Ireland. BOD will miss at least the 1st two games of the Summer tests. Darcy & Ferris wont make it.

First topic message reminder :

Is fitness set to be an issue for the Irish team in the 2011 RWC?

Paul McNaughton, Irish team manager said today: "Brian O'Driscoll has a neck injury but he is doing 80% of what we were hoping he would be doing. We are not really worried about him at this stage but he probably won't partake in the first couple of games."

He also said, "Obviously (Stephen) Ferris and (Gordon) D'Arcy are the most serious of the injuries. They are the two guys who are higher on the injury list though we are still hopeful. They are making progress and we are still hopeful that they will win the race to get on the plane to New Zealand".

In addition there have been long term injuries to Tomas O'Leary, Rob Kearney, Jerry Flannery and Geordan Murphy, while Ronan O'Gara and Shane Jennings have both picked up knocks in recent weeks.

Ireland have announced they will be working with the provinces to help get guys up to speed and see more of players that they would like to:

"The provinces have some pre-season games as well so a guy might play for 60 minutes for Ireland on one Saturday and he might be asked to play for his province in a pre-season friendly the following Saturday."

He also pointed out that Ireland have only got five games (including one against Connacht), which adds up to 400 minutes, and a we have got a squad of about forty. 30 have to go to New Zealand. "Getting the maths right", was said to be important for the Irish coaching team.

Will fitness be an issue in this RWC?

No problems Rodders - I think your interpreatation is probably spot on

geoff998rugby wrote:I think that the stories coming out about Ferris are not necessary contradictory.

As I said he was doing full contact training last week - however:

1. The management may still think he is a long way short of match fitness - highly probable.
2. My information is a week old - has he taken a knock since ?
3. Some will recall that a few weeks back I was posting some bad news re medical assessment and that he went to London for a second opinion. The reality is his knee is made of glass and always will be.

The fact he has made great strides in his personal recovery and has regained his all round body strength is not necessarily contradictory with him remaining a doubt for the WC.

Yes Geoff, somewhere within that post, is the truth. And it may even be a combination of it all. In fact, what de we really know at this stage? We can only go on what McNaughton is saying now.



As far as the centre-pairings go, logically and experience-wise, it should be Wallace for Darcy and I believe - Earls for BOD. I agree. But Kidney has 4 International Test games and an experimental side vs Connacht - to mix & match. I think we will see McFadden in that mix. Fitzgerald also. Come the RWC and barring injury, I can't see Bowe or Trimble being moved from the wings. By far our best options there. Although Earls, Fitz, McFadden and Kearney, can back them up there. Kidney stated, when he started out, that he wants multi-positonal players in his backline. 2, if not 3, positions covered. He well knows that Wallace & Earls can do a job for him in the centre, as it stands.

I would not be suprised to see Mcfadden at 12 and Earls at 13, during the course of the Summer Tests either. I would not be devastated if we lost a few of them, if what we get out of them, is 4 wins in our RWC Pool. The Summer Tests will be long forgotten. The RWC and our performance in it - will always remain in the memory. And it is what Kidney will be ultimately judged on. It is what Ireland will be judged on. So, does he take a few risks and see if he comes up some some combination gems? Or, does he leave the status as quo and play safe? Playing safe never won anything. But, I tend to agree with Notch, it may be too late for that now. We'll see. But he must be trying those out as we speak. He has to.

I am on record for years, in the belief, that those 2 (McFadden & Earls), are Ireland's future centre-pairing. Nothing I've seen in the interim, has changed my mind. I know I will get plenty of naysayers on it, but... that's what this forum is all about.



We may even see them together in the centre vs Scotland, if not at the the start, then at some stage in the game. If that happens, I'll say nowt and just smile...

Gibson-

I am being led to believe by a source that the centres will be Wallace 12 and McFadden 13.

I can see earls and McFadden as a future centre partnership eventually I do believe Marshall and Spence will take over though.

I hope he is taking some risks now and seeing what works and what doesn't. realistically he knows everyone in the squad is a good player

Pete, that would work too. Experience coupled with latent & proven ability. Agree on his trusting any of 30 he brings to NZ. If not, then he would be regressing. A la Eddie. Look where that got us in 2007.

I think this warm up excercise has a few "tasks" for Deccie

1) Get returning players up to speed
2) Give out of form players a chance to get back on form
3) Test combinations
4) Gain momentum (the last 2 matches)

"Experience with latent ability"-

I agree with that summary too, also think there is a good balance to it. Realistically you will have 3 midfield players then who can kick very well, play 1st reciever, take the ball up themselves and beat a guy and distribute accuratly.

I think the fact that all 3 seem to be so well rounded could really work in our favour.

That being said...........the forwards need to get them the ball.......

and therein, as the bard would tell us, lies the rub.......

All true. The points you laid down are precisely what he has to handle. And I dont envy the man. Getting the balance right and the most out of these SI's will test him to the limit.

He will, I believe, put top-priority, in getting his experienced players back into the fold. Kearney, Fla, Murphy, TOL. Then Fitzgerald, Leamy & Jennings to be given the chance to prove themselves again. In combination with new players tested (vs Connacht?). In the midst of all that, he has to test-out different combos.

Maybe we should call for Henry Kissinger.