In this lull before the Rugby World Cup, I have decided to follow the lead of fellow esteemed bloggers and publish my thoughts on each top ten team heading into the World Cup Competition and what I think their chances are. Here are my thoughts on Ireland:
Current World Rank: 5
Random cliché: The pluck of the Irish
Murray Mexted most likely to say: ‘Everyone knows I’ve been pumping Gordon D’Arcy for a couple of seasons now’
Stephen Jones did say: ‘Ireland has a feeble scrum, weak scrum-half and undermanned lineout and unbalanced back row’ (ouch – don’t hold back Mr. Jones)
Main headline in the local rag when they lose: ‘It was a cheap shot’
Glamour boy: Brian O’Driscoll
Greatest Moment: Triple Crown winners for last two years running
Weakest Moment: Losing to France in the dying minutes of the 2007 Six Nations, thus ruining their best chance ever to date of winning the tournament.
Weak link: Ronan O’Gara’s tackling
Redeeming features: Keith Wood – ex captain and now star commentator. He even cried on telly in the last world cup when Ireland lost to Oz. A man that in not afraid to show his emotions and has a nice shiny head to boot. Great for Ireland and great for rugby.
Incumbent star: Paul O’Connell
Rising star: Gordon D’Arcy
7 comments:
Ferdy, for weakest moment for Ireland, you can also add letting in that late try against an overmatched Italian side-but their lack of focus and intensity at the end of the France Match in Ireland was pretty mind-blowing.
Ferdy, I will go out on a limb and call O'Gara the "David Beckham of rugby". He's a decent player, but I don't think he's a GREAT player.
I agree. He isn't the greatest first five eighth, but he has won matches with his kicking many a time. What do you think of O'Driscoll - who is your pick out of him and Mortlock?
Hi Ferdy, I take Mortlock because he is more of threat with the ball, tackles better and is a better leader. O'Driscoll is a very, very good player, I just think in terms of Tri Nations or World Cup matches, I think Mortlock is a better player when the chips are down.
and you are all so modest and incredibly unbiased! you should stick to sheep shearing or something of a personal nature like that. after this world cup you sheep farmers will still have only won one world cup. you mouth as good as the brits in soccer - they still thinktheyre world beaters since one win in 1966! get real.
this is supposed to be a blog where different points of view are aired not a sheep nations self congratulatery forum before a ball is kicked but then i suppse when you are a new zealander and only good at one sport you have to make the most of it. all the insults about the irish are duly noted and will be rammed down your throats in the world cup. your humour is barbaric. you had to tae out the worlds greatest player during the lions tour but then the motto of the sheep shagging all blacks is win "at all costs"!!!!
Dear 'Muttoneater'. Please note that this is a blog. Not an international news site. Since I am a New Zealander, I write about rugby with a NZ flavour to it. If you do not like it, you don't have to visit.
BTW - racism isn't welcomed on my site so if you want to leave a comment next time, use your brain and a spell check (and leave your bigoted stereotypes at the door). Thanks.
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