RWC: Ireland - United States (11-09-2011, 18:00)

[TRF_stormer2010]

10th in the world? i know we arent on form at the moment...but don't make us laugh. On our day we are at least 5th (Behind the tri-nations and france), on a bad day we'd be 7th, with Wales and England overtaking us.

That's very fair. From a SA perspective Fra and Ire are the NH we have the worst record against in recent years (Scotland a bit of a bogey side as well). Strangely SA fans probably fear England the least of the NH teams (not that they aren't very good) probably because we play the same type of rugby but only better

Why does everyone rate France the Northern Hemispheres top team?

Because they are no matter how you spin it; highest ranked and the only NH team I can see beat NZ.

 

[Logorrhea]

Why does everyone rate France the Northern Hemispheres top team?

Not everyone. I'm sure there are people who dont watch rugby that think differently.

 

[Surefire]

Anyway, everyone knows Tonga and NZ are gonna beat the French, and send'em home crying like little girls.

Sounds like someone is still hurting from their last two french spankings!

 

[calculon]

Sounds like someone is still hurting from their last two french spankings!

That's true. It hurts to lose against decent teams. But it's also true that you're goin home early hehe

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Chris Wyles come back and D'Arcy injury can very well shortened the margin. Ireland is a specialist in choking at RWC, they only escape an historic defeat against Georgia because of a stupid referee.

To be honest Ireland have only choked at one World cup the '07 one, people say we choked in Lens but honestly we just had a sh*te team against the foundations of an*Argentinean*team who would go on place 3rd in a world cup. D'Arcy injured is be a good thing if he plays McFadden 12 and not Earls and if you honestly think Chris Wyles is a good enough player to bring the U.S up to beat Ireland you don't know too much about rugby.

 

[Surefire]

That's true. It hurts to lose against decent teams. But it's also true that you're goin home early hehe

You never know, Ireland & France may be on the same plane home! Either way This is going to be a fun WC!!

 

[Melhor Time]

The ireland team could be something like:

1 Court
2 Best
3 Buckley
4 Cullen
5 O'Callaghan
6 Ryan
7 Jennings
8 Leamy
9 Murray
10 ROG
11 McFadden
12 Wallace
13 Earls
14 Bowe
15 Murphy

Mostly the second team and give games to some who need them.

If thats the team then Ireland are not doing themselves any favors. Its a failure on two counts, the two that matter. i.e.

1. Preparing to face Australia the following week.
2. Winning vs the USA with a bonus point.

The game is on September 11 and I´ve talked to a senior USA player about the occassion and they are going into the match with their top side and are there to win the game. That backrow listed would be outplayed by Clever, Stanfill and Johnson. Clever would honestly have a chance to dominate. BOD has to play. Its okay to rest a few but fielding a team like this would not be wise at all. Except for the frontrow and flyhalf the USA has great players. Taking them lightly is high-risk. The team needs to be 80% or more of the side that will face Australia.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

If thats the team then Ireland are not doing themselves any favors. Its a failure on two counts, the two that matter. i.e.

1. Preparing to face Australia the following week.
2. Winning vs the USA with a bonus point.

The game is on September 11 and I´ve talked to a senior USA player about the occassion and they are going into the match with their top side and are there to win the game. That backrow listed would be outplayed by Clever, Stanfill and Johnson. Clever would honestly have a chance to dominate. BOD has to play. Its okay to rest a few but fielding a team like this would not be wise at all. Except for the frontrow and flyhalf the USA has great players. Taking them lightly is high-risk. The team needs to be 80% or more of the side that will face Australia.

I don't buy the September 11 thing. I think it'd be stupid to play a totally second rate team against USA but I dont think the date is gonna give them an edge. Of course they're playing to win. No International sports team plays to lose.

Also, don't forget; Ireland A trash the US regularly. A second rate Ireland team SHOULD win against the US but there'd be a danger of it being a challenge and of there being no bonus point

 

[TRF_Cymro]

I don't buy the September 11 thing. I think it'd be stupid to play a totally second rate team against USA but I dont think the date is gonna give them an edge. Of course they're playing to win. No International sports team plays to lose.

Also, don't forget; Ireland A trash the US regularly. A second rate Ireland team SHOULD win against the US but there'd be a danger of it being a challenge and of there being no bonus point

The occasion will fire up the USA I'm afraid. Will be interesting to watch.

