Ireland's World Cup Schedule 2011

Snickers Man

With the qualifiers around the world proceeding apace it is now clearer who Ireland's opponents will be in the World Cup in 2011.

As expected, the USA will be our first opponents in New Plymouth followed by Australia the following Saturday, then another as yet unidentified European qualifier eight days later finishing up with a tie against Italy the following Sunday.

Let's hope we don't get Georgia again, eh?

Of potentially worrying note is the fact that we will be playing our first match against the USA on September 11th. Yup. The 10th anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington. You can imagine how the Americans, not unnaturally, will want to commemorate them. They could have a BIG performance in them that day.

If we finish second we will have to play the winners of Group D which includes Wales, South Africa, Samoa and Fiji so far. It looks likely that S Africa will win that one. WE might want to avoid them in the quarters so I reckon we should put every effort into trying to beat Australia in the opening rounds. (It can be done) Then we would have a tie against any one of those other three. Not easy, but probably better than taking on the Bokke.

A long way off yet but it's worth being realistic about dreams. Even now.

mink_man

the usa? if theyre not good, nothing will make them that good!

jprender

Snickers Man wrote: »

we should put every effort into trying to beat Australia in the opening rounds.

Australia should put every effort into trying to beat us. :cool:

gavkm27

Yeah i am planning on being there,renting a van/camper for 2 months and driving around to all the games,tickets being released next April,after the weekend i'm doubly excited about it now,this will be our best WC to date!

twinytwo

Snickers Man wrote: »

With the qualifiers around the world proceeding apace it is now clearer who Ireland's opponents will be in the World Cup in 2011.

As expected, the USA will be our first opponents in New Plymouth followed by Australia the following Saturday, then another as yet unidentified European qualifier eight days later finishing up with a tie against Italy the following Sunday.

Let's hope we don't get Georgia again, eh?

Of potentially worrying note is the fact that we will be playing our first match against the USA on September 11th. Yup. The 10th anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington. You can imagine how the Americans, not unnaturally, will want to commemorate them. They could have a BIG performance in them that day.

If we finish second we will have to play the winners of Group D which includes Wales, South Africa, Samoa and Fiji so far. It looks likely that S Africa will win that one. WE might want to avoid them in the quarters so I reckon we should put every effort into trying to beat Australia in the opening rounds. (It can be done) Then we would have a tie against any one of those other three. Not easy, but probably better than taking on the Bokke.

A long way off yet but it's worth being realistic about dreams. Even now.

they can commemorate all they want... there is such a thing as getting in too deep... they get hammered by ireland A and munster reserve so i cant see them doing much damage.


they can

irishbucsfan

gavkm27 wrote: »

Yeah i am planning on being there,renting a van/camper for 2 months and driving around to all the games,tickets being released next April,after the weekend i'm doubly excited about it now,this will be our best WC to date!

Hope you got your camper van booked

Pisco Sour

Whats the rail services like between all those cities that Ireland will be playing in?

Crash

NZ isn't exactly a big rail country. South Island's rail lines are largely scenic and tourist attractions, rather than functional. Can't talk for the North Island properly, never got a train there, but afaik its pretty much a no.

Road systems pretty decent though (provided the weather doesn't turn - got stuck thanks to landslides once.)

Aidric

Snickers Man wrote: »

Of potentially worrying note is the fact that we will be playing our first match against the USA on September 11th. Yup. The 10th anniversary of the attacks on New York and Washington. You can imagine how the Americans, not unnaturally, will want to commemorate them. They could have a BIG performance in them that day.

lol. This isn't a Jerry Bruckheimer film.

[Jackass]

I think our group is very winnable, and needles to say, we're capable of winning against South Africa.

We can win this world cup. We can beat Australia, we can win the group, we can beat Wales in Quarters...then semi-final, it's game on...anything can happen

Still so difficult to predict where the Irish team will be by then, but with so much youth coming through, you can only imagine we'll have a lot more depth and a lot better squad than we do now...

