Rugby World Cup

[Superhoops]

Best yes, but Boss for Stringer? Get real. That has to be one of the most ridiculous suggestions ever.
Stringer is passed his sell-by date. Telegraphs his passes, is too slow around the base of the scrum and has no pace.

The only reason he is still selected is that he and O'Gara are used to each other but World Cups (or indeed qualification for the later stages) will not be achieved on sentiment.

For the same reason, it is about time that O'Connell was dropped, has not played well in any game for 12 months or more. Reputation does not guarantee performance.

[joeSoap]

France have set their stall out with an emphatic victory. 87-10. Their confidence will be sky high having had a big win and us playing like under 14's. Still, at least we know that if we beat them we're through. What an if.

[Rovers fan]

frances win over namibia quashes ant chances that namibia are actually any good. iv heard the only reason best starts for irelnd is because they have to play at least one protestant. cant see any other reason why he would start ahead of flannery. our forward play has disimproved so much. we used to dominate teams up front. cant see how we could have gone backwards, odonovan has to take some flak

[endabob1]

Stringer is still the best scrum half we have, Reddan is a far better 9 than Boss, to play Boss against France would be akin to suicide.

O'Callaghan had a very poor game but so did all of the pack, Best was very poor (in both games now there has been a marked improvement when he's gone off), O'Connell is supposed to be a leader in the pack he was annonymous, the back row were consistently out fought at the breakdown.
It's difficult to do a lot with the pi$$ poor quality of ball the backs were getting but O'Gara kicked very poorly, I've never seen him miss as many touch kicks. The 3/4 line were tryng to play Hollywood rugby Running from inside their own 22, losing posession and then spending 10 minutes defending desperately.
We will get battered by the French and Pumas, that £20 on us to go out in the group pahse looks a sensible bet at the moment.

[Dodge]

iv heard the only reason best starts for irelnd is because they have to play at least one protestant. cant see any other reason why he would start ahead of flannery.
:rolleyes: He's a far better scrummager.


our forward play has disimproved so much. we used to dominate teams up front.
Not in the the last 10 years we haven't. In fact I can't remember an Irish pack ever dominating a game

[geysir]

Team is announced early.

A few changes,
Reddan Trimble and Flannery all in

[shakermaker1982]

good to see. I'd like to see Neil Best in there as well but throwing Stringer in at the deep end was not a clever idea.

[shakermaker1982]

Stringer doesn't even make bench........neither does Murphy??!!

[beautifulrock]

good shout, needed to be done. Big call on Redden but has played at the higest club level with Wasps. Would like to have seen Quinlan included, even if on the bench. France will suit Easterby as he is in the main a spoiler and will slow the ball down and this will be vital on Friday because if France cut loose we are dead in the water.

[geysir]

I thought Reddan was 2nd choice at Wasps, I could be wrong.

[Macy]

Problem is the pack not fronting up, and securing possession. We're simply not going through the phrases. Some of the individual decision making has been appauling, especially trying to force the off load than to take it into contact and go through the phases (O'Driscoll has been a big culprite in this imo). I don't think the Munster pack has ever recovered from the mauling Leicester gave it, and that's knocked on to the Irish team.

As for O'Gara's kicking, Georgia guessed the irish tatics straight off and had their back three, eh, back the whole time. O'Gara didn't read it early on imo and kept kicking it down their throats. Again the decision making on the field - should've been spun wide, or even a few cross field kicks would've created the doubt and opened the space in behind. I don't know whether Rugby has joined the list of sports that over coaching has removed the decision making capabilities of the players.

[beautifulrock]

I thought Reddan was 2nd choice at Wasps, I could be wrong.

Was at the start of the season but battled his way to number 1 and was an integral part of their Heinken cup winning team, highly regarded in the UK press (as is Murphy)

[OneRedArmy]

Shows O'Sullivan's decision not to give Redden game time in the warm up matches for the myopic mistake that it was.

Hopefully he can step up on Friday.

Would also agree that Murphy and Quinlan should've been in the 22. We need ballcarriers.

Flannery deserved his chance anyway, injury or not, although he's going to have to improve in the tight.

[joeSoap]

Leaving Boss on the bench ahead of Stringer is ludicrous. While I have no fears for Reddan, I think Boss is amazingly overrated and not worthy of inclusion even in the 30 man squad.

His rationale in leaving Geordan Murphy out completely baffles me. He said in the press conference (where he took a battering) that he left Murphy out because his last two performances against the French were very poor. So...he brings in Gavin Duffy!! What has Murphys form in games that too place 8 and 20 months ago have to do with anything? Quite baffling.

