Ire v Italy

[megweya]

I'm feeling confident (nothing new!)

Yes Italy have a good front row, & good back-ups on the bench,
but I think Healy, Best & Ross can make it an even contest (barring injury).

Ireland beat them hollow at 4, 5, 6, 7.
Parisse & Heaslip could be a good match-up.

Ireland to get the better of the line-outs (Italy poor v USA), rucks and maybe the mauls.

Behind the scrum, the young tyro Murray (size & a quick pass !?! Amazing), and the old tyro Roy Keane (ROG* - no credit to me for that idea; it's from this excellent Irish rugby blog) will put Ireland into the parts of the field that will win them the game. BOD will defy his ageing legs/shoulders, D'Arcy will ignore his niggles, Earls/Bowe/Kearney will be a potent back-3.

(* ROG:  hit the post with one conversion v Russia “I missed one after I fell in love with myself when kicking one from the touchline so I can’t do that again)

However, Ireland won't win easy, they never do. But they will win.
Maybe like this (again) - dg to win by 1 pt in this year's 6N

No fears

Megweya

[Geeves]

Go Italy!!

[irishcure]

Not as confident as Meg on this occasion. In fact, I'm full of nerves. If the Italians manage to get a foothold at all, it's gonna be a dogfight. I would have liked to see Sexton start with Reddan to keep us on track as regards the tournament buid-up. We're now lacking that psychological and tactical weapon on the bench if things are not going to plan. And we'll be kicking possession away while the Italians are fresh and determined and then trying to run the ball just when our guys might be tiring and getting more tense (if Sexton comes on while the game is still tight).

Then again it's likely Sexton will only get on the pitch at 12 this time round with ROG playing on at 10. It would be a bizarre choice for Kidney to sub in Sexton if the game is in any way still close and dependent on penalties.

It may well be tough but whatever way you look at it Ireland should win this. Even if only by a score. I really can't see ROG messing up his big opportunity to steal the show - and I'm thinking that's what Kidney is feeling too.

[megweya]

Job done, roll on the QF - cue the "Gatland Gob" war of words.

The verbals didn't work for Mallet mouthing-off the Irish pack.

Cheers

Megweya

[BallBoy]

fantastic game played by the Irish. Were patient and drained the Azzuri until it was time to spark.

I can not wait for the match between the Green and Red. Both impressed me the most in this years WC. I do think the Irish should pip it at the end but, hell, the dragons play with some heart this year

So it will be a north south finish - unavoidable, right? The poms should whipe the floor with the haphazard Frogs. I think both the Dragons and the Green machine can easily beat the Poms based on what I've seen so far 

[irishcure]

Yep was terrific stuff. Right in the 3rd quarter, when the game could of gone either way, the boys went for the jugular and never looked back.

Another bonus is that most Welsh I've chatted to are also losing the run of themselves a bit since their near miss with the Boks and their big win over a Fiji team that looked almost semi-pro. That will suit us as the one thing I dreaded was going in to the Welsh game as way-out favourites. Not our style. If we can dictate the game and keep the ball... then I'd be confident we have the experienced heads to make the most of it.

Big big ROG/Sexton selection decision now to be made for the quarter. What you think Meg? 

But tis a good position to be in.

[Geeves]

Damn but I’m expecting a number of Azzuri to be suspended after that game.  Full of niggle, a face gouge, stuff continually off the ball.  The fact that the Irish kept to their game plan and didn’t retaliate illustrated their maturity.  Kaplan lost total control of that match.

[BallBoy]

Big big ROG/Sexton selection decision now to be made for the quarter. What you think Meg? 

My vote would be for ROG and let him dictate pace and play. sexton at start of 3/4 to run it wild

[Geeves]

Well the Italian hooker got 15 weeks. 

If compared to

A $10,000 fine for a mouthguard (I always thought safety was a priority)

A total ban on rugby for not attending a meeting he claims didn't know about (he did go overboard on the tweets & I'm not 100% sure he wasn't told, but hell)

A slap over the wrist for swapping the ball to kick with (now WTF, I would have thought loss of the points for the game or disqualification from the RWC as that's deliberate cheating.  It’s not the first time England has done something like this.  Anyone else remembers the blood capsule.)

A ban on bible scrips (how is that going to offend anyone?)

Georgia's Gugava, Tonga's Hufanga both got 5 weeks for bad tackling, yet for the same offence and grade France's Estebanez only got 3 weeks

Nothing like consistency

[ruggerfan]

A ban on bible scrips (how is that going to offend anyone?)

What's that about Geeves? Musta missed that one.

[Geeves]

We hear an IRB directive to teams has said if a player has a biblical reference written on any tape they apply to their body during a game it has to be officially checked so it doesn't contravene World Cup commercial arrangements. Apparently holy crosses are fine, but any wording has to be passed.

People will do anything to prevent ambush marketing.