Rugby World Cup 2011

[muppet]

McCarthy looks like he might make it.

Sadly Murray won't.

What's up with Bommy Towe?

[ludermor]

What is the purpose of the Connacht game?

[muppet]

What is the purpose of the Connacht game?

It was in Robbie Keane's dream.

[Dinny Breen]

McCarthy looks like he might make it.

Sadly Murray won't.

What's up with Bommy Towe?

Murray has a chance still, Stringer is been cut.

McCarthy is interesting, looks like between him and Donnacha Ryan

Bowe is injured, he'll travel though.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Good to see that Ross is fit. If he gets injured Ireland might as well forget about travelling to the World Cup.

Disappointing that Murray doesn't get a start against the French but O'Leary has always been a favourite of Kidney. Maybe they're planning on giving Boss and Murray a half each against Connacht and then calling one of them up for the England match?

[screenexile]

Glad Ferris is named on the bench for Saturday I had heard a few rumours he might not make it. O'Brien, Heaslip and Ferris is a serious back row and one to match any Nation. My problems for us would be Hooker, Loosehead, inside centre and FB.

We're strong in all other areas I feel. I'm not getting carried away but if the heads are right we will cause a lot of teams huge hassle and I'm looking forward to the WC.

Would like to see G Murphy gt some decent game time as well as Keith Earls at inside centre but I don't think Kidney will go that way and in fairness who am I to argue with him about it. e hve the makings of a team that can cause problems though that is for sure!

[Capt Pat]

I think the squad is announced on monday. I can't see Jones making the squad I prefer Murphy as the spare full back but he seems to have been forgotten.

[lynchbhoy]

McCarthy looks like he might make it.

Sadly Murray won't.

What's up with Bommy Towe?

Murray has a chance still, Stringer is been cut.

McCarthy is interesting, looks like between him and Donnacha Ryan

Bowe is injured, he'll travel though.

apart from FB , that selection to play France looks very much like the first choice Irish team for the WC
what dya reckon?

wouldnt be mine and I doubt if it would be yours.

[mc_grens]

Glad Ferris is named on the bench for Saturday I had heard a few rumours he might not make it. O'Brien, Heaslip and Ferris is a serious back row and one to match any Nation. My problems for us would be Hooker, Loosehead, inside centre and FB.

We're strong in all other areas I feel. I'm not getting carried away but if the heads are right we will cause a lot of teams huge hassle and I'm looking forward to the WC.

Would like to see G Murphy gt some decent game time as well as Keith Earls at inside centre but I don't think Kidney will go that way and in fairness who am I to argue with him about it. e hve the makings of a team that can cause problems though that is for sure!

Gotta tell you fella. If we play that back row we're fucked against the likes of Pocock and McCaw. Wallace is one of the most Important players we have at the moment and MUST play for us to stand a chance of success. O'Brien is not a 7 I'd want going toe to toe with either of those two at the breakdown. To be honest neither is Wallace but he's the best we have in terms of a semi- traditional 7.

Lynvhbhoy- don't forget Bowe as well. When healthy he'll be in there

[lynchbhoy]

Lynvhbhoy- don't forget Bowe as well. When healthy he'll be in there

'when healthy' !!
I did say the team listed isnt the one i'd pick.

[mc_grens]

Lynvhbhoy- don't forget Bowe as well. When healthy he'll be in there

'when healthy' !!
I did say the team listed isnt the one i'd pick.

Not quite my team either but it's bloody close.  I'm not a big fan of O'Leary's decision making disorder, but I hate that Redden takes 2/3 steps before passing EVERY time. I also understand that Conor Murray is a HUGE gamble. Thank God it's not my decision. I like Jones as backup at 15, I think that opposite Bowe I'd go with Earls as I think he offers more in attack than Trimble.

[Dinny Breen]

McCarthy looks like he might make it.

Sadly Murray won't.

What's up with Bommy Towe?

Murray has a chance still, Stringer is been cut.

McCarthy is interesting, looks like between him and Donnacha Ryan

Bowe is injured, he'll travel though.

apart from FB , that selection to play France looks very much like the first choice Irish team for the WC
what dya reckon?

wouldnt be mine and I doubt if it would be yours.

Not a chance, I wouldn't have Best, O'Callaghan, O'Leary, D'Arcy, Trimble or Jones starting.

