World Cup 2010 – Group B Preview

GROUP B PREVIEW

Tom Moss examines Group B that contains many people’s favourites for the tournament, Diego Maradona’s Argentina.  Pitted against the much-fancied South Americans are African powerhouses Nigeria along with South Korea and finally Greece, who shocked the footballing world, and probably themselves, by winning the 2004 European Championships.  Is there a shock on the cards here?  Probably not.

ARGENTINA: Argentina travel to South Africa with some of the most feared attacking players on the planet.  Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Diego Milito – five players who would canter onto any other team, with the possible exception of Spain.  Messi is undoubtedly the finest player in the world at the moment, a visionary delight to the eyes, capable of just about anything and continually improving.  Higuain has outshone all of Real Madrid’s Galacticos with a superb season in La Liga, while Tevez and Aguero have been the torment of countless defences for Man City and Atletico Madrid respectively and Milito struck both goals for Inter Milan as they strolled past Bayern Munich to win the Champions League.  Little wonder then that they are seen as one of the red-hot favourites.

Despite their unquestionable attacking talent however, I can’t see them winning the tournament.  They limped through qualification and only a last minute goal from veteran striker Martin Palermo against Peru kept their qualification hopes alive.  That goal, celebrated by Maradona with a dance in the rain that would have had poor Gene Kelly turning in his grave, all but saved the controversial manager his job, but since then he has continued to flabbergast his compatriots with off-the-wall press conferences and unusual squad selections.

Leaving Esteban Cambiasso at home must rank as one of the greatest crimes against football in recent times, an assault on the game compounded by the selection of Juan Seba Veron as his replacement.  Veron has been enjoying something of an Indian summer at Estudiantes, but to leave the Inter string-puller behind will hinder his side’s prospects – to what extent it is yet unknown.  The omission of Javier Zanetti was also a shocking indictment of Maradona’s player judgment abilities but nonetheless, with the likes of Javier Mascherano, Nicolas Burdisso and Walter Samuel bolstering the Argentines, they will be expected to advance from this group with relative ease.

PROBABLE STARTING XI:

1. Sergio Romero, 2. Nicolas Burdisso, 3. Gabriel Heinze, 4. Walter Samuel, 5.Martin Demichelis, 6.Javier Mascherano, 7. Mazi Rodriguez, 8. Juan Seba Veron, 9. Gonzalo Higuain, 10. Lionel Messi, 11. Angel Di Maria.

KEY MAN: Javier Mascherano – Not Messi?  Well, you could have slipped into a coma two years ago and still be aware of the little magician’s exceptional abilities, but if Argentina are to succeed, Mascherano is the man who will need to be on top of his game more so than anyone else.  He alone can provide his attacking superstars with the base upon which their flair and breathtaking abilities can flourish.  Maradona has called his side ‘Mascherano and ten others’, which gives an indication of the importance bestowed on the Liverpool midfielder by his manager.

ONE TO WATCH: Angel Di Maria– Benfica won’t be able to hold on to this guy’s services once the tournament ends, and all they can hope for is a solid tournament that would bump an extra million or ten onto his asking price.  Boasting more speed than Usain Bolt at a Colombian house-party, Di Maria has the ability to light the tournament on fire.

STRENGTHS: Going forward, they have the players to destroy pretty much any other nation in the tournament, and perhaps the real shame is that only two of the five-star attack will probably start.  One can only wonder what kind of team Ossie Ardiles would have fielded given his penchant for the 3-2-5 formation that made White Hart Lane the best venue for goal-scoring action during his traumatic reign with Spurs in the late 1990’s.

WEAKNESSES: Like France, a dodgy coach with an ego bigger than the country he lives in may be considered as one of the main weaknesses, but with most of their key players being strikers, the Argentinians will have to rely on the likes of Maxi Rodriguez, Juan Veron or, worse still, Jonas Guitierrez to get the ball to Messi and co., and that’s never a good thing.

NIGERIA: The Eagles of Nigeria have yet to take full flight and a fraught build-up won’t have helped.  New manager Lars Lagerback has only been in the job since February and like Argentina, they struggled in qualification.  Once the best team in Africa, their current squad looks particularly weak and if the continent is to have its first ever World Cup winner, which is very unlikely, other nations, most notably The Ivory Coast, appear to be stronger candidates.

