Ireland vs France & England - Pre WC Friendlies in August

buzz55

hi,

Apologies if this has already been posted, I did a search but couldn't find anything.

Read at the weekend that Ireland will play both France & then England in the Aviva in August. Both pre-world cup friendlies.

I'm just wondering how likely is it that we would have a 'full/proper' team playing at these, or will they be saving all the main players for the real competition in September?

cheers

Risteard

buzz55 wrote: »

hi,

Apologies if this has already been posted, I did a search but couldn't find anything.

Read at the weekend that Ireland will play both France & then England in the Aviva in August. Both pre-world cup friendlies.

I'm just wondering how likely is it that we would have a 'full/proper' team playing at these, or will they be saving all the main players for the real competition in September?

cheers

I'd say they'll have a full enough team out. I hope they mix and match but it certainly wouldn't be a bunch of 'dirt trackers' (I hope) they're the last games for the team to get prepeared before the world cup and are taking the place of the summer tours. So I'd say it will be the 'proper' team out.

DH2K9

Much better preparation when we played Italy at Ravenhill and almost lost, Scotland away and lost and some French club team way with BOD getting injured.

mrboswell

Too many matches in my opinion, but at least it should get squad players match time.

Its a catch 22 to keep players sharp while trying to keep them injury free.

I suspect Ferris is in big trouble for WC.

WeeBushy

A mixture of 1st XV and players on the verge of the 1st team (e.g. Ruddock, Mcfadden, Trimble, 3/4 SHs etc) imo would be the best way of going about things.

Assess who needs to be rested, who could do with the game time, how certain combinations/game plans are going, who needs to be looked at in greater detail, and come up with a strong yet experimental team.

Pity the warm up matches are against NH teams only. We know how these teams play etc so might've been more beneficial to play against sides we don't come up against every year. Maybe a Pacific Island or Argentina.

As Risteard said, hope its not a complete B team, or dirt trackers. Might as well just organise a couple extra A games, because you wouldn't learn anything else from them.

EDIT:

Something like (of the top of my head):

15. Kearney/Murphy - both won't have played for Ireland for quite some time, so could do with game time in the national team
14. Earls
13. BOD - no real replacements, team captain, and want to see him playing with McFadden. Maybe only play him in one game
12. McFadden
11. Trimble
10. Sexton
9. Stringer/Reddan

1. Court
2. Cronin
3. Ross
4. Cullen
5. O'Connell
6. Ruddock
7. Jennings
8. O'Brien

16. Buckley
17. Flannery
18. Toner
19. Ferris
20. Boss
21. O'Gara, or maybe Keatley
22. Horgan

buck65

Good team except 10:p

Will these be full internationals?

WeeBushy

buck65 wrote: »

Good team except 10:p

Will these be full internationals?

Yeah I think they are.

Actually from the IRFU website we're playing 4 matches:

AUGUST 2011

Sat 6th Aug 11
F Scotland v Ireland Murrayfield

Sat 13th Aug 11
F France v Ireland Chaban-Delmas

Sat 20th Aug 11
F Ireland v France AVIVA Stadium

Sat 27th Aug 11
F Ireland v England AVIVA Stadium

Morf

DH2K9 wrote: »

Much better preparation when we played Italy at Ravenhill and almost lost, Scotland away and lost and some French club team way with BOD getting injured.

That'd be Bayonne.

buzz55

Any idea what will be the story with tickets? i.e. purchase through club only, or will they be available on ticketmaster do you think?