In the jungle, the mighty jungle … Part 1

Today and Thursday we’ll run through the the potential Lions team to play against Australia in 2013. We’re going to start with who we see in pole position, who to watch for, who needs to improve and who will be too old. I’m going to cup the testicles of the forwards and ask them to cough today, and Palla will be giving the backs a thorough probing on Thursday.

As time goes on, we plan to re-visit our team, and presumably try to rationalize why we got it so wrong.

Unlike backs who can burst into the first team and stay there, forwards tend to improve incrementally. Hence most bolters are backs – we expect that any forward who could tour would be in first team by now – don’t expect too many shocking names below.

Front Row:

Pole position: Gethin Jenkins, Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole. Jenkins might be 33 in 2013 but he is still the best loose-head in the NH, although Cian Healy will be hard on his heels by then. Healy’s international team-mate Mike Ross is probably better than Cole now, but won’t be in 2013. Hartley could be captain but for his accent.

Look out for: Alex Corbisiero and the returning Matt Stevens at prop, and the future Irishman Richardt Strauss at hooker.

Needs to improve: Ross Ford, although as a non-awful Scotland player, he will probably tour anyway. Matthew Rees is the easy option but he is pretty uninspiring.

Too late for: Jirry certainly, possibly Adam Jones and Rory Best as well. Euan Murray checked out a while ago.

Second Row:

Pole position: Richie Gray, Courtney Lawes. These 2 are the future. Lawes added proper meat to his game last season, which was especially evident against Ulster. Paul O’Connell will tour as an elder statesman, but probably not start.

Look out for: Dan Tuohy – Ireland have not produced a real dynamic lock forward in a while – if Tuohy takes Donncha’s shirt next year, he will be the ideal deputy for Gray.

Needs to improve: Alun Wyn Jones’ athleticism might be very useful in Oz, but he will need to get back to 2008 form.

Too late for: Tom Palmer, Nathan Hines and Donncha. Presumably the miracle man Shawsy will have finally gone by 2013. Biiiiiiiiiig Bob might be too old (and immobile) as well.

Back Row:

Pole position: Sean O’Brien, Sam Warburton, Jeamie Heaslip. SOB just pips Fez for the blindside shirt, but the Samoans showed how raw power can upset the Wallabies, so Fez might still take it. Warburton is already a key man for Wales, and could be Welsh captain by 2013. Heaslip could be Lions captain.

Look out for: Tom Wood – if he continues his upward trajectory, he will contend for the 6 shirt. Ben Morgan becomes Welsh next year – the young Scarlets number 8 is a huge prospect.

Needs to improve: If John Barclay becomes the John Barclay on 2009, he has to go. The above goes for Johnnie Beattie as well. Tom Croft has the game, and just needs to re-discover his career momentum – the blinside flank is a crowded place. Le Hasque can cover both flanks, but needs to be a little more skillful.

Too late for: Wally *sniff* – what a man.

by whiffofcordite on July 19, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Australia, Courtney Lawes, Dan Cole, Dylan Hartley, Gethin Jenkins, Jamie Heaslip, Lions, Richie Gray, Sam Warburton, Sean O'Brien

Posted by whiffofcordite on July 19, 2011

https://whiffofcordite.com/2011/07/19/in-the-jungle-the-mighty-jungle-part-1/

Overpaid, Over the Hill and Over Here

News broke yesterday that South African captain and highveldt hero John Smit is on his way to Saracens.  A South African playing for Saracens, you ask?  Yes, we were surprised too.  It sounds like a coup, but Smit is 33 and Saracens already have a brilliant and dynamic hooker who can do this. Perhaps Smit will scrum down on the tighthead side, but he’s not nearly as effective there, which is a polite way of saying he is about as good a tighthead as Tom Court.

Importing veteran test legends from down under tends to be a mixed bag at the best of times. We have a look at three that worked, and three that didn’t.

