Nov 06 2007
Yes, yes, I’m writing more on Andy Goode, recently this feels like the Andy Goode moustache updates blog, but who cares. Soon I’ll move on, in the meantime you can discover the real reason for his facial outpourings, he is Growing a Mo for Hambo, as are quite a few other players. Geordan Murphy is doing quite well.
Via Total Flanker
Oct 02 2007
For those that may not know[1] ; Ireland got knocked out of the RWC at the weekend. It wasn’t unexpected. After scraping the bonus point against Namibia, not getting one against Georgia, and losing to France, it would have required a miracle to get past the pool stages. We’d have needed to win by 7 or more points, score 4 tries, and make sure that Argentina didn’t score 4 tries. And, considering the poor performances that the team had been putting in it never seemed likely.
Course you still hope.
Cause what is the point if you don’t?
But in the end Argentina won, and won well, 30 to 15. Maybe that scoreline would have been closer had we not had to chase the four tries, maybe we would have won if all we’d needed was to beat them by a single point, but that is irrelevant. We lost. We came home.
And the post-mortems will continue for many months. Why did we perform so badly? What happened to the team that could run and pass and “had a chance”? Why did we struggle to get our game going?
Some have argued that the players didn’t want to win that much, that they are all paid so much money that they didn’t have the passion of earlier and perhaps less talented teams. Pschaw I says to that. Pschaw[2] Did you see BOD when he scored that try against Argentina? I think maybe[3] he would have liked to win.
He had a good game. As did Paul O’Connell, despite some missed lineouts. And Geordan Murphy had an okay game, considering the support runners he was getting[4] and the options he was presented with[5] and the whole performance of the team was considerably better than earlier in the tournament.
But we should have started the RWC like that, and progressed. Instead we dug ourselves a huge ginormous hole by starting sluggishly.
In a way the tournament was like an extended version of our recent games. We start poorly, realise that we are in deep shit and start to play. Trouble is we just didn’t have the time or confidence to get out of that hole. And so the 2007 RWC is over for Ireland. And for many of those players this is the last RWC they’ll get to go to. Over the hill now. And what a sad way for Denis Hickie to finish his career. And possibly many others.
The debate about whether we should blame the players more or whether management should take responsibility seems to have been ignored in the rush to shout that Eddie O’Sullivan must go. I’ve always been quite supportive of Steady Eddie, but I’m back-tracking now, not that I think he should be fired in some knee-jerk reaction[6] but for the IRFU to be describing this as some sort of blip? Are they insane?
Maybe it is just that they want to get O’Sullivan back, to pick his brains, behind closed doors and try and figure out what went wrong before coming out and saying what is what, I don’t know. Maybe they’re hoping to persuade him to “agree terms” and don’t want to force their hand yet? Who can tell.
But this isn’t something that can be solved with a quick fix. I’d've had no problem[7] with us going home had we played to our potential and still been defeated. But, *shrug* we didn’t. We seemed lacking in strategy. lacking in skills. Lacking in just about anything that a rugby team needs to play. And I haven’t even mentioned the whole substitution fiasco.
Of course the RWC isn’t over yet. There are still a whole heap of teams left in the competitions. And I’ve made my decisions and I shall be supporting: France when they play[8] the All Blacks ; Argentina when they play Scotland[9] ; Fiji when they play[10] South Africa ; England[11] when they play[12] Australia.
Sep 18 2007
It is a bit chilly out this morning. But sunny so far, so its all good, plus, I suppose it is really and truly Autumn now, so I can’t complain.
I know, I know, talking about the weather, not exactly a gripping start to a post, and after I’ve been a tad lackadaisical about updating, but what do you expect? Do you really want me to moan about the RWC again? I can. It’d be easy. After all we did almost lose against Georgia. And as Roy Keane might say, all credit to Georgia, but, at the end of the day, we did win. And that is what is important. Never mind the shocking display. Never mind the lack of skills on display. Never mind that if it hadn’t been for Leamy getting under that ball they would have scored another try.
And now, now we have Eddie O’Sullivan dropping Stringer in favour of Reddan. Georgian Murphy out of the 22, Duffy on the bench. Trimble in for Hickie. I’m not sure I want to watch the game on Friday.
But you know what, I’m staying optimistic. Or deluded. Either way that good feeling I had before the RWC began, it is still here, and I’m sticking with it. Clinging desperately may be slightly more accurate, but whatever.
And of course the rumours are floating around about trouble in the camp. So dilemma. Do I repeat them and feed what may just be lies? Of course not. Because if the rumours of bust-ups at training are true then at least it shows some bit of passion. And while I don’t believe that it has gone totally Saipan on us, rumours of Geordan Murphy walking out may just breathe a bit of life back into the team.
Or maybe I really am totally deluded.
In other news have you heard the story about the body found on a Kerry beach, and taken away in a hearse? You know, the one that turned out to be a fish.
The world is a funny funny place sometimes.
Mar 09 2007
It’s Friday.
I think a long lie-in will be had tomorrow. Although not too long, obviously, as the match starts at half one, so I’ll have to be up for that. Scotland- you going down! fingers crossed, touch wood, etc etc.
