‘Tough times make monkeys eat red peppers’, as Dexter Manley used to say. Someone’s got a mouthful. Nom nom nom!
Everybody keeps passing Eddie Jones shit sandwiches and, refusing to accept them like someone avoiding a summons server, they’re just piling up around him and stinking the place out. But amidst the stink, the prickly little fellah is trying to put a brave face on it: “I’m enjoying it, loving it, absolutely loving it.” Continue reading
“OK,young lads against aul fellas. You stay here, Isa.”
In the Age of Aquarius, we looked at Cheika and Schmidt’s selections of young players at Leinster. The article’s genesis was based on another article, specifically the line “Henderson’s progress suggests that one of the prerequisites of a top provincial coach is the willingness to give young players game time and the ability to maintain competitiveness while doing so.” Continue reading
Les Kiss, the now former Director of Rugby at Ulster, did the state a hell of a lot of service – not in the Charlie Haughey way, and I’m not implying any infringement on the nature of cross-border co-operation in Irish rugby, or unduly politicising his role … Jaysis, probably should just say something else nice about him. I only have so many non-Simpsons quotes though.
It’s been a long time since The Demented Mole shook the dirt off his mighty paws and focused his myopia on once-proud Ulster. There was a background article in the works – there always is, it’s just that time and topicality seem to escape them – before Les Kiss resigned his post, but the timing of his departure set against the background of the Jackson/Olding trial throws the disfunction of the organisation into relief. Continue reading
Donnacha Ryan and Devin Toner celebrate Ireland’s victory over the All Blacks in Chicago. They’re neither the most complementary second row partnership that Ireland have fielded in the professional era, nor the most individually talented locks, but they’ve succeeded where more illustrious pairings have failed.
Given the number of headlines sent to print and the variety of plaudits doled out for Ireland’s performances in November, it has been telling that very few of those made a hero of Devin Toner, one of only two Irish players to have gone the full 80 minutes in the three games against Southern Hemisphere opposition. Continue reading
The force of nature that was Jacques Fouroux directs operations. Les Bleus are 5/1 for the Championship, unthinkable in the 80s and 90s.
One of the most remarkable examples of humanity was born in Corsica in 1769, supported the French Revolution and the formation of the Republic with its ideals of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. Napoleon Bonaparte was a rare combination of will, intellect and physical vigour who reorganised France itself to supply the men and money needed for great wars. Le Petit Caporal ruled France as Emperor for ten years from 1804 and was briefly reinstalled in 1815 before being deposed again. Continue reading
Thomas Hobbes wrote Leviathan during the English Civil War (1642 – 1651) and the book describes his ideas on the structure of society and legitimate government. Leviathan was very influential on Western thought, arguing for a social contract and rule by an absolute sovereign. Continue reading
I was presented with a copy of Tom English’s book No Borders and asked for my thoughts and here they are. Continue reading
Sly plays for the penalty shot in a Man-Up-a-Thon
Joe Schmidt obviously watched a lot of Top 14 rugby in his time coaching in Clermont and introduced the phrase “man-up-a-thon” to Irish rugby. It’s a great phrase and is immediately descriptive of a style of play that doesn’t warrant much evocation. Continue reading
Axel Foley’s Shogun
As Rob Penney departs for the Land of the Rising Sun, the Mole stumbled across a reference to an era of that proud nation’s history that struck him as appropriate for the times. Continue reading
Rubber Ducky, are you there?
As an occasional listener to sports radio, I’m often surprised by how much complaining is done post-match about the refereeing decisions. The ref got this wrong, he got that wrong ad infinitum. Given that there are many games each weekend in many codes, this allows for the same conversation to play itself out for hours over the course of the season with the names changing and the conclusion staying constant: the decision is made, the result stands. “They can complain all they want but France are going to the World Cup. Get over it.” Continue reading
Digging Like a Demented Mole 