The Good:

Doug Howlett, Munster: Arrived aged 28 after a glittering career with the All Blacks, and fitted in straight away.  About to embark on his fifth season with the club.  Now 32, and not as quick as he once was, but remains a first-rate footballer, and a fully commited one too.  His disallowed try in the 2008 HEC final would have been one of the tries of the era, while Munster fans won’t forget the sight of him hobbling back to make a try saving tackle on a Treviso player before departing the scene, unable to continue.
Verdict: Car-jumpingly good

Byron Kelleher, Toulouse: Sure, it may have ended unhappily, but for three seasons at Toulouse, Kelleher was sensational, winning the Top 14 Player of the Year in his first season (as well as the coveted Bouclier du Brennus) and winning a HEC medal in 2010.  His bristling, physical style was perfectly suited to the Northern hemisphere.  Next year he’ll be playing for Stade, who will be hoping that, at 34, he still has one last hurrah in him.
Verdict: So good Guy Noves almost forgave him…

Ollie le Roux, Leinster:  The Springbok prop had just one season at Leinster (and a cameo as a medical joker the following year) but he left a cult hero.  Not the slimmest, but he gave Leinster a platform at scrum time that they had never had, and was hugely influential on the budding Cian Healy, who would break through the following year. His ballast played a massive part in what was a crucial season in Leinster’s transition from perennial underacheievers to European force.  He even played hooker in occasional emergencies, and took a hard won Magners League medal back to South Africa,
Verdict: The Zaytoon bill was worth it

The Bad:

Christian Cullen, Munster: Brought in in to bring Munster from perennial European bridesmaids to the next level, Cullen was the first superstar to land on Irish soil. At the time, he was the record try scorer for New Zealand and it was anticipated his counter-attacking brilliance would turn a pedestrian Munster backline (you and I both know its true Hoggy) into one that could compete with Toulouse, Stade Francais and Leicester. Sadly, Cullen picked up a few knocks, and never quite got going. He managed just 44 appearances in 4 years, and 14 tries is a pretty poor return given he scored 46 in 58 games for NZ.
Verdict: Out-shone by Ian Dowling in his time in Thomond

Jerry Collins, Ospreys: Brought to Neath/Swansea/wherever the Ospreys call home the year after Rocky Elsom pitched up in D4, the idea was the same, to bring some Southern Hemisphere granite to a team of pretty backs, and translate Magners League success to the HEC. Rocky’s impact in one season has gone down in legend – almost single-handedly dragging Leinster into the quarter finals, then knocking Quin after Quin asunder when they got there – the man got into Team of the HEC in one campaign for God’s sake (much to Mad Dog Jones’ chagrin). Jerry’s was rather less noteworthy – in and out of the side, yo-yo-ing fitness levels, a lack of engagement, and a slapdash attitude, neatly summarized by this in his final game.
Verdict: Pint of Guinness?

Chris Latham, Worcester: When the star of the Wallaby RWC07 backline decided to move up North at the fag-end of a stunning career, presumably there were no shortage of suitors. We aren’t sure if HEC rugby was a make-or-break factor for Latham, but when he appeared at Worcester on a £325,000 a year 2-year contract, we were slightly suspicious he wasn’t in Europe for the top-level rugby. True enough, a couple of unspectacular seasons later and Latham is at home, and Worcester are £ridiculous lighter and still in the same place in the Premiership i.e. nowhere.
Verdict: Mad Dog rated him the finest full-back he has ever seen. Nuff said

Smit will always be seen in South Africa as the leader who, along with Matfield, Botha and du Preez, turned a callow and rudderless team into world champions and Lion tamers; but he is at best the 3rd best hooker in South Africa right now (Bismarck, Brits), and possibly 4th behind Gary Botha. We find it hard to envisage the ciurcumstances in which Smit isn’t slotting alongside Jerry and Chris this time next season.

by whiffofcordite on July 14, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Byron Kelleher, Chris Latham, Christian Cullen, Doug Howlett, Jerry Collins, John Smit, Ollie le Roux

Posted by whiffofcordite on July 14, 2011

https://whiffofcordite.com/2011/07/14/overpaid-over-the-hill-and-over-here/

Buy an Ulster Season Ticket and, erm, Save Time!

Anyone wondering why Ulster have not yet expanded their fanbase in the same way as Leinster and Munster will have been given a little clue as to why if they follow @ulsterrugby on twitter.  A recent tweet encouraged fans to buy an Ulster season ticket in order to ‘save money and time and booking fees’.  Such a depressing lack of imagination and morkshing savvy has not been seen since last season’s Apprentice.

It compares poorly with Leinster and Munster, who have successfully morkshed their season tickets as buying into something more than just rugby tickets, but becoming part of a greater community, and most importantly, getting behind a fiercely dedicated group of outstanding players who are there representing you on the field.  Leinster’s campaign this year focused on the recently renewed contracts signed by Heaslip, Sexton and BOD and asked ‘We’ve signed up.  Have you?’

