France v Ireland

[An Tarbh]

Stade de France</span>
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So it's crunch time for the French on Friday in St Denis, despite the abject performances from Eddie O'Sullivan's side in their opening two games in Bordeaux, it's Laporte and his side who face the most pressure going into this Pool D Clash.

Having failed in their opening game against the Pumas a loss against the Irish would see the French unceremoniously dumped out of the tournament making them the first host country who would have failed to make the quarter finals.

As for Ireland expectation levels seem to be back to where they were in the 1990s, rock bottom, no thanks to the last six test matches which have been in pale comparison to the performances of the Six Nations and Autumn Internationals. Can they turn it around in time for Friday, unlikely but stranger things have happened.

The French certainly have the momentum going into this game no doubt after they easily dispatched the Namibians last night with even Chabal getting in on the scoring, although suspect Namibian defence is putting it mildly to say the least.

Ireland will have to do without Rory Best who has been ruled out for 3 weeks with Jerry Flannery taking his place and Junkie Sheehan coming in on the bench, God help us all if Flannery gets injured. Doubts remain over Denis Hickie who is struggling with a bruised knee so Trimble or Murphy may get the call, ideally Murphy should get the nod as he'd be relishing the chance to make up for his defensive lapse when the sides met back in February.

Eddie O'Sullivan will name the side at lunchtime although I still expect minimum changes.

Regardless it promises to be an intriguing match to say the least.

Your thoughts???

 

[shazbooger]

Team to be announced this morning. I think a lot of us would like to see Best in at 6, Murphy in at 11 (along with Flannery at 2).
Myself, I'd love to see Reddan at least on the bench and O'Kelly in the team instead of O'Callaghan. Its hardly a risk as it cant really get any worse.

Either way, EO'S will pick the same team with as last time, with Flannery in to replace Best. We'll play better again, but nowhere near our potential, lose convincingly and exit the world cup.

 

[An Tarbh]

Sounds about right, can't see Eddie making many changes. Would be too much of a shock for him to deal with, his use of the bench has been criminal throughout this tournament. Boss shouldn't even be there and I'm beginning to wonder does he think this as well, cause surely Reddan could have made an impact in both games had he got 20 minutes.

Surprised though that O'Kelly and Best have not seen at least 30 minutes in each game, the opening 2 games were the perfect ones for them to be given that chance to put down a marker for selection for the French and Argentinian games and keep O'Callaghan and Easterby on their toes, instead they play the majority of the games and definitely look complacent.

and this is a man who like 4 years ago signed a nice juicy contract extension and leads us to mediocrity in the world cup, anyone else starting to see a pattern.

 

[Marco Polo]

It is never going to happen but I would like to see the following team put out for the game on Friday, it would be a very bold selection I suppose:

15. Dempsey - Solid as a rock in the tournament so far, hasn't put a foot wrong.

14. Carney/Murphy - Horgan is clearly not match fit cannot see him improving sufficently in time for friday. A risk in that Carney will not have faced wingers of the quality of the French ones in Union before and also a lack of game time. If not taking a risk on Carney then Trimble to 11 with Murphy here.
13. O'Driscoll - No coment
12. D'Arcy - Out of sorts also but capable of so much better and also a lack of real alternatives
11. Murphy/Trimble - Hickie looks a shadow of the player he was last season, Murphy is surely due a big performance against the French after the two nightmares he has had in the past two games also.

10. 0'Gara - See D'Arcy
9. Reddan - Stringer is in terrible form, but I cannot see us beating a good side like france with Boss at scrum half either. Reddan is still unproven at international level but what have we got to lose?

8. Leamy - Had a poorish game last time out but excellent in the previous one. Needs a big performance.
7. Wallace - No question here, without Wallace on the pitch we may as well not show up. Can he redisover his best form in time though?
6. Best - Easterby is beginning to look past it at this stage, I am not as big a fan of Best as some others but at least he will add a bit of extra bite to the back row.

