Rugby world cup

[FermGael]

TAKEN FROM www.impartialreporter.com
It is the local paper in fermanagh and as McGurn is the fitness guru they have been doing a weekly section with him.  Here's what he had to say

Mickey McGurn has rubbished claims that the Irish team are either under-prepared or over-trained after the hard fought manner of the wins over Namibia and Georgia have left question marks over their credentials to be one of the main players at the tournament.


Speaking ahead of Ireland's titanic clash with hosts France in Paris on Friday, the Irish Strength and Fitness conditioner dismissed the claims.

"Granted, we have played way below expectations and we realise a lot of people in the media and at home are taking a pop at us, but we have 30 players busting themselves over here to get it right," explains Mickey.

"We are not, as has been quoted, over-trained or are we under-prepared. This is the best conditioned and fittest Irish team to ever play in a world tournament.

The players have not gone out to deliberately perform badly and they are as frustrated as everyone else that the performance on the pitch is not up to the usual standard."

Despite the negativity surrounding the opening two performances, Mickey says that little has really changed in terms of the dynamic of the group and the qualification permutations.

"We always knew before the tournament started we would have to beat France and Argentina to progress past the group stages and that has not changed. We are now in knockout mode and we know that if we lose we will be coming home. But, in saying that, our destiny is in our own hands at this stage and we are looking forward to the France game,"

Mickey admits that there has been a fair bit of reflection by the players in the wake of the displays against Namibia and Georgia.

"There has been a lot of soul searching and self evaluation over the last two games and everyone involved in the set up are doing their utmost to ensure this team kicks-on and produces the quality rugby it is capable of."

And, no better place than in Paris, tomorrow (Friday) with a game against France that had assumed critical proportions two weeks into the tournament, especially after France's opening day defeat to Argentina.

Eddie O'Sullivan has rung the changes with Eoin Reddan, Andrew Trimble and Jerry Flannery coming into the starting line-up and Mickey reveals that the mood in the camp is positive.

"The mood in the camp is good, after all we have won two out of two. Training has been going really well, we have looked sharp and focused, and maybe this allowed us to hang in at the end of the Georgia game where previous Irish teams may have crumbled under a similar onslaught," he concludes.

Sport's fine line between success and failure will be readily evident in Paris with the winner of Friday's encounter sure to tackle the rest of the tournament with renewed confidence and vigour while the vanquished will be left to lick possibly fatal wounds.

Much then at stake and much to play for with Ireland, McGurn and the fans looking for the spark that will ignite the level of performance that was readily evident throughout the Six Nations.

They say form is temporary, class is permanent. Tomorrow night will tell the tale.

[Lecale2]

Ireland are 4/1 to beat France. Are they worth a £?

[Davitt Man]

Did anyone watch the setanta rugby program last night where they interviewed eddie o sullivan and then at the end the presenter told eddie we have someone here who wants to sent you there best wishes for the game and they played a video of Ian Paisley wishing eddie and the boys all the best. I couldnt believe it, eddie didnt know what to do...

[GaillimhIarthair]

Edddie and a few selected heads out of the squad have been doing alot of talking this week about morale in the camp, newspaper articles, recent performances etc etc.  I dont know about most of the rugby heads on here, but I have a pain in my hole listening to it.  Talk is cheap and its about f**king time that the "best prepared" team in the history of Irish rugby gave us a performance.  The way things are going to date, this world cup may yet leave 1999's effort looking decent !!! 

In the words of Ciaran Fitzgelald "Where's your f**king pride".........

C'mon IRELAND.........

[Gnevin]

O gara useless
Lineout useless
Dozens of unforeced errors
Penalty's give away like they where going out of fashion
Wrong team picked for the last year
Redden miles better than stringer has been in years

[deiseach]

Did anyone watch the setanta rugby program last night where they interviewed eddie o sullivan and then at the end the presenter told eddie we have someone here who wants to sent you there best wishes for the game and they played a video of Ian Paisley wishing eddie and the boys all the best. I couldnt believe it, eddie didnt know what to do...

Did they show him Martin McGuinness wishing "Eddie O'Brien" well? Surely he was taking the piss?

[ONeill]

Simple line-outs a complete disaster.

[GalwayBayBoy]

I see Connor Murphy had a very good seat tonight. I wonder was he impressed with the "anthem", then again he is in the pay of the British.

The shaggin' anthem is the least of their problems.

Typical Irish performance. The scrum suddenly was actually very good (bar one dodgy one) while the lineout was a complete shambles. Our lineout has been awful against the French for a few years now. They must have worked out some of the calls. When Chabal is winning them against the throw you know something is wrong.

Either way too many players underperforming. Or not performing at all.

[The Real Laoislad]

Watching South Africa v Tonga
Tonga done their version of The Haka before the match just wondered what happens when they play New Zealand?
Do they both do their respective Hakas at the same time or what?

[screenexile]

Watching South Africa v Tonga
Tonga done their version of The Haka before the match just wondered what happens when they play New Zealand?
Do they both do their respective Hakas at the same time or what?

THe Haka and the Sipi Tau are both awesome!

NZ and Tonga met in the 2003 World Cup and this is what happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eGCsEQ15L4&mode=related&search

Some way top start a match eh?

[The Real Laoislad]

Watching South Africa v Tonga
Tonga done their version of The Haka before the match just wondered what happens when they play New Zealand?
Do they both do their respective Hakas at the same time or what?

THe Haka and the Sipi Tau are both awesome!

NZ and Tonga met in the 2003 World Cup and this is what happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eGCsEQ15L4&mode=related&search

Some way top start a match eh?

Cheers that answers my question so 

[the Deel Rover]

Watching South Africa v Tonga
Tonga done their version of The Haka before the match just wondered what happens when they play New Zealand?
Do they both do their respective Hakas at the same time or what?

THe Haka and the Sipi Tau are both awesome!

NZ and Tonga met in the 2003 World Cup and this is what happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eGCsEQ15L4&mode=related&search

Some way top start a match eh?

sure beats irelands fall sorry i mean irelands call

[pintsofguinness]

Watching South Africa v Tonga
Tonga done their version of The Haka before the match just wondered what happens when they play New Zealand?
Do they both do their respective Hakas at the same time or what?

THe Haka and the Sipi Tau are both awesome!

NZ and Tonga met in the 2003 World Cup and this is what happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eGCsEQ15L4&mode=related&search

Some way top start a match eh?

sure beats irelands fall sorry i mean irelands call

Maybe we could have them Irish dancing?

[the Deel Rover]

Watching South Africa v Tonga
Tonga done their version of The Haka before the match just wondered what happens when they play New Zealand?
Do they both do their respective Hakas at the same time or what?

THe Haka and the Sipi Tau are both awesome!

NZ and Tonga met in the 2003 World Cup and this is what happened:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eGCsEQ15L4&mode=related&search

Some way top start a match eh?

sure beats irelands fall sorry i mean irelands call

Maybe we could have them Irish dancing?

aye pog maybe to  riverdance  inspiring stuff

[rory]

Tonga - England on Friday night..... maybe England will be out of the world cup before Ireland.....