Fired up Ireland ready to throw off the Shackles

So, we were holding back. Saving it for NZ. Not declaring our full hand. Like the Saffers. Hmmmmm. I hope so. It would make some sense.
Got to love Donnacha. It's hard not to.

"Even this morning, he (Kidney) was geared around getting results. People might say that's boring enough, but it's the little things that might lead to three points. Good drills as well, new ideas, and it's good that we've got here now and they've opened the bag a bit more. There's new plans, there's new line-outs, new moves, we haven't changed calls, just expanded them a bit."

"I didn't know at the time, but we were a little bit restricted in the warm-up games because they didn't want to show their hand. So now it's about getting up to speed for ourselves and then concentrating on America, which will be massive," added O'Callaghan.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/world-cup/firedup-ireland-ready-to-remove-shackles-2866556.html

With players who have won multiple HC's, a SLAM and who represented the Lions... ROG, POC, DOC, BOD, Sexton, Heaslip, Flannery, Cullen, SOB, Kearney, Bowe, Reddan et al - we have the nucleus of a winning 22. Players who know how to win and close out huge games in the HC. This combined experience and nous, must be brought to bear. Those players must take this responsibility. Its not just the coaching staff.

O' Driscoll, O'' Connell and O'Gara, are not going to leave anything behind them in this one. If they perform and lead - and they will - the rest will follow. That is the biggest positive I can take going into it.

Do we Believe? Phooking right we do. No more negativity. Your Country Needs You.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYHlttt--tY

I believe Gibson ! Bring it on!

Hearts of steel
And heads unbowing
Vowing never to be broken
We will fight, until
We can fight no more
From the four proud provinces of Ireland

Go get 'em cowboy. Love it. This is the attitude.
Just get out there, eat nails for breakfast, crushed glass for lunch and play some nut-cutting Rugby.

Belief and passion is everything. Comes straight through the post!

Meanwhile back on planet earth.....

Just joking lads. For Ireland to do well in this world cup the steely determination of the 6N performance against England to have a good tournament, and to be honest I just can't see it happening. The Irish players confidence has almost certainly taken a massive dent and getting to the semis will be a fantastic achivement. However I do think the QF will be as far as Ireland will go.

Fair enough Radge. It would seem that way, but this team is due a huge peformance. And I believe that will come v Oz. Tall order, but it is in our psyche to do it when we are not expected to. We love the underdog tag. Thrive on it. Totally different mindset to 2007. A great performance, with things they have been working on, clicking v USA - will set that up.

Thanks for the trumpet call Gibbo. The negativity must stop now and time to get behind the lads. We might not be as good as believe sometimes but there is a massive performance in this side and I feel it's coming soon.

C'mon Ireland. Do our green shirt proud!

Somehow I’ve convinced myself this was the plan all along.

We’re bringing Willy Ellis home lads, they’ll be dancing at the crossroads with poitin and porter, bonfires and singing till dawn.

Eireann Abú!

Keep doubting us radge. The more people that write us off the better. Like Gibson says we are at our best when our backs are against the wall.

We'll come out fighting in this WC, I'm sure of it. There's no way our guys will leave anything behind. If we give it 100% I'll be happy regardless of how far we go but I'm quietly confident that if we give it our all we might go further than people think.

We just need to take it one game at a time and not get ahead of ourselves. Like DOC says there is nothing after the USA game right now.

"we were a little bit restricted in the warm-up games because they didn't want to show their hand"

Saving up all the tricks for the mighty USA?

Just saying...

Showing your hand against the USA? What was the point in holding it up until then? then?

Passion and belief can do wonders. Especially in Rugby. Don't blow your juice against the US, but I agree: Ireland have the feel of a team with something big coming. And with style. Can't wait to see it.

GG,
Because this is the real thang man.Warm-ups dont count. You get no prize for them. The Saffers did the same thing and won it in 2007. They are doing it again. Should be an interesting clash, when we will most likely meet them in the QF's. To beat Oz, would change the whole picture. And I'd still fancy our chances v the Saffers if we dont.

TheGreyGhost wrote:"we were a little bit restricted in the warm-up games because they didn't want to show their hand"

Saving up all the tricks for the mighty USA?

Just saying...

Showing your hand against the USA? What was the point in holding it up until then? then?

The USA won't know whats hit them GG.....

