Your Irish team and wishlist for the 1st French game

This is my team and wishlist

1- Court:
Thought he did quite well on Saturday. His scrummaging held up well enough and he was more prominent in the loose than in previous matches. Want to continue to rest Healy (busy season) and look at alternative incase necessary.
2- Flannery:
He didn't get much time or much ball on Saturday, think he needs to be tested further. Maybe play 60mins. See if we can operate without Best's manic work in defence and at the breakdown but with Flannerys work in the loose. Want Best to rest also.
3- Ross:
Would like him to be tested against a team that moves teh ball a lot to see how much of an improvement he has made in the loose. Also think it would be good for him to go up against strong scrummaging packs to continue his improvement in this area.
4- O'Connell:
After a season interrupted by injury and suspension I think he needs some time to get firing on all cylinders again. Want to see how well he and Cullen manage together. Will help Fla settle also. His ball carrying should help also.
5- Cullen:
Think he should be tested further and want to see this combination at work. His leadership is great but would like him to take on more responsibility with ball in hand. He ran the lineout fantastically against the Scots too.
6- Ryan:
Another who I want to continue to see. Will move to lock during the second half. Needs to show more athleticism, aggression and ball carrying. Continue good work in defence.
7- O'Brien
I'd like to see him at 7. It is his worst position and I would like him to be tested further here. He shouldn't feel the need to be a fetcher due to the number he wears. He will bring much needed ball carrying.
8- Leamy:
Deserves a shot with a less make shift team. Needs to up his performances to get on the plane let alone the 22 but he has it in him. Want to see more aggression and also continue on with his improved discipline.
9- O'Leary:
Like Leamy deserves time with a better pack and needs time with Sexton. Sexton shouldn't have to stand so deep when playing with TOL, this needs to be addressed. Should defender better than against Scot considering that is his forte and needs to get quicker ball.
10- Sexton: Needs time with O'Leary and Wallace. I'd like him to have a win over France under his belt before the RWC. A sub in the French game at the Aviva.
11- Earls:
Needs some game time to kick on and continue his great form towards the end of last season. We need a guy who is going to join the line and really attack spaces in midfield at pace.
12- Wallace:
Needs to kick on from Saturday, continue good defence but needs to be more creative, stand either deeper or flatter instead of somewhere in no mans land. Continue clever kicks and running good support lines. Want to see him make half breaks more.
13- Bowe:
I would really like to see him here for Ireland for a bit. He has played there in a Lions test. Could be good here has the pace, balance, strength, line running, pass and appreciation of space. Something of an experiment for Ireland.
14- Fitzgerald:
Would like him to kick on from Saturday with good broken field running and excellent defence however needs to kick less and look for inside and outside pops from the midfield.
15- Jones:
Needs to be tried. I would consider this his last chance for the RWC as Murphy/Kearney would start the week after if he didn't excel. Needs to do what he does the best, get the basics right and run elusively from deep.

Buckley: Want to see if there is an improved performance when off the bench.
Cronin: Needs to be tested again, had a poor game on Saturday, is losing a bench spot IMO at the moment.
Jennings: Needs game time as he is our only trad 7 it would be benefitial if he went to the RWC.
Heaslip: Needs to be brought into the mix again and seeing a Leinster backrow for Ireland could be interesting.
Murray: His one and only chance in my eyes. Must take it if it comes his way.
McFadden: Again last chance really for a plane ticket especially if Fitz and trimble continue to shine
Murphy: Needs game time, the best 15 of the 2 games (Fran and Scot) should start in the Aviva. I want Kearney to start the game on the 20th

WISHLIST:

Continued excellent swarm defence
More creative attack & more aggressive and effective ball carrying
Wallace and Sexton to combine better
Smarter kicking game
SOB to do well at 7.
Bowe experiment to be a success.
O'Leary's service to speed up considerably.

What is your team and wishlist????

What happened to Cyan Healy?

Oh he is there, in camp training away. I just would prefer to try out Court again with buckley on the bench and save Healy for the final two games. Healy is more a less a guarenteed starter at this stage.

*Cian

So how far is your selection away from the first choice Irish team, I think O'Driscoll is still injured and there were two other that won't make the RWc squad.

Biltong - the first choice Irish team will look something like (not a guarantee).

Healy, Best, Ross
O'Callaghan, O'Connell
O'Brien, Heaslip, Wallace
Reddan, Sexton
Darcy, O'Driscoll
Earls, Kearney, Bowe

Flannery, Court, Cullen, Ferris, O'Leary, O'Gara, Fitzgerald

The team I just selected there isn't really that full strentgh.

There would be Healy, Best, O'Callghan, Ferris/Wallace, Heaslip, Reddan, O'Driscoll, kearney possibly Trimble???

So it is still fairly experimental, the way I'd like it to be honest.
The way I see it is that this is the last game we can really be experimental in to this extent. We then have a game against France at home, the squad will be announced and then England at home. Those two final games we should be putting out something close to our prefered 22 (if we know our prefered 22)

red_stag wrote:Biltong - the first choice Irish team will look something like (not a guarantee).

Healy, Best, Ross
O'Callaghan, O'Connell
O'Brien, Heaslip, Wallace
Reddan, Sexton
Darcy, O'Driscoll
Earls, Kearney, Bowe

Flannery, Court, Cullen, Ferris, O'Leary, O'Gara, Fitzgerald

But does this not become an issue when Declan is using these warm ups as Trials rather than getting his first choice team to gel.

How many more game shave you got before the world cup?

biltongbek wrote:How many more game shave you got before the world cup?

