ball is dropped or Ireland are winning ball, and Gibson Park's going to be so important as that.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_01: Now it's looking most likely that Sam Prendergast might be injured, so Frawley will get the start against Argentina.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: Well, he's a before man, I presume.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_01: And I I mean, even on farm, it's hard to know.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_01: The only thing that works against Frawley on farm is the fact that Farrell just loves Sam Prendergast, like you know, which is nothing wrong with that.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: That's just he is his favourite pick, he's always been his favourite pick until his hand was pushed last year when he had to pick Jack Crowley because Sam Prendergast was so, so poor, but he doesn't want to.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_01: Farrell wants to develop Sam Prendergast and wants to play him.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_01: If he's injured, obviously it's going to be Frawley.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_01: But if it's a 50-50 in the public eye, it's not a 50-50 in Andy Farrell's eye.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: It's Sam Prendergast.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, I get you.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_01: He's got that veto vote.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: He has it, like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: I'll just quickly dip into Munster.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, they had a great start against Slenster, they must have been all hyped up, but then they're not.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they've done that a few times now.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but they they ended up losing an 18-24 game.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_01: They've done that a few times, by the way.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_01: They're apparently their scoring rate in the first half is like phenomenal.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_01: They've scored like 82 points in the first five games in the first half against like 20, but then the second half, they keep capitulating.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_01: And maybe it's a dip, maybe it's a depth thing.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_01: They don't have the depth that everyone else has, and when you need that, those guys to come on the second half, Monster don't have it.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and even they played the game against uh Racing.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: That was Champions Cup.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_01: It was Champions Cup, yeah.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, and a lot of people giving out why was it in Parky Quive?
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it was um um Foley's uh anniversary as well, yeah.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: So like Yeah, I I like maybe they thought because of that uh as well that it was going to sell out at Parky Quive.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_01: And also like I just think um Ireland is struggling for really atmospheric venues when they're full, right?
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_01: Thorman Park when it's full is phenomenal.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_01: That game should have been in Thorman Park.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_01: It would have been far why would you build Thorman Park as as their home ground?
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: But it's the problem again in Munster, you see.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_01: Luckily in Connuct, it's it's to header to Galway, you know?
• 14:39
  SPEAKER_01: It's like everything's in Galway, that's the way it is, like you know, like there's no stadium here in in Saigo where you'd be going, why don't they bring some of the Conic games to Cygo?
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_01: Cork and Limerick are fucking rivals, and I know they both support Munster, yeah, but they both want to.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: You've got Musgrave down there, and now now you've got Porky Creave looking for some of the big big Munster games.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: Those big Munster games should be in Thomas Park.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_01: That's why it was built.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, that's why Thoman Park was built, it should be in there.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_01: Don't be mind going over to them JA stadiums.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: Haven't they enough?
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you mentioned Sligo, but then this could be completely unfounded by the time it comes.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_00: But like Sligo Rovers are developing a beautiful new stadium, and there was talk, maybe, maybe that will become a thing, then it could become something with you know conics playing the odd game there, which I think is good for developing uh new sports in new areas in a province, too.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: Can you imagine the community?
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: And if Sligo rugby club is doing is unbelievable.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: I was out at the facilities out there last week.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's unbelievable.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and the thing is like so that stadium that in Saigo, like that's getting publicly funded, like, and also getting funded from outside sources as well.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_01: Like, so it it it's it's a community entity.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so it can be easier to make it multi-sports.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_01: Saigo Rovers can't build this for 50 million and go, that's ours now.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_01: They're good, there's offices there, there's all kinds of stuff going putting being put up.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: And it looks amazing, it looks fantastic, and it would be very exciting if we can do it.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure, I'm sure everyone involved would only love to see uh multitude of sports.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: So, look, we'll just dip quickly into like the internationals, but the time we have another episode out, maybe they'll they know it'll be a good one.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so we have the last round of the URC and then it's the first game of the stuff.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we'll never mention very quickly.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: Ulster, again, like they're only in the challenge cup and they did beat Zebra, but Conock beat Zebra in the URC.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: So Zebra are one of those lower teams you did say here in the last show.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Connick played terrible against Zebra, by the way.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_01: And scored nine tries or something.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_01: They shouldn't be conceding.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_01: I think they conceded 30 points against Zebra nearly.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_01: 27.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_01: 27.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_01: You can't.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_01: That's bad.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's bad enough.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, okay.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_01: That's where they got to tighten up like that.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: And and I see Ulster conceded 21 points.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_00: So okay, so just again, I'm just love this learn a little bit more each time.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so the challenge cup like is really like uh Ulster don't belong in the Challenge Cup, like that's not good, like that they're in the Challenge Cup.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, they should be bigger than that.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_01: And they should be winning that Challenge Cup then.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_01: They should hold out to goal.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_01: We better win this if we don't belong here.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_01: Right, okay.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, you know.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_00: So going back to uh the Ireland squad announced, uh, you took a guest there, we put up on our social media.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, was it a 36-man squad in the end or 36?
