Posts Tagged ‘ Wales ’

Gatland Plays It Safe – Lions Tour 2013

Lion_Cape

Can the lions win their first series against Australia since 1989? Read on to find out

Ok, so there was no bolters in the end, no shock selections to any great degree bar one and as many disappointing omissions as you come to expect from a Lions squad selection. Warren Gatland has serious pressure on him with this tour as he is heralded as coach supreme due to his work with Wales and there is of course the fact that the Lions haven’t won a tour down under since 1989. With all of this in mind it’s understandable that he played it relatively safe when it came to selection, but on the other hand many of us hoped that the stubborn headed Gatland would have the bottle to pick outside the box too. Let’s have a look at the squad below so and muse over what might have been while we’re at it.
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2013
05/01
CATEGORY
About
Rugby
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April DNA Found On Bridger’s Washing Machine

A man accused of murdering Welsh schoolgirl April Jones has denied all charges despite the fact April’s DNA was found on a washing machine belonging to him, a Welsh court has heard. Read more

2013
05/01
CATEGORY
Irish News
News
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The Irish News Review Lions Squad

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The Lions squad to Tour Australia will be announced by Warren Gatland and his lieutenants tomorrow at 11am – Tuesday April 30th - and 38 players will Tour. The announcement will end the speculation that has been rife since the start of the Six Nations. The European semi-final weekend just gone was the final chance for the players to audition for the trip Down Under. Most of the plane is filled at this stage, but last weekend the coaching team split up for the final time to cast their eyes over proceedings in the RDS, Montpellier and Twickenham and the players in contention had one last opportunity to squeeze their way into the famous red jersey. Akin to the  attention paid to tennis player’s Wags  during Wimbledon, the cameras honed in on the faces of the Lions coaching staff at each break in play in order to spot a giveaway look, or nod of approval, that would signal someone had done enough. But further speculation was all that could be garnered from the steely expressions and early exits. Now the playing is over and it’s an agonising wait for those involved in marginal calls. Gatland and his henchmen will come together again today to finalise selections before facing the media and breaking the squad tomorrow – Tuesdays are rarely this exciting. After it’s announced the difficult work begins as they hope to become the first Touring side to record a Test series victory since Ian McGeechan’s men in South Africa in 1997. The Lions, as a sporting brand, needs to win but they face an Australian side that will be bolstered by their club’s best domestic Super rugby form in years , all their stars are fighting tooth-and-nail for a Test spot against the visiting Lions. What a Summer Down Under awaits! Read more

2013
04/30
CATEGORY
Rugby
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A Victory Worth Savouring

We met up on the first weekend in January to start our preparations for the 2013 RBS Six Nations.  It was great to see all the old faces (no retirements) and plenty of new faces too.  It was clear from the first session that there was going to be great competition for places.  On the weekend sessions we would do two pitch sessions a day and then you would have an array of meetings.  It can be quite intense and tiring both physically and mentally.

On the third weekend of camp the management decided to surprise us with a squad trip, we thought maybe paintballing or go-karting, no it was a trip to do some army training in the Curragh Camp.  Again this was physically and mentally draining but surprisingly enjoyable.  On the final weekend prior to the competition we played Spain in a friendly, we won the game but for us it was more about our systems and seeing if they were effective.  We still had a lot to do prior to the Wales game.  Read more

2013
03/29
CATEGORY
Sport
Rugby
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Celtic Knights Issue 3 Leaves Heroes On Brink

 Stephen Coffey’s Celtic Knights is back for a third edition having garnered much interest among the Irish comic book faithful. Prepare to be dazzled once again by the artwork of Mike Kennedy.

The comic resumes in the third part of the four pronged The Best of What’s Left series.

Issue One began with a bang when Commanding Officer General Quentin Blake of the Mega Human Headquarters discovered that 90% of the world’s superhero population had been eliminated from the face of the earth by a villain known as The Broker. Read more

2013
03/28
CATEGORY
Book Reviews
Reviewlution
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Aussie Interest In IRFU’s Kidney Transplant?