I would have liked to see Malcolm O'Kelly brought in for this one. Ideally, we need quick ball off the top and he is our best option for this. I would have gone for Neil Best instead of Easterby. We need aggression against the French. We will need to be very aggressive up front here, and Leamy, O'Connell and Flannery are our only real aggressors in that pack. Donncha used to be, but sadly seems to be a patch on his former self.

By picking Trimble, it seems to me that we're not going to be adventurous at all, and play a cautious, safety first game.

We are not as bad a side as we have been showing. Now its time to sh1t or get off the pot. If we beat France, they're as good as out, only us losing to Argentina without a bonus point will screw us then. It's a masive game. I think we'll do it. 23-20 to Ireland!!

[osarusan]

His rationale in leaving Geordan Murphy out completely baffles me. He said in the press conference (where he took a battering) that he left Murphy out because his last two performances against the French were very poor. So...he brings in Gavin Duffy!! What has Murphys form in games that too place 8 and 20 months ago have to do with anything? Quite baffling.


Agreed. If you take Murphy's games in the 6N into account, they why was he chosen for the first two games?

I think he's played about 5 minutes against Namibia, not at all against Georgia, and then he's dropped completely based on games 8 months ago.

[beautifulrock]

Eddie needs to earn his corn and Redden and Murphy together with dropping Stringer from the squad are all big calls. Murphy is, as we know, a media darling so Eddie must be aware he has left himself wide open if we lose on Friday. Agree also Easterby/Best selection must have been close but as I said earlier Easterby's "skills" will be needed to slow the Frech ball down.

[pete]

Ireland team to face France at Stade de France, Paris, on Friday, 21 September, kick-off 8.00pm: G Dempsey (Leinster); S Horgan (Leinster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D'Arcy (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster); R O'Gara (Munster), E Reddan (Wasps); M Horan (Munster), J Flannery (Munster), J Hayes (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S Easterby (Llanelli), D Wallace (Munster), D Leamy (Munster).
Replacements: F Sheahan (Munster), S Best (Ulster), M O'Kelly (Leinster), N Best (Ulster), I Boss (Ulster), P Wallace (Ulster), G Duffy (Connacht).


Some bizarre decisions.

* Stringer moves from 1st choice to 3rd choice & Reddan moves the other direction.
* Murphy not even on the bench when has barely played so how can he be judged?
* Easterby keeps his place
* Trimble :rolleyes:

O'Sullivan must be in panic mode but I supposed he damned if he does or he doesn't.

Reddan & Duffy have barely any game time for Ireland & have certainly never played in a big game like France. I am sure he would have made other changes but no options in the squad.

:confused:

[OneRedArmy]

* Trimble :rolleyes:Don't see what your problem is with Trimble. Who do you suggest, Carney?

Big call bringing him in against France never having played a truly "competitive" game.

[pete]

Don't see what your problem is with Trimble. Who do you suggest, Carney?

Big call bringing him in against France never having played a truly "competitive" game.

I just don't entirely rate him. I would have liked to keep Hickie but his form is a as bad as anyone. Carney is unproven for Ireland. Give Murphy a chance to redeem himself?

I think O'Sullivans logic for omitting Murphy (played poorly in last 2 French games) is very unfair & the player must be gutted.

[shakermaker1982]

rumours about Murphy walking.....surely not. I imagine BOD and a few other of the backs have had a word with O'Sullivan about Stringer because they are sick and tired of waiting for Stringer to pass the ball out wide. He looks at the ref for two minutes before deciding whether to play the ball or not. Boss is just as bad at this so maybe Reddan will offer quick ball. A big risk but christ it can't get any worse......unless we get thumped 100 points on Friday.

Easterby and Leamy very rarely let us down and I expect big games from them, we need to slow French ball down as much as possible. Then bring on Best to cause havoc in the last 20.

COME ON IRELAND!!!!!

[pete]

I think promoting Reddan shows the folly of having Boss as 2nd choice. If Stringer is slow then Boss will only be worse as his pass is pedestrian.

[Torn-Ado]

Does anyone else think there is more to these displays than the team being poor. It doesn't make any sense that a team who came close to winning the six nations and beat Australia and South Africa in the space of a 10 months can be struggling against minnows like Georgia and Namibia.

There must be problems in the dressing room or a lack of confidence in the management that hasn't been reported.

