Ireland Team for Fiji

[Article]

Horgan is playing very well at moment - this is all aboutt a squad unlike the EOS era - DK is mixing experieince with the new and getting a good blend - with repsect to Fiji, Kidney has na eye on Boks and while he wont admit it - he's resting some and seeing who can do a job for him - 2011 is a long time away, just look what ahppened Luke Fitz - no reaosn why horgan couldnt slip in back row for 2011

[Ardglass2]

Other than Earls for Fitzgerald I would be very surprised if the starting XV against SA is not the same as the starting XV against Australia.

Court, Leamy at 7, Sexton and Earls is all part of the evolution of the team.
D'Arcy, Cullen and Horgan are old hands Kidney trusts - he doesn't do revolutions.
A tweak here and there that's his motto.

At least O'Brien and Trimble have got some recognition for their fine performances against Tonga.

[scrum5]

As much as i like DK he really needs to be looking for a TH prop whither it be D Fitzpatrick, M Ross or AN Other, for if the plan is to go into the WC with the Bull as our TH we really are in trouble, these guys need to be playing now especially against the bigger nations, and before someone says they aren't good enough then get a scrummaging coach in who will make them good enough, look at the turnaround in the Aussie scrum from being one of the worst in world rugby to being one of the best in 18 months....

[garpdave]

Apols if this has been covered elsewhere, but isn't the most significant thing that ROG isn't even on the bench as cover - I can't remember the last time he was fit and wasn't in the match-day 22.

[cables]

Well Dave here are the games - I will leave it to you to decide on fitness, was elsewhere, rested, etc

02/06/2001 Dinamo Stadion F Romania
16/02/2003 Murrayfield 6N Scotland
16/08/2003 Lansdowne Road F Wales
30/08/2003 Thomond Park F Italy
12/06/2005 Nagai Stadium F Japan
19/06/2005 Chichibunomiya F Japan
26/05/2007 Club Atletico Colon F Argentina
02/06/2007 Velez Sarsfield F Argentina
23/05/2009 Thunderbird Stadium F Canada
31/05/2009 Buck Shaw Stadium F United States

[fuzzylogic]

All in all it isnt really a bad side and its quite easy to justify the selections everyone are talking about.

Horgan is their to justify his IRFU contract and maybe because hes playing on his home pitch, it could all being well be a last hurrah!

D'arcy is the foil to O'Driscolls magic and their is no doubting O'Driscoll and D'arcy can do some magical things when they hit their stride. And Fiji are a big strong shower of bar steward and when things go wrong for them route 1 is always the best option so D'arcy will offer a bigger defensive presence than Paddy, no doubt there will be a few big back rows running head down at O'Gara as usual.

Earls needs the experience.

Leamy may add a bit of a harder edge around the rucks than Wallace and Wallace like M Williams in Wales needs to be preserved for the big games if were to prolong his career. Wouldnt be suprised to see Ferris packing down at 7 for the odd defensive scrum!

Cullen needs a run out in green after all the tackle bag holding hes been doing and why not do it against one of the smaller nations on his home pitch.

[Setanta]

Three first caps in the twenty-two in a game we want to win. I think he's doing a great job - hope that doesn't put the jinx on him! But really, compare the selections to EOS and he plays his bench when necessary; come on, be fair.

[ColinM]

no doubt there will be a few big back rows running head down at O'Gara as usual.

Will O'Gara be in the stand? Will the Fijians know where he's sitting





@Cables:.........Lions

[MightyRearranger]

I quite like this selection. We were all quite fond of slating EOS for turning out second string 15's for the lesser internationals. Keeping the spine of the team along with a few of the fringe players more likely to make the step up is surely a much better way of trying out new combinations. Can't see much point in throwing a cap to players who'll never be anywhere near the full match day 22.

Would have possibly liked to see Cronin have a go at this level to see what he's made of. Flannery badly needs the game time though. Shaggy is starting ahead of Trimble because his form has been infinitely better. I might be in the minority on these boards, but if Bowe gets injured in training I'd far rather see Horgan on the wing against Habana. We have two realistic shots at another grand slam (especially with the current state of English rugby) before the world cup rolls around, and they shouldn't be thrown out the window purely to back youth at all costs. Horgan's only 6 months older than BOD, and everyone seems to reckon he'll make it to the next world cup alright.

[connachtfan]

We have two realistic shots at another grand slam (especially with the current state of English rugby)

It's not England I'm worried about(in fact I haven't worried about England since 2003), I take it you didn't see the France/SA game then?

[MightyRearranger]

I saw the highlights, and I know France will be favourites for the championship. My point was that historically there were two big teams (France and England) we'd have to get past to win the championship, while at the minute we've just got one, and thus we have a relativly good chance.

[cables]

Surprised to see Rory at the Ireland Training Camp this week:

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Surprised to see Rory at the Ireland Training Camp this week:

Deccie is good at the man-management.

Sends Rory the message that he's not forgotten and not ready to be discarded just yet.

"Come and be a part of the set-up at whatever level is consistent with your recuperation"

Brian McL is trying to do the same by keeping him fully involved with the Ulster squad.

[Big Smoke Culchie]

Dempsey, by the way, should not be forgotten even though he is finding it hard to get game time. He is still a great player when he gets cameos.

Dempsey was never a great player

[pwrmoore]

Dempsey, by the way, should not be forgotten even though he is finding it hard to get game time. He is still a great player when he gets cameos.

Dempsey was never a great player

That sounds harsh and deserves some qualification. Was Dempsey one of Ireland's greatest ever? No. But while he always seemed to promised less that Murphy at FB he always delivered to his level of promise, something that Murphy failed to do. Girv, was a sound servant of Ireland. Delivered what was needed, when it was needed over a prolonged period and is worthy of our admiration and certainly does not deserve to be dismissed as an also-ran.