There is no doubt that the following two weekend will see the various groups in the European cup really start to take shape, with some team taking advantage of this pretty much unique set of games in the rugby world.

Normally the way you would want there to fall would be an away game first, get some sort of a result on the road and then get them home and kick their ass!! That’s the plan anyway… 

But for some teams the other way suits just fine, take a look at ERC new comers Connacht, they have lost their last 8 games in all competitions and desperately need to get a win, not just their European hope but to get their whole season back on track. So they will be quite happy to be playing their first game against Gloucester at home in Galway.

Now the visiting side themselves are in no great shape either, having lost their last four games, so this is turning out to be a pivotal game for both sides.

In what could be described as one of the games of the weekend Munster travel away to the inform Scarlets on Saturday. Yes they are both undefeated but you would have to say that the home sides play has been the more impressive, with Munster needing two last minutes efforts from ROG to see them through. Especially with the season ending injury to Doug Howlett, Munster will be looking at this to get some points out of this fixture and get the full allocation next week therefore winning the back to backs.

As these games can be a nightmare for some it can also be a boon for others, look at Ulster. They stand having won one and lost one are now playing Aironi in a group that will probably see two teams qualify. So if they can get 2 wins and if possible max points it could be enough with a couple of added points from the others games, to virtually see them through!

Leinster travel to Bath for their game this weekend, a place they have played quite a bit in the ERC and have a good record there. I still feel that with the blues this game, as with the rest of their season in truth, is in their own hands. They have shown that they still have the team that can get the results and if they stay hungry the results should go their way. Bath are struggling, standing 3^rd last in the premiership and will find this one tough.

Shane

It’s amazing to think that we are only in round 2 of this year European Cup and already all the talk is that there are so many fixtures that are basically must win games for teams going to battle this weekend! It is a huge complement to a competition that has caught every body’s imagination in the rugby world.

As the standard of the entrants every year gets better and better, you just never know what way results are going to go domestic form can mean nothing, just look at all three Welsh sides winning last weekend, I can’t remember the last time that happened!

From an Irish point of view it’s going to be an interesting couple of days, with the pick of the weekend going to the Connacht-Toulouse game in the Sports Ground in Galway.

This is the home sides 100^th game in Europe but only their 2^ndin the Heineken Cup and to be hosting one of the competitions heavyweights is making the sell-out game a great occasion. Connachts display against the English League leader Harlequins shows that they are not here to make up the numbers in this year but are going to be a thorn in many a side, especially at home were they haven’t lost a European game in a good few years.

Leinster have Glasgow at home and even if the Scots did have a good game last weekend, you can’t see them getting the better of the current Cup holders.

Munster are a bit of a suck it see team this year, with the jury out to weather they are still a team to be reckoned with or not. But I think that if they can get a bit of momentum going they will still be a difficult side to deal with. Added to that the fact that they want to expel the daemons of last year were for the first time they didn’t get through to the ¼ ‘s. They showed unbelievable resilience to beat Northampton at home with a last minute drop goal after an amazing 41 phases!! Getting any points on the road against a strong Castres, will be so important to their pool hopes.

Ulster travel to an out of sorts Leicester. It a strange situation to be in for the home side, yes they are one of the ERC main teams but they are yet to win a single game at home in the Premiership this year! Ulster on the other hand with the likes of Ferris and co all back from international duty, are showing some good from, especially with their win over a very talented Clermont team, could an upset be on the books?!!

Shane

Not sure what it’s been like with the bookies over the water but media savvy Bookmakers Paddypower have already paid out on the final, saying that it is forgone conclusion!

If you were looking at just this tournament you wouldn’t really have too much to argue against this, as the French have gone from a bad start to a even poorer finish! They had about 20 minutes in the English game where they showed some of the flair that we are more used to seeing from them but in truth that is about it.

I know that people can moan about the fact that they are very undeserving of their place in the final but to me it’s more of a reflection of the teams that didn’t get there. France should have been knocked out a long time ago but it’s just a fact that nobody did it, so no complaining!

