It all started so well with a rousing chorus
of "Irelands Call" putting a full stop to the anthems
debate.
There was the added bonus of Kimble and Grumpy getting the dates
wrong on their banner. Could it get any better? Well no! From
the kick off it went steadily downhill.
Italy were solid and professional with their big pack and little
by little they wore down the Irish forwards. With little quick
ball and Stringer having one of his poorer nights the back line
struggled to get on the front foot. O'Gara had trouble passing
off his left and D'Arcy just had trouble passing.
Trimble scored after a messy kick and chase to put Ireland in
front but Italy kept chipping away and a breakaway try put Italy
into a half time lead 10 - 13.
A drop and a penalty put Ireland ahead but another breakaway
try put Italy into the lead 16 - 20. Game over?
Dazed and confused. Are Irelands
tactics up to scratch? Thanks to www.rugbypicture.co.uk for the picture.
Then came the Italian Job with an 89th minute try by O'Gara robbing
the Italians of a deserved victory. Good work by Trimble put O'Gara
clear twenty yards out but O'Gara's laboured attempts to touch
down, spilling the ball twice, cast some doubt on the validity
of the try.
The next game Ireland play will be in the World Cup and the boys
will need to show a bit more imagination and inventiveness if
they are to get out of a difficult group. The FRU are confident
that our boys will step up to the mark.
~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~
The
FRU Awards
The FRU (and incorporating SCOOP) held their First Annual
Awards night on Saturday 25th August in Madison's
Hotel Belfast.
Justin Fitzpatrick (FRU President) and Thomas
Anderson (Rising Star) were Guests of Honour in a fun
packed ceremony compared by The FRU's Dewi Barnes
(heckling courtesy of Cap'n Grumpy).
The awards and winners are shown below
Unfortunately Roger Wilson and
Paul Steinmetz were unable to attend due to prior
commitments but their awards were accepted on their behalf by Justin
and Thomas.
With Grumpy ordering extra potatoes the ceremony
nearly over ran into the dancing but Dewi and Tighty were able to
take affirmative action with the mash to get things back on track.
The drinking and dancing went on long into the
night and a good time was had by all. (Dewi enjoyed his meal so
much that he viewed it several times on the way home!)
Thanks to everyone who attended and a big
thanks to Justin and Thomas.
This will hopefully now become a regular event
so keep your diaries free for the last Saturday before the 2008
- 2009 season kicks off. (The Hounds
and Boys on Tour better start planning now!)
Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 19) iluvni
Your recurring nightmare of being wrapped in a ROI flag will come
true when you fall asleep in the back of a black taxi and wake up
in Andersonstown.
Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20) Flat Top
You’ll experience a strange feeling this week as Saturn eclipses
Uranus. You begin to wish you hadn't given out your phone number
so freely at the FRU Awards night.
Gemini (May 21 - Jun 21) Holywood Mike
Your recurring fascination with flags comes back to haunt you this
week when you wake up naked in the back of a black taxi beside iluvni.
Cancer (Jun 22 - Jul 22) Boys On Tour
You'll begin to wish you hadn't cried off the FRU Awards night at
short notice when the "Tour Photos" start arriving
at your wife's place of work on Thursday afternoon at 3:00pm.
Leo (Jul 23 - Aug 22) The Original
Kimble
Your plans for world domination take a back seat this week as your
"Media Image Consultants" accept a lift from
Dewi's Great Uncle Erasmus.
Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22) Cap’n
Grumpy
You realise that you still have no idea what makes women tick, especially
when Mrs Grumpy tells you that bowling a maiden over does not necessarily
involve cricket balls.
Libra (Sept 23 - Oct 23) The General Do not get in a car driven
by Dewi's Great Uncle Erasmus.
Scorpio (Oct 24 -Nov 21) Freddy Benson
You feel a certain sexual excitement when your new girlfriend tells
you she used to be a hooker. This is soon to be dispelled when you
realise that it was in the Ballymena Front Row and she is called
Brian.
Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Ultimate
Ulster Chick
You'll begin to worry about your new rugby playing boyfriend Brian
when you realise his phone is full of abusive messages from someone
called Freddy!
Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Rooster
You'll breathe a sigh of relief this week when no one notices that
the "Score on Friday Night" video you posted
on the UAFC media centre was in fact a "Home Movie"
by your teenage son.
Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb1 8) Goodaine
You'll begin to regret giving up smoking this week when you pick
a fight with Sparky at the Leeds match.
Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Dewi Barnes
You'll feel some degree of comfort this week when you hear that
your Great Uncle Erasmus passed away quietly in his sleep. At least
he won't be kicking and screaming like the passengers in his car.
The Predictions League is
back - bigger and better than ever.
With real prizes!
This weeks fixtures are: -
Week 1. Friday, 31st August 2007
Cardiff v Ospreys
Ulster v Leeds
Scarlets v Dragons Predictions to be in by 6:00pm Friday 31st.