2011 Rugby World Cup

Sport
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France coach Marc Lievremont has rung the changes for his team’s second World Cup warm-up match against Ireland on Saturday, bringing in 13 new faces including Clermont centre Aurelien Rougerie.
Ireland v France will be live on RTÉ Two and RTÉ.ie (IoI) from 4.30pm on Saturday.
The 30-year-old Rougerie, who has been capped 63 times, is selected for the first time since returning to action after fracturing his ankle in the semi-finals of the Top 14 in early May.

Rougerie will line up alongside Fabrice Estebanez, with Maxime Medard and Alexis Palisson on the wings and Toulouse veteran Cedric Heymans replacing Damien Traille at fullback as the French look to build on last week’s 19-12 victory over the Irish.
Lievremont, however, did not pick William Servat because of a lingering knee injury, meaning the Toulouse hooker, along with prop Thomas Domingo, are the sole players not to have played in any of the World Cup warm-up games.
Racing-Metro lock Lionel Nallet takes the captain’s armband in the absence of flanker Thierry Dusautoir, while David Skrela and scrum-half Morgan Parra form a new half-back partnership.
Saturday’s match against Ireland at Dublin’s Lansdowne Road will be France’s second and final warm-up game ahead of the Rugby World Cup, with Lievremont revealing his final New Zealand-bound 30-man squad on Sunday.
Ireland will continue their build-up with matches against Connacht on Thursday 18 August and England on Saturday 27 August.
France team for the World Cup warm-up match against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium, Saturday at 4pm:
Cedric Heymans; Maxime Medard, Aurelien Rougerie, Fabrice Estebanez, Alexis Palisson; David Skrela, Morgan Parra; Julien Bonnaire, Louis Picamoles, Fulgence Ouedraogo; Lionel Nallet (capt), Pascal Pape; Nicolas Mas, Dimitri Szarzewski, Jean-Baptiste Poux.
Replacements: Guilhem Guirado, Fabien Barcella, Julien Pierre, Raphael Lakafia, Dimitri Yachvili, Francois Trinh-Duc, Vincent Clerc, Luc Ducalcon.

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Australia have omitted Matt Giteau fom their WC squad :o

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RTÉ unveil Rugby World Cup coverage
Wednesday, 17 August 2011 13:01

RTÉ Sport has announced details of its Rugby World Cup coverage which will include all of Ireland’s games broadcast live from New Zealand as part of an astounding 130 hours of coverage across television, radio and online.
At the launch, England World Cup winner Ben Kay, Ireland legend Shane Horgan and Leinster coach Joe Schmidt were announced as part of RTÉ’s team of rugby panellists for the 2011 World Cup.
Also joining the team this autumn for the first time will be former Leinster defence coach and Ireland international Kurt McQuilkin, who will be co-commentating for radio from his native New Zealand.

Ryle Nugent, RTÉ Group Head of Sport, said: "RTÉ is committed to bringing the best of international and national sporting events to the Irish public free-to-air.
"Fans can look forward to following the Irish team’s progression every step of the way on all of RTÉ’s platforms with the unique perspective and expert analysis that our panel bring, which is unrivalled by any other broadcaster.
“We look forward to sharing what is set to be a momentous sporting occasion with the Irish public.”
RTÉ Television
RTÉ Television will broadcast all the top games with 13 key matches live and free-to-air, including all of Ireland’s pool matches, the final, the bronze final, both semi-finals, all four quarter-finals and the opening match.
For the first time ever coverage of the Rugby World Cup will be broadcast in HD in Ireland as RTÉ Television’s live coverage of 13 key games is also available on RTÉ Two HD on SAORVIEW.
In addition to the live games, RTÉ Television will broadcast free-to-air highlights coverage of every game in the tournament between 6.00pm and 9.00pm on RTÉ Two each match day.
RTÉ’s unrivalled team of rugby presenters, analysts and commentators will be on hand throughout the tournament with Ben Kay, Shane Horgan and Joe Schmidt joining regulars George Hook, Brent Pope, Conor O’Shea, Victor Costello and Frankie Sheahan for their expert analysis of all the action.
Tom McGurk and Daire O’Brien will anchor proceedings, while Hugh Cahill, Ryle Nugent, Donal Lenihan, George Hamilton, Tony Ward, Ralph Keyes and Kurt McQuilkin will provide the commentary.
RTÉ.ie/Sport
RTÉ.ie’s dedicated Rugby World Cup 2011 section will provide live video and audio as well as comprehensive news, highlights, analysis, picture galleries and interactive text commentary.
Focusing primarily on Declan Kidney’s Ireland team, RTÉ.ie will provide the very latest news from the tournament while during matches the popular text commentaries will now include live in-match stats and analysis alongside minute-by-minute updates of the action as it unfolds.
Users will also be able to offer their views and comments throughout the tournament.
All text content will be available online at RTÉ.ie as well as on mobile via RTÉ 's News Now app on iPhone/iPad and Android devices, as well as on m.rte.ie/sport.
RTÉ.ie’s RWC 2011 section will also include the usual insights from top pundits including George Hook, Brent Pope and Conor O’Shea, along with a special series of articles by former Leinster defence coach and Ireland international Kurt McQuilkin.
There will also be a RWC jumbo, colour, wall chart free with the RTÉ Guide on 29 August, which will help fans track how the thrilling tournament unfolds.
RTÉ Radio
RTÉ Radio’s resident rugby commentator Michael Corcoran will be bringing you complete coverage of all of Ireland’s Rugby World Cup matches live from New Zealand.
We will also be punctuating RTÉ Radio’s usual schedule with exclusive news, interviews and updates throughout the RWC, brought to you by the country’s top commentators and sports broadcasters.
Michael Corcoran first toured with the Irish rugby team in 2000, when they travelled to Argentina, USA and Canada. He has completed three British and Irish Lions tours, to Australia in 2001, New Zealand in 2005 and South Africa in 2009.
RTÉ Sport’s Rugby World Cup coverage across television, radio and online is sponsored by O2.

