Bad beat/Moaning/Venting thread - It's the end of the world as we know it

[shrapnel]

This is the IT article.
Ireland fans slam ‘poor’ organisation at Rugby World Cup as stadium runs out of water in 36-degree heat – The Irish Times

****
As for 'insult to sport', I think Mystery Guest does have a point here. It was far below the minimum competitiveness you'd expect in a game branded as 'World Cup'.
Now this can happen in any game in any sport. Brazil can beat Cameroon 7-0, England cricketeers could bowl out Bangladesh for 30 runs in next months CWC etc.
But the difference would be that those wide margin results would be unexpected. Whereas Ireland v Romania was known in advance, with bookies hcaps in the vicinity of 60 points.
So imo, it's not a good look, and a fixture that ideally should not happen.

I don't know what the solution is though. There's seems to be a reluctance to have a smaller competition.
Comparisons are made with FIFAWC's and its 32 teams, but even with that number we still had countries like Chile, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Italy, Czechia, Sweden on the outside looking in last November - Countries that would be highly competitive and have previously made the final, semi-finals etc.

Whereas rugby seems to operate on the admirable basis that anyone who is in any way somewhat competitive (in the loosest meaning of the word) needs to be invited.
But that leads to some absolutely appalling match-ups that don't help either side.
In another universe, there's an incredible Rugby World Cup with 10 teams - 2 groups of 5, winners into semi's, 2nd and 3rd into quarter-finals. All 26 matches are compulsive viewing.
Or a 12 team competition with 3 groups of four and 8 going into quarter-finals.
16 might just about be fine but is stretching it.
20 is broken.

it's not a great look but those teams fought hard to be there through a gruelling qualifications process. Same as swimmers who get to the olympics and lose by 20 30 or 40 seconds in the 1st heat, or qualifiers in tennis who go on to lose 6-0 6-0 6-0 to the 150th best player in the world, athletics as well with 100m runners being 2 or 3 seconds down in the 1st round. the list in endless tbh.

those teams/ players/athletes grow from these experiences even though they are so far behind the best in the world, but just by getting there, they might get more funding enabling their sport to grow in the future.

i don't know what the solution is either tbh. but i still think they deserve to be there. Chile just got beaten by 30 points against japan. They're all semi pros, and it's their first time ever in a world cup. they fought their arses off and should be proud.

[dobby]

Since I've mentioned it and I know you're all dying to know here's the FT results

Rob Rainsford was the ticket winner on social media too, came back for day 2 with 10 bigs and worked his way to the final table. Always nice to see giveaway winners get a nice spin.

[MysteryGuest]

it's not a great look but those teams fought hard to be there through a gruelling qualifications process. Same as swimmers who get to the olympics and lose by 20 30 or 40 seconds in the 1st heat, or qualifiers in tennis who go on to lose 6-0 6-0 6-0 to the 150th best player in the world, athletics as well with 100m runners being 2 or 3 seconds down in the 1st round. the list in endless tbh.

those teams/ players/athletes grow from these experiences even though they are so far behind the best in the world, but just by getting there, they might get more funding enabling their sport to grow in the future.

i don't know what the solution is either tbh. but i still think they deserve to be there. Chile just got beaten by 30 points against japan. They're all semi pros, and it's their first time ever in a world cup. they fought their arses off and should be proud.

The literally do not deserve to be there- they did not qualify- they didnt meet minimum standard but got in on a technicality because a team who did fielded an ineligble player.
rugby chasing a pipe dream

[MysteryGuest]

Obv above should say ineligible- I can’t edit posts
as to your original question- AJ has it well answered

[MysteryGuest]

it's not a great look but those teams fought hard to be there through a gruelling qualifications process. Same as swimmers who get to the olympics and lose by 20 30 or 40 seconds in the 1st heat, or qualifiers in tennis who go on to lose 6-0 6-0 6-0 to the 150th best player in the world, athletics as well with 100m runners being 2 or 3 seconds down in the 1st round. the list in endless tbh.

those teams/ players/athletes grow from these experiences even though they are so far behind the best in the world, but just by getting there, they might get more funding enabling their sport to grow in the future.

i don't know what the solution is either tbh. but i still think they deserve to be there. Chile just got beaten by 30 points against japan. They're all semi pros, and it's their first time ever in a world cup. they fought their arses off and should be proud.

lol - I try reawwy reawwy hard every week just to break 90 in golf- nobody wants to see me teeing up in the masters.
it’s a shocking indictment of rugbys depth that these lads are in this tournament- it’s swimmer drowning in the pool at the olympics stuff- but sure it’s “helping the game”

[Micknail]

Fuck sake what a sick sick finish.

