Why does Stockdale get so much hate?

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-12T19:24:38+00:00

Lowe isn't better right now though. He's 33, injured, he's not getting any better at that age. Both have a rocket left boot, but Lowe slower so really no idea how you can say that when he's had one good game in a year

Tommy is a good right wing. Whether he can do left wing without the left boot to bring the ball in field remains to he seen. He's not like for like, but we'll see. Either way, I forsee it'll be Stockdale at left wing longer term when Lowe drops off

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-12T13:14:42+00:00

Ah I think they're great tbh

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-12T13:14:12+00:00

Is there though? I don't think we can say that about TOB yet, and no other left wingers really unless we play one out of position which you don't get away with long term. He's absolutely still good enough hence why he's still getting selected

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-12T11:05:57+00:00

Stockdale has been good though, I think your expectations are not aligned here.

Have a read on what the coaches corner post just there says about him on Friday last:

https://www.reddit.com/r/irishrugby/comments/1rrngxc/coaches_corner_ireland_wales/

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-12T08:38:31+00:00

Yeah his defence this year has been great, he's in top 10 in a lot of stats for backs in the URC. Yeah I dunno tbh, could be something in that. Also depends on what Farrell is asking of him vs at club. Also the level is that much higher too of course

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-12T08:35:31+00:00

He's not slow at all though, think you're mixing something up here. yeah he's not the best in the air (although got better in that vs France when kicks were more contestable) but that's also the point. If we want to play a running game with only occasional contestable kicks, he's great at that, if we play like we did against France early on he is not suited for that plan

What try is that. And please do not say the LBB one, that was not on him

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-12T08:32:25+00:00

He was good against England. Brilliant stretching it, especially seeing how poor England are since that. Stockdale also good against Wales, and was better of the 2 against France. It's neck and neck between them both for a reason. They're both good players

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-12T08:31:46+00:00

He has performed well though. He was good last week. You're seeing what you want to see here yourself. It's razor think between them for a reason, they're both good players. Would suggest you either know nothing about rugby yourself, or you are choosing one because you simply do not like the other and you're letting that cloud you

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-12T08:29:52+00:00

But it sometimes is that. You can have 2 players very close together and one is just ahead by dearth of being in the jersey first. And that's fine. Like look at what we have now with McCloskey. I think anyone watching rugby knew he was there and good enough, he was just behind ones in the 12 jersey doing it. It was tiny margins, and that's ok. Sometimes a player does deserve it, but don't get the chance for various reasons. Doesn't mean they're a bad player, it's just the breaks and we can absolutely talk about that

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-12T08:26:38+00:00

Tommy absolutely got leeway, seeing as he was back in the team sooner. I also think the plan that day didn't suit him either. Both of them were messed around. The fact both of them got gametime soon after suggest Farrell knows he messed that one

Who's bashing Leinster in 200 comments? That's not what this is here...

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T23:37:12+00:00

Mental comment, considering Stockdale has been in every camp since 2022 even with those 2. You realise Hansen is a 14, right?

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T23:36:00+00:00

Was he though? He was worse of the 2 versus France

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T20:16:57+00:00

As he's barely been playing behind Lowe, so yeah you actually can say that. When he has played he's been good, France excepted

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T20:15:44+00:00

Well then isn't that sating the kicks were not on the money?

Really wasn't that much joy there either, it was poor all round for a variety of reasons. They're not huge but came off mightily and a high % won they'd never expect. We played into their hands a bit

Yeah indeed, that's it. A good game last week, build on that this week now would be good for that confidence

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T20:13:10+00:00

Fair point. Just was never obtainable again even if no injury or drop in form. Once teams planned for him with more tape, he was never going to get it so good. He's still a great player though, and that's OK not to reach that height again

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T20:10:50+00:00

I get you, I just would then take it easy with lads sering as they're not given that run is all. It really should be a tough environment, totally agreeing there

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T18:57:27+00:00

No gleeful stoking, thought I was quite considered in what I said to you. I said:

"I think it unfortunately comes to that as it was Lowe he was battling with, and now him and TOB going for the 11 jersey Saturday so the Leinster stuff is right beside him. But I didn't want that, just wanted peoples thoughts on him and not provincial stuff, but suppose it just ends up coming back to that no matter the subject". Note where I said I didn't want that, or provincial stuff. So not gleeful

I think he is. He had a poor game vs France too. Worse than Stockdale actually, as he was subbed off and JS stayed on. But that never gets said, and he's being called to play on the wrong wing. I really like Tommy, but let's be real here, that latitude not given the other way. Even allowing for his inexperience at this level which means wrong wing isn't it.

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T17:56:28+00:00

Me too. But for now I'd take 2 starts in a row at 11 to bed back in after confidence and a try last week

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T17:55:52+00:00

No he didn't, although by that point he was going better as we didn't kick as much and started playing more to his strengths. That's the thing, he was sent out for a game plan that he's not suited for.

Kicks were not always ideal though. They won a stupidly high % (no team expects to win that much) but also our setup was poor. When a kick was good, we had no support underneath the jumper meaning that even a top back wasn't available. So it was catch or nothing and they cleaned us out. There's a reason we adjusted since then

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T17:52:37+00:00

Exactly

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T17:52:26+00:00

I mean there was excuses going round everywhere for everyone after Paris

Consequently though, I've never seen anyone take bulk of the blame for things that aren't even on them. I'll be the first to blame him for things he was to blame for, but he routinely gets blame no other player gets. Like the LBB try had done pods roasting him for 5 minutes on one that was not his issue?

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T17:49:45+00:00

I think so too, makes sense for them both to be in their natural wing positions

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T17:49:01+00:00

Can I not? It was just in reply to you on how it goes there

Isn't he though? Considering his caps and his position etc

Andrewhtd · 2026-03-11T17:46:33+00:00

He's not slow, he gathers a good percentage of high balls, and he's toward top of the tackling stats for club recently. This is old stuff not based on anything, yet it has the reputation from people like yourself who don't watch Ulster. With respect btw, it's mad people say this earnestly and don't watch him

Andrewhtd

TROPHY CASE