Irish Team of the Decade

[sarah_lennon]

I see Be the Difference are running a competition and entry is to pick the team of the Decade.

What do people think. Reckon my entry will be

15 Dempsey
14 Horgan
13 O'Driscoll
12 Da'rcy
11 Hickie
10 O'Gara
9 Stringer
1 Horan
2 Wood
3 Hayes
4 O'Kelly
5 O'Connell
6 Easterby
7 Wallace
8 Costello

[Darce]

Costello over Heaslip?

[sarah_lennon]

Costello over Heaslip?

I struggled with that one. Jamie's only really had 2 full seasons as an International, albeit good seasons and I reckon they'll try and mix up the old and new.

That said Wood only played for 3 years of the noughties

I also think there'll be an Ulster man or two in there

[Grumpy Old Man]

I also think there'll be an Ulster man or two in there

David Humphries obviously

[Mackman15]

Costello over Heaslip?

And the obvious one.........

[johng]

Costello over Heaslip?

And the obvious one.........

Ferris, Easterbunny?

[ronk]

Costello over Heaslip?

I struggled with that one. Jamie's only really had 2 full seasons as an International, albeit good seasons and I reckon they'll try and mix up the old and new.

That said Wood only played for 3 years of the noughties

I also think there'll be an Ulster man or two in there

And was injured for a lot of that time. His last 6N game was in 2002 (he played France only and France and Italy the season before). He returned for the World Cup but he was done long before then. His only real proper season was 2000 (in the last decade).

[ceemec]

1. Corrigan
2. Wood
3. Hayes
4. DOC
5. POC
6. Easterby
7. Wallace
8. Heaslip
9. Stringer
10. ROG
11. Hickie
12. Darce
13. BOD
14. Shaggy
15. Dempsey

Perhaps a few contentious calls. Leamy is close but as he didn't get a chance to play his best position much I left him out. Ferris hasn't played enough to be selected for me. I feel Corrigan was an underrated servant to Irish rugby. A lot of people may go for Horan automatically but, whilst I rate him highly, Reggie was always the better player and first choice when they were directly competing. DOC again is underrated by some. Probably the closest call of all leaving MOK out and it pains me to do so. Flannery close to ousting Wood but his recent stupidity has made him a bit of a liability in my eyes so Woodie gets my vote. Think the rest of the team picks itself for me although I'm sure some people will have Geordan Murphy in there.

[Stuka]

15: Kearney
14:Horgan
13:BOD
12:Flash
11:Hickie
10: Humphreys
9: Stringer
8: Heaslip
7:Wally
6: Ferris
5: POC
4:Cullen
3:Hayes
2:Woodie
1:Reggie


16: Horan
17: Fla
18: O'Kelly
19: Eric Miller
20: O'Gara
21: Bowe
22: Reddan.

[Peg Leg]

1. Corrigan
2. S Byrne
3. E Byrne
4. M OKelly
5. L Cullen
6. T Brennan
7. S Jennings
8. J Heaslip
9. G Easterby
10. J Sexton
11. D Hickie
12. G D'Arcy
13. BOD
14. S Horgan
15. G Dempsey

16. C Healy
17. B Jackman
18. B Casey
19. E Miller
20. O Campbell
21. L Fitzgearld
22. E Reddan

With my blue spectacles on

[Darce]

Dempsey
Horgan
BOD
Darce
Hickie
Humps
Stringer
Heaslip
Wallace
Easterby
MOK
POC
Hayes
Wood
Corrigan

[ronk]

1. Corrigan
2. S Byrne
3. E Byrne
4. M OKelly
5. L Cullen
6. T Brennan
7. S Jennings
8. J Heaslip
9. G Easterby
10. J Sexton
11. D Hickie
12. G D'Arcy
13. BOD
14. S Horgan
15. G Dempsey

16. C Healy
17. B Jackman
18. B Casey
19. E Miller
20. O Campbell
21. L Fitzgearld
22. E Reddan

With my blue spectacles on

Gleeson!!