It would be a fitting send off for the likes of O'Driscoll, O'Gara, O'Connell etc. etc. of that generation...maybe O'Driscoll MIGHT be able to win world player of the year if he scores a hat-trick in the world cup final...it seems like that's what'll it'll take at this stage after being nominated 3 times and never winning it...

tolosenc

They're all Saturday and Sunday stuff, no 4am on a Monday morning matches...

gavkm27

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Hope you got your camper van booked

Not yet! but i'm onto it

louthandproud

[Jackass] wrote: »

I think our group is very winnable, and needles to say, we're capable of winning against South Africa.

We can win this world cup. We can beat Australia, we can win the group, we can beat Wales in Quarters...then semi-final, it's game on...anything can happen

Still so difficult to predict where the Irish team will be by then, but with so much youth coming through, you can only imagine we'll have a lot more depth and a lot better squad than we do now...

To make that world cup win dream a reality we will really need that strength in depth. Although we have come along way in the last couple of years since '07 disaster we will need to keep that improvement curve moving upwards to turn that dream in to a realistic expectation!

We have at last now got two viable 10's (we need another one too coming along to challenge JS after ROG's inevitable departure in the coming years) Similar story in other areas around the park, front row obviously needs more new blood, JH can't go for ever, we need a 2nd reliable hooker, 2nd row probably okay through to 2011. Back row needs strengthening, particularly at 7. We need another 9, not sure Reddan is up to it. Midfield, much as I hate to say it we will need to start blooding another 13, BOD can't be expected to deliver in every game up to and including RWC 2011. Back 3, well we have the best FB in the world (even if Jim Glennon says his tackle is suspect), probably need more cover across the back 3, got a few utility players here but imho we are going to need specialists not centres/wingers/fbs, versatility has its advantages but.....

padser

louthandproud wrote: »

JH can't go for ever, we need a 2nd reliable hooker,

People have such short memories :rolleyes: once a players gets injured for a few months

.....Rory Best...

Pisco Sour

Crash wrote: »

NZ isn't exactly a big rail country. South Island's rail lines are largely scenic and tourist attractions, rather than functional. Can't talk for the North Island properly, never got a train there, but afaik its pretty much a no.

Road systems pretty decent though (provided the weather doesn't turn - got stuck thanks to landslides once.)

How is one supposed to get from venue to venue when he/she

1) Doesnt drive
2) Even if I was with people who are willing to drive, all the campervans would be long sold out!

Is there a bus service or something? Internal Flight?

World Cup in a country which doesnt have the infrastructure to support all the visitors! What bright spark thought of that?! Japan would have been perfect! I've been there and the transport system is absolutely incredible. The best on the planet!

louthandproud

padser wrote: »

louthandproud wrote: »

JH can't go for ever, we need a 2nd reliable hooker,

People have such short memories :rolleyes: once a players gets injured for a few months

.....Rory Best...

No short memory I don't think he is world cup winning material! My opinion.

chupacabra

louthandproud wrote: »

padser wrote: »

louthandproud wrote: »

JH can't go for ever, we need a 2nd reliable hooker,

No short memory I don't think he is world cup winning material! My opinion.

Can you flesh out your opinion a bit? I think Rory Best is the best hooker in this country and a future captain for ireland. You have to remember he is only 27 and were it not for this injury i have no doubt he would have started all 3 of the autumn test series.

Podge_irl

louthandproud wrote: »

No short memory I don't think he is world cup winning material! My opinion.

Best is arguably better than Flannery - he's certainly better come scrum time and imo come ruck time. I don't think he's world class or anything, but he's certainly not going to weaken the side.

irishbucsfan

Hmmm... Best v. Flannery is a tough one.

In a perfect team, Best would start for me. But I think due to our lack of competitiveness on the deck in defense from the back row (Heaslip is great but Ferris and Wallace don't score highly on the turnover counter, as great as they are when we have the ball) I think Flannery rightly gets the nod, due to his skulduggery on the deck.