[Micknail]

Commentator on ITV saying Wales will take heart from seeing that game out, like fuck they will. Borderline choke of the tournament already

[Solksjaer!]

We suck at soccer . Some cowardly performance from some players not taking responsibility in the final quarter. Here you cross it.. At least our Rugby boys cant be accused of cowardice.

[MysteryGuest]

We suck at soccer . Some cowardly performance from some players not taking responsibility in the final quarter. Here you cross it.. At least our Rugby boys cant be accused of cowardice.

Mad that nobody on RTE has pointed out that due to Albania beating Portugal tonight there most likely is no euro playoff to fall back on.

they just need to play like brothers (and switch to a sport where fk all countries take it seriously)

[Solksjaer!]

Mad that nobody on RTE has pointed out that due to Albania beating Portugal tonight there most likely is no euro playoff to fall back on.

they just need to play like brothers (and switch to a sport where fk all countries take it seriously)

Or not piss the bed when you can cross a ball. We actually play like brothers - the Gallaghers.

[Raoul Duke III]

Commentator on ITV saying Wales will take heart from seeing that game out, like fuck they will. Borderline choke of the tournament already

Some craic in Bordeaux. Feeeeeeeeeeeeed me til I want no moooooooooore.

[balfejohn]

Mad that nobody on RTE has pointed out that due to Albania beating Portugal tonight there most likely is no euro playoff to fall back on.

they just need to play like brothers (and switch to a sport where fk all countries take it seriously)

Check ur facts it looks like Poland lost to Albania on my sports bulletin

Unless u are taking about women’s netball

[zuutroy]

I cant follow the qualification routes at all anymore since this Nations League thing started.

[shrapnel]

The literally do not deserve to be there- they did not qualify- they didnt meet minimum standard but got in on a technicality because a team who did fielded an ineligble player.
rugby chasing a pipe dream

what a load of rubbish. they qualified for the qualification tournament as they were 3rd in the rugby Europe championship, but Spain (who were 2nd) fucked up and therefore Romania took the second spot and qualified automatically.

Portugal (now 3rd following Spain's fuck up)took their spot in the qualification tournament, and also qualified for the world cup!

[6starpool]

what a load of rubbish. they qualified for the qualification tournament as they were 3rd in the rugby Europe championship, but Spain (who were 2nd) fucked up and therefore Romania took the second spot and qualified automatically.

Portugal (now 3rd following Spain's fuck up)took their spot in the qualification tournament, and also qualified for the world cup!

AJ is right though (as he usually is). Every RWC there are a few teams who will get hammered in pretty much every game. It doesn't really serve a purpose. Some teams do improve over the years, but it's hard to argue that shipping 70+ points a few times against the big boys is the catalyst for it. 16 teams would still give some outsider the chance, and while there would be some uneven games, not as many.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Smurfit last week, and now Kingspan bidding to become a global behemoth with another mega-merger proposal. Ireland Inc showing our sportsicles how to make moves and break hearts.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Today's album for the car. Rather excited. Managed to 'discover' Cyprus Hill only a few weeks ago.



MF-DOOM-Operation.jpg

[Solksjaer!]

