The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Capt Pat]

Trimbles try against Bath was fnatastic. Don't mind that joker who said the prop nearly caught him. Yes the prop was close to him near the end but the correct way of describing that situation was that Trimble didn't need him because he was so fast not "the prop nearly caught up with him because he was so slow" jaysus wept.

Stringer is so lucky he came along when he did and got all those caps. He is not half as good as O'Leary and Reddan.

I make France favorites for the 6 nations as they play England and Ireland at home and would be favourites for both games. that could give them the edge in the championship, but I remain quietly optimistic that Ireland can spring a shock in Paris if all the key players are fit. O'Leary, O'Driscoll, O'Connell, Wallace, Heaslip, Ferris etc.

[Declan]

Leinster lock Leo Cullen has replaced the injured Donncha O'Callaghan in the Ireland line-up for the RBS Six Nations opener against Italy on Saturday.
O'Callaghan was ruled out of the Croke Park game on Thursday morning because of a knee injury.
Munster's Donnacha Ryan takes Cullen's place on the bench and he is in line for a first Six Nations cap.
Ronan O'Gara returns at fly-half while Leinster flanker Kevin McLaughlin is the only new cap for the holders.
Jonathan Sexton, who starred at number 10 in the November win over world champions South Africa, was ruled out because of a dead leg injury.
McLaughlin replaces injured Ulster star Stephen Ferris, Andrew Trimble wins a place in the wing and Gordon D'Arcy is in at centre.
Trimble, who has been in sparking form for Ulster, is preferred to Keith Earls while D'Arcy has been picked ahead of Paddy Wallace to be Brian O'Driscoll's partner at centre.
Wallace is on the bench as cover for centre and fly-half, so Sexton, whose five penalties helped the Irish humble the Springboks in the autumn, is axed from the 22 altogether.
Ulster hooker Rory Best's inclusion as a replacement completes a remarkably quick comeback from neck surgery.
Best, who had not been expected to play rugby this season, was in the Ireland A side which lost to the England Saxons last Sunday.
O'Callaghan's knee injury prevented him from taking a full part in Monday's squad session but he was able to train at the RDS on Tuesday.
However, the Corkman's left knee was tested on Wednesday and it was decided to withdraw him from the squad.
Without the injured Ferris, a key performer in last year's first Grand Slam since 1948, Kidney went for 24-year-old McLaughlin ahead of fellow in-form Leinster back row Sean O'Brien.

Ferris sustained a knee injury while on Heineken Cup duty for Ulster against Bath 10 days ago and has not been risked with the crucial showdown against France looming on Saturday week.
"I would not say I am shocked. I felt like I had a chance coming into this week," said McLaughlin.
"It is a big step up for me this weekend but I will treat it like any other game, just get on with it and play my game on Saturday."

Ireland: R Kearney, T Bowe, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, A Trimble, R O'Gara, T O'Leary; C Healy, J Flannery, J Hayes, L Cullen, P'Connell, K McLaughlin, D Wallace, J Heaslip.
Replacements: R Best, T Court, D Ryan, S O'Brien, E Reddan, P Wallace, K Earls.

[dec]

For those of you in the US, BBC America is showing one live game each week, including 3 of the 5 Ireland games.

http://www.bbcamerica.com/content/394/match-schedule.jsp

    Wales vs. England     Saturday, February 6th at 12pm ET / 9am PT
    Ireland vs. France     Saturday, February 13th at 11:30am ET / 8:30am PT
    Ireland vs. England     Saturday, February 27th at 11am ET / 8am PT
    Wales vs. Ireland     Saturday, March 13th at 9:30am ET / 6:30am PT
    England vs. France     Saturday, March 20th at 2:45pm ET / 11:45am PT

[gawa316]

Ireland A match on BBC website

[Declan]

reland Wolfhounds (17) 34
Tries: Henry, McFadden 2, Boss, Murphy Cons: Humphreys 3 Pens: Humphreys
Scotland A (0) 19
Tries: Eddie, Robertson, Penalty Cons: Jackson 2

Ireland Wolfhounds held off a second-half fightback from Scotland A to win Friday's clash at Ravenhill.

Tries from Chris Henry and Fergus McFadden helped the Irish lead 17-0 at the break.

James Eddie and Mark Robertson scored third-quarter tries for Scotland but McFadden and Isaac Boss touchdowns kept Ireland 29-12 ahead.

Ireland's scrum creaked late on as the Scots were awarded a penalty try but Johne Murphy scored a late Irish try.

[AFS]

I like this thread better than that shit dissident one.

Ireland by 13.

[muppet]

Tom McGurk just seemed to imply Stephen Jones is possibly the worst rugby journalist in the world!!!!

Jones has called the Irish scrum the worst in the world. We must have the best 9-15 then.

[muppet]

Brilliant try although if Trimble had offloaded it would have come earlier.

[Hoof Hearted]

this is turning into what exactly it should be - the best team in europe against the worst.

Rob Kearney just giving them 5 points there as i hit "post"

[Declan]

Trimble poor as well for that kick

[thejuice]

I won the prediction league last year at work, hoping to retain the tilte this year.

Had this game predicted to be a 24-13 win for Ireland. Can't happen now and I think Ireland are going to push on in the second but Im confident Italy might have one more unconverted try in them.

Itally are so feckin slow with the ball. They really look clueless in the line-out as well.

[orangeman]

Ireland going well.

Kearney giving out late Xmas present.

[muppet]

Ireland going well.

Kearney giving out late Xmas present.

Hook is gas. After 20 minutes he was proclaiming Gower as the answer to Italy's outhalf problems.

At halftime when asked about McLaughlin he said 'too early to tell'.

[Hoof Hearted]

whats withe the italalians keeping the ball in the ruck for ages. its allowing the irish to set their lines and all italy end up doing is a box kick ! Strange

[muppet]

Cullen lucky not get yellow. If that happened O'Connell we'd be annoyed.