When men were men and shorts were short
England take on France in Paris on Sunday in a match that used to define the tournament. Continue reading
Didn’t You Used to be ‘Le Crunch’?
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Category Archives: Six Nations
Ow! Captain, my Captain?
Paul O’Connell’s injury deprives Ireland of their captain at the same time that Brian O’Driscoll is missing. Under Eddie O’Sullivan, this was an absolute disaster – the team relied hugely on its two main men. While the injuries almost certainly make Mike Ross the most important man on the Irish team, they also provide others with a chance to stake a claim. Continue reading
O’Connell Out, Irish Lineout Holed Beneath The Waterline
O’Connell had another great game against France, and it turns out that he played half of the second half on one leg. He has been one of the three best players on the pitch for Ireland in every game thus far, and while some have raised a few questions over his decision-making as captain, his on-pitch performances have been of the highest calibre. He has been the standout second row in the tournament and has cemented his place as one of the best in the world – in The Mole’s list, there’s James Horwill of the Reds and Australia, Pato Albacete of Toulouse and Argentina and O’Connell of Munster and Ireland. Continue reading
The Tide Has Risen
SdF - not as good as it looks?
Ireland’s draw in Paris was underwhelming after leading by 11 points at half time but the Six Nations has a distorting effect and the result seems better the day after. Continue reading
France 17 – 17 Ireland – Match Reaction #1: Halfbacks
Francois Trinh-Duc: the French outhalf struggled to put shape on the game when the Plan A – Bash It Up The Outhalf Channel – fell on its face.
The Mole thought in the build-up to the game that the absence of Yachvilli was overplayed by some commentators. Parra is such an accomplished operator in his own right, and is perhaps a little more dangerous as a runner. However, Yachvili has a wealth of experience that Parra can’t yet hope to compete with, and it showed in a couple of circumstances. Continue reading
The Backrow Debate
When is this guy going to get his Radio Oscar for services to humanity? He should have been Pope, Ted. Or at least president.
How do I love Off The Ball? Let me count the ways: a lot.
It really is a highwater mark for Irish sports broadcasting, a one-program golden age. As a man who turns off an awful lot of radio programming in double-quick time, Off The Ball is the one regular transmission which not only escapes the cull, but is [occasionally] actively sought out on the morning after. Continue reading
Je Ne Sais, Mate.
Splintered from his early partnership with the unpredictable David Knox, Michael Cheika’s pragmatic streak grew wider and wider as his career at the head of Leinster progressed. Continue reading
Territorial Army
You might say that this is a one-off incident, but it betrays all the hallmarks of a team that are not thinking on the pitch, or don't understand what they're doing, or are badly coached.
It seems from his post-match comments after both games that Kidney is very, very big on establishing position on the pitch before every attack. No shit, eh? Well, sometimes it’s interesting to hear the coach talking about how Ireland are trying to play the game, because it can be difficult to make out from the action on the pitch. Continue reading
O’Shea’s Stock Rises
Render Unto Caesar that which is Rightfully Caesar's
Have you heard the one about the Irishman, the Welshman and the Scot? They’ll be picking England’s next rugby coach… Continue reading
Mr Rugby in the Green and Pleasant Land
Sports broadcasting changed with the introduction of Sky and the Premiership in the early 90s. Sport was packaged as entertainment, with an array of pundits and experts. Personalities were focussed on and things changed. Continue reading
Digging Like a Demented Mole 