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

[TRF_Olyy]

Saw in the Sunday Times Guscott idiot that he is saying Ireland will barely qualify and get smashed by S.A.

Find out on Sunday then, isn't it!

 

[big ginger 8]

I say Sunday Times cause it's the English paper the Irish Times do a weekend edition.

 

[Saint]

I expect the USA to up their game because they will want to make a good impression, but they won't match the level of Ireland's quality so I'm going comfortable Ireland win.

 

[i tickle ur tum]

if kidney can get his 30 players to want to die for each other for more than 4 weeks i for 1 will not be writing ireland off...period!! can he do it...mmm

 

[i tickle ur tum]

ta m8...ifeel @ home all ready...

 

[calculon]

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?

Guscott's saying we're going to crash out aginst SA - that actually gives me some hope..and I'd written us off!!! He always gets it wrong!

 

[calculon]

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

I agree except I don't, I would start with O'Brien, Sexton, Flannery and Trimble and bring Bowe and others on later for game time.
Also, as for the T.R.oll.F'er naysayers expecting USA to be that much of a problem for 9/11, they are as smart as they are ignorant. A 2nd. string team is the only way to lose that I can see, and they could do it!
It's XV vs. XV and an over zealous, and over impetuous USA team could be exploited by Ireland as much as they're planning to exploit this date.

My XV:

I would take nothing for granted, and O'Driscoll agrees with me if hs recent interview in anything to go by. They would be up for it and we need a good solid test before Aus. If you play every game with worries about injuries, then you'll never get going.

15 Kearney
14 Trimble
13 O'Driscoll
12 D'Arcy
11 Earls
10 Sexton
9 Murray
8 Heislip
7 Jennings
6 O'Brien
5 O'Connell
4 O'Callaghan
3 Ross
2 Flannery
1 Court

 

[i tickle ur tum]

thats a prity gud guess @ wat kidney may start wit, u wont be 2 far off i reckon! i may hav been a little harsh on the squad over the last while but i only comment on wat i see...and it wasnt gud @ all!! nevertheless they seem 2b a content bunch @ the moment prepping up 4 this 1st match unlike in bourdeux it seemed 2me that they were locked away in a dark room waiting 4 eddie o' sullivan 2 come & unlock the door & say "its time 2 play boys...but only 4a few hours", & then back in2 the dark room until the next game....hence our demise in 2007!! life body & soul looks better downunder so lets hope kidney & crew take advantage of it!!

 

[Bail]

My US team for Ireland :
1. Mike MacDonald
2. Phil Thiel
3. Shaw Pittman
4. Scott LaValla
5. Hayden Smith
6. Louis Stanfill
7. Todd Clever
8. Nic Johnson
9. Tim Usasz
10. Nese Malifa
11. Kevin Swiryn
12. Paul Emerick
13. Chris Wyles
14. Taku Ngwenya
15. Blaine Scully

They barely lack power in forwards. They should have look in the American Samoa for a powerful number eight.

 

[Thingimubob]

My US team for Ireland :
1. Mike MacDonald
2. Phil Thiel
3. Shaw Pittman
4. Scott LaValla
5. Hayden Smith
6. Louis Stanfill
7. Todd Clever
8. Nic Johnson
9. Tim Usasz
10. Nese Malifa
11. Kevin Swiryn
12. Paul Emerick
13. Chris Wyles
14. Taku Ngwenya
15. Blaine Scully

They barely lack power in forwards. They should have look in the American Samoa for a powerful number eight.

From what I've read, apparently rugby is nowhere near as popular in American Samoa as it is in Samoa, and is overshadowed by American Football. And anyway, American Samoa have their own international team, so wouldn't an American Samoan have to apply through residency by living in the US to play for the US team?

 

[Me 1]

From what I've read, apparently rugby is nowhere near as popular in American Samoa as it is in Samoa, and is overshadowed by American Football. And anyway, American Samoa have their own international team, so wouldn't an American Samoan have to apply through residency by living in the US to play for the US team?

