63 replies to this topic

[ShotgunGold]

WALES v IRELAND

Game 4, Sun 17 Oct, 2:00pm, Neath

Congrats to the 14/17 of you who correctly guesed that Wales would beat Scotland!

And to the 4/6 of you who picked France over Scotland.


Previous Results

Friendly - Oct 6th - Wales 6-13 Italy - Wrexham - 2,791
Game 1 - Oct 9th - France 58-24 Ireland - Avignon - 14,522
Game 2 - Oct 10th - Scotland 22-60 Wales - Glasgow - 787
Game 3 - Oct 16th - France 22-12 Scotland - Albi - 6,721
Game 4 - Oct 17th - Wales 31-30 Ireland - Neath - 2,165

24195/6048

Current Table

France - P2, W2, +44, 4
Wales - P2, W1, +39, 4
Ireland - P2, W0, -35, 0
Scotland - P2, W0, -48, 0

The last time these guys faced each other...

2009: Wales 42-12 Ireland (European Cup)
2005: Wales 31-10 Ireland
2004: Ireland 25-12 Wales

Newspaper articles...

North Wales Daily Post
South Wales Evening Post
BBC Sport
South Wales Echo

Squads

Wales: M. Lennon (Cronulla), C. Beasley, I. Webster (both Central Queensland), B. Flower, G. Thomas, G. Dudson, J. James, L. Williams, L. White (all Crusaders), R. Divorty (Featherstone), D. Jones (Keighley), N. Budworth (Mackay), A. Gay, A. James, C. Roets (all South Wales), J. Emmitt (St Helens), I. Watson (Swinton), L. Briers (capt), R. Williams (both Warrington), J. Ross (York).

Ireland: Brett McDermott (Barrow Raiders), Sean Hesketh (Batley Bulldogs), Paddy Barcoe (Carlow Crusaders), Matthew Fox (Dewsbury Rams), Liam Finn (Featherstone Rovers), Bob Beswick (Halifax), Jamie O'Callaghan (Harlequins RL), Scott Grix, Greg McNally (Both Huddersfield Giants), Adam Aigbokhae (Irish Students), Luke Ambler (Leeds Rhinos), Joe Taylor (North Dublin Eagles), Matt Ashe, John Gillam, Wayne Kerr (All Oldham), Ryan Boyle (Salford City Reds), Tim Bergin, Michael Haley (Both Sheffield Eagles), Brendan Guilfoyle (Treaty City Titans), Simon Finnigan (Widnes Vikings).

Tickets

You can still buy tickets for the match here. An adult ticket is £8, concession is £6 and child is £4 but on the day they'll all be a little more expensive.

Edited by ShotgunGold, 18 October 2010 - 10:26 AM.

[Cofi]

deleted post. It was meant for another thread!

Edited by Cofi, 13 October 2010 - 05:19 PM.

[Tommy The C5t]

I fear for the crowd at this game, I really do.

[Tommy The C5t]

Putting that aside I'm going to say that Ireland will come away with the points.

[burnleywelsh]

I fear for the crowd at this game, I really do.

Why ??? What's going to happen ??? Do you know something we don't ???

[Cardiff Cymru]

Over 1,000 tickets gone so far. Going to do a press release about this fact later today. If we can get to a couple of thousand, it'll be a good atmosphere. Don't forget that Scorpions get 600 every game anyway. Those fans will all turn up, plus the advertising here on the radio has been fairly good with three radio stations carrying ads. There's also the Real Radio special tonight. The South Wales Evening Post has also been carrying stories (that's the local paper in the Neath area). The Scorpions database (about 2,600 email addresses) have also been emailed.

[Exiled Rhino]

Should Wales and France both win their next games, the decider in France will be a cracker!

[Cardiff Cymru]

It will be Lee Briers and Jordan James speaking taking calls tonight. Make sure you give them a call. 0845 1052106. Listen at www.realradiowales.co.uk.

BBC and S4C have just been down so expect pieces on tomorrow's news.

Edited by Cardiff Cymru, 14 October 2010 - 01:07 PM.

[Tommy The C5t]

Why ??? What's going to happen ??? Do you know something we don't ???

These games deserve more than the 800 who watched the Scotland vs Wales game Sunday gone and the 1500/2000 who are expected to watch this one.

I think from the two Crusaders games played at Neath vs Castleford and Harlequins that taking games here isn't working.

[ShotgunGold]

These games deserve more than the 800 who watched the Scotland vs Wales game Sunday gone and the 1500/2000 who are expected to watch this one.

I think from the two Crusaders games played at Neath vs Castleford and Harlequins that taking games here isn't working.

I think it's a shame that England fans aren't interested in these games, especially as there was only one England home match this year and it was a day after the Grand Final. Would it be right for the WRL or SRL to target England fans from the heartlands to watch the game...

See the problem with Scotland is that there is no core support base. Cardiff Cymru has just stated that South Wales Scorpions have 2600 people on their email list. Now obviously all of them won't come, but if you consider that the Crusaders have many fans and that some of these 2600 fans could bring friends, then your looking at 2000 already. A Championship team in Scotland is needed before 2013 if the Bravehearts are to look credible in a competition where some matches could be just 50 miles away.

