Rugby World Cup

[OneRedArmy]

Absolutely outplayed.

Awful end to an awful tournament for Ireland.

I hope O'Sullivan learns some lessons from this. There should be at least a half dozen changes for the next international.

D'Arcy, O'Gara, Leamy, Wallace, O'Callaghan and Horan were anonymous throughout the tournament. Horgan wasn't much better but he was coming back from injury.

We need to write the 6 nations off this year (England and France away) and start to blood young guys like Ferris, Heaslip, Fitzgerald and the like.

[osarusan]

Shocking.

Argentina were a far better side than us.

Their pack was better, they were better at the breakdown, their kicking game was better.

How many times did Ireland catch a long kick in their own 22, try to run it out, get about 15/20 yards and then get turned over?

That guy Hernandez was masterful.

[pete]

Ireland did try today but too many mistakes trying to force things while in poor form.

O'Sullivan has shown a lack of leadership in the WC & while pundits might talk about deciding his fate rationally I can't believe they are thinking he should stay. He will be unable to blood new players & will be unable to change his conservatism. He is the Brian Kerr of International rugby.

[Superhoops]

O'Gara was woeful. Kicked us to defeat. For an experienced international fly half he was embarrassing today.

What was the game plan? We knew we need tries but we just gave the ball away too too easily and when we got attacking positions, we made too many mistakes and bad decisions (why did ROG kick that penalty in front of the posts in the first half, surely a scrum or kick to touch would have give us an attacking platform for a try?)

Three individual mistakes from O'Gara (2) and O'Connell (1) in the first half cost us big time.

In fairness, that is a good Argentinian team and they had a big incentive to win today to avoid NZ and play Scotland for a place in SF.

Where do we go now? EOS has his contract. 4 years awarded by IRFU before the team made the WC knock out stages almost makes the FAI look professional! :D. He ain't going anywhere which is bad news for any up and coming young forwards who don't happen to come from Munster. :(

It would be interesting the views of Carney and Quinlan on their WC experience. :confused:

[onceahoop]

We allegedly have coaches for tackling, clearing out at the breakdown, kicking, forwards, lineout, backs and probably wiping their ars@s. They should all be sacked.

Fair play to the Seatanta girl who asked the hard question of EOS.

The buck stops with him. He should have blooded some of the fringe players against Georgia. Paddy Walace should have come on tonight to shake up O'Gara who has been crap.

Too much wine too make any longwinded assesment but I'LL BE BACK. Unlike some of our Good Time Charlies, I hope.

[Kramer]

I know its easy to say in hindsight but Argentina were always going beat us off the field. Hernandes is an outstanding player and Argentina deserved the win!

[kingdom hoop]

Fair play to the Seatanta girl who asked the hard question of EOS.


I mightn't have said anything if you hadn't posted that twice :p, but I thought it was an awful question. Fair enough the logic behind it but it was terribly phrased, bloody women, Mary Hannigan happily excepted, in sports journalism! What was Eddie going to say; 'yeah spot on, I'm going to revise my position now, I think I'll resign so that the IRFU don't have to pay me anything.':confused: His look at the end was priceless, maybe the end of your wan's career, allowing me to slip into my rightful position!

The inquest into what was a disaster beyond all imagination must now begin. So many things went wrong though that to attempt to source a root cause seems ridiculous. I'm not in the mood to dwell too much on it at the moment and articulate all problems and causes, so I'll just say, bah humbug, I blame Ireland's Call.

Well done to Argentina, great team, good performance today, happy for what seem a very earnest bunch (except for Felipe today, went down a lot in my estimations with his bitchiness). If the quarters go to form they'll play Soud Afrika in the semis, should be a very tough game, two similar styles of play.

[Superhoops]

.... bloody women, Mary Hannigan happily excepted, in sports journalism!.....

Hope this comment is made in jest!

[kingdom hoop]

Hope this comment is made in jest!

I hope this comment was made in jest. :p

I've no problem per se with women in sport, just the ones that don't have a clue. Especially if they're on the same side as the camera.;)

[joeSoap]

She was perfectly right to ask that question of him. Who does he think he is? He is responsible for this debacle and should be accountable. It's whats on the minds of probably every rugby fan in the country, so fair play to her for asking it. His response was predictable, but its good to see that he doesn't intimidate the entire media.