Chelsea midfield anchorman John Obi Mikel is the star name in the squad, which in itself is worrying, but the fact that he is struggling with a knee injury sums up their prospects.  I would be surprised if they advanced beyond the group stages despite being in one of the weaker groups, although they do have a dynamic front line and the relative proximity to home may also boost their chances.

PROBABLE STARTING XI:

1. Vincent Enyeama, 2. Chidi Odiah, 3. Taye Taiwo, 4. Joseph Yobo, 5. Danny Shittu, 6. John Obi Mikel,  7.Peter Odemwingie , 8. Dickson Etuhu, 9. John Utaka, 10. Obafemi Martins, 11. Chinedu Obasi.

KEY MAN: John Obi Mikel – Mikel is the Nigerian superstar, lauded the country over as the man to guide The Eagles into the latter stages of the tournament.  A decent season with Chelsea will leave him in the right frame of mind, but with few equally capable players around him, it may be a mammoth task for the young midfielder.

ONE TO WATCH: Peter Odemwingie – A highly-rated winger with eight goals in 44 caps, Odemwingie has been a revelation at times for Lokomotiv Moscow, and he is certainly capable of unsettling opponents with his trickery and pace.

STRENGTHS: Nigeria have always gave a good account of themselves in their previous World Cup experiences, and with plenty of pace and vibrancy in attack, the Eagles will ruffle a few feathers.

WEAKNESSES: One of the most inexperienced squads in the competition, you get the feeling that they will be punished by their more tournament-savvy opponents.  There is no doubt that they will bring colour and energy to the tournament, but that only gets you so far and their wings will probably be clipped by the methodical Greeks.

GREECE: Greece may be the antithesis of the Nigerian way of playing the beautiful game, but history shows that it’s the Greek style that usually comes out on top.  Very defensively orientated, they will sit back and soak the life out games, with only set pieces and rare counter-attacks making up their attacking threat.

In coach Otto Rehhagel they have a tactical expert, a master of playing to a side’s strengths, and when his defensive approach was criticised he responded that ‘Greece will play exciting football when we have the likes of Kaka and Messi’.

That they certainly don’t, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they bored their way past the group stages before taking a hiding in the last-16.

PROBABLE STARI NG XI:

1.  AlexandrosTzorvas, 2. Giourkas Seitaridis, 3. Loukas Vyntra, 4. Sotirios Kyrgiakos, 5. Vangelis Moras, 6. Kostas Katsouranis, 7. Sotiris Ninis, 8. Giorgos Karagounis, 9. Angelos Charisteas, 10. Georgios Samaras, 11.VasilisTorosidis.

KEY MAN: Giorgos Karagounis – Karagounis captains the Greeks in this tournament, and while the rest of the team are busy kicking the ball as far away from their goal as possible, Karagounis will try to get the ball and play a bit.  If he is allowed to do so, he can be an extremely tricky customer, and his free-taking abilities point to him being the Greek hero should they advance to the next round.

ONE TO WATCH – Sotiris Ninis – Ninis was left out of the 2008 European Championship squad, and at 20 is the youngest member of the current squad, but Ninis could well have a big tournament ahead of him.  He has been linked with moves to the elite of the European clubs, and should Greece need a Plan B, Ninis may well be the man to help them out.

STRENGTHS:  Greece have three main strengths – defence, defence and finally, defence.  The Greeks know their strength, and have spent nine years under Reheggal perfecting it.  There won’t be any shock tactics employed and if their ‘attack’ (if you would call it that) can nick a goal here and there, they should do well, because they certainly won’t leak too many.

WEAKNESSES: Over-reliant on their defenders, Greece have very little to offer up front.  While it worked well to win them the Europeans in 2004, it may be a different story this time around, and their lack of flair should see them fail in the second round should they advance from the group.

SOUTH KOREA: Reached the semi-finals on home soil in 2002, and did reasonably well in Germany last time around.  Argentina should be too strong for them, and the Greeks will be tough to break down, and so it’s unfortunate that their game with Nigeria comes last because it probably represents their best chance of a win.  That said, they do have players who are more than capable of turning a game on its head, and a result against Greece could see them upset the odds and progress to the next round.

Without the guidance of Hiddink or Advocaat, they are currently managed by Huh Jung Moo, and they qualified without losing a game, an unbeaten run of fourteen games in which they conceded only eight goals.

