Can Ireland beat Italy?

by littlejohn Sun 10 Mar 2013, 5:08 pm

First topic message reminder :

Italy are well overdue beating Ireland and I can see them pushing very hard for a second 6N victory. As an irishman I'll be watching this game very nervously in what may be O driscolls and kidneys last game...

by SecretFly Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:15 am

Northern Italy or Southern Italy?

by The Boss Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:19 am

Sin, I see myself as Irish but have no problem with anyone that doesn't. Its their choice and who am I to argue it. Ireland is a rural place whether it is any of the 4 provinces.

by RubyGuby Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:19 am

I lived in Southern Italy on the Amalfi Coast and again they saw them selves as separate from the industrialised and modern thinking Northern Italians - The culture was a little different and more inward thinking.

I come from a small mining village in the valleys and people talk about those in the next village 2 miles away as if they are aliens, "funny lot those down there" - None of us are that different but we like to exagerate it - Politics is different as it affects peoples lives. Rugby is rugby thumbsup

by **Notch** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:19 am

Sin é wrote:We have different cultures though (based on the religious upbringing - nothing to do with which church you go (or not go to) now. An example of a small cultural difference is cultural protestants don't wash fruit, cultural catholics do. There are 1,000s of little things like that).

News to me. Better stop washing those grapes then Shocked

by Sin é Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:19 am

geoff998rugby wrote:
Sin é wrote:
geoff998rugby wrote:Is your claim Ulster fans have hounded players out of the Province that have subsequently gone on to excellent careers elsewhere. If so what a load of tosh.

Either put up the names that can be debated or keep you unsupported innuendoes to yourself

My exact words - "they still don't get why players who couldn't make it in Ulster seem to do ok elsewhere - i.e., Niall O'Connor when he went to Connacht)".

Please don't put words into my mouth.

What is it that we dont get and who are we talking about
Sure players have left who have done ok elsewhere but that happens everywhere - what is different about Ulster to justify your comment.
For the record the only Ulsterman who currently could come back and improve the squad is Andress.
I see no point in the likes of Steenson coming back for example when we have the likes of Jackson, McKinney, and Olding.
Players leave because they are surplus to requirements not because they want to go - Bowe is the one obvious exception and he has returned.

I cant think of any player in the Logan/Humphreys era for whom you comment is applicable.

Jackson & Olding are still only kids and Ulster seem to be a bit more protective of Jackson. Didn't McKinney leave? Seems an awful lot of young players left that Ulster could have done with holding onto. Very young half-backs. Dougall was cast aside at a young age in Ulster and now seems to be settling well in Munster (just got a new 2 year contract).

O'Connor has disimproved against since he has gone back. Ulster have a massive turnover of young players.

by **rodders** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:21 am

Sin é wrote:
The Boss wrote:Sin, I just don't agree with that. I see myself as Irish. Always have and always will. I don't see where this cultural difference is coming from that you mention. Were all cut from the same cloth religiously half of ulster or different but values are the same.

We have different cultures though (based on the religious upbringing - nothing to do with which church you go (or not go to) now. An example of a small cultural difference is cultural protestants don't wash fruit, cultural catholics do. There are 1,000s of little things like that).

I see you anyone who is born or brought up on the island of Ireland as Irish and think it kind of difficult for most people to understand that people who are born deny that they are Irish.

Well strike me down here I thought everyone washed fruit based on the recommendation of the supplier/retailer? Are we talking tinned fruit here? Erm

by RubyGuby Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:22 am

Where I'm from in Sneem we wash the tins and then open them and eat the fruit thumbsup

by red_stag Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:23 am

Am I the only one who thinks that this is nothing to do with North Ireland v Rep of Ireland but rather there there is a clear issue of Ulster v Leinster v Munster v Connacht.

