maybe you should choose your friends more carefully.
Since 2008 Iâve been downscaling my friends to only those who I think will not need anything from me in the foreseeable future.
Those whom I think will need favours after spending 6 years buying houses in spain and are now crying at their debt have been downgraded to âpreferred associatesâ. After that they become âknown contactsâ which is the same league as people I have never met face to face.
Tom.
Ireland XV (v New Zealand Maori, International Stadium, Rotorua, Friday June 18th 19:35/08;35)
15 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester) Captain
14 - Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster)
13 - Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
12 - Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
11 - Johne Murphy (Leicester)*
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St.Maryâs College/Leinster)
9 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
1 - Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
2 - John Fogarty (De la Salle Palmerston/Leinster)
3 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
4 - Ed OâDonoghue (Ballymena/Ulster)*
5 - Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)
6 - Rhys Ruddock (Blackrock College/Leinster)*
7 - Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)
8 - Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)*
Replacements:
16 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 - John Hayes (Shannon/Munster)
18 - Donncha OâCallaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
19 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
20 - Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
21 - Ronan OâGara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Not much of a team.
Itâs a second string obviously so you expect a few dodgy inclusions but a fair chunk of that side are not good enough to play international rugby and unfortunately never will be (again). Horgan, Duffy, Fogarty, Ronan are neither the present nor the future.
Itâs to oearly for Ruddock and the second rows to judge them yet but theyâre not really ready for this level youâd suspect, neither prop is convincing (though Court back from the cold is welcome). Not going to go well Iâd say.
Best or Wilson surely would have been better replacements than Ruddock. Strange decision
Agreed Larry. Think Best was injured or having surgery, and Wilson is a pervert.
NEW ZEALAND MAORI TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Ireland XV, Centenary Series Match, Rotorua International Stadium, Friday, June 18, kick-off 7.35pm local time/8.35am Irish time):
Name/Province/Iwi -
15 - Robbie Robinson (Southland, Ngati Tuwharetoa)
14 - Sean Maitland (Canterbury, Ngapuhi)
13 - Dwayne Sweeney (Waikato, Ngati Mahanga)
12 - Luke McAlister (North Harbour, Te Atiawa)
11 - Hosea Gear (Wellington, Ngati Porou/Ngariki Kaiputahi)
10 - Stephen Brett (Canterbury, Ngapuhi/Te Arawa)
9 - Aaron Smith (Manawatu, Ngati Kahungunu)
1 - Bronson Murray (Northland, Ngapuhi)
2 - Corey Flynn (Canterbury, Kai Tahu)
3 - Ben Afeaki (North Harbour, Ngati Awa)
4 - Hayden Triggs (Otago, Ngati Kahungunu)
5 - Jarrad Hoeata (Taranaki, Ngati Kahungunu/Ngai Tuhoe)
6 - Liam Messam (Waikato, Ngai Tuhoe) (capt)
7 - Tanerau Latimer (Bay of Plenty, Tapuika/Ngati Makino/Te Arawa)
8 - Colin Bourke (Bay of Plenty, Ngati Wairere)
Replacements:
16 - Dane Coles (Wellington, Ngati Porou)
17 - Clint Newlands (Hawkeâs Bay, Ngati Kahungunu)
18 - Romana Graham (Waikato, Ngati Awa)
19 - Karl Lowe (Hawkeâs Bay, Ngati Pikiao/Te Arawa) *
20 - Ruki Tipuna (Wellington, Ngai Te Rangi) *
21 - Willie Ripia (Taranaki, Ngai Tuhoe) *
22 - Jackson Willison (Waikato, Ngati Mahuta)
Jaysus Gear just made a fucking laugh of Horgans attempt to hit him there. This will be a long night
Iâll be surprised if Sextons jaws not broken again there, very deliberate hit from the Maori.
Ireland not offering much here so far.
One or two individuals doing ok but Maoris look far likelier to score tries. Irish are bouncing off tackles. Restarts are a complete joke.
Sexton FFSâŚ
And Sexton chokes yet again.
He just cant handle the step up to International
ROG has to start against the Wallabies.
Good guts shown there this morning but disappointing result in the end.
Sexton was superb, Wallace was excellent too. Pack stood up well to the challenge and allowed Ireland to play a more structured game which was what got us back into it after being 18-3 down or whatever it was at one stage.
Unreal game by Sexton there-fantastic he was.
Pity Munsterâs Ronan made 2 fuck ups to give the game to the Maoriâs
Very petty
Sexton can get kicks until it really matters and then misses. ROG misses kicks at all stages but has a history of getting them when it matters.
Based on that we should play Sexton first 50 and then ROG last 30.
Stringer was looking around like a SPA and got robbed. The throw in was crooked and that was crazy.
No point in looking for positives here. The players let themselves down.
Sexton kicking straight into touch was dreadful. ROG did it in the last game at the start but thats just bad technique. With Sexton is 100% choke.
Not petty, pity.
If we are building to the future and the 2011 WC then Sexton has to be first choice come autmn internationals and the Six Nations abd Tony Buckley needs to be tightheadâŚDidnât see any of this morningâs match so canât comment
Looking at 14 months time, what kind of squad are we looking at if everyone is fit:unsure:
Props:
Hayes
Horan
Buckey
Healy
Court
Hookers:
Flannery
Best
Cronin
Second Row:
OâConell
Cullen
OâCallaghan
One of OâDriscoll/OâDonoghue/Donnacha Ryan
Back Row:
Ferris
Wallace
Heaslip
Leamy
One of Muldoon/McLoughlin/Henry/OâBrien/Jennings
Scrum Halves:
OâLeary
Reddan
Stringe/Boss
OutHalves:
OâGara
Sexton
Backs:
Wallace(third choice out half)
OâDriscoll
DâArcy
Earls
Bowe
Fitzgerald
Kearney
Murphy/Trimble
Doesnât look all that hectic, that is pretty much the best case scenario squad