I think we look somewhat selfishly at minnows in competitions like the RWC. There is a community of Rugby fanatics in these countries and to be given the chance to share the pitch with some of the greatest players on the planet is HUGE for these people and for those that follow it in their country. If It’s to grow , they need to take their hidings and come back and try again. There has to be a route for them , otherwise how can they set goals and targets for the years ahead. Italy are now starting to lose the total naivety they had in the early years. Rugby can’t compete with soccer for appeal . However going back to the early days of soccer, it wasn’t unheard of to have these huge mismatches. The RWC is new in comparison and who knows how big it can get with the right backing. Sure the Ireland of the 80s would have got hammered by Romania of today . (imo)
Soccer is the sport that is losing it’s soul at the moment sadly.
Also there is an argument to be made about the new generation of BIG kids. More suited to Rugby then Soccer. Also , sport in general should take off when you consider the effect AI will have on the workforce. Maybe Rollerball will finally surface -

It would be great if every match was a France New Zealand affair .

[Goodluck2me]

AJ is right though (as he usually is). Every RWC there are a few teams who will get hammered in pretty much every game. It doesn't really serve a purpose. Some teams do improve over the years, but it's hard to argue that shipping 70+ points a few times against the big boys is the catalyst for it. 16 teams would still give some outsider the chance, and while there would be some uneven games, not as many.

It’s true, I’ve been saying it for years about football too… why are these minnow South American teams allowed to compete?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=aE4BdIP6bvc&si=5wY3r7JH0VV0Ie9E

[6starpool]

Other than Japan, has any nation in the rugby world improved to a large degree over the last 20 years? Fiji are doing pretty well now, but Fiji have always bubbled in the second tier of teams. Often capable of a big game, but never likely to challenge, except in sevens where they are a very big fish.

[MysteryGuest]

Other than Japan, has any nation in the rugby world improved to a large degree over the last 20 years? Fiji are doing pretty well now, but Fiji have always bubbled in the second tier of teams. Often capable of a big game, but never likely to challenge, except in sevens where they are a very big fish.

I’d say there will be a great Romania team in 15 years or so-queues of kids out the door in Bucharest lifestyle sports to get the RWC jersey after Saturdays display apparently

[MysteryGuest]

If rugby was serious about developing nations they would have promotion/relegation out of the 6 nations but fans wouldn’t want to be off to Tsiblisi etc

[Raoul Duke III]

Other than Japan, has any nation in the rugby world improved to a large degree over the last 20 years? Fiji are doing pretty well now, but Fiji have always bubbled in the second tier of teams. Often capable of a big game, but never likely to challenge, except in sevens where they are a very big fish.

Ireland.

I don't know what it's like in the other host cities but the atmosphere in Bordeaux has been off the charts good, with the locals fully joining in. Off to Arcachon now for R&R.

Met the Gardai assigned here for the RWC last night, softest job ever. Basically their sole responsibility is taking selfies with fans while the French gendarmes look on jealously all the time nervously fingering their heavy weaponry.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Ireland.

I don't know what it's like in the other host cities but the atmosphere in Bordeaux has been off the charts good, with the locals fully joining in. Off to Arcachon now for R&R.

Met the Gardai assigned here for the RWC last night, softest job ever. Basically their sole responsibility is taking selfies with fans while the French gendarmes look on jealously all the time nervously fingering their heavy weaponry.

I actually worked with Heavy Weaponry over there. Good to see she's still in the biz

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

MysteryGuest seems to be trying to top the IPB misguided perspectives charts, currently occupied by that time HJ went on a mad rant about Dublins iconic double-decker busses.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Had a thought yesterday about coining people who are obsessed with replanting Ireland with only Irelands native dull-as-fuck plants as 'plant-nazis'. The way they talk about it though it does seem on a verge of salivating over ethnic cleansing.

[Denny Crane]

MysteryGuest seems to be trying to top the IPB misguided perspectives charts, currently occupied by that time HJ went on a mad rant about Dublins iconic double-decker busses.

He's definitely my biggest source of Rugby news.

[Degag]

MysteryGuest seems to be trying to top the IPB misguided perspectives charts, currently occupied by that time HJ went on a mad rant about Dublins iconic double-decker busses.

Can’t remember who it was but i’d say the fella who was saying Russia wasn’t going to invade, right up to the point they did takes the top spot.