PROBABLE STARTING XI:

1. Lee Woon-Jae, 2. Oh-Beom Seok, 3. Kim Hyung-Il, 4. Cho-Yong Hyung, 5. Cha Du-Ri, 6. Kim Jung-Woo, 7. Park Ji-Sung, 8. Kim Nam-Il, 9. Park-Chu Young, 10. Lee Dong-Gook, 11. Lee Chung-Yong.

KEY MAN: Park Ji-Sung – The Man United midfielder struggled with a knee injury throughout the 2006 tournament, and Dick Advocaat saw that as a key reason for their failure to get past the group stages.  Alex Ferguson always opts for Park in big games, pointing to a temperament and attitude that is perfect for this global event.  Everything depends on Park’s ability to rally his troops and carve open the miserly defences that they will encounter in the opening round.

ONE TO WATCH: Park Chu-Young – Chu-Young currently plies his trade at Monaco, and with eight goals in twenty Ligue 1 appearances, the young striker has been touted as South Korea’s next big star.  Fourteen international goals also indicate that he can do it at the highest level.

STRENGTHS: The Koreans will be riding high following a very impressive qualifying campaign, and arriving in South Africa high in confidence and with nothing to lose, they will be a dangerous proposition for Greece and Nigeria, if not Argentina.

WEAKNESSES: Although they qualified without losing a single game, the teams in their group still represent a step up in class, and it remains to be seen if they can cope against the bigger nations.

OUTRIGHT BETTING: GROUP BETTING:

Argentina – 7/1                                                                 Argentina – 2/5

Nigeria – 125/1                                                                  Nigeria – 5/1

Greece – 200/1                                                                 Greece -7/1

South Korea – 250/1                                                       South Korea – 11/1

MY PREDICTION:  It’s almost implausible to suggest that Argentina will struggle in this group.  There are always major surprises in the opening rounds but I would suggest you look elsewhere for those.  They have enough to comfortably see off both Nigeria and South Korea, and they should have little to worry about by the time they meet Greece in the last group game.  The race appears to be for second, and realistically any of the rest could nick it, but I can see Greece eeking out the results and again, playing an unmotivated Argentina last gives them the upper hand.

1.            Argentina                            7pts

2.            Greece                                 5pts

3.            Nigeria                                  2pts

4.            South Korea                       1pt

World Cup 2010 – Group A Preview

GROUP A PREVIEW

With the big kick-off only ten days away, Tom Moss begins his look at the eight first-round groups with a preview of Group A, which consists of holders South Africa along with past winners France and Uruguay who last lifted the famous trophy in 1998 and 1950 respectively.  The group is completed by Mexico who will be looking to get past the last-16 for the first time since 1986.

FRANCE: Irish fans can’t but wonder what might have been had they scraped past the French back in  November, and in one of the most wide-open groups in the competition, we would have had as good a chance as any other side to advance.  Since his infamous handball to tee up William Gallas, Thierry Henry has taken a backstage role in his side’s World Cup preparations and is unlikely to command a starting place for their first group game next Friday against Uruguay.

But the French still bring with them a squad boasting several world-class stars and a wealth of experience on the big-stage.  Unfortunately for the majority of French fans, they also bring with them the restrictive force that is coach Raymond Domenech, a widely-criticised eccentric who seems intent on hindering rather than helping his side’s bid for a second World Cup title.  Having reached the final last time out, they can’t be overlooked but Domemech ruffled more than a few cockerels feathers with the omission of Samir Nasri and Karim Benzema and the refusal to call up a replacement for Lass Diarra is an indication of the kind of loose cannon the French boss can be.  Remember, this is a guy who tries to steer clear of any players under the star signs that supposedly conflict with his own, so expect the unexpected from Domenech who will stand down after this campaign.

Despite some eyebrow-raising decisions to date, Domenech’s increased experimentation with a more attacking system has won plaudits amongst his squad players and they should have more than enough to come out of this group.

PROBABLE STARTING XI:

1. Hugo Lloris, 2. Bacary Sagna, 3. Patrice Evra, 4. Eric Abidal, 5. William Gallas, 6.Alou Diarra, 7. Yoann Gourcuff, 8. Jeremy Toulalan, 9. Nicolas Anelka, 10. Andre-Pierre Gignac, 11. Franck Ribery.

