Autumn Cheer
28/11/06 23:28 Filed in: Sport
The Irish
rugby team had an excellent Autumn series, winning
all three matches (versus South Africa, Australia
and the Pacific Islands), and enhancing their
reputation in the eyes of the world. It has been
said more often than once that Ireland are now the
best team in Europe and probably second best in the
world. It's a shame that the Pacific Islands match
didn't count towards world ranking points, as the
61-17 demolition of the Islanders would have
cemented Ireland's third place in the rankings, and
might even have seen them come close to the
second-placed French. Wins for Australia and South
Africa saw them climb back above Ireland, who had
overtaken them both a week ago.
Aside from the three wins, there was more to cheer. The squad came through relatively unscathed, (save Marcus Horan's leg injury, which will keep him out of the game until the new year; and Andrew Trimble's hamstring, which shouldn't cause too much worry.) We also got to see a few new players get their chance at International level, particularly in positions that have had long-term incumbents, such as half-back and prop. Some of the old guard showed that they too were willing to fight for a seat on the plane to Paris next Autumn, most notably Denis Hickie, who had an excellent game against Australia.
In the forwards, we now have options in the front row (assuming Marcus Horan can recover completely from his injury in time for the Six Nations). We still have to pray for the good health of John Hayes, who had a superb series and showed once again just how valuable he is to the Irish set-up. When it comes to line-out time, the glory goes to the lads in the air, but they get there by being lifted by someone, and "The Bull" has proven over a long time that he is one of the best in the business at hoisting. The second-row picks itself, but I would have liked to have seen another younger player get a chance during the series. Malcolm O'Kelly is a good impact player, and a great man to have on the bench who can make an impression in the last 20 minutes of a match, but we need more solid cover should anything happen (God forbid) to POC or DOC. The back row - well what can I say? Denis Leamy is making the Number 8 jersey his own, and is now Ireland's most influential forward after Paul O'Connell. David Wallace is first-choice openside now, but there are options there should we need them. Neil Best had a barnstormer of a series, and should be the first choice for the No 6 shirt for the 6 Nations.
We got to see two new half-backs, both of whom acquitted themselves well, especially Paddy Wallace at out-half against the Pacific Islands. It would be nice to see him get more time in the 10 jersey for Ulster, but it would be difficult to sideline David Humphries for his province. Isaac Boss had a good game against the Aussies, but he's still cover for Stringer, not a genuine contender for the scrum-half position just yet.
In the backs, again we're spoilt for choice. The centre partnership of D'Arcy and O'Driscoll would be feared by any opponents in the world, not just for their ability to run through the eye of a needle and turn on a 1c coin, but also for their defensive work. That said, I would have liked to have seen Munster's Barry Murphy get a run out during the series, as he is another dazzling player. On the wings, we have Shane Horgan, who can step in one channel if needs be. On the other wing, a fully-fit Trimble should be the number one choice, as he is really coming into his own this year as a superb finisher. For full-back, it's a toss-up between Dempsey and Murphy. Both of them have their unique gifts to bring to the table and no side would be weakened by having to choose between one or the other.
But the most satisfying thing of all to take from the Autumn series was the confidence with which the team played. Last year, they lost two out of three, only winning a useless match against Romania. There were times during that series when the Irish players looked like they had just met for the first time in the changing rooms before the match. This time out they were much more assured. Passes that would have been missed 12 months ago were completed efficiently. Opponents were stopped in their tracks this year, when last year they would have barged through, leaving their Irish tackler on his back like an upturned beetle. Possession was kept this time around, when last time a ball would have been dropped or a turnover conceded in the ruck or set-piece.
So the next time we see the Irish in action is against Wales in the Six Nations. Ireland must go for an emphatic win in Cardiff to set down a marker for the Championship. Too often in recent years, Ireland have come close, only to see someone else run off with the title. That must not happen in 2007. This is Ireland's year. The Six Nations Championship is theirs to lose.
Aside from the three wins, there was more to cheer. The squad came through relatively unscathed, (save Marcus Horan's leg injury, which will keep him out of the game until the new year; and Andrew Trimble's hamstring, which shouldn't cause too much worry.) We also got to see a few new players get their chance at International level, particularly in positions that have had long-term incumbents, such as half-back and prop. Some of the old guard showed that they too were willing to fight for a seat on the plane to Paris next Autumn, most notably Denis Hickie, who had an excellent game against Australia.
In the forwards, we now have options in the front row (assuming Marcus Horan can recover completely from his injury in time for the Six Nations). We still have to pray for the good health of John Hayes, who had a superb series and showed once again just how valuable he is to the Irish set-up. When it comes to line-out time, the glory goes to the lads in the air, but they get there by being lifted by someone, and "The Bull" has proven over a long time that he is one of the best in the business at hoisting. The second-row picks itself, but I would have liked to have seen another younger player get a chance during the series. Malcolm O'Kelly is a good impact player, and a great man to have on the bench who can make an impression in the last 20 minutes of a match, but we need more solid cover should anything happen (God forbid) to POC or DOC. The back row - well what can I say? Denis Leamy is making the Number 8 jersey his own, and is now Ireland's most influential forward after Paul O'Connell. David Wallace is first-choice openside now, but there are options there should we need them. Neil Best had a barnstormer of a series, and should be the first choice for the No 6 shirt for the 6 Nations.
