posted Feb 4, 2008

I see some Munster fan above complaining about the number of leinster fans wanting leinster players to be in the pack....he will notice however if he took care in reading some of the quotes that this is not case. People are calling for Jackman to be in the team as he has been playing better than Best, which many former great players (Keith Wood as an example) agree with. I have no doubt that Flannery would be in there and deservedly so but for a stray foot that caught someone in the head.
Jamie Heaslip is also pointed at to be in the team pushing Leamy to 6, where he has been playing so very well for Munster with the very reliable Foley beside him. The calls for heaslip is because he has been outstanding for leinster for three years and should therefore get into the squad on form.

As for the petty comment on leinsters (annoying) inability to beat edinburgh away, noones more disappointed than me. But in fairness edinburgh have come on leaps and bounds with Robinson, and Mike Blair has been playing extremely well. However, I could be even pettier by pointing to the 3-10 result the great munster (and Irish World Cup) pack that suffered at the hands of their lesser provincial rivals in blue during this season....but I won't.

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posted Feb 4, 2008

Wallace had a fine game and Leamy was a different player to the one that struggled at the world cup, Heaslip deserves his chance at 8. It was in the backs that the problem is evident, no one is hitting the line at pace alot of the passing is to men standing still, the Italians did a fine job blitzing the centre of the field and stopping O'Driscoll and Trimble but the wings were weak long cut out passes to genuine wingers at pace (like France would have done) would have unlocked the Italian defence. How did we miss out on Shane Geraghty just what we need at 12.

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posted Feb 4, 2008

boringname, this is not southern bias as you state. Personally I think that there should be a few more Ulster lads in the team in Caldwell, Bowe (not a fan but playing very well) & also I think that Trimble has to start in the centre where he is at his best.

Rory Best was given credit for some turnovers that he didn't get (especially one on the wing when it was Triumble who did it). He was way off the pace, his throwing was dodgy & I appreciate that the lineout is not only down to the hooker however when the hooker throws the ball down the wrong side of the lineout he has nobody to blame but himself. Also when jumpers are in the air it is the hookers fault if they are not hit.

Best was very bad at the weekend, this not a North versus South bias. You my friend are the only one bringing this into. Best is the number 3 hooker in Ireland, simple as that.

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posted Feb 4, 2008

But it's strange that southern contributers are those having a go at Best. As I said earlier, I don't think he had a good game, but on many occasions it was poor handling by Irish jumpers that let us down. Comments in other threads about Best being the worst Irish player of all time - that's simply ridiculous.

Bowe deserves a run-out on the wing, but Caldwell's discipline worries me. Reddan was the only real positive from the first game - lets hope his team mates are quicker to respond to his breaks in Paris.

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posted Feb 4, 2008

There may well be a north-south bias, but there's a much greater east-south (munster-leinster) bias going on that doesn't fit half as easily into your quasi-political argument.

It's not as if there is a consesus among leinster and munster fans as to who should play. So why do you think that views on a single player (Best) prove widespread anti-Ulster bias?

I have to agree with what Brent Pope said about putting Geordan in at fullback - sure, it's a risk, but we just look so stale at the moment. We tried to beat France in the RWC by playing conservatively and let's face it, we got trounced. I'd much rather see us go for broke and lose by twice as many points.

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posted Feb 4, 2008

With respect to Brent Pope's knowledge of back play, Geordan Murphy at FB is not the answer - he has had his chance (over 50 of them) and has yet to convince he can perform at test level.

His passing has been off for over two years, not just against Italy 08 but Italy 06, Argentina 07 and especially in the last two 6N games against France. What is the point in making a spectacular break and then shovelling the ball into touch?

The truth is that Ireland tend to struggle up front against good packs that are intent on defence and need to rely on ROG to kick them to victory. e.g. Italy, Scotland, Georgia... This problem isn't so much to do with the debate over the hooker but rather the props on either side of him. Hayes has become a solid scrummager but don't expect him to put their defence on the back foot with a power surge from the base. Eddie persists with allowing Horan to migrate out to the wing while the likes of BOD and Trimble have to pile into rucks to secure the ball. Call me old fashioned but I reckon forwards are better in the tight and backs are more effective in the loose.

