De Grand Finale match - begorrah! England v Ireland 17 March - Hic!

First topic message reminder :

The stage is set for a humdinger of a match next week today with the final match of the Championship hosting a revitalised England fresh from victory in France against their bogey team, Ireland.



Despite a recent run of victories - home and away - against England, Ireland never seem to have a problem in getting up for this match. The fact that it's in Twickenham on St Patrick's Day will give it that little extra edge.

Lancaster and his troops will want to sign off their first season in charge with a flourish. Kidney's Ireland, having been unlucky in the Welsh match, and kicking themselves after their draw in Paris, will want to put another good score and victory on the board.



Ireland will be without O'Connell again who did a lot of the pre-match talking in the build-up to last year's victory for the men in green. England seem full of confidence and it looks like Lancaster has found the right mix and belief that's going to make this grand finale a belter.

Are English fans feeling confident? Irish ones a bit more doubtful of continuing their English streak?


England: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manusamoa Tuilagi, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 David Strettle, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Lee Dickson, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Chris Robshaw (capt), 6 Tom Croft, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Alex Corbisiero.
Replacements: 16 Rob Webber, 17 Matt Stevens, 18 Tom Palmer, 19 Phil Dowson, 20 Ben Youngs, 21 Charlie Hodgson, 22 Mike Brown.

Ireland: 15 R Kearney (Leinster), 14 T Bowe (Ospreys), 13 K Earls (Munster), 12 G D'Arcy (Leinster), 11 A Trimble (Ulster), 10 J Sexton (Leinster), 9 E Reddan (Leinster); 1 C Healy (Leinster), 2 R Best (Ulster, capt), 3 M Ross (Leinster), 4 D O'Callaghan (Munster), 5 D Ryan (Munster), 6 S Ferris (Ulster), 7 S O'Brien (Leinster), 8 J Heaslip (Leinster)
Replacements: 16 S Cronin (Leinster), 17 T Court (Ulster), 18 M McCarthy (Connacht), 19 P O'Mahony (Munster), 20 T O'Leary (Munster), 21 R O'Gara (Munster), 22 F McFadden (Leinster)


[strike]

gregortree wrote:Seems we are not as good as the Welsh at bickering.

I think Hersh, Mighty, 3Gs's and a RWC and a few others might just disagree

Its ok Feckless, you can come back, we won't hurt ya.

'We'as in ' Eng / Ireland ' can't seem to match the Welsh bickering thread. Not even close.

.... what if I was to say....England are bad loooooserrs and we have a better team???? eh???? ..... .....

Triangulation wrote:

roddersm wrote:Does that mean if you guys win tomorrow we can start bickering again?

Yes!

Lets wait and see what happens with the red carpet first

gregortree wrote:'We'as in ' Eng / Ireland ' can't seem to match the Welsh bickering thread. Not even close.

No, we are not even close to their league

roddersm wrote:.... what if I was to say....England are bad loooooserrs and we have a better team???? eh???? ..... .....

You would be stating the truth

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

Triangulation wrote:

roddersm wrote:Does that mean if you guys win tomorrow we can start bickering again?

Yes!

Lets wait and see what happens with the red carpet first

Its at twickenham so no red carpet. The Irish are far more enthusiastic for pomp and ceremony than us Brits.

Believe in my ears people, Ireland by 11 tomorrow

Englishman to Irishman pre English/Irish game. "Look, I hope we win but good luck".
Irishman. "Thanks... we might need some since we're playing away"

Englishman to Welshman pre English/Welsh game. "Look, I hope we win but good luck".
Welshman: "What do you mean 'good luck'?? Why do you think we'll need luck to beat England? Our players won't be needing anything called luck. Skill, speed, stamina and big backs will be all we need! What will England have that won't need luck? - Nothing, that's what! - You are a WUM, you shold be banned from this site!"

Only joking, my Welsh friends

"Oh no, you're not, Fly!!!!!!!!! You're a persistent wummer and should be banned from this site!"

Thomond wrote:

roddersm wrote:.... what if I was to say....England are bad loooooserrs and we have a better team???? eh???? ..... .....

You would be stating the truth

Yeah good one Thomond! We've got them on the run now!

SecretFly wrote:Englishman to Irishman pre English/Irish game. "Look, I hope we win but good luck".
Irishman. "Thanks... we might need some since we're playing away"

Englishman to Welshman pre English/Welsh game. "Look, I hope we win but good luck".
Welshman: "What do you mean 'good luck'?? Why do you think we'll need luck to beat England? Our players won't be needing anything called luck. Skill, speed, stamina and big backs will be all we need! What will England have that won't need luck? - Nothing, that's what! - You are a WUM, you shold be banned from this site!"

Only joking, my Welsh friends

"Oh no, you're not, Fly!!!!!!!!! You're a persistent wummer and should be banned from this site!"

Cracker!

damngoodOvalball wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

Triangulation wrote:

roddersm wrote:Does that mean if you guys win tomorrow we can start bickering again?

