posted Nov 21, 2008

yeah we could've been 3-3 at HT last week, but would hardly have been deserved. won't harp on about munster but how was it that a 2nd string semi-AIL team could run NZ's 2nds so close on tuesday? easy. coz they hit everything that moved and were hugely aggressive at every contact situation. we need more aggression from this irish side. who cares how lucky we are to have talents like o'driscoll, kearney, murphy and o'connell if we're not going to front up.

the argies won't be holding back tomorrow. here's praying we can match their physicality.

C'mon Ireland!!

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posted Nov 21, 2008

The amount of importance put on the ranking issue has prevented the development of this team and is very disappointing and indicates a dangerous lack of ambition. It really shouldn't matter whether we are in a world cup group with 2 other 'big' nations because if we have any ambition in the future, we should be happy to take on this teams and relish the challenges and not avoid them. Ireland's group with France and Argentina in the last world cup didn't stop those two getting to the semi-finals - Oh, how I dream of Ireland being in a semi-final....
By the way, if you kick the ball away the likelihood that you won't get it back and it's really hard to get your hands on it again!! Pretty simple but I'm not sure we understand that here in Ireland.

Very proud of Munster during the week - great game, great effort. Given the squad, thei was more than just a brave defeat!

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posted Nov 21, 2008

Not a conservative selection by Kidney at all. Geordan is a quality fullback who can add a bit of spice to the backline. Last week we were awful. Lets not forget we NEED to win this game to remain in the top 8 in the world. Geordan is a safe pair of hands and is far more dangerous with ball in hand than Dempsey. I agree Kearney is the man for the FB position for the 6N. But at the mo we need a left wing who can kick the leather of the ball and he is our only option. Personally my backline for the 6N would be 9 O'Leary 10 O'Gara 11 Fitz/Earls 12 Fitz/Earls 13 O'Driscoll 14 Bowe 15 Kearney.

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posted Nov 21, 2008

Also I will support my national team win lose or draw. But if they don't take pride in wearing the green or prefer to wear red they don't deserve to wear the green. The Irish squad should take a noteof what Munster achieved on tuesday night.

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posted Nov 21, 2008

I think Ireland may get moshed up front.

As for ROG,well, less said the better.

Geordan,good player, but a luxury we can't afford.

Apologies but I fear the worst, hope I am very wrong.

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posted Nov 21, 2008

o'gara can't tackle like a man cos he's a mouse

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posted Nov 21, 2008

Nice to see that Kidney has seen sense and called up Geordan he's been in electric form for this season and last year. Good choice of a back three they combined well last year in the 6N and I think they will do well again. If I was Irish I'd be more worried about the half back combination not clicking O'Leary is inexperienced and O'Gara can be flakey in the international arena (for instance the RWC). Although, I have to agree with the short comings of Reddan he's under threat for his Wasps shirt at the minute with young Joe Simpson putting in some stellar performances reccently.

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posted Nov 21, 2008

how was it that a 2nd string semi-AIL team could run NZ's 2nds so close on tuesday? easy. coz they hit everything that moved and were hugely aggressive at every contact situation

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If it was that 'easy' then every team would do it.

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posted Nov 21, 2008

Without Felipe, with Avramovic and Leonelli, and with Tati Phelan as coach (he was a great flanker) we canīt beat Ireland in any way

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posted Nov 21, 2008

I really don't know why so many people are jumping on O'Gara's back all of a sudden. Granted he didn't have the best game last Saturday, but who actually did? And what other alternative is there at fly-half? Jonny Sexton is untried and Paddy Wallace is alright but unpredictable.

To be honest I am a little worried about O'Leary. He's definitely going to be there for the long term, but I'm still not fully convinced. And I wonder, am I the only one who thinks Stringer has been playing quite well, albeit intermittently, since the RWC? Maybe it's the fact that he no longer is the man to dislodge from the team, but is 3rd choice, and has to fight his way ahead of two other very good SH?

As for the FB debate, I've always been a fan of Murphy, and think he gives that extra bit of sparkle to the back line. Earls is a definite star of the future, and I think he gives us an excellent option to be sprung from the bench with about 20-25 mins left, if things aren't going our way. But even though Kearney is a fantastic full back, I think he is an equally adept winger. To be fair, the Ireland back line looks in better shape than it ever has (with the exception of 10), so much so that there's no room now for a quality experienced player like Shane Horgan.

I'd like to see Earls in the centre, and I think he may prove to be the eventual successor to BOD, but for the time being the promising Fitzgerald-BOD partnership will just have to do us!

Feel free to disagree, but please back them up with reasons! The worst thing to see on a debate forum is random throwaway statements! Come on Ireland!

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