Best is easilly good enough for any international 16 jersey though, and he could well push to start in the 6 nations. Or put it this way, against Italy or Scotland this year if we give Shane Jennings a start, then Best would be the better selection in my mind.

Last year heading into the 6 nations I was a huge believer that Best should start, but now I can see where Kidney was coming from (if not his Munster bias )

[Jackass]

I actually think Best is better than Fla. Both are excellent imo though, I'm happy with those 2 fighting for the 2 jersey with Cronin coming through also.

Well, to put it in context, a "young" team or team for the future can be put together now with players coming through / established but still very young..plus add all of the outgoing generation to this, it seems like they'll meet nicely in the middle of 2 generations of squads for th3 next world cup...

1. Healy
2. Cronin
3. Hayes (young considering he has another 15 years left in his career)
4. Ryan
5. Toner / Cladwell
6. Ferris / McLoughlin
7. Ronan / O'Brien / Jennings (still only 27)
8. Heaslip

9. O'Leary
10. Sexton / Keatley
11. Fitzgerald
12. McFadden / Cave
13. Earls / Murphy
14. Bowe / Carr
15. Kearney

That's a quality team imo, but is missing loaadsss of players who'll be available also, players like O'Connell, O'Callaghan, Cullen, Flannery, Horan, Best, Wallace, Stringer, Reddan, O'Gara, D'Arcy, O'Driscoll, Horgan, Murphy etc. etc. etc. and a lot of the young guys there arfe capped and / or full internationals, so will have lots of experience come world cup...all regulars for their provence also...

I think we'll have superb depth by the world cup...imo, the most important player is Keatley...he needs either a move to Munster to fight for the 10 jersey, or a move to Leinster and have an almighty tussle with Sexton for the 10 jersey (imagine having 2 young players of that calibre fighting for the 10 jersey at club level alone?? Major difference between Tolouse & Leinster is Tolouse get to keep all home produced player in squad...which gives unbelievable depth...) or he needs a move to GP..

irishbucsfan

Wow I never realised Flannery is 31 already. It must be the hair!

Hopefully we can produce a young 12 in this country to start coming through, because all we've really got in that position is Wallace and D'arcy and even D'Arcy isn't a natural 12. We need a young Wallace, except a version of Wallace who doesn't wait to start playing truly international standard rugby until he's 30.

jank

04072511 wrote: »

How is one supposed to get from venue to venue when he/she

1) Doesnt drive
2) Even if I was with people who are willing to drive, all the campervans would be long sold out!

Is there a bus service or something? Internal Flight?

World Cup in a country which doesnt have the infrastructure to support all the visitors! What bright spark thought of that?! Japan would have been perfect! I've been there and the transport system is absolutely incredible. The best on the planet!

If you dont drive and cant be arsed googling about NZ and its transport than I might suggest you not come around the world just to whinge.

And yes there are buses (they have 4 wheels right :rolleyes:) here and these things with wings called planes or is that mighty mouse:rolleyes:

The world cup in 2011 will be CLASS!!!! Great weather, great sights, great people! I will be here and getting my tickets when they are released.

louthandproud

Podge_irl wrote: »

Best is arguably better than Flannery - he's certainly better come scrum time and imo come ruck time. I don't think he's world class or anything, but he's certainly not going to weaken the side.

Yeah its definitely a debatable one, just in my opinion Flannery offers more overall, particularly in the line out which has been Irelands main platform.

Don't get me wrong I am a fan of Best, but Id prefer to see new blood in the #2 jersey coming through.

Eoin

Podge_irl wrote: »

Best is arguably better than Flannery - he's certainly better come scrum time and imo come ruck time. I don't think he's world class or anything, but he's certainly not going to weaken the side.

He's one of those players that you have to look out for, but when you do, you can see that he's a very good player.

marco_polo

louthandproud wrote: »

Yeah its definitely a debatable one, just in my opinion Flannery offers more overall, particularly in the line out which has been Irelands main platform.