I wonder would JJ Hanrahan or Downey be an option at 12 if we are without:

- McFadden
- Darcy
- O'Driscoll
- Marshall
- McSharry

by **rodders** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:23 am

RubyGuby wrote:Where I'm from in Sneem we wash the tins and then open them and eat the fruit

..... what are you a methodist??

by **Notch** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:24 am

Bizarre.

Every country is diverse and has differences between different regions. Ireland especially so due to a border than has existed for nearly 100 years now.

But you don't have the right to define how Irish or not someone is depending on where they are from in the country.

by RubyGuby Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:26 am

No real method required just use the tin opener Rodders thumbsup

I don't do religion I'm afraid, never understood it, all the religous people I know seem to cross the road if someones in trouble and I just go over to see if I can help - Strange that thumbsup

by SecretFly Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:26 am

RubyGuby wrote:I lived in Southern Italy on the Amalfi Coast and again they saw them selves as separate from the industrialised and modern thinking Northern Italians - The culture was a little different and more inward thinking.

I come from a small mining village in the valleys and people talk about those in the next village 2 miles away as if they are aliens, "funny lot those down there" - None of us are that different but we like to exagerate it - Politics is different as it affects peoples lives. Rugby is rugby

Ruby collects the star for getting my point....

New South Walesers don't particularly have a high regard for Queenslanders. There are still many millions of Southern Americans who would quite easily go to war again with the self-anointed snobs of the Northern States. Spain has its Catalonia issues.

Anyone who has travelled knows two things. It's the same battles all over the world...and nobody rightly gives a damn about Ireland...that's if they've ever heard about it in the first place Wink

So it's best for us to stick together when we can...it stops us going extinct.

by geoff998rugby Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:27 am

I dont wash fruit - blimey I'm a cultural Protestant - first I've heard of it Shocked

I have lived a lot in England as well as Ireland - North and South.

Northern Ireland culture is much close to the south than England - even if some would like to deny it.

The differences between Limerick and Dublin are bigger than those between Dublin and Belfast or between rural Tyrone and rural Galway.

Lot of simplistic pidgin holing going on

by Sin é Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:29 am

rodders wrote:You don't think Ulster is mostly Rural or that we don't have those sports too?

Belfast/around the Lagan is very industrialised. The west side of Ulster would be very similar to Munster.
Most of the industry in Munster would be food based (Kerry Foods etc) with some light technology - Apple in Cork, Dell were in Limerick).

No one does the Munster Hurling Championship like Munster does. Most competitive competition in the world. Smile

by **rodders** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:30 am

RubyGuby wrote:No real method required just use the tin opener Rodders

I don't do religion I'm afraid, never understood it, all the religous people I know seem to cross the road if someones in trouble and I just go over to see if I can help - Strange that

by ME-109 Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:30 am

Stag am disappointed and surprised you have sin on your ignore list.....especially as he doesn't abuse you as much as I do...

You are a funny chap Whistle

Ireland by 50 and earls to score 6tries
And Jackson to convert all from the subs bench

by **Notch** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:32 am

The bit I;m still struggling with it- with does any of this shoite matter worth a damn and what the hell has it got to do with rugby?

by **rodders** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:34 am

Sin é wrote:
rodders wrote:You don't think Ulster is mostly Rural or that we don't have those sports too?

Belfast/around the Lagan is very industrialised. The west side of Ulster would be very similar to Munster.
Most of the industry in Munster would be food based (Kerry Foods etc) with some light technology - Apple in Cork, Dell were in Limerick).

No one does the Munster Hurling Championship like Munster does. Most competitive competition in the world.

Well I suppose I could point out that Agri-food (Foyle Food group, Moy Park etc.) and IT are two of the main industries up north too and that Tyrone, Armagh etc aren't bad at the auld GAA but that would be pedantic on my part....... Wink

by red_stag Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:34 am

DOD wrote:Stag am disappointed and surprised you have sin on your ignore list.....especially as he doesn't abuse you as much as I do...

