Ireland v Italy

[An Tarbh]

Nick Mallet has named a 30 man squad for their opening game which will be whittled down to 24 on Tuesday.

Declan Kidney had already announced his enlarged squad for the opener.

Ireland could be in for a torrid time at the scrum, especially with Romain Poite in charge, so Kidney may well be tempted to start Rory Best.

No doubt the O'Gara/Sexton debate will continue as it will for the wing spot, even though I'd see Earls as a no brainer despite the form of Trimble and Horgan.

 

[Prestwick]

Italy by 5.

Then I'll wake up.

 

[An Tarbh]

well they're due a win over us, and they always start well but Parisse has always been the standout performer against us so with him out that makes things far more difficult than they already are.

 

[feicarsinn]

C'mon Ireland! Should take this one by about 12ish I reckon. Actually screw it, make it 20.

I love the six nations.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Jan 31 2010, 08:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

C'mon Ireland! Should take this one by about 12ish I reckon. Actually screw it, make it 20.

I love the six nations.[/b]

i reckon it'll be more than 12 anyway

 

[Jockstap]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (King D'arcy @ Feb 1 2010, 10:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ Jan 31 2010, 08:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

C'mon Ireland! Should take this one by about 12ish I reckon. Actually screw it, make it 20.

I love the six nations.[/b]

i reckon it'll be more than 12 anyway
[/b][/quote]

Good ole Irish fans a bit of success and we're already lost the run of ourselves, didn't we only beat Italy by about 5 points the last two times they came to Dublin. BOD got it right when he said we don't do middle ground, it's either Highs or Lows. Ireland by 30, if they don't I'll kill myself.

 

[MunsterMan]

1. Court
2. Cronin
3. Hayes
4. DOC
5. POC
6. Ferris
7. Wally
8. Heaslip
9. Boss
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. D'arcy
13. BOD
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Best
17. Healy
18. Cullen
19. Henry
20. O'Leary
21. O'Gara
22. Earls

Please!

Ireland by 15 hopefully, but that prick Poite will do his best to ruin the game.

 

[feicarsinn]

Dropping Healy would e ridiculous. We know were going to lose the batlle in the tight so it's only logical to go with the player who's more dynamic in the lose. Also Healy had a hugely impressive autumn. Club form is one thing but international form should be considered more important.

 

[MunsterMan]

Form is form, Court is playing better atm. You are right though, Seeing as Court can play both sides maybe he should be wearing 17.

 

[feicarsinn]

OR

1 Healy
2 Cronin
3 Court

 

[An Tarbh]

playing Trimble and Court would be a massive mistake, both have proved previously they're not international class, Healy and Earls did that in the Autumn.

 

[MunsterMan]

f***ing hell, he hasn't played for Ireland in ages, give a guy playing well a chance. Should we pick Tommy Bowe considering he proved he wasn't international class in Paris 2006? Oh wait, we gave him another chance when his form merited it and he has been one of the best wingers in the game ever since.

Healy and Earls are very hard to leave out, both are class players, but I'm always one for picking the players who are playing the best rugby.

 

[feicarsinn]

Would you have dropped BOD in 08? A serious question.

 

[MunsterMan]

Right, because the gap between Court/Trimble and Healy/Earls is the same as the gap between BOD and any other Irish 13 in 2008 :lol:

Competition for places is very important, BOD himself says he hates not being picked for any Ireland game and hates coming off early as it gives other players a chance to play 13, which could cost him his place in the team.

If BOD was playing very poorly, and we had another player playing out of his skin at 13, of course I would consider not picking him, has this ever happened before? I think not.

 

[An Tarbh]

Old habits die hard, Trimble defensively and under the high ball is still a liability, his attacking ability was never in question but I'll have Earls for the moment until proven wrong otherwise.

Court came on in Rome last year and the scrum went to pot, his scrummaging is supposed to be his strong aspect, he's not the most dynamic in the loose either. There hasn't been a sufficient drop in Healy's form to merit dropping him.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 1 2010, 09:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Old habits die hard, Trimble defensively and under the high ball is still a liability, his attacking ability was never in question but I'll have Earls for the moment until proven wrong otherwise.[/b]

Isn't Earls' defence and ability under a high ball also a liability? I wouldn't complain if Earls was picked but Trimble is playing brilliantly on the wing at the moment while Earls is playing in the centre.

 

[MunsterMan]

Neither are as solid as Luke, but Earls is a fullback, with much better positional sense and much safer under the highball. Trimble is probably a better tackler. Nothing between them really, same goes for Healy and Court.

Court can cover tighthead, but not start a test match there IMO. 17 or 1 for him.

 

[An Tarbh]

obviously Earls isn't going to be an international fullback or centre, well not in the short term, wing is the only realistic option and given how he coped against South Africa especially I'd have no qualms with him starting, same for Healy, it's all well and good having form in the Heineken Cup, Leo Cullen is an excellent HEC player but an international he isn't, I just feel the same applies for Trimble. Would be happy to be proved wrong.

 

[MunsterMan]

Some one on another rugby forum seems to think Mclaughlin and Trimble are going to start, apparently from a reliable source. Ferris definitely out.

 

[Jockstap]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Feb 2 2010, 11:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Some one on another rugby forum seems to think Mclaughlin and Trimble are going to start, apparently from a reliable source. Ferris definitely out.[/b]

Which Forum?