KEY MAN: FRANCK RIBERY – If the Bayern man can recreate the form that has seen all the top clubs scampering for his signature over the past two years, France will have one of the most lethal attacking players in the tournament. Having just signed a new deal with the German giants, Ribery should have a clear mind and could well be the man to fire his side into the latter stages.

ONE TO WATCH: ANDRE-PIERRE GIGNAC – The Toulouse frontman came to the attentions of top Premier League clubs with a prolific 2008-09 season where he bagged 24 goals in 38 games, but slipped back somewhat this year, netting only 8 times.  Still, he has the physique and the ability to pose problems for most defences and a few early goals could spring the 24-year old to life.

STRENGTHS: A look at their probable back-line points to an experienced and reliable defence that carries a serious attacking threat also.  If Domenech retains his recently-used 4-3-3 system, his midfield also has the experience to drive his side on.

WEAKNESSES: Apart from Domenech himself, the lack of an out-an-out goalscoring predator may cost the French dear.  Anelka, Ribery and Gignac all have their qualities but since Henry’s hay-day, the French have yet to find an instinctive out-and-out goal machine.

SOUTH AFRICA: The host nation have the unwanted tag as the lowest ranked hosts in World Cup history, and their status just inside the top 100 suggests that the Banafa Banafa will do well to advance beyond the group stages.  The noisy support that they will receive will help, as will the almost-inevitable hometown refereeing decision or two, but they look to be the weakest side in the group and it may be beyond them to pip either Uruguay or Mexico.

Head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has past World Cup success with Brazil, but the much-travelled boss will have to make do with a much less gifted squad of players than the one that he guided to World Cup glory back in 1994.  Premier League fans will recognise some names, with the likes of Steven Pienaar and Aaron Makoena in the ranks, but Benni McCarthy won’t travel  having failed to convince Parreira of his fitness.

Makoena, the captain of the side, became the first South African to reach 100 caps in their 5-0 win over Guatamala yesterday, which was also a record win for the Bafana Bafana (which means Boys Boys in the local dialect, or alternatively Don’t Have A Prayer in English), but despite these promising landmarks, I can see an early exit for the hosts, which would be another record, as no other host nation have as yet fell at the first hurdle.

PROBABLE STARTING XI:

1. Itumeleng Khune, 2. Siboniso Gaxa, 3. Tsepo Masilela, 4. Aaron Makoena, 5. Matthew Booth, 6. Macbeth Sibaya, 7. Kagisho Dikgacoi, 8. Teko Modise, 9. Katlego Mphela, 10. Bernard Parker, 11. Steven Pienaar.

KEY MAN: STEVEN PIENAAR – After an impressive Premier League campaign for Everton, Pienaar will be the man that most home fans will look to if they are to unlock the opposition defences.  It remains to be seen how Pienaar copes with the burden of expectations placed firmly on his shoulders, but there is no doubt that he has the ability to pose problems for any side.

ONE TO WATCH : BERNARD PARKER – Although Parker failed to find the net in ten starts for Steve McLaren’s championship winning FC Twente side, the young striker has caught the eye for his country before, most notably in last years Confederations Cup, and Carlos Alberto Parreira’s hopes of advancing to the last 16 may be pinned on Parker’s ability to build on his nine international goals to date.

STRENGTHS: Home support can never be underestimated, and the South Africans will enjoy a very vocal and colourful support in their group games.  Whether they react positively to this remains to be seen but their home advantage represents the Banafa Banafa’s best hopes of causing a surprise.

WEAKNESSES: A weak squad can only be brought so far, and even Carlos Alberto Parreira and a hundred thousand baying South Africans cannot compensate for the lack of quality that cripples this side.  I would be very surprised if they overturn either Uruguay or France, and the opening game against Mexico may be their only chance to gain points.

URUGUAY: Two-times champions Uruguay have struggled to capture anything like their former glory in recent World Cups and their only appearance since Italia ’90 ended in a first-round exit in the 2002 tournament.  But they have bounced back to some extent and travel to South Africa with quiet hopes of causing a few shocks along the way. 

Head coach Oscar Tabarez has a strong-looking squad with experience and talent in almost every department, and I can see the unfancied Uruguayans topping this group.  Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan form a potent striking partnership and with a perfect blend of youth and experience, Tabarez’s men are in good stead coming into the competition.