Good to see that the nutter in change of the French ship is still coming out with the good ones, calling his players “spoilt” for going out for a few after their semi-final win. I’d say the very reason that they would have gone out was the fact that Lievremont didn’t want they too. But in truth, it’s been well documented that he has lost control of the dressing room and it is senior player lead now, so I don’t think that they really care what he says now. Have you noticed that in nearly his whole tenure in charge Lievremont next to never picked the same team twice, in fact I don’t think he ever did (I stand to be corrected on that bit I’m not far off!) and now all of a sudden there a same team sheets being produced, player power!!

I am well aware that I haven’t mentioned the All Blacks in this piece but I really do think that for this to be any sort of a game worth watching, it’s going to be all about wither the French turn up or not. They are the one northern side that have and can beat NZ at home… but is it likely this time, probably not but for the sake of the biggest spectacle of our lovely game we need them to turn up!

Shane

P.S. Wales to beat Australia!

Well there’s only one thing that both Ireland and England can say about their respective games last weekend…they didn’t deserve it on the day!

Having talked to some of the boys from the Irish camp and I’m sure it’s the same for the team across the water, it’s the disappointment in the way they played on the day that kills them. It wouldn’t be so bad if they had turned up and at least played to their ability and still lost, that wouldn’t be too bad but unfortunately for both sides that just wasn’t the case.

So here we are still looking forward to a cracking weekend of rugby but with a little tear in the eye for what could have been!

Let’s have a quick look at the games starting with the first, the northern hemisphere showdown. To sum it up I think we all know the most obvious thing that will influence this game is what French team will turn up?! And trust me they will need to turn up to beat this energetic welsh side.

In my view Wales’s strength is also probably their flaw, they have a great ability to go out and play at 100% of their ability and just punish aside from start to finish but the problem I think is that they are already playing at 100% and there is no higher they can go, no improvement to be made. Now this is a huge achievement that any side can do this at all but they will not be the same force if they are only slightly off the boil.

Frances strength and the reason that I think they might come out on top of this game, is not where you might think it is!

There was clearly trouble in their camp during the pool stages and the word has it that the senior players got them together and they have said to hell with their mad coach, we are playing for ourselves…and that makes them dangerous! There is a way of beating the red teams fast up, high tempo game and if the French have done their homework, their new spirit could be the difference.

I going to come out and say it… I think that New Zealand will lose on Sunday!

I don’t think that the Aussies will have any fear, I think they will attack the 10 channel with everything they’ve got and hopefully get down to the 4^th choice 10. I think the longer the game goes on with the scores tight the more pressure will come on NZ and we know that they don’t do pressure well!! I think it vital for them that Beale starts, even just for the mindset of the same team starting.

There’s is no doubt that it will a cracker and I won’t be surprised if I’m wrong but I don’t think I am!!

Shane

Declan Kidney has wisely named the same starting side that beat Italy last week, the main talking point in this would be the availability of injured hooker Rory Best.

Now if you had watched Ireland’s displays running into the WRC, you would have been forgiven for wondering why there so much consideration is been given to a player who clearly wasn’t on form.

But like most Irish players as the tournament has been going on they have on a whole been getting better and better, to the point that Rory Beat was seen as an integral part of a dominating pack in the last few games.

Now it’s true to say in comparison to most sides Ireland has had a bloody good run so far on the injury front, all except that is at hooker with Jerry Flannery already flow home after just 2 weeks. News has it that rory AC joint is responding well but to get it to the point of playing a vital international might seem a bridge too far, we’ll watch this space.

In the terms of the WRC, I have to say that it is a pity that the Welsh and the Irish had to meet at this stage in the knockouts. To me they are two of the top form sides at the moment and a battle between them should have at least deserved an semi final stage.

There is one thing for sure, if both teams have their way and the ref or the elements don’t have too much of an effect on proceedings, it should be one hell of a game!

Wales, with their youth and skill will want to run the hell out of the ball, attacking Irelands outside channels, a place they haven’t been tested yet in NZ. Ireland on the other hand, while also playing exciting rugby, will be much more clinical, taking the points as they come from the boot of ROG and with him pushing the team in to the corners.