Makes you wonder what Aironi have up their sleeves...

greybeard wrote:Makes you wonder what Aironi have up their sleeves...

Arms?

MBTGOG wrote:

greybeard wrote:Makes you wonder what Aironi have up their sleeves...

Arms?

Goodness then

As it the USA didn't have enough to worry about as it was.

A fired up Ireland is all they need...

I genuinly want Ireland to do well but I have no idea how you could expect to beat South Africa or Australia on the back of a warm up campaign that saw you lose 4 matches including one against us!

There is a massive difference between belief and hope. Hoping you can win is an inspiration to any rugby nation and I admire that sort of passion. "Belief" in victory under such circumstances is unrealistic.

I am certainly hoping for Scotland to make it out of the quarters, however I know achiveing this goal is far from certain.

BTW the Aironi comment about arms made me chuckle!

Radge,
That game was with our 2nd team. And we love the Scots. Noworimeanbud?

And we are not at home to Mr. Negative this week.

I actually think Scotland could surprise a few. England are nothing special. Either are Argentina... Robbo is one of the best and most experienced coaches out there. So Believe.

No reality checks in here.

It's all about the blind optimism of Ireland's chances. Nothing else to be entertained.

Munsty, that's the spiggot - love it!!

Gibson wrote:Radge,
I actually think Scotland could surprise a few. England are nothing special. Either are Argentina... Robbo is one of the best and most experienced coaches out there. So Believe.

As an England fan, I am more concerned about playing Scotland than Argentina. I wouldnt be surprised if they did beat us to be honest. We only really have an edge if our backs fire, which is a massive if itself.

As for Ireland, if we do finish top of our group, and then beat (supposedly) France in the QF, we will in likelihood have to play Ireland or Australia (I think) in the semi. My preference would be to face Oz. Ireland did us badly in the last 6N, and it still scares me a bit if I'm honest. Oz though, well they are just a piece of p155 to beat of course, a walk in the park, easier than 123 etc etc etc

Good man Oval. That's the spirit. Expect nothing and everything. Somewhere in between would do me at this stage. I just want good performances, commitment and passion 1st. Then see where that takes our respective teams.

It's very nice that you guys believe that, but I struggle to believe that Ireland didn't want to try out their new moves in meaningless friendlies, but think a World Cup is the place to try things out.

By the way, how were the Saffers holding back? They still won two games though.

Funny thing is that the players don't seem to care about the warm-ups; at all. Totally, brazenly, unconcerned about the results. They've been treated as pre-season games. That annoys me a lot because our home record against England has been ruined in a game we never seemed to take seriously.

The level of confidence seems to be very high amongst the players.

I don't think we'll beat Australia but the level we are at as a side when we reach the Italy game will be much higher than the warm-ups. That should be true of every side including our opponents. I think it's rather too early to say how we'll do in the quarter-finals should we reach them.

Risca Rev wrote:By the way, how were the Saffers holding back? They still won two games though.

I think they are referring to the fact they left out something like 20 players from their first two games.

Rev,
I think we were trying out positional partnerships, getting everyone game time and nursing long standing injured players back into the fold. The latter part worked. Fla, Murphy, Ferris and Kearney all came through. Big positive.

As for the new moves and our open-game .. well. Didn't click did it? But lots to work on for the USA. Im sure they poured over the videos for hours. Now, for the real thing. Playing Oz last would have been the ultimate. But we haven't got that time and space.

On the Saffers - They kept their best players away from the action in the 1st few games. Said they were all nursing injuries and needed recuperation R & R. Yeah roysh.
They will be fresh and ready to go, come the real deal.

South Africa only won one game actually.

The row over whether we will see different moves from Ireland or not is a bit of a red herring. There are three possibilities really;

a) We have been holding back some calls for the start of the real action.
b) We are so perturbed by the lack of success we had in August we are going to introduce new moves into the mix, although this wasn't the original plan.
c) We think everything is fine and will change nothing.

c) seems to be the least likely option.

Nah, I think we'll try a few different things against the USA

Ireland will be grand. They've got an Osprey on side

And they wear disco shirts!

MBTGOG wrote:South Africa only won one game actually.

I figured I'd be wrong in that. Anyway, the gist still stands. They won one game then, which is more than Ireland.

Ireland won't be trying too much new against USA. There's a lot riding on that game too. An ex head coach for one. I really struggle to believe that any side will be trying too much (if anything) new in the WC.