While Ulster folk are naturally (and probably rightly) more cynical about this band-of-brothers nonsense, a little more wit would not go amiss. After all, Ulster look primed to be the next big success story in Irish rugby.  National underage sides are stacked with their youngsters, and several bright new sparks broke into their first team last year: expect even bigger things from Spence, Gilroy and the Marshalls this coming year, while young fly-half Paddy Jackson is being primed for the first team.  Meanwhile, signing Jared Payne looks to be the transfer coup of the summer.  If Ferris can stay fit for a full season and Falloon can nail down a place on the openside flank, Ulster could be on the cusp of great things.  Let’s hope if they do achieve lift-off on the pitch, they can do the same off it.

by whiffofcordite on July 12, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Leinster, Munster, Ulster

Posted by whiffofcordite on July 12, 2011

https://whiffofcordite.com/2011/07/12/buy-an-ulster-season-ticket-and-erm-save-time/

You’ll win nothing with kids

It was joy unconfined for the Queensland Reds this weekend, as they won their first ever Super Rugby final.  It’s a great result for Super Rugby, with a new name on the Cup, and a remarkable one for the Reds, who have come a long way in a short space of time.  If you cast your eye over their record in the last five years, it’s clear this is a meteoric rise: as recently as 2009 they were bottom dwellers. Last year, they soared to 5th place, just missing out on a play-off slot at the death.

P W D L F A +/- B Pt
2006 12th 13 4 0 9 240 320 −80 6 22
2007 14th 13 2 0 11 201 438 −237 3 11
2008 12th 13 3 1 9 258 323 −65 4 18
2009 13th 13 3 0 10 258 380 −122 4 19
2010 5th 13 8 0 5 366 308 +58 7 39

It shows the value of investing in a young, talented squad which can mature together over time. This can require some hard lessons and usually involves the team absorbing some heavy, punishing defeats along the way.  No doubt there were times when things looked grim (not least when the Bulls put 90 points on them in 2007) but their faith in youth has been handsomely rewarded, and the likes of Genia and Cooper look set to become global superstars this autumn. Serendipity also helped: had they sneaked into the play-offs last year, a punishing defeat in Pretoria was a real possibility – the team had completely run out of steam. The lack of mental hangup on the home straight was evident on Saturday.

Are there any teams in the cold and rainy Northern Hemisphere countries that could emulate the Reds zeroes-to-heroes feat? Whiff of Cordite has identified 4 possibilities:

Ulster: Building a side around a new generation of talented backs, with experience coming from Saffa beef up front.  Big improvement last season, with HEC quarter final and 3rd place ML finish after just scraping ahead of Connacht in 2010.
Can they be the NH Reds?  Have solid commercial base with room for improvement (albeit with laughable marketing strategies, more of which anon) but have been dealt a tough draw in the HEC. This could make them, but they maybe need another year to break through.

Llanelli Scarlets: Culled expensive imports two years ago in order to build new side around home grown talent.  Played some terrific rugby last season, not least in beating Perpignan in a remarkable game, but missed out on Magners playoffs.
Can they be the NH Reds? If anyone in Wales can break up the Irish dominance, it is they.  Pack needs toughening up, but their young Number 8, Ben Morgan, is outstanding. Another problem for Welsh teams is the Toulons of this world, who can offer fat cheques for re-location – the Reds’ biggest worry was Quade Cooper switching sports to League.

Ospreys: Several big names leaving this summer. Rebuild starts here, around home grown players such as Justin Tipuric and Kristian Philips.
Can they be the NH Reds?  Unlikely. Fanbase has still to materialise and the culture of the club needs overhaul as much as the playing staff. Plus Tommy Bowe surely has noticed most of his international team-mates have HEC medals (plural).

