Ireland V Wales

Steyr

Anybody got any views on this before Sunday? I think we are going to destroy Wales but they should not be under estimated as they have a strong side and Welsh rugby is improving alot.

The Rooster

Steyr wrote:

I think we are going to destroy Wales but they should not be under estimated

Irish team should be picked shortly.

Big question in the backs is which one of Murphy, Trimble, Hickie and Dempsey
doesnt make the team.

Then there's the Best v Easterby question. And at hooker will he gamble on Flannery's fitness or go with Best (surely Frankie wont get in). Unless I'm forgetting something the only other place remotely open for debate is scrum half, but it'd be a huge surprise if Stringer is not picked.

The Welsh team will not be picked until Thursday. Shanklin is definitely out, and Gareth Thomas may get suspended today for his part in the Brennan incident (would be very harsh IMO), but Shane Williams and Mark Jones could be available for places on the wing.

James Hook is getting rave reviews, so I look forward to seeing him in the flesh.

I doubt very much there'll be a hammering. Wales are good. I'm very confident they'll beat England in Cardiff. If our scrum and line-out hold out I'd be confident Ronan and the backs will get enough scores on the board to win, but thats a big "if" - either way I think it'll be close.

yeraulone

Ireland V Wales, RBS 6 Nations 2007:

15 - Girvan Dempsey Terenure College/Leinster 69
14 - Andrew Trimble Ballymena/Ulster 10
13 - Brian O’Driscoll (Captain) Blackrock College/Leinster 70
12 - Gordon D’Arcy Lansdowne/Leinster 26
11 - Denis Hickie St.Mary’s College/Leinster 53
10 - Ronan O’Gara Cork Constitution/Munster 66
9 - Peter Stringer Shannon/Munster 72
1 - Marcus Horan Shannon/Munster 42
2 - Rory Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 7
3 - John Hayes Bruff/Munster 68
4 - Donncha O’Callaghan Cork Constitution/Munster 30
5 - Paul O’Connell Young Munster/Munster 39
6 - Simon Easterby Llanelli 52
7 - David Wallace Garryowen/Munster 32
8 - Denis Leamy Cork Constitution/Munster 17

Replacements:

16 - Jerry Flannery Shannon/Munster 9
17 - Simon Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 13
19 - Neil Best Belfast Harlequins/Ulster 7
18 - Mick O’Driscoll Cork Constitution/Munster 5
20 - Isaac Boss Ballymena/Ulster 5
21 - Paddy Wallace Ballymena/Ulster 2
22 - Geordan Murphy Leicester 44

Not considered due to injury:

Malcolm O’Kelly (St.Mary’s College/Leinster) {Knee}

Sangre

Probably would have picked the exact same team except N Best in at 6. I really hope Boss gets at least 20 minutes as well.

Steyr

Thank god Stringer & O'Gara are there, those two work wonders even just by themselves there is a chemistry between them they do connect well togther, gotta love Stringy!:D

spank_inferno

I'm not as confident as most.
I think we'll win but it wont be by much.
I've just read Stephen jones in the Sunday times though so mabey thats why I'm so downbeat.

mikedragon32

That's a great selection.

Easterbunny ahead of Best is interesting, but it should pay off as he's in good form of late, I reckon. I'd agree with Sangre too that Boss should get some game time in the second half, and hopefully not a meaningless five minutes when the game is as good as over.

Linford

Easterby has been brilliant of late, especially in the Heineken cup. Best probably suffered due to Ulster's recent poor form.

Thank God Dempsey is in ahead of Murphy.

Little nervous about hooker though...

An Tarbh

don't be it could have been Frankie

youcancallmeal

Nice to see Hickey get a start. Its a side packed with experience just look at the caps :eek:

bazzman

just wonderin whats the news on shane horgan? how long is he going to be out for, will he miss out in many games?

Funkstard

I think it's looking like he won't be back until the Scotland game now

An Tarbh

he's definitely out of the French game, has a chance of making the English game but should be back for the last 2 matches.

il gatto

I would've picked Neil Best, but I can see the thinking behind playing Easterby. If things are tight after 55-60mins, imagine unleashing Best on the Welsh. He played in the AIs like a man possesed and now he's got a point to prove too. I can't wait.
I see why people want Boss to play, but Stringer is like clockwork. His passing is so direct and pacey, and O'Gara seems to be taking his backswing before Stringer has even let go the ball. The HEC hasn't shown them in the best light the last couple of matches. Half an hour in on Sunday and we'll all know why we love them. They rarely let us down. Give Boss 15-20 min if everythings going well though. Practice makes perfect.