[MysteryGuest]

Next sports event I’ll be jumping out of my couch for is Ryder cup- my European pride at an all time high thanks to the adigital market acts lumbering the likes of Meta,Google ,Apple et al with pesky regulations that they hate and EU too big a market to ignore - hopefully Apple get locked out of Chinese market too love watching greedy cunts getting done

050D1C53-6E70-4680-A823-A6953262C4D1.jpeg

[Solksjaer!]

My thoughts on the GOAT-SF (so far). I have to give it to Novak, some of the shots yesterday were a clear plan and change of tactics to win the game, was genius. He and his team clearly worked out this and he played it perfectly. Some of the shots were stunning. Nev was beaten mentally, although his refusal (until it was too late) to change his own approach was baffling.

[elbows]

Next sports event I’ll be jumping out of my couch for is Ryder cup- my European pride at an all time high thanks to the adigital market acts lumbering the likes of Meta,Google ,Apple et al with pesky regulations that they hate and EU too big a market to ignore - hopefully Apple get locked out of Chinese market too love watching greedy cunts getting done

050D1C53-6E70-4680-A823-A6953262C4D1.jpeg

I bought some new blue and yellow fish for the tank especially. Over under on McGinleys use of the word momentum would be an interesting market.

[Theresa]

Next sports event I’ll be jumping out of my couch for is Ryder cup- my European pride at an all time high thanks to the adigital market acts lumbering the likes of Meta,Google ,Apple et al with pesky regulations that they hate and EU too big a market to ignore - hopefully Apple get locked out of Chinese market too love watching greedy cunts getting done

050D1C53-6E70-4680-A823-A6953262C4D1.jpeg

Sky keeping running this preview show that shows a bunch of Brits who plan to head over there dressed up as banana man, all yellow and blue to show their undying support for Europe. Not a hint of awareness of the irony of it all. Is absolutely gas stuff.

[Ed]

Had a thought yesterday about coining people who are obsessed with replanting Ireland with only Irelands native dull-as-fuck plants as 'plant-nazis'. The way they talk about it though it does seem on a verge of salivating over ethnic cleansing.

As opposed to our current deeply diverse and exciting drive to have all trees and woodland be commercial forestry?

[MysteryGuest]

Sky keeping running this preview show that shows a bunch of Brits who plan to head over there dressed up as banana man, all yellow and blue to show their undying support for Europe. Not a hint of awareness of the irony of it all. Is absolutely gas stuff.

Absence of poults makes it so much easier to cheer on europe
hatton the only real test on the team now

[MysteryGuest]

Hatton only twat on team

[shrapnel]

Other than Japan, has any nation in the rugby world improved to a large degree over the last 20 years? Fiji are doing pretty well now, but Fiji have always bubbled in the second tier of teams. Often capable of a big game, but never likely to challenge, except in sevens where they are a very big fish.

portugal, spain, chile, Germany have all come along leaps and bounds, Georgia now is almost on par with Italy (not quite but close) without access to the six nations. Fiji is the best example with a team now in the super 12 doing really well, so they now have a fully funded 15s program which they never had before, and are the most naturally gifted players you can ever hope to have in a squad so will be a force to reckon with very shortly. Samoa and tonga also have a proper program and access now to aussie and all blacks ex internationals, so will be potential quarter finalists in the years to come if they have enough international play time.

Potentially, get SA in the 6 nations or a new tournament structure with a relegation system for other euros to compete in and for Georgia to qualify for, and get the 3 island nations in the mix with japan argentina aus and ABs in a southern hemisphere version. that way everyone wins

[pokerhand]

portugal, spain, chile, Germany have all come along leaps and bounds, Georgia now is almost on par with Italy (not quite but close) without access to the six nations. Fiji is the best example with a team now in the super 12 doing really well, so they now have a fully funded 15s program which they never had before, and are the most naturally gifted players you can ever hope to have in a squad so will be a force to reckon with very shortly. Samoa and tonga also have a proper program and access now to aussie and all blacks ex internationals, so will be potential quarter finalists in the years to come if they have enough international play time.