To me there are going to be massive battles everywhere on Saturday but I’m going to do the obvious and pick the backrow where the battle will be lost or won. With Warburton’s charges going up against the beef of the Irish trio. It will be an epic encounter and you will have to watch closely to see who blinks first!!

I feel it’s going to be another game between these side that only a kick will grab it but I have to say I think Irelands experience will come out on top…hopefully!

Shane

After a great win against the Aussies, Declan Kidney named a new look side to play Russia which included 10 changes and one positional switch, basically giving every travelling member of the squad game time. All except the hooker replacement for Flannery, Damien Varley although I guess he’s not complaining yet!!

It’s amazing the ripple effect that the resulted against the Aussies has had on the WRC. For those that don’t know, if there are no more shock results in the pool stages you are looking at a situation were in one side of the knockout stages you would have mostly the home nations and on the other the tri nation teams. It would also and probably more importantly, guarantee a 6 nations side would be in the final!

And all this from arguably the one and only game at that stage in the tournament that went against the form book!

It even started to influence other games, look at what France did against NZ, essentially putting out a 2^nd string side to ensure that he got on the more familiar side of the playoffs. Although you have to say to that it is a pity in seeing that, considering that they have played some of the best ever WRC games against each other!

Anyway back to the Russia game, not a lot to be said bar I suppose job done! Nine tries and some good rugby at least. I don’t think that the performances will have any effect on the first XV selection but at least we ticked most of the boxes that needed to ticked.

Sean Cronin is ready if we need him, Jamie Heaslip is getting his form back, Andrew Trimble is as hungry as ever, as are most of the squad who we might have to call upon to if we want to progress in the competition.

It amazing the way that the bonus points are coming more and more into play, with most of the groups still not fully decided. The Argies clipping the Scots has lead to what will be a cracking weekend of games, including South Africa vs Samoa and Wales vs Fiji.

And not to forget Ireland verses Italy, a game that the Italians have said from the start that they are targeting. It mad to think that even after the highs of the last couple of weeks, there is a situation that if Ireland loose to Italy they wouldn’t go through at all! So it looks like, for Ireland anyway, that the knockout stages are starting a week early, fingers crossed!!

Shane

As we all know the main problem with Ireland in the last 5 games has quite simply been that they haven’t put any sort of an performance together, we’ve been looking but inexplicably it just hasn’t arrived!

So as nothing has seemed to get these guys motivated in recent times, maybe this game against the Aussies couldn’t come at a better time?

Historically, particularly in the amateur era, Ireland always had the chance of pulling out of the bag a one off performance against the better sides, every now and again getting the result when you catch your opponents on a bad day, seeming to revel in the total underdog tag.

Now having two of the most dominant club sides in Europe, winning several triple crowns and a grand slam in the last couple of years you would think that those days are well gone and that Ireland would be genuine contenders every time but recently for some reason this just isn’t so.

No matter how good we ever got it has always been an achilles heel of the Irish when playing a team whom you should beat easily, instead of doing so we go down to their level and compete there struggling to get the result, instead of putting them to the sword! It was like we couldn’t perform properly without this underdog tag!

But despite the fact that this seems to be back, there is one difference…we are a much much better team than we were back then!

On Saturday if the Australians play as well as they can and Ireland does likewise, Ireland could still win! This is the difference between now and then.

As for this year’s WRC this is do or die for Ireland, not that they have to win to get through but it still that search for the performance that indicates that they can play well enough to win the rest of the games and get out of the pool.

I honestly expect a very good game on Saturday and although I hope for a win it is impossible to predict, the odds would be against it…just the way we like it!!

Shane

Yes the RWC is already well underway and there have already been some very interesting games with no real shocks but with some narrow escapes!!

Ireland get their campaign underway on Sunday morning against our own Eddie O ‘Sullivan’s USA Eagles, if anybody will know how to through a spanner into Irelands plans it will be Eddie!

I think the result is probably not in doubt but with Ireland poor showing in the warm-up games they really need a very good performance in this game. But with the much publicised 9/11 anniversary it will add spice to the Americans cause and they will not back down.

