The IRISH RUGBY thread

[tyroneboi]

Its getting like the end of Eddie O'Sullivans time where the team is more or less set in stone and the only time it changes is through injury. Saturday is going to be a long 80 mins. The ABs will take a 25-30 point lead then clear their bench with Carter and McCaw et all being taken off. Disappointing selection overall but there aren't many alternatives which ultimately is the most depressing thing.

[DuffleKing]

What's the story with Geordan Murphy?

[Donnellys Hollow]

Eddie O'Sullivan blew this crop's only chance of making an impact at a World Cup in '07. Had Kidney that group of players back then I think we'd have at least one more Grand Slam and we certainly wouldn't have been humiliated by France and Argentina..

In fairness to Kidney, it's hard for him to justify bringing in the likes of Toner, Ross, Donncha Ryan etc when they're not first choice with the provincial teams. There's too many average enough overseas players plying their trade in Ireland at the moment that are stunting the development of young Irish talent. Any players that do go abroad in search of first team action seem to be forgotten about then - Trevor Brennan, Bob Casey, Timmy Ryan, James Downey etc.

Mick O'Driscoll was rarely considered when he was playing week in week out at a high level with Perpignan. He then comes home to sit on the Munster bench and suddenly he's back in the Ireland squad......

[INDIANA]

Toner does start at lock this season for leinster. Its a poor call.

I can understand his persistence with Healy. Healy is in nappies in prop terms and he has to learn

Kearney I cant- Been found out.

Heaslip is also playing like a drain at present.

Dont get the Reddan thing. Paul Marshall looks class for Ulster but he cant start for them. Thin on the ground here

Fitz should be in the centre. move BOD to 12.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Toner does start at lock this season for leinster. Its a poor call.

Would he not be behind Hines and Cullen if they were both fully fit?

[Main Street]

......Any players that do go abroad in search of first team action seem to be forgotten about then - Trevor Brennan, Bob Casey, Timmy Ryan, James Downey etc.

Mick O'Driscoll was rarely considered when he was playing week in week out at a high level with Perpignan. He then comes home to sit on the Munster bench and suddenly he's back in the Ireland squad......

Re the exclusion of foreign based players, is that not a semi-official IRFU line which the coach is "persuaded" to tow in line with?

[deargdoom]

Re the exclusion of foreign based players, is that not a semi-official IRFU line which the coach is "persuaded" to tow in line with?

Seems that way. Sure when Bowe signed for the Ospreys, O'Sullivan told him he was throwing away his chance of an Ireland career (even though Eddie had left him out of the 07 world cup squad)...last laugh and all that...

[Dinny Breen]

robbed from leinsterfans.com

[gallsman]

Fuckin' Sexton! Stephen Ferris may talk this match up a lot but I'd be surprise if Ireland keep this to 25 points, weather permitting.

[screenexile]

Anybody going to this tomorrow? The girlfriend got me tickets and I am looking forward to seeing the stadium and watching the All Blacks. . . I wish I was more optimistic of us putting up a half decent fight though!!!

[Dinny Breen]

I will be going for my sins, looking forward to watching New Zealand not so much Ireland 

[trileacman]

Team for SA
Saturday 6th Nov.

15. Rob Kearney
14. Tommy Bowe
13. Brian O'Driscoll
12. Gordon Darcy
11. Luke Fitzgerald
10. Jonathan Sexton
9. Eoin Reddan
8. Jamie Heaslip
7. David Wallace
6. Stephen Ferris
5. Mick O'Driscoll
4. Donncha O'Callaghan
3. Tony Buckley
2. Rory Best
1. Cian Healy

Weak looking front 5 but the SA are also suffering numerous injury woes. That front row is diabolical. Two men who can't scrummage and a hooker who can't throw. I can see our set pieces going to pot. They are 3 brilliant players in open play but that won't save us! Nice shape to the backs but I dont think Reddan, Kearny or D'arcy are up to it this weather.

