Rugby world cup

[passedit]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6998582.stm



Reddan given shock Irish call-up
Wasps scrum-half Eoin Reddan
Wasps scrum-half Eoin Reddan starts against France
Wasps scrum-half Eoin Reddan has earned a shock call-up as one of three changes for Ireland's World Cup must-win Pool D game against France on Friday night.

Heineken Cup winner Reddan replaces Peter Stringer, with coach Eddie O'Sullivan giving him the nod over regular replacement Isaac Boss.

Andrew Trimble returns in place of Denis Hickie on the left wing.

O'Sullivan has resisted a cull up front, with Jerry Flannery's inclusion for injured Rory Best the only change.

There is still no place for the physicality of Neil Best, while Geordan Murphy has been surprisingly ushered from the bench altogether, with Gavin Duffy named as utility back.

The promotion of Reddan comes out of the blue and ends Stringer's long association with his Munster colleague Ronan O'Gara at half-back.

Stringer, with 79 caps, is Ireland's second most-capped player behind Malcolm O'Kelly, who is again named on the bench.

Reddan was the third choice coming into the World Cup - behind Stringer and Boss, who twice had limited time as a replacement in the games against Namibia and Georgia.

This will be the Limerick-born Reddan's fourth cap after making his debut as a replacement in the 2006 Six Nations game against France.

He made his first start during the summer tour to Argentina, where Ireland lost both Tests with a virtual reserve-strength side.

Reddan was with Munster twice and in between had a season with Connacht before being lured to London in 2005 by Warren Gatland, the former Ireland coach, who was then in charge of Wasps.

Ireland: Dempsey; Horgan, O'Driscoll, capt, D'Arcy, Trimble; O'Gara, Reddan; Horan, Flannery, Hayes, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Easterby, D Wallace, Leamy.
Replacements: Sheahan, S Best, O'Kelly, N Best, Boss, P Wallace, Duffy.

[muppet]

We will beat France.

[An Lark]

Has Eddie O'Sullivan lost the plot completely?

Gavin Duffy on the bench in place of Geordan Murphy?

Some game to hand Reddan his first 'serious' cap. Hope he steps up. Best of luck to him.

But I can't understand the logic of starting him ahead of Boss or Duffy ahead of Murphy (on the bench).

[thebandit]

The biggest shock is that Murphy is out of the 22. Unbelieveable.

Although maybe Duffy is included to provide an option at 12 if Darcy is having a nightmare.

[Hoof Hearted]

I thought murphy should have started instead of going the other way. Does EOS want to win on Friday or what. Hard to believe we were 2nd favourites last nov when when we beat Aus and SA ! Some difference 12 months makes even though we were a few minutes from winning the Grand Slam

[Teeling Gael]

Dinny -- Friday will tell alot about Reddan. Lets hope he gets half the chance Stringer got over the years rather than just 60 minutes. Take your point on his CV in Munster but that was 2.5 years ago, he has progressed dramactically every year since. He should have been given a start in the last year with the full strength team to gauge whether he is real deal or not.Boss must be wondering what he did wrong in the 20 minutes he was on the pitch on Saturday. Simply think POC and DOC have moved way ahead of Malcolm at this stage. Can't fully get the hype about Carney. Personally didnt see any X Factor to date and I wouldn't have described him as impressive in Argentina. That said he was functional and in fairness didn't get much worthwhile ball to be impressive with.

Trimble coming in for Hickie was simply a form selection - how many other fringe players might have went past the incumbent if they got a couple of chances like Trimble fortunately got ?? Duffy on the bench is a reflection of Darcys poor form rather than anything Murphys' done wrong.

[An Lark]

Although maybe Duffy is included to provide an option at 12 if Darcy is having a nightmare.

Duffy on the bench is a reflection of Darcys poor form rather than anything Murphys' done wrong.