Denis Hickie has been having back spasms[1] and so Geordan Murphy has been called in. I likes Geordan, and was disappointed for him when he was dropped out of the squad last time. Still, it is a great position for the team as a whole when players as good as Geordan can be left out.
There has been some talk of rotating the squad a little, giving some players more game time and resting a few of the others. Obviously with the same squad, pretty much, as last time Eddie O’Sullivan doesn’t agree. And I’ve got to go along with him. We need to win the Triple Crown. The Grand Slam is gone, and the title itself depends on England beating France[2] which I really can’t see happening, but you’d never know. So anything we win’ll be vital. And lets not forget that it wasn’t too many years ago that we couldn’t beat Scotland for love nor money. So a victory is not to be sneezed at.
Inné, chuaigh mé ag imirt péile, well, soccer I suppose. Nó, sheas mé on the pitch, and kicked a ball once or twice. Bhà mé ag smaoineamh, agus ceapaim that I haven’t played soccer in something like 15 years. In ainm Dé! How old am I?
Feb 11 2007
Gutted! Revisited.
There is no denying that Croke Park is an impressive venue. I haven’t been there all that often. I don’t remember who was playing for my first visit, but I do remember being asked if anyone had asked us to carry anything into the stadium. It must have been a Sligo game as Dad took us, though I’m not too sure when Sligo would’ve made it to Croker before. My last visit there was for the International Rules, and really, the less said about that the better. 
My ticket was for the Cusack Stand. Upper tier. So plenty of steps to be climbed, but you get a great view of the surroundings.
We had a great rendition of Amhrán na bhFiann[1] and Ireland’s Call. I’m still not sure about Ireland’s Call[2] It sounded great on Sunday, but often it sounds shite, maybe it needs the numbers singing it, or maybe we just aren’t comfortable singing it yet. Whatever, it was great. And yes, the French thingy sounded grand too.[3]
But the match itself didn’t really go to plan. France came out all guns blazing, and the ref had issues with his mic tugging as he ran, nothing like listening in to the ref’s mic is there? Still Ireland never panicked, and although errors were made, there were also some wonderful moments. Boss charging down a kick and the sudden hint of a try. Murphy’s wonderful interception to prevent a definite try for the wrong side. But at half time it was France in the lead. And a deserved lead. We were lucky two be only to points behind. And O’Gara’s kicking out of hand wasn’t great. Does he just miss Lansdowne?
Second half and it was almost a reversal, but we couldn’t get the scores, although I think we deserved them. I’m not going to moan about the lack of advantage played by Walsh when Murphy would have scored. Nor about Horan being tackled without the ball. Swings and roundabouts as they say.
Still we went in front, only a point, but still. Victory was within our grasp. And then that lineout, and maul. And a penalty. And we went four in front. With two minutes to go. But we had a problems with the the restarts all day, and before we knew what was what the French were over the line. And with no time left for us to do anything.
So that is it, our Grand Slam dreams over, and only a faint possibility of winning the championship. We gotta hope France slip up and that we win the rest of our games. But this should have been our year.
I’m a fan of Eddie O’Sullivan’s, but I think he messed up bringing Horgan in from the wing. I would have played Trimble in the centre and left Horgan in his usual position. He was just back from injury, and expecting him to slot in and play like BOD was unfair.
There is still England to play at home[4] and then we’re away, travelling to play Scotland and Italy. Fingers crossed that we have no more injuries, and that O’Driscoll is back quickly. And that O’Gara’s ankle injury is the nothing they are all making it out to be.
There are more photos on flickr but they aren’t great quality, too far away. I need a shiny new camera. And also, tickets to the Ireland V England match would be lovely, you know, if you have any to spare.
Feb 13 2006
I’ve become a bad player in two weeks according to a lot of people but there’s not much I can do about Saturday’s game now
Poor Geordan. Don’t worry, we forgive you. And more importantly we all know you aren’t a bad player. Yes you made a mistake or two, but we still think you’re great.
To spare the rugby-phobes there is more, but I’ve hidden it under the cut. So I have.
Nov 19 2005
Why do I even bother watching sport anymore? Every team I support is shit. Worse than shit. I’ve mostly given up on even looking for Villa’s results. The Irish football team couldn’t even beat an average under-11’s. And the rugby team?
Honestly, I thought that game against the All-Blacks was bad, but today, against Australia. Un-fucking-believable how bad they are. I know there are a few key figures missing[1] but still.
Both teams played shite. How many errors and fuck-ups were there. But Ireland were the worst of two crap teams. As this rate we’ll barely scrap past Romania.
Course, just as I type this, and am about to lament the fact that Australia scored three times Ireland’s score, we get a try. That’s all to the good I suppose. But a very slight consolation
My big gripe is that we can do better. D’Arcy, O’Connoll, O’Callaghan and Murphy are better than that. We just don’t tackle. We stand back and let them run past us. Or we take the wrong option and run into nothing.
Still, at least New Zealand beat England as well as everyone else they’ve come up against.