You are a funny chap

Ireland by 50 and earls to score 6tries
And Jackson to convert all from the subs bench

DOD have you not forgotten that I referee a bit. I volunteer to take abuse in my spare time. Of course I keep you around. I love the abuse.

by The Boss Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:36 am

At the end of the day I think we can all agree on 1 thing... Ruby drew the short straw living in Italy. What are the spuds like out there even?

I'm predicitng an 8 try scorefest. 2 from Gilroy, 2 from Healy, 2 from Mc Carthy and 2 from Earls. Everyone goes home happy.

by **rodders** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:38 am

Notch wrote:The bit I;m still struggling with it- with does any of this shoite matter worth a damn and what the hell has it got to do with rugby?

Well it does in that if the cultural protestant members of the team don't wash their fruit then they present a bigger risk in terms of catching and spreading stomach bugs and thus it stands to reason that their presence in the squad should be kept to a minimum.

by RubyGuby Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:39 am

If I had known Stag was a Ref he'd have been on my ignore list all along - fecking Rollain lover thumbsup

C'mon you want real trouble

by Sin é Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:39 am

rodders wrote:
Well strike me down here I thought everyone washed fruit based on the recommendation of the supplier/retailer? Are we talking tinned fruit here?

Someone did a fun blog on the small differences which people contributed to (lots of people who did contributed seemed to be in mixed marriages).

I think the one about the fruit came from protestants being generally good at growing their own fruit and veg so don't need to wash the pesticides off it while catholic bought their fruit in shops.

by red_stag Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:40 am

The Boss wrote:At the end of the day I think we can all agree on 1 thing... Ruby drew the short straw living in Italy. What are the spuds like out there even?

I'm predicitng an 8 try scorefest. 2 from Gilroy, 2 from Healy, 2 from Mc Carthy and 2 from Earls. Everyone goes home happy.

Not really. If Gilroy is capable of scoring 2 than Earls should be getting 3 or else copping an on pitch bollocking. McCarthy is English born and bred and coincidentally only got into the Ireland team when Stuart Lancaster was appointed coach. Healy should still be banned - it should be either Kilcoyne or Court. Everyone knows who the better of those two players are!

by RubyGuby Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:41 am

Earls would have scored 3 but when he made a break no one was on his shoulder Run

by SecretFly Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:42 am

Notch wrote:The bit I;m still struggling with it- with does any of this shoite matter worth a damn and what the hell has it got to do with rugby?

Well.................. I'll break it down for you, Notch, seeing as you don't seem to be able to work out the subtle geo-political references inherent in the word Rugby.

R is the first letter in Rugby. It's also, and by no coincidence the last letter of All Provinces (connacht doesn't count Wink

). See? You didn't work that out, did you?
U...well, it doesn't need a brain surgeon does it? It's a blatant allusion and it's divisive to have it there as the second letter.

See where I'm going with this? Need I go on? Provincial strife is all over the word Rugby...and the blighters knew it too when they were inventing the word!

by The Boss Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:43 am

So there its settles. Tuohy and Court on for mcCarthy and Healy.

by red_stag Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:43 am

RubyGuby wrote:If I had known Stag was a Ref he'd have been on my ignore list all along - fecking Rollain lover C'mon you want real trouble

Ah here, leave it out!

Rolland ain't a great ref. Showed real balls to do the right thing and give a red card to Warburton under such pressure but by and large I agree over rated. thumbsup

by **rodders** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:43 am

Sin é wrote:
rodders wrote:
Well strike me down here I thought everyone washed fruit based on the recommendation of the supplier/retailer? Are we talking tinned fruit here?

Someone did a fun blog on the small differences which people contributed to (lots of people who did contributed seemed to be in mixed marriages).

I think the one about the fruit came from protestants being generally good at growing their own fruit and veg so don't need to wash the pesticides off it while catholic bought their fruit in shops.

