The IRISH RUGBY thread

[screenexile]

I agree that Sexton is the way to go in this game but the other decisions baffle me. Seriously if we have to rely on Mick O'Driscoll we are in big trouble.

I think we need Kearney out of FB and need Earls in as I think he has to play in the World Cup. He is an explosive player who can make things happen and I think he could do damage against the ABs.

Other than that well we all know we have zero strength in depth and where maybe you would want to drop Heaslip and Wallace to give them a kick up the arse they'd be laughing their heads off with what would be replacing them!

[tyroneboi]

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.

How does Sexton playing guarantee scores to NZ? 10 is at the very bottom of our list of problems if you could even call it a problem position.

[Hound]

Seriously if we have to rely on Mick O'Driscoll we are in big trouble.

Kidney's treatment of Cullen is scandalous. Back fully fit, 2 games under his belt and still not getting a look in. He's so much better than O'Driscoll its hard to quantify.

And even with Toner we'd be guaranteed to win our line-out ball. NZ lineout isnt as good as the Boks, but they'll be licking their lips.

[CiKe]

Seriously if we have to rely on Mick O'Driscoll we are in big trouble.

Kidney's treatment of Cullen is scandalous. Back fully fit, 2 games under his belt and still not getting a look in. He's so much better than O'Driscoll its hard to quantify.

And even with Toner we'd be guaranteed to win our line-out ball. NZ lineout isnt as good as the Boks, but they'll be licking their lips.

No more so than Irish mgmt's treatment of other players past and present unfortunately. Totally agree though, should not be in the squad - he aint going to get a single minute in the WC, so what is the point. We have regressed so much and have very little running threat in the back line bar Bowe. Fitzgerald doesn't have the out and out speed of the better wingers and O'Driscoll can break the line with good lines, only problem is if is more than 15 yards out, he doesn't have the gas and our support play has been poor. Earls is far from the finished article but for God's sake given him a chance.

I really do fear for us. That front five is muck and NZ are going to have an awful lot of posession. I can see us being kept to 10-12 points, NZ to score minimum 3 tries, so I'd say we will be lucky to keep it to 20 points.

[maggie]

Anyone recommend a good pub in the city for 4 ladies(with a somewhat limited grasp of the exact rules) to watch the game? Would u better going close to the stadium??

[anglocelt39]

7,000 tickets unsold as of tonight, walks ups tomorrow can only get in if they buy a ticket to the following weeks fixture against Argentina. when it comes to incompetence you have to hand it out, our IRFU blazers would give the government and the financial regulator a good run for it. Hope the christ less than 20k turn up at the Argentina match, that's what it seems to take to get through to the skulls of this lot.

[anglocelt39]

Anyone recommend a good pub in the city for 4 ladies(with a somewhat limited grasp of the exact rules) to watch the game? Would u better going close to the stadium??

contact the IRFU and ask where the management committee is getting together for a few pre game tonics, you'll lower the average age and raise the knowledge level of the game by the sounds of things...........

[Celt_Man]

7,000 tickets unsold as of tonight, walks ups tomorrow can only get in if they buy a ticket to the following weeks fixture against Argentina. when it comes to incompetence you have to hand it out, our IRFU blazers would give the government and the financial regulator a good run for it. Hope the christ less than 20k turn up at the Argentina match, that's what it seems to take to get through to the skulls of this lot.

[Capt Pat]

7,000 tickets unsold as of tonight, walks ups tomorrow can only get in if they buy a ticket to the following weeks fixture against Argentina. when it comes to incompetence you have to hand it out, our IRFU blazers would give the government and the financial regulator a good run for it. Hope the christ less than 20k turn up at the Argentina match, that's what it seems to take to get through to the skulls of this lot.

That is hard to beleive but it is probabl true. How much are the combined tickets?

It is not for the IRFU to worry about the price of tickets when the stadium is already paid for, still it will help keep the riff raff out. No need to worry about the 30,000 fans who got into Croker that would be disappointed at not getting a ticket for the new landsdowne, even less reason to worry about the 37,000 who can't afford the ticket price.

[Bord na Mona man]

I think some of the dire predictions of defeat here are a sign that people are reeling from the state of the economy and the IMF being called in!
Ireland should be competitive. I'd expect most of the players being rounded on here to raise their game also.

One or two selections are possibly for debate, but it is close to Ireland's strongest team. The last thing you do against New Zealand is start experimenting madly. The Samoa game showed what happens with a load of changes made.

A bit of cold, rain and wind (dunno how it affects Aviva) may ensure the game isn't a high scoring feast of running rugby.

[Bord na Mona man]

7,000 tickets unsold as of tonight, walks ups tomorrow can only get in if they buy a ticket to the following weeks fixture against Argentina. when it comes to incompetence you have to hand it out, our IRFU blazers would give the government and the financial regulator a good run for it. Hope the christ less than 20k turn up at the Argentina match, that's what it seems to take to get through to the skulls of this lot.

That is hard to beleive but it is probabl true. How much are the combined tickets?

It is not for the IRFU to worry about the price of tickets when the stadium is already paid for, still it will help keep the riff raff out. No need to worry about the 30,000 fans who got into Croker that would be disappointed at not getting a ticket for the new landsdowne, even less reason to worry about the 37,000 who can't afford the ticket price.

Combined tickets are €190. I think the stadium is far from paid for, but there is also the issue of paying the wages of a lot of professional players.

Personally, I'll be giving those sort of prices a wide berth. An away trip would be far better value.

[caughtredhanded]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElMEi_TlPmM

[Bord na Mona man]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElMEi_TlPmM

That must be the Munster edition of the ad with all the shots of blue collar workers like sailors, cleaners and firemen.
The one that gets shown in Leinster has shots of surgeons in the Blackrock clinic, barristers in the Law Library and stock brokers at their trading desks.

[caughtredhanded]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElMEi_TlPmM

That must be the Munster edition of the ad with all the shots of blue collar workers like sailors, cleaners and firemen.
The one that gets shown in Leinster has shots of surgeons in the Blackrock clinic, barristers in the Law Library and stock brokers at their trading desks.

and don't forget shots of the 'goys' putting down a few 'heinos' in Kielys 

[tyroneboi]

Ah well it could be worse . . . we could be Welsh supporters! Very poor performance from them tonight.