An Tarbh

I know the media seemed quite complementary of Boss in the Australia game, but that wasn't the opinion of the section of the crowd we were in, he was too pedestrian at ruck time. He would have to have had a superb game to have any chance of ousting Stringer which he didn't unfortunately.

Sangre

He was superb in the summer NZ tests as well. He definitely steps it up for the internationals.

zAbbo

We should hockey Wales, and I predict we will, nothing I've seen from Wales during the AI or the regions in domestic games would worry me. Add in injuries and selection issues, I don't see why we shouldn't go over there with the belief that we'll win.

Maybe it won't be easy, but the fluidity of the Irish backline, Hickie, Dempsey and D'Arcy are probably playing the best rugby of their career. If Trimble wants to be considered a contender for the XV, nows his chance to do so. He cut some lovely lines in the springbok game.

Easterby in for Best was an easy decision, Best has been sub-par, while Easterby is playing as well as he did during the Lions tour 2 years ago.

If we're talking impact subs, lets get Boss on after an hour, with Best and Murphy as options. I'd like to see Simon Best come in as well, Flannery too.

Optimistic, but if we're going to wear the Favorites tag, may as well live up to it.

[Jackass]

Only 4 Leinster lads in the whole panel! Sign of the times people! Our pack aren't worth a sh*t

DO'C Starting? Wales get a six point headstart, but I still think we will win, not as comfortably as people may think, but this is our year...it HAS to be!

Can't wait for this to get going!!

An Tarbh

Donncha has been in far better form than POC, if anyone was in danger of being dropped it certainly wasn't the incredible hulk.

il gatto

I agree Donncha maybe hasn't had the big moments this year like the couple of years before (I mean passages of play, not results) but his work rate is fantastic and he's never less than reliable. As is so often the case, when you nail down a starting position, people start to take you for granted. With the exception of one or two missed tackles all season, it's hard to point to any mistakes he's made. I know one or two missed tackles can ruin a match, or a season, but you know what I mean. With the amount of rugby he's played all year, he's not done much wrong.

Chucky the tree

15. Kevin Morgan
14. Gareth Thomas
13. Hal Luscombe
12. James Hook
11. Chris Czekaj
10. Stephen Jones
9. Dwayne Peel
1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Rhys Thomas
3. Chris Horsman
4. Ian Gough
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Alix Popham
7. Martyn Williams
8. Ryan Jones

16. Matthew Rees
17. Duncan Jones
18. Robert Sidoli
19. Gavin Thomas
20. Mike Phillips
21. Ceri Sweeney
22. Jamie Robinson.


Henson dropped, very suprised by that. He might not of been playing excellent, but to drop him when you are already with out alot of your first team backs is a very strange decision.

il gatto

I'd drop him. He's unreliable, lazy and not great in any particular position. He might boom a big kick to touch once in a while, or kick a long distance penalty, but I think the negatives outstrip the occasional positives. The 6N is about percentages, and with Henson being so variable, he could almost be a liability. I've seen him standing off alot of tackles that he should have been making. His heart doesn't seem to be in it.

An Tarbh

He's never been the most enthusiastic of players, rugby has always been a means to an end for him, right decision dropping him.

Team doesn't look that strong at all so I'd be dissappointed if we don't come away with a good win on Sunday. Jenkins isn't in better form than Jones, Horsman is a hothead and they've lost their 2 wings and could lose Thomas as well.

shmaido

^^I don't know man, that looks pretty strong team to me,big pack and the back row looks like it could do a hell of a lot of damage. We'll be up against it I reckon.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Chucky the tree

Gareth Thomas has been ruled out of Wales' game with Ireland after receiving a four-week ban.

With wings Shane Williams and Mark Jones out injured, Chris Czekaj and Hal Luscombe form an inexperienced flank partnership, Jamie Robinson at centre.

Wales have chosen a powerful pack, props Gethin Jenkins and Chris Horsman picked ahead of Duncan and Adam Jones.

Locks Ian Gough and Alun Wyn Jones have behind them a back row of Alix Popham, Martyn Williams and Ryan Jones.

Coach Gareth Jenkins is thought to have turned to a muscular pack having seen Leicester overwhelm Munster in the Heineken Cup, six forwards from the Irish province being selected in the Ireland eight.

wales are in for a spanking.

shmaido

Chucky the tree wrote:

wales are for a spanking.

is there a link? getting conflicting reports over the Gareth Thomas situation, with him out it could prove you right

Chucky the tree

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/6310719.stm

spanner

I think it will be won or lost at the set pieces, if we can get good clean Possession from our own line outs, maybe disrupt a few of theres and hold our own in the scrum the magic will flow from there.

if we have any weakness its the set pieces especially the scrum which both of the main provinces are having problems with. Wales still pose a strong threat, I think they shot themselves in the foot last year with the Henson/Ruddock saga but their is a lot of talent there to give ireland a real game

LostinBlanch

I'm not so confident about our scrum, but we should win the majority of our lineouts. I definitely think they'll try to put Strings under pressure in the hope that he'll make mistakes.

