Rugby World Cup 2003

**Shed End John** · 20/10/2003, 2:50 PM

Originally posted by Schumi
If Horan plays against Argentina, our scrum will be in trouble. Is Corrigan's injury bad? I thought it was just a precaution to leave him out of the Namibia game.

Absolute RUBBISH. Horan has proved himself time and again to be a top class prop. Corrigans shoulder is still keeping him out of contact training it said on RT� last night.
Argentina might have the heaviest pack in the WC but, IMO, it's far from the best. Be disgusted if we didn't at least break even with them up front as there's a whole lot of hype, no substance talked about their scrum.

**pete** · 20/10/2003, 3:55 PM

Me no expert but Horan ain't up to scrummaging against Argentina. If you can match the Argentina scrum then Ireland halfway to winning.

**Shed End John** · 21/10/2003, 1:19 PM

Originally posted by Conor74
Has he no ambition greater than holding up mineshafts?

Conor, how're things? Did you not even watch the Namibia game? Horan is an absolute expert at chasing, and occasionally retrieving, lost causes. His work rate is monstrous and the 'fact' that he's not built like 'a prop should be' is an entirely moot point. If people look at front row players in the Southern Hemisphere, very few, if any. of them carry ANY excess weight whatsoever. Horan is built like a Southern Hemisphere front row, and noone has ever expressed any doubts about their ability to perform. I'd pick him for the Argentina game, where I'd put money on it that he'd do a great job as well as adding some much needed mobility to our front row.
Btw, anyone know the scotland-USA result, plus the result of todays game???

**pete** · 21/10/2003, 6:10 PM

I know rugby a minority sport 'n all but TV coverage seems at best crap.

RTE basically just cover the irish games plus a few more thrown in & ITVs coverage is woeful for a station coverage basically 4 teams in their country (they get part of Ireland). Will Carling

**joeSoap** · 21/10/2003, 6:23 PM

If you've got Sky Digital, go to channel 189(I think) the Welsh Channel S4C is the best station.....if you can tolerate the Welsh language commentary!

**Beavis** · 26/10/2003, 11:27 AM

Can a world cup where a team wins 143-0 really have any credibility.

I know its Ireland and we should care but I've probably met too many Dublin rugby a r s e h o l e s in my time.(not saying there all knobs but just don't like the whole rugby culture[in Dublin anyway])

**NigeSausagepump** · 27/10/2003, 9:20 AM

Originally posted by Beavis

I know its Ireland and we should care but I've probably met too many Dublin rugby a r s e h o l e s in my time.(not saying there all knobs but just don't like the whole rugby culture[in Dublin anyway])

I must say the Paul Howard books on Ross O'Carroll-Kelly take off the south Dublin rugby culture to a tee. Some of those idiots who go around with their collars up, beige chinos and deck shoes could do worse than read them (assuming they can read) and maybe realise how utterly ridiculous they appear.

I like so wouldn't go north of Tara Steet on the Dort, roight, they so wouldn't be able to serve me like bottles of Heino there.

Rock on Ross.

**Shed End John** · 07/11/2003, 9:23 AM

Originally posted by Beavis
Can a world cup where a team wins 143-0 really have any credibility.

I know its Ireland and we should care but I've probably met too many Dublin rugby a r s e h o l e s in my time.(not saying there all knobs but just don't like the whole rugby culture[in Dublin anyway])

Which just goes to show, if you want real rugby come to Munster.

Maybe the Oz-Namibia match was a farce, but, the real business is starting tomorrow morning. Here are my predictions to make the semis:
New Zealand- because they're SO bloody good going forward
Australia- because Scotland are s***e
England- because Wales aren't good enough to beat them
Ireland- because...........don't ask, I just have a good feeling about this one!!

**Schumi** · 07/11/2003, 10:33 AM

Originally posted by Shed End John
New Zealand- because they're SO bloody good going forward

They'll probably beat SA but Wales really made their defence look poor so I don't think they'll get past Australia in the semi; maybe Ireland v Australia again in the final?

**James** · 07/11/2003, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by Schumi
maybe Ireland v Australia again in the final?

schumi Ireland have NEVER played Australia in the final before

**Schumi** · 07/11/2003, 11:00 AM

Originally posted by James
schumi Ireland have NEVER played Australia in the final before

Didn't say they had.

