Wait'll you hear what somebody told me at the Birther Rally the other day ...
More xenophobic nonsense from the Independent’s resident hick hack, but the real highlight is – of course – yet another gratuitous plug for Dolphin RFC. Oh, haven’t you heard? The hooker on the Irish U20s is from Dolphin, Fergburger’s club. Better find a way to get that in somewhere. Continue reading
Mark Tainton at RWC11, when he was just plain old kicking coach.
Mark Tainton doesn’t get a huge amount of media coverage. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t get allowed out to talk too often, as he doesn’t seem to subscribe to Declan Kidney’s “give them nuthin” approach. Continue reading
Stuff Tighthead Locks Love #1: Mauling
The Mole had a right little outburst of smug chuckling when Will Greenwood described kick-offs as ‘almost like a new set-piece’ in his analysis of the Munster vs Northampton HEC Round 6 tie. And he is moved to a similarly snide smirk at Gavin Cummiskey’s article in yesterday’s Irish Times.
Les Kiss – not one of his better days
It seems really distasteful to criticise Les Kiss. He comes across as a hell of a nice guy and a chap absolutely brimful of integrity. He has been the most innovative defense coach in Ireland’s history and his demeanour, his depth of knowledge about how the game is played at the highest level today and his record all point towards ideal head-coach material. Continue reading
French rugby looks to be in a good place. Runners-up in a World Cup Final they could have won, playing in spite of a coach who had led them on the most bizarre journey over the previous three years; now coached by an experienced and well-liked former international who has been around the houses and never talks bombastically. France sit comfortably as favourites for the 6N championship. Continue reading
The Boys From The County Hell
“Be careful what you wish for: you just might get it.”
What a terrible, hack-ish way to start off. Don’t worry, it’s all straight downhill from here.
Connacht went into the game against Harlequins, the last game of their inaugural Heineken Cup campaign, with nothing to play for but pride. That seemed to do it for them, however, as they put in a monumental effort to deny the high-flying leaders of the Aviva Premiership both the win and the chance to go to the quarter-finals. Continue reading
Billy Holland: just when I thought I was out, they ... pushed me further out.
The Mole was watching the Munster vs Treviso game at Thomond Park on the idiot-box a couple of weeks ago, and was struck by one selection call in particular. Niall Ronan hobbled off just before halftime, and he was replaced by … Donncha O’Callaghan. Continue reading
He'll be airbrushing people out of team photos next
You’d imagine that Declan Kidney actually talks to his players some of the time. Is that just me? Am I way off? Continue reading
This week’s Gossip From The Mart is brought to you by the letter X.
X is for Xylophone 
(from the Greek words ξύλον — xylon, “wood”[1] + φωνή —phonē, “sound, voice”, meaning “wooden sound”) is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden (not steel) bars struck by mallets. Continue reading
The Mole wrote a series of bad-tempered pieces relating to the IRFU document regarding future policy towards non-Irish eligible [NIE] players before Christmas. Quite baleful [bile-fuelled?] stuff, actually, and not entirely concomitant with the holiday season. As a result, they never saw the light of day. UNTIL NOW … Continue reading
Digging Like a Demented Mole 