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: I think I it was a 36-man squad.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: I think I got 32.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_01: And I got 32 out of the 32.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_01: So not bad going.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_01: Not bad going.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, not bad.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: Uh like I suppose the biggest ones is who's gonna be number 10?
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: Call it.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so if Prendergast is is injured, it will be Frawley.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, but if not, not at all.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_01: If it's Prendergast, okay.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_01: Prendergast will start to attend if he's fit.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_00: Right, okay, so that settles that.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, um, and obviously Jack Crowley's out as well, but Sheehan, uh a hooker.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and then again, this is me just watching highlights and reading a couple of articles, played at number eight, eight.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_01: He thought he thought it was a Dartle, I think.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah, okay, yeah.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_01: He ended up playing the whole game, I think.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_01: He didn't come off because he was kind of going, are you telling me I don't have to face three lads with a bunch of scrum anymore?
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_01: He was like, This is brilliant.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_01: I just have to grab two arcs at the back and push.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so so again, we are missing Calen Dorris and Jack Conan.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's right.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so is there a chance?
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, Sean Jansen will start at eight, so I think it'd be crazy.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_01: Sheen is not going to be if they put Sheen at eight against Argentina, that they won't.
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_01: It has to be Sean Jansen.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, so it's like that would be a kick in the teeth.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_00: It's like you can't do that.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_01: When you're playing as well as Jansen is, he's there on merit anyway.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: Like if you want him to develop as a good number eight, you have to give him it.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it'll be he'd there is three games, isn't it?
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_00: Argentina Fiji and South Africa, the sixth, the fourteenth, the twenty-one.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: So three weekends in a row.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: I think they're three Saturdays.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um no, maybe one's a Friday, but I don't know, it's easy to find that out.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_00: But you're going to give lads on the fringes more of a chance against maybe maybe a likes of a Fiji.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think everyone they should give that chance.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_01: You get the feeling that everyone will probably get a game, like you know, that's kind of the way it'll work.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_01: Like the Fiji game will be a lot like um will the young English fella from from Ulster get the start against Fiji, like, or is it a case that Frawley gets the start against Fiji if Prendergas gets it against uh Argentina?
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_01: You know, but he'll definitely get some minutes, that young Benson fella.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_01: Jamie Benson, is that his name?
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Jamie Benson and James McNabney.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know him at all.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: So now we're gonna do that.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_01: He's second row, I think.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_01: From he's from he's from Ulster, he's from like Antrim, like, or something like that.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_00: We were talking already, uh, Connox have got eight.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_00: Is that rewarding the great system they put in place?
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_00: Because there's only what three games into the season?
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: No, yeah.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: So like this or is it the way they're playing?
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_00: How how much on form is it picked down?
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_01: No, no, it's picked on form as well, like, but also it like so there's so many different ways that Conict are doing what they're doing, and obviously Lancaster is a massive coup to get its class to get him, but they're also in a transitional period now, Conic, where there are young players now are coming, like whereas after 16 they went downhill again because that team had its day then, like and peaked, you know.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_01: But now it seems like there's a lot of good young lads coming through.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like a lot of those guys are from Galway and Mayo, like that are coming to the show.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_01: Which is lovely to see.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I mean, we made another chat here earlier on about a local basketball player, and like it's kind of interesting to go, well, how possible is it for local lads to actually progress in their region?
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: Like it is.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_01: There's loads of them, there's loads of them coming through there.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_01: Like, but the uh yeah, no, it is they're they're there on merit, like they're not there.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's not like there's a load of people injured now, especially in the front row as well.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_01: Like, Ireland's front row is back to its full fitness, but the comic players are still getting into it, like into the squads.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_01: That's brilliant.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's good to see.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_01: That's brilliant to see, like, you know.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_00: No, no, uh, so yeah, I mean it's it's it's exciting, as I said, okay, it's it's not life or death kind of a championship, you know.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: We don't want to lose the six nations, but like the November internationals, but on top of that, then you're going, we're actually getting a chance to see some fresh new.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think that's what it is for these, even though they're calling it the nations championship or whatever.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_01: This is still these are still just the test matches, yeah.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_00: So, like to wrap up, what would you call what would be a successful November for Ireland?
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_01: I think you beat Argentina comprehensively.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't mean by loads of points, but comprehensive win.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_00: A commanding win and a good performance.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, the Fiji game then is that you blood in some of these guys.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_01: I'd love to see Illo and Bowen playing against Fiji.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: Um I think Keene Prendergas has a chance of being on the bench or even starting the first test.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: If he does that, he won't play against Fiji.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_01: If not, he'll start against Fiji.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: I get you.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: Prendergas is Keen Prendergas is phenomenal.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_01: And remind me of his position again now.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_01: So he's six, he plays six, like, so he plays, yeah.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just learning all these new players.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_01: Is it not even really watched the URCO?