**James** · 07/11/2003, 11:01 AM

Originally posted by Schumi
maybe Ireland v Australia again in the final?

you're right schumi
you never said that

**Schumi** · 07/11/2003, 11:15 AM

Ireland v Australia again in the final = Ireland v Australia again (i.e. Ireland playing Australia not for the first time) in the final (i.e. this particular game between Ireland and Australia will be in the final).

What you seem to think I said was
Ireland v Australia in the final again which would mean Ireland playing Australia in a final not for the first time.

Understand?

**joeSoap** · 07/11/2003, 11:15 AM

Victor Costello is not up to the big occassion. I've said it before, and I'll say it again...he can't tackle for nuts, and he doesn't have the nerve in big games.
We will be beaten...not by much, and it will be because Foley will be wearing a suit, and the gorrilla will be wearing 8.
Before the catcalls come, I acknowledge Foley hadn't a good game against Australia, but that was based on three silly knock-ons. His tackle count was MASSIVE and his lack of match practice up to that point won't have helped.
I think its a bad bad move and one that will cost us in the end...

**niamh** · 09/11/2003, 3:54 PM

Was disapointed this morning but not so much from the the fact we were wacked by the better team. It was the ITV commentary that drove me nuts.
Apparently we all call Keith Wood "the raging potato"
Brian O'Driscoll is aka "God"
when we went 2 tried behind the he talked about the need for some "Paddy Power"
and even when Ireland were about twenty points behind he was talking about what a great semi England V France would be.

Was always gonna be tough without Hickie but with O'Gara getting clobbered as soon as he did, us not winning the line outs the way we did, the scrum being crushed the way it was and conceding a try so early on, we were never winning it.
Just hope they can play the same against England and win the tournement now.

**S�C** · 10/11/2003, 9:02 AM

Eddie O'Sullivan is a bottler to rival Shels.

When the sh�t hits the fan and a big decision is to be made he f�cks it up. Yesterday we were "treated" to the sight of the Easter Bunny and Costello in place of Wallace and Foley!?! Im mean wtf?

Against England too in the Grand Slam decider he played Humphries when it was oh so clear to all that the type of game suited O'Gara much more.

**Shed End John** · 10/11/2003, 9:56 AM

Originally posted by niamh
Was always gonna be tough without Hickie but with O'Gara getting clobbered as soon as he did, us not winning the line outs the way we did, the scrum being crushed the way it was and conceding a try so early on, we were never winning it.
Just hope they can play the same against England and win the tournement now.

Couldn't argue with a word of that. Still, it's annoying that we never got in their face like we did against Australia. IMO, after seeing the remaining contenders NZ will tear Australia to pieces and will win by at least 15-20 points; England likewise will find the going WAY too tough against Les Bleus and their very impressive counterattack. France v NZ will be a great Final with the outcome a genuine 50/50 call.

**Schumi** · 10/11/2003, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by Shed End John
Couldn't argue with a word of that. Still, it's annoying that we never got in their face like we did against Australia. IMO, after seeing the remaining contenders NZ will tear Australia to pieces and will win by at least 15-20 points; England likewise will find the going WAY too tough against Les Bleus and their very impressive counterattack. France v NZ will be a great Final with the outcome a genuine 50/50 call.

I'd agree with that. France look the best team in the tournament and I really hope they win. Rugby needs a Northern Hemisphere winner.

**pete** · 10/11/2003, 12:06 PM

Crawl out of bed at 7.25, match starts 7.35, match over 7.50am.

If the irish football team pertformed like the rugby crowd on sunday morning they'd never hear the end of it for years.

Quote of the week from Matt Williams when taling about beating England A a few years ago. Apparently french official told him "...nothing unites the world like beating the English"

**patsh** · 10/11/2003, 1:03 PM

I must say I quite enjoyed the sound of wailing and gnashing of teeeth emanating from the bugger clubs over the Phil Coulter fifteen being sent home with their tails between their legs.

Shocking to think though that a civilised country such as France, which has given Zidane, Platini and so much art and beauty to the world, should have a mudf*cking team...