[kingdom hoop]

Argh. While I agree with your general sentiment there Joesoap, did you actually hear the question she asked? It was words to the effect of; 'Well Eddie, you signed a four year contract before the tournament, do you think that decision needs to be revised now?'

That is a God-awful question, at least in my opinion it is. Yes she was right to pose a stickler of some sort, but at least make a decent go of it, which was my initial, albeit largely irrelevant, point on the matter. I'm not saying that Eddie doesn't deserve a grilling, and a good time to do it is straight after the match when he hasn't had a chance to prepare his palaver, but unfortunately the lass didn't have the wherewithal to even turn on the cooker not to mind grill him.

[pete]

I mightn't have said anything if you hadn't posted that twice :p, but I thought it was an awful question. Fair enough the logic behind it but it was terribly phrased, bloody women, Mary Hannigan happily excepted, in sports journalism!.

I might not have said anything had you not suggested Mary Hannigan a Journalist. How hard is it to watch TV & take quotes off the internet to make a "column". A few articles on Sunderland (free junket) that is not journalism. :rolleyes:

EOS has questions to answer. He is not a volunteer & gets paid a lot of money. He has also had the most resources of any Ireland coach in history & has failed. Ireland rugby resolves around the International team, players taken from provinces for training, players provincial positions moved, players mainly ignored if based abroad...

The players may have failed to perform but EOS failed to construct a squad in 4 years.

[kingdom hoop]

I might not have said anything had you not suggested Mary Hannigan a Journalist. How hard is it to watch TV & take quotes off the internet to make a "column". A few articles on Sunderland (free junket) that is not journalism. :rolleyes:


:rolleyes: to you too then! If I'm not mistaken journalism is pretty much what you say it isn't, taking information from various sources and packaging it in your own inimitable style. Just because she has a cushty position hardly debars her from being called a journalist. Anyway, clearly you don't read her on hockey, journalism at its finest. :p

[Superhoops]

........did you actually hear the question she asked? It was words to the effect of; 'Well Eddie, you signed a four year contract before the tournament, do you think that decision needs to be revised now?' .........
She was probably the only journalist with the balls to ask O'Sullivan the question most Irish rugby supporters want answered. :rolleyes:

Good on her!

[dfx-]

South Africa v Argentina
Australia v New Zealand

*mouth waters*

[kingdom hoop]

She was probably the only journalist with the balls to ask O'Sullivan the question most Irish rugby supporters want answered. :rolleyes:



God I hate that sarcasm smilie, suggesting superiority and righteousness antagonises me greatly. Well done. Anyway, you've clearly missed my point. Which was, that the question posed, while as you say it was on all our minds, was never going to reveal anything into Eddie's mindset of what went so wrong, provide reason for the baying mob to tighten the noose, reveal his opinion of whether his position was still tenable etc. Professionally, it was a terrible question, that's my gripe, no more. I admit that to excavate an answer from the reams of default answers in his brain would have been very difficult, but her question was never going to come close. You say it took balls to ask it, I'd say, to put it nicely, a lack of nous.

Apologies for the extended non-issue discussion, it was the sarcastic tone that rose me. And will continue to do so for anybody who'd like to annoy me!

[Soko]

God I hate that sarcasm smilie, suggesting superiority and righteousness antagonises me greatly. Well done. Anyway, you've clearly missed my point. Which was, that the question posed, while as you say it was on all our minds, was never going to reveal anything into Eddie's mindset of what went so wrong, provide reason for the baying mob to tighten the noose, reveal his opinion of whether his position was still tenable etc. Professionally, it was a terrible question, that's my gripe, no more. I admit that to excavate an answer from the reams of default answers in his brain would have been very difficult, but her question was never going to come close. You say it took balls to ask it, I'd say, to put it nicely, a lack of nous.

Apologies for the extended non-issue discussion, it was the sarcastic tone that rose me. And will continue to do so for anybody who'd like to annoy me!

:rolleyes:


Was there a point in the middle of all that?


