Finally today, a guy called Liam Toland, who I have a lot of time for as an analyst, published the following piece:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2009/1113/1224258724517.html

Toland has the distinction of being one of the few players to have crossed the divide between warring provinces Munster and Leinster.

He started out as flanker with Munster and then moved to Leisnter, captaining them on his debut match and playing 36 matches for them including Heineken Cup matches.

An army man, he now is a regular analyst for Setanta.

His assessment of the breakdown, and the need to target the jackal (first opposition defender to the ball) is nicely done, and points up the challenge for Ireland on Sunday. Not amongst the forwards, but in the backline.

O’Driscoll and Darcy are the consummate jackals, with both of them superb at getting in the tackle and being first on the ball. The inclusion of Wallace at 12 weakens this partnership in his view, and hands some advatnage to Q Cooper and Ioane. However, the inexperienced pair (in contrast to Ireland’s centres) will have their hands full in making space and creating lines for other runners.

worthwhile having a read to see whether you agree with his analysis and insight.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nshjr/5_live_Sport_5_live_Rugby_12_11_2009/

Mind you the same records show that there were 14 Finnegans, 21 O’Connors, 44 Horans and a whopping 695 Murphys, any one of whom might have been the ancestor of the Miss Murphy who became Mrs Campese and spawned little David about 45 years ago.

So I think we have been generous enough to the Aussie Rugby gene pool.

Re your whinge about the game taking place on a Sunday. I sympathise to an extent but in this case there was no choice. The Irish soccer team is taking part in a vital world cup qualification play off on Saturday against France at Croke Park and there simply isn’t another stadium in the country big enough to warrant hosting an Ireland Australia test. Which is of course a sell out.

Anyway, even if the new Lansdowne Road stadium were available I would question the wisdom of playing two such major events on the same day in the same city. Each would dilute the other.

As it is, there is a wonderful prospect of weekend sport in store, although letting head rule heart, we are likely to be in despondent mood on Saturday evening. Depending on what transpires on Sunday, we could be cheered up immeasurably or slumped even further in the depths of depression.

Your whinge brings me on to a pet peeve of my own: namely the hare-brained notion frequently put forward by people south of the equator that the global rugby season should be synchronised so that it takes place at the same time in either hemisphere. With of course the understanding that Europe shifts its rugby calendar to its summer so that it coincides with the Southern Winter.

As can be seen, there are enough events clashing with each other even at this time of year to cause scheduling problems. If you then want to move rugby out of winter and into the summer months it would be clashing with even more summer sports. In particular in this country it would run slap bang into the middle of the GAA season. And then in countries which enjoy sports like cricket, you would be cutting across enjoyment of that sport too. Notwithstanding the fact that every two years, in Europe at any rate, there are the finals of a major soccer tournament taking place, either the Euro Championship or the World Cup.

All of which ignores the simple basic reason why we in the Northern Hemisphere invented soccer and rugby in the first place: as distractions from our miserable short-dayed winters. It’s one of the few things that make life bearable up here at this time of year. And some sourthern numbskulls want to take it away from us just to satisfy a marketing schedule????

They can go to hell!!

Now I am retired, every day is a good day and I dont give a stuff what you call it, the sun comes up and the sun goes down.

Retirement is the great gift for poor bastards like me who worked 70 hour weeks for years and years. Wish I had done it sooner.

The game, the game, ah! the game, it has me. I hear it is pissing down, my hopes are falling with that rain.

Re the match being on Sunday, two possible reasons.
a) Ireland play France in a WC qualifier the day before so Croke Park not available, but I’m not sure if the dates were decided that early and held open in case Ireland qualified.
b) TV company deals. Wales and France games on Friday as a double bill. Italy, England and Scotland on the Saturday, and the bonanza on the Sunday with Ireland/Australia.

I expect O’Gara to be hanging his head, and puffing with fatigue, as another Wallaby attack goes thru his channel, and as the players inside and outside him move to cover Cooper will set a wider running Giteau and Inone and ACC free with accurate clearing passes.