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Ok so first things first, Declan Kidney, axe wielder extraordinaire this season, hasn’t been “dropped” just yet. But the announcement from the IRFU that he would be brought in for a discussion on his future just ahead of his final tour for which he is contracted would suggest they at least have him at the edge of the plank. Whether they will push or not remains to be seen, remember these are the same suits who renewed both his and O’Sullivan’s contracts at times that it was clear both coaches had given all they could give to Ireland. Read more

2013
03/22
CATEGORY
Rugby
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Six Nations 2013 Wrap Up – Wales Retain The Title In Style As Ireland Finally Fall To Italy

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Coghlan A New Hero As BOD Cited Following Italian Defeat

Well, deflated is a word that will linger for long  in the minds of Irish fans after this Six Nations. But only in relation to one of the three facets of the competition, for it would be remiss to omit the stunning achievement of the Irish women’s team from this year’s records. Not too long ago they hadn’t scored a single try in TWO years, they had yet to even claim victory over the English yet now today they will all revel in the glory of winning their first ever Six Nations title. They have also done so with an emphatic 25 nil win over England and a defensive display in Italy the men’s team can be envious of. It has been a long struggle for the likes of captain Fiona Coghlan, sleeping on gym floors and undertaking twilight journeys to games but hopefully this success will find the IRFU giving them the recognition and reward they deserve and not letting this amount to a one off. God knows if nothing else they’ve given the sport a much needed lift after the dire display of the men’s team this campaign. Italy 3 – Ireland 6 Read more

2013
03/18
CATEGORY
Sport
Rugby
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A League Of Its Own – A Tribute to English Football’s Second Tier…

bdLet’s face it, the Premier League title race is over. There will be no Manchester United collapse. There will be no squeaky bum time. There will be no Agueroooooooooo. The crown sits squarely on Sir Alex’s crusty head, and we’re yet to breach the vernal equinox.

But fear not, there is still entertainment to be had watching Sky Sports desperately trying to inject excitement into the proceedings. Flailing like a wounded goliath, they insist that Chelsea and Spurs are locked in a death battle for 3rd place. Hmm. That would be a battle to avoid a couple of extra games in the Champions League next August then. Tense stuff. Read more

2013
03/16
CATEGORY
Football
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Six Nations 2013 : Nothing But Pride To Play For

slIt’s an unfortunate reality but Ireland have just about one thing left to play for in this tournament. The impending Lions tour is shaping up to be a best chance of victory for the touring squad in over a decade, with all of the home nations showing somewhat better form than the Aussies at the minute. With the last Lions tour nearly entirely dominated by Irish players it would be a travesty for this year to pass so many by when many individual performers are performing well at the minute.

With that in mind it may be a good thing then that Ireland will face up to their most difficult fixture in Italy in the last 13 years this weekend. Italy couldn’t have started on a better note beating France when Ireland could not, in a tight game with little room for error. Aside from the next fixture against Scotland where they fully took the foot off the gas they have looked strong in the competition, running Wales ragged without the talismanic Parrise and upon his return nearly derailing the chariot in Twickenham. Ireland had a similarly bright start but have since then thrown away three games and now go to Italy with even more players missing, the present ones wounded and dropping like flies as recently this morning with Jonathan Sexton being ruled out after having been included, now suffering a torn tendon in his foot and very likely seeing his Lions starting hopes dashed. Read more

2013
03/14
CATEGORY
Rugby
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Six Nations Round Up: Déja Vu Draw For Ireland

ireAfter their performance against Scotland much was made about the Irish rugby team’s lack of finishing ability. Basically scoreless in the second half, they left three blatant try scoring opportunities out on the pitch in the first. On Saturday, as they took on France in the Aviva for the second game in a row, they did the very same but credit where it is due, they hid it well. Inexplicably many have described the match as a good contest, exciting, and a fair result come the final whistle. But I would have to say this is very far from the truth. Ireland were massively dominant in the first half, took three significant treks into the opposition 22 and blew two of them. But the moment that decided this game came early in the second half. At the fifty minute mark, Ireland tossed the game away. Read more

2013
03/11
CATEGORY
Rugby
Sport
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