Grand slam or bust...can we really afford to say that?

prem · 16-03-2009 11:45PM #1

Just reading in a lot of posts that many are saying if we dont win the Grand slam it will be a disaster. I agree 100% that it will be class to win the Grand slam but can we really afford to turn up our noses to the championship if thats what happens next saturday. AS we all know last grand slam was 1948, last 5 nations championship 1985.
So to win either would be some success, looking at the disaster of a world cup not even two years ago. Kidney has worked his magic, the talent was always there just needed some fresh ideas. Just cant believe some people completely dismissing the championship with our current record.
P.S Ireland for the Slam

Serenity Now! · 16-03-2009 11:49PM

I don't think the philosophy behind the game on saturday will be anything but winning it.
All the rest of the hoohah will follow but beating Wales is all they'll be thinking about and talking about. This "one game at a game" mindset is not just soundbites in interviews, I believe its actually the way they're doing this.
The media can say what they want as nothing they say will matter and to be honest, nothing anyone else says will matter.

prem · 16-03-2009 11:58PM

I definitely agree with ya, another thing Kidney has brought to the set up. There is a confidence there now that should of been there for the last few years, with the talent we have. Especially the way they talk about each match as another test match.

stephen_n · 17-03-2009 12:05AM

I don't know, I think there is a mix of nervousness that makes some people afraid to say outright that the team is good enough to do it and win in Cardiff and take the GS but also an air of over confidence in some quarters that this is our year and a god given right but in the middle there is very little room to left to consider winning the championship, which has to be viewed as a consolation prize after all. I doubt there would be any Irish supporter who could honestly say forget about the championship it's GS or nothing but I think it is only something to be looked at when the GS is gone. TBH I would think that given the strength of our defence it would be hard to loose the championship now but it will be just as hard to beat wales in Cardiff!

old boy · 17-03-2009 12:11AM

me thinks it is a case of schit or give up the pot

Fishtits · 17-03-2009 12:12AM

We came from nothing to win several Triple Crowns,

Our X Nations record is piss poor regarding the Grand Slam to put it lightly, ie we won it once 60 odd years ago.

Next week we are up against a Country who have won it 10 times.

They are also the Bookies favorites... and at home.

...Guess we should win the Championship, maybe not the Grand Slam.

Either way, its been great to support a united Irish team.

Podge_irl · 17-03-2009 06:38AM

I would dearly love us to win the grandslam. I would however be quite happy to win the championsip. We havent won it since 85 and are one season away from going the longest run ever by any team without winning it! There is, though, that nagging thought that we were often one or two tries away from winning the championship in the past and it would take a grandslam to really signify an improvement in the team.

Colm_OReilly · 17-03-2009 09:47AM

Deccie's downplayed Ireland's chances for every game so far, so I can't see why he wouldn't downplay our chances for Saturday.

Anyone also notice how he's been referred to by the RTE pundits since the start of the championship? He was Father Declan after the France game, and by the time we'd beat the Scots, he was Arch-Bishop Declan.

I reckon they'll be calling him Saint Declan after we win in Cardiff.

Noffles · 17-03-2009 10:03AM

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

Deccie's downplayed Ireland's chances for every game so far, so I can't see why he wouldn't downplay our chances for Saturday.

Anyone also notice how he's been referred to by the RTE pundits since the start of the championship? He was Father Declan after the France game, and by the time we'd beat the Scots, he was Arch-Bishop Declan.

I reckon they'll be calling him Saint Declan after we win in Cardiff.

"After we win at Cardiff"... hmmmm Sure us Welsh will have a say or two in that but I totally agree with the OP, Ireland will look to win nothing else...

thomond2006 · 17-03-2009 10:09AM

If Wales beat us by less than 13:

1. Wales win the Triple Crown
2. Ireland win the championship

Does this mean that both teams collect trophies, which would be very strange indeed.

:p

NickNolte · 17-03-2009 10:48AM

Saturday is a tough one to call. While we've put in some workmanlike performances and eaked out a few good wins, we've been far from on fire. Having said that, neither have Wales. I reckon both teams are fairly evenly matched going into this weekend. Whoever ups their game more, want it more and, unfortunately, gets that little extra bit of luck, will win IMO.

Climate Expert · 17-03-2009 12:50PM

If Wales beat us on Saturday we win nothing. If it comes down to points difference they should just call it a draw at the top of the table given the uneven nature of home and away victories.

Snickers Man · 17-03-2009 12:52PM

Back in 2001, thanks to the Foot and Mouth outbreak. The Ireland England game was postponed until September. If might have been a grand slam decider, had not IReland stuffed up against Scotland a month earlier.

As it was, the scenario was similar to that facing the Irish team this saturday. Ireland could have won the championship but only if they had beaten England by about 60 points. Did that stop us?

Hell no! We went out and mullahed them.

Of course, England won the championship despite losing the match but there was a picture of Martin Johnson, the English captain who couldn't play because of injury, and the captain for the day (Dawson I think) lifting the trophy for the cameras afterwards. The look on their faces shows what an empty hollow victory it was.

I reckon O'Driscoll should study it before the match if only to tell himself, "I don't want to feature in a picture like that." He might also remind himself what it was like to be in the team that deprived England of the slam to get an inkling of the state of mind Wales will be in.

I reckon we can do it. G'wan the lads!!!

NickNolte · 17-03-2009 12:56PM

Climate Expert wrote: »

If Wales beat us on Saturday we win nothing. If it comes down to points difference they should just call it a draw at the top of the table given the uneven nature of home and away victories.

Yeah. That makes loads of sense.

Climate Expert · 17-03-2009 12:58PM

NickNolte wrote: »

Yeah. That makes loads of sense.

It does if you have a functioning brain stem.

Prior to 1994, teams equal on points shared the championship.

NickNolte · 17-03-2009 12:59PM

Climate Expert wrote: »

It does if you have a functioning brain stem.

Welcome to 2009.

Climate Expert · 17-03-2009 01:01PM

NickNolte wrote: »

Welcome to 2009.

So why couldn't you make sense of what I said earlier? What could you not comprehend?The reasoning behind the draw system is fairly obvious. Well I say obvious but then I don't really know where you're coming from.

Judgement Day · 17-03-2009 01:13PM

The big perfomances of the Championship are still to come. Ireland to absolutely stuff Wales - by at least 10-15 points and England to run up a Cricket score against hapless Scotland.
Come on Munster Ireland!!!

Aidric · 17-03-2009 01:20PM

Nothing less than victory is acceptable for this side. It would be nice to do it playing the Welsh at their own game.

Chucky the tree · 17-03-2009 02:25PM

For the supposed golden generation to not win a grand slam would be pretty bad. This will probaly be the last chance for alot of players aswell.

Grand slam or bust...can we really afford to say that?

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