The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Hoof Hearted]

Ireland Team (to play Italy, RBS 6 Nations Championship, Stadio Flaminio, Rome on Saturday, February 5th, 15:30)

15 - Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
14 - Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
9 - Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 - Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
7 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 - Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)

Replacements:
16 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 - Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
19 - Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

[Celt_Man]

Team to play Italy
15 - Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster); 14 - Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster); 13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain; 12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster); 11 - Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster); 10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster); 9 - Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster); 1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster); 2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster); 3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster); 4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster); 5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster); 6 - Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster); 7 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster); 8 - Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)

Replacements: 16 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht); 17 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster); 18 - Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster); 19 - Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster); 20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster); 21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster); 22 - Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

Interesting to see O'Leary flew in for the No. 9 Jersey, No Duffy in the squad - he would have to be disappointed. Cronin will get a good run I reckon, hopefully so too will Cullen and Jennings.

Great to see the form players there McFadden and Ross, maybe Healy to lesser extend

[Dinny Breen]

O'Leary, Fitzgearld and O'Callaghan should not be in the squad never mind starting. Best and Wallace should not be starting but worth a place on the bench.

Very disappointed and Kidney is really just Eddie mark II

[thewobbler]

I'd have thunk that with O'Gara to cover Sexton, and the wings to cover the centres, then Paddy Wallace is the least useful replacement back he could have picked. If Fitzgerald goes to pieces at full back, then it's over to Earls, and the whole back line gets turned inside out.

[muppet]

O'Leary, Fitzgearld and O'Callaghan should not be in the squad never mind starting. Best and Wallace should not be starting but worth a place on the bench.

Very disappointed and Kidney is really just Eddie mark II

Only two relative newcomers to the pack and if Heaslip and Ferris had been fit even O'Brien might not have been picked. I was arguing for at least some experience to be retained but that is ridiculous.

At least the back 3 are likely to have a cut.

[Joxer]

O'Leary, Fitzgearld and O'Callaghan should not be in the squad never mind starting. Best and Wallace should not be starting but worth a place on the bench.

Very disappointed and Kidney is really just Eddie mark II

Only two relative newcomers to the pack and if Heaslip and Ferris had been fit even O'Brien might not have been picked. I was arguing for at least some experience to be retained but that is ridiculous.

At least the back 3 are likely to have a cut.

Leo Cullen must be rightly pissed off!  What does he have to do to get a start?  O'Callaghans discipline alone shouldnt even warrent him a place on the squad at the minute!

[muppet]

O'Leary, Fitzgearld and O'Callaghan should not be in the squad never mind starting. Best and Wallace should not be starting but worth a place on the bench.

Very disappointed and Kidney is really just Eddie mark II

Only two relative newcomers to the pack and if Heaslip and Ferris had been fit even O'Brien might not have been picked. I was arguing for at least some experience to be retained but that is ridiculous.

At least the back 3 are likely to have a cut.

Leo Cullen must be rightly pissed off!  What does he have to do to get a start?  O'Callaghans discipline alone shouldnt even warrent him a place on the squad at the minute!

Why because he got a yellow card recently? Cullen got two in a month last year. Cullen is also 33. Hardly the future. That debate is long over.

We should be arguing about O'Callaghan versus some new blood. I am a fan of O'Callaghan but at this stage I couldn't argue against trying some new player beside POC.

[trileacman]

O'Leary, Fitzgearld and O'Callaghan should not be in the squad never mind starting. Best and Wallace should not be starting but worth a place on the bench.

Very disappointed and Kidney is really just Eddie mark II

What do you suggest o wise one?

Suppose Sexton deserves a chance here but mark my words he will f**k it up yet.

[Joxer]

O'Leary, Fitzgearld and O'Callaghan should not be in the squad never mind starting. Best and Wallace should not be starting but worth a place on the bench.

Very disappointed and Kidney is really just Eddie mark II

Only two relative newcomers to the pack and if Heaslip and Ferris had been fit even O'Brien might not have been picked. I was arguing for at least some experience to be retained but that is ridiculous.

At least the back 3 are likely to have a cut.

