Australia v Ireland

[Seaton]

Weel done to Giteau for 600 test points

 

[King_D'Arcy]

pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease just stop throing the ball into their hands

 

[Seaton]

Pretty much doing the same, but he gave 3 yellows.

I do remember him playing ridiculously long advantages as well

I can see O' Discroll scoring a 79th minute try to draw the game

 

[King_D'Arcy]

booooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[King_D'Arcy]

That game was my 2nd least favourite thing ever, right after Tomas O'Leary

 

[Duckdee]

Why kick. Try thrown away with an epic brainfart

Brainfarts aplenty from both sides stopped this from being a good game.

Was it just me, or did Murphy look a little half-hearted?

 

[wjd23104]

Damn Irish! it's fun only seeing them fail when they are playing the AB's

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Positives:
Debuts for Chris Henry, Damien Varley and Rhys Ruddock.
Sean Cronin picked up aftr a poor start.
Jonathan Sexton's goalkicking.
The season is over.
Rhys Ruddock won't play for Wales!

Negatives:
Poor scrum.
Poor lineout early on.
Not challenging the Australian lineout.
Shag all line breaks.
Tomas O'Leary was ponderous in attack (decent in defence though).
Rob Kearney, Brian O'Driscoll and Shane Jennings looked off the pace.
Alan Gaffney's coaching of the backs- Ireland and Leinster have gone backwards in Gaffney's two years with each side. Time for him to shape up or ship out.

 

[Jockstap]

Andrew Trimble once again looked Ireland's most dangerous back, Fitz will have to work hard if he wants his place back. The Scrum looked not too bad before Buckley went off, Cronin had a decent game. Also how awful was BOD tonight, couldn't catch a pass and looked incredibly slow?

 

[cyRil]

Brainfarts aplenty from both sides stopped this from being a good game.

Was it just me, or did Murphy look a little half-hearted?

Probably just knackered.

 

[munstermuffin]

Positives:
Debuts for Chris Henry, Damien Varley and Rhys Ruddock.
Sean Cronin picked up aftr a poor start.
Jonathan Sexton's goalkicking.
The season is over.
Rhys Ruddock won't play for Wales!

Negatives:
Poor scrum.
Poor lineout early on.
Not challenging the Australian lineout.
Shag all line breaks.
Tomas O'Leary was ponderous in attack (decent in defence though).
Rob Kearney, Brian O'Driscoll and Shane Jennings looked off the pace.
Alan Gaffney's coaching of the backs- Ireland and Leinster have gone backwards in Gaffney's two years with each side. Time for him to shape up or ship out.

Would agree with majority,
I think Varley and Cronin have the stuff to push Flannery out,
I thought O'Leary did fine tonight
Ruddock was good and well seemed able for the physicality which showed the class this kid can has.

Kearney has had (overall) a poor season by his standards but well 1 major plus is Sexton changed his kicking technique and looks more assured.
Gaffney's methods do seem to be questionable but in fairness tonight BOD had a nightmare and well alot of what we do goes through him.

On a positive from tour though, Buckley seems to be an International player,
We blooded a good amount of new players,
Trimble, Earls, Fitzgearld and Bowe - 4 Wingers who ooze class and well we know now we have them for future
I think BOD may be at inside centre from now on though and Earls at outside.

But overall I think if anything we can say we learnt alot that will make us better over the tour.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

The match was pretty tough to watch at times. We gifted them 2 tries. Henry's brain actually farted and a little poo came out for that 1st try. And then Ronan and Jennings both simultaneously lost the use of their arms for the 2nd with Kearney there as the last defender, ready to THROW himself in the wrong direction. Ireland panicked when in space. On several occassions O'Driscoll or Paddy Wallace had managed to break the line of defence only to throw the ball into the hands of a grateful Australian or to, more often than not, just simply knock it on. Cronin's throwing into the line out was a joke. The scrum was embarrassing. But worst of all was Tomas O'Leary. The man is going to put me in an early grave. He is a walking time bomb ready to explode at any moment all over Ireland's dreams. Stupid decision after stupid decision. There's too many to mention but the ones that stick out in my mind were his brainless pass into Rob Horne's hands which, luckily for O'Leary, didn't result in a try due to a supposed knock on by an Australian. Another 1 was when he panicked at the Australian restart and allowed the ball to bounce which resulted in Ireland being pinned back in their own 22. Just moronic. And his passing was way off. Too many times Sexton had to pick the ball up from his feet. An awful performance by O'Leary in my opinion. I would genuinely start Eoin Reddan ahead of him any day.
There are a couple of possitives to pick up though; It was only a disaster, it could've been a catastrophe. Despite his throwing in Cronin was alright. Buckley looks good despite the scrummaging. Trimble is proving himself to be a classy player. Bowe was good. Sexton was actually a ton of sex. He made 1 or 2 small mistakes but besides that his place kicking was phenomenal, his kicking from hand was good and his play making and running were good as ever. Little baba Ruddock looks a real hope for the future. We may never have to see Mick O'Driscoll in an Ireland jersey again and we have POC, Cullen, Ferris, McLaughlin, O'Brien, Wallace, Leamy, Heaslip, Flannery, Earls, Fitzgerald and probably more I haven't thought of to look forward to seeing come back and, hopefully, redeem us.

