Rugby World Cup 2011

[Celt_Man]

Not too surprising seeing the same team lined out for Saturday.  Hopefully Best pulls through and is alright.  Can't bloody wait and for once the 6am kick off actually suits me better then a 9.30am one!!

[sans pessimism]

l'd love 2 see the same team start but tbh the AC joint is a tricky little devil.I know some guys that had a similar problem and it took ages to get over it, but fingers crossed

[haranguerer]

Its prob been said a few times over the page, but I havent time to search, jsut want to check, the winners of Ire v Wal meet Eng/Fra, is that correct?

[AZOffaly]

Yep

[Overthebar!]

What's the craic with Tuilangi and his mouthguard. Can anyone tell if it was a 'sponsored' mouthguard or a 'branded' mouthguard.

One would tell me that he did it on purpose and the other would be an easy enough mistake to make! Although to be fair it shouldn't really happen in the proffessional era!

Screenexile:

http://www.3news.co.nz/Mouthguard-manufacturer-to-pay-fines-of-Tuilagi-brothers/tabid/1534/articleID/228356/Default.aspx

[Gold]

l'd love 2 see the same team start but tbh the AC joint is a tricky little devil.I know some guys that had a similar problem and it took ages to get over it, but fingers crossed

No way can he play--looks to be bluffing that he's ok in training on the TV

Speaking from experience--you need more than a week before thumping into tackles never mind the pressure in the scrum

[Dinny Breen]

#seanobrienfacts trending on twitter:

Scientists believe that a big bang created the universe, they also believe a big bang from Sean O'Brien could end it.

Ryanair pays Seán O'Brien €40 each time he looks at their website.

The "S" on Superman's Shirt....stands for Sean O Brien

Sean O'Brien didn't join Twitter, Twitter joined Sean O'Brien!

"When Sean O'Brien was born he burst out of the womb and took down 2 obstetricians and a gynaecologist."

Rhianna left that field because Sean O'Brien had bales to make..

[muppet]

Bono no longer sings I still haven't found what I'm looking for

[Capt Pat]

Wales have named their team it is a more lightweight and inexperienced version of Wales. Lydiate is at blindside instead of Ryan Jones. No Hook, Steven Jones or Lee Byrne who doesn't even make the panel. We now know their gameplan is to move the ball. I am happy as I don't think it is their best team.

Jenkins
Bennett
Adam Jones
Charteris
wyn Jones
Lydiate
Warburton
Faletau
Philips
Priestland
Shane Williams
Roberts
Jonathan Davies
North
Halfpenny

[Aerlik]

Deathly silence in Australia, presumably in anticipation of impending defeat against the boks.  I was in a S.African foodplace yesterday and had quare craic with a few of the locals.  They are so looking forward to kicking Aus arses on Sunday.  Going to be some craic again in the Mighty Quinn on Saturday with our game and then, hopefully, the French beating the poms.  That's Saturday abandoned 

[bcarrier]

If we can beat Wales then I will be hoping for an English win. No matter what disarray the french are in they seem to beat us whereas ( since 200) we have a deadly record against the chariot boys.

[mc_grens]

Wales have named their team it is a more lightweight and inexperienced version of Wales. Lydiate is at blindside instead of Ryan Jones. No Hook, Steven Jones or Lee Byrne who doesn't even make the panel. We now know their gameplan is to move the ball. I am happy as I don't think it is their best team.

Jenkins
Bennett
Adam Jones
Charteris
wyn Jones
Lydiate
Warburton
Faletau
Philips
Priestland
Shane Williams
Roberts
Jonathan Davies
North
Halfpenny

These are the players who've done well so far in the world cup. They were a heartbeat from beating South Africa and looked very good in their other games. It's a formidable team that presents us with challenges we haven't faced yet in this tournament.

[Dinny Breen]

Wales have named their team it is a more lightweight and inexperienced version of Wales. Lydiate is at blindside instead of Ryan Jones. No Hook, Steven Jones or Lee Byrne who doesn't even make the panel. We now know their gameplan is to move the ball. I am happy as I don't think it is their best team.

Jenkins
Bennett
Adam Jones
Charteris
wyn Jones
Lydiate
Warburton
Faletau
Philips
Priestland
Shane Williams
Roberts
Jonathan Davies
North
Halfpenny

These are the players who've done well so far in the world cup. They were a heartbeat from beating South Africa and looked very good in their other games. It's a formidable team that presents us with challenges we haven't faced yet in this tournament.

They are not formidable, they have done well but they lost to a South Africa side that came last by some considerable distance in the Tri-nations. That game sums up Wales for me, they are mentally weak and when it came to closing out that game they couldn't deliver.

Only Philips, Adam Jones, Wyn Jones and Shane Williams were involved in their last Grand Slam in 2008. The Welsh players have failed to deliver at club level consistently, when it comes to knock-out rugby the majority of the Irish squad can look at least 2 Heineken Cup medals, the Welsh players can't.  Wales have only won 3 times against Ireland in 10 years including only once away from Cardiff. Ireland are favourites for a reason.

Wales game plan is all about using their centres to generate go-forward ball and the using the off-load to get their back-row and back-three running into space, crucially this off-load is generally done before contact. D'Arcy and O'Driscoll are the key defensively and the much maligned D'Arcy (by me) has found his form and his channel will be the key defensively and if our back-row (Heaslip is doing some amount of work at the break-down) are on their game we can and will slow down enough of their ball to deny that quick ball Wales love. Wales don't have a plan B, they can't go back to their pack because their tight 5 aren't good enough and their back-row are all very loose and not a hope they will match the physicality of the the Irish back-row.

Forget the hype about Wales, they really love building themselves up. Ireland have the edge physically, mentally and experience wise. Ireland will win and I think they will win well.

[sans pessimism]

Apparantly Best has been named in the starting 15

[screenmachine]

Your a great man for inspiring confidence Dinny...lol!  Hopefully everything goes as swimmingly as you have suggested.

They've named Best but I can't see how he can start if he has done his AC joint.  It will be rightly tested in a scrum/tackle anyway so if he does start he may not last that long.  Hope he pulls through though as he has been immense thus far to be fair.