France v Ireland; who'll win it?

[daveco]

My head says France, my heart Ireland. Considering I'm never right, who thinks France will stroll it?

[soapbox]

daveco said:

My head says France, my heart Ireland. Considering I'm never right, who thinks France will stroll it?

I think the French by a mile. As England have shown, shaking yourself out of lethargic mediocrity and getting up for a big game just isn't easy in rugby.

Besides, there has always been a touch of the emporers new clothes with the Irish team imho. They have been outstanding when the 6 nations has been the worst quality it has been for many a year.

I do honestly hope I'm wrong, but I think they'll struggle to get a losing bonus point and will have to wallop the Argies to stand any chance of getting through.

[patmahe]

I hope I'm wrong but I believe France will beat us, we've only beaten France in France once in 25 years, we're not exactly in our finest form and there seems to be something (infighting??) going on in the squad that no-one wants to talk about.

I believe we'll raise our game significantly but cannot see us winning, unless of course we can go 2 converted trys up in the first 10 minutes and the French crowd start to turn on their team.

Its really frustrating because in my opinion this is the finest Irish Rugby squad ever to go to a world cup and they are just not doing themselves justice.

[soapbox]

patmahe said:

I hope I'm wrong but I believe France will beat us, we've only beaten France in France once in 25 years, we're not exactly in our finest form and there seems to be something (infighting??) going on in the squad that no-one wants to talk about.

I believe we'll raise our game significantly but cannot see us winning, unless of course we can go 2 converted trys up in the first 10 minutes and the French crowd start to turn on their team.

Its really frustrating because in my opinion this is the finest Irish Rugby squad ever to go to a world cup and they are just not doing themselves justice.

Do you think so? I think the 2003 squad was better, but you needed a world cup in 2004/5 ideally. They fluffed their lines against the French in 2003 and probably should have won. A wet day in Sydney wouldnt have bothered the Irish as much as the French in the semi.

I just think this Irish squad is paper thin and, unfortunately, playing in the 6 nations is no build up for the world cup.

[BigMansZetec]

France will win comfortably, unfotunately. Ireland's form has been very poor.
My predictions for that group are Argentina should win the group, France second, which means Ireland will not progress.

I hope to be proved wrong though!