Harlequins: In process of rebuild following Bloodgate in 2009.  Playing an attractive brand of rugby in the Premiership (like Bath), they lost too many tight games last season.  Well coached by Conor O’Shea, they have already landed silverware, winning the Amlin Challenge Cup.
Can they be the NH Reds?  Have a good chance.  Look to have the right coach in place, and have solid pillars (Easter, Evans) to groom the youngsters, plus a loyal fanbase. Performance in Thomond Park demonstrated their talent. Have a real opportunity to sneak into the HEC knockout stages behind Toulouse.

by whiffofcordite on July 11, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Harlequins, Ospreys, Queensland Reds, Scarlets, Ulster

Posted by whiffofcordite on July 11, 2011

https://whiffofcordite.com/2011/07/11/youll-win-nothing-with-kids/

Low lie the … inspirational centres

It’s odd that right throughout Munster’s period of dominance of Irish (2000-2008) and European (2006-2008) rugby, they never had a top class centre. The partnerships of Halstead-Kelly circa 2006 and Mafi-Tipoki in 2008 probably were the high water marks, but they have never had a really dynamic centre to release their outside backs. Perhaps this is a function of an historical bullock-and-boot ethos, but it remains a curiousity; and with Earls, Howlett and Jones outside, a top centre is crucial.
So for the third summer in a row, Munster are in the market for a chequebook centre. Two years ago, they signed Jean de Villiiers for what ended up to be one (unhappy) year after the Springbok world champion failed to prove himself to Mick O’Driscoll. Then last year we had the utter disaster that was Sam Tuitupoooooooooooooooohh (why oh why would Munster ever sign someone from Worcester?). This summer, again, it’s back to the drawing board.

The three names being mentioned in connection with Munster right now are Conrad Smith, Jacque Fourie and Isa Toeava. Lets look at each one, plus a few others who Ludd and Axel may wish to consider.
Three who are in the hunt:
Conrad Smith: Smith is probably the best outside centre on the planet, and is hot favourite to wear the All Black 13 shirt for the Tri-Nations and RWC. Smith is a marquee player, and if the NZRU can’t talk him into staying, there would be a queue of French teams willing to sign cheques a lot larger than Munster could afford.
Verdict: Pretty unlikely

Jacque Fourie: Jacque is fondly remembered by all biltong-chewing highveldters for the manly way he ran through a concussed Rog in the second Lions test in 2009. A man who was never unsure of his worth to the world, or of the South African man’s rugby superiority, its tough to see him having the necessary humility to fit in at Thomond.
Verdict: Another JdV in the making

Isa Toeava:

Toeava is a versatile and creative player who can play 10, 12, 13 or 15. There is a lot of traffic competing for not very many outisde back slots in NZ, and Toeava could find himself outside the 30 come RWC time without a good Tri-Nations. If that is the case, it may be a good time to head North, especially with Nonu having signed for the Blues. He is only 25 and would be perfect for Munster.

Verdict: Tony, Tony, sign him up
Three that got away:
Ma’a Nonu: was heavily discussed on Munster fan forums, but he has signed for the Blues for next year. The talk in NZ was that if he did head abroad, it would have been to join his mate Mils Muliaina in Japan.

Verdict: Probably a pipe-dream all along

James Downey: agricultural bosher who turned into Sonny Bill Williams after side-stepping Dorce in the HEC final. Unlikely to reach such heights again. Would be a good move for James Downey, Irish rugby, Leinster, Ulster and Connacht .. but not Munster.
Verdict: Ooooooooooooooooohhh

Jean de Villiers: yes, we know he never learned the words to “Stand Up and Fight” first time out. Yes, we know he didn’t impress Micko. No, he didn’t drink in Jirry’s pub. Normally, those are the top 3 criteria. But if we allow for rugby ability, JdV would have fitted the bill. But he has re-signed for the Stormers.
Verdict: Don’t look back in anger, we heard you say

Three from left field:

Paddy Wallace: Stop sniggering at the back! We have been through this before. Paddy is emphatically not an outhalf, but he is experienced and a top-notch distributing centre, which is exactly what Munster need. Granted a 10-12 axis of Rog-Paddy does look a little flimsy, but for 2/3 of Ireland’s Grand Slam campaign, it worked, albeit back when O’Leary was good and Wally wasn’t 35. Plus Luke Marshall might be wearing the Ulster 12 shirt very soon.
Verdict: Not likely, but should be considered
Felipe Contepomi: How funny would this be? Who knows, Stade’s finances could collapse again, freeing Conters up for a move back to Ireland.  And Quinny has retired now. Although Rog hasn’t.
Verdict: Ligind in the making

Gavin Henson: Would blend right into the Munster shirt, thus offering invaluable cover for actual rugby players. Not sure how the waxing would go down in Moyross, but Gav will take anything going and if this drags on any longer Munster will get desperate.
Verdict: About as welcome in Limerick as the Orange Order