Potentially, get SA in the 6 nations or a new tournament structure with a relegation system for other euros to compete in and for Georgia to qualify for, and get the 3 island nations in the mix with japan argentina aus and ABs in a southern hemisphere version. that way everyone wins

That is a great suggestion, but the chances of that becoming reality is slim to none

[Goodluck2me]

If rugby was serious about developing nations they would have promotion/relegation out of the 6 nations but fans wouldn’t want to be off to Tsiblisi etc

Could disagree more, went to Tbilisi in 2019 and it was a phenomenal city, great people too. Would beat a weekend in Cardiff or dreary Paris for sure.

I’d say you enjoyed Malahy Clerkin’s article in the IT this week?

[Goodluck2me]

That is a great suggestion, but the chances of that becoming reality is slim to none

The 6N is such a guaranteed cash cow that it’s the envy of all other rugby nations, I don’t see much tinkering of that slot. Maybe a change to summer internationals though.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

As opposed to our current deeply diverse and exciting drive to have all trees and woodland be commercial forestry?

That's grand if they stop at the trees. But they don't. There's hedge-shaming, lawn-shaming. It'll end up with people judging/attacking garden centres that stock foreigner plants.

Also, we have a huge shortage of timber, so commercial forestry is a fairly obvious thing we should be doing more of not less.

[RichieM]

This is the IT article.
Ireland fans slam ‘poor’ organisation at Rugby World Cup as stadium runs out of water in 36-degree heat – The Irish Times

****
As for 'insult to sport', I think Mystery Guest does have a point here. It was far below the minimum competitiveness you'd expect in a game branded as 'World Cup'.
Now this can happen in any game in any sport. Brazil can beat Cameroon 7-0, England cricketeers could bowl out Bangladesh for 30 runs in next months CWC etc.
But the difference would be that those wide margin results would be unexpected. Whereas Ireland v Romania was known in advance, with bookies hcaps in the vicinity of 60 points.
So imo, it's not a good look, and a fixture that ideally should not happen.

I don't know what the solution is though. There's seems to be a reluctance to have a smaller competition.
Comparisons are made with FIFAWC's and its 32 teams, but even with that number we still had countries like Chile, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Italy, Czechia, Sweden on the outside looking in last November - Countries that would be highly competitive and have previously made the final, semi-finals etc.

Whereas rugby seems to operate on the admirable basis that anyone who is in any way somewhat competitive (in the loosest meaning of the word) needs to be invited.
But that leads to some absolutely appalling match-ups that don't help either side.
In another universe, there's an incredible Rugby World Cup with 10 teams - 2 groups of 5, winners into semi's, 2nd and 3rd into quarter-finals. All 26 matches are compulsive viewing.
Or a 12 team competition with 3 groups of four and 8 going into quarter-finals.
16 might just about be fine but is stretching it.
20 is broken.

Ireland no 1 ranked played Romania the lowest ranked team in the tournament. The margin is huge and very predictable.

it’s also likely an outlier for the tournament and the biggest margin we will see similar to the examples you posted above.

The Romanian guys have a shitty draw that their best shot at a game is against Tonga.

some of the lower ranked teams on the other side of the draw have a shot at qualifying from their group tho - italia 90 for those players.

nor really sure what your point is unless it’s that the soccer World Cup let’s to many uncompetitive Asian countries in to develop the game.

[Theresa]

Australia booked for a month Nov-Dec. Ending with Meredith Music Festival and a golf tournament we are sponsoring. Escaping the tundra. Means I have to sacrifice my trip home for Christmas but c'est la vie.

Am excited to get back and see old friends.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

I see the home-building front is looking a small bit positive. We should slightly exceed 30k this year. Which in turn should make constructing around 34k next year a decent proposition. Obv we need a 70k run rate on homes in the mid-term, but its looking like we'll get there.

Realistically anything more than a 10% increase per year is a bonkers ambition that simply can't be done because of the amount of moving parts that all need to simultaneously increase by 10% to make that happen.

The clusterfck that is An Bord Pleanala seems like the biggest problem out there. They are now approving at a slower rate than the replacement rate. Given that loads of existing permissions will be unviable, and that will always be the case, the whole thing could come grinding to a halt until they sort that out. There was another story about them in the papers yesterday that they are taking well over a year to approve offshore windfarms, which strikes me as a bit mad given the farms are in the middle of the fucking ocean.

