Team in full;

15 - Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 - Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
12 - Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
9 - Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 - Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (capt)
6 - Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 - Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 - Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
17 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
19 - Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)

This weekend, just in case anyone didn’t notice,  another Ireland victory powered them through to the Quarter Finals of the Rugby World Cup. Without wanting to get too ahead of ourselves its a special time for Irish rugby and a special group of players to boot. Which is all just great.

I started to wonder if the dream came true, how would that occasion be marked? I figured a good old fashioned Hollywood movie with an all star cast would be an entirely appropriate memorial to the acheivement. The big question being just who do Hollywood have on their team sheet that could match up to Ireland’s rugby stars?

I thought of a few to get the ball rolling:

Ronan O'Gara

Colin Farrell

Cian Healy

Jack Black

Rory Best

Jason Statham

Russel Crowe

Brian O'Driscoll

A tribute like this would not be complete without some input from the coaching staff. Likewise an Irish  film is never complete without an appearance from this guy:

Gert Smal

Colm Meaney

Finally, who could play the man who brought all of these talented individuals together? Who has the leadership? the insight? The man management to hold such powerful personalities together? Naturally there is only one choice:

Declan Kidney

In terms of the game I’d say that’s about all we have learnt, before and after the game though, we learnt an awful lot more from the ephemeral magic that is Twitter. I’m a big fan of Twitter, there is a remarkably active group of Rugby addicts filling my twitter feed with interesting, passionate, sometimes even side splitting gems of prose all neatly delivered in 140 characters. I’m a really big fan, as anyone with an unhealthy obsession for the game would be.  Yesterday though it was on the whole, a bit of a debacle.

First off, it wasn’t that much of a surprise to learn that Austin Healey is as much of a tit as you always thought he was, he opened the playgroup with this well considered comment:

Alain Rowland is a bad #ref for England.. look at history of euro games and Eng internationals he seems to have chip re; England

Like I said, no surprise he is an idiot, and don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a bit of banter, but from a former England International it’s a bit irresponsible. One of the things that makes rugby the game it is  is the respect for referees, to think that there might be some aspiring players out there to think its ok to have that as an excuse disgusts me. It’s the kind of comment that breeds a ‘we could have won, but that Ref is always against us’ attitude which just doesn’t belong in our game. That said, the game not only proved him wrong but proved he is an idiot and Twitter told him so. Social democracy on a Social Network, how it should be.

Brian Moore is also a fan and active participant of the Twitterati, based on last nights vitriol though, I can’t think why. I’m a big fan of Brian Moore, I admire his passion for the game as both player and pundit. The Butler/Moore double act is the finest way to enjoy a game ever since the passing of Mr. Mclaren .  At this stage I have to say I am no England fan, the biggest game of the weekend is less than an hour away, but I appreciate his insight/passion/humour all the same. Nor am I a big defender of those in the public eye getting criticised, you put yourself in the public eye, don’t complain when it doesn’t always flutter its eyelashes at you! Some of the following abuse fired at Moore after yesterdays game makes me not only ashamed to be human, but I honestly cannot believe I have something in common, i.e. Rugby, with these narrow minded neanderthols, see for yourself:

@brianmoorerugby ur f***ing biast wales is better thsn england you douchbag with no teeth

@Big_Gee you’re a very naughty boy. @brianmoorerugby is still a biased prick though #sackbrianmoore

@brianmoorerugby Jesus, you’re a twat.

@brianmoorerugby your just a c**t

@brianmoorerugby f**k off you bald biased c**t

Clearly this is  just not cricket.

With Wasps  V Harlequins seeming too close to call I added Gloucester and Northampton to the treble. Lets hope I can turn £2 into £20, with these three, you can do te same at 888 sport.

England Saxons put in a fairly impressive display to overcome an above average Italy A side. The Italians looked well drilled and as ever competant at the set peice. In fact their lineout will be the envy of some of the senior sides on display next weekend.

For the Saxons there were a number of plus points, Robshaw showed mature leadership, Twelvetrees had enough deft touches to warrant a Man of The Match award. The true shining light for me would have to be home grown second row Graham Kitchener who showed skills way way beyond the expectations of his position. Three cheers for Graham Kitchener Brendan Venter might say…

Just in and saw this result. Well thats not the best way to get off to the campaign is it? Good news if you’re a Scot granted but I’m not.

England are the bookies tip for the title? I can’t really understand why? Nor can I understand how Ireland have got in there as second favourites? Seems very odd indeed. Bear in mind that these odds are for the outright winner, but England are still second favourites for the Grand Slam! Bizarre. They haven’t won a grand slam since 2003, which was the last time they won the championship, yet they start this year as top dogs.

Undoubtedly they could win it, they have had a good Autumn and Wales have been savaged by injury, making the opening night trip to Cardiff a little easier. They could still slip up there though, likewise with Ireland in Italy, it was close enough last year and a couple of more injuries could before Saturday could see them in real trouble.  Wales have serious injury trouble to get over and the omission of Martyn Williams could prove a little premature, Scotland are unlikely to trouble the top of the table either.

Having said all this I still think there is nothing between the top three teams, so my tip for the 2011 Six Nations is for Italy to get a win at 11/8 . The impact of the Italian sides playing in the Magners is bound to bear fruit and I just love an underdog