My 1st choice Ireland XV:

1. Healy
2. Flannery
3. Buckley
4. O'Connell
5. O'Callaghan/Cullen
6. Ferris
7. Wallace (O'Brien??)
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Trimble/Fitzgerald/Earls
12. Fitzgerald/Earls
13. BOD
14. Bowe
15. Murphy

End of rant

 

[dangandan]

Andrew Trimble once again looked Ireland's most dangerous back, Fitz will have to work hard if he wants his place back. The Scrum looked not too bad before Buckley went off, Cronin had a decent game. Also how awful was BOD tonight, couldn't catch a pass and looked incredibly slow?

BOD has lost a lot of pace... Take for example the try the all blacks scored in the first test where Kearney couldn't clean up the kick and chase. Odriscoll was racing back as well and he was getting absolutely scorched by ab chasers. Sad to say but when fitzgerald and earls come back i want one or both of them tested more in the centre. sorry odriscoll ..

 

[durbutter]

Way too harsh on Cronin, his throw was ok, it was that he was only throwing to two jumpers, making things difficult all round.

Thought P. Wallace did well, got a lot of ball to BOD who made some uncharacteristic mistakes, perhaps with his upcoming wedding in mind?

Oz were crap and were still the better team.

Also DArcy, not defending TOL but you fail to mention his excellent kicking and defensive performance. i didnit think his passing was too bad, but jesus he has no i dea what he's doing when he has the ball!

 

[lucky number 7]

The match was pretty tough to watch at times. We gifted them 2 tries. Henry's brain actually farted and a little poo came out for that 1st try. And then Ronan and Jennings both simultaneously lost the use of their arms for the 2nd with Kearney there as the last defender, ready to THROW himself in the wrong direction. Ireland panicked when in space. On several occassions O'Driscoll or Paddy Wallace had managed to break the line of defence only to throw the ball into the hands of a grateful Australian or to, more often than not, just simply knock it on. Cronin's throwing into the line out was a joke. The scrum was embarrassing. But worst of all was Tomas O'Leary. The man is going to put me in an early grave. He is a walking time bomb ready to explode at any moment all over Ireland's dreams. Stupid decision after stupid decision. There's too many to mention but the ones that stick out in my mind were his brainless pass into Rob Horne's hands which, luckily for O'Leary, didn't result in a try due to a supposed knock on by an Australian. Another 1 was when he panicked at the Australian restart and allowed the ball to bounce which resulted in Ireland being pinned back in their own 22. Just moronic. And his passing was way off. Too many times Sexton had to pick the ball up from his feet. An awful performance by O'Leary in my opinion. I would genuinely start Eoin Reddan ahead of him any day.
There are a couple of possitives to pick up though; It was only a disaster, it could've been a catastrophe. Despite his throwing in Cronin was alright. Buckley looks good despite the scrummaging. Trimble is proving himself to be a classy player. Bowe was good. Sexton was actually a ton of sex. He made 1 or 2 small mistakes but besides that his place kicking was phenomenal, his kicking from hand was good and his play making and running were good as ever. Little baba Ruddock looks a real hope for the future. We may never have to see Mick O'Driscoll in an Ireland jersey again and we have POC, Cullen, Ferris, McLaughlin, O'Brien, Wallace, Leamy, Heaslip, Flannery, Earls, Fitzgerald and probably more I haven't thought of to look forward to seeing come back and, hopefully, redeem us.

My 1st choice Ireland XV:

1. Healy
2. Flannery
3. Buckley
4. O'Connell
5. O'Callaghan/Cullen
6. Ferris
7. Wallace (O'Brien??)
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Trimble/Fitzgerald/Earls
12. Fitzgerald/Earls
13. BOD
14. Bowe
15. Murphy

End of rant

where is the king.......?

 

[Kdog]

I really doubt that the Irish front row is the best we could put on display. To me it looks like the Ireland selectors have walked around the country and seen a big man and said "oh he's big lets get him". I don't know how people think they make up for it in the loose, because there has to be players who can scrumage well and be effective in the loose. You dont have to pick a prop who's a good scrumager or one who's good in the loose there must be props who can do both. Just because they're big it doesnt make them good. Alot of scrumming is technique.

 

[Conal]

kdog the sad thing is there the only real tight head choices we have

 

[King_D'Arcy]

where is the king.......?

Sigh... Prince Luke has to take the crown some day I suppose... D'Arcy will always be king to me though

EDIT: Just so you're not confused, I felt this photo best represented D'Arcy's monarchical style of play

 

[Conal]

darcy truely a king in world rugby never beside irish
a pity he has to age
be great if we could clone him at the age of 24

 

[Feicarsinn]

Sigh... Prince Luke has to take the crown some day I suppose... D'Arcy will always be king to me though

EDIT: Just so you're not confused, I felt this photo best represented D'Arcy's monarchical style of play

Gordon is reaching what I like to call the 'King Lear' stage of his reign. He now must decide who to designate his power to for better of for worse. Let's hope he picks a virtuous Leinsterman as opposed to one of them mucksavages from beyond the pale to fill his mighty boots.