Six Nations Rugby

dirtygringo

Winner of the 150 Posts in 11 Whole Years Award
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Jan 1, 2003
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Ireland to win the Grand Slam.

Im sick of watchin them celebrate winning the triple crown, after finishing 2nd in a 6 team competition.
 
I hate to see Irish fans getting carried away. Also there is a good bit of arrogance creeping into Irish fans lately which is a nasty trait.

To go from triple crown to Grand Slam winners is a huge step up. Let's just try and win the Championship.

Here is the team for Sunday

IRELAND v Wales: G Dempsey (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster), B O’Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D’Arcy (Leinster), D Hickie (Leinster), R O’Gara (Munster), P Stringer (Munster), M Horan (Munster), R Best (Ulster), J Hayes (Munster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster), S Easterby (Llanelli Scarlets), D Wallace (Munster), D Leamy (Munster).

Replacements: J Flannery (Munster), S Best (Ulster), N Best (Ulster), M O’Driscoll (Munster), I Boss (Ulster), P Wallace (Ulster), G Murphy (Leicester).

I'm a little bit worried about the front row.
We need Flannery back to his best as soon as possible simply for his throwing and the Bull has been putting in some very dodgy appearances of late on the back of a very good year.

The last weekend of the Heineken cup was a good reality check.


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I saw the English team for Saturday yesterday and by Christ it looks feckin' good on paper.
I'm hoping that Ashton is using this tournament to prepare the like of Wilkinson and Farrell for the World Cup. I am hoping that they are going to struggle a little bit. I am hoping they are not in form after their first two games.
 
if wales can win the grand slam so can ireland. is it that much of a step up?

to be honest i couldnt really give a feck. i just hate seing them celebrate the triple crown like its the world cup. its fecking second place, and with the squad they have they should not be content until they have won the bloody thing.
 
What's the betting Wilkinson will get injured in his first match back?
 
How has O'Driscoll and O'Gara been this season??Dont get to watch a lot of their games here apart from the internationals and the occassional game of Guiness Premiership.
 
air_mood said:
How has O'Driscoll and O'Gara been this season??Dont get to watch a lot of their games here apart from the internationals and the occassional game of Guiness Premiership.
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Where are you based? UK?

Try to get to a rugby pub that will show the heineken cup or get sky. The Magners league is hard to come by over here.

O'Driscoll has been good for Leinster and O'Gara has played well. He's considered to be the second best fly half in the world at the moment.
 
Worried about wales but we do have a strong team, with better depth than ever before. S. Horgan is a big loss, he's a brilliant player.

In fairness we do usually pound wales in cardiff, we have quite an amazing record there over the last 20odd years. By the way croker will be awesome, hopefully the hill will bring a great atmosphere.
 
Munster finally won the Heineken cup, now it's time Ireland finally won the bloody 6 nations!
 
dRNk SAnTA said:
Worried about wales but we do have a strong team, with better depth than ever before. S. Horgan is a big loss, he's a brilliant player.

In fairness we do usually pound wales in cardiff, we have quite an amazing record there over the last 20odd years. By the way croker will be awesome, hopefully the hill will bring a great atmosphere.
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It will be funny seeing the hill full of d4 camel coats instead of the usual scallies.:smirk:
 
Good performances by England & France yesterday, but I think whoever wins today between Wales & Ireland will go on to win the Championship. Ireland never handle the favs. tag at all, but I do feel that this current team are really special. .....(not to be labelled a "band-wagon jumper " after the the chamionship is over),but if Ireland do emerge as winners, then watch out all-Blacks, the Paddy's could very well stop you in your tracks come next summer! ;)
 
good result for Ireland yesterday. didn't see the game yet but hope to catch the rerun on Setanta some time this week.
 
got to see the rerun last night. I thought the Irish were somewhat lucky in that had the Welsh been a bit better then they would have won. It wasn't a convincing win for the boys in green.
Wales dropped the ball on key moments and had Ireland pinned back for most of the game.
Credit to the Irish lads though as they hung in there and made the most of their opportunities.

The Irish will have to be much better against the French so hopefully they can step it up.
 
yeh I think you are right. But in fairness we scored 3 tries and they scored none. They had a lot of the ball and territory but we did seem to be in control. Our kicking was pretty poor all game and that didn't help us.

I'm not sure if you follow the rugby news but before the game everyone was saying how wales picked a pack that would dominate us in the scrum. In the end they did nothing to us with their scrum, we were always in control.

We'll have to be a lot better this weekend, I really hope O'Driscoll will play but I'd say its pretty doubtful, a week isn't a long time for a dodgy hamstring.
 
utdalltheway said:
got to see the rerun last night. I thought the Irish were somewhat lucky in that had the Welsh been a bit better then they would have won. It wasn't a convincing win for the boys in green.
Wales dropped the ball on key moments and had Ireland pinned back for most of the game.
Credit to the Irish lads though as they hung in there and made the most of their opportunities.

