Humps should be ahead of O’Gara as Sexton’s back up.
Where’s that Kyriaco fella from? Seen him in a couple of games this year and he was very good. There’s a Kyriaco(u) lad from out Padjo’s way of Ballyhogue/Bree in Wexford.
Born in England but can represent us. He was on loan with Munster a while back before making the step up to the premier province.
I’ve been impressed with how he’s developed the disappointment of being cast off by one of the country’s premier provinces alright. He never looked much at Munster.
He fits in more with the attacking flair of Ulster than the stop dead game of Munster I’d say.
That and playing in front of a knowledgeable crowd who have consistently turned up over the years and are used to seeing virtually all the greats of Irish rugby. He appreciates us and we appreciate him
The more time in the loose is most likely helping him. Must have been tough for him to play between the Irish props too I imagine.
Yes, and of course greats like Big Davy Tweed would regard Ulster as more than a province, a country even.
[quote=“dancarter”]Agree not much more they can do Larry, but its just not good enough maybe. Sexton has to be ahead of Humps. Id say O’Donoghue is on the radar but so is Bob Casey, Micko, Ryan, Toner all in the hunt, and with more time in the international set up.
[/quote]
What is it with you turnip munchers and Micko? He’s not fit to clean the boots of an international rugby player let alone wear them.
World Cup-winning duo Jonny Wilkinson and Steve Thompson were named in England’s 32-man squad for the November internationals against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand yesterday.
Fly-half Wilkinson and hooker Thompson, who shared the Sydney field with England manager Martin Johnson in the 2003 World Cup triumph over Australia, have both found form in France.
Wilkinson moved to Toulon in May, kicking 17 points on his debut in August, while Thompson, who retired in 2007 because of a neck injury but then repaid his insurance payoff, launched a comeback with Brive later that year and is playing in this season’s Heineken Cup.
Johnson, without 12 first-team candidates due to injury, has also included new caps in Bath prop David Barnes, Leicester lock Richard Blaze and 20-year-old Northampton second-rower Courtney Lawes.
Among the absentees are Lions forwards Phil Vickery and Simon Shaw, while backs Delon Armitage and Riki Flutey are also sidelined.
"We’ve had to make a number of changes to the senior elite performance squad because of injuries.
“But we have strength in depth and each of the players coming in has the opportunity to push themselves into contention for the first match against Australia,” Johnson said.
Saracens lock Steve Borthwick retains the captaincy.
England’s revised elite player squad:
Forwards:
Steffon Armitage (London Irish), David Barnes (Bath Rugby), Duncan Bell (Bath Rugby), Richard Blaze (Leicester Tigers), Steve Borthwick (Saracens, captain), George Chuter (Leicester Tigers), Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), James Haskell (Stade Francais), Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Lewis Moody (Leicester Tigers), Tim Payne (London Wasps), Steve Thompson (CA Brive), David Wilson (Bath Rugby), Joe Worsley (London Wasps).
Backs:
Matt Banahan (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Mark Cueto (Sale Sharks), Ben Foden (Northampton Saints), Shane Geraghty (Northampton Saints), Andy Goode (CA Brive), Dan Hipkiss (Leicester Tigers), Paul Hodgson (London Irish), Ugo Monye (Harlequins), David Strettle (Harlequins), Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks), Mike Tindall (Gloucester Rugby), Richard Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon).
That is a very poor looking england squad, some very average players in it
Aye, summed up by their captain imo. Decidedly average all round. Tis the French we need to watch out for next year.
Elsom to captain Wallabies against New Zealand
Australia coach Robbie Deans has made four changes to Australias starting side to play Saturdays historic Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Japan. Former Leinster flanker Rocky Elsom will captain the side in Tokyo.
Wingers Digby Ioane and Peter Hynes, centre Ryan Cross and number eight Wycliff Palu are the new faces from the side that lost the closing Tri-Nations match in New Zealand.
Adam Ashley-Cooper has reverted from centre to fullback in the place of James OConnor.
OConnor is listed among the replacements, alongside George Smith while Matt Dunning also makes his return from injury and takes his place amongst the substitutes.
Dunning and Ioane, who have both been sidelined by injury this year, have not featured for the Wallabies since last years November tour of Europe.
Returning Adam to fullback helps with the balance of the side, Deans said. It is not a slight on the performance of James OConnor at all. Hes already had a big year, which it must be remembered has been his first at this level. Were wary of over-exposing James and will be looking to manage his involvements through this tour.
Ashley-Coopers relocation, plus the absence of former captain Stirling Mortlock due to a torn calf, has opened the way for Cross to return at centre, where he played during the Test win over the All Blacks in Sydney last year.
While the match will be a big occasion personally for Australias new skipper, Elsom says it is a massive event for the entire touring party.
