Montane have confirmed that MR will still receive a donation on the stuff sold via Sport Pursuit

Rail and sail London to Sligo or Galway is 55 for adults, half price for under 16’s and free for under 5’s.

Go by ferry and take your own car and stay in a cheaper hotel

I won’t be there myself but the company I work for are taking a stand at it this year.

http://www.k-rend.co.uk/default.aspx

I went onto the Montane site to buy the MR jacket at £80 and the shop link had vanished. Montane directed me to the Sport Pursuit clearance. Not sure if MR still get a cut.

Just sign up you shouldn’t need a code

Is a Note really bigger than a Golf or does it just look bigger?

We have a Golf and my father has a Note. IMO the Golf carries more kit and in much more comfort. I found the Note terrible to drive, very noisy and tinny. Also the brakes were shocking for a newish car. I wouldn’t touch a Note with a bargepole.

EDIT – my father is 70, this image will come with the Note, don’t forget the tartan rug!!

My brother in law had a Fabia 1.2 estate and drove it into the ground 120k in 3 years, 2 kids and it was a great little car. No major issues and easy to fuel.

proper rugby players use Guinness for recovery – takes all knocks and pains away!

Just got a pair in GAP at the w/e. Ex rugby prop and they are the only brand that fit my thighs

I think the rugby this weekend should make for some good viewing. I hope that ireland can pull out a huge performance in France and get a result, but the head says that we will probably be well beaten by at least 10 points.

I think Italy England will be very close indeed with Italy getting the result by a couple of points. I was impressed by the way Italy approached the France game last week and tried to play a bit.

In Sundays game Wales will be too strong for Scotland and win by plenty.

What are your predictions?

AA catch yourself on Davies was caught good and proper, to say he out played poc is rubbish, he had one decent charge in the loose, where was he ine the rest of the line outs? He is a dirty player and 7 weeks is not enough. I’m more than happy to take up DD’s irish mantle, bring that s@*t on!!!

there’s one last Lions tour for BOD and his mad tackling.

Loum I hope you are right! I was at the Gabba when he scored ‘that’ try. Something very special about a Lions tour.

North certainly is some talent and while defensively his positioning needs a bit of work, he is only going to get better. A very exciting prospect.

Lions:

Kearney
Bowe
BOD/Davies
Roberts
North
Sexton
Murray
Ferris
Warburton
SOB
Gray
Ryan (this guy is gonna be very good)
Jones
No real stand out hookers – Best or Ford
Healy

Ireland needed to play against 14 to get in front

Did you see the game? Ireland were 10-5 up at half time and playing really badly.

Not to take anything away from Wales they did deserve to win, however I think that Ireland were the authors of their own misfortune rather than Wales playing to their full potential. Even Gatland reckon they were only playing at 70% which clearly bodes well for the Welsh fans going forward.

I really feel like Ireland missed BOD’s leadership and defence in midfield and the loss of Earls at short notice was also a key factor. Ireland really need to be looking at more midfield options as Darcy and BOD don’t have long left and the young fellas in the provinces are very green (if you pardon the pun).

I must mention Connor Murray, that was his first 6N game and I thought he really played well.

A good start to the championship for Wales though and they have a good chance for a GS.

Ireland need to really play well in France to get a bit of confidence and win the last three games.

I thought France looked reasonably good in spells and the new centre pairing will improve as the games go on.

Scotland were very dissappointing and seemed to have leart nothing from the WC.

A new England side got a win which will give them some confidence.

In some ways I was most impressed with Italy as they really tried to play some rugby and move away from the spoiling tactics they normally employed.

Balls

About time Wales got pinged for hanging on

Great response Ireland!!!!! Get in!!!!!

Why not red?

For all the ball Wales have had, they haven’t done much with it or broken the Irish line all that often. On the other hand our limited ball has given good return. More of the same please Ireland.

It about time the ref started penalising the Welsh for holding the ball on the deck at every other ruck

Thats more like it!!! Come on Ireland, well played!!!!

Tell Halfp to jump! What a take!

Lets hope this will be a better game. I think if Ireland can contain the Welsh backs we will win by 5.

Also a thought to Keith Earls and his family, the illness of a child puts this in perspective.

Italy will be licking their lips thinking about next week

I thought France were quite good and they will get better.

This match is dire so far. And we could do without the booing, Hibs fans must be in

£315 for 500 in NI

Two true greats and both wonderfully modest down to earth men I had the pleasure of spending time with

Gotta agree with the Welsh here, I’m not looking forward to the battle in the centres on Sunday. Bad news for the us that Roberts looks like he will be playing. However it will make for a very close game, I’ll still back the Irish by 5 points! In the other matches England win by 3 and France by 15

I just couldn’t get on with it at all, even pointing down it felt heavy and not that stable. Only had it a couple of months before taking a loss on it. I’d say 32lbs would be impossible, I just found it bobbed too much and it didn’t really repay enough on the downs

Ireland team announced, nothing too surprising. Good to see Sexton start hopefully we will play a good running game and take it to the Welsh. 5 point win to the Irish!

IRELAND Team & Replacements (v Wales, RBS 6 Nations Championship 2012, Aviva Stadium, Sunday, February 5th, kick-off 3pm):

15 -Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 – Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 – Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
10 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
9 – Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
1 – Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 – Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 – Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 – Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) Captain
6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 – Sean O’Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 -Sean Cronin (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
17 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 – Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
19 – Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
20 – Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 – Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 – Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)

I found this quite an interesting read:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomfordyce/2012/01/why_scotland_are_better_than_e.html

Hopeful that the Ireland team to be announced later today has some bold selections, however I doubt it. Would like to see Ryan or Tuohy in instead of DOC and Sexton over ROG. Will be interesting

Ulster not renewing Brian McGlocks contract. Humph must have lined up a seriously good replacement. Rumours its Kirwan. Strange timing for such an announcement given the recent results.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/ulster-set-to-ditch-brian-mclaughlin-16111184.html

On a brighter note tommy Bowe is on his way back to Ulster or Munster, really hope its the province of his birth DD!

I’d second the seatbelt fixing for the seat, also means the you don’t need to spend extra on a base

Thanks for the replies some good info

Ah we will be ok dd just hitting form at the right time. Can’t wait for it will you be in attendance? I’ll even buy you a beer when we win!!

So DD Munster are the third best Irish side but you still think they are gonna beat Ulster, come now – look at your previous posts!!! Oh boy I can’t wait for this one, its going to be epic!!

Godman doing a ROG!! Well done Edinburgh.

Frankers I feel sorry for you man, the lack of fight from the Tigers was very disappointing am sure as a fan. Can’t wait to next week!!

We got 4!!!!! Tigers mauled literally !!!!!!

We want 4, we want 4!!!!!

Will be a big ask TJ. But I hope you get a result

Well Frankers what is your prediction for tonight? I think it will be close Ulster will win, I can’t see them scoring 4 trys and I think Tigers will get a bonus point. Really looking forward to it!!! SUFTUM!!!!

DD you are quite right the Ireland players are contracted directly to IRFU not the provinces. Why do they not go to France for more money? I’d say Bob Casey will tell you the reason. Not many playing outside Ireland make it into the national team

Never fly with Garuda they have an appalling safety record. If you are fixed to travelling pre Christmas get it booked ASAP. Go to your local Trailfinders as they have access to more fares and can hold you options for a few days. In order of preference I would fly Malaysian, Emirates, Singapore and Ba/Qantas