 

[CJL]

my team would be:

15 kearney - needs another game
14 Bowe- needs game time
13 O'Driscoll- needs game time
12 D'Arcy - If fit
11 Earls - Trimble could do with a break
10 O'Gara
9 Murray
8 Heislip - if hes fit
7 Jennings - Needs game time
6 Ferris
5 Cullen
4 O'Callaghan
3 Buckley - Ross is too valuable to risk
2 Best - Flannery to get 40min aswell
1 Court

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I'd have:

1. Court
2. Flannery- Needs games
3. Buckley
4. Cullen
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris- Needs games
7. Jennings
8. O'Brien
9. Murray
10. O'Gara- rest Sexton
11. McFadden- To prove he's better than Earls
12. Bowe- I think we should play him here
13. O'Driscoll- Needs games
14. Earls- To rest Trimble
15. Kearney- For 55-60 minutes then Murphy

That is 8 players who should start against Australia in there:

Flannery
O'Connell
Ferris
O'Brien
Bowe
O'Driscoll*
McFadden
Kearney

 

[i tickle ur tum]

not sure he'll start both buckley & court(if we want our scrum to stay up!) but i wud giv them gametime for sure! im hoping cullen will play himself into the aus game cos d.o.c is not doin it for me @ the moment! this is my 1st post by the way & many more 2 follow i hope

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Welcome aboard!

 

[munstermuffin]

Lads it's not as if we can go resting players as we are on a huge high. Players like BOD need gametime, DOC, Heaslip and Earls need time to find form and well if we save all our power for Aus game then we could be in trouble. If we only struggle past the US with many saying we were poor then that could be bad for mood in the camp and well we will be slaughtered against Aus and well be on a major low for Italy game

 

[i tickle ur tum]

we could be hammered reguardless of gametime & form 2 those players u mentioned!! aus look like a well oiled machine 2me while we're still looking 4 our barrel of duckhams!! we r limited 2 the extreme & just praying most of the time its gonna click!

 

[calculon]

Lads it's not as if we can go resting players as we are on a huge high. Players like BOD need gametime, DOC, Heaslip and Earls need time to find form and well if we save all our power for Aus game then we could be in trouble. If we only struggle past the US with many saying we were poor then that could be bad for mood in the camp and well we will be slaughtered against Aus and well be on a major low for Italy game

we could be hammered reguardless of gametime & form 2 those players u mentioned!! aus look like a well oiled machine 2me while we're still looking 4 our barrel of duckhams!! we r limited 2 the extreme & just praying most of the time its gonna click!

I agree.
All will be revealed in the Australia game. If they play crap against the Aussies, that's a sure sign that the chain is completely off the bike. If they play well, and are still beaten comfortably, there's hope..
I just hope they play really well. It would be great if they go far but I'm not holding my breath.
I would start with Sexton and Heaslip in there. & take them off later. It's the world cup and I wouldn't want them to have their first world cup start against Australia. It shouldn't matter to them but just in case. I think they should treat the US game as a full on test - albeit not world class opposition. Get some self-esteem back.

 

[profitius]

Its great to see everyone writing off Ireland in the international media!

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Its great to see everyone writing off Ireland in the international media!

it's ridiculous. People, especially the media, are incredibly fickle and only remember the most recent result. After the six nations grandslam decider everyone was saying how ireland were much better set for a sucessful world cup - despite the fact that England had still won the six nations. Same with these warmups, both Ireland and England have messed around a bit with the team and have had mixed results, so naturally both were being written off. Recent results will have no bearing on Irelands world cup campaign whatsoever, you are more than capable for going far.

 

[calculon]

it's ridiculous. People, especially the media, are incredibly fickle and only remember the most recent result. After the six nations grandslam decider everyone was saying how ireland were much better set for a sucessful world cup - despite the fact that England had still won the six nations. Same with these warmups, both Ireland and England have messed around a bit with the team and have had mixed results, so naturally both were being written off. Recent results will have no bearing on Irelands world cup campaign whatsoever, you are more than capable for going far.

I'd love it if Ireland did get into top form and get some luck too, but whether they succeed or fail, they will be Ireland- they'll take us through an emotional roller-coaster, either going out narrowly in the group stages, or just about skimming though and getting much farther or maybe they'll be un-Ireland like and play all their games the way they can play! - that I'd love to see. Still don't think they're good enough to win but it feels like a repeat of 2003 could be on the cards - they might struggle, but if they get some luck they could go all the way. That's why the bookies can't write them off and keep them at about 35-1 to win it. It's not a bad bet IMO, but unlikely nonetheless.

 

[big ginger 8]

Saw in the Sunday Times Guscott idiot that he is saying Ireland will barely qualify and get smashed by S.A.. This is also the guy who compared a lineout to goalkicking.

Hadn't realised it but there won't be a minutes silence as it's not allowed the U.S. can't even wear a commenerative jersey.

Also people have to understand that in the first game you play a team of at least 90% strengh possible.

BTW Melhor Time did you use the word great to describe all U.S. players apart from the frontrow and outhalf? How are they not higher ranked then if those players are all great what is BO'D then?