A tough, exciting match but the Wallabies by 4.

Heaslip is a barnstormer at 8, and if he can repeat some of his form from last season – Irl v France with his storming, pacy run to the tryline and score; the explosive, gainline breaking game for the Lions in the 3rd test; his games for Leinster in the Munster semi-final and Leicester H Cup final, then we’re in for a great afternoon.

Flannery is a feisty, fiery hooker who is one of the most driven, intense players I’ve seen play on a rugby pitch, when he gets his game face on for Munster and Ireland, you just know that he is willing to go anywhere, tackle anything and put his body on the line for the team. With him back in the front row, and Healy in the form he’s in, I think Robinson, Hore and Moore aren’t going to have it all their own way, after all.

I can see O’Connell returning to his imperial best – that stunning scene from that day in February 2007, as he soared over 12 feet in the air at Croke Park to take England’s ball in one hand and launch another wave of attack from the backline.

Even O’Gara may surprise me, as he recovers his form, and that grim determination that enters his demeanour as he coldly starts directing play around the field, setting the line in motion, spraying kicks left and right, turning the opposition time and time again, wearing out the opposition forwards as they trudge wearily back into their 22 for another hotly contested lineout, nerves frazzling, and O’Gara’s face doesn’t show a flicker of emotion.

The roar of the crowd rising as O’Driscoll probes once again the defensive line, and makes the break, cutting, scything, swerving forward, as his backline lieutenants, Fitzgerald, Kearney and Bowe, sweep in behind him to finish out the break and touch the ball down.

Ooh yes, I’ve got goosebumps already. This is gonna be a good one.

Ireland hard to beat? Make that impossible.

On another note entirely and even though nobody’s really going to care, let me have a big whinge about the Sunday scheduling. Whinge begins now: What the hell?! Nevermind that 2am AEST on a Monday morning is going to hurt most, but I will be in Auckland this weekend where it will be a 4am start. That is particularly annoying as I have a 6am flight back to Sydney. How will I avoid rugby fans and news all day Monday until I can watch the recording?! Whinge over.

“If it is a dry track we will win, but if it is raining, then we will lose. Simple.”

Bet on ireland then, mate. It’s pissing down here right now.

We will struggle at Lineout time, I can’t believe we can turn that mess around in a week. The breakdown is my real worry we were run over by the English in the first 30mins, we can’t afford that against Ireland.

Strangely I feel comfortable with our backs, it is our forwards and how much resolve they bring to this game, that is what is keeping me awake at night.

I think I must get up and watch this one, don’t want to lay awake wondering how the boys are doing.

After reading and grudgingly agreeing that George Smith was not up to his normal standard, I re-watched the first 30 mins on the England test (Now that takes some doing).

Smith was into everything and pulled off 3 critical tackles and was first there in most of the breakdowns and was all over them. The penalty that the fox coverage was suggesting was George was actually Alexander who was so offside he could have been playing halfback for England. I came away from the 30mins from hell with a renewed enthusiasm for one George Smith. Sure he ain’t up to McCaws standard but only the SA youngster is at that level. My partner mentioned that he never looks happy these days and I guess he has had a tough trot.

He is still our best openside, Pocock may get there but he should be doing more if he is going to be the next Wunderkind.

I 100% agree with you.
The aussies are a very decent team!! I honestly think they are gonna get the grandslam….

Oh dear, it will be a valiant effort for the wallabies to win this one. Then again i did pick Ireland to go well in 2007 RWC. Who knows what will happen . I suppose thats why everyones looking forward to this one.

Glad to see Cullen in there, in case the lineout needs a change-up. Court was the obvious back-up, and good for Cronin – I suspect he may get some game time if Flannery’s ankle suffers a twinge.

Leamy has played all three positions in the back-row.

Reddan for O’Leary or possibly Reddan and Sexton to replace the Munster pair of half-tends.

And finally Earls as utility.

Am pleased for Paddy Wallace – he’s earned his 12 spot on current form, and he’s no stranger to playing Australia.

How’s Egypt going then, KO?