COLDPLAY’S SOLD-OUT Croker gig on Saturday night dominated the weekend’s festivities in Dublin – but the next stop on their mammoth A Head Full of Dreams Tour isn’t until tonight in Cardiff.
So the lads got a bit of a break for a few days.
And Chris Martin spent one of them working out in Straight Blast Gym on the Naas Road in Walkinstown yesterday
Even has the tshirt on and all.
Famously run by Conor McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh, word must have reached Chris about The Notorious’s training regime and he wanted to be a part of it.
In a pun-filled Facebook post last night, Kavanagh wrote about the visit:
Had Chris In My Place today. It went Something Just Like This. He said the mats were too Yellow so trained in the ring. I thought I was in Trouble when he hit me at the Speed of Sound. I almost saw a Sky Full of Stars. I said relax mate I am The Scientist, Don’t Panic I will Fix You. Sadly we checked the Clocks and he had to leave. It was an Adventure of a Lifetime. Just another day in Paradise.
And Chris posed for a few photos in the ring too
It looks like it’s the Coldplay man’s final act in the city – where he’s been cruising his way around the capital being sound since he arrived.
He stopped for photos with this fan on O’Connell Street on Friday night – and promised to dedicate Fix You in Croke Park to a recently-passed friend of his
And he ran into this fan the same night who couldn’t get tickets to the show… so he just gave her some
Let’s hope Coach Kavanagh didn’t work him too hard.
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Written by David Elkin and posted on DailyEdge.ie
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Hopefully Frawley will get another run out this autumn.
Serious loyalty shown to POM… He needs to at least come on before the 70th minute. Very harsh/cruel on Frawley but good to see Prendergast given the opportunity – we need 3 quality 10s for the WC
@Andrew Slazenger: Sorry, but at the moment, I don’t even think we have one decent outhalf…
@Andrew Slazenger: I think there is even more explicable loyalty shown to Healy.
@Brendan Crowley: *inexplicable
@Stephen Lawlor: Maybe you’re right but we have exactly 3 years to fix that, quite a long time
@Brendan Crowley: Agree in terms of he’s not good enough at this level anymore and it seems they’re just giving him the caps record, but who else is there?! Every other option is injured or would be total newbie like Boyle, Wycherley or Milne
@Stephen Lawlor: I call BS
@Andrew Slazenger: The one thing you need to have to earn an international call up as a prop is size, which is why Buckley was never considered. Boyle and Milne have the size, Wycherly absolutely does not.
@Stephen Lawlor: Really??? Did we not just win a six nations and test in SA with Crowley at the helm. He also steered Munster to a surprising URC championship. One bad game does not make him bad player. We really are a fickle bunch in Ireland
@Andrew Slazenger: Similar to Henderson, Frawley was terrible last weekend and deserves to be dropped, so not harsh. Further proof he is a center.
If another back row comes into the match day squad, it should be to replace Ryan. Then, return Beirne to his natural position at lock.
@Brendan Crowley: there is very little to replace healy where as we have at least 2 blindsides in each province capable of stepping up.
@Eoin H: Agree but Wycherley is slightly bigger than Boyle, however he’s not international standard. Milne, Eric O’Sullivan or moving TOT to LHP could be good options
@John Buckley: not saying it wasn’t deserved but that it’s harsh/cruel reality of top international rugby, I just feel sorry for the guy. He’s not a centre, not big or fast enough, if he’s only played 10 his whole career he’d be where Crowley is now
@anthony davoren: I never said any were bad… let’s be honest though.. international rugby is the elite level…. none of the 3 are a ROG or Sexton… which of them will ever get to that level??
@John Buckley: disagree; much higher ceiling than Crowley who has suffered because of Munster’s problems this season. I fear Crowley is not the full ticket but I hope I’m wrong
@Stephen Lawlor: Did you watch any rugby before last Friday? Crowley and Frawley may have played badly last week but they have both been on an upward trajectory. SP is 21 years of age so excuse me if I don’t throw him on the scrapheap just yet.
@Stephen Lawlor: Sorry, but you literally said “I don’t even think we have 1 decent out half”. Decent is not excellent or great. It is just about above average and you said we don’t have one. Delighted if you want to reflect and clarify that you might have jumped the gun with an off the cuff comment but otherwise the only interpretation we are left with is that you think they are all bad!
