The French and the Irish - who is going to win on Sunday?

First topic message reminder :

At least I think it's Sunday. I thought it had been rescheduled for the 3rd but the BBC says the 4th.

My heart says both teams have been misfiring and it's a very even game. My head says the Irish have been trying hard but not quite making it work whereas the French have done just enough to win and they'll up their game again to win this one.

If the French DO win, it's definitely squeaky bum time for the Welsh!

Rava wrote:You can't really predict what this Irish side will do from one game to the next with any degree of certainty.

Actually you can.
They will underperform.
They will be clueless at times.
Players who show flair with their province will be stymied.

And we will here the same tripe afterwards - "The guys are hugely disappointed with that performance"

Well yes, that's a prediction we all tend to hit on these days...but the lack of certainty means we all know they could blow France off the field too. Less likely of course...but what's likely isn't the point.

The Irish cruise in an Alice in Wonderland sweet shop where individually they keep eating sweets and never know what they'll turn into. Will Paulie be small or big today? Will Bowe have a dozen handling errors or have a half dozen tries? Will Heaslip be on fire or will he text in his performance?

You know it should never work and you know it seldom does but still, if they all eat the right sweets at precisely the right time they become something more than Kidney ever plans for them.

SecretFly wrote:

Rava wrote:You can't really predict what this Irish side will do from one game to the next with any degree of certainty.

Actually you can.
They will underperform.
They will be clueless at times.
Players who show flair with their province will be stymied.

And we will here the same tripe afterwards - "The guys are hugely disappointed with that performance"

Well yes, that's a prediction we all tend to hit on these days...but the lack of certainty means we all know they could blow France off the field too. Less likely of course...but what's likely isn't the point.

The Irish cruise in an Alice in Wonderland sweet shop where individually they keep eating sweets and never know what they'll turn into. Will Paulie be small or big today? Will Bowe have a dozen handling errors or have a half dozen tries? Will Heaslip be on fire or will he text in his performance?

You know it should never work and you know it seldom does but still, if they all eat the right sweets at precisely the right time they become something more than Kidney ever plans for them.

The Irish have to be the most pessimistic people around. The game has'nt even been played yet.

I feel it in my old bones that Ireland will win by 5

eirebilly wrote:The Irish have to be the most pessimistic people around. The game has'nt even been played yet.

I feel it in my old bones that Ireland will win by 5

I wouldn't say that we embrace pessimism, billy...more that we dread optimism!!! We don't want to admit optimism for fear that the spoil-sport Fate is listening in

I love that line "we dread optimism"

Cracker

RubyGuby wrote:Gibbo - you're new mantra is Behave not Believe - Come on you green monsters lets have some of that Irish rampaging versus the french and if you win we promise to always use the right ball at throw ins in the future

Ruby,
The day I start behaving , is the day l lay me down to rest. Sure where's the craic in that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mF-QyvBqgs

France are goin down.

Gibbo je bent heel ondeugend

Ik hoop het Billy. Anders is het een leven verspild.

Zeker weten kerel

Hey all, any chance i could get a pm of a link for the match? In oslo airport for it! Cheers!

Also, Ireland by 1.

PM for Mr Wolfball. Thank the legand that is Thomond

There is absolutely nothing to do in Oslo airport, i feel for you.

Cheers Thomond and Eirebilly! Am sure i can find a pretty norwegian lady to while the time away... :-)

Oslo airport... ouch! Nearly got run over by a skidding bus out the front!

There is NOTHING in that place!!

Butch James

I think Ireland will have a good chance, normally playing in Paris you think about playing 150% and hoping the French lose some form.

But this time I think Ireland are genuine contenders

Ireland by 6

France by 5pts

I hope Ireland can pull a performance out, and in that back row and experience I think they stand a chance of nullifying the French threat of speed of recycle, they have to do to France what they did to Australia, and not what they tried to do V Wales.

I'd go with France by 3-5, but hope the Irish nick it...