The Irish will have to be much better against the French so hopefully they can step it up.
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I don't agree. Ireland managed them well I thought and took their chances. Ireland have come on so much as a team. That would have been a game they would have lost a few years ago, now they just play and grind down what's in front of them.
There was alot of complaints from Welsh fans about Ireland slowing down the ball.
Firstly, I have no problem with slowing the ball down. If the ref doesn't blow up then why stop!
Secondly, O'Driscoll and D'Arcy were trying to rip the ball in the tackle. Staying on their feet after the tackle and legally trying to get possession. The fact that they had to rip the ball showed that the Welsh player was holding on after he had gone to ground. The ref could have and should have blown up for this just as much as he could have blown up for the irish hands in the ruck.
The whinging really pissed me off actually. Steve Walsh, who was officiating the line in the Wales Ireland game is reffing the Ireland France game on Sunday. He came out today complaining about Irish hands in the ruck last Sunday and saying he will be watching very closly for a repeat this Sunday. That's totally unfair. How can we get a fair game with this fellow in charge? He should be replaced as referee for this match.
Last point, the England team that won the World cup were masters at slowing the ball down, the current masters are NZ, who are overwhelming favourites for the next world cup. Yes, it is cheating, but I believe it is part of the modern game. You have to puch the laws to the limit and when you get penalised, push them a little bit more.
The England team of 2003 and the current NZ team are applauded for being cunning, clever and streetwise. However ireland are lambasted for doing the same.
The main problem with rugby union at the moment is the one rule for the superpowers and another for everyone else.
 
Lynott said:
Ireland have come on so much as a team. That would have been a game they would have lost a few years ago, now they just play and grind down what's in front of them.
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agree about the result part. they would have lost that game years ago and it's a testament to the lads that they did hang in there and score when the opportunities were presented.
I remember the days of Ollie Campbell and Tony Ward and how Ireland used to be criticized for winning without scoring tries.
At least that's not the case now.


oh, why did I have to bite my nails even though I knew the result :rolleyes:
 
Horgan is in the team to face france after a shock quick comeback, stringer is probable and BOD is still classed as doubtful... trimble dropped out of the squad.
 
yeah Horgan will make a big difference always comes up with a try for us, Isacc Boss is to step in for Stringer and O Driscoll will be cleared to play. O Driscoll is getting some cryptotherphy on his hamstring in a newly opened clinic in Wexford. Remember a few years ago O driscoll and Darcy had to goto Poland to get the treatment.

Come on you boys in Green!!!:devil:
 
i nearly ran over two french beret wearin twats in dublin today. they just stepped out in front of my car. i hope we hammer them in croker on sunday.
 
dirtygringo said:
i nearly ran over two french beret wearin twats in dublin today. they just stepped out in front of my car. i hope we hammer them in croker on sunday.
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Got let down for a ticket today, going to try get in selling programmes or something!
 
Small Paul said:
Got let down for a ticket today, going to try get in selling programmes or something!
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Unlucky mate. feck I wish I was going. Croker is going to be jumping tomorrow....
 
You Irish are in trouble of going the same way as the English with the football team.

All I've heard is arrogance, "we're going to win a grand slam" "we're the only team that can challenge New Zealand."

France are a better team, and will play the World Cup final against the all blacks.
 
TheRedFlag said:
You Irish are in trouble of going the same way as the English with the football team.

All I've heard is arrogance, "we're going to win a grand slam" "we're the only team that can challenge New Zealand."

France are a better team, and will play the World Cup final against the all blacks.
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Agreed, Ireland havent beaten us in a WC match ever and I dont fear them at all. However France can be a prick of a side, theyve beaten us before and are genuine contenders.

A question to the Irish fans, how do you rate Shane Horgan? Believe it or not he is my third cousin (my grandads brothers son, he has dual nationality). The Irish seemed to muck him around a bit in the last few years playing him at centre a few tests from memory, but in my opinion he is a big strong brute of a man and is a bloody good winger, what do you think?
 
Irish fans must've be deluded to think that only they can trouble the All Blacks.
ah well, back to the triple crown again I suppose.
England should be a tough test for the Irish lads. hopefully out injury problems will be sorted by then.
 
TheRedFlag said:
You Irish are in trouble of going the same way as the English with the football team.

All I've heard is arrogance, "we're going to win a grand slam" "we're the only team that can challenge New Zealand."

France are a better team, and will play the World Cup final against the all blacks.
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One thing the English can never accuse anyone of is arrogance. Please look in the bloody mirror.
The media made Ireland Grand Slam favourites, mostly the English media in fact. O'Sullivan never made that statement, he argued it actually, and most Irish fans would realise that we have a great team but not a great squad.
We have just been beaten at the death by France, France who have 10 times the number of players playing in their country than Ireland has. France who get 90 players together every January to put their six nations squad together. France who are a thorn in our side, always have been and always will be. We face them again in the WC group stages, but hopefully we have closed the gap.

