Rugby World Cup

**beautifulrock** · 17/08/2007, 8:36 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

btw agree with ye shaker, was the fella that hit him french by any chance? sounds like again just targeted odriscoll knowning he is our main man, and i am serious about that. Playing a club team 3 weeks before the world cup is a joke, of course they are going to just pound away and hit cheap shots, paying a club team from the same country as our pool opponents is just stupid.

No he was not French, and the team needs to play. easy to be critical in hindsight but remeber the last bad injury we had was in a warm up game against Scotland a country not in our group. Injuries are part of rugby that is a fact. Teams need to play together that is another fact. It was widely touted as a great idea when first mentioned. BOD will be fine thankfully but I would be very surprised if we or any other team who gets to a quarter final without an injury to at least one of their key player.

**Dodge** · 17/08/2007, 8:38 AM

He was hit by "Mikaera Tewhata" Doesn't sound too French

**shakermaker1982** · 17/08/2007, 8:51 AM

5 players if I remember rightly got sin binned last night. That wasn't a game of rugby it was war!

This is from today's independent:
Bayonne bruiser Richard Dourte had gleefully exclaimed his vengeful motivations in yesterday morning's edition of L'Equipe.

Recalling his last international appearance against Ireland, a 15-12 defeat six years ago, Dourthe chillingly expressed the thought that "if Ireland have to play without Brian O'Driscoll, it is better for us."

Neil Best loves those types of games though!!!

**OneRedArmy** · 17/08/2007, 9:10 AM

Originally Posted by beautifulrock

No he was not French, and the team needs to play. easy to be critical in hindsight but remeber the last bad injury we had was in a warm up game against Scotland a country not in our group. Injuries are part of rugby that is a fact. Teams need to play together that is another fact. It was widely touted as a great idea when first mentioned. BOD will be fine thankfully but I would be very surprised if we or any other team who gets to a quarter final without an injury to at least one of their key player.

Spot on.

Its an attritional game, and moreso than it ever was.

Given O'Driscoll's injury record I'm not sure why we expect to have him fit for a run of games anyway!

**Torn-Ado** · 17/08/2007, 9:18 AM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Spot on.

Its an attritional game, and moreso than it ever was.

Given O'Driscoll's injury record I'm not sure why we expect to have him fit for a run of games anyway!

Exactly.

O Driscoll could be wrapped up in a ton of cotton wool walking down the street and he'd still manage to injure himself.

**paul_oshea** · 17/08/2007, 9:33 AM

Recalling his last international appearance against Ireland, a 15-12 defeat six years ago, Dourthe chillingly expressed the thought that "if Ireland have to play without Brian O'Driscoll, it is better for us."

thank you and good night.

**shakermaker1982** · 17/08/2007, 9:50 AM

I was (still am) in favour of the two other pre WC warm up games against Scotland and Italy because they have as much to lose as we do were they to go gung ho but Bayonne?

People make out BOD is injury prone but he's had a dislocated shoulder over on the Lions tour (that sphere tackle would have crushed a lesser man) and he had a dodgy hamstring during last seasons 6N. Other than that there is nothing to suggest that he should be classifed as a Johny Wilko/Darren Anderton type of player.

**joeSoap** · 17/08/2007, 9:58 AM

The decision to play Bayonne was astounding to say the least. A French club side, in France, with players from Argentina in their ranks! What the f**k did he expect. Denis Leamy looks like he could miss the World Cup now. And boy is he going to be a loss.Plus, now you're going to have guys going out against Italy now with doubts in their minds, and God only knows what injuries you pick up when you're not focused.

Shambles. O'Sullivan has a lot to answer for.

**pete** · 17/08/2007, 10:49 AM

A couple of possible injuries & Irelands WC hopes evaporate. Puts in perspective the talk of WC Final & even winning the competition.

Ireland have far too many key players that there is no backup for - Hayes, O'Connell, Wallace, O'Gara. O'Driscoll. Humphreys should have been asked to come out of retirement & he should have brought another specialist open side franker.

Due to the way the games are arranged O'Sullivan does not have many chances of resting players as he needs them to be match fit for the 3rd pool game.

**geysir** · 17/08/2007, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by joeSoap

The decision to play Bayonne was astounding to say the least. A French club side, in France, with players from Argentina in their ranks! What the f**k did he expect. Denis Leamy looks like he could miss the World Cup now. And boy is he going to be a loss.Plus, now you're going to have guys going out against Italy now with doubts in their minds, and God only knows what injuries you pick up when you're not focused.