If Ireland have parity in the set piece then the problem shifts further back. ROG doesn't have the pace to be a running fly half, so his decision is whether to pass or kick. Hence the opposition defence generally know that they can close the 12 down without too much fear that ROG will dive through any resultant gap. Of course his other main weapon is his cross-field kick which is potent enough but also at times predictable.

Eddie has had to work with the players he's been dealt, but IMO he still isn't playing his cards right. The only change he is likely to make is to bring Horgan in for D'Arcy, and hope that the team will suddenly 'gel' to save his job.

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posted Feb 4, 2008

Hman84,
yes some people only suggested jackman and heaslip should be added, but some also suggest cullen, jennings and glesson.
whats with the passive aggression,eg of me bein passive aggressive , i wont fall as low as to point out that munster always beat leinster when it matters. I ll keep it simple and name the team i think should start against france

1. Horan
2. best
3. buckley
4. doc
5. MOD
6. leamy
7. wallace
8. heaslip
9. readn
10 rog
11. bowe
12. trimble
13. bod
14. kearney
15. murphy

with 30 min to go Quinlan on 2nd row and best on 6 with leamy on 8. or heaslip depending on how the back row is goin, luke fitz for one of the wingers depending whos playing bad if any.

I dont think darcy should have started the last game as he was not performing as well as trible all year. but that does nt matter now.

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posted Feb 4, 2008

Sandy your comments about Murphy are based on a one eyed view, he seems to be the one who could ignite the back line..apart from EOS getting sacked! Geordan is not a winger and so should be at FB bring Bowe in and Trimble at 12, horgan on the bench and change Buckley to start plus heaslip at 8, leamy at 6 wallace fine but someone for Paddy Wallace poor guy the ultimate loser from EOS reign, no starts at ulster due to Humphs and no experience to play int rubgy at a moments notice!! same old same old and he is 27, and no chance shows glimpses but how can anyone perform if chucked in at the deepend!
EOS is keeping the players stagnant having lost the way to motivate them.. look at wales wow EOS has got to resign now just because we scraped past italy an all that rubbish about sparring bring in Jake White or Brian Smith NOW we need some new ideas and blood those cracking younger players eg Luke Fitzgerald and Tommy Bowe, before all the experinced players suddenly retire!

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posted Feb 5, 2008

I read above that the problem is the players from Munster dont play with same pride for Ireland like they for Munster.
So I will ask you does the Leinster players play with same pride, I dont think so.
This not fault of player but from the Irish RF.
That dont clear things Teams are teams and they can fight each other and dont care about what happen but when they reach the Nation team they have to apoint for the same side, I dont even the coach helps on that.
About france match if they put together was a team and fight together was just 1 they will win, they have skills players and strong amazing background that shows how great they are so.

Go Ireland.
Go Munster!

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posted Feb 5, 2008

"Sandy your comments about Murphy are based on a one eyed view"

... and you know this... how? To paraphrase Kevin Keegan, I'd love it if Murphy ignited the Irish backline. Unfortunately he hasn't and doesn't.

He is great with ball in hand, but too often when he tries to pass or offload, there's a turnover or scramble back to defend a loose ball. Have a look at most of his games in the last two years and you'll find that because of his errant passing Ireland have missed scoring at least six tries that someone of his 'ability' should have assisted. That is what is soooo frustrating, having done the hard work he screws up the easy bit.

Most of them are passes behind the player so he is obviously expecting his support runners to be much deeper than they are. If he was playing at Leinster then I have no doubt that he would be first choice week in week out, because his instinctive play would know where the other backs are. Unfortunately he doesn't gel with the rest of the backs and doesn't seem able to compensate. The penny just doesn't drop and he keeps creating and then wasting chances.

Dempsey doesn't create as much neither does he waste much hence he keeps getting picked because of his superior defence.

Perhaps you could suggest a game where Murphy ignited the Irish backline that I missed with my closed eye?

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