In terms of the match, I thought Ireland were poor overall. The occassion got to them and they made alot of mistakes. France looked a threat everytime they ran at us. Over the last two years Ireland have handed the first half to France. This year they came back and took the lead but took their eye of the ball, literally, in the last seconds and lost it.
I would say that that last conceded try reminded me of the Ireland of old, but the new Ireland had gotten us back in contention for the game.

On our day if we cut out the mistakes I think our team is one of the strongest in the world at the moment. We have worked bloody hard to get there. Our club teams are doing well in Europe also. This is not arrogance its fact. We, Munster, are European Champions and Ireland have won two triple crowns in three years as well as beating the world champions 3 times on the trot.

We have managed to do this in a sport that is not our first or second most popular, but probably our fourth, with 100,000 rugby players at all levels on the island. Also without being able to scour the pacific islands for our attacking talent.

In Ireland we are proud of these achievements but I suppose its too much to ask to expect an English man or a Kiwi to appreciate that.

Congratulations to France. The better team on the day pipped it. See you in the WC.

I hope anybody but the Kiwis win the WC this year as do the majority of rugby fans I've spoken to. They have gone from being everyone's second favourite team to everyones least favourite. I wonder if the Kiwi fan on here and his type have anything to do with that.
 
I have never in my life heard anyone from the Irish camp, coach, player or even a fan seriously suggest they could beat New Zealand. I would those on here suggesting they did to provide some evidence.
 
Dont fully understand what your bloody problem is Lynott, I simply said you guys don't have a realistic chance of beating us All Blacks, while France does. I don't see how that's at all being arrogant, It's just my truthful opinion. Ricky Ponting said last week he expects no problems for his cricket team to beat us easily this week even with him and Gilchrist rested, yet i don't hate the Aussies for saying that and they certainly have a right to be arrogant if they are the best country in the world in cricket. I have a lot of respect for the Irish rugby team, and like i said my third cousin, Shane Horgan, plays for you. All my heritage is Irish and you certainly are my second favourite team behind the All Blacks. We also are a very small country Lynott so that doesn't work, and in fact football is the most played sport here, rugby ranks in at third/fourth. Hate us or Love us Lynott, we are the best rugby team in the world at the moment. Deal with that in your own way.
 
Kiwi_fan said:
Dont fully understand what your bloody problem is Lynott, I simply said you guys don't have a realistic chance of beating us All Blacks, while France does. I don't see how that's at all being arrogant, It's just my truthful opinion. Ricky Ponting said last week he expects no problems for his cricket team to beat us easily this week even with him and Gilchrist rested, yet i don't hate the Aussies for saying that and they certainly have a right to be arrogant if they are the best country in the world in cricket. I have a lot of respect for the Irish rugby team, and like i said my third cousin, Shane Horgan, plays for you. All my heritage is Irish and you certainly are my second favourite team behind the All Blacks. We also are a very small country Lynott so that doesn't work, and in fact football is the most played sport here, rugby ranks in at third/fourth. Hate us or Love us Lynott, we are the best rugby team in the world at the moment. Deal with that in your own way.
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Did you not start your post above with 'Agreed', hence agreeing with RedFlags accusations against us.

That's my problem!

The irony. An Englishman and a New zealander accusing the Irish of arrogance.

Don't give me this Irish heritage rubbish. You flew your flag in the above post.

You may be a small nation but you have your pick from surrounding Island's players. Shame were not all a fortunate. Alot of Fijians and Samoans wear the black jersey.

You may be the best team in the world right now but you have no silverware yet and have bottled it in the last 3 world cups. I'll raise a drink to making it four in a row.

Oh and Shane Horgan filled in for O'Driscoll in the center for Leinster and somethimes Ireland when O'Driscoll was out injured after a spear tackle by two of those loveable all blacks. He has improved over the last two years 10 fold but still has very dodgy handling skills and tends to off load too late and is not the best passer in the world. He is best played on the wing at 14.
 
lost in all the fuss over Ire/Eng was the Sco/Italy game. saw the highlights last night.
couldn't believe how badly the Scots were in the 1st 10 mins. they gifted the Italians 3 tries? unbelievable!
 
Lads, I`m not to informed about rugby and was wondering who is currently the best rugby side in the world.

Who is the "Brazil" of rugby if you want? Keep your patriotic biased feelings out of it and try to give me an answer! Thanks
 
Yeh man I don't think you'll find anyone denying that NZ are by far (really, by far) the best team in the world. France would probably be their nearest rival, yet in the autumn New Zealand went and played France in Paris and put 50 points on them.

A couple of years ago NZ came and played Ireland, England and Wales and trounced us all, mainly with a 2nd string team.

When you watch the all blacks you are struck by a couple of things, first of all most of them are ripped like feckin body builders. And when they play, they play with real intensity (kinda like Ireland did in the Ireland v England game), sometimes it looks like men against boys, I can't really explain it. Just amazing strength and technique, especially in the tackle.

Only team to beat them in the last few years has bene South Africa, iirc.
 
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