Heard that water and ESB is also a huge issue, that people just can't get connected to water or ESB for love nor money. There's seven brand new council houses in Newpark, in Foxrock, right beside three great schools, and have been vacant for a year because they can't get Irish Water to turn up and turn on the mains. Despite the fact its a fucking housing estate and the single house that was turned into seven houses was connected to water.

[6starpool]

I see the home-building front is looking a small bit positive. We should slightly exceed 30k this year. Which in turn should make constructing around 34k next year a decent proposition. Obv we need a 70k run rate on homes in the mid-term, but its looking like we'll get there.

Realistically anything more than a 10% increase per year is a bonkers ambition that simply can't be done because of the amount of moving parts that all need to simultaneously increase by 10% to make that happen.

The clusterfck that is An Bord Pleanala seems like the biggest problem out there. They are now approving at a slower rate than the replacement rate. Given that loads of existing permissions will be unviable, and that will always be the case, the whole thing could come grinding to a halt until they sort that out. There was another story about them in the papers yesterday that they are taking well over a year to approve offshore windfarms, which strikes me as a bit mad given the farms are in the middle of the fucking ocean.

Heard that water and ESB is also a huge issue, that people just can't get connected to water or ESB for love nor money. There's seven brand new council houses in Newpark, in Foxrock, right beside three great schools, and have been vacant for a year because they can't get Irish Water to turn up and turn on the mains. Despite the fact its a fucking housing estate and the single house that was turned into seven houses was connected to water.

They should just wave their hands and build fine houses where people want them for 60k a pop. That's what SF will magically do in a couple of years, be grand.

[ArmaniJeans]

Ireland no 1 ranked played Romania the lowest ranked team in the tournament. The margin is huge and very predictable.

it’s also likely an outlier for the tournament and the biggest margin we will see similar to the examples you posted above.

France Uruguay is +57 with the bookies. New Zealand Namibia is +68. South Africa Romania is + 70. That's 3 of this weekends 8 games that are expected annihilations.
So I'm not sure it's correct to say Ireland Romania is a tournament outlier.

The Romanian guys have a shitty draw that their best shot at a game is against Tonga.

some of the lower ranked teams on the other side of the draw have a shot at qualifying from their group tho - italia 90 for those players.

nor really sure what your point is unless it’s that the soccer World Cup let’s to many uncompetitive Asian countries in to develop the game.

I accept Romania have the worst of the draw, but if it wasn't them it would be someone else - Portugal or Chile perhaps. It's inevitable when the bottom 3 or 4 teams are so off the standard.
My soccer point was really just to counter (a boards.ie point) the idea that because soccer has 32 that rugby having 20 is fine. Difference being that soccer is so level worldwide that even with 32 we leave some big names outside. Definitely not a dig at Asia - with Japan, Korea, Australia and to a lesser extent Saudi Arabia, Asia has generally held its own and is rarely embarrassed.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

They should just wave their hands and build fine houses where people want them for 60k a pop. That's what SF will magically do in a couple of years, be grand.

Indeed. And yet also arguing that €420k per home to rebuild a McMansion in Donegal is not enough.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

sigh

Meanwhile, Irish primary schools devote twice as much time to teaching religion. ethics and moral education – 10pc – than the OECD average of 5pc. Ireland spends more time on the subject than any other country in the 38.

[6starpool]

Indeed. And yet also arguing that €420k per home to rebuild a McMansion in Donegal is not enough.

Their meeting with reality if/when they govern will be quite something to behold once they get past the threshold of the 5 or so years they spend blaming FF/FG for things they can't fix.

I hope I'm proved wrong when they get in and they are able to fully fix health, housing, education etc without bankrupting the country, but I'm highly sceptical. A strategy derived from "make apple/higher earners pay" won't work either. If they develop policies that make it far less attractive for the big companies to do business here they might permanently kill that particular golden goose. I'm sure it has to be possible to spend money better, but that will inevitably mean cuts somewhere, and proposing cuts aren't really in their wheelhouse.

