Coach Robbie Deans has no intention of resting players despite a risk of burn-out.

[GIGS20]

FT, We're in trouble.

I'm glad you've finally seen sense with the assessment of our front row, now will you stop telling us they're of international standard.

Everybody else realises they're crap and we need to look for a replacement of international standard.

[Moses]

Boys and girls can anybody identify [a] causality?......to the large man in the back wearing purple? do you have your hand up?

[James]

I've ranted previously on the stupidity of doubling all ranking point exchanges during the RWC, and the effects of this really showed on the Irish. Their hard work over 4 years achieving a realistic ranking of 5th place was eroded firstly through their loss to the (then) lowly ranked Argies, followed up by their absense from ranking point bonanza that business end of the tournament became

they're about what I'd expect from Ireland. Perhaps they could have beaten the Italians by more in Dublin, and lost by less to the English in London, but it doesn't look overly disastrous.

In conclusion, I'd give the Irish a lot more credit than you have.

World rankings are generally meaningless but Moses I think you missed the RWC game where Ireland almost lost to Georgia and scraped through 14-10. You can't say after that they haven't had a bit of a fall from grace. Ireland went from great guns in 2006 to being abyssmal in the RWC in 2007 and didn't look any better in the Six-Nations (yes I watched it). For the last few years Ireland have been coming 2nd in the Six Nations only behind France so 4th is a fair step down. They have played a lot better though in this tour though. But like I said before when they were better in 2006 we beat them better than we did last weekend.