No TRE. Gone for xray.
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DAVID WALLACE’S WORLD CUP dream lies in pieces this evening after the flanker was ruled out of next month’s tournament in New Zealand with a knee injury.[/size][/font]
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The Munster flanker was stretchered off to sympathetic applause after a robust challenge from English centre Manu Tuilagi left him in agonyjust 22 minutes into Ireland’s 20-9 defeat this afternoon.[/size][/font]
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Wallace was immediately rushed to hospital for a scan, and coach Declan Kidney later confirmed that the player would miss the World Cup.[/size][/font]
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Wallace’s replacement in Ireland’s 30-man squad is expected to be named tomorrow.[/size][/font]
I was at this excuse for a sporting event earlier.
Rugby as an entertainment product is so bad. I had hoped that they were getting over the slump that games has fallen into in the last number of years but I saw nothing today to say that any kind of genesis is taking place. It’s so annoying to me as I played rugby for a number of years and would have enjoyed watching it up until 2006 or 2007. Today had all the hallmarks of what is wrong with rugby.[list]
[]The shocking quality and quantity of kicking.
[]Ridiculously poor handling.
[]One dimensional attacking.
[]Series of scrums that go on forever and end up with random penalties.
[/list]
The only hope is Ireland are keeping their powder dry for the upcoming tournament and have a whole host of moves ready to spring on teams. Most likely though, given all the injuries and the total lack of form, there is no way to expect anything other than an absolute hammering from Australia and a very difficult game with Italy.
I plan on betting on overs of yellow cards at the World Cup. It gave me a lot of entertainment at the other world cup last year despite losing so I’ll be hoping these neanderthals commit as many of the most obvious and cynical fouls as possible. It might be the only thing that could make this tournament entertaining.
CD,
Could any of this be attributed to the fact that teams are exceptionally fitter than hitherto and as such the pace of the game leads to poor handling and kicking etc because players have so little time on the ball? This is something that could be cited with respect to hurling and football aswell.
They’re fitter so they can’t pass, catch or kick any more?
Come on…
seconds matter, im sure if lads had more time they would pass and kick better. just my opinion, i could be talking a load of bollocks
I’d definitely have them in the Top 6 anyways.
Yeah pretty much agree with all that. D’arcy and Earls haven’t looked in form at all. Earls in particular has been awful though there was a slight improvement today. You can sense he is desparate to do something but this is resulting in him being too selfish in possession. D’arcy has lost good bit of pace and just doesn’t threaten anymore. This is resulting in less space for wingers as too easy to defend against. Bowe did look well short today but that is only to be expected I suppose. Too many other players looked well unfit again though. I hope this is part of conditioning plan but to be honest far too many guys huffing and puffing throughout.
I’d try Ferris at 7 mbb. Thought he had a good game today which was encouraging since he has been out for so long. PO’C was very good again and looks really sharp. Would like to have seen Cullen at least given a chance with him but doesn’t look like he will be at this stage. Flannery should get nod ahead of Best imo and other nailed on starters are Healy, Ross, PO’C, SO’B, Heaslip (though he hasn’t been great), Sexton, Trimble, BO’D and Bowe. Murray was pretty poor when brought on though he wasn’t any worse than Reddan in all honesty.
it can in its fuck-part time LOI players are fitter than gah players,theb afl players showed the gga players what athleticism & fitness are-
Huh?
You seem to think it is a shock that part time players are fitter than amateur players
What a fuckwit
The fourth successive stale performance from Ireland produced a familiar result with Ireland meekly beaten by a physical, but distinctly limited, English side.
http://www.thefreekick.com/blog/?attachment_id=2508" rel="attachment wp-att-2508]
Player Ratings
Murphy:
Conspicuous among the backs with a hard-working and bright display. Combined a composure in possession, intelligent lines of running and decent handling with some solid defensive work. Playing his way into form and may well be playing himself onto the team.
Bowe:
A very quiet performance on his return from injury. The objective would have been to survive the 80 minutes unscathed but he needs to find form and sharpness before the Australian game. Caught out for England’s second try with poor positioning.
Earls:
Managed one or two threatening half-breaks in the second half but this was a very disappointing display that confirmed his unsuitability for outside centre. He mixed the good and the bad in defence and inconsistent defending from a centre will be repeatedly exploited. His failure to link play in attack (not sure he gave a pass of note in the game) was almost as alarming. Needs to revert to the wing where he may not be assured of a starting place on this form.
D’Arcy:
Completely anonymous in attack and was utterly outplayed by his opposite number. His pace has dropped off at an incredible rate and he seems to have forgotten how to move his feet to force defenders off-balance. Enough evidence today to hint at how much workload he’s passing onto O’Driscoll. Impossible to believe Ireland will beat a sanza nation with D’Arcy operating at inside centre.
Trimble:
Not as effective as in recent games but he was certainly the pick of the three-quarters apart from Murphy. Solid defensively where he wrapped up Ashton with ease. Remains Ireland’s best strike running threat in the centre (until Bowe returns to form) in the absence of a dynamic midfield partnership. Not quite as elusive as Bowe in that regard but his direct running at least broke the gainline once or twice.
