2009 Grand Slam Champions

[Oraisteach]

What class of a flag is that? 

[Hoof Hearted]

grand slam - the homecoming - RTE 1 today @ 4.45

[Norf Tyrone]

Not a massive Rugby fan, but really enjoyed this last night. The pub was jammed, and the celebrations for Jones' missed penalty echoed that by Timofte 19 years ago.

With Dunne winning last night, this will be remembered as one of Ireland's greatest sporting days ever.

[Capt Pat]

I thought the ref was a bit of a lottery and had way too much influence on the game. A penalty ratio of 17-4 seems highly unusual too. Though I did think it was justice that O'Gara missed the first one - looked like a dive to me. I didn't see any contact. But when I mentioned it in the pub last night I was shouted down. "The foot came out", I was told. I didn't see it. What do people think? (Looking for ammo to resume the debate tonight).

It did but on such a great day for Irish Rugby and Sport how did you end up debating that ??

p.s hope u do your grand national thing again this year.

No the Welsh player obviously obstructed him, they were at it all day and got pulled up for it once. He may or may not have dived obstruction is still a penalty though.

[carribbear]

David Walsh An eternal optimist, despite covering Irish rugby for many years. Co-author of Lawrence Dallaglio's autobiography

15 Delon Armitage (England)
14 Shane Williams (Wales)
13 Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
12 Jamie Roberts (Wales)
11 Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland)
10 Danny Cipriani (England)
9 Mike Phillips (Wales)
1 Gethin Jenkins (Wales)
2 Rory Best (Ireland)
3 Euan Murray (Scotland)
4 Paul O'Connell (capt) (Ireland)
5 Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales)
6 Tom Croft (England)
8 Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
7 Martyn Williams (Wales)

Has the number 2 moved or something? I saw him yesterday under a suspicious flag

[erne bhoy]

Anyone else see Wallace today? When asked what was going through his head when giving away the final penalty he replied that he felt the game was  in need of a bit of excitement...

[Hardy]

I thought the ref was a bit of a lottery and had way too much influence on the game. A penalty ratio of 17-4 seems highly unusual too. Though I did think it was justice that O'Gara missed the first one - looked like a dive to me. I didn't see any contact. But when I mentioned it in the pub last night I was shouted down. "The foot came out", I was told. I didn't see it. What do people think? (Looking for ammo to resume the debate tonight).

It did but on such a great day for Irish Rugby and Sport how did you end up debating that ??

p.s hope u do your grand national thing again this year.

No the Welsh player obviously obstructed him, they were at it all day and got pulled up for it once. He may or may not have dived obstruction is still a penalty though.

I apologise to ROG. I had a chance to look at the highlights this aftteroon and it's clear from angles I didn't see yesterday that yer man stuck out his leg and tripped him.

[mackers]

Hardy you werent alone in your ROG thoughts ...this is from planet rugby

Man of the match: The officials gave it to Brian O'Driscoll but that strikes us as a cliched cop-out. Instead we give it to the man who did so much damage to the Welsh challenge by ruining their line-out: Paul O'Connell.

Moment of the match: No possible candidate other than the moment the goal-kick from Stephen Jones dropped under the bar. Relief and Joy all rolled into one.

Villain of the match: Hmmm - we'll refrain from giving it to Ronan O'Gara for his theatrical tumble in the first minute on sentimental grounds. No award.


In fairness to ROG he worked through his wobble and eventually found key to breaking down wales by targeting the Henson/Williams channel .

Stephen Jones ( the " journalist" ) is at it in ST again today .... no BOD/POC in " his" lions team

know nothing of this guy,  but surely he is on the wind up,  or just knows nothing!!

Stephen Jones is a numpty of the highest order, listened to the radio on the way up from Newbridge this evening and both Shane Bryne and Dennis Hickie had a laugh at his "dropping" of BOD.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Even with my limited knowledge of world rugby, to suggest Henson is a better player than O'Driscoll is completely farcical and deviod of any thought process other than a desire to stoke up publicity.

[5 Sams]

As all other dates around it didn't suit me, I got lumbered with working the bar in the GAA club today for the game. You'd have sworn Barry Breen had just fisted the ball in the net when ROG's drop goal went over - we were just a few striped ties and posh accents from being a rugger bugger club today.

So I didn't really get a chance to focus on the game. What I did pick up though was that O'Connell was nothing short of wondrous, and that John Hayes put in possibly the most visibly impressive performance of his career. Tommy Bowe was again excellent, and Heaslip is probably now the most rampaging no.8 I've ever seen in an Ireland shirt. As for Wales, Martin Williams really is a class act.

Credit to the defences of both teams. I imagine defensive coaches arcross the world will keep a DVD of that game at the top of their playlist for a number of years. Almost impenetrable lines, ferocious hits, never say die attitides from both.

Mile buiochas to the Wobbler for serving me pints all evening....great atmosphere about the club yesterday....I know sweet FA about the the game as did the boys I was pinting with but....but we knew enough to have a party. Thanks for the hangover ROG, BOD and POC....