Professionally, it was a terrible question. We get it. You wouldn't happen to be in that proffesion or seeking to join it now would you? Because you are obviously much more qualified than the rest of the hacks here:rolleyes:

[ifk101]

If we didn't have to chase after 4 tries, I felt we could of beaten the Argentinans yesterday but our previous results forced our hand. There was a few examples of how dangerous we are with a quick ball from the lineout spread out wide. Unfortuantely our lineout play, whilst much better than against France, still wasn't good enough for a "top team".

ROG had another poor game but I personally was more disappointed with Geordon Murphy's performance. He tried a few chips over the top without putting his heart into it - ie he was looking more for an obstruction penalty by running into the opposition rather than trying to get the ball back. Also felt he could have taken the ball leading up to Argentina's second try. It seemed both he and Redden stood off taking that ball when Murphy as the fullback shouldn't be showing any hestiation in taking the ball.

[OneRedArmy]

Professionally, it was a terrible question, that's my gripe, no more.On the basis it was one of the questions I , and I suspect many other fans, would have asked if there, "professionally" it was actually quite a good question.

Unless there is some kind of "hard questions journos should and shouldn't ask" guidebook out there?

[CollegeTillIDie]

The demise of the Irish rugby team reminds me of one reason why we are not Italian. 1) If we were Italian we'd all be up in Dublin Airport , later today, to pelt them with rotten fruit and vegetables for being so sh1t at the World Cup.

It begs one question, when do players take the responsibility for being sh!t on the field? I am not exonerating Eddie O'Sullivan , merely trying to get to the bottom of the matter. When the 15 players cross that white line, if all of them collectively underperform, he cannot make sufficient substitutions to change them all ! The players are ultimately responsible. I believe, one of the reasons was being in France, Irish teams at Rugby , traditionally play poorly in away games there. And 2 wins in 35 years at the Five/Six Nations springs to mind to prove my point. For the likes of the older players and I would include Ronan O'Gara ( 30 )and Brian O'Driscoll (28) to an extent in this, it is conceivable that if we make the 2011 World Cup, THEY WON'T BE THERE!
How much more motivation do you need than being at the last chance saloon?

[Roadend]

As regards the match yesterday, you knew who was going to win when the camera panned passed the two teams during their anthems.

[OneRedArmy]

After 24 hours to reflect here are my tournament player ratings, for whatever its worth.


Dempsey - 5. Does what it says on the tin. Not good enough for modern rugby unfortunately.

Murphy - 5. Only got one real run (travesty) and he tried a lot, but not a lot came off.

Horgan - 3. Came in to the tournament injured and never looked fit. Nothing of note.

O'Driscoll - 7. As a captain, leads by example rather than by motivation. Our only World Class player.

D'Arcy - 1. Has there ever been a more dramatic loss of form? Has outshone BO'D over the last 2 years. Played like a mannequin throughout the tournament.

Trimble - 3. May have a future for Ireland.......at centre. Terrible decision to play him on the wing. Not nearly enough pace.

Hickie - 5. Some good, some bad, always tried, not nearly physical nor clinical enough for the top sides. Still, what a wonderful career.

O'Gara - 1. The man clearly has something on his mind. Sad to see him shown up so badly against Hernandez, that was O'Gara a few years ago.

Stringer - 2. A quick pass isn't the only pre-requisite to be a great 9. But hard to play behind an outmuscled pack.

Redden - 4. Acceptable against France, ponderous against Argentina. Deserves a run in the team.

Horan - 3. Plays in spite of his scrummaging (or lack of it), which means when he isn't performing in the loose he's as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Flannery - 4. Good to see him back. Put it about in the loose but lineout malfunctioned badly. Hard to know who's fault that was.

R Best - 4. See Dempsey above.

Hayes - 4. Scrummaged well. Nothing else.

O'Callaghan - 2. Truly abysmal in all facets.

O'Connell - 4. Huffed and puffed, looked himself on a few occasions, but the reality is that he hasn't improved his game since before the last Lions tour.

Easterby - 5. Performs reasonably well for a limited player. Hard to justify having a player in the modern game who touches the ball twice a match.

N Best - 5. Lots of intensity, no real direction. Needs to channel the agression in a meaningful manner to become an international backrower.

D Wallace - 2. Invisible Man No1.

D Leamy - 2. Invisible Man No2.