@Andrew Slazenger: Don’t think O’Sullivan is good enough for international level.
@Stephen Lawlor: Rog and Sexton weren’t that level at their age, they developed into it. Especially Sexton
@Andrew Slazenger: the fact you are even mentioning Whycherly is a complete joke. It also gives a good frame of reference for your comment on Healy. He may be old and lack dynamism around the field. He is still by a very long way, the second best loosehead, in that he can actually perform the primary function of a prop and scrummage. Which is a very sad indictment of the other props in the Irish system.
Beirne is 32. He is wasted at 6, he hasn’t the pace to play back row. Surely Beirne should go lock beside Joe and pick an up and coming 6. Likewise for Peter. He’s hardly considered an “impact” player?
@Sean O’Maolain: Beirne is 6 foot 5 and not very heavy, he’s not going to be one of those locks that are kept into their mid 30s like a Retallick or Brad Thorn. His Ireland days are numbered
@Eoin H: how big was Brad Thorn?
@Eoin H: still dumping on Beirne. Did he refuse to give you an autograph in the past or something?. Your persistent negativity towards a guy who has been a class player in recent years is very hard to fathom. Write off Beirne at your peril – he is a top notch player.
@Eoin H: WOW, what a poor take this is. If anyone’s days are numbered it’s the lad in the 4 jersey that does sweet f** all game in game out. Beirne is 1 of Ireland most consistent players. I Stand by my original comment.
@Eoin H: His Ireland days definitely are not numbered. He wont play much in the second row with the Edogbos, O’Connell, Izuchukwu, Baird, O’Tighearnaigh & more coming through but the 6 shirt is his for the RWC 2027 unless he has a significant drop off in form
It’s tough on Frawley – I hope he gets to start Fiji game to put things right. My feeling is Prendergast is already penciled in to start that one and the best Frawley can hope for is a decent cameo. It’s harsh but it was a very bad cameo from him. Would like to have seen Izuchuku on the bench instead of PO’M. Glad to see Casey instead of Murray – we need to get more games into Casey to close the gap in experience
@Michael Corkery: Fiji’s 10 is a serious threat – perhaps the standout 10 from the Autumn fixtures so far. If Sam P gets decent minutes (20+) v Argentina and proves himself, maybe he starts v Fiji, but jury’s out until the final whistle on Fri night.
Frawley rightfully dropped. Can’t wait for the mental gymnastics of people saying he should get another chance. Billy Burns was banished for a single mistake, Frawley made multiple in the one game. At least Ireland weren’t winning when Burns came off the bench, the same can’t be said for Frawley
@5sZl1dX2: Jesus Billy, is that you?
@Conor: point out what I said was incorrect?
@5sZl1dX2: Frawley literally won Ireland a game vs the best team in the world in their backyard, comparing him to Billy Burns lol. You’d only love for Frawley to pull on a Munster jersey, probably wouldn’t be losing games to Bayonne u12 teams and Zebre then
@5sZl1dX2: frawley gone from hero to loser in your opinion,what about o mahony,useless last week and back on the bench this week,cant carry a ball to save his life.
@Eoin H: two hail mary’s don’t make a player.
@David Clarke: I’ll be the first to say it. POM, Healy, Murray, Henderson, Aki etc should be nowhere near an Ireland jersey. POM has been poor for a while not but I’d say it’s the absolute void that exists when it comes to leadership that keeps him in and around the squad
@Eoin H: Can you please point out where Munster lost to Bayonne too? Clown
@5sZl1dX2: Hail Mary’s? Drop goals under immense pressure in the toughest fixture on the planet? Crowley is warming Prendergarst jersey for him, Farrell cannot wait to get him out of the team. Not big enough, not fast enough, not a good enough kicker to play 10 at international level unfortunately.
@5sZl1dX2: imagine comparing Billy B with Frawley
@5sZl1dX2: we’ve come too far as a nation to argue over the merits of Billy burns as a 10. We’ve enough players there not to resort to that fella, who is just not at the level – which is confirmed by his willingness to take a backup role at Munster. He had more than once chance at the jersey and never set it alight. Frawley has the credit of a drop goal winner and 10 for the country’s best club. Regardless I think Crowley is the best option, and we’ll see how Pendergast goes – at the minute he’s a revolving door in defence.
