Rugby Union 2008

[joeSoap]

I believe Tony Buckley is in for Hayes, with Shane Jennings and Steven Ferris getting starts in the backrow. Interesting. I've been told that the team is as follows:

Earls; Kearney, O'Driscoll, Fitzgerald, Bowe; O'Gara, Reddan; Horan, Flannery, Buckley; O'Callaghan, O'Connell; Ferris, Jennings, Heaslip.

9 subs named, to be whittled down to 7.

If this is the team, its a great backline, one that would damage any defence when on song. I'd be worried about Buckley, and Ferris and Jennings, but its only Canada, and if they can't hack it against them, then what chance do they have against anyone decent?

[Aberdonian Stu]

Interest XV, save for Earls it's what would be expected for the bigger tests in the backs but it's a fairly experimental pack.

[joeSoap]

I'm wondering if he's checking out Jennings with a view to the All Blacks next week. We will need a groundhog 7 to compete with McCaw or else its goodnight Irene. Since we shamelessly cast Keith Gleeson into early retirement, Jennings is the only thing we have near to this description.

Buckley too is a big call. I don't think he's good enough. However, the experts argue that he's more advanced at this stage of his career than The Bull was, so who am I to argue?

We're taking a chance with Earls at full-back too, but as I said earlier, it's Canada....expect Girv to be back against the Blacks.

[Schumi]

I'm wondering if he's checking out Jennings with a view to the All Blacks next week. We will need a groundhog 7 to compete with McCaw or else its goodnight Irene. Since we shamelessly cast Keith Gleeson into early retirement, Jennings is the only thing we have near to this description.

Buckley too is a big call. I don't think he's good enough. However, the experts argue that he's more advanced at this stage of his career than The Bull was, so who am I to argue?

We're taking a chance with Earls at full-back too, but as I said earlier, it's Canada....expect Girv to be back against the Blacks.

Agree with most of that although I think Horgan might come in for Earls with Kearney at full back.

[OneRedArmy]

Broadly on the money but a few strange ones.

Buckley - not good enough for Munster but good enough for Ireland?

Earls - he's not a fullback, why continue to try to make him into one? We know what O'Driscoll can do and its only Canada ffs, put Earls in the centre!

Fully agree with Jennings at 7. Wallace is a fantastic player with great vision and abililty on the ball, but he ain't a 7 (or a 6) and if he wants in the team he's going to have to displace Heaslip at 8 (assuming that Quinlan's day is passed, which is a shame). The ELVs have reinforced the need for a groundhog as there is so little protection for ball on the ground now.

Ferris also needs to put up or shut up. Its time to deliver the potential we keep hearing he has.

[joeSoap]

I think our best backrow unit would be Wallace at 8, Leamy or Quinlan at 6 with a Jennings type at 7 although I'm not at all convinced about Jennings. For me Keith Gleeson was a superb 7, and a far better option than Jennings, yet we let him retire early and go home. Heaslip is a fine footballer, and will be our number 8 for a long time, but in a few seasons I believe. Wallace at the momment would be a dynamic ball carrying 8, is a huge tackler and has pace. All the attributes needed.

[OneRedArmy]

Based on performances over the last year Wallace doesn't even come close to Heaslip's physicality or defensive play. He doesn't need a few years, he's good enough now.

[joeSoap]

Can't agree with that at the moment. Right now, David Wallace is the better all round footballer. He is faster, more dynamic a ball carrier and as big a tackler. But I agree Heaslip is the future in this position. Right now, Wallace would be my number 8, thats all I'm saying.

[elroy]

If anyone has spare tickets for NZ game, please pm me. Only interested if selling for face value. Thanks

[OneRedArmy]

Anybody else freeze their balls off in Limerick this evening?

Not a huge amount to talk about, did the job that was required.

Stadium is wonderful and a credit to the Munster branch, embarrassing that soccer couldn't come up with anything close to it. Good to see a game outside Dublin, slightly annoyed as a 10 year ticket holder I had to schlep across the country for an evening kick off, but better than having it in an empty Croker. Also, while I'm bitching, the Munster fans constant bias for their own sticks in my craw. They wore their Munster jersies, cheered for their own (embarassingly so when the teams were announced) but most annoyingly (at least around me) berated the non-Munster players repeatedly. It wouldn't be so bad except Limerick people have spent 40 years complaining about how they have been under-represented at international level.

Anyway, hard to make anything of the game as Canada were **** poor, yet another example of a nation that have been bypassed by professionalism and hung out to dry by the IRB.

O'Driscoll was muck (who cares if he has a big game next week?) and we realised how much we rely on O'Gara. His kicking in particular was sublime in horrendous conditions.