Shambles. O'Sullivan has a lot to answer for.

Isn't hindsight wonderful, the injury possibility was mentioned before in the thread and only Shakermaker asked the injury Q.

**paul_oshea** · 17/08/2007, 11:55 AM

geysir just cos it wasn't asked doesnt mean we couldn't/didnt think it.

Playing a club team is silly in my opinion. Playing italy and scotland made far more sense.

**Dodge** · 17/08/2007, 12:02 PM

They wanted a game in their "warm weather" training. No others were available. if it wasn't for one punch, it'd be forgotten already

**paul_oshea** · 17/08/2007, 12:09 PM

They wanted a game in their "warm weather" training. No others were available. if it wasn't for one punch, it'd be forgotten already

and 5 yellow cards, and leamy and: http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2007/0817/ireland.html and shakermakers comment etc etc.

To be honest i think we are lucky there werent more casualties/more severe ones, when i heard of the bayonne match ( which i admit was only last saturday ) I said to my flat mate (mad rugby supporter PBS fella) that it was madness he agreed entirely. First thing he asked me when he got home last night "was their any injuries from the match?!". I thought he was on about drogheda

But we can agree to differ dodge

**Dodge** · 17/08/2007, 12:20 PM

I wasn't mad about it eithr POS. I'm just making the point that if it wasn't for that one punch, it'd have been nothing. Leamey will be grand and the rest of it was just rugby...

**shakermaker1982** · 17/08/2007, 12:35 PM

How optimistic are you lads on our chances? We are in the group of death and if we finish 2nd then it's New Zealand in the Q finals......but if we beat France then I really think we can go all the way to the final.

**paul_oshea** · 17/08/2007, 12:59 PM

dont forget argentina, france have only beaten them at home once ( granted latest one ) in 3 previous meetings. Seriously dont underestimate them.

For a selfish reasaon id like to see them as runners up, solely because i have a ticket for the quarters in cardiff, but if you can assure me shaker that they will get to the final if they top the group then Ill do my bit for my country and be selfless

**OneRedArmy** · 17/08/2007, 1:11 PM

Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

I was (still am) in favour of the two other pre WC warm up games against Scotland and Italy because they have as much to lose as we do were they to go gung ho but Bayonne?

People make out BOD is injury prone but he's had a dislocated shoulder over on the Lions tour (that sphere tackle would have crushed a lesser man) and he had a dodgy hamstring during last seasons 6N. Other than that there is nothing to suggest that he should be classifed as a Johny Wilko/Darren Anderton type of player.

I think you are referring to a "spear" tackle (a sphere tackle is something one does on a dance floor circa 2am). And that wasn't a spear tackle, a spear tackle involves being driven, with force into the ground headfirst. BOD's was on his back. The only reason it was marginal was because he was nowhere near the ball.

Agree that the Bayonne match was a dodgy one to pick but the Georgians or the other lot we play (Namibia?) are as likely to have knacked him as well.

As for his injuries, has the hammy not hit him a couple of times previously and he does spend a lot of time down in matches as well. Not suggesting he's a sicknote rather that like Wilko, he puts his body on the line so much.

**Schumi** · 17/08/2007, 1:14 PM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

The only reason it was marginal was because he was nowhere near the ball.

I don't think this is true. He was dropped from a height when afaik the rules say that the tackler has to hold onto him until he's on the ground when tackling like that.

**OneRedArmy** · 17/08/2007, 1:15 PM

Originally Posted by joeSoap

now you're going to have guys going out against Italy now with doubts in their minds, and God only knows what injuries you pick up when you're not focused.

Shambles. O'Sullivan has a lot to answer for.

How much rugby have you ever played?

You're so far from the truth its unreal.

In modern rugby injuries happen in every game.

If your approach was adopted the game would die.

Get a grip FFS!

**OneRedArmy** · 17/08/2007, 1:18 PM

Originally Posted by Schumi

I don't think this is true. He was dropped from a height when afaik the rules say that the tackler has to hold onto him until he's on the ground when tackling like that.

He was driven onto his back with downward pressure IIRC.

It was probably a penalty, nopthing more, but the mass wailing and gnashing off teeth from people who don't know jack about rugby and can't hack contact sports was ridiculously OTT.