6 min

Kidney – “Italy Is A Much Different Ball Game‪”‬ SPORTSPEAK

    • Wilderness

The countdown is well on for this weekend’s RBS Six Nations clash between Ireland and Italy in the Aviva Stadium. It’s been two weeks since the shambles of Paris and now everone looks forward to what should be a cracking game of rugby.

Some would say Ireland will have an advantage with the way fixtures have worked out, playing three games in a row, Italy, France and Scotland before finishing up against England on St Patricks Day; I’m not really too convinced.
Even when Italy were considered as the whipping boys all those years ago, the coach, whether it be Warren Gatland, Eddie O’Sullivan or now currently Declan Kidney will have always counted the cost of victory against the Azzuri. Italy have alway’s a strong physical side who would knock various shades of sh1t out of any team before coming out the wrong end of the result, but its the players who suffer after and there is always the question of who in the team has come out worse for wear. With that said I don’t see how Ireland can be considered as having an advantage with the return trip to Paris one week later, a place Ireland simply dont win.
Kidney this afternoon kept faith with the same team replacements and all from the team due to play France, now questions are asked about how Kidney will use the subs bench. Does he give Sexton and O’Gara a half each and keep them both relitively fresh for Paris? Should he do the same with the scrum halfs? The rest I suppose will be based on how things are going at 13 on day with Keith Earls starting at 13 and Fergus McFadden on the bench, the same has to be said for the scrumager’s.
The scrum itself will be rather interesting on Saturday, Ireland haven’t had a solid scrum in quite some time but how much of an advantage will it be to have Martin Castrogiovanni out for the Italians.
Speaking today Kidney talked about how important it was to hit the ground running in the first 20 minutes and not only have a good win for their own mentality but also to get the Irish support back onside. Since Ireland moved back to Lansdowne Road, they have only won three out of nine games and lost the last three. Kidney knows how vital it is to get a relationship going with fans having coached in the fortress of Thomond Park.
Click the link below to hear the thoughts of Irish headcoach Declan Kidney after he named his team today.

 

The countdown is well on for this weekend’s RBS Six Nations clash between Ireland and Italy in the Aviva Stadium. It’s been two weeks since the shambles of Paris and now everone looks forward to what should be a cracking game of rugby.

Some would say Ireland will have an advantage with the way fixtures have worked out, playing three games in a row, Italy, France and Scotland before finishing up against England on St Patricks Day; I’m not really too convinced.
Even when Italy were considered as the whipping boys all those years ago, the coach, whether it be Warren Gatland, Eddie O’Sullivan or now currently Declan Kidney will have always counted the cost of victory against the Azzuri. Italy have alway’s a strong physical side who would knock various shades of sh1t out of any team before coming out the wrong end of the result, but its the players who suffer after and there is always the question of who in the team has come out worse for wear. With that said I don’t see how Ireland can be considered as having an advantage with the return trip to Paris one week later, a place Ireland simply dont win.
Kidney this afternoon kept faith with the same team replacements and all from the team due to play France, now questions are asked about how Kidney will use the subs bench. Does he give Sexton and O’Gara a half each and keep them both relitively fresh for Paris? Should he do the same with the scrum halfs? The rest I suppose will be based on how things are going at 13 on day with Keith Earls starting at 13 and Fergus McFadden on the bench, the same has to be said for the scrumager’s.
The scrum itself will be rather interesting on Saturday, Ireland haven’t had a solid scrum in quite some time but how much of an advantage will it be to have Martin Castrogiovanni out for the Italians.
Speaking today Kidney talked about how important it was to hit the ground running in the first 20 minutes and not only have a good win for their own mentality but also to get the Irish support back onside. Since Ireland moved back to Lansdowne Road, they have only won three out of nine games and lost the last three. Kidney knows how vital it is to get a relationship going with fans having coached in the fortress of Thomond Park.
Click the link below to hear the thoughts of Irish headcoach Declan Kidney after he named his team today.

 

6 min