5. 0'Connell - Come on Paul remember the England game.
4. Quinlan - Donncha has been poor in the green jersey for a long time now, I don't think Mal is up to it anymore. Quinlan is a decent lineout operator and will add leadership, physicallity and experience to the pack. If france pick Chabal in the second row it would definately be the right call.

3. Hayes - See O'Gara and D'Arcy
2. Flannery - No option here with Best injury lets hope it is the Jerry of 2006 that shows up.
1. Horan - Terrible form recently but see O'Gara and D'Arcy


I wouldn't be too dissappointed if Hickie, Horgan and O'Callaghan played if they are capable of raising their game a couple of notches as it is now or never. I will be most dissappointed however if there is not a change at 6 and scrum- half for the game against France. My biggest fear in that EOS will do nothing except for the enforced change at hooker.

Either way I cannot see us winning this game but the right selection might at least give us a fighting chance.

 

[An Tarbh]

Given that Ireland have never beaten a top side away from home under Eddie O'Sullivan isn't exactly filling me with confidence either.

 

[tituslechmakus]

Given that Ireland have never beaten a top side away from home under Eddie O'Sullivan isn't exactly filling me with confidence either. [/b]

don't be so negative ... we are more in the **** than you. this is THE decisiv match for us ... not for you ...

 

[shazbooger]

Team announced and holy shite, Eddie has made a whopping 3 changes.

Reddan is in at nine (No idea why but I'm over the moon), Flannery is in at 2 as expected and Trimble is in for Hickie.

Duffy replaces Murphy as the utility back.

Ireland: Dempsey; Horgan, O'Driscoll, capt, D'Arcy, Trimble; O'Gara, Reddan; Horan, Flannery, Hayes, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Easterby, D Wallace, Leamy.
Replacements: Sheahan, S Best, O'Kelly, N Best, Boss, P Wallace, Duffy.

 

[tituslechmakus]

i'd go for

1.milloud
2.ibanez
3.de villier
4.chabal (yeah !!!)
5.thion
6.betsen
7.dussautoir
8.bonnaire
9.elissalde
10.michalak
11.heymans
12.traille
13.jauzion
14.clerc
15.poitrenaud
16.szarsewski
17.poux
18.pelous
19.nyanga
20.mignoni
21.beauxis
22.dominici

 

[stevemagoo]

I'm surprised by the Murphy drop.

What did he do to get dropped from the bench?
I would always have him there purely for his ability to make something from nothing.

I'm in an extremely negative place at the moment with the team. I've been all over the "We'll pull it out of the bag for the crunch games" but after looking at the French performance i'm not so confident.

Fair enough, they put 14 exhausted men to the sword, but French teams play on confidence, and that, even though it was a mismatch, will boost any flagging confidence no-end.

We're on the confidence slippery slope. They can say that it was one of the toughest tests they've had, and that we still won, blah blah....but getting booed of the pitch in your last game can't exactly have you skipping along happily.

 

[Marco Polo]

Team announced and holy shite, Eddie has made a whopping 3 changes.

Reddan is in at nine (No idea why but I'm over the moon), Flannery is in at 2 as expected and Trimble is in for Hickie.

Duffy replaces Murphy as the utility back.

Ireland: Dempsey; Horgan, O'Driscoll, capt, D'Arcy, Trimble; O'Gara, Reddan; Horan, Flannery, Hayes, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Easterby, D Wallace, Leamy.
Replacements: Sheahan, S Best, O'Kelly, N Best, Boss, P Wallace, Duffy. [/b]

Bit disappointed that Best did not get the nod ahead of Easterby, other than that I guess I am pretty happy I suppose. Surprised that Murphy is also not on the bench I can only assume that EOS is looking to for maximum cover for each of the back positions. Perhaps Duffy has showed well in training or EOS is thinking of Murphys previous 'mares in Paris?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I'd delighted that Reddan got the nod at scrumhalf. He's a better kicker and runner than either Boss or Stringer and has a winning mentality through playing with Wasps. Adjusting to O'Gara at flyhalf won't be a problem because he plays/has played with a revolving door of 10s at his club (Cipriani, Van Gisbergen, King, Staunton, Walder). The only reason Stringer was kept in was due to his passing and with that having become quite patchy over the last few weeks, he was correctly discarded. O'Sullivan has shown a ruthless streak by axing the scrumhalf and Hickie which is good to see.

