Ireland Team for Fiji

[Jackie Brown]

Swirven was sound for Ireland in the same way Bryn has been sound for Ulster. Nothing more, nothing less.

[bogboy]

Dempsey was a good player but never GREAT

and while he can still perform in the ML in my opinion he lost the pace of International Rugby about 2-3 years ago. and survived on experience as he still does

Horgan unlike BoD lacks the one thing that Hickey possessed that was a quick first 5-10 metres and like Dempsey survives on experience and the one thing Trimble needs more of Attitude.

IN the "A" game last week Trimbles performance was a street and half ahead of Horgan's.

[Freddie Benson]

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.

agreee with that power

[bogboy]

Ireland "A" v Tonga red hand or have you forgotten

and if you have forgotten Horgan's part in that game then the point is made

[MightyRearranger]

Shaggy and Hickey are completely different players, it's like comparing chalk and cheese. For example, I suspect Hickey wouldn't have had the power or reach to score a last minute try in the corner in Twickenham a few years ago.

I don't think anyone would deny that Trimble played better than Horgan last week, but one game (especially against a team of amateurs) shouldn't be used to judge their respective form. Horgan's been playing brilliantly this season, keeping Kearney on the bench for Leinster on ocassions. I wouldn't start him ahead of Bowe or an uninjured Fitzgerald, but I'd probably have him ahead of Earls.

If Trimble can perform as he did last week consistently against better opposition (Stade twice, Munster and Leinster) then he can move up the pecking order for the six nations.

[Setanta]

Trimble would never have been able to put his foot in touch and keep his face straight after touching down in the corner!!

[brianc]

IN the "A" game last week Trimbles performance was a street and half ahead of Horgan's.

Was Horgan playing in Gibson Park?

Waste of a perfectly good joke RHH

[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

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.

Harsh but true. He did a job and nothing more. He had about as much attacking threat as a blunt butter knife. Murphy has every right to feel he was shafted by O'Sullivan and his love of players who cant think outside the box (BOD appears to be the exception that proves the rule here). Humphs could probably feel the same way too.