BTW reading Stephen Jones in the Times today and he says he wouldnt have O'Driscoll in the Lions team..... what is his problem???

[Tim Buzaglo]

Fantastic occasion with a fitting ending.  That will go into the memory bank and will go down as one of the 'Where were you when ...' moments in irish sport.

As for Jones, this guy winds me up! I'm surprised nobody has mentioned who he has propping the scrum in his team.  Personally, I don't rate Flannery as a hooker (never have and never will), but to put him in at prop? Surely this is a misprint??

As for my lions test team, here goes :-

1.  Gethin Jenkins
2.  Ross Ford
3.  Euan Murray
4.  Paul O'Connell (Captain)
5.  Alun Wynn Jones
6.  Ryan Jones
7.  David Wallace
8.  Jamie Heaslip
9.  Dwayne Peel
10. Jonny Wilkinson (if he can play 6-7 club games in a row before the end of the season) If not, Stephen Jones
11. Shane Williams
12. Gavin Henson
13. Superman
14. Luke Fitzgerald
15. Lee Byrne

The people i found difficult to leave out were Phil Vickery, Sheridan (his world cup was tremendous), Rory Best, Ferris, Martyn Williams, Powell, Blair, Roberts, Kearney.  I also think Riki Flutey is quite underrated and could come into the reckoning

[thewobbler]

My team:

1. Andrew Sheridan
2. Jerry Flannery
3. Phil Vickery
4. Donncha O'Callaghan
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Stephen Ferris
7. Martyn Williams
8. Andy Powell
9. Mike Phillips
10. James Hook
11. Shane Williams
12. Riki Flutey
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Lee Byrne

With replacements Euan Murray, Rory Best, David Wallace (Ferris is cover for lock), Jamie Heaslip, Dwayne Peel (Mike Blair if yer man is still injured), Danny Cipriani, Tom Shanklin.

[gallsman]

Fantastic occasion with a fitting ending.  That will go into the memory bank and will go down as one of the 'Where were you when ...' moments in irish sport.

As for Jones, this guy winds me up! I'm surprised nobody has mentioned who he has propping the scrum in his team.  Personally, I don't rate Flannery as a hooker (never have and never will), but to put him in at prop? Surely this is a misprint??

As for my lions test team, here goes :-

1.  Gethin Jenkins
2.  Ross Ford
3.  Euan Murray
4.  Paul O'Connell (Captain)
5.  Alun Wynn Jones
6.  Ryan Jones
7.  David Wallace
8.  Jamie Heaslip
9.  Dwayne Peel
10. Jonny Wilkinson (if he can play 6-7 club games in a row before the end of the season) If not, Stephen Jones
11. Shane Williams
12. Gavin Henson
13. Superman
14. Luke Fitzgerald
15. Lee Byrne

The people i found difficult to leave out were Phil Vickery, Sheridan (his world cup was tremendous), Rory Best, Ferris, Martyn Williams, Powell, Blair, Roberts, Kearney.  I also think Riki Flutey is quite underrated and could come into the reckoning

I'd agree with that a lot of that team, few changes though. Think Ferris has outshone Jones all tournament and Heaslip has completely eclipsed Powell.

I don't think Wilkinson should be on the tour at all, he's too much of a liability injury-wise. Also, he'll be nowhere near up to the speed of Test match rugby, with Newcastle not in the Heineken Cup. I don't believe anyone not playng international rugby should be selected at all- Dallaglio and Back went in 2005 and were awful, so hopefully all the English calls for Wilkinson, Cipriani and Lewsey are in vain.

I fear for the worst though.

Here's my team, with potential replacements in brackets.

1) G Jenkins (Sheridan)
2) R Ford/J Flannery/R Best/M Rees
3) E Murray (Hayes/Vickery)
4) AW Jones (DOC)
5) POC (Gough)
6) S Ferris (Croft)
7) D Wallace
J Heaslip (R Jones)
9) D Peel (Ellis)
10 S Jones (O'Gara)
11) S Williams (Fitzgerald)
12) Flutey (D'Arcy/Roberts)
13) BOD (Evans)
14) T Bowe (Cueto)
15) Byrne (Kearney)

I have no doubt Armitage will go. He's improved over the last two games but Byrne and Kearney are streets ahead

[Orior]

Every year I scratch my head at this Lions thing.

It's like earning a place on the Ulster team and taking on Kerry.

[Capt Pat]

A bit early to be picking a lions team before a squad has been picked and the form of players at the time of the tour can be seen but here goes.

Kearney
Williams
O'Driscoll
Darcy
Sackey
Hook
Peel
Jenkins
Flannery
Vickery
O'Callaghan
O'Connell
Wallace
Williams
Heaslip

Play a left and right flanker like the French do rather than openside and blindside. That is 8 Irish players, that is 8 Irish, 5 welsh and 2 English players based on the form of the tournament