Ireland vs Italy match thread

[WillyGilly]

Ireland:
15 - Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 - Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt)
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
9 - Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 - Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 - Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 - Sean Cronin (Leinster)
17 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
19 - Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
22 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

Italy:
15 Andrea Masi
14 Tommaso Benvenuti
13 Gonzalo Canale
12 Gonzalo Garcia
11 Mirco Bergamasco
10 Luciano Orquera
9 Fabio Semenzato
8 Sergio Parisse (captain)
7 Mauro Bergamasco
6 Alessandro Zanni
5 Cornelius van Zyl
4 Quintin Geldenhuys
3 Martin Castrogiovanni
2 Leonardo Ghiraldini
1 Salvatore Perugini.

Replacements:
16 Fabio Ongaro
17 Andrea Lo Cicero
18 Marco Bortolami
19 Paul Derbyshire
20 Edoardo Gori
21 Riccardo Bocchino
22 Luke McLean.

Fresh thread. Morning!

Forget what we did to the Aussies (well don't forget it, it was awesome just put it to one side). Still work required. Wales looking good against Fiji so let's hope we're up by halftime so we can start resting the more breakable players. Say a prayer for young Jonny as well should we need his kicking boots.

3 2 1...

Go...

[Cari]

Well done willy! Thought you'd gone to bed...

I'll be back after the Wales game

[WillyGilly]

Was busy making notes on the welsh side for Mr Kidney

[Cari]

COME ON IRELAND, LET'S HAVE YOOOOOOO!

I'm hoping Tommy-Two-Tries will appear today.

[Shifty]

Right Wales have got to the quarters, god willing Ireland will too and we can all pile onto a thread next week for a classic with the winner getting to the semi finals

[rodders]

Wow Wales have thrown down the gauntlet for sure.

Lets see what our boys can do here. I'm pretty worried about this game and I'm not sure what tactics we are going to employ. O'Gara will be the key man here and he'll need to play a much more controlled game than he did against Russia.

The tight 5 are really in for a tough test here too.

[Cari]

Ah Rodders, Ireland will come good - we want that QF! Believe!

[WillyGilly]

Right Wales have got to the quarters, god willing Ireland will too and we can all pile onto a thread next week for a classic with the winner getting to the semi finals

Things get pretty frosty not to mention fiesty during the 6N. Dread to think the think what'll happen when a WC semi is at stake.

[eirebilly]

Wales are a class team, they look very good.

Now for Ireland, come on you boys in green

[rodders]

Right no more talk of QF's!

[Cari]

Billy - I'll be rooting for the Green Gods today as usual...but come next week...even Tommy will be on the naughty step...

[eirebilly]

Thanks Cari, shame we may be on opposing sides next weekend

[Shifty]

Things get pretty frosty not to mention fiesty during the 6N. Dread to think the think what'll happen when a WC semi is at stake.

It's ok we have a cunning plan, Cari and RugbyDreamer will flirt with the lads on here and lull them into a false sense of security, then Lee Bryne will come from behind Tommy bowe, and North will have an over lap.
O'Driscoll will start moaning, the best part of any ain against Ireland, and we have also flown in the ball boy from the cardiff game.

No flaws there is there!

[Guest]

I'm getting very nervous that all pundits/interviewers are talking as though Ireland have already won.

C'mon the men in green, Wales v Ireland QF would be amazing!

[Biltong]

Hmmmm, i wonder if I should shout for Italy here?

doubt it will help though.

[Cari]

Go on Biltong. Level out the support here

[Shifty]

I'm getting very nervous that all pundits/interviewers are talking as though Ireland have already won.

C'mon the men in green, Wales v Ireland QF would be amazing!

Italy did play 4 days ago, they will be tired to be honest.
they will give Ireland a few bumps and bruises though.

[Biltong]

Go on Biltong. Level out the support here

[rodders]

Italy may tire late on but they have front rowers they can bring on whereas we don't. Italy have great chance here, no doubt about it and if Ireland play like they did against Russia then we'll be going home on monday.

It's time for Heaslip, BOD and Bowe to step up to the plate and the pack are going to have to play like they did against Australia.

[Cari]

Well Italy gave the warning about the scrum, so Ireland would've done some work on that in training.

[Shifty]

Go on Biltong. Level out the support here

Yes but be nice
Though feel free to say as many bad things about O'Driscoll as you like.
Anyone who looks like Sean Holleys evil twin brother deserves it

[Cari]

BOD is frustratingly legendary. I can't say a bad thing about him.

[Shifty]

I like Kidney he is such a happy chappy
He reminds me of a confident little leprechaun, i just wish he would have a green top hat on.

[Cari]

He reminds me of Elmer Fudd.

Oh no here's the embarrassing bit....I do like it when the little men appear on the screen though

[Shifty]

I think we need a roll call of the Irish lads, where's Notch and the other lads, I feel it's only Dramer, Cari, Bill and me here?

[Cari]

They'll be here. Billy's about so is Willy, Thomond and Rodders.

[Thomond]

Declan Kidney,happy? I think I've only ever seen him smile or laugh when we won the Grand slam! I won't be here for thegame but come on Ireland !!!!

[Cari]

Quinny commentating

Come on Ireland, you can do this.

[Cari]

I do like the Italian anthem. Awh bless the big guys crying...

The Italians have got some new totty in their team.

[Guest]

wow how emotional was Mirco Bergamasco? hope he manages to keep himself in check, he can lose the plot sometiems.

And I just spigging well love Parisse.

Great anthem.

[rodders]

I'm surprised Cullen isn't on the bench with question marks over O'Connell

This is going to be a war!

I'm backing ROG for a MOTM display! Come on Ireland!

[Guest]

wow, how much Irish support is tehre? they're belting out the anthem!

[Cari]

Tommy was having a good sing song there...Heaslip looked like he was going to start laughing like a maniac. He's got that madness in him today....

Oh fecking adverts

[MMC]

Dying with nerves now....

Come on Ireland!!

[rodders]

Irelands call is coming back into vogue!

The lads look fired up and emotional! Thats exactly what we need, to meet fire with fire!

[Cari]

QUINNY!!!!! Sweetest voice in commentary...

GWAAAAAN IRELAND!

[rodders]

Wow good start by Italy !

[Shifty]

I do like the Italian anthem. Awh bless the big guys crying...

The Italians have got some new totty in their team.

You know the limit missy, 40 minutes of Ireland is your max today

[rodders]

Big scrum by Ireland!!!

[Glas a du]

Hands down DOC!

[rodders]

Good work by O'Brien! He looks like a man posessed!

[Cari]

It sounds like the inside of Lansdowne Road there, that'll gee up the team.

Good scrum ireland.

[rodders]

Poor kick from ROG

[Cari]

...but a good kick from BOD!?

[Cari]

Good work Tommy! He's looking strong which is good, glad the injury wasn't serious.

[rodders]

ROG is far too deep! We are not getting over the gainline and there's far too many risky offloads!

[Cari]

Italy get a row off the ref. Penalty to Ireland. ROG to kick it.

[Guest]

super kick ROG to get the points.

[Cari]

Wow - the silence comes to NZ!

Great kick 0 -3.

[rodders]

Beautiful kick from ROG. Just stop the kamikaze stuff though.

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