We got to see two new half-backs, both of whom acquitted themselves well, especially Paddy Wallace at out-half against the Pacific Islands. It would be nice to see him get more time in the 10 jersey for Ulster, but it would be difficult to sideline David Humphries for his province. Isaac Boss had a good game against the Aussies, but he's still cover for Stringer, not a genuine contender for the scrum-half position just yet.
In the backs, again we're spoilt for choice. The centre partnership of D'Arcy and O'Driscoll would be feared by any opponents in the world, not just for their ability to run through the eye of a needle and turn on a 1c coin, but also for their defensive work. That said, I would have liked to have seen Munster's Barry Murphy get a run out during the series, as he is another dazzling player. On the wings, we have Shane Horgan, who can step in one channel if needs be. On the other wing, a fully-fit Trimble should be the number one choice, as he is really coming into his own this year as a superb finisher. For full-back, it's a toss-up between Dempsey and Murphy. Both of them have their unique gifts to bring to the table and no side would be weakened by having to choose between one or the other.
But the most satisfying thing of all to take from the Autumn series was the confidence with which the team played. Last year, they lost two out of three, only winning a useless match against Romania. There were times during that series when the Irish players looked like they had just met for the first time in the changing rooms before the match. This time out they were much more assured. Passes that would have been missed 12 months ago were completed efficiently. Opponents were stopped in their tracks this year, when last year they would have barged through, leaving their Irish tackler on his back like an upturned beetle. Possession was kept this time around, when last time a ball would have been dropped or a turnover conceded in the ruck or set-piece.
So the next time we see the Irish in action is against Wales in the Six Nations. Ireland must go for an emphatic win in Cardiff to set down a marker for the Championship. Too often in recent years, Ireland have come close, only to see someone else run off with the title. That must not happen in 2007. This is Ireland's year. The Six Nations Championship is theirs to lose.
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Lotto Coincidence
28/11/06 23:16 Filed in: General
Nonsense
I thought
this Lotto ticket was a bit odd when I saw it
first. It's a Quick Pick, with the first, second,
third and sixth numbers on the two lines the same.
(I've made a couple of very subtle changes to it,
just in case anyone thinks they can pass it off as
genuine.) Wait! There's
More…
What Came Down, Originally Went Up
27/11/06 23:16 Filed in: Politics
The
PDs
have
launched a
major poster campaign, in which they claim
that by their doing, car insurance has fallen by
45%. They back up their claim by pointing to the
Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, set up by
Health Minister and former leader Mary Harney, and
a more vague "streamlining" of court proceedings by
Justice Minister and current leader Michael
McDowell. Wait!
There's More…
iPressie
24/11/06 23:01 Filed in: Mac
I've been
meaning to try out Apple's
iPhoto Books feature for a while
now, so we put together a book of photos of Aoife
to see how it looks.
We got it back today, and it's impressive. We chose the hardback linen-bound one, and the finish is of a very high standard. There are 20 pages of photos in the book. You choose how many photos you want per page - it can be a single photo taking up the whole page or several photos together.
Wait! There's More…
We got it back today, and it's impressive. We chose the hardback linen-bound one, and the finish is of a very high standard. There are 20 pages of photos in the book. You choose how many photos you want per page - it can be a single photo taking up the whole page or several photos together.
Wait! There's More…
New Wheels For The Wee One
22/11/06 22:54 Filed in: Personal
We bought a new pram for Aoife a couple of weeks
ago. The one we had been using was a hand-me-down,
and while it was perfect for the first few months,
it soon became apparent that it was not going to be
suitable for the vagaries of an Irish winter.
So we got one of these lads. It wasn't cheap, but it transforms into a pushchair, so it will be useful up till she's three or so.
Wait! There's More…
So we got one of these lads. It wasn't cheap, but it transforms into a pushchair, so it will be useful up till she's three or so.
Wait! There's More…
iPods Used "To Listen To Music" - Shock Report
22/11/06 22:15 Filed in: Mac
I was tempted to set up a new category for this
story - Bears And Their Toilet Habits - as on the
face of it, it looks like it's stating the bleedin'
obvious.
But this report by Nielsen Media Research should be looked at in another way. After more than a year on the market, the video-capable iPod is not being used all that much for its video capabilities. Wait! There's More…
But this report by Nielsen Media Research should be looked at in another way. After more than a year on the market, the video-capable iPod is not being used all that much for its video capabilities. Wait! There's More…
Gerry's New Home On The Net
22/11/06 00:16
Welcome to all visitors to my new blog. It's still
something of a work in progress, as I get to grips
with the new things I have to get to grips with.
Let me know what you think.
Wait! There's More…
Let me know what you think.
