Rugby Union 2010

I think Leinster definitely have a stronger youth setup, the squad for the U-20 Six Nations has 14 Leinster players and 5 from Munster!
from http://www.irishrugby.ie/283_19490.php

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Andrew Conway (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
John Cooney (UCD/Leinster)*
Eoin Griffin (Corinthians/Connacht)
Michael Heaney (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Darren Hudson (St. Mary's College RFC/Leinster)
Brian Kingston (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Brendan Macken (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
James McKinney (Queen's University/Ulster)
David McSharry (UCD/Leinster)
Tiernan O'Halloran (Galwegians/Connacht)
Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Forwards (14) -

Niall Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Denis Buckley (Corinthians/Connacht)
Patrick Butler (Shannon/Munster)
Bryan Cagney (UCC/Munster)
David Doyle (UCD/Leinster)
Brian Hayes (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
Stewart Maguire (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Ben Marshall (UCD/Leinster)
Jordi Murphy (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Robin O'Sullivan (Bective Rangers/Leinster)
David O'Callaghan (UCC/Munster)*
Jack O'Connell (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
Rhys Ruddock (UCD/Leinster)*
Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster)*

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Leinster's academy set up is the best in the Northern Hemisphere, quite a few really promising players about to break through at the moment.

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Originally Posted by Jofspring

Ya Leinster are giving the younger lads a chance but they got a hiding against Newport Gwent Dragons for doing it.

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You can't use that game to judge the Leinster youth development though. That was a team with 2 or 3 first choice players and was never going to be able to compete with a full strength Magners League team.

Healy, Sexton, O'Brien and McLaughlin have all come through in the last year or so and McFadden looks seriously class, reminds me of Rob Kearney when he first got some games, not in style of play but just in sheer talent.

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Originally Posted by Jofspring

As someone has said the stakes are high these days so its not as easy to give younger lads first team experience.

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Are there not more opportunities now there's play off's in the Magners?

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Originally Posted by Jofspring

Setup a league on www.guinnessfantasyrugby.com if anyone is interested in joining.

League name: foot.ie
Password: munster

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Joined that.... we could do with a few more since its only 2 of us at the moment :)

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/sixnat...2/ireland.html
No real surprises, other than Sexton's injury. I suppose McLaughlin coming in for his first cap is a bit of a surprise, but Quinlan's international days are past. Only real selection I would quibble with is scrum-half cover where I'd put Boss on the bench.

Earls in for Trimble. Only change. Ferris won't be fit so McLaughlin wil deputise again. I'd prefer to see Sean O'Brien in there as he's a lot more physical, but who are any of us to question any selections made by Kidney. Some say Trimble is unlucky...I don't think so. He got a lot of ball against Italy and didn't seem to want to know...he offloaded a lot of it rather than take a chance and thats what wingers have to do. France have lost both of their wingers bit this won't weaken them in the slightest with Malzieu and Clerc to call upon. I expect us to up it a few notches and it will be a great game. Kearney can't have another game like Saturday! If he does, then the French will anihillate us-pure and simple. Elimination of basic errors that concede scrums is vital. Thats our achilles. I fancy us to either win or lose by 3 points...hopefully win!!

Earls is lucky to get a shot imo, he's been poor this year, I didn't think Trimble did a lot wrong, there were much worse offenders, Kearney for example, had a shocker against the Azzuri, hopefully he was saving his A game for the weekend. ROG took his chance & I agree with Kidney's policy of playing the man in the shirt, he did it with Sexton in the Autum & I think he would have started against Italy but for the knock.
I can't see us getting anything from France though, their scrum destroyed the Boks and we'll do well to get any knd of parity, having Ferris back would be a big plus for posislbe turnovers but I'm not holding out much hope...

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Originally Posted by joeSoap

Some say Trimble is unlucky...I don't think so. He got a lot of ball against Italy and didn't seem to want to know...he offloaded a lot of it rather than take a chance and thats what wingers have to do.

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He's unlucky in that he's injured I would've thought. If he'd come through unscathed he'd be starting imo.

Trimble had one great break but, really, given the amount of possession we box kicked or took up narrow channels, for both wingers it was a hark back to Simon Geoghegan hands in pockets freezing on the peripherary of the game stuff. I'd nearly have kept Trimble if he was fit as he's a much better defender and passer than Earls, but as Brent Pope makes the point, Earls has true pace. Its a riskier selection than Trimble, but Kidney doesn't get much wrong.

