Eddie O'Sullivan gets it wrong-Again!

**joeSoap** · 06/02/2004, 9:57 AM

Irelands hopes of winning the opening six nations game in Paris took a massive nosedive yesterday when Eddie 'The Tool'O'Sullivan named the Irish squad for the game. Its bad enough leaving out an in-form natural replacement for O'Driscoll in Mike Mullins, but to include Tyrone Howe in the squad is simply, pathetic.
I'm not even going to discuss the back row, and the omission of David Wallace in favour of Easterby, Costello and Gleeson.
The man should have stuck to teaching !!

**Dodge** · 06/02/2004, 10:19 AM

Relax. If it wasn't Munster men he was leaving out you wouldn't complain. And its not even Dubliin bias this time...

**Macy** · 06/02/2004, 10:59 AM

Originally posted by joeSoap
Its bad enough leaving out an in-form natural replacement for O'Driscoll in Mike Mullins, but to include Tyrone Howe in the squad is simply, pathetic.
I'm not even going to discuss the back row, and the omission of David Wallace in favour of Easterby, Costello and Gleeson.
The man should have stuck to teaching !!

Well D'Arcy is in great form, and can play in more positions than Mullins. Not huge fan of Howe, but he has been in Lions touring parties.... Back row is where Ireland have massive strength in depth, someone's gonna miss out....

Look on the bright side - more players for the Celtic League...

**joeSoap** · 06/02/2004, 11:28 AM

Originally posted by Dodge
Relax. If it wasn't Munster men he was leaving out you wouldn't complain. And its not even Dubliin bias this time...

Disagree with you there....he also left out Henderson, Anthony Horgan and John Kelly, and you don't hear me whining about those. I agree with the comments about D'Arcy, but he seems to be a very capable jack of all trades rather then a specialist centre, which Mullins is.
The gripe about Wallace is that quite simply, he is the best ball carrying back row forward in the country by a mile....nothing about him coming from Munster. Can you seriously tell me that either Costello or Easterby are better than him. I doubt it very much.

**joeSoap** · 06/02/2004, 11:31 AM

Originally posted by Dodge
Relax. If it wasn't Munster men he was leaving out you wouldn't complain. And its not even Dubliin bias this time...

And Eddie O'Sullivan is himself a Munster man, from Cork, so explain 'Dublin Bias'?

**DolansWaistcoat** · 06/02/2004, 12:26 PM

Munster are the men performing on the pitch at the moment so they should have a big majority of players in the Ireland squad.

**Dodge** · 06/02/2004, 12:37 PM

Originally posted by joeSoap
And Eddie O'Sullivan is himself a Munster man, from Cork, so explain 'Dublin Bias'?

Him being from Munster means it could NOT POSSIBLY be Dublin bias, so the usual Munster excuse/gripe can't be used...

Keith Gleeson is a much better open side flanker than Wallace. He will start wearing the 7 shirt. The other two can play 6, 7, or 8. Wallace can't...

**joeSoap** · 06/02/2004, 12:42 PM

Originally posted by Dodge
Keith Gleeson is a much better open side flanker than Wallace. He will start wearing the 7 shirt. The other two can play 6, 7, or 8. Wallace can't...

I'll put that comment down to the fact that you are a Dub, and therefore know very little about the game. Gleeson is better than Wallace on the floor...nowhere else. Victor Costello as a 7...GET REAL MAN!!!
p.s. David Wallace has played 6,7 and 8 for Munster, and 6 and 7 for Ireland.

**Dodge** · 06/02/2004, 1:24 PM

Didn't meant to have that 7 in there it was supposed can play 6 or 8.

And Wallace at 6 would be killed... Likewise Gleeson.

So the fact that a Corkman and a Dub prefer Gleeson to Wallace means what... possibly that he's a better player...

**Schumi** · 06/02/2004, 1:27 PM

The squad is:
Reggie Corrigan, Marcus Horan, John Hayes, Shane Byrne, Frank Sheahan.
Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell, Malcolm O’Kelly.
Victor Costello, Simon Easterby, Anthony Foley, Keith Gleeson.

Peter Stringer, Guy Easterby.
David Humphreys, Ronan O’Gara.
Gordon Darcy, Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan, Tyrone Howe, Kevin Maggs, Brian O’Driscoll.

The front 5 and half-backs are unarguable IMO with the possible exception of Guy Easterby (although there isn't really anyone else).

In the back row, I rate Gleeson slightly ahead of Wallace at no. 7 although it's a tight call. Having decided that, you're left with a choice of a no. 6/8 in Costello or a dedicated no. 7 and for me the versatility is important; you couldn't really play with Wallace and Gleeson in the back row IMO.

In the backs, I think EOS got it right with the exception of Howe whom I don't rate at all, his inclusion in that Lions squad ahead of Denis Hickey was a disgrace! I would have gone for Anthony Horgan or John Kelly ahead of him. If O'Driscoll is fit, Horgan, Maggs and Dempsey were always going to start with him. Darcy ahead of Mike Mullins is justified I think, he was fantastic away to Sale and importantly can cover full-back and wing as well.

**joeSoap** · 06/02/2004, 1:30 PM

Originally posted by Dodge
Didn't meant to have that 7 in there it was supposed can play 6 or 8.

And Wallace at 6 would be killed... Likewise Gleeson.

So the fact that a Corkman and a Dub prefer Gleeson to Wallace means what... possibly that he's a better player...

Jesus...a Corkman and a Dub....what a combo....two people from the Capital.....have to disagree with you...Wallace would in no way be killed as a 6...but we could be at this all day, so lets just say I'm right, you're wrong and move on !

**pete** · 06/02/2004, 3:02 PM

Gleeson & Wallace are competing for the same place i.e. no chance both playing. Gleeson is possession of the position & up to him to lose it.

Don't rate Esterby but he supposed to gte through a good amount of unseen work.

Surprised with Howes inclusion as he not made the step up previously. He not a real option fot the bench so lo0ks like he a starter. Thought Kelly would offer better options off the bench.

**SÓC** · 06/02/2004, 3:10 PM

O'Sullivan lost it when in his wisdom he dropped Foley from the team against France in the World Cup.

He's doing it again now, Horgan I can understand. Kelly to an extent. But Mullins and Wallace like wtf?

The Easter fcuking bunny and tub of lard Costello

**Footie_Fan** · 06/02/2004, 6:53 PM

I hope it doesn't happen but I can see us getting a hammering in Paris. Then he may have to start playing the in form players. Trevor Brennan for instance should definately be in the squad.

**SÓC** · 10/02/2004, 4:05 PM

This must be the weakest team we've had out for along time;

G Dempsey, S Horgan, G D'Arcy, K Maggs, T Howe, R O'Gara, P Stringer, R Corrigan, S Byrne, J Hayes, M O'Kelly, P O'Connell, S Easterby, K Gleeson, A Foley.

Twont be pretty, we'll be doing very very well to stay within 14 of them.

If you think we are playing without (either by injury or selection) O'Driscoll, J. Murphy, Quinlan, Hickie, Horan, and O'Callaghan (dont know how O'Kelly was picked ahead of him).

**mickrev** · 10/02/2004, 4:19 PM

Fairly weak team alright. Looking forward to seeing D'arcy though. Played some mighty stuff for Leinster recently when the rest of the team was playing poor. Definitely a better bet then Mullins.