not at all mate- uts just disheartening to pen up a thread & see you & MBB shooting the breeze 
But you hate rugger ncc, why would you bother reading about it…i hate wrestling so i don’t bother with the wrestling threads…wouldn’t it be a lot easier for you not to read this thread if it disheartens you so much…
im all about gaining knowledge pukey- whether I like something or not I read it
[quote=“north county corncrake”]can you not post on one topic without filling it up with cliche ridden pap - “Rog will be targeted” Is that the best you can do?
is tripe like all you can show for 6 hard months in agricultural tech?[/quote]
Someones got a little bit of scalded arse on him today.
by jesus for a man that is all about gaining knowledge you know fuck all about a lot of things
Sorry, but credit where its due, that was fucking good.
as i said earlier - nothing more disheartening than you 2 shooting the breeze
[quote=“myboyblue”]Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.
Henry rolls out big guns for Ireland encounter
New Zealand coach Graham Henry has rolled out all his big guns for Saturday’s clash at Croke Park, with Richie McCaw leading a side that shows 11 changes from the one that beat Scotland 32-6 at Murrayfield last weekend.
Dan Carter returns at outhalf in place of Stephen Donald in a new halfback pairing, with Jimmy Cowan getting the nod at scrumhalf over Piri Weepu.
There are three changes further out with Mils Muliaina coming in at fullback, with Joe Rokocoko moving back to the right wing to allow Sitiveni Sivivatu take the left berth. Conrad Smith joins Ma’a Nonu in midfield.
Keven Mealamu and Ali Williams are the only survivors in the pack. McCaw will lead a brand new backrow combination, with Jerome Kaino at blindside and Rodney So’oiala at number eight.
Brad Thorn joins Williams in the secondrow, while Tony Woodcock and Neemia Tialata taking over either side of Mealamu in the frontrow.
Henry praised Ireland’s performance in Wellington earlier this summer and is expecting another hard match on Saturday.
“It could be a torrid encounter. Ireland played with passion and physicality in New Zealand earlier in the year and I’m expecting another tough encounter this time,” he said.
NEW ZEALAND (v Ireland): M Muliaina; J Rokocoko, C Smith, M Nonu, S Sivivatu; D Carter, J Cowan; T Woodcock, K Mealamu, N Tialata, B Thorn, A Williams, J Kaino, R McCaw (Capt), R So’oialo. Replacements: C Flynn, J Afoa, A Boric, K Read, P Weepu, S Donald, I Toweava.[/quote]
Strong oul team. I’ve always felt that Muliaina is a weakness for them and I don’t think his kicking game is superb. Dempsey needs to treat him with the contempt he treated Balshaw back in the day and kill him with his tactical punts.
its a strong Kiwi team but not near what they had pre WC.
Wouldnt be concerned about that team to be honest, Im sure TOL wont be losing to much sleep about a face off with Jimmy Cowan.
Yeah, and i would certainly rate Toeava as a more dangerous player.
Should be a cracker in fairness, Knock-on Nonu will have the physical edge over Luke Fitz in the centre.
scrum is going to come under some savage pressure.
[quote=“therock67”]Interesting selection - not what I expected but no complaints about it. Interesting that there’s one Ulsterman again. Anyone think that’s still a criteria for the team? Not suggesting Best doesn’t deserve it but it’s a one for one switch in terms of Ulster players.
Pleased with the elevation of TOL. No complaints at all with Dempsey. And like the look of the back row. I think the cleaner ruck contests helps the likes of Quinlan and I don’t have the same fear of McCaw that others have - smashing player, but we don’t have a strong enough team to dedicate our team to stopping one of their players.[/quote]
No. Flannery has been shocking for Ireland in his last few games (outwith of last week) and Best has been far more dependable at the lineout. Sure Ferris is well justified to have started on Saturday and Wallace was our best centre on tour last summer. Ridiculous assertion actually.
I see there has been a bit of talk on AFR about John McWeeney in the last hour or two…plagrism of the highest order…If i was you mbb i would be like a cunt…
From RTE.ie
IRB eager to revitalise tours
The International Rugby Board has agreed to investigate a return to traditional touring as a way of addressing concerns over the value of June tours to the southern hemisphere.
Australia and New Zealand recently warned they would be prepared to scrap future European tours in protest at having to host under-strength touring teams.
France have sent shadow squads to Australia and New Zealand over the past two summers because their domestic club competition has not finished until the end of June.
England selected their strongest possible squad for the trip to New Zealand but they were still missing a large number of front-line players, who were in various stages of rehab.
Neither Test was sold out. Both Australia and New Zealand are angry that ticket sales and revenues are hit by below-strength touring teams.
The issue was high on the agenda at Monday’s meeting at Heathrow of the ten tier one nations.
It was agreed that a return to traditional tours - with midweek matches played in between Tests - would be the ‘best way to enhance meaning and value for the problematic June window’.
The meeting also agreed to conclude discussions about the integration of Argentina into the Tri-Nations ‘as a matter of urgency’.
The IRB will also explore the possibility of setting up a tournament or series of matches in a Lions year involving teams not involved in the tour.
For example, next summer that would include Argentina, France, Australia and New Zealand.
IRB chairman Bernard Lapasset said: 'The meeting in Heathrow was both constructive and extremely positive and all the delegates demonstrated a clear collective willingness to work together to consider meaningful solutions.
‘Building on the outcomes of the historic Global Season Forum at Woking last year, the group asked the IRB to work on three specific opportunities in detail - tours to the South in the June window; the creation of a tournament or a series of matches in a Lions year for unions not involved in the Lions tour and Argentina’s full integration into the Tri Nations.’
Lapasset went on to outline the complexities involved in creating a global playing calendar, from the often different requirements of clubs and unions to player welfare issues and time zone issues.
‘It is incredibly complex,’ he said.
‘Finding solutions that allow for growth, a balanced schedule and the promotion of meaningful matches has been a challenge.’
The IRB confirmed work on all three issues would begin immediately and will be discussed at upcoming executive committee and council meetings.
[quote=“dancarter”]its a strong Kiwi team but not near what they had pre WC.
Wouldnt be concerned about that team to be honest, Im sure TOL wont be losing to much sleep about a face off with Jimmy Cowan.[/quote]
Ireland 4/1 for the win, fill your boots lads.
I am just a vessel through which the Lord works Puke, nothing I can do about it.
Wouldnt call Best more dependable in the line out. Line out has been a mess since midway point in 6 Nations last year, no matter who was tossing into it. Best is decent in the right, but in the loose and the line out I’d pick Flannery any day of the week. Good to see Best keep up the ol “quote” though.
Best was definitely throwing in better than Flannery. His throwing wasn’t perfect but we were getting far more lineouts under him than under Flannery. Looks like it’s sorted now for both but Best was really the man in possession and dropping him would have been harsh.
Really looking forward to the game now, what time’s it on at do we know?
Couldnt agree on that to be honest, think both were equally poor ever since it was clear Niall O was getting the bullet.
5.15, live on RT2.
nearly sure it is 3 o clock myself but a lad told me earlier it was 5.30 rock…but he is a knob and i would be fairly confident that i am right…
Seriously is this thread a wind up ?
Who’s going to it lads?
Plenty of tickets flying around apparently
[quote=“Fran”]Who’s going to it lads?
Plenty of tickets flying around apparently[/quote]
loads of tickets alright…I had some con man onto me yesterday looking for 450 euro for 4…