One thing’s for sure though: whoever arrives had better be a lover of theatre, because Axel has block booked a whole season’s worth of seats for the lucky man to see that play about 1978, so he knows Munster history.

by whiffofcordite on July 7, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Conrad Smith, Felipe Contepomi, Gavin Henson, Isa Toeava, Jacque Fourie, James Downey, Jean de Villiers, Ma'a Nonu, Munster, Paddy Wallace

Posted by whiffofcordite on July 7, 2011

https://whiffofcordite.com/2011/07/07/low-lie-the-inspirational-centres/

Keep your eyes on… Andrew Conway

The recent Junior World Cup was a tough one for Ireland, who failed to overcome a daunting and physically imposing group.  But with five tries to his name, young Leinster starlet Andrew Conway finished among the highest try scorers and served notice of his considerable talent. 

It’s great news after a frustrating few months for Conway.  He went quickly from Blackrock College to a full-time Leinster contract (inviting comparisons with LukeFitz), and in a brilliant six-minute debut against the Scarlets he broke the line down the wing, before giving a try-scoring pass to Jonny Sexton, and threw in a try-saving tackle at the other end.  Last summer, some had even mentioned him as a possible World Cup bolter, but this year he only managed six Magners League starts, scoring three tries, before ending his season by picking up an injury against Treviso in february.  In truth he often looked a touch light, and was frequently upstaged by the increasingly impressive David Kearney.

A fleet-footed full-back-cum-winger with a penchant for playing with his socks around his ankles, Conway looks a natural finisher and a great broken field runner.  But he finds himself at the back of a busy queue at Leinster.  However, this season should offer him a good chance to get plenty of Magners League gametime.  Big Kearney, Luke and possibly McFadden will be on RWC duty, and Shaggy still has to overcome his injury, so for the first few ML games Leinster’s back-three options could consist of Little Kearney, Iosa, Fionn Carr and Conway, so there should be no shortage of opportunities to do some damage.  If he can give himself a good headstart on the World Cup players, a big season could be in store.

by whiffofcordite on July 5, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Andrew Conway, Leinster

Posted by whiffofcordite on July 5, 2011

https://whiffofcordite.com/2011/07/05/keep-your-eyes-on-andrew-conway/

Quade Cooper: Rugby Genius

Did you see it?  Did you see Quade Cooper’s two ridiculous line-breaks and offloads for the Queensland Reds in Saturday’s Super Rugby semi-final against the Auckland Blues?  The first, a hand-off followed by two outrgeous dummies, a sprint up the line and an absurd offload to a support runner who was at least five metres away, set up a magnificent try. The second involved quick footwork and superb ball-handling to create space between two defenders, followed by a behind-the-back offload to the supporting flanker, Higginbotham, who was eventually tackled, but a penalty was secured.  Both were simply breathtaking – so good in fact that you’d be forgiven for overlooking the bullet-speed cut-out pass that set up Rod Davies to score his second try that followed in the second half. 

If you didn’t see it, it’s all free to view here, and we encourage you to do so.  As a Eurosport commentator once said, ‘If you’re a fan of brilliance and spectacular action, you’ll want to see this’.

It all has us slightly terrified of facing Australia in the World Cup.  We’ve seen Kurtley Beale shred defences in recent weeks, now Quade Cooper looks even more devastating an attacking threat.  Could he be the equal of Dan Carter?  A grand total of twelve points missed from the kicking tee would indicate that he still has a bit to go (what is it with these Aussie geniuses who can’t place kick for toffee?). Might Australia have a backline to match even that of the Kiwis?  Next week’s final against the Crusaders will give some indication – it cannot come soon enough.

by whiffofcordite on July 4, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Quade Cooper, Queensland Reds, Super XV

Posted by whiffofcordite on July 4, 2011

https://whiffofcordite.com/2011/07/04/quade-cooper-rugby-genius/

Super Rugby … showtime

After a ludicrously-conference-based season (4 bonus points for having a week off?) with an NFL style random fixture computer, SANZAR got what they wanted: 2 teams from each country in the play-offs, and the best 6 teams in the competition. The haplessness of the Lions wasn’t their fault, the expansion Rebels were always fun, and the what-will-we-do-with-Argentina question was punted into touch for another few years.

