Rugby Union 2009

[pete]

How many turned out at the RDS yesterday?

RTE News said 8,000.

[Schumi]

Not bad considering that very few would have been home from Edinburgh by then.

[OneRedArmy]

I'd say 4-5,000 max.

They opened the gates at 2 and then told people the team wouldn't be there until 4, so quite a few people with young kids wandered off.

[Bald Student]

Heard earlier the "goys" had the cup in Kiely's last night...old habits die hard!

There's nothing wrong with that. Apart from the lions and some internationals, their season's over and they've earned the right to celebrate.

[shakermaker1982]

Congratulations to Leinster.

Rocky is a monster. World class again. It's a pity he's not Irish.

[Dodge]

There's nothing wrong with that. Apart from the lions and some internationals, their season's over and they've earned the right to celebrate.

And its way beter than the rest of them that went to Krystle.

[Bald Student]

And its way better than the rest of them that went to Krystle.

There's nothing wrong with that either. They've 2 months 'til their next game, a late night won't do them any harm.

[Dodge]

There's nothing wrong with that either. They've 2 months 'til their next game, a late night won't do them any harm.

Absolutely. I was pointing out that if it was me I'd prefer a few pints in Kielys over a night in Krystle. Far too much effort for me

I'd actually think there was something wrong with them if they didn't want to celebrate

[OneRedArmy]

There's nothing wrong with that. Apart from the lions and some internationals, their season's over and they've earned the right to celebrate.

And its way beter than the rest of them that went to Krystle.

Absolutely. I was pointing out that if it was me I'd prefer a few pints in Kielys over a night in Krystle. Far too much effort for me

I'd actually think there was something wrong with them if they didn't want to celebrate

My point was more along the lines of Dodge's, nothing to do with the fact they celebrated, more the locations chosen were reflective of the usual Leinster flash harry stereotypes.

They deserve every pint!

[Aberdonian Stu]

What the hell is wrong with them going to their local?

[Bald Student]

What the hell is wrong with them going to their local?

And since when was Kiely's flash?

[Dodge]

First Lions XV selected

Lions v Royal XV

15. Lee Byrne (Ospreys/Wales)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys/Ireland)
13. Keith Earls (Munster/Ireland)
12. Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
11. Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales)
10. Ronan O’Gara (Munster/Ireland)
9. Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland)
8. Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
7. Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
6. Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England)
5. Paul O’Connell (Munster/Ireland) captain
4. Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England)
3. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
2. Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales)
1. Andrew Sheridan (Sales Sharks/England)

Replacements
16. Lee Mears (Bath/England)
17. Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England)
18. Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
19. Stephen Ferris (Ulster/Ireland)
20. Mike Phillips (Ospreys/Wales)
21. Stephen Jones (Scarlets/Wales)
22. Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England)

[pete]

Looks like a string side. Can't be too far away from starting test side.

[Jofspring]

Due to injury (nothing major) Wallace is starting instead of Powell and Heaslip replaces Ferris on the bench.

Can't wait for this match. Lions to win by a minimum 20 points.

[brianw82]

Am I the only one who doesn't give a fiddler's fart about the Lions?

[OwlsFan]

Am I the only one who doesn't give a fiddler's fart about the Lions?

Why is that?

I enjoy the tours to see how the nationalities mix. They were almost beaten yesterday and will need to step up the performance big time if they are to make any impact.

I wonder will the day come when it becomes a Home Championship team to include the French.

[OneRedArmy]

What the hell is wrong with them going to their local?

And since when was Kiely's flash?

Do you read Ross O'Carroll Kelly? Kiely's is the epicentre of collar up, roysh lads, D4-ism.

I don't say that as a negative, only as a statement of fact.

So, I made a pithy comment in relation to the supposed new all-inclusiveness of Leinster rugby.

Soft skins?

[Longfordian]

Only as regards its location, being across the road from Donnybrook Stadium, Leinster's traditional home. As a pub, it's not that flash a place.

[OneRedArmy]

Only as regards its location, being across the road from Donnybrook Stadium, Leinster's traditional home. As a pub, it's not that flash a place.

I know, I live round the corner!

The rest of the squad did go to Krystal though. Thats fairly flash

[brianw82]

Why is that?

I enjoy the tours to see how the nationalities mix. They were almost beaten yesterday and will need to step up the performance big time if they are to make any impact.

I wonder will the day come when it becomes a Home Championship team to include the French.

It just seems to be a typical Sky Sports, hype-driven affair. Are the N. Hemisphere teams so weak in the modern age that they have to pool their resources to beat one of the S.Hemisphere teams? No, there have been several examples in recent years of Northern teams beating Southern ones, although the Southerners still hold a general advantage. It's perpetuating a stereotype that our teams can't compete on their own, even though they've clearly proved they can.

Also, it's been a long rugby season. The SA teams play ferociously - why would the likes of O'Driscoll and O'Connell travel all this way to get battered for 6 weeks after winning Magners Leagues, Heineken Cups and Six Nations titles, and having busted their guts to do so? Doesn't make any sense to me.

Finally, to be extremely cynical, it just seems an excuse for Irish people to wear a British jersey and not feel at all bad about it, because they've stuck "and Irish" in the middle of "British Lions" And yes, I do know that Irish players have always played in the Lions, that's not the point. The point is that in this endeavour, everyone involved with rugby is happy to be British in all but name.