The boks:

Gio Aplon; Bjorn Basson, Zane Kirchner, Jean de Villiers/Patrick Lambie, Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn, Ruan Pienaar; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Deon Stegmann; Victor Matfield (capt), Bakkies Botha; Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira

Strong front row, bodes badly for us. Two great locks but a weakened back row from the SA. The backs are a mish-mash, De Villiers made it late but even so I think there won't be much cohesion from that unit. Logic would tell you that the SA will keep it tight and rely on the pack to take them through it. Kirchner is a FB so perhaps we could target him in the tackle and defensive line.

I expect a tight, poor match with alot of kicking from the boks on tour. Ireland might sneak it if they avoid pack confrontations and get some change form a untested SA backline.

I really like the look of Ireland from 6-15. Heaslip, Wallace and Ferris are awesome players on their day and having a lot of the Leinster players plus the very impressive Tommy Bowe in the back line should make for good play in that sector.
On the down side the front five is questionable to say the least going up against the best forwards in the world from South Africa. We could be badly outgunned in the second row wit hMatfield and Bakkies Botha going up against Mick O'Driscoll and O'Callaghan. The front row might be ok if Buckley scrummages well.
The weather forecast on the BBC website for tomorrow is good, so I will go for an Irish win.

There is nothing outstanding about positions 6-15. Reddan and Sexton are inferior to the SA half-backs.

Heaslip, BOD and Bowe on form are as good as anyone.

Ferris, Wallace, Kearney, Fitzgerald and D'Arcy have never let us down and are capable of delivering in any game.

Reddan should be fine and Sexton really adds to our back play regardless of who his opposite number is.

I take it no-one on this thread actually watched the tri-nations this year where the SA front were hardly the world beaters many seem to think they are. Only Botha in the row when not suspended showed any sort of form. Of course the selection of Mick O'Driscoll and Tony Buckely in the Irish team beggars belief but shows how shallow the Irish talent pool really is considering the alternatives.

I'm heading up today quietly confident we'll win if we do well at the breakdown, forget your scrums and line-outs it's on the deck that this game will be won or lost (generally there is at least 4 times as many rucks as line-outs and scrums put together). Shocked that O'Brien hasn't been selected in the starting XV never mind the squad.

If the weather holds up expect quite an open game and Ireland to win by 5-10 points...

These are all opinions of the games pre-Guinness series, oh the shades of optimism!! 
Seriously though, as people got caught up in our reputations at that time we are now caught in a pessimistic circle. Talk of "keeping it to 40 points" and "getting hammered" is nonsense. I don't expect ireland to win but its not out of the question. The only thing is its too soon for a turnaround of that proportion. The AB's have a great pack in terms of open play but in traditional terms they are not great and we will break even with most of them bar McCaw. Ireland are at home and have the backs to the wall facing a wall of undue criticism, I would imagine a kidney team to come out fighting.

We will lose but I'll be surprised if its by more than 12 points. With ROG starting we would definitely lose but within 7 i would say. With the baby on the pitch it guarantees NZ scores so i would say 12 will be closer the mark. The only chance of a lesser tally is if Sexton lives up to his greatly undeserved reputation as a point-scorer/creator.

[Main Street]

It would appear that Kidney is prepared to give a big vote of confidence to Sexton and that Sexton will be the player for the World Cup. Why should Ireland not look to this game and use it to develop a budding talent like Sexton?
If he fails to make the grade then O'Gara is all primed up to come on and perform to his proven high professional standards.

[Dinny Breen]

With ROG starting we would definitely lose but within 7 i would say.

Not a hope in hell, he's not called speed bump for no reason. O'Gara played against NZ in the summer and after Heaslip was our worst player on the pitch, need I remind you what the score line was?

[Hound]

With ROG starting we would definitely lose but within 7 i would say.

Not a hope in hell, he's not called speed bump for no reason. O'Gara played against NZ in the summer and after Heaslip was our worst player on the pitch, need I remind you what the score line was?

Yeah, Rog was poor v Samoa. You can't be affording to be missing touch with pens, not to mention having two kicks blocked down. A great asset to have on the bench though, when the opposition is getting tired.

But it'll be very difficult for Sexton to shine if our scrum and line-out are in in trouble again.