Staffing shortages in teaching/health are a bigger problem for more people than housing imo, although housing has a much louder voice in recent years, but they are linked too. Having more houses for people who need them, or to have better options for private sector renters is a part of the shortages in staff. I don't think fixing housing fixes the others, but it helps.

[Degag]

It’s quite the dilemma. I expect them to be terrible and therefore want them to be terrible to prove my point. At the same time i don’t want them to be terrible because it will negatively affect me.

We’ve seen the affects of a terrible party with poor policy, who made terrible decision after decision, who are totally morally bankrupt across the water and it’s not good.

[Solksjaer!]

When I am King, safe and secure accommodation will be mandatory and controlled by the government. There should be ZERO people on the streets who do not want to be there. Housing would be tackled but there should always be an option for a person left hopeless and broke. At the moment the hostels are dangerous places so it’s safer on the streets. How much would security cost to make these places safe. People will be searched for weapons and drugs entering the place. If you want to do drugs without rehab, you are making that choice, no entry. Of course healthcare is important however I’ve seen 1^st hand with my mother recently what a great job the hospitals do carewise. It’s not perfect but compare to other supposed 1^st world countries. (admin is the biggest problem here imo, get rid of the excess, free up millions). If you take care of the needy , people will have more faith in the government. You have to act like you care and not just talk . A poxy winter lies ahead for some folk.

[6starpool]

Nice and easy, cut the HSE admin to get rid of the excess. Why didn't anyone else try to do that over the last 25 years?

If any of the problem areas had easy solutions they would have been tackled and done years ago.

[Solksjaer!]

Nice and easy, cut the HSE admin to get rid of the excess. Why didn't anyone else try to do that over the last 25 years?

If any of the problem areas had easy solutions they would have been tackled and done years ago.

I know but id be King - there is that

[Goodluck2me]

Nice and easy, cut the HSE admin to get rid of the excess. Why didn't anyone else try to do that over the last 25 years?

If any of the problem areas had easy solutions they would have been tackled and done years ago.

I have close family on this on the front line so to speak and the biggest driver of the inefficiencies are the absolutely rampant medical-legal industry, which makes treating people harder as the workload for treating:documenting is falling all the time, more and more senior doctors are spending their times writing and re-writing policy and covering themselves for any eventuality in case their actions, however much in good faith, will be sorely tested through the legal system if someone decides to bring a case.

It’s not unlike the traffic death argument last week in that we need to accept some level of negative outcome in life without always having someone to blame or to pay for it, especially the state. It’s making the medical profession less and less attractive, as you now have the mix of longer hours, less respect from the public and higher chance of being litigated leads to huge amounts of stress.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

The best health systems in the world would have more administrators, not less. Its such a mad idea that a bunch of autist medicos should be running a hospital. And is maybe symptomatic of the excessive confidence of doctors that they think a hospital would be better run without administrators. As someone working in a large organisation that is largely run by academics rather than administrators, I can attest that its a woeful idea to put non-administrators in charge of admin jobs. Covid vaccine rollout was a prime example of this - something that was 99% good administration, 1% medico-monkeys sticking needles in peoples arms. The more you have good administration the more you have well-functioning health care.

Now - obviously we don't actually have great administration*, but that's separate to the need for good administration, which tends to be conflated in this tory-lite desire to torch the admin function of a health system.




* one random case in point was the six months we were waiting for an inspection for our youngest as the relevant department had moved into a new building but had nowhere updated their new number, nor forwarded their old number to the new number, so our doctor was leaving messages with them for six months on a phone message service with no indication that it was not functioning.

[MysteryGuest]

France Uruguay is +57 with the bookies. New Zealand Namibia is +68. South Africa Romania is + 70. That's 3 of this weekends 8 games that are expected annihilations.
So I'm not sure it's correct to say Ireland Romania is a tournament outlier.



I accept Romania have the worst of the draw, but if it wasn't them it would be someone else - Portugal or Chile perhaps. It's inevitable when the bottom 3 or 4 teams are so off the standard.
My soccer point was really just to counter (a boards.ie point) the idea that because soccer has 32 that rugby having 20 is fine. Difference being that soccer is so level worldwide that even with 32 we leave some big names outside. Definitely not a dig at Asia - with Japan, Korea, Australia and to a lesser extent Saudi Arabia, Asia has generally held its own and is rarely embarrassed.