Don't get me wrong I am a fan of Best, but Id prefer to see new blood in the #2 jersey coming through.

But he will be only 29 at the next world cup? And it is likely he will still be either the best or second best option for the position at that stage.

Ciaran-Irl

Does anyone know the potentials for the Semi final if we meet and beat Wales or South Africa?

Am I right in thinking that if we end up second in our group, we are likely to play SA in the QF and then NZ in the semi, but if we win our group, we likely play Wales followed by Australia or France?

Ciaran-Irl

If you get to NZ two days before the Australia group game, three weeks holidays gtes to the end of the group stages, making three games. 4 weeks hols will take you to the QF, 5 to the semi and 6 weeks to the final.

Now, how to persuade work to give me loads of time off...

rola

I think we'll have superb depth by the world cup...imo, the most important player is Keatley...he needs either a move to Munster to fight for the 10 jersey, or a move to Leinster and have an almighty tussle with Sexton for the 10 jersey (imagine having 2 young players of that calibre fighting for the 10 jersey at club level alone?? Major difference between Tolouse & Leinster is Tolouse get to keep all home produced player in squad...which gives unbelievable depth...) or he needs a move to GP..

[/QUOTE]


That makes absolutely no sense why move to a team where he will warm the bench or stay with connaught and play regularly. Ass for moving to GP thats even more absurd Gordan Murphy on of the best utility backs to grace irish rugby cant nail down a green shirt because the plays with the tigers. and Bob Casey (Although not ever one agrees with this i know) is as good if not better than all our present opyions in the second row (Including POC) but because he crossed the water he cant get a game for ireland. the list is endless Neil Best Johonny Murphy......

I Know Connaught may not be HEC but it that very attitude that mean they will never improve as soon as connaught have improved and nurished a player from late youth to senior its time for that player to move on

Podge_irl

rola wrote: »

That makes absolutely no sense why move to a team where he will warm the bench or stay with connaught and play regularly. Ass for moving to GP thats even more absurd Gordan Murphy on of the best utility backs to grace irish rugby cant nail down a green shirt because the plays with the tigers. and Bob Casey (Although not ever one agrees with this i know) is as good if not better than all our present opyions in the second row (Including POC) but because he crossed the water he cant get a game for ireland. the list is endless Neil Best Johonny Murphy......

Geordan Murphy couldn't nail down a spot for Ireland because he wasn't the best international full back available. The man's defence at FB was sub-standard and he was prone to mistakes. He also got over 50 caps anyway.

Bob Casey better than POC? That's not even worth discussing. He's too slow and ponderous for international rugby.

Neil Best was dropped for Easterby while he was at Ulster (an Easterby that played in Wales I might add), that was just due to EOS being EOS. Currently Ferris is better than him, though you could certainly have made an argument for him to be involved in the SA match on the bench - I don't really know what happened there.

The basic premise of Keatley moving to Leinster is a poor one though. Munster or the GP would both make more sense.

onlyrocknroll

Tommy Bowe plays abroad and gets his green jersey, admittedly in the Magner's League. Geordan Murphy's had plenty of caps for Ireland, was unlucky with injury not to have more, and was then simply pushed out of the team by better players. I suppose Reddan is a good example, gets overlooked for a few years at Wasps then comes home and gets a run out, but O'Leary looks save for now.

In general I think the two big Irish sides and increasingly Ulster are of a higher standard then the Guinness Premiership and Irish players who cut it over there don't necessarily make the grade here. Bob Casey and Johne Murphy are good players but not good enough to crack into an Irish 22 man squad. Jeremy Staunton was the top scorer in the GP for a lot of this season, currently second, nowbody is calling for him to take part in the O Gara/Sexton battle for 10.

adelcrowsmel

Does anyone know of any airlines that take bookings this far in advance - or will we have to wait until Oct/Nov 2010 to book flight for NZ? I'll have to get onto the whole camper van bookings aswell - if anyone knows of any good websites - oh I can't wait!!!!:D