PS my freind has been bang on in every result so far to within 3 points and he claims Irleand by 1.

wolfball wrote:Cheers Thomond and Eirebilly! Am sure i can find a pretty norwegian lady to while the time away... :-)

Keep your hands off mine though

If HERSH says France by 5, then I have to go with Ireland by 15 - 20!!!

Friend, best freind

HERSH wrote:France by 5pts

You are a scamp HERSH...

606 freind

I still say Ireland by 5 and that they win the 6N on points

yes and no eirebilly

Trust me bluesman, Wales will lose to France on Paddy's day and Ireland will sneak the championship

I still say Ireland by 5 and that they win the 6N on points

I'm beginning to wonder if this foreknowledge you possess is entirely canny. I suspect you are touch with the Prince of All Evil. Have you been phoning Brian Moore?

Cowshot wrote:

I still say Ireland by 5 and that they win the 6N on points

I'm beginning to wonder if this foreknowledge you possess is entirely canny. I suspect you are touch with the Prince of All Evil. Have you been phoning Brian Moore?

Cracking and characteristically honest interview with ROG. I know I give him a bit of stick from time but he's been a marvellous player and its hard not to admire him.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0303/1224312711343.html

.....Sextons still better though....

Depends what we can rack up on Italy I suppose, plus you've only played 2 games, and only us of note, and you lost.

For me saying Ireland will win the championship is like England and Wales talking GS's before last saturday!

roddersm wrote:Cracking and characteristically honest interview with ROG. I know I give him a bit of stick from time but he's been a marvellous player and its hard not to admire him.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0303/1224312711343.html

.....Sextons still better though....

That's O'Gara. No different in thought or deed to any other top professional...only difference is he let's you in on those thoughts.
He isn't precious about them, and he doesn't do rugby etiquette whereby you do the usual bunch of "Yeah, in fairness to the lads....", Yeah, in fairness, we weren't good enough............", "Yeah, in fairness, the coach decides who plays.........."

He tells you how he truly feels and, in doing so, let's you in to what we in truth know goes on in the heads of all players. Some thinks he says much too much. I think we're all adults.

PS my freind has been bang on in every result so far to within 3 points and he claims Irleand by 1.

that's France by 2 then.

I'm hearing a lot of Grandslam talk...even in the first week I was hearing it. It's not a topic people are exactly shying away from.

I even goaded a particularly buoyant Welsh fan by telling him I still thought we were in the running for the Slam if we score high enough against all our next opponents. I don't think he thought it was funny...I think he took even a joke as a slight on the greater claim of Wales to the idea of getting one.

Bizarre times on 606v2 sometimes

I can recall several games where O'Gara pinned us back in our 22 with masterclass kicking. At his best he could just hoof the attack out of the opposition. Glad to see he seems to be over his issues - he had a tough few years.

Stroppy little bugger, but then you don't want a shrinking violet in the 10 jersey. Good luck to him.

I'm hearing serious sounding tweets now concerning the game again!

Looks like there are serious doubts again. Seems methane readings in the air are at high enough levels to suggest pipes underneath the stadium have perhaps ruptured over the deep freeze period.

Crowd safety is now the issue. This is ridiculous if true!

SecretFly wrote:I'm hearing serious sounding tweets now concerning the game again!

Looks like there are serious doubts again. Seems methane readings in the air are at high enough levels to suggest pipes underneath the stadium have perhaps ruptured over the deep freeze period.

Crowd safety is now the issue. This is ridiculous if true!

Cue jokes about the French being full of hot air or aren't they welcoming hosts in getting the atmosphere right in the stadium for the visit of Ireland to make them feel at home.....

Cowshot wrote:If the French DO win, it's definitely squeaky bum time for the Welsh!

My neighbor is Welsh. A rather overweight old codger. Always seems to be sweating too.
The mere thought of him with a squeaky bum makes me sick.
Therefore, I support Ireland.

I personly think that France will win, and win by a good score.

I dont know why, i just have a feeling they will want to make amends for the game against Scotland.

majesticimperialman wrote:I personly think that France will win, and win by a good score.