PROBABLE STARI NG XI:

1.  Fernando Muslera, 2. Jorge Fucile, 3. Martin Caceras, 4. Diego Lugano, 5. Diego Godin, 6. Walter Gargano, 7. Nicolas Lodeiro, 8. Sebastian Eguren, 9. Diego Forlan, 10. Luis Suarez, 11. Edinson Cavani.

KEY MAN: DIEGO FORLAN – The ex-Man Utd. Frontman has been the toast of Spanish football since his return and has been in prolific goalscoring form over the past three seasons.  Forlan’s threat could be the key to their fortunes.

ONE TO WATCH – NICOLAS LODEIRO – Lodeiro has been given the number 14 jersey for the competition but I expect him to play a pivotal role in Uruguay’s campaign.  His club form with Nacional led several European clubs including Juventus and Napoli to seek his services but he decided to sign for Ajax in January and the midfielder has a huge future ahead of him.  An impressive World Cup should make Lodeiro a household name quite soon.

STRENGTHS:  With a strike partnership worthy of any major team, Forlan and Suarez are both in great club form and will be a major thorn in the sides of all three first round opponents.

WEAKNESSES: Uruguay are one of the most notoriously ill-disciplined nations, and this current crop of players are no different.  I would be surprised if they finished more than one of their opening games with the full compliment of players, and this could be their downfall.

MEXICO Peppered with instantly recognisable star names, Mexican boss Javier Aguirre has a strong squad to choose from.  Going through a revival of late, the Mexicans have the ability to cause problems, and they will see the game with Uruguay as the key game.  They open the tournament with their clash with hosts South Africa next Friday and will be looking to cause immediate disappointment to the inevitably vociferous home support.  If they can come through that potential Bafana-skin (pun intended!), they stand a good chance of making it through.

PROBABLE STARTING XI:

1. Guillermo Ochoa, 2. Jonny Magallon, 3. Carlos Calcido, 4. Rafael Marquez, 5. Francisco Rodriguez, 6. Andres Guardado, 7. Gerardo Torrado, 8. Israel Castro, 9. Carlos Vela, 10. Javier Hernandez, 11. Giovanni Dos Santos.

KEY MAN: ANDRES GUARDADO – With an array of attacking options, it may rest on Guardado to stifle the opposition, and the Deportivo midefielder is more than capable to do just that.  Depor parted with seven million euro to bring the youngster to La Liga in 2007, and a further step up awaits if he continues his fine form for his country.

ONE TO WATCH: JAVIER HERNANDEZ – Alex Ferguson rarely splashes out big money on a relatively unproven youngster, but he has obviously been watching Hernandez very closely over the last few years.  The 22 year-old striker netted 26 times for Guadalajra before Ferguson stepped in to bring him to Old Trafford, and with seven goals in eleven caps for Mexico, Hernandez is tipped as one of the hottest young prospects in world football.

STRENGTHS: A very experienced defence including the likes of Marquez and Calcido will be a strong base upon which the dynamic Mexican attack will look to cause problems from.

WEAKNESSES: Javier Aguirre has been heavily criticised for his unbalanced squad that contains seven recognised forwards but only three out and out midfielders.  That decision could come back to haunt them should injuries or suspensions occur, and it may also leave the Mexicans exposed against the proficient attackers that both France and Uruguay boast.

OUTRIGHT BETTING: GROUP BETTING:

FRANCE – 18/1                                                                  FRANCE – Evens

MEXICO – 80/1                                                                  MEXICO – 10/3

URUGUAY – 100/1                                                           URUGUAY – 7/2

SOUTH AFRICA – 150/1                                                  SOUTH AFRICA – 11/2

MY PREDICTION :  France are clear favourites and on paper they have a squad capable of doing very well.  They don’t always play like they should however, undoubtedly as a result of Domenech’s strange influence on his team.  I can see them struggling in the opening round, but they should have enough to advance.  I can see Uruguay beating both South Africa and Mexico and nicking a draw against the French, with Mexico matching that.  The opening game between Mexico and South Africa could end in a draw and those dropped points will deny the Mexicans a place in the next round.

1.            Uruguay                               7pts

2.            France                                  5pts

3.            Mexico                                 2pts

4.            South Africa                       1pt

The England World Cup Squad Fabio Capello Should Pick and Why These Three Should Stay Home

The England World Cup Squad Fabio Capello Should Pick and Why These Three Should Stay Home.