Wait! There's More…
Ireland Up To Third In IRB World Rankings
20/11/06 21:42 Filed in: Sport
The IRB world rankings have just been updated after
last weekend's matches. It makes nice reading for
Eddie O'Sullivan and his men, as they go up two
places to third, following their superb win over
Australia yesterday.
How Not To Win Friends
17/11/06 22:34 Filed in: Politics
Today, I was out and about in the south-east,
calling on some of my customers in Wexford and
Waterford. As I had one call to do in Arthurstown
and then go on to Waterford City, I decided to take
the ferry from Ballyhack to Passage East. The
alternative is to go back to New Ross and head into
Waterford on the N25, a journey of 40-odd km, and a
major pain in the hoop, as New Ross can get badly
clogged up at this time on a Friday evening.
So ferry I did. There were only a few other vehicles on the vessel as we crossed over. When we arrived in Passage East, we were confronted by a phalanx of protesters, unhappy with the operation of the ferry.
Wait! There's More…
So ferry I did. There were only a few other vehicles on the vessel as we crossed over. When we arrived in Passage East, we were confronted by a phalanx of protesters, unhappy with the operation of the ferry.
Wait! There's More…
Diss-Honour
16/11/06 22:31 Filed in: Politics
There was a letter in the Irish Times today from a
correspondent in Belfast, bemoaning that fact that
the Republic of Ireland lacks an honours system,
and so could not bestow a meaningful honour on her
most famous artist, Louis le Brocquy, on the
occasion of his 90th birthday.
"If he were a British subject, he would probably by now have received a high honour of some sort."
[…]
"Why should the Irish Republic eschew a system of honours to recognise the acheivements of its citizens?"
Well, with the current "cash for honours" controversy in Britain, I'd reckon we're as well off without one. Indeed, my opposition to an honours system could be summed up six words.
Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare.
"If he were a British subject, he would probably by now have received a high honour of some sort."
[…]
"Why should the Irish Republic eschew a system of honours to recognise the acheivements of its citizens?"
Well, with the current "cash for honours" controversy in Britain, I'd reckon we're as well off without one. Indeed, my opposition to an honours system could be summed up six words.
Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare.
Could Ireland Win The Rugby World Cup?
16/11/06 22:30 Filed in: Sport
I was discussing rugby with a colleague at work
today, and I posited a theory of how Ireland could
win next year's World Cup.
Madness, you might think. The All-Blacks will run away with it. Well, yes. They should run away with it.
So how could Ireland spoil the party?
Wait! There's More…
Madness, you might think. The All-Blacks will run away with it. Well, yes. They should run away with it.
So how could Ireland spoil the party?
Wait! There's More…
Blade Runner
14/11/06 22:26 Filed in: General
Nonsense
Many, many years ago, when the downy fuzz on my
teenage face became plentiful enough to warrant the
use of a razor, the twin blade razor was an exotic
tool. My older brothers (those without full beards)
used single blade disposables. My dad used a
"safety razor", which came apart and used
replaceable blades.
For a while, I was an early adaptor in the razor market. As soon as a new razor with another blade (to shave you closer still) or a lubricating strip swooshed onto the market, I was there to be at the cutting edge, so to speak.
I gave up when they started putting batteries in razors.
Wait! There's More…
For a while, I was an early adaptor in the razor market. As soon as a new razor with another blade (to shave you closer still) or a lubricating strip swooshed onto the market, I was there to be at the cutting edge, so to speak.
I gave up when they started putting batteries in razors.
Wait! There's More…
The Beta Band
14/11/06 22:20 Filed in: Mac
John Gruber writes about attitudes to that
most beloved of Web 2.0 conceits - beta.
Using “beta” as a badge of honor for released commercial software makes no more sense than using “buggy” in the same context, and it makes no more sense as an excuse, either.
In The Name Of The Father
12/11/06 22:19 Filed in: Politics
The mid-term elections on the USA have given the
Democrats control of both Congress and the Senate,
a turnaround which begins the lame-duck phase of
George W Bush's presidency. In two years time,
there is every chance that the Dems will win back
the White House, but what a poisoned chalice that
will be. It is very unlikely that the Iraq
situation will have sorted itself out by them, and
whoever takes over at the Oval Office will have one
hell of a mess to sort out.
Not that any of this will matter to GWB.
Wait! There's More…
Not that any of this will matter to GWB.
Wait! There's More…
Stop taking pictures of me!
09/11/06 22:17 Filed in: Personal
Cumann Filí Marbh
07/11/06 22:16 Filed in: Politics
Well Done, That Lady!
06/11/06 23:57 Filed in: Blogging
It's great to see talent get recognition, as happened today when The Swearing Lady from The Arse End of Ireland was described thus in today's Irish Times:
Wait! There's More…Sky, Tries and Statistics
06/11/06 23:47 Filed in: Sport
From this season, RTÉ no longer have live coverage of the Heineken Cup, as the exclusive rights have been captured by Sky.
Wait! There's More…Testing Gerry's New Blog
06/11/06 23:18 Filed in: Blogging