MARTIN O’NEILL HAS been boosted by the return of two players to training ahead of Sunday’s vital Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland.
While Darron Gibson departed for Everton after being ruled out on Wednesday, 27 of the 28-man squad took part at Gannon Park in Malahide today — with Anthony Stokes the only absentee as he was due in court over an alleged nightclub assault.
Both Ward and McClean, who had sat out training earlier in the week, participated in the full session and O’Neill is optimistic that both will be available for selection.
“I think they have come through it and they didn’t complain at the end but sometimes it is an hour or two after training that you find out,” O’Neill said. “But they aren’t too bad.”
Burnley full-back Ward has played just one minute of competitive of football since December and his fitness will be assessed later today.
“I’ll have a word with him (Stephen) and see how he feels. This is the first bit of work that he has done. Fitness is very important but sometimes players can get through on adrenaline.
“You wouldn’t want to be going in with four or five players having done very little but Stephen knows himself and if he thinks he can make it, that is good news for us.”
As usual, O’Neill won’t name his starting XI until an hour before kick-off and the Derry man was unsurprisingly keeping his cards close to his chest with two days still to go.
I think there are positions up for grabs, like there has always been since I’m come here,” he said. “Any international manager will tell you the same thing.
“He has got an idea that he can formulate a couple of weeks beforehand but the first time you really consider it is when you have players at you disposal for the week of the game.
“Sunday is the ultimate test but it has been a good week for the players.”
Brilliant…a team we can be proud off, 6 nations champions, clean sweep of the November series, the future is bright…the future is green.
And highest ranked Rugby team in the Northern Hemisphere! Woohoo!
We have crumbled as we know before been that far ahead early doors. This will stand to them more than any other game. It was perfect for us in that sense.BELIEVE
A super defensive outfit again in the second half Paul o Connell was just immense in the end
Not a follower of Rugby, but that’s very impressive. As a football fan I can’t help but think that someone in the FAI should ask someone in the IRFU how to run a game, from grassroots up to international level. The IRFU really do seem to be in a different league than their counterparts in the FAI.
Well said. I would add that the gaa and the FAI need to ask the IRFU how to run the show.
A voluntary organisation with nearly over 600,000 seats.. Maybe not.
Karen,
Every child in this country has the option to play GAA. The GAA have coaching in nearly every school in the country. They have attendance figures well above the other two sports ? So what would the GAA have to ask the IRFU about ?
What about coach behaviour and respect for referees ?
Maybe they could learn from the IRFU how to beat the Aussies ;) ;)
Seriously though, as the man below points out, they could learn how to Introduce a proper discipline system, whereby respect for referees and players is enforced from an early age
Also, whereas GAA is our national sport and rightly deserves every bit of support and credit, it might be time to spot the elephant in the room- rugby has been by far our most successful international game. Even the most blinkered GAAA fan can’t avoid that. Structurally, economically and professionally, it is one of the success stories of Ireland in the last 15 years.
There’s room for all sports, and yes, there is certainly room for the GAA to learn off other sports. The GAA was not founded with a view to being a virulently homogenous jealous backyard of insular minds- it was founded to present a unique representation of Gaelic culture, sport and sportsmanship. It did so by modernising our games by adopting more modern consistent rules and structures, particularly using the example of Association Football (‘saccar’)
Hence, the codifying of GAA regulations from 1884 onwards.
So yeah, maybe just maybe, the intergalactic GAA champions could learn from the IRFU.
Or maybe, just from their own history. That is, if they remember their own history.
Incredible match. Ireland finished like men demented. Absolutely brilliant.
I think Zebo answered a lot of critics today (myself included)
Cue everyone getting ahead of themselves about winning the world cup.(Me included)
Ireland for the world cup!!
Yeah, zebo impressed. Light as a feather but still through himself into tackles. Madigan ia gonna be a star.
Shame for Zebo about the errant offload. But really got his hands dirty today, shot up for a great challenge late on.
Madigan is really putting his hand up. I would like to see himself and henshaw in the centre for the 6 nations
That o connell hit was unreal..inspirational
Some boyo!
Amazing!
Yippee. Just won 3 challenge games in a row.
Australia really wanted to lose ..
Sums up irish rugby really
Martin Quinn
My response was to J.C ..I was being sarcastic ..
We are serious contenders for the World Cup
Roll on the Six Nations!
Ireland for the world cup!!
BRILLIANT
We now win these tight games that we used to lose (honourably)..in Joe we trust..
Well done Ireland, you make us proud.
Ripper! You beauts.
I think after 06 07, people seriously have to take a step back and say we can be competitive for the World Cup but not expect more. They’ve beaten two very good teams, but were still a long way from the wc. I think we should be confident going into 6 nations, but realistic to keep the pressure off the players.
Dead right. We did the exact same thing in 2006, beating Australia and SA but crumbled in the world cup.
Still, enjoy today, maybe let ourselves get run away with ourselves today and calm down tomorrow.
Hon Ireland
Congrats to all the guys. Think we got something special with Henshaw. He’s got a big future in the Irish Jersey.
Can’t wait to see what we’re like when we get all the injured guys back!!!!
Get. Fuc$ing. In. There.