@5sZl1dX2: if frawley deserves to dropped for his mistakes why is crowley starting?
@chris mcdonnell: easy Chris. Good question but you might upset snowflake!!
@5sZl1dX2: Frawley also won the match for Ireland v South Africa with two monster drop goals, but yeah, let’s engage in some mental gymnastics. Considering the hate Burns is getting from Munster supporters already, Keatley style, it’s funny how you now use him as a justification for your swipe at Frawley.
@5sZl1dX2: Is that you Michael Healy-Rae
@5sZl1dX2: why the hate for Aki, he’s been great for Ireland. Aside from a couple of handling errors he was one of the bright lights against the All Blacks.
@Matt Gilsenan: i am not saying he does but if you hold one player to account for his mistakes why not someone else.
@anthony davoren: Harry hates all things Connacht. Has described them as an embarrassment. In his previous username, before he got banned, he also celebrated Hansen getting injured v Munster, saying he hopes Hodnett targeted him on purpose.
@5sZl1dX2: Didn’t Billy get picked for the very next game after that mistake?
@Eoin H: you’re obsessed with Munster, Talking about the Bayonne match ?you probably don’t even know who Leinster played that weekend too busy watching Munster so you have fuel to complain about them.
@JoeVlogs: he hates anything not Munster, god help him but the fact he’s now defending Billy burns, solely on the basis he’s a Munster squad rotation player, is genuinely brilliant. A parody of himself.
@Eoin H: toughest fixture on the planet? A summer friendly? How did Frawley get on with the drop goals in the Champions Cup final? A game that actually mattered
@anthony davoren: he’ll be 37 by the time the next World Cup comes around. There should be no one over the age of 31 in the Ireland squad at the moment
@David Clarke: what a load of b0llox about POM came on at 71 minutes and immediately won his line out. Very little else that he could do after that. If you believe what you wrote then Henderson, Frawley and Osborne were no better.
@Conor: where have I ever criticised Burns in the past? Go back to my posts when it was announced Munster were signing him. I was glad of the signing. I’m mere using Burns as an example of a player that made a mistake and was banished (rightly or wrongly). At least we know if Farrell does it to Frawley, he’s consistent if anything
@JoeVlogs: exactly the same way that you can’t help showing your disdain for all things Munster. Harry should stick to commenting on the Temple Hill mini’s as he’s an embarrassment to the vast majority of Munster fans.
@5sZl1dX2: never said you criticised poor old Bill. Just seeing his name in a conversation about Irish 10s is a giggle. Do agree with your above point re the ages of the squad. No questions on whether Wallace sititi (just turned 22) was “ready” for the big stage. A good domestic season was enough. If only we had the same craic here. When is E Edogbo likely to return? Think he could be the man for the 19 jersey
@5sZl1dX2: By your reasoning, Crowley should not be picked again. He was unable to take any control of the game last week and did nothing with the ball. He never once kicked for position or tried to change the game when Ireland were under pressure. Frawley has a higher ceiling.
@5sZl1dX2: your right, it’s easier to list the teams who munster haven’t lost to.
@Eoin H: what a pity you ruin your point with partisan pettiness.
@chris mcdonnell: Crowley played very few mistakes and is the league player of the year and made 1 knock on from a poor JGP pass. Frawley on the other hand had a very poor cameo. They’re not comparable performances.
@Emmet Martin: Crowley is simply a poor man’s Ross Byrne. Except Ross can kick and Jack can’t.
@Conor: Edogbo is due back at the end of the month I think. If he gets an injury free run, he’s a shoe in for the Six Nations squad imo. Looking forward to high younger brother getting a run too with Munster soon
@chris mcdonnell: Cash in the bank and has proven it over the last year. Form may not be good at the moment but he is by far our best option at the moment.
@Emmet Martin: 1 knock on that was someone else’s fault? Are you really really jacks mother
Henshaw is a great player but he is short game time which was a contributing factor to our bench last week playing so poorly (Hendon, POM, herring had no competitive game time before this game). Osborne has been playing very well all year and has done enough to earn a start at 12.