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_01: So he has a chance.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I think there's I think if if we found out that he was starting against Argentina and South Africa, I think people go, yeah, yeah.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_01: He's well deserved.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: Like so uh what's our realistic chances of beating South Africa?
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_01: I would I'm very, very, very I I'm skeptical of a chance of beating South Africa.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_01: Right, okay, just can't see it happening.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_01: So if Arnold want to beat South Africa, yeah, you number one, you have to keep your penalty count down.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_01: You cannot let them get scrum in line-outs.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_01: Do not let them get scrum in line-out because otherwise the game is over.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_01: What happens is your pack and your front row are wrecked after a half an hour because they will obliterate you.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_01: Their front row will obliterate you.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_01: And then wear you down.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_01: And then whenever you're tired, then they bring on another seven forwards.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_01: Then the famous bomb's got essentially like that.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_01: So you can't, your penalty count has to be down.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_01: The other thing is I think Gibson Park and Sam Prendergast, or for all you ever starting at 10, have to kick the ball incredibly smart.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_01: We've got to play some Joe Schmidt rugby here now.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_01: We need to kick to keep the ball in their territory and keep them, keep it out of their hands.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_01: Make it annoying that they feel like they haven't got any kind of play going at all yet.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_01: You want them looking at the clock after 35 minutes going, we haven't had the ball in hand yet.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_01: Like they can't get out of going.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, play smart and don't get don't get into a fight with them actually.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, do not get into it.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_01: I think I think we I think Gibson Park has to box kick the life out of them.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just I keep this low scoring.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_01: If we're going to win, it'll be low scoring.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_00: I'm trying to find the um the odds here, but I can't find it quick enough, unfortunately, to see like I presume South Africa are the favourites.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_00: Huge favourites.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_00: Huge favorites.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_01: No, you can there's not huge favourites in a two-horse race, but in terms of a two-horse race, they're huge.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's as close as it gets, like, yeah.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_01: Like there's a huge gap.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_01: No, this is the thing.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_01: We can't like I I'm I'm I don't go all in on this current Ireland team, like, because I think a lot of the older statesmen are kind of on the way out, and then we don't know about the young lads yet.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, there's a massive gap between the top three in the world and everyone else.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_01: And that was not there.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_01: Three years ago, Ireland were top of the world.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_01: Right now, South Africa, New Zealand, and France are, I think, streets ahead of the rest of the world.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_01: And I think Ireland are leading the pack, they're like fourth on their own, but the gap between fourth and third, I think, is huge.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: So I would be very, very careful.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_01: And not get too overexcited.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_01: Don't get too overexcited about this Aren't team.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_01: But the one thing I will say is enjoy the time that we're in now in Irish rugby, though, because there's a turnover now.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_01: There's a huge turnover.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_01: Enjoy the new talent.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_01: This is the other thing as well, yeah.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_01: Like we have that young guy Benson, okay, so who came over, he's 24 year old, he's English, but he's already Irish qualified because his family are Irish, right?
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_01: Part of his family.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_01: So he came over to Ulster, and before he even kicked the ball for Ulster, Farrell put him in to an Irish camp in the summer because he knows what he's like.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_01: You've got Charlie O'Shea playing 10 in Munster.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_01: Munster, yeah.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_01: Mad confidence.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_01: This kid is mad confident and has a bit of crack about him.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: And then you have Frawley and Prendergast, you have Joy Carberry who's come back.
• 23:46
  SPEAKER_01: So we have a this is an exciting time for Irish rugby in terms of geez, what'll they do?
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_01: There's about five out halves there, right?
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_01: Also, Gibson Park is going to be done after this World Cup as well.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: So what happens next?
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_01: Is Craig Casey ready to come in?
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you've got Divine up in Ulster, who should be still a conic, but anyway, you've Rice.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_01: No bitterness at all.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_01: No, no, but you do it like, and then you've got a couple of young lads then, like in conics as well.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_00: Like there's so this member is this November, you're hoping by the end of it, a load of fellas have gained confidence and stood up and go, I'm I'm I'll be there for that Six Nations.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 24:17
  SPEAKER_01: That that's what you want.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_01: And then don't get too barred down by the South Africa result.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_01: It could be gratic.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, okay.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_01: If they get a hold of you, they'll blow you out of the water.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_01: And it's nothing to do with you.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_01: It's not that that's the gap.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_01: It's not you, it's just me.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's not you, it's them.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_01: It's Razzy.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, Mark, listen, uh, as always, it's educational.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_00: Uh this is what I love about this rugby show is I mean, as I said, I enjoy watching the internationals dip into the provincial sometime, but I'm more and more watching the highlights even and reading.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, but no, it's good.
• 24:44
  SPEAKER_00: And uh look at it, we will be back maybe next week, the week after.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_00: We might wait till the first round of the internationals to be over and we'll have a chat about everything that happened then.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: Lovely.