[OneRedArmy]

As regards the match yesterday, you knew who was going to win when the camera panned passed the two teams during their anthems.Really?

I thought it was more to do with Argentina being considerably better at pretty much every part of the game than Ireland.

[Roadend]

Really?

I thought it was more to do with Argentina being considerably better at pretty much every part of the game than Ireland.

Well since you've completely missed my point, the Argentinians looked absolutely fired up to the last during the anthem while Ireland looked non-plussed about the impending game. Better teams don't always win but when you have the passion to back up your skill you definitely will.

[OneRedArmy]

Well since you've completely missed my point, the Argentinians looked absolutely fired up to the last during the anthem while Ireland looked non-plussed about the impending game. Better teams don't always win but when you have the passion to back up your skill you definitely will.You missed my point.

Passion is overrated in professional sports.

If you go back to the last time we beat Argentina, I'd hazard a guess our lads looked pretty similar at the anthem.

Correlation = pretty close to zero.

I'd prefer to concentrate on the real reasons we underperformed.

[Macy]

The anthem is a non issue being stoked by people with a certain degree of sectarian bias imo. Being too fired up can be as much a problem given how important discipline is in the modern game. The Argentinian game plan is based on disciplined, controlled agression, not some anthem driven adrenaline rush.

Not saying Irelands Call isn't brutal, plenty of cross community traditional songs that could've been used, but it's an equally brutal excuse. Or perhaps more an excuse to bash the IRFU from some who reveal in partition sports, or sports that draw support from just one community on the Island.

As for the players, I'm really not sure whether it's the players past their best or simply our game plan has been well and truely found out. I'm always likely to concentrate on the forwards as a front rower in my youth, but the backs can only function if the pack is functioning. At line out we failed to hit our man consistently enough, and totally failed to challenge anyone else's ball. At ruck time we failed to secure our own ball, and never looked like turning over - we never got there in the numbers or with the zeal of other much more limited nations. Scrum has been poor for a long time - they need to start feeding Horan full irish with a dash of creatine 6 times a day. Everybody elses pack has got more heavy weight since the last would cup, whereas ours is lighter and we still don't pick the old style back rowers like Gleeson who can still turnover ball. The pack needs more Gym time! We need to poach a scrum coach from somewhere asap.

[Real ale Madrid]

With almost every Irish player involved in selling everything from suits, mobile phones, drinks, jewellery to feckin wavin pipe - its no wonder we have performed so poorly in this world cup - lots of players have clearly taken thier eye off the prize and with all the fame and fortune attached to professional sport these days its clear to me the team were not as motivated as they should have been pre and early tournament and when things went wrong the management were incapable of turning things around.

The Irish rugby teams dreadful perfomance in this world cup is down with the IRFU's failure to identify that players need the mental aspect of thier lives stable as well as the playing aspect stable. some of these players have gotten very wealthy very quickly and it has clearly taken the edge from thier desire to do what they set out to do as professional athletes at the start of thier careers. How else do you explain to amazingly dramatic loss in form of some of our key players? Ronan O'Gara and Gordon D'Arcy are the two most prominent examples of two fine footballers who have amazingly fell completly out of form. Gordon D'arcy took the ball into contact very single time he recieved the ball yesterday - while O'Gara's perfomance from one of the world's finest kickers yesterday just makes me sad. A talent like his deserves to be in a world cup semi final.

Contrast our situation with that of Argentina. Supremely motivated and a wonderfully well drilled side. These lads didn't take thier eye off the ball - tactically assured and competent in all areas of the game. Superb at the basics of rugby, - scrum, lineout, ruck and with 3 guys immeadiatly behind the scrum with the talent to make maximum use of all the great possession they got. But the technical side of the game aside - it was thier motivation which gave these an edge over us. Actually not an edge - they beat us double scores, but the cause they were fighting for - to put themselves on the map for once and for all. And surely yesterday they achieved that - they will surely be involved in some competition from next year on, on the basis of this world cup.

As for Ireland - lets hope we can re-discover our cause and maybe win a grand slam - if the current crop are not willing then - its time to give the the next batch the jersey, see what they can do.

[OneRedArmy]

The anthem is a non issue being stoked by people with a certain degree of sectarian bias imo. Thank God someone else can see this.