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I think RTE tv lineup is quite poor. Schmidt and Kay might add something but tempting to get Setanta. Their coverage of last World Cup was excellent.

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Danny Care out of World Cup with an injury.

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Ire v Fra: Jones; Trimble, O’Driscoll, D’Arcy, Earls; Sexton, O’Leary; Healy, Best, Ross; O’Call’an, O’Connell; O’Brien, Wallace, Heaslip.

Big chance for Jones. Earls doesnt get a run at 15. Bad news for Geordan too. Disappointed not to see Bowe or Ferris fit to start yet. Apart from Jones and Tommy that seems to be a starting 15. Best will have to pull the finger out.

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Team for France announced

Jones, trimble, o driscoll, darcy, earls, sexton, o leary, heaslip, wallace, o brien, poc, doc, ross, best, healy. Ferris on bench with fitz, rog, reddan, mccarthy,court and either flannery or cronin.

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I think Ferris might play against Connacht instead mbb. Better to introduce him there and then play him against England next week. Would have liked to have seen Murray get a start against France and some other new combinations tried out.

Edit - I see Ferris is on the bench. Murray doesn’t even make 22.

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Stringer left with Munster. Safe to say its TOL, Reddan and Murray so barring vsomething goes wrong. No arguments here.

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I think Kidney rates them in this order TO’L, Reddan, Boss and then Murray so Murray will be left behind. Disappointing thing from my viewpoint is that I don’t think Murray will get in no matter what he does. Likewise I think some players are undroppable no matter how poorly they perform.

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What is there to show that Boss is ahead of Murray in the pecking order, larry? Can’t see Boss travelling

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Fact he is starting against Connacht leads me to believe he will. Bit more established in the setup which I think counts for a bit in Kidney’s view. In reality whichever travels will likely be third choice anyway.

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Theres more to be lost than gained by playing in that Connacht game imo. A nothing game that neither 15 will give much of a fuck about I’d say. More about who gets to hold tackle bags next month, a run out for midweek capt Leo and an outing at 10 for Splinters.

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Yeah that’s true but it should highlight who will be holding tacklebags as opposed to staying with the provinces so it does suggest Boss will travel alright.

Jones gets another chance thanks to Kearney being injured so he’s really the only player starting against France who there are any doubts over whether they’ll make the squad.

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“The Bronze Final”. Rugby football wanker cunts. :guns:

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If Boss travels to the WC ahead of of Murray and Stringer I will be seething :angry:

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Despite Larry’s posturing i can’t see Boss going ahead of the two named. He has consistently been Ireland’s 4th choice scrum half before the emergence of Murray and I don’t think Kidney rates him all that highly and I would be pretty confident that Murray will get the nod ahead of him.

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I see Rocky Elsom has been stripped of the Aussie captaincy and replaced by Horwell, big call to make

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Big call but a great one. Elsom has been v poor since returning from Dublin and this allows Deans drop him if needs be if his poor form continues without the press hooha that would come with dropping your capt. Horwill is on top of his game as well as being on a high as capt of the all conquering Reds side. Sensible decision.

Still cant get over omitting as versatile a player as Giteau though.

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Giteau has been shit this year, and has been quite moany and disruptive at club level, may have something to do with it. Elsom had improved alot the last day, surprised at this.

There is no point in bring Murray if you don’t think you are going to use him. If its just to bring someone to hold bags bring Boss and let Murray develop at club level.