Yes!

Lets wait and see what happens with the red carpet first

Its at twickenham so no red carpet. The Irish are far more enthusiastic for pomp and ceremony than us Brits.

Yeah.... in Ireland an elderly lady might have a cake with a symbolic candle on it for her birthday....................... We do do things big.

Secret:

Anyway, I'm off. Good luck to all sides tomorrow.... but let's hope that skill comes into the equation too sometimes!

I think Wales will get their wish but I'll save my congratulations until after the game.

SecretFly wrote:

damngoodOvalball wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

Triangulation wrote:

roddersm wrote:Does that mean if you guys win tomorrow we can start bickering again?

Yes!

Lets wait and see what happens with the red carpet first

Its at twickenham so no red carpet. The Irish are far more enthusiastic for pomp and ceremony than us Brits.

Yeah.... in Ireland an elderly lady might have a cake with a symbolic candle on it for her birthday....................... We do do things big.

My old man sells his wares at the Farmleigh food market near Dublin and I have helped him out from time to time. Even the ice cream van has a red carpet for its waiting (how do you spell queueing?) patrons.

SecretFly wrote:Englishman to Irishman pre English/Irish game. "Look, I hope we win but good luck".
Irishman. "Thanks... we might need some since we're playing away"

Englishman to Welshman pre English/Welsh game. "Look, I hope we win but good luck".
Welshman: "What do you mean 'good luck'?? Why do you think we'll need luck to beat England? Our players won't be needing anything called luck. Skill, speed, stamina and big backs will be all we need! What will England have that won't need luck? - Nothing, that's what! - You are a WUM, you shold be banned from this site!"

Only joking, my Welsh friends

"Oh no, you're not, Fly!!!!!!!!! You're a persistent wummer and should be banned from this site!"

Christ on a bike, that made me laugh

Bicker bicker, bicker.

The boring fact is ... The English and Paddies get on better than any other 2 races abroad. FACT. Don't discuss.


More bicker.. more of the bickering Ted.

Ireland by 25.

Then we'll start moaning how we threw a SLAM away against overrated Welsh and French sides. Ah well. We love an aul moan. Thrive on it.

Be good to see Kearney and Foden go at each other. 2 Lions in waiting.

P.S. The English dont wash.

Gibson wrote:Bicker bicker, bicker.

The boring fact is ... The English and Paddies get on better than any other 2 races abroad. FACT. Don't discuss.


More bicker.. more of the bickering Ted.

Ireland by 25.

Then we'll start moaning how we threw a SLAM away against overrated Welsh and French sides. Ah well. We love an aul moan. Thrive on it.

Be good to see Kearney and Foden go at each other. 2 Lions in waiting.

P.S. The English dont wash.

I had a shower only last week Gibbo.

And the Irish wash Gibbo?

Gibson Your boys and the anglos have something in common that I'm sure welds your beautiful countrys together with love and symmetry - A defeat to a young exuberant welsh team firing on 3 cylinders - Love Mo Chara

2 Lions in waiting on the bench till 1/2p picks up an injury

Portnoy wrote:

Gibson wrote:Bicker bicker, bicker.

The boring fact is ... The English and Paddies get on better than any other 2 races abroad. FACT. Don't discuss.


More bicker.. more of the bickering Ted.

Ireland by 25.

Then we'll start moaning how we threw a SLAM away against overrated Welsh and French sides. Ah well. We love an aul moan. Thrive on it.

Be good to see Kearney and Foden go at each other. 2 Lions in waiting.

P.S. The English dont wash.

I had a shower only last week Gibbo.

Ah fair enough then Portnoy mate. I was probably a bit harsh there. But all's fair in love and washin.

Gibbo
I love Irish company, what a great craic it is.
Paddy's day in Twickenham should be a blast, but sadly I will not be there.
Bought my son his first Guinness at an autumn AI game from the Guinness stand in th W Car Park (alright, not the same as Liffey Guinness). We were thirsty, it was delicious.
I once kissed an Irish colleen in Dublin (Killiney) after an England defeat, did not wash for a week for her sweetness.

Gibson wrote:Bicker bicker, bicker.

The boring fact is ... The English and Paddies get on better than any other 2 races abroad. FACT. Don't discuss.


More bicker.. more of the bickering Ted.

Ireland by 25.

Then we'll start moaning how we threw a SLAM away against overrated Welsh and French sides. Ah well. We love an aul moan. Thrive on it.

Be good to see Kearney and Foden go at each other. 2 Lions in waiting.

P.S. The English dont wash.

p.s. Gibbo made a typo
Gibbo made a typo

Da da da
Da da da

Haha

Aren't all Irish homes built on leprachauns for good luck (or was that a rainbow?)

Anyway good luck to all teams tomorrow, just more luck to some then others.

gregortree wrote:Gibbo
I love Irish company, what a great craic it is.
Paddy's day in Twickenham should be a blast, but sadly I will not be there.
Bought my son his first Guinness at an autumn AI game from the Guinness stand in th W Car Park (alright, not the same as Liffey Guinness). We were thirsty, it was delicious.
I once kissed an Irish colleen in Dublin (Killiney) after an England defeat, did not wash for a week for her sweetness.