The anthem issue is mentioned mostly by non-rugby people who have jumped on the bandwagon and have no sense of what Irish rugby is or stands for.

As you say Macy, Ireland's Call is a mediocre song and is a compromise in the same way as the new South African anthem.

But to somehow seek to link the non-singing of Amhrán na bhFiann to our performances is ridiculous in the extreme.

As a nation we don't sing our anthem loudly in any sport. Soccer is possibly the loudest, but its mumbled through and cheered over in the GAA where overfamiliarity has lessened its importance. In Lansdowne Ireland's Call is always sung louder than Amhrán na bhFiann.

In my view this is simply because whilst Ireland's Call is twee and pompous, its a more upbeat song. Amhrán na bhFiann isn't particularly high tempo and isn't designed to be belted from the rooftops the way la Marsellaise or the Italian anthem is.

[kingdom hoop]

On the basis it was one of the questions I , and I suspect many other fans, would have asked if there, "professionally" it was actually quite a good question.

Unless there is some kind of "hard questions journos should and shouldn't ask" guidebook out there?

I think you might be confused as to what amounts to a good question in isolation and what amounts to a good question that will lead to a worthwhile answer. I would prefer an incisive question rather than some pointless petty dig at the manager, but clearly others wanted the opposite, fair enough, but I don't see how that's any way constructive. I'm surprised you would have asked such a futile tabloidy question though, you could get across the vitriol the nation felt and try get something out of O'Sullivan with one meaningful broadsheety question. Whatever.

Good post on the players by the way. D'Arcy's loss of form was stupefying, where once he made five yards more than he should have he now goes two yards backwards. How the hell did that happen? As for the general shyteness, I know it's a crap excuse but in hindsight playing the two weaker teams first definitely came against us. I think we were too complacent in the build-up as we knew we had those two five-point bankers to ease our way into the tournament, peaking nicely for the important games. Or so the theory went at least.

[Roadend]

Thank God someone else can see this.

The anthem issue is mentioned mostly by non-rugby people who have jumped on the bandwagon and have no sense of what Irish rugby is or stands for.
.

You still don't get what I'm saying. It doesn't matter if it was the anthem or Irelands call, the anthem is NOT the issue. It was the overall look of a team who didn't seem to care one way or the other. It was proven somewhat after the match as not one of them looked upset over going out. Of course they weren't not one of them can say they gave their all at any stage in the tournament.

[Aberdonian Stu]

Professionally, it was a terrible question, that's my gripe, no more.

I try not to chime in on comments about journalism on Foot.ie but I'm willing to make an exception here. Professionally it was an excellent question as it didn't just inquire as to O'Sullivan's tenability in the position but also brought into context the albatross that is the contract extension which is an important part of the story.

Incidentally she wasn't from Setanta. It was Sinead Kissane from TV3, Setanta carried the interview as well hence the confusion, I think they also carried ITV's interview as there were three interviews with O'Sullivan shown on Setanta post-game.

[kingdom hoop]

I try not to chime in on comments about journalism on Foot.ie but I'm willing to make an exception here. Professionally it was an excellent question as it didn't just inquire as to O'Sullivan's tenability in the position but also brought into context the albatross that is the contract extension which is an important part of the story.



But what was the point of asking it to O'Sullivan straight after the match when it was obvious he wasn't going to bite? (Though he did have a snarly look on his face!) I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm still just genuinely wondering what benefit there was to asking the question, we all know it was wrong to give him a new contract, what's the point in asking the man who is gaining most from the faux pas if that decision needs to be revised? (thanks for making an exception for me by the way, your expertise is most welcome!)

[pete]

As you say Macy, Ireland's Call is a mediocre song and is a compromise in the same way as the new South African anthem.


Good point. SA are forced to take some token players & it does not seem to affect them, Ireland clearly not coping so well with their token players ;)

I do not expect great analysis from the media as most of them are far too close to the current players & manager to a lesser extent. I do not expect them to criticise their friends too harshly. Short of winning the 6 Nations Championship I think this World Cup will tarnish the International careers of many of those players.