Leo Cullen must be rightly pissed off!  What does he have to do to get a start?  O'Callaghans discipline alone shouldnt even warrent him a place on the squad at the minute!

Why because he got a yellow card recently? Cullen got two in a month last year. Cullen is also 33. Hardly the future. That debate is long over.

We should be arguing about O'Callaghan versus some new blood. I am a fan of O'Callaghan but at this stage I couldn't argue against trying some new player beside POC.

What about Dan Tuohy or Donnacha Ryan Muppet?

[muppet]

O'Leary, Fitzgearld and O'Callaghan should not be in the squad never mind starting. Best and Wallace should not be starting but worth a place on the bench.

Very disappointed and Kidney is really just Eddie mark II

Only two relative newcomers to the pack and if Heaslip and Ferris had been fit even O'Brien might not have been picked. I was arguing for at least some experience to be retained but that is ridiculous.

At least the back 3 are likely to have a cut.

Leo Cullen must be rightly pissed off!  What does he have to do to get a start?  O'Callaghans discipline alone shouldnt even warrent him a place on the squad at the minute!

Why because he got a yellow card recently? Cullen got two in a month last year. Cullen is also 33. Hardly the future. That debate is long over.

We should be arguing about O'Callaghan versus some new blood. I am a fan of O'Callaghan but at this stage I couldn't argue against trying some new player beside POC.

What about Dan Tuohy or Donnacha Ryan Muppet?

Yea why not? Ryan maybe or Toner but the latter needs more beef.

[Dinny Breen]

O'Leary, Fitzgearld and O'Callaghan should not be in the squad never mind starting. Best and Wallace should not be starting but worth a place on the bench.

Very disappointed and Kidney is really just Eddie mark II

What do you suggest o wise one?

Scrum half - any of Reddan, Boss or Stringer
2nd row - Touhy would be my 1st choice but he's actually injured, then Cullen, Toner, Browne, Casey, Willie John, Galway, the large stick out in my backyard.
Full-back - Earls or D'arcy from Ulster

This team has not been picked on form

[AFS]

O'Leary, Fitzgearld and O'Callaghan should not be in the squad never mind starting. Best and Wallace should not be starting but worth a place on the bench.

Very disappointed and Kidney is really just Eddie mark II

What do you suggest o wise one?

Scrum half - any of Reddan, Boss or Stringer
2nd row - Touhy would be my 1st choice but he's actually injured, then Cullen, Toner, Browne, Casey, Willie John, Galway, the large stick out in my backyard.
Full-back - Earls or D'arcy from Ulster

This team has not been picked on form

Thought he was Australian. Is he qualified to play for Ireland?

[Donnellys Hollow]

2nd row - Touhy would be my 1st choice but he's actually injured, then Cullen, Toner, Browne, Casey, Willie John, Galway, the large stick out in my backyard.

Paddy Johns? The Barnhall Bruiser? Franno? Willie Heff? 

[trileacman]

O'Leary, Fitzgearld and O'Callaghan should not be in the squad never mind starting. Best and Wallace should not be starting but worth a place on the bench.

Very disappointed and Kidney is really just Eddie mark II

What do you suggest o wise one?

Scrum half - any of Reddan, Boss or Stringer
2nd row - Touhy would be my 1st choice but he's actually injured, then Cullen, Toner, Browne, Casey, Willie John, Galway, the large stick out in my backyard.
Full-back - Earls or D'arcy from Ulster

This team has not been picked on form

Ah right your having a laugh. That's grand thought you were being serious the first time.

[GaillimhIarthair]

Ireland Team (to play Italy, RBS 6 Nations Championship, Stadio Flaminio, Rome on Saturday, February 5th, 15:30)

15 - Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
14 - Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Keith Earls (Thomond/Munster)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
9 - Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 - Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
7 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 - Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)

Replacements:
16 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 - Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
19 - Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

Disappointing selection to be honest -

15     Luke Fitz in no form at the minute, should have been Gavin Duffy (Fit, solid and ideal for Italy)
9      O'Leary is very lucky here, should have been either Stringer or Redden
2      I would have picked Cronin (Conn hat on but I think he deserved the start)
4      Should be Cullen, end of story.