Hear hear - it’s a farce
next 6 games are pretty much guaranteed tonkings- would never get that in a fifa World Cup or euros- still won’t get it when real World Cup moves to 48 teams- though I think move to 48 will finally be the one that spoils it- don’t like the 3 team groups

actually rugby more like intercounty GAA in that sense massive gulf in class and resources that people hilariously try to deny exists when you point it out which renders the main competition a jeopardy free snoozer for the majority of the earlier rounds

[MysteryGuest]

I’d say you enjoyed Malahy Clerkin’s article in the IT this week?

Yeah was good- needed to go in harder with the shoulder to the head- good for the times though

Malachy Clerkin: Please, rugby. Don’t ruin the Rugby World Cup for the rest of us

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2023/09/08/malachy-clerkin-please-rugby-pretty-please-dont-ruin-the-rugby-world-cup-for-the-rest-of-us/

[Solksjaer!]

The best health systems in the world would have more administrators, not less. Its such a mad idea that a bunch of autist medicos should be running a hospital. And is maybe symptomatic of the excessive confidence of doctors that they think a hospital would be better run without administrators. As someone working in a large organisation that is largely run by academics rather than administrators, I can attest that its a woeful idea to put non-administrators in charge of admin jobs. Covid vaccine rollout was a prime example of this - something that was 99% good administration, 1% medico-monkeys sticking needles in peoples arms. The more you have good administration the more you have well-functioning health care.

Now - obviously we don't actually have great administration*, but that's separate to the need for good administration, which tends to be conflated in this tory-lite desire to torch the admin function of a health system.




* one random case in point was the six months we were waiting for an inspection for our youngest as the relevant department had moved into a new building but had nowhere updated their new number, nor forwarded their old number to the new number, so our doctor was leaving messages with them for six months on a phone message service with no indication that it was not functioning.

In a world where AI is being brandished about as the new workforce. I’m surprised at the comment.

The problem lies in the efficiencies . Sick days for example are basically paid holidays. My brother works in the HSE, he’s covering 3 jobs as 2 of his colleagues are out on long term leave, the type of leave that woudn’t get you a couple of days in the private sector. These can’t be tackled due to fear of the Unions. The entitlement in the public sector is beyond belief at times.

Anyway it’s absurd to compare a University to a Hospital . Admin in 2023 using 1980s work practices . Looking for a new Stapler, fill in these 5 forms and get it approved. Throwing staff at it is just burning money but sure isn’t that we were are best at.

[Strewelpeter]

Hear hear - it’s a farce
next 6 games are pretty much guaranteed tonkings- would never get that in a fifa World Cup or euros- still won’t get it when real World Cup moves to 48 teams- though I think move to 48 will finally be the one that spoils it- don’t like the 3 team groups

actually rugby more like intercounty GAA in that sense massive gulf in class and resources that people hilariously try to deny exists when you point it out which renders the main competition a jeopardy free snoozer for the majority of the earlier rounds

9-0 in some international soccer match last night would if extrapolated to typical international Rugby test score be c. 225 - 0

Just as that extrapolation is meaningless so is any comparison to Soccer WC.

[Strewelpeter]

That is a stunning part of Spain La Vuelta is going through today, will definitely have to go soon.

[Theresa]

9-0 in some international soccer match last night would if extrapolated to typical international Rugby test score be c. 225 - 0

Just as that extrapolation is meaningless so is any comparison to Soccer WC.

Loada nonsense.

That match last night was a qualifying match for a top tier tournament.

The discussion so far has been about the actual tournament itself. No one is saying that smaller nations like Romania shouldn't attempt to qualify, and take their hiding if thats what it means. What people are saying is that including those nations in the actual tournament finals ruins the credibility of the tournament as a competition. A smaller tournament with a certain level of competitiveness expected is much better than blowouts for the game and the spectacle.

No one wants to watch the smaller nations get battered, but everyone wants to watch competitive nations give it a rattle. A la Japan last world cup.

Can't really believe people are trying to justify it tbh.