And now it’s even better – the teams which made up the top 4 since Easter are in the semi-finals. All Northern Hemisphere fans should look forward to this – the skill levels and intensity won’t be matched in many games this season.

Egg Chasers young brother (Óg Chaser?) went to Rebels-Reds in Melbourne a few weeks back, and he said the most notable thing about the match was no-one, including Quade Cooper, knew what Quade Cooper was going to do next. Except the Reds outside backs. That kind of unpredictablility is very hard to maintain a defensive line against for 80 minutes, and offers the Reds (and the Wallabies) huge attacking possibilities.

The Blues only lost by 6 when they came to Suncorp at the beginning of May, 2 games into a 4 game losing streak, which they arrested with 2 scratchy wins, including against the injury-stricken Waratahs last weekend. They have been consistently inconsistent this year, and we would be pretty surprised if they held out a Reds side that has the look of a team on a mission.

In the other semi-final, there is another team on a mission. The Crusaders have not played at home at all this season due to the Christchurch earthquake, and apparently the longest time they have spent in one place since February is 8 days. And yet they keep on winning. Richie McCaw and Dan Carter will start, and rumour has it the South African officials will let Carter be tackled. The Stormers won the South African conference on the back of a mean defence, but never quite convinced in attack – they were out-scored by all the other South African teams, except the Lions.

One of the side-stories around this game (at least up here) is the presence of Saracens’ hooker Schalk Brits on the Stormers bench. Brits is great fun, but you have to ask why the only fallback they have in the probablity/event of McCaw and Kieran Read making hay at the breakdown is a hooker just off the plane? We fancied the Stormers before the play-offs began, but are edging towards the Crusaders now…

by whiffofcordite on June 30, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Blues, Crusaders, Dan Carter, Quade Cooper, Reds, Stormers, Super XV

Posted by whiffofcordite on June 30, 2011

https://whiffofcordite.com/2011/06/30/super-rugby-showtime/

What the hell is going on at… Stade Francais

Phew. It all got a little too desperate for comfort at Stade Francais.  Just off the back of a miserable season (11th in the Top 14 and controversially denied an Amlin Cup at the death), they were saved from bankruptcy and spared relegation by the last minute intervention of appropriately named technology firm director Thomas Savere.  Under French league rules, clubs have to balance the books or face relegation – so Stade had to find €6.6m from somewhere or face deomtion to the third tier of French rugby.  They appeared to have the cash ‘dans le sac’ previously but a deal with a shady-sounding Canadian investment firm fell apart amid accusations of fraud, with Stade now suing the company, and three people arrested so far.
As to whether Savare will continue in the extravagant style of former President Max Guazzini’s remains to be seen.  Guazzini’s marketing hasn’t been to everyone’s taste: outrageous strips, pink goalposts, Gloria Gaynor songs and homoerotic calendars are at odds with the Anglo-Irish ideology of rugby (basically large men kicking lumps out of each other and hoofing the ball back and forth), but Whiff of Cordite has always saluted the glitzy approach.  After all, if you come from Paris, home to the two bottle lunch and one of the style, art and romance capitals of the world, and your rivals were from provincial backwaters down south, why not play the glamour card?  And why not get Sergio Parisse and co. to strip off for a calendar and get the gay community behind the team?  The theme of ‘Paris against the provinces’ has followed Stade around since their first final meeting with Bordeaux’s Stade Bordelais in 1899.
Besides, it’s not as if they didn’t get results.  Guazzini ressurected Stade after 50 years floating around the lower divisions, establishing them as the most succesful team in France this century.  Since 2000 they have won the coveted Bouclier four times (once more than Toulouse), most recently in 2007 playing a high octane brand of rugby built around stellar half backs Agostin Pichot and Juan Martin Hernandez.  Christophe Dominici, Fabien Galthie and Diego Dominguez are among the greats to have recently donned the pink, while Parisse (now captain) and Rodrigo Roncero are still on the books.  But the current squad looks a pale shadow of former championship-winning sides.  And with the swanky two-kisses-only denizens of Paris at best ambivalent about rugger, the newly-minted success of old school Racing Metro means they are no longer the only club in the city with lofty ambitions.
What Michael Cheika makes of it all is anyone’s guess.  But he has his own problems and faces a disciplinary hearing on 19 July for comments made after the Amlin fiasco.  If he can re-establish Stade as a force to be reckoned with in France and Europe from this low ebb it will surpass even his achievements with Leinster.
by whiffofcordite on June 29, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Stade Francais, Top 14

Posted by whiffofcordite on June 29, 2011

https://whiffofcordite.com/2011/06/29/what-the-hell-is-going-on-at-stade-francais/

Ireland’s World Cup 30 – Summary

So, after an exhaustive 2 week process, we have whittled Ireland’s RWC hopefuls down to 2 sets of 30 – Deccie’s and ours. Somewhat suprisingly, given Deccie’s chronically odd selections, we have 26 names in common.

