That would have been a cracking try if it had dropped for Murphy, some great link up play, especially from Ronan
McFadden is out of the tour with a fractured jaw, Horgan and Flannery are doubts, Varley and Johhny(or however he spells it) Murphy are travelling as a precautionā¦Disappointed to see McFadden. he mightnāt have seen much gametime but it would be no harm for him to have travelled and got a game against the Maorisā¦
Tony Buckley would really frustrate you watching him, didnāt do much fo 60 minutes, like a man that didnāt want to be out there and then was excellent especially in the loose for the last 20ā¦
Cracking atmosphere in the millenium stadium nowā¦live on setanta ireland
What was John Smit thinking there, absolutely telegraphedā¦The millenium is well and truly rockingā¦
Puke, thereās no atmosphere there. :lol:
Smashing try by Niall Ronan last night - thatās why I love this game.
Did you not realise that my comments were tonge and cheek, it is as poor as i have seen it in the millenium with a full house for a long timeā¦
I didnāt, Puke, and I apologise for that.
What do you make of Alan Lewis as a referee?
He is decent enough, fairly vocalā¦Wouldnāt rate him as high as Rolland
What do you make of Jools Holland as an entertainer?
middling to fair 
Varley called in for the injured Flannery I believe. Some season for the East Clare native.
:rolleyes:
youāre some gimp, he didnāt move to killaloe til he was 10 years of age when his auld lad got stationed there
So you believe he wouldnāt see himself as a Clare man then Puke? Or a Killaloe man for that part? Thats an in interesting claim I must say.
No I wouldnāt really to be honest, came to killaloe when he was ten, boarded in Munchinās has spent very little time actually living in killaloe
This should be good, canāt believe heās started O Gara, well I can, but its still fucking ridiculous.
Ireland team to face New Zealand on Saturday at Yarrow Stadium, kick-off 8.35am:
Rob Kearney (Leinster); Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Brian OāDriscoll (Leinster, capt), Gordon DāArcy (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster); Ronan OāGara (Munster), Tomas OāLeary (Munster); Cian Healy (Leinster), Sean Cronin (Connacht), John Hayes (Munster), Donncha OāCallaghan (Munster), Mick OāDriscoll (Munster), John Muldoon (Connacht), David Wallace (Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster).
Replacements: John Fogarty (Leinster), Tony Buckley (Munster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster), Shane Jennings (Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester).
New Zealand team to face Ireland on Saturday at Yarrow Stadium, kick-off 8.35am:
Israel Dagg (Highlanders); Cory Jane (Hurricanes), Conrad Smith (Hurricanes), Benson Stanley (Blues), Joe Rokocoko (Blues); Daniel Carter (Crusaders), Jimmy Cowan (Highlanders); Ben Franks (Crusaders), Keven Mealamu (Blues), Owen Franks (Crusaders), Brad Thorn (Crusaders), Anthony Boric (Blues), Jerome Kaino (Blues), Richie McCaw (Crusaders, capt), Kieran Read (Crusaders).
Replacements: Aled de Malmanche (Chiefs), Neemia Tialata (Hurricanes), Sam Whitelock (Crusaders), Victor Vito (Hurricanes), Piri Weepu (Hurricanes), Aaron Cruden (Hurricanes), Zac Guildford (Crusaders).
Iām not sure why Oā Gara is a surprise, he is the man in better form.
I think we will do well, will be interesting to see the handicaps for it.
Our backs are possibly more experienced as a unit, we could break even there, but of course any new kiwi back could just tear you apart for fun on occasion. Iād worry (as ever) about the front row, the Franks brothers could tear us a new new one. Think Cronin is capable of outplaying Mealamu though. Line out & 2nd row could be in their favour, but i think our back row could very well win out overall, and with us having Heaslip in it iād say we should never fear anyone. He probably in top3 back rowers in the world, if not the best.
NZ 24
Ireland 19
Because we know what O Gara can (or canāt) do in NZ.
About the same as any other Irish player down there has ever done. His place kicking went off in one game in particular in Dunedin if i remember correct. But if thats what the worry is then its certainly not Sexton you need at the moment.
I remember ROG being absolutely superb from open play down there in one game, in pissing rain, canāt quite recall when or where.
I donāt think its as big a call as it would have been 2-3 months ago. People used to say ROG couldnāt play in France and in Finals before as well, heās proved both those to be surmountable as well.
It was the caketin and it was with the Adidas pig. It is irrelevant. This was the game for Sexton, we will learn nothing more about O Gara on Saturday regardless of how well he plays or not.
But seen as ROG will be around for the WC they still have to pick on form, as there is no surety about Sexton. Heās gone way back since earlier in season and seems to have lost confidence.
Instead of pushing on and improving he has gone back, not a great sign to be honest.