A World Cup Conundrum: Ireland Hates Frogs More Than Bulldogs

A World Cup Conundrum: Ireland Hates Frogs More Than Bulldogs.

The positive side of failure…

Carlo Ancelotti drew some criticism last week when he suggested that Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League at the hands of Inter Milan might actually be a blessing in disguise.  Although being the most coveted prize in European football, I’m certain that if you gave Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger the choice of success in either the Champions League or the Premier League, they would both opt for domestic league success.

For Ancelotti too, a league win in his first season would certainly represent a successful debut in the English game, and would provide a very healthy foundation for the future.  And although most viewed his comments as a smokescreen to disguise his disappointment after their abject performance against the Italian champions, the cost of Champions League progression for both Arsenal and Man United in previous days has really hit home.

United have consistently been overly reliant on Wayne Rooney.  Surely I wasn’t the only one who could see an injury coming his way?  Lauded by the wonderfully frivolous English tabloid media as the man who will guide England to World Cup glory, the images of a crutch-bound Rooney leaving hospital on Wednesday morning had already passed through my mind’s eye a hundred times in the past few months.

The extent of Rooney’s injury has yet to be confirmed, and although it won’t rule him out of England’s World Cup campaign, it will have serious repercussions on United’s quest for a fourth successive league title.  Without Rooney, Ferguson will have to hope that Bulgarian lethargio Dimitar Berbatov will be in the mood to step up to the plate.  With Berbatov, you just never know what to expect.  And if United’s bizarre run of own-goals scored by the opposition (11 so far this season!) dries up, Ferguson’s decision not to hold on to the services of Carlos Tevez may come back to haunt the Scotsman for a long time.

Arsenal, despite their Manuel Almnia-assisted setback last week against Birmingham, are still in contention for both the league and the Champions League.  Having showed a great deal of character in coming back to earn a 2-2 draw last night against the at-times sublime Barcelona, they awoke to a plethora of injury headaches.  William Gallas, Andrei Arshavin and most worringly Cesc Fabregas all suffered potentially long-term injuries in the thrilling contest at the Emirates.

Gallas, just back from a six-match lay-off looks set for another, and while Arshevin is expected to make a swift return, the news that Fabregas may have broken his right fibula could signal the end of their league intentions.  With the long-term absence of Robin Van Persie, Fabregas was the man who kept his side ticking over, and it’s hard to see how they would cope without him.

All this spells good news for Carlo Ancelotti and his aging Chelsea side, and there is little doubt that Chelsea will be all the better in the league as a result of their European exit.  A win at Old Trafford on Saturday would quickly compensate for any pain that Chelsea fans suffered last week at the hands of Mourinho’s Inter and put the firmly in the driving seat for this years league title.

MAGNERS LEAGUE ROUND-UP

Link below to my round-up from SportsNewsIreland.com

http://www.sportsnewsireland.com/2010/03/28/magners-league-round-up-26th-27th-march/

MAGNERS LEAGUE, WEEK 14 PREVIEW

MAGNERS LEAGUE – WEEK 14 PREVIEW

Friday March 26^th

Cardiff Blues v Ulster    19.05

Munster v Glasgow Warriors    20.00

Saturday March 27^th

Leinster v Connaught    16.30

After the disappointment of last week’s Six Nations defeat by Scotland, all eyes revert back to the Magners League this week as the race for the coveted top four spots really hots up.

We begin with a look at a crunch tie between two of the play-off hopefuls when third-placed Glasgow Warriors travel to Limerick to take on fourth-placed Munster on Friday night.  It is the Warriors second consecutive game on these shores, and they will be keen to fare a little better than they did against Leinster last week, where a late Colin Gregor try added a bit of respectability to the scoreline, eventually losing by 20-14.

Munster have some slight injury concerns with Billy Holland and Duncan Williams both sitting out training earlier in the week, but they have made the squad, which also includes Ronan O’Gara, Donncha O’Callaghan and Tony Buckley.  O’Gara and Buckley both took part in training with O’Callaghan looking on from the sidelines, but all three returning internationals are expected to feature for Munster who will be desperate to make up for the defeat suffered at the hands of the Warriors in Glasgow earlier in the season.

Friday’s clash with The Warriors signals the start of a crucial few weeks in Munster’s season where they will also meet Leinster in the Magners League and that is followed by the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Northampton on April 10.

