Ireland v Italy

[An Tarbh]

well he has been in better form than O'Callaghan whose only decent game came against Wasps, not saying much I know but other than that he's been shite from what I've seen but the absence of Cullen is baffling.

 

[shazbooger]

So basically this is the team that stumbled to victory over Namibia, robbed Georgia, and was well beaten by France and Argentina minus Horgan and O'Connell who are injured and Hickie who has retired. So in effect there have been no real changes. [/b]

Yep, and thank f*** we the genius that is EO'S tied down for four more years.

I've been a fan of EO'S for a long time and appreciated what he has achieved as head coach of Irish rugby, but this sham of a selection still has me fuming, hours later. Granted its only a few players but for christ sake lets look to the future a little Eddie.

I mean what the f*** does this statement mean? "We looked at Jamie Heaslip because of his form but, on balance, we decided to leave the back row as it is". In other words, he's obviously playing better but we (the royal we I presume) decided to stick with the backrow that failed so miserably over the past year. He offers no logic, and is not pressed by the media because they will be expelled from future press conferences.

On the D'Arcy / O'Driscoll combination he says "Sometimes one has played better than the other, occasionally one has played well and sometimes neither of them have played well. When you consider the options, there aren't too many centres around outside of these two boys and we're fortunate to have them."

I dont understand how he can get away with this nonsense. Even if we were to win by a million points on Saturday, we'd have learned nothing, developed nothing. He'll have saved his job, but thats about it.

 

[An Tarbh]

More pearls of wisdom from the head gimp

Originally posted by Steady Eddie+-->

At hooker Rory has been playing very well since coming back from injury but Bernard Jackman pushed him pretty close.[/b]

Just exactly how many games has Best played, it seems Eddie watched the Gloucester game and thought why not, he certainly has the experience

Originally posted by Eddie 'Mediocrity doesn't do him justice (Logorrhea@ I've seen the light) O'Sullivan
'We looked at bringing Jamie Heaslip into the back row because of his form but on balance we decided to leave the combination as it is.

Nothing more than moronic can be used to describe this excuse

<!--QuoteBegin-Eddie 'must have been dropped several times on the head as a baby' O'Sullivan
'Scrum-half was a tight call. The two boys have been nip and tuck but Eoin edged it again. 'Reddan is a slightly different player and edges it on the type of game we're playing, but I wouldn't say Peter brings less to the field.'

Been on the sauce there Eddie??? You're probably the only international coach who thinks that and unfortunately for us you're our coach :wall:

 

[stormmaster1]

Will he give any of the replacements gametime? He failed in giving the talented backup players (like Reddan) opportunities before the world cup. Is he going to make the same mistake twice with Heaslip first by not starting him, then by failing to utilise him except as a talented benchwarmer?



Not sure about Murphy at wing. He's on fire for Tigers at the moment but will he bring it for Ireland when out of position?

 

[An Tarbh]

Well one thing that has been well and truly put to bed about Geordan Murphy is that he's not an international full back, he's had ample opportunity to prove himself but hasn't done so. He certainly has looked a lot more comfortable on the wing for Ireland so best to keep him there, besides given the form of Dempsey he was never going to start at full back.

 

[shtove]

Ha ha! Eddie has picked a team of winners. These are simply the best international players available to us. I like the selection.

Sorry, lads - Heaslip and Kearney had to earn their starting places, but they didn't show enough strength of mind in the HEC. I sympathise over Jackman, have second thoughts over Cullen.

Stringer-Reddan is a see-saw. Just be grateful Boss isn't standing in the middle.

Can't say much about Italy. Both sides were big disappointments in the RWC. Italy equalled us six months ago; we destroyed Italy ten months ago. Ireland to take it, but no idea how or by how much.

 

[Canadian_Rugger]

I hope Italy score a big victory so they can O'Sullivan. Didn't win the 6 Nations, got ejected from the world cup in the preliminary any other coach would of been fired.

 

[shazbooger]

Sorry, lads - Heaslip and Kearney had to earn their starting places, but they didn't show enough strength of mind in the HEC. [/b]

Oh see if you can look beyond your bias and explain to me that statement. Are you telling me you actually believe Trimble is the better option on the wing, and Easterby is the better option at number 6? Do you seriously believe that?

 

[danit]

now we've got the italian starting XV

15 David BORTOLUSSI (Montpellier, 14 caps)
14 Kaine ROBERTSON (Viadana, 26 caps)
13 Gonzalo CANALE (Clermont-Auvergne, 36 caps)
12 Mirco BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 47 caps)
11 Pablo CANAVOSIO (Castres Olympique, 17 caps)
10 Andrea MASI (Biarritz Olympique, 35 caps)
9 Pietro TRAVAGLI (O. Parma, 2 caps)
8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 48 caps) â€" capitano
7 Mauro BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 62 caps)
6 Josh SOLE (Viadana, 23 caps)
5 Carlo Antonio DEL FAVA (Ulster, 23 caps)
4 Santiago DELLAPE' (Biarritz Olympique, 47 caps)
3 Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers, 49 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Calvisano, 6 caps)
1 Andrea LO CICERO (Racing Metro Paris, 71 caps)

16 Carlo FESTUCCIA (Racing Metro Paris, 42 caps)
17 Salvatore PERUGINI (Stade Toulousain, 47 caps)
18 Carlos NIETO (Gloucester RFC, 21 caps)
19 Tommaso REATO (Rovigo, esordiente)
20 Alessandro ZANNI (Calvisano, 17 caps)
21 Andrea MARCATO (Treviso, 2 caps)
22 Ezio GALON (O. Parma, 14 caps)

 

[shazbooger]

Not a bad team at all.

