For the record, I don't think Leamy deserves to be at the World Cup, I think he's kack, so this is not Munster Bias.
..................... Come Australia, I'd be dropping Heaslip for O'Brien, not Jennings or Ferris. Cullen to start ahead of DOC.
I'd love for McFadden to start for D'Arcy but we know it won't happen.
Does anyone know if Kearney will be fit?
If I said this youd accuse me of more anti-Munster drivel but we pretty much agree.
Both or our problems are with the coach and his supporting staff. For the last 18-24 months Ireland have been playing this kind of rugby. We have been playing unwatchable rugby, and been beaten by what are actually inferior teams.
The selections of certain players (or other players out of position) are symptomatic of this, yet here we are at the world cup talking about yet another **** performance and debating another **** selection. The fact that a few inferior Munster players are consistently involved is a bug-bear of mine, but I dont think there are many that dissagree. I just believe the coach has a working bias towards his former province and this means better players (from around Ireland) are being left at home, or remain untried.
Murray is a good example. I like the guys style, I like how he hovers at the base and focuses on his job as a scrumhalf. Hes going to be a quality player going forward. I just dont think a world cup is the place to learn how to play under pressure and kick a ball. Its not his fault, its the coaches for persisting with O'Leary, dumping Stringer and ignoring the Reddan and Boss combination that won the HEC. Why in f*cks name is Reddan not allowed to play with Sexton? Someone explain to me why this combination is not allowed? And before you say it is, answer me this; Reddan and Sexton have started once together for Ireland in the last 9 international matches. Anyone want to guess what match that was?
Look at it this way, this is where my frustration lies. 12 Irish players started the HEC final against Northampton. Another 4 capped players were on the bench. This was widely acknowledged as the best team in Europe last year. Of that team, how many are playing well now? or should be involved in this WC going forward? According to one or two posters on this forum the Irish team should contain a few of those players, no more. But I'm accused of talking shite?
As for the game, Thought the pack were pretty solid aside from Heaslip, Jennings and the bench which surprisingly had absolutely no impact whatsoever. All that versatility but no impact. One wonders. The problem is of course that that same pack will get mullered against the Aussies and the bench is ****ing useless.
As for the backs, well they just arent functioning. BOD should be dropped, as should Darcy, Sexton and Bowe.
) gave Leamy, Flannery and Earls (at Fullback) a run but not Cullen who can actually play rugby. (Flannery can play rugby too, just not as good as Best at the moment).
