Thursday, March 15, 2007

Ticket Foulup gives Irish Fans Majority in Italy v Ireland Rugby in Rome !!!!

The ANNOTICO Report

 

The enormously Home Field Advantage that Italy had, was squandered by an "oversight" by Italian Rugby officials.

 

Stadio Flaminio has a capacity of 25,000, BUT there will be over 17,000 Ireland supporters in the stands, on St Patrick's Day!!!!!!! 

 

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!  We Need   Somebody's Head on a Pike!!!!!!!!!

On another note, Ireland will have to beware of its over confidence, and instead of thinking to run up the score on the Azzurri, since the championship will probably decided on goals difference, might better be served by getting the quick ball to get behind the Italians and not give them time to reorganise their defence. They're strong around those ruck areas with the defensive plan they use.

 

Stringer Wary of Effervescent Italians

Planet Rugby

Thursday. March 15, 2007

Stringer: 'It should be a great encounter'

Ireland scrum-half Peter Stringer has demanded his team-mates abandon dreams of seizing the Six Nations title when they run out at the Stadio Flaminio on Saturday.

Brian O'Driscoll's side complete the championship with a St Patrick's Day finale against Italy and will then be anxious viewers as France's clash with Scotland unfolds.

The Six Nations winners could well be decided by points difference but Stringer insists efforts to rout the impressive Azzurri will lead to ruin.

"At the start of the season the target was to win the Grand Slam. That's slipped away from us but we've still got an opportunity to win the championship," he said.

"It's an earlier kick-off to the other games. We need to enter the match with the mindset of winning and if the scores come we can put some points on the board.

"But that won't be easy and the most important thing is just to win. If we get sidetracked with what's g oing on elsewhere, that's when we'll lose.

"Italy are riding high at the moment. Each season they've improved, especially this year when they beat Scotland with a very good performance away from home.

"They troubled England as well and of course last week they beat Wales. Their confidence is high and there's no doubt it will be tough for us.

"It should be a great encounter, especially as the championship is wide open going into the final day.

"We have to work on getting the quick ball to get behind the Italians and not give them time to reorganise their defence.

"They're strong around those ruck areas with the defensive plan they use. We have to hold onto the ball and be patient. Hopefully they'll run out of numbers."

Italy enter Saturday's showdown on the back of consecutive victories over Scotland and Wales with veteran scrum-half Alessandro Troncon at the heart of their success.

Troncon, 33, was persuaded by Italy coa ch Pierre Berbizier to come out of international retirement and Stringer believes the move was a masterstroke.

"Troncon has done really well and has come back from nowhere really," he said.

"The fact Italy's forwards are playing so well makes Troncon's job easier but there is no doubt he has been a key man for them. He's a great player and difficult opponent."

Ireland will be missing their inspirational lock Paul O'Connell for the trip to Rome - the Munster skipper has a fractured thumb - but Stringer believes Mick O'Driscoll is a quality replacement.

"Paul is a massive loss for us because of his leadership qualities and his skill levels," he said.

"Paul has been one of the leaders in this squad for the last couple of seasons. Mick O'Driscoll has been his understudy for Munster and Ireland.

"He's a very intelligent guy in terms of organisation and works the line-outs very well."

Over 17,000 Ireland supporters will desce nd on the Stadio Flaminio, capitalising on an error in the Italian Rugby Federation's ticket selling procedures to effectively turn the 25,000 capacity ground into home territory.

"There is always a lot of travelling Irish. There were a huge number at Murrayfield for Scotland," said Stringer.

"It was remarkable to see but they always manage to get tickets somehow. They know tomorrow's game is a big attraction because a championship is stake."

http://www.planet-rugby.com/

Story/0,18259,3551_1985327,00.html

 

The ANNOTICO Reports Can be Viewed and are Fully Archived at:

Italia USA: http://www.ItaliaUSA.com (Formerly Italy at St Louis)

 

The ANNOTICO Reports Can be Viewed at

 

Annotico Email: annotico@earthlink.net