[shakermaker1982]

O'Gara is supposedly in a mood, Murphy if reports are correct hasn't spoken to O'Sullivan in 2 years and the team are getting hammered from all sides = a famous win this Friday

[TheJamaicanP.M.]

I agree with the selection of Eoin Reddan. However, his lack of playing time this season can hardly help his cause. I feel sorry for Stringer, due to the fact that the quality of ball provided by the pack has been so poor. However, he has been slow to deliver to his backs and the lack of a threat from our half-back pairing has allowed the opposition defences to concentrate on our centres. Reddan has the ability to bring something fresh to the half-back line. He can make a break and can kick well also. He also provides a quicker delivery than Isaac Boss, who I don't rate in any case.

Some of you may recall Ireland going to Paris for a 6 Nations game in 1998. We went into the game on the back of some bad results and eveyone was expecting France to give us a hiding. However, our scrum-half that day (think it was Conor McGuinness) controlled the game with some excellent box-kicking. We ended up losing 18-16, but we should have won. I would hope that Reddan can put in a similar display on Friday night. Its important that he takes some of the pressure off O'Gara.

We need to go back to basics early on in Friday's game. We need O'Gara to be at his best. He needs to kick for the corners and to vary our play slightly. If we can get some territory, the French may feel uneasy. Remember, if France lose they're out so there's massive pressure on them and we need to capitalise on that. That mean's building momentum early on and slowly restoring confidence. As always in Paris, the first 20 minutes will be crucial.

We need a massive game from Easterby. I'm sure he's kept his place on the basis of his ability to slow down the opposition ball. On the other hand, we need to be much quicker and more aggressive at the breakdown. I have no doubt that will be the case, as the stakes are much higher this time around.

Notwithstanding the obvious power in the French pack, I'm just as concerned about the French half-backs. Ellisalde surely played his way into the team after his performance against Namibia. Michalak (despite his inconsistency) spent a lot of that game attacking on the gain line. I'd be very concerned if that pairing clicks against us.

What disappoints me most about this World Cup is that O'Sullivan has failed to shuffle his cards. We have relied on the same players in both games thus far. We might now pay the price if Reddan isn't match sharp. Also, I think that if Ireland do make the Quarter-Finals, they'll be physically shattered and emotionally drained.

Its a massive week for Irish rugby.

[joeSoap]

O'Gara is supposedly in a mood, Murphy if reports are correct hasn't spoken to O'Sullivan in 2 years and the team are getting hammered from all sides = a famous win this FridayO'Gara has had some well known personal problems for the past couple of months now and perhaps they are affecting him...who knows? Reports about Murphy aren't correct. I presume they emanate from the Sun or the Mirror.

[pete]

If Ireland lose O'Sullivan will be in a difficult position for players for as Stringer & Murphy as he can hardly bring them back?

Duffy selection gets stranger the more I think about until I realised that once Murphy & Hickie dropped the only other option was Carney for the three quarters.

[geysir]

Rugby is a funny game. We are just after escaping with a win against Georgia. There hasn't been a glimpse of form in the team since the 6 Nations. O'Sullivan calls a few changes, they are heavily criticzed and yet the prediction is for a 360 degree swing in form to achieve a victory against the French, in what would be our our biggest win ever in the World Cup against a class team in their back yard who last beat us on our home turf when we had form.
Thats a relief, for a while I was worried.

[pete]

Been thinking about this & have come to the conclusion that O'Sullivan dropped players where he had a credible alternative.

Positions with replacement options - hooker, blind side flanker (Easterby survives), scrum half, winger, fullback (Dempsey kept as good form relative to the rest). Says a lot about the squad options.

[Rovers fan]

:rolleyes: He's a far better scrummager.


Not in the the last 10 years we haven't. In fact I can't remember an Irish pack ever dominating a game

when we trashed wales about 3 years ago i distinctly remember us mauling them around the pitch. not a hope of us doing this anymore. we used to have an excellent lineout now its crap. obviously we never had the best scrum the world has ever seen but we are not giving our backs any quality ball.


its good to see reddan and trimble in. the only suprise is that reddan has not even been on the bench yet at the world cup, he is clearly a better player than boss. Im also suprised that neither hickie nor murphy(one of them i mean) is on the bench

[joeSoap]

Reports of a major bust up in the Irish camp, with a few players asking to be released from the World Cup party.:eek:

[beautifulrock]

Reports of a major bust up in the Irish camp, with a few players asking to be released from the World Cup party.:eek:

source?