[Peg Leg]

1. Corrigan
2. S Byrne
3. E Byrne
4. M OKelly
5. L Cullen
6. T Brennan
7. S Jennings
8. J Heaslip
9. G Easterby
10. J Sexton
11. D Hickie
12. G D'Arcy
13. BOD
14. S Horgan
15. G Dempsey

16. C Healy
17. B Jackman
18. B Casey
19. E Miller
20. O Campbell
21. L Fitzgearld
22. E Reddan

With my blue spectacles on

Gleeson!!

New squad sizes would have me cover 2 front row replacements not back row?

[munster#1]

horan
wood
hayes
doc
poc
????
wally
foley
stringer
rog
fancy dan
darce
bod
horgan
????

i have horgan ahead of bowe, as he has been a legend for so long, even though i do not believe horgan at his best was as good as bowe has been the last 2 seasons.

i can't decide about 6, ferris last season put in the best season of any irish 6 imo, but didn't follow it up this season, leamy has played well there as has quinny. ferris was the best but not most consistant over a long duration. i am not a fan of easterby so judgement may be blinded

at full back, perhaps i am blinded by my very high opinion of murphy, i just can't decide between him and dempsey

[Durkah Durkah]

1. Corrigan
2. S Byrne
3. E Byrne
4. M OKelly
5. L Cullen
6. T Brennan
7. S Jennings
8. J Heaslip
9. G Easterby
10. J Sexton
11. D Hickie
12. G D'Arcy
13. BOD
14. S Horgan
15. G Dempsey

16. C Healy
17. B Jackman
18. B Casey
19. E Miller
20. O Campbell
21. L Fitzgearld
22. E Reddan

With my blue spectacles on

Are your blue spectacles time warped?

[Peg Leg]

1. Corrigan
2. S Byrne
3. E Byrne
4. M OKelly
5. L Cullen
6. T Brennan
7. S Jennings
8. J Heaslip
9. G Easterby
10. J Sexton
11. D Hickie
12. G D'Arcy
13. BOD
14. S Horgan
15. G Dempsey

16. C Healy
17. B Jackman
18. B Casey
19. E Miller
20. O Campbell
21. L Fitzgearld
22. E Reddan

With my blue spectacles on

Are your blue spectacles time warped?

No flies on you sir

[Isaac4leinster]

I see Be the Difference are running a competition and entry is to pick the team of the Decade.

What do people think. Reckon my entry will be

15 Dempsey
14 Horgan
13 O'Driscoll
12 Da'rcy
11 Hickie
10 O'Gara
9 Stringer
1 Horan
2 Wood
3 Hayes
4 O'Kelly
5 O'Connell
6 Easterby
7 Wallace
8 Costello

Ah Easterby, come on, he was only on the team cause he carried EOS bags for him.

As for Horan, christ surely theres been another loosehead that started for Ireland in the last 10 years. Horans not even human.

I like big Vic at eight though, proper block busting number 8

[dipper]

Here's my 2 cents:

Horan
Wood
Hayes
O'Kelly
O'Connell
Leamy
Wallace
Heaslip
Stringer
O'Gara
Hickie
D'Arcy
O'Driscoll
Horgan
Dempsey

The majority of the team picks itself but I'm completely torn when it comes to numbers 6, 14 and 15!!! I've opted for long term consistency ahead of shorter term brilliance in these positions. Not sure if that's the right way to pick the team though.

[Peg Leg]

Here's my 2 cents:

Horan
Wood
Hayes
O'Kelly
O'Connell
Leamy
Wallace
Heaslip
Stringer
O'Gara
Hickie
D'Arcy
O'Driscoll
Horgan
Dempsey

The majority of the team picks itself but I'm completely torn when it comes to numbers 6, 14 and 15!!! I've opted for long term consistency ahead of shorter term brilliance in these positions. Not sure if that's the right way to pick the team though.

Thats just fine Eddie!

EDIT:

[dipper]

Here's the official team of the decade as chosen by the players themselves:

O2 IRUPA TEAM OF THE DECADE (2000-2009)

The pack:

1. Marcus Horan
2. Keith Wood
3. John Hayes
4. Malcolm O'Kelly
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Alan Quinlan
7. David Wallace
8. Anthony Foley

Backs:

9. Peter Stringer
10. Ronan O'Gara
11. Denis Hickie
12. Gordon D'Arcy
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Geordan Murphy