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Rugby World Cup 2011

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Samoa 5 - 13 SA

What a game!

I honestly thought Samoa were going to win, if they had not knocked on over the try line (20mins left), i'm convinced they would of done.

Red card for Williams seemed very harsh, i know he was holding on but the SA 6 caught him at least twice in the head when he was trying to break free. As far as i'm concerned he fully deserved the oped handed strike he got in the face in return.

How Hougard (sp) got back on his feet and managed to walk off the field after getting smashed i will never know, he looked like he was out cold before he hit the ground.

I obviously wanted South Africa to win by more than 7, but i couldn't help myself from cheering on the Samoans. Once again they showed so much heart and aggression that it made for fantastic viewing.
 
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=45879.msg1406677#msg1406677 date=1317367153]
it seems to be a Kidney thing though.
[/quote]

It does indeed. And Trimble has clearly fucked Kidney's daughter. He's in the form of his life, was part of lots of the best things we did in the warm up games and against Russia and he's overlooked again.

An Ulsterman has to be twice as good as his competitors for a position to get a look in, or so it seems sometimes.
 
I dont know about that Doc, but Earls is clearly being favoured heavily without good reason
 
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=45879.msg1406832#msg1406832 date=1317388756]
I dont know about that Doc, but Earls is clearly being favoured heavily without good reason
[/quote]

If he was from Ulster he wouldn't even be in the squad. He'd not even have been considered for inclusion the squad.

Someone in the IRFU would say, "Maybe we shid take a look at yer man, ahhh, shite, whit ya call him, ah...Earls it is. Whit ye think lads?" And then they'd be like, "Dawn't be so feckin' stew-pid Paddy!" "There's a good lad co-min trew in Munster, Paddy, we'll have a luke at him."
 
The best two teams in the country have been Leinster and Munster for the last five years, it's inevitable they'd be favoured somewhat.

Earls is too good not to be in the squad, but Trimble should definitely playing ahead of him now.
 
That's so Rosco, and it is to be expected that those provinces are going to dominate- but there's a clatter of good Ulster players who haven't really been given much of a chance when they've been playing brilliantly over the past years (both during O'Sullivan's and Kidney's tenures). Trimble has been superb for about the last 3 seasons for Ulster. Humphries is better than Sexton or O'Gara for me. He's a much better goal kicker than Sexton and his overall game is much better than O'Gara. He has been absolutely fantastic for Ulster, but hasn't got a look in for the senior Irish side at all. When he has played for the Irish development side he has also looked terrific. I don't think the bias is deliberately contrived or anything, but it is there, for whatever the reasons.

And I agree that Earls is too good not to be in the squad (I'm just not 100% sure he would be if he was plying his trade in Ravenhill).
 
I can't argue the toss either way, I've seen little of Humphries. or Ulster to be fair
 
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=45879.msg1406813#msg1406813 date=1317385890]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=45879.msg1406677#msg1406677 date=1317367153]
it seems to be a Kidney thing though.
[/quote]

It does indeed. And Trimble has clearly fucked Kidney's daughter. He's in the form of his life, was part of lots of the best things we did in the warm up games and against Russia and he's overlooked again.

An Ulsterman has to be twice as good as his competitors for a position to get a look in, or so it seems sometimes.
[/quote]

I went to some corporate thing in Belshaft a few years back where David Humphreys was the keynote. He gave an interesting speech, had clearly no time whatsoever for ROG, and pretty much said your line above in reference to him continually being overlooked by successive Irish coaches - especially at a time when ROG was struggling.
 
[quote author=Kenny4PM link=topic=45879.msg1407102#msg1407102 date=1317458739]
Oh Flower of Scotland..........
[/quote] Has just wilted
 
Great game hey Sheiky?

Loads of mistakes but oh soooooo full of tension.

JW going off injured might be a blessing in disguise for your boys.
 
With France losing to tonga and england struggling against the jocks, you might as well close your eyes and take your pick as to which european side will make it to the final.

I must say these knock out games have been superb so far, i hope the QF's continue in this manner.
 