I suspect a fair few players have played their last games for Ireland? When are the IRFU contracts up for renewal as? Hayes, O'Kelly, Hickie (already retired), Carney, Quinlan, Sheahan & maybe Easterby as all on the far side of 30...

[OneRedArmy]

Good point. SA are forced to take some token players & it does not seem to affect them, Ireland clearly not coping so well with their token players ;)There weren't any yesterday to blame :D On that subject, where are the clowns who said earlier in the thread that at least one Ulster player/Protestant has to play in the starting XV?!?!

[Aberdonian Stu]

But what was the point of asking it to O'Sullivan straight after the match when it was obvious he wasn't going to bite?

Depends on what you consider biting. Asking the question is often almost as important as the answer in order to elicit some response from him in public. If he no comments or says all is well then or even delivers the snarly look he he gave yesterday then that is an answer in itself and there was no better time to ask it then when the bitter failure of Ireland's World Cup adventure and the implications of the investment in O'Sullivan are at their mostly grimly obvious and there is no better man to ask than the prime beneficiary of the faux pas.

[Dodge]

There weren't any yesterday to blame :D On that subject, where are the clowns who said earlier in the thread that at least one Ulster player/Protestant has to play in the starting XV?!?!
I believe its been revised to "one player born in the United Kingdom"

Easterby is that man ;)

[bennocelt]

The anthem is a non issue being stoked by people with a certain degree of sectarian bias imo. Being too fired up can be as much a problem given how important discipline is in the modern game. The Argentinian game plan is based on disciplined, controlled agression, not some anthem driven adrenaline rush.

Not saying Irelands Call isn't brutal, plenty of cross community traditional songs that could've been used, but it's an equally brutal excuse. Or perhaps more an excuse to bash the IRFU from some who reveal in partition sports, or sports that draw support from just one community on the Island.

.

maybe, but if they cant even get ireland's national anthem to be played, then you cant expect much, can you?

[kingdom hoop]

Asking the question is often almost as important in order to elicit some response from him in public.

Thank you! That, finally, makes some sense of it. I suppose I was basing my notion on the fact that his response revealed nothing to me, so it seemed like a silly question. But I understand the logic now so it doesn't seem quite so inane. I don't think I would have asked it all the same though. I think I'd have tied in something like; 'What do you say to those watching to reassure them your new contract wasn't the biggest feck up ever/prematurely awarded....' In my opinion her question was just a bit too gauchely cutting. But that's just me being a nit-picking w*nker, sorry Sinéad!

[osarusan]

SA are forced to take some token players & it does not seem to affect them

Who are the token players for South Africa?

Habana? Pietersen? Hardly token players, either of them.

[OneRedArmy]

maybe, but if they cant even get ireland's national anthem to be played, then you cant expect much, can you?Have you read any of whats gone before or did you just choose to ignore it?

I've followed the Irish rugby team for 20 years and I can tell you whats on the mind of most genuine rugby fans this morning, yesterday evening and indeed over the last few weeks wasn't the bloody anthem.

If you have a problem with the anthem, suggest you bring it up with your club, who will raise it at provincial council and onwards to the IRFU.......

[Soko]

Who are the token players for South Africa?

Habana? Pietersen? Hardly token players, either of them.



You just picked the best couple of players, what about the others?

[Scram]

Ireland's Call !!!!

Looks like the players answered with "sorry, wrong number" !!!

:(

[onceahoop]

It all came down to the preparation or lack of it. We haven't got players with the physicality of some of the other nations. Hence the managements decision to spend too much time in the gym and not enough time on the training ground. Also not playing more pre tournament games was a huge mistake. Surely they could have organised a few more friendlies against high quality club opposition if they couldn't get International teams.

There have been suggestions that O'Sullivan had to keep winning games over the last few years to keep the turnstiles clicking for the IRFU and that's why he didn't blood many players. I don't subscribe to that.

It's no coincidence that O'Gara's best form for Ireland was when Humphreys was snarling down his back. Why did he bother bringing some players if he wasn't going to use them. By playing so badly in the first game I think he panicked a bit and thought he had to get more game time into his first 15. He'd have given them a better kick up the ars* by dropping a few of them.

As Neil Francis said last night EOS is a survivor and expect to see some of the coaches pay the price by Christmas as sacrificial lambs.