I dont know why, i just have a feeling they will want to make amends for the game against Scotland.

And Ireland will want to make amends for approximately ten million games against them.

What did Kidney say after the game against Australia? "Sometimes you just get tired losing." Yep, we're seriously tired of losing to France.

Oh well maj, each to their own as they say

Anyway, I'm off to give Foley his instructions to give to the team. I hope he listens to me................ and that I'll be in a mood to come back next week...!

Good man Fly, i feel even more confident now

majesticimperialman wrote:I personly think that France will win, and win by a good score.

I dont know why, i just have a feeling they will want to make amends for the game against Scotland.

Because Ireland have only won twice in Paris in about 50 years?
Because France have won 11 of the last 12 meetings between the teams?
Because Ireland have to much respect and awe for the French?
Because France have better players than Ireland?
Because the last time they played in Paris, France flattened them and the game was over at half time?

Sorry to be so negative. I have to emotionally prepare myself for the worst when we play France.

This game has the potential to be a real spectacle of fast attacking rugby, it would be nice to see the Irish win.

Because the French will force you into poor kicks and hit you on the break, keeping the ball away from contact and your back row, if they can be bothered of course. You can't win, but they can lose.

Glas a du wrote:Because the French will force you into poor kicks and hit you on the break, keeping the ball away from contact and your back row, if they can be bothered of course. You can't win, but they can lose.

Are you on the WUM Glas?

Feckless Rogue wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:I personly think that France will win, and win by a good score.

I dont know why, i just have a feeling they will want to make amends for the game against Scotland.

Because Ireland have only won twice in Paris in about 50 years?
Because France have won 11 of the last 12 meetings between the teams?
Because Ireland have to much respect and awe for the French?
Because France have better players than Ireland?
Because the last time they played in Paris, France flattened them and the game was over at half time?

Sorry to be so negative. I have to emotionally prepare myself for the worst when we play France.

Records are irrelevant. But what worries me is the rumours I hear that the Ireland camp is not a happy camp! In particular that a lot of the interprovincial rivalry has resurfaced and that there are certain players who are not happy with POC as captain; that others do not like DK's game plan and are not executing it as decided in training and that as a result the team look as if they are playing with no plan at all.

Maybe these are just rumours set in train by provincial supporters who wish to rubbish the players from other provinces, but if it is true, then perhaps all the players need to be reminded of what Rob Kearney reputedly asked in Enfield in 2009 "Why do the players from Munster not put in the same effort in a green shirt as they do in the red one?", changing "Munster" and Red for Leinster / Ulster and Blue / White or leaving it as it is, as appropriate. If provincialism has reared its ugly head at Carton, I have no doubt that players from any of the provinces would be as guilty as any other - I would absolve no province's players of such behaviour.

Matt Williams in yesterday's IT says what I have been wanting to see all 6Ns
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0303/1224312711321.html

A game plan as would have been written by former Otago coach Gordon Hunuter

Run straight and hard, stay on your feet and look to offload.

Get the backrow running wide off our centres.

Rattle the bones of Poitrenaud with a big Irish welcome and send him plenty more high balls thereafter. Chase these garryowens like the hounds of hell.

Silence the crowd by attacking the French scrum and lineout (they won’t expect this so it must be done).

In defence keep your width and have fast line speed. Slow their ball down in the tackle.

Put enormous pressure on François Trinh-Duc (Seánie, this is your job).

Smash them with everything you have for the 80. If you are not prepared to give this, don’t get on the plane.

If Ireland can follow Gordon Hunter’s game plan, they will win.

You should send all of that to Declan Kidney, Kia.

eirebilly wrote:

Glas a du wrote:Because the French will force you into poor kicks and hit you on the break, keeping the ball away from contact and your back row, if they can be bothered of course. You can't win, but they can lose.

Are you on the WUM Glas?

No. What I'm saying is that France are the better team and will win unless they decide to foul it up. not a wind up, it's exactly the same when we play in Paris