[quote author=Ryan link=topic=45879.msg1407020#msg1407020 date=1317423508]
[quote author=doctor_mac link=topic=45879.msg1406813#msg1406813 date=1317385890]
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=45879.msg1406677#msg1406677 date=1317367153]
it seems to be a Kidney thing though.
[/quote]

It does indeed. And Trimble has clearly fucked Kidney's daughter. He's in the form of his life, was part of lots of the best things we did in the warm up games and against Russia and he's overlooked again.

An Ulsterman has to be twice as good as his competitors for a position to get a look in, or so it seems sometimes.
[/quote]

I went to some corporate thing in Belshaft a few years back where David Humphreys was the keynote. He gave an interesting speech, had clearly no time whatsoever for ROG, and pretty much said your line above in reference to him continually being overlooked by successive Irish coaches - especially at a time when ROG was struggling.
[/quote]

David Humphries is a great example- he was a terrific player- and whilst ROG was a good up and coming talent, he should never have been keeping DH out of the side. I know Rosco doesn't think it is quite so clear cut. Neil Best was another one. I remember him single-handedly destroying SA and Oz in the Autumn tests one year and then fail to even get on the pitch in the following 6 nations. There are loads of cases.
 
I'm not qualified to comment on the wider issue but I've always thought that both Humphries and Best (who's carrying on where he left off for Worcester this season, playing excellent rugby) were badly underused by Ireland in their prime.

As for the World Cup, it was the old story for the Jockoes - all the fire and commitment in the world but not enough sheer quality out there in the end. They blew England away in the first half but England rallied well after the break. I'd have thought Corbisiero might well get the nod for the French game, Palmer likewise.
 
Humphries had a long spell where in which he was clearly the best 10 in irish rugby, but as everyone knows taking ROG place is easier said than done. For me the 2 other examples given don't seem anywhere near as cut and dried.

Not sure if there is enough evidence to suggest there is a bias towards picking Munster and Leinster players ahead of Ulster lads tbh
 
How worried did you get JJ?

Yeah i think you're probably right with regards to Corbisiero mate.

With JW's kicking looking off would you play him (if fit) against the French?
 
In the first half I was definitely rattled. England were second best all over the pitch. No use having quality if you don't make it count. I thought Tuilagi's tackle on (?)Lamont - who had been picked at centre precisely to make the game physical in there - just after the second half started was a real turning-point, showing his teammates that Scotland weren't actually supermen and could be bested in a physical confrontation.

Tough one re the no.10 shirt against the French. Wilkinson was certainly wide of the mark with his kicking in the first half, and Flood looked strong and confident when he came on. However, Wilkinson's mental and physical strength came to his rescue in the second half and I suspect the French will be hoping he's left out, so on balance I'd stick with him. If Tindall isn't fit Wilkinson might yet play 12 with Flood at 10, or even vice versa.
 
[quote author=Kenny4PM link=topic=45879.msg1407121#msg1407121 date=1317460712]
Great game hey Sheiky?

Loads of mistakes but oh soooooo full of tension.

JW going off injured might be a blessing in disguise for your boys.
[/quote] It was a great game mate purely cos of what was at stake.
 
I agree on Neil Best actually, O'Sullivan had a ridiculous hard on for Easterby at the time because he was a good option at the back of the line out. That's the reason Best missed out rather than the fact he was from Ulster. There were other back rowers that missed out as well like Leamy and Quinlan.

I never really got all the hype around David Humphries to be honest. He had his moments earlier on in his career but by the time O'Gara arrived on the scene Humphries wasn't playing all that well. We were beating the like of Australia and South Africa with Rog at 10 early on in his international career while Humphries was left out.
 
[quote author=Kenny4PM link=topic=45879.msg1407574#msg1407574 date=1317495462]

F.Steyn flying home with a shouder injury.
[/quote]

Ahhh shit.
 
After seeing us stick 60 points on Fiji i'm getting rather excited. Our youngsters are really coming along oh so well.



Carter being ruled out for the AB's has just opened up this World Cup.
 
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