Hopes for next season.

thomond2006

Ah, 08/09 was a really great season for Irish rugby.

1. Ireland claimed the coveted Grand Slam for the first time in 61 years in Cardiff after Stephen Jones missed "that kick". Brian O' Driscoll would be later be named the player of the tournament. Ronan O' Gara becomes the leading all-time points scorer in the Six Nations Championship, overtaking Jonny Wilkinson.

2. Leinster broke their duck of being the "ladyboys" after claiming the Heineken Cup after edging Leicester in Edinburgh and demolishing Munster at GAA headquarters. A new fly-half star is born in Johnny Sexton.

3. Munster won the Magners League, did the double over Leinster while also keeping them scoreless and Thomond Park gave a "Thomond Park" farewell to Felipe Contepomi.

4. The Irish dominate the British & Irish Lions squad and a record is set when 8 Irishmen start in the 2nd Test against the Springboks in Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria. Paul O' Connell is chosen as captain.

5. Ireland A win the Churchill Cup, destroying favourites England Saxons in the final. The future of Irish rugby is bright.


So what are my hopes?

Obviously I want Munster to win the HEC back and Ireland to win a Grand Slam, other provinces do well etc but my biggest hope is:

Depp

as long as the heineken cup returns to its home ill be happy

NickNolte

Depp wrote: »

as long as the heineken cup returns to its home ill be happy

I didn't know you supported Toulouse.

Obviously I hope Leinster retain the HEC although it'll be a big ask without Raging Rocky and an increasingly fatiguing BOD. I'd be happy enough with another Irish grand slam... and to see some younger lads get a call up and produce some decent performances.

Depp

nice comeback, lets hope they all have fun

Robbo

As a Connacht fan, I'd love to see more than a 50% home record in the league and away wins against Glasgow, the Dragons and whoever we play that's depleted when the 6N rolls around. I'd also like to see a thoroughly undeserved victory at Ravenhill thanks to a late refereeing atrocity which would leave us above Ulster on points difference.

That and Michael Bradley will see his true calling in life as a coaching emperor penguins in Antarctica.

Amazotheamazing

More than anything else, I want the rivalry between the provinces to stop attracting gombeens from every province who scream loudly on messageboards.

thomond2006

Robbo wrote: »

That and Michael Bradley will see his true calling in life as a coaching emperor penguins in Antarctica.

hahahahahaha brilliant!!

:D:D:D

Four-Percent

I'd love to see Connacht beat Ospreys, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Munster at home (Not Leinster :pac:)

And another Irish championship, don't mind about the grand slam...

Morf

I'd like to see Ulster as strong as they should be and providing as many strong players to the international squads as Leinster and Munster.

I'd like the steel in the Leinster team to be kept this season.

Amazotheamazing

thomond2006 wrote: »

hahahahahaha brilliant!!

:D:D:D

Have you ever written a post without using smileys?

Risteard

Grand Slam retention, regaining Heineken Cup, retaining Magners League, winning All 3 Autumn Internationals convincingly, John Hayes reaching 100 caps, new players, specifically Healy, Earls and Sexton getting a run in the Irish Team and beating Leinster every time we play them.

I don't think that's too much do you?;)

NotWormBoy

thomond2006 wrote: »

Obviously I want Munster to win the HEC back and Ireland to win a Grand Slam, other provinces do well etc but my biggest hope is:

[100][caps][The Bull]

Likewise for BOD. He's 1 behind John Hayes, isn't he? Not to mention ROG and Big Mal who's 1 behind BOD. Though I don't hold many hopes for Mal getting to 100, sadly. Ronan's well going to hit it though. And Stringer who's 1 behind O'Gara. It'd be great to see the four of them hit 100. Can't begrudge any of them the honour.

Regarding this season though...

Realistically, I'd settle for a points diff 6N win, either of the Magner's League or HC, 2/3 of the Autumn Internationals, and finally getting a realistic backup to O'Gara, not just a Paddy-Wallace-vs-ThePacificIslands (no disrespect to him, but he's a centre not a fly-half).

I'd be delighted with anything further.

I hope to see Ireland build on the season just past and possibly win a the 6n championship.If we win our 3 home games and 1 away I'd be satisfied.Obviously hopeful of a gs but its too far away to be making predictions like that.Hopefully we can take the scalp of 1 of SA/OZ in the Autumn.

Obviously a widening of the squad to give us greater options heading towards 2011 would be another criteria by which the season will be measured.

I trust Declan Kidney to get the balance right.

With regards to the provinces.Hopefully Munster and Leinster will get to home q/f's and see from there.Both should get into the top 4 in the ML also.

Hopefully Ulster will get to a q/f but doubt it.Hope they can push towards the playoffs in the ML and possibly get the backdoor ticket into the Challenge Cup Q/F.

As for us in Connacht I just want to see us being run like a proper professional outfit with competent people in place at CEO and Management level.I always hope for the best with us but fear another season at the bottom and also missing out on the ECC Q/F.For me 30-35 points in the ML and ECC q/f are attainable targets just not with the current setup.

chupacabra

Some more Academy players getting first team debuts would be nice. Munster to do the double, Connacht to try and build a successful squad and climb a few places up in the table, Ulster to stick to their policy of developing their youth players, the 3 Irish provinces in the HC semi finals, another grand slam for ireland, another churchill cup win, an u-20 grand slam and an autumn international "grand slam".

[Jackass]

Maybe in order of preference:

1. Leinster retaining the Heineken Cup
2. Leinster winning the Magners League (and thus a double).
3. Ireland winning the 6 Nations Championship (grand slam or no grand slam)
4. Johnny Sexton becoming first choice 10 for Ireland.
5. Leinster to win new "A" tournament.
6. Ulster to advance from groups of Heineken Cup and Connacht to qualify for Heineken Cup.
7. AI's clean sweep
8. The emergence of more youth players at Leinster to first team candidates such as the likes of O'Malley, McFadden, McLoughlin & O'Donoghue at Leinster without any major injury concerns to replace.
9.............
10...........
11. Quins to win GP (cause I've a lot of time for their fans and have adopted them as my GP team).

Riskymove

1. Magners/HC

Munster to do the double, failing that Irish teams to do well (hopefully an irish win which under the new rules will mean all 4 teams into the HC for the following season)

a Munster v Leinster final anyone??:pac:

2. Ireland

beat Springboks to get a bit of payback and continue the tradition of getting good results against world champions in the AIs

beat wallabies for good measure

bring through a couple of the fringe players to get game time in build up to 6N

focus on squad for 2011 WC while defending 6N championship

Hopefully Grand slam but at least beat England away, France in paris the big test!


"A" team to continue great form