None of us were happy with our most recent performance, Elsom said. This is the first Bledisloe Cup Test to have been played in Japan and our final opportunity against the All Blacks for the year, so its vital for us to produce a complete performance.
Elsom added it was important for the confidence of his touring group that they maximised their opportunities this weekend.
Thats not something we have done of late, and we know more than anyone that it is critical, Elsom said.
Luke McAlister is the only player unavailable for New Zealand. The centre has been ruled out with an ankle injury he suffered while training with his provincial team a couple of weeks ago.
Coach Graham Henry has indicated the team, which he will name tomorrow, will be similar to the one that defeated Robbie Deans men 33-6 last month.
It will be a strong side on Saturday and similar to the side that played in Wellington, Henry said. Everyones available apart from Luke McAlister probably. Hes still got that ankle injury. If we really pushed him he could be available but theres no point.
Australia : Adam Ashley-Cooper; Peter Hynes, Ryan Cross, Berrick Barnes, Digby Ioane; Matt Giteau, Will Genia; Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom, Mark Chisholm, James Horwill, Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson. Replacements : Stephen Moore, Matt Dunning, Dean Mumm, George Smith, Luke Burgess, Drew Mitchell, James OConnor.
75 lids for a ticket to the Australia game. A bit steep isn’t it?
Also I see the soccer has been announced as having an 8pm kick off on the Saturday. Doesn’t leave them much time for sorting out lines on the pitch etc.
[quote=“The Runt”]75 lids for a ticket to the Australia game. A bit steep isn’t it?
Also I see the soccer has been announced as having an 8pm kick off on the Saturday. Doesn’t leave them much time for sorting out lines on the pitch etc.[/quote]
Good article here about that runty
Croke Park countdown clock will commence at 12
GAVIN CUMMISKEY SOCCER AND RUGBY INTERNATIONALS: A DOUBLE celebration of Irish sport is coming.
A sign of just how far this nation has come in the context of sport will be showcased over a 24-hour period in Croke Park. France and Australia are visiting GAA central. International soccer and rugby.
It is a logistical nightmare, somehow managing to exceed the mid-summer conundrum that saw the dismantling of U2’s stage to ensure the country’s leading sporting amphitheatre was operational.
Bottom line from professionalism in all its pomp and glory? 1.35 million goes into the GAA coffers from each game.
Let’s break it down.
A crucial World Cup play-off match against France is due to kick-off at 7.45pm (or maybe 8pm, the FAI have yet to decide). Just before midnight on Saturday, November 14th the stadium will empty of its corporate hospitality and straggling football punters.
Then, like ants, a team of workers begin work off Jones’ Road. It is a massive undertaking to have everything ready for the Wallabies’ national anthem at approximately 2.57pm the next afternoon. Make that 12.30pm - when the gates re-open to ticket holders.
Advertising needs to be changed. Catering. Security. A new set of 76,000 supporters (Hill 16 will be all-seater for both games). Most importantly, the white lines have to be re-marked, and, of course, there’s the small matter of goalposts. About nine new cameras need installing for rugby’s Television Match Official.
RT will be carting in a whole new crew after the first game.
Eamon Dunphy rolled out, George Hook rolled in.
Stadium director Peter McKenna will earn every cent of his wages. He helpfully took some time out of his Bank Holiday Monday to break it all down.
"We are looking at four and a half hours of daylight (to properly re-line the pitch) and 12 and half hours between the finish of one and the start of the other.
“We’ve got to clean the whole stadium, which means bathrooms, rubbish bins, seats and so forth. Overnight cleans are something we do on a fairly regular basis when we finish with GAA games on a Saturday ahead of a Sunday game. Now we are looking to do it in a far shorter time-frame.”
Okay, we’ve established there will be people working throughout the night. A few more hundred working on site for the rugby will start to arrive at 5.30am.
“That is normal. They will find the place pristine.”
Other problems become evident earlier in the week. For starters, there will be no traditional “captain’s run” for Rocky Elsom and Brian O’Driscoll (presuming he retains the captaincy).
"The Irish and Australian rugby teams are in training on Tuesday and Wednesday, so we will have rugby posts up and turn it back into a soccer pitch by Thursday for the French and Irish teams.
"The more stress is put on the system the more likely something will crack. That’s why you need all parties working together. There has been accommodating on both sides. Today we had a very courteous meeting with the FAI and IRFU.
“You mentioned the advertising, which is substantial, because we are turning it around throughout the stadium. There are different systems. The FAI favour the LED screens where the rugby guys stick with the scroller system. You also have the pitch markings, which are part of the rugby commitment to their sponsors.”
An obvious problem is avoiding, where possible, confusing lines on the rugby pitch due to the football.
"It is not as bad as you might think. If we can persuade both sides to use the same width (70 metres) the other markings can be put down in a hot-water removable set up. This will be trialled in the next few days to make sure a downpour doesn’t take it off.