[Ash]

So when should I expect all the emails about what really happened
to the players and the unrest in the camp?

Maybe I took it up wrong but I thought Trevor Brennen implied that
Denis Hickie was going to do an expose on it all but was waiting until
after the tournament?

[Dodge]

It all came down to the preparation or lack of it
A fair bit of it was down to simply not being good enough. Look at the state of play with all the other "home" nations (as ITV called them the other day). Scotland lucky to get through against a woeful Italian side. England huffing and puffing through an easy group and wales bowing out to fecking Fiji. The Irish team's reputation is built on beating these chumps.

[kingdom hoop]

...expect to see some of the coaches pay the price by Christmas as sacrificial lambs.

Lamb for Christmas‽ The IRFU really are crazy, why don't they slaughter the turkey?

[pete]

Who are the token players for South Africa?
Habana? Pietersen? Hardly token players, either of them.

The other 5 lads are no where near the 1st team but its a different country & quotas in all walks of life there so it is difficult to understand. I don't think they have a quota system yet but soon a large percentage will be quota which might mean won't be challenging for the World Cup for a while.

It will be interesting to hear what the Ireland players say. I expect some of the International retirees to have their say in the months to come. I don't think any Internationals who are staying will speak up though.

[joeSoap]

I wouldn't call them sacrificail lambs, especially Niall O'Donovan. He had responsibility for that pack, and ultimately the disastrous lineouts, and forward turnovers were as much down to him than anybody else. He deserves to lose his job. He will lose his job. We are going to have to go down under to recruit specialist coaches, particularly a scrummaging and lineout expert. Why not approach Matrin Johnson...he's looking to get into coaching? And he was arguably the greatest second row the game has ever seen. Something radical has to be done, and an overhaul of the squad for the six nations has to be high on the list. We open against Italy.That provides the perfect opportunity to experiment. I would like to see a team against the Italians along the likes of:

Girvan Dempsey: Luke Fitzgerald, Brian O'Driscoll, Andrew Trimble, Brian Carney; Paddy Wallace, Eoin Reddan; Tony Buckley, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes; Paul O'Connell, Alan Quinlan; Neil Best, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace.

Might sound crazy, but we've gotta start blooding the likes of Fitzgerald, Carney, Paddy Wallace, and others to see if they can cut the mustard. If they can't do it against Italy, then they have no business being there at all.

I think Geordan Murphy will pack it in under the EOS regime, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Stringer & Mal join him. Hope and pray the Bull doesn't.
O'Gara needs a year out to get his act together off the pitch. Munster have more than adequate cover in Paul Warwick for him.

[pete]

Might sound crazy, but we've gotta start blooding the likes of Fitzgerald, Carney, Paddy Wallace, and others to see if they can cut the mustard.

I agree need to blood new players but Carney is 32 & Wallace needs to start playing as out half for his club before can be considered. I think maybe Staunton & the young Humphreys may challenge again..


I think Geordan Murphy will pack it in under the EOS regime,

I expect him to retire as he does not rely on the IRFU for his salary. Easterby may follow for the same reason. Some of the older players such as O'Kelly & Hayes may hang on until the end of current IRFU contracts. Any one know when these renewed?

BTW Contepomi is far from the nice guy image all the Dublin media have built him up as. Mouthing off to the referee constantly & goading Irish players. Hernandez is much better player. I expect Munster to give him a battering again next time they play Lenister. :(

[kingdom hoop]

I was just looking up Dempsey's age on wikipedia, he's 32 tomorrow as it happens, to see how long we have to wait for Rob Kearney to usurp him. Given the value of the kicking prowess exemplified by the likes of Montgomery and Hernandez is it about time we made space for our own 'big boot' merchant? Oh yeah, the important thing I was going to post before I lost track of myself there is one of the finer wikipedia tamperings, or at least I presume it's a tinkering!, I've seen for a while;

His (Dempseys) pastimes away from the game include golf, making jam and picking mushrooms. He has also found time to publish several academic works on the flora and fauna of some of the world's most remote islands. His groundbreaking discovery of the South Atlantic Guillemot (Uria Girvanae), unique to the islands of Tristan de Cunhas, in particular brought him much credit within the Royal Society. :)