O’Gara:
A mixed performance from the out-half. One horrible penalty sliced down the middle of the field (why tap and kick anyway?) and the target of plenty of English aggression. Never hid from his tackles but England enjoyed quick ball every time they ran down his channel and protecting him with flankers merely shifted the vulnerabilities elsewhere. A lovely show of the ball in his own 22 was the best bit of skill of the day but he didn’t do much to convince Kidney that he’s the top Irish #10 at the moment.
Reddan:
Will be relieved that this performance came after the squad had been announced because this was mediocre in patches and woeful in the rest. His quick tap near the English line early on was the right decision but he telegraphed his pass and was fortunate not to concede a try from it. His passing was laborious and he offered no threat around the fringes to keep the English defence from creeping onto the first receiver.
Healy:
A reasonable scrummaging performance and a decent showing around the park. No chance to work up much momentum in the loose because Ireland were so predictable in their attacks. Crucial that he remains fit however because the alternatives are almost frightening.
Flannery:
Must have moved to the top of the pecking order for hookers after this display. Like Murphy he stood out for his energy and his skill level in marked contrast to most of those around him. Lineouts were certainly adequate and he brought a control to the position that Best has lost from his game.
Ross:
Another match where he slips by under the radar apart from his relatively solid scrummaging. Tough opponent today meant he didn’t enjoy the upper hand but Ireland aren’t expecting dominance at that set piece. Otherwise he picked up a couple of loose balls and was competent around the fringes of rucks.
O’Callaghan:
Overshadowed by his partner and had a quieter game than usual. No real memorable carries and his defending was unspectacular but determined.
O’Connell:
Has really put his injuries behind him with a couple of inspirational displays and he was excellent again today. Competitive at re-starts and athletic at line-outs but generally aggressive in every facet of play. Some questionable decisions from penalties but they may have been made from the sidelines.
Ferris:
A typically abrasive display from the Ulster #6, though he would prefer a bigger impact on the game overall. Moved to openside after the backrow injuries which restricted his natural game a little, though he may need to be considered for that role with Wallace absent. Not likely to overtake O’Brien on the strength of this showing but one of the few areas where Ireland are blessed with real strength in depth.
Wallace:
Nightmare for the openside flanker who started the match very promisingly only to have his World Cup ended before it had even begun.
Healip:
Not on long enough to make an impact though he was ominously quiet in the opening 20 minutes again.
Replacements:
Best came on for Flannery and the balance in the line-out immediately switched to England. After that cameo (following on from a series of indifferent displays) he’s lucky to be second choice.
Ryan was prominent on his introduction and the tighter game suited his bulk because more open games can really expose his lack of mobility. Leamy was more disappointing despite his greater time on the pitch. He carried well once or twice but was very quiet overall and outmuscled by an average English backrow.
Murray began sharply at scrum half but kicked the ball away dreadfully from a decent attacking position with a deeply worrying rush of blood. He then reverted to a more basic gameplan of one-out rugby that killed the rest of the game. Whether this was playing to instruction or not is debatable but even if Ireland wanted to keep the ball tight (understandable given the centre partnership) then the objective should have been for more dynamic rucks - i.e. pick and go moves from forwards - rather than the tedium of pods either side of a static ruck.
Sexton offered some inventiveness when introduced. He kicked well to the corners and one disguised chip for Bowe nearly paid off. McFadden had no opportunity to impress.
http://www.thefreekick.com/blog/?p=2507]Read the full story here
The passing guy can’t pass.
The pushers can’t push.
The runners can’t run
The second thrower couldn’t throw.
What a pile of shite
having watch bits and pieces of league of ireland lately i was pleasantly surprised at the quality. point im making is that if some of these player moved up a level, they might not look quite as good as the pace of the game at that level find them out.
you would often get a lad play national league and would look quite useful but would be shown up badly at championship pace.
Rugby players are phenomenally fit and this makes execution of what appears basic enough skills more difficult.
He’s boring and dim. If some journalist from the daily telegraph wrote an article about how great gaelic football was he’d probably buy a season ticket to parnell park next season though.
its a shock to people that follow rural sports who for years have been shouting spite about how uber fit gga players are & how they are fitter than normal sportspeople
Ireland have fallen to 8th in the World Rankings, behind Scotland even. For what those rankings are worth that is.
In comparison to who are they so fit fenway?
Irish rugby players in general have been looked after very well by provincial structure but I think we made a balls of our physical preparation for the last world cup (I think we may have been under gamed and over trained) and there are a few players who didn’t look fit enough to me today… Whether that will come by time of world cup is another thing
So even if they are fitter.
Most of the Irish errors were unforced mental errors.
Rocko, O’Gara tapped and kicked that one because an England winger was out of position. He planned on banging into the corner where the winger was missing. Had he done so successfully that it would have been a scramble for the ball in the England 22.
Instead he sliced the ball into midfield where the other England winger was coming across to cover.
But why bother tapping it in first place? If that is the plan just kick it there. Penalty was from virtually same spot was it not.
fair point