 

[shazbooger]

Bit disappointed that Best did not get the nod ahead of Easterby, other than that I guess I am pretty happy I suppose. Surprised that Murphy is also not on the bench I can only assume that EOS is looking to for maximum cover for each of the back positions. Perhaps Duffy has showed well in training or EOS is thinking of Murphys previous 'mares in Paris?[/b]

My thoughts exactly. I didnt expect any changes so even these three are a bit of a bonus.



Personally I would have liked to see Quinlan on the bench with Best.



Either way, I still think its too little too late but I'm looking forward to seeing Ireland with a scrumhalf again.

 

[stevemagoo]

Plus Reddan would be a bit of an unknown entity for the French..in terms of this WC

 

[An Tarbh]

Delighted with Reddan coming in but shocked at Murphy being discarded, I know Eddie doesn't know how to use a bench but having someone like Murphy coming in for 20-30 minutes is a far more interesting option than Gavin f***ing Duffy. Trimble in for Hickie is a strange one, no problem with Hickie being dropped, he's been brutal but Trimble coming in instead of Murphy is a bad call imo.

 

[Marco Polo]

<div class='quotemain'>Bit disappointed that Best did not get the nod ahead of Easterby, other than that I guess I am pretty happy I suppose. Surprised that Murphy is also not on the bench I can only assume that EOS is looking to for maximum cover for each of the back positions. Perhaps Duffy has showed well in training or EOS is thinking of Murphys previous 'mares in Paris?[/b]

My thoughts exactly. I didnt expect any changes so even these three are a bit of a bonus.



Personally I would have liked to see Quinlan on the bench with Best.



Either way, I still think its too little too late but I'm looking forward to seeing Ireland with a scrumhalf again.



[/b][/quote]



Yes I would have prefered to have Qunilan on the bench again with Best in at 6 to start. I can only assume that EOS is challenging the forward to a big performance while also finally making a statement to the squad that he is willing to make the changes. Still the Murphy decision is just bizzare, I would have went with him on the bench at the very least if not in at 11 and Trimble on the bench.



Camp Ireland has been a little too cosy for a while now so it is good to see a bit of a shake up. On reflection, better to have tried and failled than never to have tried at all.

 

[An Tarbh]

True and Eddie has always been partial to his favourites, hence the retention of Easterby and the inclusion of Duffy.

 

[shazbooger]

and the inclusion of Duffy. [/b]

Ahhhh to be honest Duffy has been solid in his previous run outs at both full back and centre.

As for Murphy, I think his history or turnstyle tackles may have gone against him. With Heymans and Rougerie bailing down on him, I wouldnt be exactly filled with confidence either.

One mistake and were out of the tournament (were out anyway but lets pretend we have a chance) so the choice of a defensively solid Trimble isnt that shocking really.

 

[An Tarbh]

defensively solid isn't something I associate with Trimble especially as he's likely to be peppered with some garryowens as well.

 

[shazbooger]

There are two sides to it. Murphy had a good display against Scotland, so by rights you would think he'd be given at least a place on the bench, but a starting slot? I'd be terrified he'd get brushed off by Heymans on the way to condeding another try under the points.

Thats why I can see why the starting slot went to Trimble.

However, Murphy is a good man to have on the bench as an impact player. With with Trimble on the wing, available to cover centre I really dont understand why EOS has gone for duffy. Still, Duffy did have a fairly good tour against Argentina and we havent seen that much of him. I think the concern is hes a bit of an unknown quantity.

 

[feicarsinn]

murphy is a very talented player but he hasnt got the head for the big games and big moments. good call IMO