Also on Friday night, Ulster travel to the Cardiff City Stadium to take on the Blues who currently trail Brian McLaughlin’s charges by two points in the table.  It is the first leg of a double-header between the two sides as they will meet again next week in the return fixture, but Ulster will be hoping to maintain their play-off hopes with an away win here.  Boosted by the return of key players including Stephen Ferris and Rory Best, they are well-equipped to do so, but after a miserable start to the campaign, David Young’s side have recovered well and are a tough proposition, particularly in front of a fervent home crowd.

The focus of our attention then switches to Saturday’s all-Irish clash between league leaders Leinster and bottom-of-the-pile Connacht at the RDS, and despite injuries to Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy that leaves both men in a race for fitness for the Heineken Cup clash with Clermont Auvergne next month, the home side will be confident of dispatching of the Connacht challenge.

Connacht haven’t defeated Leinster in Dublin since 2002, and although buoyed on by a convincing 16-3 St.Patrick’s Day victory over the Newport Gwent Dragons, coach Michael Bradley will be all to aware of the difficulty of the task ahead.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika has suggested that Jonathan Sexton and Rob Kearney will both play against Connacht, and with Leo Cullen, Eoin Reddan and Shane Jenings also back in the fold, Connacht could find themselves up against it on Saturday afternoon.

2010 Six Nations Review

Link below to my review on SportsNewsIreland.com

http://www.sportsnewsireland.com/2010/03/20/ireland-eager-for-one-last-croke-victory/

Ireland v Wales Preview

Hi all, link below to my preview of today’s RBS 6 Nations game between Ireland and Wales on

sportsnewsireland.com

http://www.sportsnewsireland.com/2010/03/13/ireland-v-wales-croke-park-2-30pm-live-rte-two-saturday-march-13/

Phil, put down that wedge!!

On the rare occasion when I hit a decent golf shot as I hack my way around some par-3 course of little or no distinction, my playing partner will usually ask something along the lines of ” what ya hit that one with?”.  It’s an indictment on my enthusiasm for the game when I have to turn the club around and have a look myself before I can answer him.

Those with a greater appreciation for the game will automatically know what club to select prior to hitting each shot.  They will have calculated the distance to the pin and from years of practice will know exactly what club is required to reach it.  They become comfortable with a particular make of club, and will only consider deviating from that make when they inevitably hit a slump in form or an newer, superior club becomes available.  It’s an exact science.

For Phil Mickelson, the world number 2, that slump never really materialised, and he has used the same Ping clubs for over twenty years.  However, the Ping wedges he uses have a unique U-shaped groove on the club face, which allows for greater ball-control and provides the opportuntiy to create more back-spin when required.  Since their initial production, the legality of these U-shaped clubs have continually been challenged, and in 1990, the PGA Tour declared that all wedges must have the traditional V-shaped grooves.

Ping, facing a huge loss in revenue, challenged this decision in a legal case that eventually reached a compromise.  All Ping wedges manufactured before 1990 were deemed legitimate PGA Tour clubs, but ones made after that year were banned.  It was through this loop-hole that Mickelson was allowed to continue his long term love-affair with the Ping wedge.

Mickelson, one of the Tour’s most respected players, subsequently rose through the ranks with 45 tour wins, three of those coming in one of golf’s four Majors.  However, the niggling question of Mickelson’s use of the Ping wedge never really went away, and it all came to a head recently in an incident that almost ended up in the courts.

On Jan 28th, during the San Diego Open, Scott McCarron was asked what he thought of Mickelson’s continued use of the controversial clubs.  McCarron, a Tour professional since 1992, and a member of the Tour Player’s Advisory Council, responded by saying  “It’s cheating, and I’m appalled Phil has put it in play”

Mickelson was understandably less than impressed, but while he spoke of possible legal action, other pro’s, including Lee Westwood, weighed in with their take on the issue.

So who was the winner?  Well, no-one really.  McCarron had to make a swift retraction of his statements, probably aware of the potential cost of a legal case of this magnitude.  Mickelson, although claiming the moral victory and with his dignity no doubt intact, conceded that maybe it was time to open the purse-strings and invest in a new set of wedges.

And as luck would have it, Mickelson’s decision coincided with The PGA’s implentation of a total ban on all U-shaped wedges with immediate effect, following an announcement from Ping CEO John Solheim.  Great timing Phil!