We have amended our thoughts silghtly at hooker after a vigourous debate below the line – Jerry should go if his is fully fit and firing, just like Fez and blog friend and favourite Rob Kearney.

The disgreements are as follows:

  1. Dan Tuohy-Donnacha Ryan. Given Dan has missed the cut for the initial 43 man squad, he must be out of the reckoning. Given this, its a choice between Ryan and Kevin McLaughlin (and Biiiiiiiiiiiiiig Bob Casey if life were funnier). Ryan is probably better suited to second row than Locky, so we tentatively agree with Deccie at this stage of the selection process.
  2. Denis Leamy-Shane Jennings. This is a straight choice between a classic openside and a brawling spoiler who can play 6 and 8. Jennings is coming back from injury but adds something extra to the loose forward division whereas Leamy can’t get past James Coughlan into the Munster team. This looks a no-brainer, but Deccie and Denis go back a long way. 
  3. Tomás O’Leary-Isaac Boss. Speaking of going back a long way, Deccie loves Tomás so much, he gave him his HEC debut at outside centre back in the day. As soon as O’Leary’s pass wasn’t absolutely abysmal, he displaced Strings as first-choice Munster scrummie. And when O’Leary’s pass is functioning, he is a pretty good player. Unfortunately for all, it isn’t right now. And he is injured. Boss has most of O’Leary’s qualities and is in form and should go. But we all know he won’t.
  4. Paddy Wallace-Fergus McFadden. Here we have another Deccie favourite against an in-form and upcoming rival. Wallace, as we have said before, takes a lot of heat, but is a quality distributing 12 and has the potential to add a different dimension to our centre play. But he is out of form and coming back from injury. McFadden has had a good season, albeit often not at centre, and just about deserves to go ahead of Paddy. Ooooooooooooooohh James Downey has had an even better season, but is off the radar, and probably doesn’t have the calibre anyway.

We welcome any additional thoughts, and full squads are below:

Deccie WoC
Prop Cian Healy Cian Healy
Prop Mike Ross Mike Ross
Prop Tom Court Tom Court
Prop John Hayes John Hayes
Hooker Rory Best Rory Best
Hooker Sean Cronin Sean Cronin
Hooker Jerry Flannery Jerry Flannery
Second Row Paul O’Connell Paul O’Connell
Second Row Donncha O’Callaghan Donncha O’Callaghan
Second Row Leo Cullen Leo Cullen
Second Row Donnacha Ryan Dan Tuohy
Back Row Stephen Ferris Stephen Ferris
Back Row David Wallace David Wallace
Back Row Jamie Heaslip Jamie Heaslip
Back Row Sean O’Brien Sean O’Brien
Back Row Denis Leamy Shane Jennings
Scrum Half Tomas O’Leary Isaac Boss
Scrum Half Eoin Reddan Eoin Reddan
Scrum Half Conor Murray Conor Murray
Fly Half Ronan O’Gara Ronan O’Gara
Fly Half Jonathan Sexton Jonathan Sexton
Centre Gordon D’Arcy Gordon D’Arcy
Centre Brian O’Driscoll Brian O’Driscoll
Centre Paddy Wallace Fergus McFadden
Outside Back Tommy Bowe Tommy Bowe
Outside Back Keith Earls Keith Earls
Outside Back Luke Fitzgerald Luke Fitzgerald
Outside Back Andrew Trimble Andrew Trimble
Outside Back Rob Kearney Rob Kearney
Outside Back Geordan Murphy Geordan Murphy
by whiffofcordite on June 28, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Deccie Kidney, Ireland, RWC11

Posted by whiffofcordite on June 28, 2011

https://whiffofcordite.com/2011/06/28/irelands-world-cup-30-summary/

« Older Posts
Newer Posts »