I’m a big Crowley fan. I want him to be the future 10 but it’s still so up in the air because the others haven’t had a proper crack at it. I feel for Frawley here. He should have started this one. I was really hoping that we would learn a lesson from SA.
Mannie Libbok had an absolute mare of a cameo against Argentina so they started him the next game. Etzebeth said in a podcast that it was important for the team to back their team mates. Frawley has missed out on so many squads from injuries. This was the time to say right lad, park last week and let’s give you another crack at it.
@Gos9: I would put money that he’s been told he’s starting the Fiji game.
Squidge rugby did a very good overview of the match. Pointed out that Ireland basically had no front foot ball, which made their game plan obsolete. Incidentally, one of the only players to provide front foot ball was Aki (he also singled out VDF for praise), while the one player he faulted for the AB try was Ringrose.
@JoeVlogs: Saw that, the guy’s a genius analyst, the Ringrose spot was incredible, awful error from GR; he gave Hansen a free pass but I’d argue he too could have bounced out and back to the opposite wing sooner
@Andrew Slazenger: he made me feel a lot better about the result, and gave me a new appreciation for the NZ play. Don’t think Hansen did much wrong there tbf – he was playing his part in the system, and if he tried to change his role because another player wasn’t playing his, the system would start to unravel pretty quick. As it was, we only conceded the one try, so the defensive system normally functions well, provided all are on the same page. I think it was very much Ringrose’s fault, which as he pointed out, is uncharacteristic of him given he normally is one of those organising the defence.
I like Prendergarst, but I don’t like that on Frawley, dropped high balls and misplaced passes are something we rarely see from him, every player will drop a stinker in their career at some point. Especially what he did for Farrell in South Africa when the game was dead. Farrell shows enough loyalty to his bez buddies 30+ year olds may show some to the younger guys also.
@Eoin H: ah stop Eoin you’re talking nonsense there insinuating Farrell is picking lads cos he’s pals with them. That’s up there with Ray Ridge type of rubbish.
@anthony davoren: he’s not wrong though even Billy Burns got a several chances to right his wrongs….
@Eoin H: the issue was Frawley’s ‘compounded’ errors. Farrell values recovery from error big time, which is something Jack C has proven he can do. The best players can make the odd clanger, it’s how they react to that, and Frawley simply did not pass that test. Anyone remember Murrayfield when everything went wrong for Ireland and they fixed it on the pitch? Them’s the type of players that AF wants and he has been open about that. CF has a capital deficit to overcome I fear.
@Eoin H: Sam P was going to get a bench spot in at least 1 game this autumn and maybe a start. It is possible that this decision was made regardless of the performance last week. My money is on a Frawley start v Fiji or Australia.
@Eoin H: Actually misplaced passes were a hallmark of his game when he played 10. Was a big part of the reason Lancaster moved him to 12.
Happy enough witht he side. Giving players the chance to make up the poor performances of last week.
If POC can’t fix the lineout by the end of autumn internationals then he will need to go.
Aki, Murray and Henderson all deservedly dropped. Frawley can have no complaints either after that horror show.
@Aidan Farrell: Crazy to think I got attacked last week for suggesting the bench could lose us the game..
@Dave Moran: it was crazy alright, Dave.
@Aidan Farrell: Sam Binghim has gone into hiding since ive made him look like a complete an utter fool
Our lineout has been creaky, and injury enforced changes to the front row make the scrum look vulnerable. Argentina at 4/1 look good value to me.
@Phil O’ Meara: They were 8/1 last week, 5/1 yesterday and now at 4/1…
@Phil O’ Meara: The line out was the biggest issue last week. Cost us any momentum and gave NZ attacking ball from which they won multiple penalties. I think the non jump lineout has just cost Henderson any more international caps if I am honest.
@Paul Ennis: NZ consistently closed the gap in the lineout, only got called on it once. Doris should have been in the refs ear about. He’s relatively new to the captain’s role and will get more assertive with more game. Fixable issues imo in the throwing and lifting. Our scrum issues may be more difficult to solve.
@Paul Ennis: it’s always a disaster when Kelleher is throwing.
@Oran Burns: It was not a whole pile better when Herring came on. The lineout that Murray detailed in one of his articles was a disgrace and that was Henderson calling, Herring throwing. You wouldn’t see it in a J2 game.