Anyone know what to expect from Masi? Whats his natural position?

 

[danit]

well, a balanced starting XV

quite surprising Canavosio starter at winger but unfortunately Pratichetti got injured a couple of days ago and NM probably thinks Sgarbi is too young so Canavosio was the only option

as expected Masi (a pure center) will play at fh (so no kicking game there...) but Travagli at sh is a bigger surpise, probably someone from Bath remembers last year when he never really was selected in the main squad, some good games played in the italian Super10 in the current season don't make him an international level player at all, a real weak point for Italy there

in the backrow I would have preferred Zanni instead of Sole but NM probably opted for a better option for the touchlines

a complete replacement frontline on the bench so you can imagine the kind of game Mallet wants expecially if there will be rain...

 

[danit]

Anyone know what to expect from Masi? Whats his natural position? [/b]

as I stressed above Masi is a pure genuine inside center, a strong tackler with a strong attitude to attack the defensive line and I imagine he's gonna try to attack O'Gara

I never saw him playing kicking game so I guess Italy style at flyhalf will be completely different from the one practiced when Pez was at fh

 

[Stillknox]

Yeah Masi is a good player, a pure centre but he may inject some offensive spirit at the backline. I never seen him kicking the ball with Biarritz... I think him and Bortolussi will swap their positions during the match, like Latham or Hernandez for their teams when they are playing at fullback.

 

[Prestwick]

I think EOS's selection sums it up with this general media reaction:

O'Sullivan chooses flops.[/b]

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Did O'Sullivan learn nothing from the World Cup?

Easterby was shown up as a spent force and, from what I've seen of him at club level this season, is nowhere near on form.

Leamy was way blow par at 8 during the World Cup and continued that form at the base of the scrum for Munster. It's only after shifting back to 6 that he's shown anything approaching good form.

Trimble is playing well in the centre for Ulster yet EOS in his wisdom sticks him on the wing, 4 months after being found out in that position.

A form Irish lineup would look something like this:

15.Dempsey
14.Bowe
13.Trimble
12.O'Driscoll
11.Kearney
10.O'Gara
9.Reddan
1.Horan
2.Jackman
3.Hayes
4.O'Callaghan
5.O'Kelly
6.Leamy
7.Wallace
8.Heaslip
Subs: Best, Buckley, Cullen, Gleeson, Stringer, D'arcy, G.Murphy (why put Paddy Wallace on the bench when he's not going to come off it and we're screwed anyway if he has to replace O'Gara - take a chance on ROG lasting the pace).

EOS has dug in his heels and rather than picking the form players, has shown unjustly blind faith in those who failed him on the biggest stage. He wants to prove to everybody that he was right all along. A change at the top is badly needed. Winning the home games in the 6 Nations proves nothing (they'll surely beat Italy) and will merely deepen the malaise setting into the national team by masking inadequacies in a stubborn coach's selection.

O'Sullivan out, Heyneke Meyer or Alan Gaffney in.

 

[An Tarbh]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Gaffney will be brought in as backs coach and hopefully history will repeat itself and he'll twist the knife in Eddie's back like he did with Gatland.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Gaffney will be brought in as backs coach and hopefully history will repeat itself and he'll twist the knife in Eddie's back like he did with Gatland. [/b]

It's quite possible that Gaffney will usurp O'Sullivan if the IRFU have the balls to replace the coach. He knows the players and the system, has been relatively successful with Munster and Saracens and has international experience with Australia as backs coach.

 

[Prestwick]

Remember that Alan Gaffney will now become a free agent as of May this year (or the last Saracens match of the season, whichever comes first). From what we hear from Saracens insiders the parting of ways has been friendly and that Gaffney is keen to continue coaching with no break and that teams like Munster have been mentioned.

If the Gaffer did become Ireland coach, don't expect selection fireworks. His style is more keep the core of the team and make subtle changes over time. The Saracens team for the most part is the same as it has been for a while but Gaffney has made gradual changes over the last two seasons he has been in charge for.

 

[An Tarbh]

That may be true but only Eddie O'Sullivan seems to think maintaining the status quo is necessary, I doubt there's any coach around that would have picked his starting XV. Gaffney knows the score with Ireland having spent his time with both Leinster and Munster, something Eddie O'Sullivan never did so he's ideally placed to get the right blend.

 

[Prestwick]

Who did EOS coach then?!