That doesn't add up for me. If Darcy had to be replaced Trimble could go centre and Murphy on the wing. Nothing against Duffy, but his selection defies logic.

[screenexile]

I think Murphy must've been caught with O'Sullivan's wife!

Seriously though I'm glad to see the changes O'Sullivan has made although there could've been a few more. Reddan couldn't be as bad as Stringer has been and Boss shouldn't be allowed on TV with a haircut like that.  Hickie has had a shocker so far while Trimble showed well in the Namibia game. Regardless of Best's injury I would've put Flannery in there anyway.

If I were picking the team I would've dropped Horgan and put in Murphy even though his defence is poor I think we'll need his creativity and it could maybe spark the rest into gear. I would also have dropped Wallace and Easterby in favour of Quinlan and Best, I think that Quinlan is suited well to the French game while Best for me is like our Chabal... throw him in to bash a few people up and maybe the rest of the forwards might follow suit and we can have them on the back foot!

As for the game on Friday... well who knows? I suppose it all depends on who turns up... the Ireland from the Autumn and the 6 nations or the Ireland post 6 nations. If it's the Ireland team from the Autumn and the 6 nations then I would fancy us to turn the French over and actually win well but it's all up in the air at this stage. What I do know is that if we don't beat the French we won't beat Argentina!

[passedit]

Jeez youse boys have short memories. Ye might want to have a look at the tape of Murphy's last competitive outing v the French.

For that matter Dinny would do well to dig out the tapes of MOK's performances against the same oppo.

It was always gonna come down to this game and i'm expecting a huge improvement on what's gone before, whether it'll be enough i'd doubt it.

[screenexile]

Jeez youse boys have short memories. Ye might want to have a look at the tape of Murphy's last competitive outing v the French.

He was poor against the French alright but Hickie has been poor against both Nambia and Georgia and Horgan was brutal the other night...  at least Murphy had his bad game against a top class opposition.

[passedit]

at least Murphy had his bad game against a top class opposition.

therein lies the crux screen, looks good against shite or when the game is won. Not a clutch player as the amerikens would say. sunshine footballer as I would say

[Puckoon]

at least Murphy had his bad game against a top class opposition.

therein lies the crux screen, looks good against shite or when the game is won. Not a clutch player as the amerikens would say. sunshine footballer as I would say

Think thats a very harsh and unfair assesment of geordan murphy. Very surprised he has been left out - he is a player of massive quality and one Id like to see actually starting the french game. Other than that EOS changes are decent enough - but this 4 year contract thing is not turning out well. Performances like this will require england to be as bad as they were against the springboks, otherwise we will be looking at the wooden spoon in the 6 nations!

[An Lark]

Regarding this perception that Murphy is a liability against the top teams because of his tackling...

If you go back to the video tape you will notice that he did enough good things against France to cancel out the missed tackle. Everyone blamed him for the France game. He was scapegoated and singled out by everyone and dropped by EOS.

Thing is...who was it that missed the tackle on the French player scoring the winning try? There were 2 lads. Who was responsible for not catching the kick-off which led to the try. If we had controlled the re-start - game over.

Also remember what Murphy did when he came on for Hickie in the first half against Wales.

Feck I sound like Mrs Murphy

[ExiledGael]

It could be worse lads, I was listening to Talksport earlier and they said Eddie O'Sullivan had brought in David Trimble to play on the wing

[tyroneboi]

In my opinion i think that Geordan Murphys Ireland career is in tatters. With steady Eddie getting another 4 years and Murphy never gonna be one of his favourites i think its fair to say he will be forced out of the picture.
People go on about one missed tackle jaysus lads get over how many has the likes of O'Gara missed who has been repeatably targeted because of his poor tackling. Surely there is room in the team for him? i seriously cant believe he is out of the squad all together.

I am so pessimistic about our chances on friday. at the end of the day if we are beat we're gone! the best i think we can hope for is perhaps a bonus point loss and then maybe it will be game on against argentina.