Good to see Aki, murrary and Henderson dropped. Now if he keeps going next week and adds healy, pom and herring we might just start building for the future rather than living in the past.
Lord Ridge, prediction please
Massively underwhelming selection. We are in for a rude awakening. whether it comes against Argentina or Oz or more likely against England in the 6nations, it’s coming.
@Ross Watson: 2 debutants & a shepards hook for underperformers. What would overwhelm you??
@Paul Ennis: something more than swapping a 34 yr old for a 31 yr old in a starting XV.
Great to see Clarkson get his opportunity. He has worked away diligently at his craft, experiencing some tough times in the scrum. However he has persevered and with extra weight allied to good conditioning he has matured into a well rounded tight head. IMO he will continue to improve as he plays at the highest level.
@Tom Reilly: he’s a great advertisement for this new ‘no niq props to block young Irish players’ mandate
@Tom Reilly: One thing you can say about Leinster props like Milne, Clarkson and Boyle is their not lacking size, their all very well built. One major problem, I continuously point out is that the current Leinster scrum coach has not improved any of the Leinster props scrummaging in the 5 years he’s been here.
@munsterman: That is a fact Tbf. Especially when the Leinsters loose head minutes pipeline is literally being blocked by Healy so he can get his cap record. Slimani undoubtedly has helped Clarkson improve his scrummaging, it’s been notable
@Tom Reilly: his scrummaging is no where near good enough. His timing on engagement has given away at least 4 free kicks in the last while ( 2 in one game ) and sometimes he doesn’t even bind. I’ve seen him not even grab the jersey. Now i totally blame mcbride for that but still the kid is not ready.
@chris mcdonnell: You can’t keep having a go at the Leinster props Chris, Mcrbdye has been clearly a poor scrum coach for Leinster props in his tenure. Just look at how the All Blacks props scrummaging improved when Jason Ryan joined in 2022? The Leinster CEO loves mediocrity however which is why he’s given Cullen a two year extension and has kept Mcrbdye for 5 years
@Eoin H: i can and I will keep having a go at the leinster props until they cop on. And yes mcbride is to blame but a bit of cop on wouldn’t go a miss
Onto a different topic : just read that Felix jones has not been in touch with the English coaching staff and they think he is doing analysis but are not sure!
Now that’s impressive in so many ways
The fact that Argentina could hammer a fairly decent (full strength) Italian side away by 32pts, taking into consideration they rested Matera, Chocobares, Lavanini, Petti, S & M Carreras, Boffelli, Isa, Bruni, Deluge, Sanchez, De La Fuente, and Imhoff for that game is genuinely impressive. I’d imagine 3 or 4 of those players will be back in this weekend. They won’t be pushovers that’s for sure.
Let the SP mania begin, Irelands best outhalf prospect since JS
@Owen ODonoghue: he will miss a tackle and get slaughtered no matter how well he plays.
@chris mcdonnell: Based on your track record here I’d imagine you’ll be first in line with the butchers knife there Chris.
@PJ Smith: no not me. I believe he’s got the makings of a top class outhalf, he’s a little slight at the minute and doesn’t defend as well as the other 2 but final be fine. His biggest problem is he’s chasing the golden child’s jersey.
@chris mcdonnell: I think if he plays well enough, the whole country will get behind him. We are itching for a superstar!
@Owen ODonoghue: honestly in the forum consensus there’s more of a Frawley mania than anything else. Everyone constantly says he’s the heir to Sexton and that if he got more game time he would be amazing. On certain forums seen outrages calls for an investigation on Leo for picking Ross Byrne over Frawley. Hopefully that has stopped. The only commentators and players I’ve seen talk about the brilliance of SP are South African. I have seen a lot of players including RG Synman talk about the brilliance of SP.
Glad to see Clarkson given a place on bench..Think we are a bit short on props and need to start blooding a few more through
Here’s an Ireland outhalf for the future – James Humphreys at Ulster. A super young up and coming player – one to watch.
PoM adds nothing to the bench Beirne is it an international second row and not a future 6 .
Filling the bench with ex starters is not the key to the future .
Thus dropping Henderson Murray etc from the bench fully justified .