That's the spirit.

I remember the last time Ireland had fallen down the rankings, lost confidence and there was a lot negativity around the team.

Then this happened

What did I say about negativity on this thread?

Also Notch, just a warning. No thought out logic on this thread, I'm enjoying our odd reasoning as to why we will do well.

You should red pen me really.

I do want Ireland to do well. That's the best I can do

BOD and D'Arcy to spear tackle the US Captain in the opening minute. Then you are pretty much guaranteed to win your next three games by handsome margins, according to old man history at least.

It might help if can get Sir Clive to persuade Captain America to throw a blade of grass at you before kick off....

Risca Rev wrote:

MBTGOG wrote:South Africa only won one game actually.

I figured I'd be wrong in that. Anyway, the gist still stands. They won one game then, which is more than Ireland.

Ireland won't be trying too much new against USA. There's a lot riding on that game too. An ex head coach for one. I really struggle to believe that any side will be trying too much (if anything) new in the WC.

Rev,
I don't think we will try anything radically new. I just think we will want to hone, what we have been working on for 18 months now. It worked in the 6-N v England. We blew them away. That level of performance would trouble any team. That's the marker. Its in us to do it. That we know. Now to actually go out and do it a few times in a row. That level of consistency, more than anything - has been our bugbear for nigh on 100 years. Never mind the RWC.

One game at a time Sweet Jesus. Lets see where we end up.

I think we have the team to make a SF. Really do. It would be just like Kidney, to be quietly smiling, at previous naysayers like moi - if we make a SF. I would love that so much. So, I for one - am behind him. Give him that chance. He knows how to win at Cup Rugby.

I'm not sure I believe anything I'm about to write but sure with the spirit of the thread I'll give this optimisim thing a lash...

Firstly, have ye seen the pictures on Irish rugby.ie of the all going rafting and bunjee jumping and whatnot? They're having great craic over there and the mood in the camp should be MEGA (I hate that word but for the thread). They'll be playing with a smile on their faces and Deccie's always going on about how that's important and Deccie knows everything.

Secondly, sure we didn't do too well in our warm up games but sure didn't all the Irish provinces lose their pre-season games last year and we still came 1,2,3 in the pro 12 and Leinster won a nice shiny Heineken while they were at it. No big deal.

Thirldly, all the Irish lads are saying the defeats doesn't hurt them and they don't care about it since it's not the world cup yet. As a gullible fool I 100% believe they're telling the truth. It doesn't matter in the slightest. Come the world cup we'll be on fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire.

Lastly, we're Irish and we always do well in world cups! It's a foregone conclusion we'll be in the semi's at the very least like.

Be afraid rest of the world, be very afraid!!

Well boys we plan to make the semi finals as well, so get ready for one hell of a mtach up.

Easy! Easy! Easy! Easy!

For us, I assume?

Of course.

Thanks mate, I knew you would come around evetually

Beware an Irishman bearing false hopes for the opposition.

Gibson, I don't really see that as bringing false hope to us, more a case of accepting reality

I must say, D'Arcy really had me fooled during the warm-ups. There was me thinking he was drastically off form and playing like a complete tool - turns out he was under instructions to keep his best stuff under wraps. Phew!!

As for Buckley, he should get an oscar.

biltongbek wrote:Well boys we plan to make the semi finals as well, so get ready for one hell of a mtach up.

We won't meet you in the quarters. Sure we're gonna beat the Aussies like

We'll probably win the bugger outright, if you ask me.

funnyExiledScot wrote:I must say, D'Arcy really had me fooled during the warm-ups. There was me thinking he was drastically off form and playing like a complete tool - turns out he was under instructions to keep his best stuff under wraps. Phew!!

As for Buckley, he should get an oscar.

Exile. Astute as ever. Yeah, Gordon played like a moron. Its all a cunning plan to help McFadden up the ante and be a star at the RWC. Man Management.
As for Mushy. Yeah, hes a huge hape of a man with so much latent potential. He just needs a Deccie cuddle and we will see him shine. All part of the plan for World Domination. Like Irish Pubs.

If only ye knew how hard it is for me to be this positive. It is my cross to bear for my country.

Believe.

Buckley has been doing this for years like. 30 years of his life, secretly brilliant. It's been hard for him to hold back on the pitch all his career. I wouldn't like to be the opposing loosehead when the shackles really come off.