Although Jones is interesting, had the misfortune to play against him and it was like tackling air, my retirement was pretty imminent after that, I am a big fan but like experience at full-back, Kearney is too one dimensional in his attacking so I'd actually plump for G Murphy, I think we'd need his creativity and his defensive frailties are usually exaggerated around provincial bias.

I'd have Murray in for O'Leary, simply the form scrum half and his selection would be positive for squad morale, likewise I'd drop D'Arcy, no form at all and have been advocating O'Driscoll to finish out his career at 12 for the last 2 years. 

Ferris has to start if fit, simply our best back-row forward. Where you fit him in is why Kidney gets the big bucks.

Likewise Tommy Bowe has been Ireland's best back over the last 3 seasons, nailed on starter if fit.

But it's good to have options and I think we will go well in this World Cup my only fear is if Flannery doesn't stay fit as Rory Best's line-out throwing seems to be getting worse.

[Capt Pat]

For me in the back row I would go with Ferris O Brien and Heaslip. They are the 3 best players we have on the team not just in the back row. O Brien not a classic 7? No but he has great ball carrying and his tackling can be really strong as well, he can knock people back and that is a big deal. Without a 7 we might need to modify our tactics a bit to compensate. Wallace was never a classic 7 and is past his best. We need to play our best team and play to our strengths.

I like O Leary at scrum half if he is back to his best form of 09. If not then why break up the Leinster partnership of Reddan and Sexton. Murray should be the third scrum half they bring.

What about O Driscoll and Trimble playing the centre positions? I think this is a good option. Bowe and Earls on the  wing with Kearney at full back.

I think Best willl sort out his timing with his jumpers in time for the tournament and he helps with the scrumaging. Who would you pick instead of O Callaghan for me he is certain to start. The rest of the pack picks itself with O Connell Healy and Ross.

[lynchbhoy]

Not a chance, I wouldn't have Best, O'Callaghan, O'Leary, D'Arcy, Trimble or Jones starting.

Although Jones is interesting, had the misfortune to play against him and it was like tackling air, my retirement was pretty imminent after that, I am a big fan but like experience at full-back, Kearney is too one dimensional in his attacking so I'd actually plump for G Murphy, I think we'd need his creativity and his defensive frailties are usually exaggerated around provincial bias.

I'd have Murray in for O'Leary, simply the form scrum half and his selection would be positive for squad morale, likewise I'd drop D'Arcy, no form at all and have been advocating O'Driscoll to finish out his career at 12 for the last 2 years. 

Ferris has to start if fit, simply our best back-row forward. Where you fit him in is why Kidney gets the big bucks.

Likewise Tommy Bowe has been Ireland's best back over the last 3 seasons, nailed on starter if fit.

But it's good to have options and I think we will go well in this World Cup my only fear is if Flannery doesn't stay fit as Rory Best's line-out throwing seems to be getting worse.

I'd disagree with you a bit about best - though imo we are not great at hooker and its much of a muchness.
Dont know enough about Jones. Like the bit I have seen of him. Dont think he could be parachuted in at FB yet though.
Murphy I had championed years ago when ignored by Ireland and when he was starring for the best club team in Europe at the time, but hasnt been the same since that bad inj (leg break?). Good attacking brain, decent defender, not in form and not as quick as he once was. Good alternative to Kearney who is the new Girvan Dempsey !!
SH between Reddan and Murray for me. Though Reddan has let me down since he has left wasps.
While I think Trimble has somehting to offer, I agree with the rest.

[mc_grens]

For me in the back row I would go with Ferris O Brien and Heaslip. They are the 3 best players we have on the team not just in the back row. O Brien not a classic 7? No but he has great ball carrying and his tackling can be really strong as well, he can knock people back and that is a big deal. Without a 7 we might need to modify our tactics a bit to compensate. Wallace was never a classic 7 and is past his best. We need to play our best team and play to our strengths.

You're right about Wallace, but he's the closest thing we have to a 7- the most important position on the pitch. O'Brien would carry no ball if

A) we didn't have it
B) he was at the bottom of a ruck digging it out with a 7 on his back.

Wallace must play- the starting back row will be Ferris, Wallace, Heaslip. I agree on Darcy. Can never quite make my mind up on O'Callaghan, mainly because O'Connell seems more comfortable beside him.

Doesn't the same argument apply to both Jones and Murray? I'd love both to be selected, but I just can't see it. I like Best at 1 simply because the Best, Healy, Ross front row seems the most solid unit we've had there in a long time. Which reminds me... Mushy Buckley must NOT travel!