[joeSoap]

Journalist friend of mine. Works for one of the broadsheets....and it's not Gerry Thornley!!

[ifk101]

Reports of a major bust up in the Irish camp, with a few players asking to be released from the World Cup party.:eek:

Highly plausible. It's well-known that Geordan Murphy has an inflated opinion of himself so I'm sure he's been unable to control his displeasure.

[pete]

Journalist friend of mine. Works for one of the broadsheets....and it's not Gerry Thornley!!

That narrows it down.

[joeSoap]

Highly plausible. It's well-known that Geordan Murphy has an inflated opinion of himself so I'm sure he's been unable to control his displeasure.In this case, he's got every right to feel aggrieved though.

[Stuttgart88]

Mirrors the soccer camp so, allegedly.

I read Gatland in the paper this morning. For ages I've wondered why the opposition drift defence seems to be on top of our centres before they even get the ball. Gatland suggests it's because our half backs never run with the ball, so it's virtually known the ball will go out to the middle. Picking Reddan will keep the defence honest. I've seen him live only once - at wasps vs Leinster - and he scored one breakway try I think. I think I've also seen him do the same on TV a few times.

It makes sense to pick him in my opinion. Boss nearly cost us badly with a pass to O'Gara's ankles which he did really well to catch and clear from inside his own in-goal area. Boss is hesitant too, as displayed at home to france and other occasions.

[shakermaker1982]

be interesting to find out who wants to leave camp. Stringer getting demoted to third choice wouldn't be best pleased.

[joeSoap]

Stringer, Murphy, O'Kelly, Quinlan, all have legitimate grounds for being p1ssed off imo.

[endabob1]

Gatland suggests it's because our half backs never run with the ball, so it's virtually known the ball will go out to the middle. Picking Reddan will keep the defence honest. I've seen him live only once - at wasps vs Leinster - and he scored one breakway try I think. .

I seen Stringer do the same for Munster in the Heineken Cup Final to win them the title, a great break from the base of the scrum. Considering Munsters lack of width I think he is encouraged more to have a go himself than he is for Ireland where the orders seem to be get to BOD and lets hope he makes something happen.

[OneRedArmy]

I seen Stringer do the same for Munster in the Heineken Cup Final to win them the title, a great break from the base of the scrum. Considering Munsters lack of width I think he is encouraged more to have a go himself than he is for Ireland where the orders seem to be get to BOD and lets hope he makes something happen.One swallow doesn't make a summer.

Stringer doesn't have it in his game.

When Boss plays for Ireland he breaks much more than Stringer, problem is that his pass is waaaaay too slow for international rugby. So I don't think its necessarily the coaching.

Redden looks like he has the makings of an all round scrum half game.

Also, Stringers box kicking is regularly atrocious.

[inexile]

supposedly a key players wife has thrown him out of the house which has thrown the dressing room into chaos

[IsMiseSean]

I think reddan is a great choice at 9, I had a feelin stringer would be dropped but i thought boss would get the nod. It doesn't make a difference any way i cant see us winning!!
Anyone here gift grub this morning? Ladies instead fantastic

[Roadend]

supposedly a key players wife has thrown him out of the house which has thrown the dressing room into chaos

Not enough wardrobe space for his clothes in the dressing rooms?

[shakermaker1982]

how this affects the whole squad I'll never know.......

[OneRedArmy]

You look at guys like Fitzgerald, McBride, Kyle, Gibson et al who represented the island for the love of the game and gave 100% in every performance, in many cases foregoing their careers to continue to play rugby.

Now look at the Irish primadonnas trying to advertise as many products as possible and collecting big salaries, makes you wonder about the overall benefit of professionalism.

[Hibs4Ever]

supposedly a key players wife has thrown him out of the house which has thrown the dressing room into chaos



Probably something to do with the storey coming out in the Sunday Rags after the World Cup

[joeSoap]

supposedly a key players wife has thrown him out of the house which has thrown the dressing room into chaosIt goes a bit deeper than the wife throwing him out, and from what I gather, L'Equipe and a few other French papers are to highlight his problems tomorrow.

[pete]

L'Equipe and a few other French papers are to highlight his problems tomorrow.

Apparently there is no proof. French playing games before Fridays match?

[joeSoap]

They might not have any proof, but none of it will be denied. Draw your own conclusions. Anyway, I doubt whether or not he actually gives a sh1t.

[inexile]

Apparently there is no proof. French playing games before Fridays match?

seemingly he was caught in the scratcher with some moth who isnt his wife