On the subject of box-kicking, I though O'Leary's was awful. Far too deep to allow the chasing winger a chance to press and not close enough to the touchline. His loitering at the back of rucks was also disturbing. I thought it might be due to our lethargic clean outs, but even when the ball could be clearly seen he repeatedly waited until the Italian defence got set. Even the Scots on Sunday gave us a lesson in quick recycling, although their inept backline couldn't do anything with it when they got it.

That said, I think our chances pretty much come down to Ferris starting and being fit enough to contribute. We need both Heaslip and Ferris playing at the top of their game to combat Harinordoquy. I fear for McLaughlin if he ends up playing. The game could completely pass him by.

Bastareaud I wouldn't worry too much about. BOD will test him defensively and no better man to stop him going forward.

There is no fixture I fear more than France away.

Ferris coming back is crucial. Bit of grunt needed. HUGE player for us.

I'll put my hair out if we end up resorting to a kicking game. The French back 3 can all catch and kick back with interest so I hope we've learnt some lessons. Hopefully Earl's can be our wide card.

Ferris to start.

Sexton and Wallace are on the bench. I presume Darcy is going to cover the back three if there's an injury.

http://www.irishrugby.ie/10735_19696.php

Earls and Wallace have both played a fair bit at fullback, Kearney similar on the wing.

Delighted at Ferris starting. Lets hope he's close to 100%.

from BBC website, massive disrespect from the French here, whining little biotches...

Scrum-half Morgan Parra has become the latest France player to hit out at Grand Slam champions Ireland in advance of Saturday's Six Nations clash.

Lionel Nallet cast doubts on Ireland's credentials earlier this week and Parra claimed that Declan Kidney's side "cheat every weekend".

"They have a great defence. (They're) cheating, but intelligently cheating. It's very well done," said Parra.

"If we did the same thing, we would be punished each time."

Parra added that he while he respected the Irish team, he had "little admiration" for last year's Six Nations champions.

The 2009 Grand Slam winners are undefeated in their past 12 matches but Parra is convinced that run will be brought to an end on Saturday.

"The Irish have a great team, with a Munster spine, but I am not impressed. We can be (impressed) by certain players but not in general by their team," he added.

We dissected the video very well. There's not a moment when they're not cheating.

France scrum-half Morgan Parra
"How many matches have they gone without defeat, 12, 13? Well fine, that will finish at 12 this Saturday."

Ireland have the added motivation of revenge as the country is still smarting at the way the Republic of Ireland football team was defeated by France in the World Cup play-offs following Thierry Henry's infamous handball.

Ireland back Keith Earls said recently they would not hesitate to cheat on Saturday but Parra hit back by claiming that the Irish do so all the time.

"That won't be a surprise," said Parra. "They have experienced players who can do so.

"We dissected the video very well. There's not a moment when they're not cheating.

606: DEBATE
It should be a great match and by far the best of the weekend, possibly the tournament

englandworldbeaters
"They're the least penalised team in the tournament, which is very impressive."

On Thursday, lock Nallet dubbed the Irish as "effective" but was far from gushing in his description of Declan Kidney's side.

"Their game does not make me jump," said Nallet.

"They are a European reference since they last won the tournament. But we're here, too. I do not see them as the best in the world."

Nallet acknowledged that he is expecting a sterner test than that produced by Scotland last weekend as the French clinched a comprehensive 18-9 win at Murrayfield.

"It will be a big fight to deliver face as we face stronger opponents than the Scots, especially up front," he added.

Should Ireland prevail against the Six Nations favourites at the Stade de France, it will be only their third successful visit to the French capital since 1952.

More worrying that Ferris missed the Captain's Run.

Not a good sign.

Really annoyed with the garbage coming from the French camp this week. More than ever, I hope we stuff them.

any links to watch the game online??

http://myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=65813&part=sports

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Originally Posted by SkStu

any links to watch the game online??

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Only one I can get to work. Using Firefox btw.


http://shockstreams.com/ch1.php

All the key moments went France's way, the bounce for D'Arcy - A minute later Healy is binned and we're behind. Flannery's moment of madness, we had a penalty advantage, overturned they end up scoring. One that's not mentioned in any reports, Ireland in the corner France deliberately infringe, we get the penatly but if Healy's was a card so was that, we failed to get the try..which seemed to be the story of the afternoon. Not scoring again before half time when we had so much posession & territory was the final nail, had we gone in 1 score down I think it would have been much closer.
All that said cool heads were needed and Healy & Flannery in particular need to look at themselves this morning.