Ireland team to Play Italy

Downtime

Is this Eddie's starting 15 for the World Cup? (without O'Driscoll)

IRELAND TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Italy, Ravenhill, Friday, August 24, kick-off 19:45):
15 - Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster)
14 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
13 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Denis Hickie (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
10 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
9 - Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
1 - Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
2 - Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
3 - John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (Captain)
6 - Simon Easterby (Llanelli)
7 - Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
8 - Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Replacements:
16 - Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
17 - Simon Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
18 - Malcolm O'Kelly (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
19 - Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
20 - Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)
21 - Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
22 - Brian Carney (Clonakilty/Munster)

High&Low

WC team with exception of 7, 13 and 14

zAbbo

High&Low wrote:

WC team with exception of 7, 13 and 14

Considering the injuries hanging over those players, I'd regard this as our strongest team for the WC.

It looks like Neil Best is the chosen backup openside to Wallace and the backup blindside as well, while Ferris is the backup 8 and 3rd choice blindside?

Would like to see the bench emptied before 60mins.

Trojan

Hmm, hooker... I think our top hooker depends who we're playing - RB for likes of Argies when our scrum's under pressure, Flannery to give us more around the park.

zAbbo

Is Flannery still short of fitness & form ?

By all means use this as a test for the Argies, hence RB starting, but like you say Flannery does offer more in the loose, Perhaps using a mixture of the two in the opening games.

Flannery isn't a bad player to have as an impact sub.

Luckycharm

zabbo wrote:

Is Flannery still short of fitness & form ?

By all means use this as a test for the Argies, hence RB starting, but like you say Flannery does offer more in the loose, Perhaps using a mixture of the two in the opening games.

Flannery isn't a bad player to have as an impact sub.

Think Flannery got shown up in the Scotland game, Rory best is much better in the tight,fringe defence, better tackler, mauler and better in the scrums. He is only a couple of KG lighter then Hayes.Flannery has a better throw and is not a bad backup.

Nukem

Thats good pack - still a little annoyed about this Reddan/Boss thing. He just isnt giving him a chance:mad:

Best,Easterby and Leamy..mmmmmm.......you got brute force with hands and a little bit of go forward grunt. Glad to see it. Lineouts should be good too with DOC and POC.

Should be a warning shot to all in the WC. (me prays they dont look crap)

redmca

Team very much along expected lines. I wonder whether EOS would have played Horgan in the centre if he was fit. Just as well he's unavailable cos he's a great wing and a lousy centre, but Eddie seems to think differently.

Looking forward to seeing Trimble in what is recognised as his natural position. We really need back-up in this area, so here's a chance to show what he can do.

I expect the result to be a lot closer than Rome in March.

Punchbowl

Yeep, not a bad side considering the injuries.. I think Trimble is just short of being international class, but then games like this are what help get you there.

Murphy on the right shlould be interesting. He could well have a stormer

SpAcEd OuT

It will be intresting to see how murphy does on the wing hopefully he can keep up his good form as of late.

An in form Murphy would be an awesome impact sub to have going into the World Cup.

RonBonJovi

Luckycharm wrote:

Think Flannery got shown up in the Scotland game, Rory best is much better in the tight,fringe defence, better tackler, mauler and better in the scrums. He is only a couple of KG lighter then Hayes.Flannery has a better throw and is not a bad backup.

Best is 19kg lighter than Hayes and is only 4kg heavier then Flannery

Funkstard

Very happy to see Trimble in the centre. Expecting big things from this starting team!

kevmy

Luckycharm wrote:

Think Flannery got shown up in the Scotland game, Rory best is much better in the tight,fringe defence, better tackler, mauler and better in the scrums. He is only a couple of KG lighter then Hayes.Flannery has a better throw and is not a bad backup.

Well Best might be a bit better in the scrum I'll give him that but he's a lot worse throwing the darts. IMO lineouts much more important than the scrum in modern game.

I'd also question whether he is a better mauler

Stev_o

Considering his last 3 outings in a Irish jersey havent given us a big reason why he should replace RB. I mean fair play to him to keep on trying time and time again after shoulder reconstruction but i think in fairness to Rory he has proved himself to be our No.1 Hooker he has come on alot and i think he deserves to be starting

Diamondmaker

SpAcEd OuT wrote:

It will be intresting to see how murphy does on the wing hopefully he can keep up his good form as of late.

Im all up for Murphy on the wing over Carney. Itll be great to see what Trimble can do in the centre, hell be relishing this chance.

Provided the injuries to Horgan and BOD allow them play the FRance game or earlier this enforced shuffle may not be all that bad.

Best too needs to get a run out with a more familiar surrounds around him.

Im all for Best as no1 hooker, Flannery has done nothing to ean a place back.

My bet is Hickie to be the man in this game, hell take charge like Vs them in the 6N!

Cant wait to see this team, must be the strongest team we have allowing for injuries and would gain almost unanimouis support from the punters too it seems....

AbusesToilets

Yeah this should be a good game.I'm just hoping Hickie can stay injury free this time around,he's on fire at the mo

accensi0n

I really can't wait to see how this goes.

So happy to see Trimble in the centre. As someone else already said, I really wonder if he would have been put there if Horgan was fit.

Now I just have to find somewhere in Melbourne to watch this.

AbusesToilets

Anyone know if Setanta is showing the Irish games for the world cup in the US? i ask because they haven't shown any of their warm up games.

randomname2005

As far as I know Setanta on Dish Network will be showing them, although it does depend on which package you have

http://linux11744.dn.net/setanta/jsp/RWC_07_NA/RWC_07_NA.htm

R

buck65

sTRINGER VERY DOUBTFUL WITH BACK SPASM

zAbbo

Anyone else heading up tonight ?

Should be a good crowd, and a decent send off to the squad.

Creamy Goodness

anyone know if this on tv?

Sangre

Hopefully Trimble plays well (as I expect him to) in the centre and we never have to witness the travesty of the Horgan/Darcy centre combo again.

Punchbowl

Cremo wrote:

anyone know if this on tv?

RTE2

shmaido

Sangre wrote:

Hopefully Trimble plays well (as I expect him to) in the centre and we never have to witness the travesty of the Horgan/Darcy centre combo again.

agreed, but i heard a quote from EOS himself still insisting that the Horgan/Darcy combo is still his no.2 centre combination...:eek: , I reckon its why we lost the france match

Creamy Goodness

Punchbowl wrote:

RTE2

Thanks, i hope pope and hook are doing the analysis.

will miss them for the world cup.

mr.fancypants

any body else hear that eos mite tryout murphy at flyhalf tonite!!

think itts worth a go considering the reserve 10

Diamondmaker

Absolute disgrace!!!

Try complete travesty at the end, how was that awarded....

Things look grim!

RuggieBear

sweet Jesus that was an awful match.


we are not going to get out of our group

Am I the only one that thought that was a try? Surely it was knocked back.I thought it was the Italian leg that brought it forward or was I seeing things?

RuggieBear

yeah it was a try but it was a ****ing travesty we won the match