I doubt they'll be anyone waving the Irish flag though. There were some Irish fans at the 2008 World Cup but I'm not sure whether they were just Irish Aussies.

@ Cardiff Cymru - do you know why the Italy game was selected for Wrexham and the Ireland game for Neath?? Why not vice-versa??

Edited by ShotgunGold, 14 October 2010 - 02:40 PM.

[Tommy The C5t]

I think it's a shame that England fans aren't interested in these games, especially as there was only one England home match this year and it was a day after the Grand Final. Would it be right for the WRL or SRL to target England fans from the heartlands to watch the game...
See the problem with Scotland is that there is no core support base. Cardiff Cymru has just stated that South Wales Scorpions have 2600 people on their email list. Now obviously all of them won't come, but if you consider that the Crusaders have many fans and that some of these 2600 fans could bring friends, then your looking at 2000 already. A Championship team in Scotland is needed before 2013 if the Bravehearts are to look credible in a competition where some matches could be just 50 miles away.

I doubt they'll be anyone waving the Irish flag though. There were some Irish fans at the 2008 World Cup but I'm not sure whether they were just Irish Aussies.

@ Cardiff Cymru - do you know why the Italy game was selected for Wrexham and the Ireland game for Neath?? Why not vice-versa??

If this game had been played in the heartlands say at Dewsbury, Batley, Halifax, Featherstone etc, like the games we're in 2007 then I for one would attend them.

I'm sure you would at least repeat the crowds that the games got back then, but that is the safe option isn't it and doesn't really do anything for the development of the game in Wales appart from say an extra 500/1000 on the gate.

[CrushersForever]

I'm going to say that Ireland will come away with the points.

Correct

[Tommy The C5t]

Correct

It would mean the form book being ripped up mate, but I really do think you'll provide a shock.

[CrushersForever]

It would mean the form book being ripped up mate

Yeah. I still have visions of Wales coming over here in 2005, and Lee Briers putting runners through gaps all day long.

Still, here's hoping...

[gingerjon]

I'm sure you would at least repeat the crowds that the games got back then, but that is the safe option isn't it and doesn't really do anything for the development of the game in Wales appart from say an extra 500/1000 on the gate.

But the crowds were pitiful weren't they? So it's not really a safe option and does nothing to get over the suspicion some hold that it's not really proper internationals.

[ShotgunGold]

As far as I'm aware not one single Irish newspaper, website or blog has written a single thing about this match.

This suggests that Ireland Rugby League have done nothing to try and promote it to the Irish press.

I understand it isn't a home game but surely promoting the whole competition would greatly help when it's your turn to host - ie when Ireland play Scotland.

There is no mention of Wales v Ireland on the official RLI website, and a news article which is supposed to have information of tickets to the Ireland versus Scotland match is just blank.

As far as I'm aware they don't have a Facebook or MySpace etc.

I can't even find a list of the Irish team for the game tomorrow. If anyone does know the team can they please post, thanks.

How are the RLEF supposed to run a professional tournament when it's competitors are this inadequate?

[Cardiff Cymru]

This went out just before 8pm on Friday night...

Ireland Look to Bounce Back Against Wales
Following last week’s disappointing defeat at the hands of France Andy Kelly’s Ireland squad will be looking to turn their Alitalia European campaign around as they prepare to face Wales in Neath.
Simon Grix, who was impressive in last Saturday’s outing, will miss out this week with an elbow injury. Simon Finnegan will come into the squad in place of Grix and will add some vital experience to the side.
Finnegan was part of Ireland’s 2008 World Cup Campaign which was a big success and his inclusion should lift the side who meet up tomorrow morning in preparation of this vital tie.
Carlow Crusader Paddy Barcoe who missed out last week after suffering a hamstring injury could be in contention for a place in the match day seventeen should he recover in time.
A win is a must for Kelly’s men who will face stiff competition against a Wales side which is flying high after a 60 point haul against Scotland last week.
Speaking on the game Kelly was positive that he could put a stronger team out than in Avignon
“We faced a strong French side last week and at a time when we really could have been crushed we came back and showed great spirit.”
Kelly will be hoping his side show that same spirit this week against the Welsh team which will include Warrington star Lee Briers as well as former British and Irish Lions captain Gareth Thomas.
Ireland Squad for Wales:
Brett McDermott (Barrow Raiders), Sean Hesketh (Batley Bulldogs), Paddy Barcoe (Carlow Crusaders), Matthew Fox (Dewsbury Rams), Liam Finn (Featherstone Rovers), Bob Beswick (Halifax), Jamie O'Callaghan (Harlequins RL), Scott Grix, Greg McNally (Both Huddersfield Giants), Adam Aigbokhae (Irish Students), Luke Ambler (Leeds Rhinos), Joe Taylor (North Dublin Eagles), Matt Ashe, John Gillam, Wayne Kerr (All Oldham), Ryan Boyle (Salford City Reds), Tim Bergin, Michael Haley (Both Sheffield Eagles), Brendan Guilfoyle (Treaty City Titans), Simon Finnigan (Widnes Vikings)

[BBR]

For some stupid reason I presumed this was on SKY.

Got home too late this morning to get to Neath.

Any chance it is being streamed?

[ShotgunGold]

Kick off

[ShotgunGold]

W 4 I 0. Lennon. Con miss