Italy v Ireland

[An Tarbh]

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Italy v Ireland</div>

The one thing people will hope for with Italy is no more clangers in selection from Mallet. You can't overestimate how much of an absolute clanger that was. Even if Italy were to have picked an underage scrumhalf they would have been better off than with Bergamasco.

Mallet has a lot to be answerable for after that call.

Ireland will be perfectly happy though with the circumstances surrounding the Italians. There'll be extra pressure on Italy to perform following that performance and selection at Twickenham, while Ireland should just go about their job calmly as Kidney teams tend to do.

Given the last 2 games between these sides Ireland will be looking for a marked improvement in the performance from those 2 matches and that should go a long way to getting the victory.

Should be an Ireland victory but I'd expect a backlash from the Italians, it's how Ireland handle that which will go a long way to deciding this game.

 

[Vambo]

I'd expect Ireland to grind out a very tough away win. Could be brutal up front.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Paul Griffen has earned a recall to the Italy squad (along with Carlo Del Fava) according to the Beeb so the Bergamasco at 9 fiasco definitely won't be repeated.

 

[An Tarbh]

Griffen was apparently available for this week as well which makes the call stranger still.

 

[Prestwick]

If they play Martin Castriovanni at 9 and Fabio Ongaro at 15 they may, may have a chance...

 

[An Tarbh]

No doubt people will be chomping at the bit for D'Arcy to start but I still think Wallace is the right option and it would be a huge confidence boost if Kidney sticks with him.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Hopefully he will (stick with Wallace) because if the Italians use a Blitz defence, which is likely, it's good to have the kicking option at 12 to put a chip over.

We'll also need that slicker pass that he has if we want to get it out quickly, and there won't be the same type of pressure on him in defence this time around.

 

[MunsterMan]

I agree with you both. Give D'arcy 25 minutes or so.

Is it worth risking Kearney in this match? His ankle was obviously not 100% yesterday and I think Earls/Murphy would be more than adequate against Italy with Kearney on the bench. The last thing we need is Kearney out. Obviously the coaches know more but I wouldn't be disappointed at all to see him rested.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Feb 8 2009, 05:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I agree with you both. Give D'arcy 25 minutes or so.

Is it worth risking Kearney in this match? His ankle was obviously not 100% yesterday and I think Earls/Murphy would be more than adequate against Italy with Kearney on the bench. The last thing we need is Kearney out. Obviously the coaches know more but I wouldn't be disappointed at all to see him rested.[/b]

but how fit is Earls either, if Kearney's fit you go with him, I don't agree with chopping and changing for the sake of it. If he's not fit that's fine but if he's just rested than it'll have been 3 weeks since he's played going into the England match.

 

[MunsterMan]

I agree, If everybody is fit then the only change should be Earls for Murphy.The point I am trying to make is I wouldn't like too see Kearney play if his ankle is not 100%, an unnecessary risk when you have decent back up.

 

[An Tarbh]

well you're right there, here's hoping the radio comes good for us again.

 

[Gavin]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 9 2009, 06:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Griffen was apparently available for this week as well which makes the call stranger still.[/b]

Nick Mallett said that he wasn't going to choose Griffen because he was too old. Mallett wanted to concentrate on players who would be playing in the 2011 Rugby World. Hopefully Mauro Bergasmasco will start in his usual flanking role for Italy as he is one of their best players. in that particular position. Here is hoping his awful time at scrum-half won't ruin his confidence but make him want to prove himself against the other nations.

 

[An Tarbh]

no choice but to go back on it, thing is though who is he more likely to start, Toniolati or Griffen?

 

[Gavin]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 9 2009, 08:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

no choice but to go back on it, thing is though who is he more likely to start, Toniolati or Griffen?[/b]

It's hard to say who will start. If Mallett wants experience he will select Griffen, but if he wants to mature players for the 2011 World Cup he will select Toniolati. Even though Italy lost to England badly, if Mallett makes a good selection I think Ireland would struggle to beat Italy by more than 10 points. Hopefully Marcato will be fit for the Irish.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Gavin @ Feb 8 2009, 07:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 9 2009, 08:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

no choice but to go back on it, thing is though who is he more likely to start, Toniolati or Griffen?[/b]

It's hard to say who will start. If Mallett wants experience he will select Griffen, but if he wants to mature players for the 2011 World Cup he will select Toniolati. Even though Italy lost to England badly, if Mallett makes a good selection I think Ireland would struggle to beat Italy by more than 10 points. Hopefully Marcato will be fit for the Irish.
[/b][/quote]

even with the Bergamasco selection that was a poor performance from an Italian side that just didn't look up to much. Maybe their confidence was shot beforehand by the selection so they may be reinvigorated next week if Mallet gets it right but I have my doubts.

 

[MunsterMan]

'Hopefully Marcato will be fit for the Irish'

I don't understand this comment, why do you want him fit? To make it a better game or because you see him as a weakness in the Italian side? Because he is one of Italy's better players IMO.

 

[monkeypigeon]

And now, with victory secured, O'Callaghan believes Ireland should no longer have an inferiority complex about France.

"Sometimes I don't like playing us down because we don't fear these teams any more," he said.

Good on you Donnocha. Respect them but know you're gonna beat them. Winning is a habbit and so is performing well.

 

[LeinsterBoy]

Anyone know when Earls will be back?

 

[An Tarbh]

well along with Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan, Mick O’Driscoll, Alan Quinlan and Bernard Jackman he was training with the match 22 today so you'd think there's a chance he could get the nod over Murphy this weekend.

Elsewhere looks like Kearney, Wallace and Flannery should all be grand as well.

 

[Buceph]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Monkeypigeon @ Feb 9 2009, 07:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

And now, with victory secured, O'Callaghan believes Ireland should no longer have an inferiority complex about France.

"Sometimes I don't like playing us down because we don't fear these teams any more," he said.

Good on you Donnocha. Respect them but know you're gonna beat them. Winning is a habbit and so is performing well.[/b]

Aye, I agree with that, but then you have the usual gombeens O'Shea and Hook spouting off saying we should fear the Italians. And then saying they're going to bring a real fight to us. Yes, I accept that the match is going to be tough, but instead of fearing anyone Ireland need to go out and stamp their authority all over the field. And that means that we should expect and demand a thirty point rout. The only person who seems to get this from the Irish coverage is Brent Pope, and occasionally Gerry Thornley in the Times.

Good on Donnacha, we shouldn't fear anyone, there should be confidence in their abilities to play, and if they do play they'll win.