Sunday, August 12, 2007
O’Sullivan names his 30
Ireland rugby coach Eddie O’Sullivan has named his 30 man squad for next month’s Rugby World Cup.
Former GB Rugby League international, Brian Carney, gets the nod but no real surprises in the selection.
An Ireland team of mainly 2nd XV players didn’t impress during yesterday’s 31-21 defeat in a warm-up game against Scotland.
Ireland’s world cup preparation continues with next Friday’s warm-up game against Italy in Belfast, the first Ireland international at Ravenhill for over 50 years.
Michael Robinson @ 11:19 AM
The squad has a truly all-ireland feel about it; with 8 players selected from Ulster, of which 3 are from Ballymena.
Posted by on Aug 12, 2007 @ 11:53 AMBrian O Dricoll locks himself away in a cabin in the hills of the Gaeltacht in Galway for the summer. He chops wood all morning. In the afternoon he gets lectures from the Cistercian monks on The Easter Rising of 1916, Brian Boru, Wolfe Tone, Michael Collins and the Great Potato Famine of 1846. In the evening the Corrs dance naked in front of him and the monks for an hour – to teach him to resist temptation. After an hour’s meditation with Bono he then goes to sleep in a bathtub filled with broken bottles and ice.
Wonderful rugby player.Posted by on Aug 12, 2007 @ 01:54 PMWhat pyjamas does Superman wear to bed???
Paul O Connell pyjamas of course!
Posted by on Aug 12, 2007 @ 04:21 PMDewi,
you are doing your nation a fine service with such magnaminous remarks particularly after the reputation that Gwlad has built up in relation to all things Oirish . May your little saucepan boil merrily on the stove of the world cup and may your players - experts in the ancient combat techniques of Llap Goch - inflict damage mawr on antipodeans, Canadians and other assorted pacfic islanders until you join in the rownd derfynol on 20th October.
Diolch.
Posted by on Aug 12, 2007 @ 08:37 PMSammy Mc ........not that fond of that bald headed git of a scrum half mind !!!!
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 01:30 AMDewi did you mean all the Corrs? Because Jim Corr dancing naked in front of me would teach me all I need about resisting temptation.
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 08:21 AMExcellent Pounder ! If you could resist the one on the violin you are a better man than me....
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 08:52 AMlol, the old all the corrs or none of the corrs question rears it’s head on slugger.
one of the thorniest modern issues, if you can resolve this one, NI should be a doddle.
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 09:06 AMDefine the dilemma precisely please Snakebrain - so that the matter can be approached with appropriate scientific logical rationale !
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 09:12 AMPersonally I’ve always been quite partial to Drummer Corr.
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 09:45 AMAnd in the East the dawn is breaking and the world is waking - any Corr will do...(Apart from Jim)
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 09:51 AMitaly by 6
betting anyone?Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 03:10 PMAlessandro Troncon spends his summer mornings on his back touching up the Sistine Chapels. In the afternoon he brushes up on Gramsci’s theory of hegemony and Historic Compromise. In the evening he cooks bukets of pasta and meatballs and distributes to the local needy.
Wonderful player !!!!Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 03:42 PMi guess the two of you are very close…
daje italia daje!
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 05:05 PMby the way only the yanks eat pasta and meatballs apart from that he is a wonderful player!
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 05:21 PM“Alessandro Troncon spends his summer mornings on his back touching up the Sistine Chapels”
Yes Dewi, and then Der Pointiff comes in and says: “Ja, ja, very impressive, but I paid for two coats....”
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 09:14 PMDonnacha - v. funny - read that Bulba thing - brilliant !!! - loved the Seneshia - can’t spell it obviously - Gorman done anything since ?
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 09:18 PMNot that I can find. He seems to have disappeared. It’s a few years since I read it now, but I still get the giggles about Pagga’s views on doctors and the curing of his piles. Meanwhile, how d’ye reckon your own lads will fare come September? Should get out of the pool at least?
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 10:18 PMGod knows - there’s a joke here that gareth J is sending the third team to the world cup to keep them guessing for 2011....great book though and ain’t this a wonderful website ? New Zealand brilliant country - u done Queenstown ?
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 10:22 PMyeah, but it’s a bit touristy for my liking. not a lot of Kiwis there any more. I’m still a sucker for Taupo and the trout fishing there. If you come out in 2011 I’ll take you out on the lake for a morning’s fishing. Nothing better than catching your own breakfast then spending the rest of the day discussing all and sundry with the aid of a few cleanising ales. IN fact that goes for any Sluggerites heading down under in 2011. I know it’s a long way off, but I need to get the spare room aired....
Posted by on Aug 13, 2007 @ 11:17 PMIt is a completely wasted opportunity to have the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand ... a decision based upon horse trading amongst the blazers rather than any desire to progress the game.
The RWC should be held in countries that will either generate lots of money (which means a major economy) or will develop the game globally (such as the USA or Japan). A RWC in NZ will do neither.
The Lions tour 2 years ago should have demonstrated that NZ isn’t big enough… the biggest crowd the Lions played in front of was the warm game in Cardiff as the Millenium is bigger than any stadium in NZ.
Roll on RWC 2015… my money is that it will be in England as the IRB will need to make up the money shortfall caused by NZ in 2011.
Posted by on Aug 14, 2007 @ 02:17 PMWhat do people make of the new Ireland jersey. Cant say im too drawn to it. I gave mine old jersey to a mate heading back to Africa (where he is going to support Ireland during the world cup) and so I need to get a new one… but I cant say that I like the dark green nor the design itself ? and where can you find a medium sized one anyway!! ?
Posted by on Aug 14, 2007 @ 03:25 PMMichael - but we wouldn’t get to go fishing with Donnacha ! Seriously it’s about more than money - astonishing the intensity of Rugby support in New Zealand - it’s one of the games true heartlands and thus deserves its turn.
Posted by on Aug 14, 2007 @ 03:52 PMGood point, since NZ are the most successful international side ever. Hopwever, Michael has a point with the stadium sizes. Redeveloping Eden Park for the final is ridiculous, although the Governemnt’s idea of a floating stadium on the harbour was even dumber and thankfully got laughed out of court. What it means for the IRB, essentially, is that it will charge more for the tickets. And more money is made from sponsorship rights and television rights than from ticket sales anyway.
Posted by on Aug 14, 2007 @ 09:54 PMDonnacha
I agree. I have no problem with it being in NZ (as I can get to attend the games).
However, Eden Park simply is not a good enough stadium and there is limited room for development given it’s location.
The govt should build a brand new stadium on a green field site that could be used for all sports.
Posted by on Aug 14, 2007 @ 10:36 PM