Nice one bud. Father & Son and 1st pints together at the game. Its like a Right of Passage.
I remember my Da buying me my first Guinness at 17. I had to pretend I wasn't drinking it for 2 years already. Hard job, I wolfed it.

Oh Killiney girls are D4's. They shower 3 times a day, along with changing their outfits, roysh.

I fxxxxxg loves Fridays when a Slam is on - Give me your best boys, Bread of Heaven - C'mon - Feed me till I want no MORE

RubyGuby wrote:Gibson Your boys and the anglos have something in common that I'm sure welds your beautiful countrys together with love and symmetry - A defeat to a young exuberant welsh team firing on 3 cylinders - Love Mo Chara

2 Lions in waiting on the bench till 1/2p picks up an injury

Ruby,
Stay well clear of the French man. They dont wash atall atall.

Hope ye win it mo chara. Ye lot will be unbearable... But feic it, that team/22 deserve it. 10% skill + 90% luck.

10% skill, 10% luck and 80 % blessed that we have had some very good refs who are obviously under instructions from the giverning board to go easy on us following the gaff that cost us a RWC

Man, Ive been out-flanked. Warburton stylee.

Well its good to see Ruby is on form

I'm on fire again Billy, glad you could come on board - have about 20 minutes left beore I head back to Truro - Have to get my 5 year old a fecking toy gun on the way home - Hows you, I'm geting a little manic, just glad its not showing in my posts

If France beat Wales is there a possibility that Owen Farrell could kick 15 drop goals and England nick the title?

Ah Ruby (aka Shrink) is one of our own. We goes back a way on old 606. Like yersel Billy.

Man, really looking forward to tomorrow. Super Saturday is like one big rugby-drinking 6-N orgy. I'll be feiced before the Irish game. Grand.
Scratch that. I'll be well on (like the rest of ye) by the Wales game.

Things are grand here Ruby, in cloudy Amsterdam waiting for tomorrow. Have a good one tomorrow and Party hard after the GS

roddersm wrote:If France beat Wales is there a possibility that Owen Farrell could kick 15 drop goals and England nick the title?

There is that Rodders. I can almost hear Inverdull now... The New Johnny. An English standoff Messiah. Till the next game.

Ruby ? were you Shrink on the old 606 ? What was Shrink's full name now ?

Fxxk we should be in a pub right now - what a craic that would be - be better than the rugby and it would remind me of one hell of a drinking session I had with some of your mates in Limerick in the late 90's - talk about a welcome in the hillsides - Guinniess like milk -

Are you after going to the game Ruby?

I will be raising a pint for you tomorrow from a Pub here in Amsterdam

Gibson thinks I'm the RugbyShrink from 606 but I could never write such insightful articulate balanced posts as that fella - he was fecking remarkable

God help us!

Right I almost outtahere to. Might be back on later for the U20s game but otherwise won't be on for a week or so, so I'll give my post mortem then!

Don't do too much Kidney bashing without me guys!

Good luck to both sides tomorrow! Ruby enjoy your GS!

Shrink, you cracked me up then and you still do now

eirebilly wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Englishman to Irishman pre English/Irish game. "Look, I hope we win but good luck".
Irishman. "Thanks... we might need some since we're playing away"

Englishman to Welshman pre English/Welsh game. "Look, I hope we win but good luck".
Welshman: "What do you mean 'good luck'?? Why do you think we'll need luck to beat England? Our players won't be needing anything called luck. Skill, speed, stamina and big backs will be all we need! What will England have that won't need luck? - Nothing, that's what! - You are a WUM, you shold be banned from this site!"

Only joking, my Welsh friends

"Oh no, you're not, Fly!!!!!!!!! You're a persistent wummer and should be banned from this site!"

Christ on a bike, that made me laugh

lol fly good one!

Take it easy rodders and good luck watching the match tomorrow at the airport

eirebilly wrote:Are you after going to the game Ruby?

I will be raising a pint for you tomorrow from a Pub here in Amsterdam

Tee off at at 8 am, back home for 12.30 game (bit of a salad) then the main course at 3 pm (2 fillets - rare) then the brutal desert at 5.30 at about which time I'll be half way through a bottle of malt having sunk 2 bottles of french champagne CSI just wont seem the same at 9 pm

Sounds good Ruby. Have a day mate

gregortree wrote:Ruby ? were you Shrink on the old 606 ? What was Shrink's full name now ?

RugbyShrink.

Amazing poster on v1.

eirebilly wrote:Take it easy rodders and good luck watching the match tomorrow at the airport

Cheers Billy I'll find somewhere to watch it for sure!

Sure you will rodders

I think I'm going to be sick.

Far too much man love going on.

England are going to rain on the Paddy's Parade tomorrow. By 12.