Indeed all possibilities mate.

All that said tho., It was from Saint Andre that the words about wanting to play came. It was reported on the RTE website a few hours after.
Also
Declan Kidney said this in an interview yesterday:
"We had done our research before we came over - the Six Nations rules are that it's at the sole discretion of the referee. He had to make his call."

"We walked the part of the pitch that he was concerned with and I understand why he made his call."
---
All of them from the grounds men to the manager to the "Blazer Brigade." are telling us the same thing that they stand behind the ref decision to cancel. So thats just the Public Relations echo being heard. However who has mentiond anything about the fact the game should have been cancelled long before. No they are all skilfully skipping over that little and yet most important part.

But this line tells the whole story:
"We had done our research before we came over - the Six Nations rules are that it's at the sole discretion of the referee. He had to make his call."

That Declan Kidney actually went to the trouble of looking in to the rules before setting foot on French soil tell me they expected it to be called off. Now As it was the the refs job. He cocked it up. No one should have even been on a flight from ireland to france, they should have been sitting in front of a warm fire in their homes, disappointed and annoyed yes. but annoyed by the weather and not by one mans gigantic cockup

As for Pearson running away, well my words are tinged with a little venom and i Slightly withdraw that, but he should have been available for interview, and certainly to appear in front of the crowd. Maybe not make the announcement but at least along side her. to stand by his judgement. As the players did, coming on to the pitch and playing around with the ball for the fans. To show they appreciated the support and were sorry.

P.S. yes he is a rubbish ref. Further illustrated this weekend.

from the RTE website mate. took me awhile to find it had to read all the articles again:
-----
RBS 6 Nations Media and Communications manager, Christine Connolly, fielding no questions, told reporters: "Unfortunately on the advice of the referee it was decided that it was unplayable.

"He came here yesterday and inspected it under the covers and then again at 7.30pm (French time) this evening and it was playable.

"However, sadly in the 90 minutes after the covers were drawn back it froze over in several areas and was unplayable."

Saint-André said France would have been happy to play.

He said: "We would have preferred to play. The changing room was electric, the players were really ready to play but you have to respect the referee's decision, it's he who is in charge of players' safety."

Speaking to supporters on the pitch, France captain Thierry Dusautoir added: "It's a real shame for you all but unfortunately the match has had to be cancelled. I hope you will all come and support us next time. The decision has been taken, and now we will prepare for the next time."

French rugby federation president Pierre Camou expressed his "massive disappointment" at the cancellation.
-----

Now as you can imagine once the public relations people came in on top the "We support the Ref's decision line became the mantra from the IRFU, FFR, and the 6N's organisers. But the initial reactions after the match tell a whole other story.

The fact is they are not making a scapegoat out of Pearson. They are protecting him. It would look quite bad for all concerned if Pearson was hung out to dry, so they all agree he was right. Even tho everyone but the Ref wanted to play, and he should have called it off before the stadium filled. Hell days before the stadium filled! at the very least, the cancellation of the captains run was the last straw. if you need to cancel that. then you need to cancel the game. thats the plain truth of it.

I guess were not going to agree on this one.
But sure if we all agreed on everything it'd be no fun at all.

Indeed Taras

The problem is, every angle you look at has a valid point of view.

Anyway, onwards, its all dead and buried now. Any new from the french clubs? U think ireland might end up playing a french b side?
I heard last night that the game has been confirmed for the 4th.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/sixnations/2012/0215/ireland_sixnations.html

The French clubs are squealing like stuck pigs but they're going to put up with it.
Clermont (2nd - 59pts)) host Toulouse (1st - 65pts) on the 3rd. These two supply 18 of Saint-André's 30 strong panel.
René Fontès and René Bouscatel their respective chairmen have, albeit with less than unbridled glee, accepted that they will have to release their players.
So, no, it'll be a full strength French side, more's the pity.

If your French is any good... rugbyrama.fr

damn it! i was kinda hoping we get a bunch of french kids hehehe but i suppose if we won it would be a hollow victory.

My french starts and ends with knowing how to spell MonDieu and thats because its the user name of one of the folks here!

You rang?

But seriously, can you kick 7 shades of sh11t out of the French for us? I'll buy you a Dime Bar.

On the French and kicking the proverbial out of them, I was once at an after dinner speech with Brian Moore (the England hooker rather than the commentator) and someone asked him what the most intimidating thing he'd come across in his time was. His answer was a wonderful insight into the French mind, saying the first time he played in the old Parc des Princes, England came out of the dressing room and stood in the tunnel waiting for the French to come out and walk onto the pitch. Meanwhile all they could hear from the French dressing room was banging, thudding and shouting; then out came the French players and lined up next to England, with most of the pack bleeding from the face, sporting developeing bruises and half shut eyes - they'd been punching each other in the face in their own dressing room to get fired up!

SARS - I used to play for an amateur rugby team and they'd always leave the dressing room door open so the opposition could hear the music they were getting fired up to. It was ALWAYS very angry death metal. The look on some opposition faces was priceless.

ahhhh sportsmanship...

Personally I would have found an opposition, whose physical presence you would shortly be in close proximity to, that were listening to Dana much more frightening than one who were listening to Napalm Death

hahaha all kinds of everything! Nice SARS! got a Ridiculous mental image!

I didnt even think the pitch was that bad by the look of it!