@bhhooker.bsky.social

THREAD: Having won the Grand Slam, as World No.1 - beating the World's No2 and 5 on the way - winning each game by at least 12 points, Ireland are looking good going into RWC 2023. With the U20s aiming for another Slam today, the future is bright going into 2027 aswell...

I genuinely don’t understand the furore of this. It’s the most blatant textbook forward pass in the history of forward passes.

Friday and Casarin were excellent, and Casarin will likely get my vote. Luka Keletaona would have been the French name I would have expected to see, but I didnt study France as closely. Dalziel was very strong for Scotland. Josh Neill not getting a nomination seems odd

@bencoles_ @CharlieFelix How much impact did the Lions tour have on the tournament? With reference to tiredness but also Ireland’s best two wins coming from Farrell being able to see Scots/English up close last summer?

Recording a post-Six Nations Q&A episode tomorrow with @CharlieFelix for The Rugby Bunker. So, let's have your questions please...

@patmccarry Let’s go Cian Prendergast. Hugely underrated

My predicted Ireland team to face Scotland ☘️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 O'Toole, Sheehan, Furlong McCarthy, Ryan Beirne, JvdF, Doris JGP, Crowley, O'Brien, McCloskey, Ringrose, Baloucoune Osborne REPS: Kelleher, Milne, Bealham, C Prendergast, Timoney, Conan, Casey, Frawley

@Oom_Rugby Also mention for how accurate that kick is from JGP. It’s more infield than normal, and Freeman is on the wing and has to run diagonal to get it. It’s also deep enough that Steward moves into it, but not deep enough that he should claim it. That’s why there’s no backfield cover

and why did those spacing and nominating mistakes happen? it all come from this Ireland contestable. Itoje made a chargedown attempt and LCD was in the ruck, so they have a excuse for being further back. but many England players is just jogging back... bearing in mind if Ireland catch the ball - which they do - then England is playing 7 vs 15. the guys in the red circle is out of play and will now have to suddenly scramble back to get into a D shape. but setting up a D shape when you in a rush mean you don't have that precious moment to "set" correctly. to get your bearing, space out, and talk. hence comms and spacing issues just after this. reason for jogging back? I think it can be hunger and desire, and work rate problems. but also interesting in this new age where teams wait for "scraps" from the contestable, it can create situations where too many players is hanging back and then taken out of play if the kick is caught.

S P A C I N G It was easy to pin blame on individual error in England team , but usually deeper than that. Look below for the Baloucoune try. Ireland playing from a ruck to the right. Genge , LCD, Chessum and Curry is the inside wall. Already we can see Chessum pinching inwards onto LCD's man , which make Curry doubt that he can swim past to pressure the deeper reciever.

In 2023 France played Ireland in the U20s World Championship Final 🏆 the contrast in progression of those teams is stark 😬 Irish players are colour coded by province (black is Ulster) French players are colour coded by currently TOP14 (yellow) or currently ProD2 (blue) 🎨 1/2

@patmccarry Would you stick with your rating of his game on Thursday after going more in depth on his involvements?

Sam mixed the good with the bad, blissful and bonkers in Paris ☘️🇫🇷 Really wanted to dig into his performance, and how his teammates backed him up, or let him down Went in-depth on this one. All feedback welcome 🫡 Full story here ✍️📽️ ⬇️ dirttrackersrugby.substack.com/p/the-cold-har…

Crichton to defect to Australian rugby for World Cup tilt smh.com.au/sport/rugby-un…

@LeinsterClub Max Deegan was an unused sub as well

Congratulations to Ulsters Nick Timoney on breaking into the Irish team. Great to players from other provinces. In other news, the 2013 Leinster School Senior cup was wild

Still not sure why World Rugby changed the laws to encourage high speed collisions in the air again. There were so many red cards from this a few years ago.

Caolan Englefield was Irish eligible and played for the Irish U20s

Has anyone got any alternatives to Tribe? Something with lineups and scores. Sofascore is drunk

@alexshawsport sent you a DM

Irish lock Liam NcNamee has been named in the Spain U20 squad for the upcoming World Cup. Carrick on Shannon RFC man McNamee, who has family roots in Valencia, played in Sligo Grammar School and with Galwegians. McNamee recently featured for Connacht in the Junior inter-pros.

@nfluk_tickets That device got in. There were no €150 tickets left together for 3/4 people

@nfluk_tickets I just got 4 after being 33000 in the queue. There were a decent amount left, which gives me hope to trying to get 3 more on the next device that was 70000 in the queue

Has anyone actually successfully bought tickets today??? This queue is as bad as the London ticket sale.

@tiernster @neil_treacy @bernardjackman @jonnyholland10 He was living in Leeds whilst at Leinster bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-un…

@BHHooker @neil_treacy @bernardjackman @jonnyholland10 Commute ? Was he doing that in Leinster ?

Recording the RTÉ Rugby podcast with @bernardjackman and @jonnyholland10 at 10am this morning. 📩 Get your questions in...

The decision was correct. A clear obstruction, and it occurred at 79:11 on the match clock. So if we’re going to go back half a minute for that obstruction, essentially declaring any play beyond that to be Null And Void, then give us back the time. Just a thought. #STOvCON

There are *many* franchise level flyhalves I’ve seen in my time watching SA rugby that cannot execute this pass consistently. Up steps Blanckenberg at hooker. First receiver. Thunderbolts it.