Rugby World Cup 2011

[mc_grens]

Sky+ it!! 6am my back side, get up at 9am and just turn on the TV Guide, green button and away you go!

Not the same when it's not live.

[trileacman]

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.

I agree with most of that actually. My whole attitude towards it is just that we shouldn't take them lightly. It's the result of being a Derry Football supporter!

One thing I'd add is this: The Welsh are setting huge store on Warburton. I'd love to see Ireland repeatedly sending Ferris and O'Brien rumbling right over the top of him to undermine their confidence.

The experience Ireland has brings humilty and Kidney has prepares his sides to respect the opponent. Ireland won't under-estimate them but they won't fear them either and why would they.

Interesting point about Warburton, there is a lot of pressure on his shoulders, he is too young to lead by words so if his game goes belly up Wales will probably follow suit. As long we keep them behind the gain line it will nullify his game and any bit of luck he'll make himself a nice early target at a ruck for O'Brien or Ferris...and then bang!!!!!

I believe Dinny is a bit too optimistic but then again he has a Rangerover and a horsebox. Don't understand the hype around  Adam Jones, I think he and the other tight 5 are no great shakes (with the exception of Wyn-Jones who is good but inconsistent). Warburton is a good groundhog, the like of which Ireland do not have. Ferris is an aggressive tackler and Obrien and Heaslip are ball-carriers. Heaslip has partly been filling this role for a while, hence the few quiet preformances. That back row could trouble us.

Phillips has always threatened Ireland but Murray should counteract him well. Wales back three are lethal in attack but suspect defensively. Halfpenny and Williams are small men and would not appreciate Bowe thundering down on them. I'd like to see them tested in the air also.

On the Irish side, O'Gara, Best, Donncha and Kearney are our liabilities. Donncha is a notorious penalty magnet and needs to continue his good run, however fate would tell you he's due a bad day any weekend. O'Gara is defensively suspect, always has been. Roberts, Priestland or Phillips could make hay down the ten channel. Best carries an injury, if it affects his previously dodgy throwing we could see serious trouble. Our best thrower cried off during the first week and Cronin is poor with the darts. Kearney has done well so far but he is just back from injury, no way he can be at full speed like the other 13.

[muppet]

A bit more of this would do nicely:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/15181639.stm

[sammymaguire]

Sky+ it!! 6am my back side, get up at 9am and just turn on the TV Guide, green button and away you go!

Not the same when it's not live.

ah but still, f**king up the whole weekend (Sat night at least) by being wrecked (with the possibility of Ireland not winning as well) and you can fast forward through the crap bits at half time too...

[NAG1]

Ive heard some sickophantic crap in my life but that article takes the biscuit.

[Hardy]

That's so good it should be a real word.

[Billys Boots]

I think it's a very nice (new) word.

[Capt Pat]

I beleive Ireland have this one in the bag. Wales like to do what they do and can beat anyone on their day but sometimes you need to be pragmatice and pick your best most experienced game players. I would prefer to see Ryan Jones, Lee Byrne, Stephen Jones and Hook on the team ahead of Lyidate, Halfpenny, Priestland and maybe even North. It is not the way to approach a world cup QF imho with all those inexperienced players. It might click for them and they win easily but I doubt it.

For that reason and the current form of the Irish team and our track record against the Welsh I expect a win that is somewhat comfortable if not on the score board but more comfortable than it should have been.

The Welsh backrow is light weight and that could give us an edge in physicality up front which is what this game will boil down to. If we can win the fight up front O'Gara and the backs will do the rest.

It is also clear that Wales will look to move the ball out wide creating a more open game. While this might work against mammoth South African and English packs against the Irish it just plays into our hands too much. Sean O Brien Heaslip Cian Healy and Ferris could really thrive carrying the ball in a more open game. Equally in the backs just thinking about the damage Bowe, O Driscoll, Kearney and Earls could do against lightweight Welsh defenders is exciting me.

Reading the form line is a tricky business beause we have been playing different teams but I think ours is better and I will predict

Ireland 32
Wales 16.

[AQMP]

Irel v Wal - Ireland by 6
Fra v Eng - France have been so woeful you couldn't back them. England by 3
SA v Aus - Saffers by 10
NZ v Arg - All Blacks by 20

[Donnellys Hollow]

Fcuk it. We'll hockey them.

Ireland 30
Wales 5

[anglocelt39]

Real stuff starts now folks, no holding back, no covering up ,no whipping boys against which you can rest a few key players. Ozzies look like they have their strongest available on the park against the Boks on Sunday morning, might be tempted to make an early start for that one

[Capt Pat]

Irel v Wal - Ireland by 6
Fra v Eng - France have been so woeful you couldn't back them. England by 3
SA v Aus - Saffers by 10
NZ v Arg - All Blacks by 20

The Aussies are pretty much back to full strength. I think that is important to their chances and they will win by 10.

[muppet]

Irel v Wal - Ireland by 6
Fra v Eng - France have been so woeful you couldn't back them. England by 3
SA v Aus - Saffers by 10
NZ v Arg - All Blacks by 20

The Aussies are pretty much back to full strength. I think that is important to their chances and they will win by 10.

Semis prediction:

Ireland v England
Australia v NZ

[thewobbler]

Ireland by 10
England in extra time by 3
Australia by 12
NZ by 8

Ireland v Wales should go the same way as Ireland v Italy, except Wales shouldn't fall away to the same extent. I fully expect Drico to do the business for the umpteenth time.

France and England has the potential to turn people off rugby for good. England are all set up for a territory game. France have flair out wide, but won't get many opportunities to use it. They'll get plenty of penalties though, so their kicker will decide this one I think.

I don't rate South Africa. They're the England of the Southern Hemisphere. If Australia run at them from South Africa's half rather than their own, they'll have too much class.

Without Carter, the NZ vs Argentina game could be a surprisingly attritional affair. Argentina really have to prove their worth to the tri-nations, and this is the biggest opportunity they'll get in front of the whole rugby world.

[J OGorman]

Ireland v France

France have the potential to be brilliant, England are as one dimensional a team as Ive seen since I last watched Scotland

NZ v SA