“The rugby pitch is 100 metres so it is better to have rugby after soccer mainly because it is shorter.”
This hasn’t been done before. The Millennium stadium flipped from rugby league to rugby union, but not in 12 hours.
“We need the weather with us. Big downpours will make it intolerably hard but it is doable. We are extremely confident on that.”
Well done to the GAA, what an organisation. 
[quote=“myboyblue”]Good article here about that runty
Well done to the GAA, what an organisation. [/quote]
Would be fairly worried about the fact that he says ‘a downpour would make things intolerably hard’ to get the change in pitch markings wrong.
Hardly as if that’s out of the question in Ireland in November!
At least any problem will arise for, by far, the least important game, ie the rugby.
Will the Aus game be a sell out do ye think?
[quote=“myboyblue”]World Cup-winning duo Jonny Wilkinson and Steve Thompson were named in England’s 32-man squad for the November internationals against Australia, Argentina and New Zealand yesterday.
[/quote]
This is great news…Jonny Wilkinson is the best rugby player anyone of our generation has ever seen. A class act.
Christian Cullen in his prime was better for one. Zin Zan Brooke as well. Serge Blanco another. I’ll think of more.
David Campese, Michael Lynagh were as good, if maybe better.
The 39-man panel for Ireland’s upcoming Guinness Series of internationals against Australia, Fiji and South Africa has been announced.
The squad contains nine uncapped players, including Leinster Heineken Cup winners Jonathan Sexton and Cian Healy, who are expected to contend strongly for starting jerseys in at least one of the two main games.
Back-rowers Chris Henry (Ulster), Sean O’Brien (Leinster), prop Brett Wilkinson (Connacht), outside-back Fergus McFadden (Leinster), second row Devin Toner (Leinster) and hookers John Fogarty (Leinster) and Sean Cronin (Connacht) are the other uncapped players in the squad.
Notable omissions include out-half Ian Humphreys (Ulster), second-row Malcolm O’Kelly (Leinster), back-row Shane Jennings (Leinster), full-back Girvan Dempsey (Leinster), hooker Bernard Jackman (Leinster) and full-back Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers).
Jennings received a 12-week ban for making contact with the eye area of London Irish second row Nick Kennedy during Leinster’s Heineken Cup pool defeat at the RDS while Murphy incurred a serious shoulder injury playing for Leicester in the Guinness Premiership and is not expected to return until after Christmas.
With extensive work having been done with squads over the summer, Kidney has also decided against including potential late emerging candidates such as Leinster back-rower Kevin McLaughlin, who has impressed for the province since claiming the starting jersey vacated by Rocky Elsom.
At scrum-half, Kidney has opted to stick with tried and tested trio Peter Stringer, Toms O’Leary and Eoin Reddan.
Commenting on the squad and the upcoming November games, Ireland Coach Declan Kidney said: 'We had an opportunity to work with most of the players selected in this squad over our three camps during the summer.
‘Those sessions were about giving chances to as many players as possible following last year and after a third of the season gone so far, this November squad gives the majority of those players a chance to put their cases forward for selection.’
An ‘A’ squad for the Tonga game and a 30 man squad for the Australia test match will be announced at the end of the camp next week in Limerick.
Kidney added: ‘November represents a challenge on several fronts with three full internationals and two ‘A’ games against quality opposition, so it will mean that the strength of our resources will be tested.’
As well as the match against Tonga, the ‘A’ side is due to face the Argentina Jaguars.
Kidney said: ‘The games so far this season have given plenty of options in terms of competition for places. There were some hard calls made in selection, which is what you want, and players not included today will come into the reckoning for the two games against Tonga and Argentina Jaguares.’
‘We now have to try and come up with the combinations to not only win against some of the best teams in the world, with two of those sides ranked above us, but also continue to develop the international experience levels for some of those players.’
Ireland Squad (39):
Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
Neil Best (Northampton Saints)
Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
John Fogarty (De La Salle Palmerston/Leinster)*
John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)*
Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster)
Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Fergus McFadden (UCD/Leinster)*
Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Brian O’Driscoll (UCD/Leinster)
Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Tomas O’Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)*
Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht)*
- Denotes uncapped player
Squad is disappointing. Few examples:
Toner lucky to be in squad imo.
Would have had Boss ahead of Stringer at least.
No way Fogarty has started the season as well as either of Ulster hookers.
Aware Kidney is conservative but now was time to be a bit more experimental imo and go with form players.
[quote=“caoimhaoin”]Christian Cullen in his prime was better for one. Zin Zan Brooke as well. Serge Blanco another. I’ll think of more.
David Campese, Michael Lynagh were as good, if maybe better.[/quote]
:D:thumbsup:
Yeah.
Where is Quinlan’s name on that list?