Call it for tomorrow?
Ireland by 5 or more.
Once again it’s not about who has been picked but who hasn’t been picked. A Sexy-D’Arce-Shags combination in the back line would IMO have penetrated England’s rearguard and shot up the channels with ease. That Shane Horgan, the best winger in the world on current form, hasn’t made the 22 is unfathomable. Ireland have the tools at their disposal but sadly Declan Kidney doesn’t have the balls to pick them all.
That said, the introduction of young Jonathan Sexton at stand off half awill give the back line an undoubted fillip. Having been thrust into red hot pressurised situations before there should be no worries over the St.Mary’s man. Sexy is one man who does have balls.
It’s the service he gets from his partner at scrum half Tomas O’Leary that is the worry. When O’Leary receives the ball from the breakdown, one could often be forgiven for thinking that one is watching Peter Ebdon line up a safety shot, Dennis Priestley take his time over a double top finish, or Bernhard Langer working out the break on a tricky putt. Sexton isn’t a smoker to the best of my knowledge but the chances are that he will have time to have a quick fag on many occasions tomorrow as O’Leary labours at the base of a scrum or maul. Expect the Corkman’s opposite number Danny Care to badly expose him tomorrow with his speed and with his breaks forward.
In the pack it’s a century of caps for the Bruff Bull, John Hayes, and lets hope he can show his horns in that scrum. He’ll need to stamp his authority over the opposing front row. Not literally of course, we don’t want the Bull to see red. Behind Hayes, the fact that Wicklow farmer Leo “Miley” Cullen won’t be playing may reap an unwanted harvest for Declan Kidney. The Glenroe man will need to put his disappointment to one side and keep his Kilcoole on the bench until he gets a chance to be sprung. Cullen comfortably outplayed Paul O’Connell over the course of the Italy and France games. There was only one second row who looked like they’d had their milk. It wasn’t O’Connell. Pock’s laboured, one paced, stride should put the fear of God into any Irish supporter. He simply hasn’t the mobilty for international rugby. The man who promotes partitionism in milk seems to be a real sacred cow for the management.
It could be said that Ireland have a better team on paper, with a superior trequartista line including O’Driscoll and Bowe but matches aren’t won on paper. The biggest advantage England have is that they are England. We are Ireland. This day last year Ireland struggled over a perfidious Albion by a measly point when it should have been an easy win. It was that sheer bulldog spirit that kept the English in it. An inbuilt superiority complex that they are born with. Psycholgically you can expect the English to be quite certain in their own minds of winning. The Irish on the other hand have never done confidence well. Irish confidence was misplaced during the Celtic Tiger economy, before the 2007 World Cup, before the French game two weeks ago, and sadly many sections of our media such as the ever-obnoxious George Hook appear to have been snagged line and sinker into the same trap again. Will we ever learn?
With a good win over Wales and a wake up call against Italy duly heeded, expect England to be a rejuvenated force tomorrow. There should be plenty of flying columns in a very physical game, a Martin Johnson coached team won’t play it any other way. There will be no red carpet laid out for the Irish. It will take a GPO (Great Performance Overall) for Ireland to have a chance of toppling the traditional colonial oppressor. Sadly I do not have enough confidence that enough of the team will believe they can win. So my proclamation that is it will finish: England 19 Ireland 16.
Particularly like the part in bold.
Its been proven Free State milk is tastier than bigoted milk. I’ve pulled a teat or two in my day, I know the score.
H’on the Bull!
I concur.
Ireland at 10/11 is reasonable value I think. No question Ireland are the better team.
25 seconds. 25 seconds is all it took for the first Paul O’Connell knock on. :rolleyes:
Good to see O’Connell has been working hard on his handling skills since Paris.
That was simply Sexy rugby.
Bowe could get some serious joy in that corner and Sexton knows it.
And again…
Simon Shaw has been a tremendous loss for England. In fairness to Tomas O’Leary and Keith Earls they are doing better than I expected. O’Connell is having another poor game so far. Brian O’Driscoll unfortunately looks to be below 100% due to his illness. The game is wide open still. Obviously.
Jonno has been a bit hesitant, poor conditions aren’t helping him. I’m glad he got that penalty because the tentiveness in his play could have turned into handicap had he not scored. TOL playing better than I expected trying to take some pressure off Jonno varying the play and clearing out a bit quicker than usual.
POC can’t catch the ball, what’s going on with this lad, knock on followed by knock on, sacred cow indeed. Leo should be on at half time but I’d be surprised if he gets 20
Still its all there for the win if we can get some possession
Disappointing to be only two points in front at half time. England obviously had majority of possession but that’s no great achievement if you don’t show any ambition with it.
Not happy with the ref at all, in particular:
- Penalty against Ireland for offside after Tait (I think) was holding on on the ground. Ref hasn’t refereed that at all, it’s all about offside at the ruck, holding on hasn’t come into it.
- Then from that decision Care tapped quickly on halfway. He was tackled after 12 metres and ref gave a penalty for “not 10” which Wilkinson knocked over. Should have been an Irish penalty first and the second English penalty was very poor refereeing.
- The one against Bowe on Monye was exceptionally harsh (from touchjudge). Ridiculous call.
And the commentators got it wrong on the advantage thing, it was a knockon advantage for the one Wilkinson kicked away, clearly audible on the ref’s mike but in fairness to RTÉ I flicked to BBC at a stoppage and it seems the commentary teams didn’t have the ref’s mike for a while.
Anyway enough about the refereeing.
In broken play Ireland look dangerous, scrums are a worry (particularly with Buckley and not Court on the bench). Lineouts have been good and counter-rucking and mauling (in attack and defence) have been excellent.
Think BOD has been good Sid. Two turnovers and a couple of other excellent hits.
O’Connell’s mistakes have been big ones. Nothing to do with where he’s from or his status in the game etc but you can’t make mistakes like that continuously in tight games.
There for the taking. Forwards to continue to battle (apart from scrums) and our backs look far more capable of taking advantage.
Oh and a mention for O’Leary - much improved.
Jonathan Davies on BBC referring to Wilkinson as ‘Jonny’ on the BBC.
I hate that cunt.
England’s game plan is shockingly unimaginative. It’s just bish, bash, bosh. That’s all they have.
Danny Care is a cunt
Great hands by Sexton there
Good finish by Earls
Take that Care you cunt
I would like to echo all that.
Superb kick from the penalty by Sexton to start the move.
He has misses a few two many place kicks though.
Very hard done by there for the try. Ireland the beneficiaries of some very bad officiating.