But by and large Kidney's gambles came off, Earls was excellent at full back, Ferris very good (although MoTM?!). Jennings was effective without being brilliant (very worried about next week as we really didn't protect the ruck well or indeed recycle with any real speed, which has been our achilles heel over the last few years). Fitzgerald I thought looked ineffective and lightweight but he needs a few games under his belt to find his feet.

As well as prop (why didn't someone else get a run-out, what do we learn by bringing Hayes on other than his health is crucial to our success?), what really worries me is scrum half. Not sure why Stringer was in the squad, surely O'Leary should've got a run out as I'm still not convinced about Redden. He's not world class, loiters too much at the breakdown and will be found out by teams with a mobile backrow and a good counter-rucking game (ie AB's).

I think we've half a chance of beating the All Blacks but either we need to have a stormer and/or they need to under-perform badly.

[pete]

Only watched it on TV and was a horrible horrible game mainly as Canada were **** poor. Earls justified his selection.

Amazing how far Stringer has dropped. His strength was his accurate fast passing which is now gone - there was a 1 minute spell where he threw 3 passes into the ground out of the ruck & the next one almost over Buckleys head.

The ELVs have messed up the game. Encourages aimless kicking & removes the skill of attacking & defending rolling mauls.

[tetsujin1979]

Any spare tickets going for the All Blacks game at croke park?

[Jofspring]

Agree about O' Driscoll, he was awful, passing was poor, tried a few kicks which where crap and he didn't do much else in the game, can't believe one of the papers gave him 8 out of 10. Thought Tommy Bowe deserved man of the match. , he was a constant threat on attack. Earls had a very solid game with some good line breaks, set up (all be with a little help from a cross field kick) and scored a try. Kearney aswell was very impressive. Luke fitzgerald was pretty non existant and i don't think the forwards really had any challenge tonight even though all played well except maybe Buckley who didn't really get himself stuck in enough. Stringer didn't do himself any favours, his passing was fairly slow last night, the canadians where on top of the recievers by the time he had made the pass.

All in all it wasn't much of a Challenge before meeting New Zealand.

[Dodge]

IRELAND team to face New Zealand at Croke Park on Saturday, 15, 5:15pm:

G Dempsey (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, captain), L Fitzgerald (Leinster), R Kearney (Leinster); R O'Gara (Munster), T O'Leary (Munster); M Horan (Munster), R Best (Ulster), J Hayes (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), A Quinlan (Munster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: J Flannery (Munster), T Buckley (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), S Jennings (Leinster), E Reddan (Wasps), P Wallace (Ulster), K Earls (Munster).

[pete]

Looks like Kidney is targeting 6-9 as key physical area. O'Leary possibly has better defence than Reddan (Stringer is clearly 3rd choice). Seems harsh on Ferris but maybe Quinlan is more street smart.

[shakermaker1982]

Prefer Flannery to R Best myself. I'm happy with everything else though. Fingers crossed.

[shaneker]

Delighted with the team to face the ABs...11,12,13 and 14 look lethal going forward(assuming they click) although defensive questions remain. That said, BOD is a rock defensively and should keep that channel tight.

O'Leary is a great decision; right now he's the best Irish scrumhalf around. Its a travesty he's only had the one cap but his time is now. Doesn't hurt that the ABs will be less familiar with him than the other two options. Brave from Kidney.

Earls left out for Girv - I just come down on the side of agreeing with this one. Earls is potentially a world-beater (not building up the pressure on him at all then!) but its too much to throw him in against the ABs at this stage in such a critical position. If we were playing anyone else in the world I would say sod it and give him a go, but not New Zealand. Having him on the bench gives us a lethal option when it comes to changing the game on the hour mark. something we haven't had for a while.

As for Flannery and Best - pretty much of a muchness but Flannery has won Heineken Cups with pinpoint throwing under unbelievable pressure whereas Best has been part of the sh!test Ulster team in years. Open play and scrum, bugger all between them (Best is probably a better scrummager, but with our props its not going to make a blind bit of difference - we will be butchered in the scrum), but Fla's throwing is key to forward offensive play, and we could do with some of that.

Don't think we'll win due to force of habit, but (for the millionth time over the last few years) if not now, when? Can't wait - could be a cracker.

[OneRedArmy]

Happ enough. Start with the more solid XV and you have a great bench of impact players to use as required.

O'Leary a brave call to make but absolutely the right one IMO.

Kidney has already made more changes than Eddie managed in his whole career....

[pete]

Hopefully Kidney uses the bench as he has some good options. O'Sullivan was obsessed with not breaking up his "units" so was very very slow to make changes. Flannery, Reddan & Earls look like good impact players.

[Over the post]

Hopefully Kidney uses the bench as he has some good options. O'Sullivan was obsessed with not breaking up his "units" so was very very slow to make changes. Flannery, Reddan & Earls look like good impact players.

Buckley is also guaranteed to make an impact if he comes on.

Sign of the times when Stringer, Horgan, Murphy can't even make the bench.