Great performance from the lads! I think what this match confirmed is that we have great strength in depth. No Sean O’Brien, Cian Healy, Keith Earls, Andrew Trimble, Luke Fitzgerald and the retirement of 2 World class players in BOD and Ferris but we are still able to compete with and beat the best teams in the World.
Also confirmed is that we have found our new 13….Henshaw was immense in defence and made yards in attack.
Keep our current players fit and get our injured players back and we have a real chance in next years WC.
Will the zebo bashing stop now?
No he was shit today. Huge errors and utterly reckless.
I was a fan but what the hell. Not the day for running rugby.
You must be a troll.
Try saving tackle when he came in off his wing at the end, chased kicks well all day and got his try thanks to that. Threw himself into tackles, he was immense.
In fairness to Zebo he was brilliant today but he handed them a lifeline with that stupid off load when were 17-0 up and rampaging forward. If he’d set up that ball and we pushed on from the ruck the game was over at half time.
More than made up for it try saving tackle on tomoua at the end and huge hit on kurudrani too. We won he played well give it to him.
A pattern emerges with David Burke. I’ve crossed swords with you on energy policy before where you have been patently wrong but to see you be so utterly wrong when it comes to rugby…well..sums you up….some people are just burdened with a kind of stupidity that makes them always think they are right when they are obviously wrong. Zebo poor??? How wrong could you be..
Couldnt agree with you more mr fingleton
Chris that offload was very unlucky not to go to hand and there were missed tackles after that which led to the try
But if he made that off load, to I think sexton coming through it could of been a try down the other end and he would of been a hero. He was brilliant, non stop work all game. Outside of O Connell he could of just as easily got MOTM. Fair play to Zebo
Sensible people at last!!
Fingelton you were utterly wrong on the facts of wind energy because you don’t like them near your house. Not my fault you want to blatantly lie.
I like zebo but he was genuinely reckless today. He got isolated numerous times.
I honestly don’t get that you would be so offended to insult me because I disagree over the performance of a player.
Anyway you were wrong about the renewable energy then and you still are.
Those who are critical of Simon’s attempted pass must realise that to have the ability to think, anticipate and act at the level of international rugby is the sign of genius. Rant and rave at me if you want but there are few sports where you have to think beyond the impending impact of an opposing player and concentrate on what you perceive as “the gap” to put away your team-mate, as is done in rugby. I am a dedicated atheist but it was an Australian rugby administrator who summed the game up beautifully: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JWo8fXp0Zg
It’s not the pass its the way he plays when the game doesn’t call for his brand of rugby.
He is an amazing player, Ireland best going forward player. But he is reckless.
To be fair to Zebo. The offload was slapped back and 3 further Irish players missed tackles before they scored
You haven’t a rashers Burke.
Burke no one is agreeing with you come out of the fog and admit you were wrong. How did zebo get isolated? Pretty sure the only time he was turnover was that offload. Beats the first man constantly and made crucial yards going forward. Youre wrong, accept it.
Plus he made some pretty poor clear outs at ruck time. Charging over the top and leaving the ball exposed.
Throw that on yer flamin barbee Australia :)
Great result – but let’s not get too carried away with talk of World Cup just yet. Kick on for the six nations and then peak for next October and we’ll be in good shape. On the right track and more and more strength in depth than ever.
Id say lancaster is sooooo pissed off with that result.
As much fun as that was, let’s not do that again. Heart stopping stuff.
I thought all the off field stuff would mean they were out of the running, but Cheika can have his guys well in shape come the World Cup. Remember, both Australian World Cup wins have come in the Northern Hemisphere. They’re dark horses for me.
Tense to say the least!!Now I think we all know how truly good our team is.Six nations and WORLD CUP here we come!
Are Ireland now kings of the Commonwealth nations? Do any other countries play this tripe?
Don’t even go there Girlfriend
Tut tut, must troll harder
I bet the few hours it took you to come up with that comment was the highlight of your weekend!
Knob. You commented on rugby yesterday. If you dont like it dont come onto this page
If we had beaten England, we could be the second team to go unbeaten in the calendar year, after All Blacks last year.
Weren’t we unbeaten in 09 calendar year?
Autumn tests? Cant remember to be honest
We did go unbeaten in ’09. But one was a draw to Australia. All Blacks were the first team to win all their games in a calendar year.
Does Hook have to apologise this week, didn’t see the start of the match so don’t know if he put his foot in it once again.
Rock on 2015
Paulie x
Unbelievable stuff from Ireland. Well done lads.
What a game.
I had been critical of Zebo’s defence before but he was excellent defensively today, making smart interventions throughout the game. Indeed, all the Irish players seem to have come on leaps and bounds under Schmidt. Sign of a good coach, as they say.
Agreed … I suspect when/if JS gets a prolonged period with keith earls, Luke fitz, olding etc. then well have serious options in the back line (in addition to what we have)
Stupid question, but do ireland not play the all blacks in the autumn internationals too?
Not this time.
6 teams come North in the Autumn and play the ‘home nations’ in two lots of three.
We will play the ‘other three’ again next year
The Shinners won’t be happy about this.
Jesus wept, Argentina beat France!
Great result the lads played great excluding 20-40 mins six nations we can win without grand slam and World Cup at least semi finals but with joe in charge will be aiming to win the RWC I just pray we can do this,this time and not Mess it up