Sin I will never work out if you are a genius or completely off your trolley but it keeps me entertained trying to work it out anyways...... thumbsup

by RubyGuby Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:44 am

G -ibson
B -elfast
Y - the feck didn't BOD anticipate Earls's break thumbsup

by Sin é Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:48 am

rodders wrote:
Sin é wrote:
rodders wrote:You don't think Ulster is mostly Rural or that we don't have those sports too?

Belfast/around the Lagan is very industrialised. The west side of Ulster would be very similar to Munster.
Most of the industry in Munster would be food based (Kerry Foods etc) with some light technology - Apple in Cork, Dell were in Limerick).

No one does the Munster Hurling Championship like Munster does. Most competitive competition in the world.

Well I suppose I could point out that Agri-food (Foyle Food group, Moy Park etc.) and IT are two of the main industries up north too and that Tyrone, Armagh etc aren't bad at the auld GAA but that would be pedantic on my part.......

I just said that outside the Lagan valley, Ulster would be similar. You also have a big horse burger making industry as opposed to a horse racing industry in Munster.

On the GAA front - the difference between the two provinces is that all of the Munster counties are very competitive, indicating widespread interest.

Munster doesn't have any heavy industry.

by SecretFly Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:51 am

Hayes was heavy and provided lots of industry in and around the lineouts.

by Glas a du Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:55 am

SecretFly wrote:Hayes was heavy and provided lots of industry in and around the lineouts.

Please GOD NOOOO! Not this discussion again. Not "tight heads need to be tall to lift in the line out" NOOOO!!!

by The Boss Wed 13 Mar 2013, 11:56 am

Every county in ulster has a massive GAA community too, it just so happens that most of us are shoite!

by **rodders** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:04 pm

Sin é wrote:
rodders wrote:
Sin é wrote:
rodders wrote:You don't think Ulster is mostly Rural or that we don't have those sports too?

Belfast/around the Lagan is very industrialised. The west side of Ulster would be very similar to Munster.
Most of the industry in Munster would be food based (Kerry Foods etc) with some light technology - Apple in Cork, Dell were in Limerick).

No one does the Munster Hurling Championship like Munster does. Most competitive competition in the world.

Well I suppose I could point out that Agri-food (Foyle Food group, Moy Park etc.) and IT are two of the main industries up north too and that Tyrone, Armagh etc aren't bad at the auld GAA but that would be pedantic on my part.......

I just said that outside the Lagan valley, Ulster would be similar. You also have a big horse burger making industry as opposed to a horse racing industry in Munster.

On the GAA front - the difference between the two provinces is that all of the Munster counties are very competitive, indicating widespread interest.

Munster doesn't have any heavy industry.

I thought they made horse burgers in Limerick?

by SecretFly Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:10 pm

rodders wrote:

I thought they made horse burgers in Limerick?

Made from horses collected in the North somewhere..yeah.

You see, we can provide a united front when we want to...just as long as the health inspectors aren't invited to the show.

by **rodders** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:13 pm

SecretFly wrote:
rodders wrote:

I thought they made horse burgers in Limerick?

Made from horses collected in the North somewhere..yeah.

You see, we can provide a united front when we want to...just as long as the health inspectors aren't invited to the show.

Cultural protestants don't wash the tomatoes in a horseburger though.

by red_stag Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:21 pm

So do we assume that Ryan, Marshall, McFadden, Reddan and O'Driscoll are injured:

01 Cian Healy
02 Rory Best
03 Mike Ross
04 Donnacha O'Callaghan
05 Mike McCarthy
06 Peter O'Mahony
07 Sean O'Brien
08 Jamie Heaslip
09 Conor Murray
10 Paddy Jackson
11 Luke Fitzgerald
12 James Downey
13 Keith Earls
14 Craig Gilroy
15 Rob Kearney

16 Sean Cronin
17 Dave Kilcoyne
18 Stephen Archer
19 Iain Henderson
20 Tommy O'Donnell
21 Paul Marshall
22 Jonathan Sexton
23 Darren Cave

Thats a team well capable of going and doing a good job. Would Paul O'Connell be considered on the bench I wonder?

by **Notch** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:24 pm

Thats a team that would have to kick the leather off it without any recourse to a Plan B. Centres are a bit of a mare. Why rush O'Connell? Best thing for him is to probably ease back into it.

by The Boss Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:25 pm

Earls t the wing. Cave to 13 and Fitz on the bench for me Stag. Is McSharry injured?

by Sin é Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:26 pm

rodders wrote:

I thought they made horse burgers in Limerick?