Like others I'm 60 / 40 in favour of us.

Hope i'm right.

Erin Go Brath

Ireland by at least 10 points for me! Second row, and backs (11-15) we've a real edge. I also think O'Gara should outclass S. Jones. The scrum will be our weakest facet, shouldnt be enough of a problem though to see Wales worry us.

Starting line up: I would've put Flannery at hooker, apart from that, I think Eddies got it spot on. Might see N. Best have a run out during the second half as well.

Oh yeah, we've beaten them 6 times out of the last 7 too, and we have, if anything gotten better year on year.

Steyr

To be honest we are kicking arse left,right and center!:D Ireland to win!

spanner

lets not forget last year Wales had the were on top of us until stephen jones came on and the umpa lumpa made a mess of it for the welsh

davyjose

The only place Wales have us in my opinion, is in the scrum, and the way the game is these days, that won't have a huge impact - it rarely does. We should have the better of them in the lineout, and more importantly, their backline has gone to sh*t.
I think if this was at Lansdowne, we'd have already chalked up the two points. I still think this'll be our 2nd toughest game of the tournament, but if we don't win it, it will be considered a game we threw away.

Marshy

This will be a crucial game. If Ireland win, the grand slam is definitely on. But if Wales win, they'll be in with a chance this year.
I doubt there will be much in it, whatever happens.

iwincosimcool

got a good feeling about the game today. COME ON IRELAND!!!!!!!

kenmc

what a great take my murphy! can't understand why he was not starting..
pure class

mr_angry

Great conversion from O'Gara. Hopefully that will help him sort out his kicking.

christophicus

score?

Diamondmaker

BOD is looking tigerish in defencwe and in the power in taking his try.

Where is POC, completely anon so far, have not even heard his name since team sheet!

christophicus

What is the score people!!!

Brian017

12-9 to Ireland

christophicus

cheers
thanks man

kenmc

christophicus wrote:

score?

ireland 12-9 half time.
you should watch planet rugby - they have text updates

zAbbo

http://www.rte.ie/sport/av/sixnations_live.html - live stream

Diamondmaker

Wales are playing very wild and loose rugby, Ire are containing them well when it matters but are lucky not to ave had a binning as they have conceded alot of pennos in the red zone.
Ireland have looked savage in defence and it will take some brilliance to break them down. BOD is a tacking and turning over machine and Darcy on top of hios good D has made some good breaks. Ire dropped a sitter on the wing when 1 of 2 could have converted in the corner but pass not to hand.
POC as I mentioned earlier is no where to be seen!

Ire to grow in the 2nd after weathering all that Welsh passion and to pull away as the welsh chase the game.

mike65

The only place Wales have us in my opinion, is in the scrum, and the way the game is these days, that won't have a huge impact - it rarely does. We should have the better of them in the lineout, and more importantly, their backline has gone to sh*t.

Shocking first half from Ireland yet 3 points ahead. So much of Irelands play is predicated on O'Garas accurate kicking that if he's having a bad day the whole game plan falls apart. They'll have to keep it 'ball in hand' I think.

Mike.

Snickers Man

mr_angry wrote:

Great conversion from O'Gara. Hopefully that will help him sort out his kicking.

O'Gara is TOILET today. It's his kicking that has the team under constant pressure. He'd struggle to get into a Guinness premiership team on this form.

Too bad we don't have a viable replacement on the bench. Need to give replacement fly halves some game time.

Diamondmaker

Snickers Man wrote:

O'Gara is TOILET today. It's his kicking that has the team under constant pressure. He'd struggle to get into a Guinness premiership team on this form.

Too bad we don't have a viable replacement on the bench. Need to give replacement fly halves some game time.

that old pickle eh!!:mad:

Redundo

O'Gara is definately flaky today. Once the ball gets to him there is no predicting what'll happen. Has been having particular difficulty trying to find touch. Punting the ball aimlessly up into the Welsh half is only helping the Welsh pile the pressure on us.

Defence has been good considering the needless pressure thats being put on it and we look very dangerous when we finally get in the Welsh 22.

I still think it'll be a 5 point game to Ireland if we don't concede a silly score soon after the re-start.

zAbbo

Lets have some faith in in ROG.

Murphy needs to get on asap, we need someone attacking, and for all BODs quality, he's on the ground snaffling ball too much to be asked to perform miracles behind the breakdown.