There has been criticism thrown at Declan about the fact that he still, even after more warm up games than pretty any other major rugby playing nation, he still has to start players that just plain and simply need game time! What people wanted was the full starting team to play together to lead well into the Aussie game next week.

But to me it’s not only about the Aussie game, yes if they do win that game and finish top of the group, the path through the knockout stages is totally different to coming 2^nd in the group. But to me there is still a banana skin around the corner…the Italians!

They have stated that the Irish game is the one they are targeting, so much so that they are not even fielding a full side against the Australians! If they lose that game and win against Russia, USA, very doable and they then play Ireland in the last game of the group. This could be a cracking game as they both could have lost one game and won the rest, remember we didn’t exactly win well against them in the Six Nations!

So here to a very good performance and roll onto the Aussies!!

Shane

Yes all the talk for Declan Kidney before these warm up games started was it was very important to get match time for his squad and lift the performances but nobody I think expected them to be 0-3 in their international series.

And even the above plan couldn’t be stuck to, for a team that played more warm up games than most they still have a team starting this Saturday that contains plenty of players who still badly need time on the pitch, Geordan Murphy, Tommy Bowe, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris have next to no time between them and then you have the ones who have played little, Paul O’Connell, Flannery, Heaslip and then you’ve got the likes of young Conor Murray on the bench who most certainly has to get as much time on the pitch as he can to get some experience at playing at this level!

Makes you wonder what way the teams were put together in the first place?!

During the week the main talking points was the travelling squad that was announced, as with all of these there are some guys who should have made it and some who shouldn’t and the names you fill in there is all depending who you are talking to!

The omission of Luke Fitzgerald and Tomas O’Leary grabbed the main headlines. O’Leary plain and simple just suffered the consequences of a bad game against the French last week, to think about it if he had just played alright and did nothing special but not mess up he would have travelled as no.1, a big fall from grace!

Luke would tell you himself that he’s not quite there form wise yet but he was starting to show it and I would have brought a attacking talent like him along, replacing someone like Paddy Wallace as utility back.

Everyone thought John “The Bull” Hayes was going to travel when we saw how Buckley got done over against the French over there but we should always remember Kidney a conservative man and he had made his mind up on this one a while ago!

This should be a cracking game at the weekend, with more pressure on Ireland to get the result and England will be looking to right the result from the last time they travelled to Dublin, should be a cracker!!

Shane

You would be thinking that if you were in the Irish camp, there might be an air of distress or even a smidgen of panic, them being in the position having played two WRC warm up games and won neither and no tries to be seen, but no so!

Talking to the lads in camp the feeling is that they are exactly on track to where they should be at this stage. Yes they are a little frustrated about the losses and the players would have preferred to have put both of these games away but they set their goals at the start of camp and would you believe they are on target!!

The targets I’m talking about are mainly from a management point of view, they set out to give their whole squad ample time on the pitch and to get through unscaved. This has been done. In fact on the injury front they are well ahead of target! No really injuries so far (fingers crossed!)and look at the list of walking wounded who after this weekend will have gotten valuable game time-BOD, Darcy, Kearney, Ferris, Murphy, Flannery, O’Leary, Jennings to name a few!

Tonight (Thursday) an Ireland Select XV will play Connacht with very much an 2^nd XV. I suppose the main part of which is the first game back in the jersey for Geordan Murphy, who has made a great return from a bad leg break.

Probably not a lot will be got from this game bar the fact that it will deliver a few players that very valuable game time. Guys like Hayes, Murphy and Boss haven’t been seen too much of late and will have much to show in the hope that they get on the plane.

With the “Big Guns” starting to get back for the France game on Saturday, I am expecting a win. The main aim for the team is they have to start well, not give the visitor any headway at all. I’m looking forward to seeing Ferris back in the green after basically a seasons absence. If he can make it through it should give Kidney one hell of a headache in selection of what combination to go with between Ferris, Wallace, Heaslip and O’Brien…who would you pick?!!

Shane