The similarity is that Munster produces horses for racing, NI produces horses produces horses for burgers. Smile

by red_stag Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:26 pm

The Boss wrote:Earls t the wing. Cave to 13 and Fitz on the bench for me Stag. Is McSharry injured?

I thought he was injured. If not let McSharry play.

Though it looks as though we are unlikely to be without both centres.

by red_stag Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:27 pm

Notch wrote:Thats a team that would have to kick the leather off it without any recourse to a Plan B

Sure thats exactly what we've been doing to date Very Happy

by SecretFly Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:28 pm

Yeah, Rodders...but then again you get your horseburgers off the hoof, 'cause you are industrious people,and we buy them in shops. And you never know what tomato grower might be handling a packet of Thoroughbred burgers in a shop.

Better to buy a banana instead and just peel it..after removing the bones of course. Bananas with bones in them can choke, as my mother always said.

by **Notch** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:36 pm

red_stag wrote:
The Boss wrote:Earls t the wing. Cave to 13 and Fitz on the bench for me Stag. Is McSharry injured?

I thought he was injured. If not let McSharry play.

Though it looks as though we are unlikely to be without both centres.

BOD has a habit of insisting on playing when he really shouldn't! All he and Marshall have to do is score the same on a cognitive test as he one they completed at the start of the season, and they can retake it as many times as they want.

Even though our centres look pretty ugly if those two are missing, I'd rather they not play unless they are genuinely 100%. The risks exacerbating concussion injuries pose to mental and physical health later in life are not worth it in any game, even a Grand Slam decider or World Cup Final.

by The Boss Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:40 pm

Yip well bar the centres and no. 23 sub I'd be happy with the team. Hopefully let DOC an unsung stalwart go out with a good win!

by clivemcl Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:45 pm

red_stag wrote:Am I the only one who thinks that this is nothing to do with North Ireland v Rep of Ireland but rather there there is a clear issue of Ulster v Leinster v Munster v Connacht.

I wonder would JJ Hanrahan or Downey be an option at 12 if we are without:

- McFadden
- Darcy
- O'Driscoll
- Marshall
- McSharry

Stag, neither of those options are any better than Sexton or Jackson at 12 which has already been poo pood on my DOD without any logically explanation. He descibed it as laughable I believe. But anyone who has watched rugby this year will agree that Jackson or Sexton at 12 is the best options we are left with...

by red_stag Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:48 pm

Have Jackson and Sexton been played at 12 much?

Personally I'm not a big fan of trying to accommodate our best players all under one team. I think that playing two specialist centres would be a better bet.

by **Notch** Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:49 pm

red_stag wrote:Am I the only one who thinks that this is nothing to do with North Ireland v Rep of Ireland but rather there there is a clear issue of Ulster v Leinster v Munster v Connacht.

Well for me thats it. I don't even get it when people try and make it about NI given I support a team that is split across the border. It's about Ulstermen, not Northern Irishmen. A nine-county army.

by geoff998rugby Wed 13 Mar 2013, 12:50 pm

The Boss wrote:Every county in ulster has a massive GAA community too, it just so happens that most of us are shoite!

Hey might be true of Hurling certaintly isn't true of football

In the last 11 tears - 5 winners and 2 runners up in the Sam Maguire

By comparison over the same period

Munster 5 winners 6 runners up
Connaught 0 winners 3 runners up
Leinster 1 winner 0 runnes up

If we are shoite what does that make Connaught and Lenister

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