I dont know them. Can you pass on the message?
I’m not talking about Rog, I’m talking about MBB’s stance of not questioning anything Kidney does. Any time he’s been questioned on here over the last 6 months, MBB’s response usually mentions something about a Heineken Cup or two and a Grand Slam and how dare us mere mortals question him. Have a lot of respect for Kidney, he deserves all the praise in the world for what he’s done.
So what you’re saying Mac is that we both agree with Kidney’s actions thus far.
Wonderful. Glad we’re on the same page.
Kidney Out!
coach Nick Mallett has made no changes to the team that beat Samoa in November for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland at Croke Park.
The Azzurri won the final Test of last year against the Samoans, 24-6, to ended a 13-match winless streak.
Bayonne hooker Craig Gower has recovered from a knee injury and has been handed the number 10 role while Benetton Treviso’s Alessandro Zanni will replace injured captain Sergio Parisse at number 8.
Parisse is out for the entire tournament with a knee injury, so Leonardo Ghiraldini will serve as captain.
Mallett has included uncapped Rovigo fly-half Riccardo Bocchino on the bench.
The Italians go into the tournament looking to improve after wooden-spoon performances in 2008 and 2009.
They have won just one of their last 10 games in the Six Nations, a 23-20 victory over Scotland in Rome nearly two years ago.
Italy team to play Ireland at Croke Park at 2.30pm on Saturday:
Luke McLean, Kaine Robertson, Gonzalo Canale, Gonzalo Garcia, Mirco Bergamasco, Craig Gower, Tito Tebaldi, Alessandro Zanni, Mauro Bergamasco, Josh Sole, Quintin Geldenhuys, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Martin Castrogiovanni, Leonardo Ghiraldini (captain) Salvatore Perugini.
Replacements: Fabio Ongaro, Matias Aguero, Marco Bortolami, Paul Derbyshire, Simon Picone, Riccardo Bocchino, Andrea Masi.
Excuse me if i fall off my chair and break my arse laughing.
Wallace would never, never ever ever, have gotten over the line against France last year, that was real skill, strength, power, heart and a fair amount of cuteness. Wallace doesn’t have all those “skills”. Having a side step doesn’t make you “skillful” alone Larry. Have you ever played sport?
I was talking about the future, but i take all your points. Don’t agree with you overall on Earls, i’m fairly convinced, he isn’t the entire package as he’s only 22 or whatever. Luke Fitz’s defence is unquestionably better, but i believe Earls is more elusive. Who’s quicker? My inside contact says Earls off the mark, Luke over 40 yards.
I will admit though i probably haven’t seen either as much as you Dan.
As Mac said though, hopefully we’ll get the best out of the both of them, and they stay somewhat injury free.
Granted I might be one of Paddy’s bigger fans when it comes to him playing 12, but I do believe he has far better hands and vision than D’Arcy, but for the all round package, D’Arcy at his best (which he wasn’t since the horrific injury’s until lately) is still the better player though. Just a pity Paddy isn’t more durable.
Considering the difference between himself and O Driscoll at underage level its a shame the way his career went. I would undoubtably heap a large portion of the blame for this at his treatment at Ulster. He was a 12, always a 12, but they tried to jam him into 10, 13, 15 all to no avail. It was an awful shame he didnt get that Move to France when it was on the cards.
Been mentioned on the other thread that Donncha is out. Leo shouldnt weaken matters too much, its just a case of now seeing whether he can gel with O Connell. I would have always put O Connell and Cullen as 2 sides of the same coin, and perhaps may not work so well together. I find O Callaghan to be the perfect foil for O Connell to be honest. I hope Cullen does well though, he deserves his shot.
Some might say its times like this you’d like to have Micko O available in the 22 B)
Is Micko on the bench???..a game like this is the perfect opportunity to give the likes of Donnacha Ryan or one of the two young Ulster locks a bit of game time…Micko would probably be more up to speed with the lineout calls ect but he has tried and come up short at this level…
Surely it’s about time Bob Casey was brought in from the cold. Himself and Cullen would make a great second row pairing for Ireland.
Micko lacks the physicality for International rugby while Casey doesn’t have the mobility for it unfortunately…Shame really as he has been very good for London Irish for the last number of seasons…Time for the younger lads to be given a chance…
I hope and pray that Micko is brought in for the match. No-one can carry across Croke Park in the way he does. He has a telepathic understanding with half the Munster squad and is blending well with the Leinster players. He knows the calls and has great leadership qualities. He knows when to put himself forward and when to hold back. All perfect characteristics for a good water carrier.
Bob Casey has been the standout second row in the Premiership year on year. He’s 30 - younger than Donnsha and over a year and a half younger than Leo Cullen for that matter. Simon Shaw, at 36, dominated the World Champions on the Empire tour to South Africa. If Casey was with Leinster he’d be the second name down on the Irish team after Brian O’Driscoll. Come home Bob, come home.
I fancy England to do a number on Wales now that Gethin Jenkins is out.
*By a number I mean will win luckily by about 15-13.
Like I said he has been excellent for LI but he isn’t mobile enough for International rugby…Shaw covers a hell of a lot more ground than him on any given day…Donnacha Ryan is on the bench, good call from Kidney…
Johnny to kick them to victory
That is an incaculable loss for the Taffes.
Whichever team loses, their manager is going to be under serious pressure!