5 of the USA team were born in American Samoa

 

[Thingimubob]

5 of the USA team were born in American Samoa

Ah really? I know that American Samoa is a territory of the United States, so I'm guessing that gives them US Citizenship. But from my use of Google and Wikipedia I found that American Samoa has it's own Rugby Union which is part of the IRB and is separate from USA Rugby (I think)? Was just wondering if that would mean they'd have to live in the mainland US for the residency period, or would their US Citizenship (and passport) let them automatically qualify for the US?
Seems a similar situation to what we have it the UK is all, take someone like Ben Morgan who is English but plays for the Scarlets and qualifies for Wales in January, he holds the same British passport as lets say Stephen Jones, but obviously doesn't automatically qualify for Wales because of the different rugby Unions within Britain.

 

[rusty_lock]

Ireland is going to smash the USA. It is going to be ugly and no matter which 15 play for either team is going to change that. USA Rugby is completely disfunctional and the selection process for players makes no sense. Clever and Stanfill are the only players in the scrum that have a clue where the breakdown is, Suniula isn't up to international standard, the backs have no imagination or creativity and the minute they go to the bench the wheels fall off the cart. Once the ball gets into the hands of the backs one of three things will happen... 1. Suniula will kick it away. 2. Emerick will run with his head down strait into his opposite. If he is lucky he won't lose the ball in contact but half the time he will. 3. Get the ball to Ngwenya and watch him dance. If you can contain Ngwenya the US will not cross the try line and since they can barely kick goals I'm predicting a score somewhere around 40 - 3. Harsh? Not really this is the world of rugby in countries that have no professional league. You simply can not develop players and improve your world standing when you only have a couple of players playing at the highest level.

 

[Logorrhea]

thats a prity gud guess @ wat kidney may start wit, u wont be 2 far off i reckon! i may hav been a little harsh on the squad over the last while but i only comment on wat i see...and it wasnt gud @ all!! nevertheless they seem 2b a content bunch @ the moment prepping up 4 this 1st match unlike in bourdeux it seemed 2me that they were locked away in a dark room waiting 4 eddie o' sullivan 2 come & unlock the door & say "its time 2 play boys...but only 4a few hours", & then back in2 the dark room until the next game....hence our demise in 2007!! life body & soul looks better downunder so lets hope kidney & crew take advantage of it!!

Do you have to concentrate to type up gibberish like that? Seriously I couldnt do that if I tried.

 

[i tickle ur tum]

im sure ull find a way "chief"

ill b waiting 4a well educated reply of course seen as ur a natural in every facet of life..please enlighten me with ur common sense(or lack of it) even if u don hav 2 try!!

 

[IRFU]

Ireland team to face USA:

15 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers)
14 - Tommy Bowe (Ospreys) *
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) *
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster) *
9 - Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) *
1 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster) *
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) *
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 - Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster) *
7 - Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College/Leinster) *
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster) *
Replacements:
16 - Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
17 - Tony Buckley (Sale Sharks)*
18 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)*
19 - Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
* Rugby World Cup debutant

 

[TRF_Olyy]

About what was expected then, really

Would've thought SOB would be on the bench though

 

[Logorrhea]

Should be more than good enough to win, and win well.

More importantly the likes of Darcy, O'Driscoll, Murphy, Bowe and Jennings badly need game time.

As expected the Munster Mafia make up the bench.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

About what was expected then, really

Would've thought SOB would be on the bench though

He's carrying an injury apparently.

Good team, I'd rather have McFadden than Earls but that wasn't going to happen.

 

[Jockstap]

He's carrying an injury apparently.

Good team, I'd rather have McFadden than Earls but that wasn't going to happen.

He's been passed fit by the medical staff but Kidney didn't want to risk him for the Aussie game, same for Kearney. Healy will be available next week.