We've loads of time yet. Scotland was last Saturday, then we have France this Saturday, then Connacht midweek, then France again at the weekend and then England the following week.

We've still got a bit of time to play about with.

biltongbek wrote:

red_stag wrote:Biltong - the first choice Irish team will look something like (not a guarantee).

Healy, Best, Ross
O'Callaghan, O'Connell
O'Brien, Heaslip, Wallace
Reddan, Sexton
Darcy, O'Driscoll
Earls, Kearney, Bowe

Flannery, Court, Cullen, Ferris, O'Leary, O'Gara, Fitzgerald

But does this not become an issue when Declan is using these warm ups as Trials rather than getting his first choice team to gel.

How many more game shave you got before the world cup?

Two more at home. One against France and one against England. Then without being too ahead of ourselves, the USA game can count as well as building momentum towards the Australia match.

Also Biltong there are a few provincial games on so for instance Geordan Murphy wasn't included in the Scot game, but he is playing a friendly for Leicester tonight.

Well you guys must let me know objecitvely every test, whether it is your best choice and your chances to win when it is not a first choice team.

I had a 100% record with SUPERBRU, until the Irish lost against Scotland.

So it becomes difficult to make predictions when I don't know how strong the teams are that will play.

No dice Biltong - get PDV to play the proper Boks

He will next saturday, I went to see him and explained to him there has been enough messing about.

He did promise to select all "available" players

We'll sort you out Biltong, will cost you one quarter final however!!!

The team I have put up there I would call a B team there are 6 starters in that team technically.

Anyone else have a team they'd put out or a different wish list?

biltongbek wrote:

red_stag wrote:Biltong - the first choice Irish team will look something like (not a guarantee).

Healy, Best, Ross
O'Callaghan, O'Connell
O'Brien, Heaslip, Wallace
Reddan, Sexton
Darcy, O'Driscoll
Earls, Kearney, Bowe

Flannery, Court, Cullen, Ferris, O'Leary, O'Gara, Fitzgerald

But does this not become an issue when Declan is using these warm ups as Trials rather than getting his first choice team to gel.

How many more game shave you got before the world cup?

Three test matches and a trial match for the second string. I'd say you'll see the selections get gradually closer to full strength the nearer we get. He's said all along his goal is to have 30 match-fit and sharp players ready by the end of our summer series.

All the key players will get two games at least.

You know whats helpful. If we do lose to the Aussies god forbid we have another 2 test to find our form and beat SA.

red_stag wrote:You know whats helpful. If we do lose to the Aussies god forbid we have another 2 test to find our form and beat SA.

Nope, one Test to get ready for an almighty onslaught from Italy.

The Italians will be pumped I'd say for the game against us.

Anyone else with a team or what they want to get out of the France game???

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:We'll sort you out Biltong, will cost you one quarter final however!!!

Let me weigh this up.


Superbru prediction game 0 vs quarterfinal 7.

Superbru prediction game 0 vs quarterfinal 14.

Superbru prediction game 0 vs quarterfinal 17.

Superbru prediction game 0 vs quarterfinal 24.


Sorry bud, the quarter final has won.

But thanks for the offer anyhow.

The title is 'Your Irish Team' and in 18 replies theres two teams! haha!

What does that tell you? More critics than people making sugestions?

red_stag wrote:Biltong - the first choice Irish team will look something like (not a guarantee).

Healy, Best, Ross
O'Callaghan, O'Connell
O'Brien, Heaslip, Wallace
Reddan, Sexton
Darcy, O'Driscoll
Earls, Kearney, Bowe

Flannery, Court, Cullen, Ferris, O'Leary, O'Gara, Fitzgerald

5 Lions and a double Heineken cup winning captain on that bench...
...And Tom Court.

Yeah, but where does it say World Cups are meant to be easy?

We lose to Australia, our necks will be on the block when we meet the Italians. Have you heard Sergio Parisse etc. talking? They are living for the Ireland clash. They want our scalp so desperately and they believe they can take it.

Can't wait to be honest.

red_stag wrote:You know whats helpful. If we do lose to the Aussies god forbid we have another 2 test to find our form and beat SA.

Stag, I thought we had come to a gentlemans agreement that we would wait till after the match. And then I can celebrate and you can drown your sorrows.



............Or was that another Irishman.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:The Italians will be pumped I'd say for the game against us.

Anyone else with a team or what they want to get out of the France game???

Pete, you really are incessant with the questions.

Anyway, what I want is greater quality when we have sustained possession of the ball. We looked good when we got turnover ball with skills above what Scotland had on display, but when we went through the phases, we were poor. Reading Kidney's comments today in the paper, it seems like he is trying to build that gradually over the month so I'm happy to trust him on that one.

No that was me I think

Ok team I'd like to see:

01 Horan
02 Flannery
03 Buckley
04 Ryan
05 O'Connell
06 Leamy
07 Jennings
08 O'Brien
09 O'Leary
10 Sexton
11 Fitzgerald
12 Wallace
13 Earls
14 Bowe
15 Jones

16 Best
17 Court
18 Cullen
19 McLaughlin
20 Murray
21 O'Gara
22 McFadden

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

9- O'Leary:
Like Leamy deserves time with a better pack and needs time with Sexton. Sexton shouldn't have to stand so deep when playing with TOL, this needs to be addressed. Should defender better than against Scot considering that is his forte and needs to get quicker ball.

11- Earls:
Needs some game time to kick on and continue his great form towards the end of last season. We need a guy who is going to join the line and really attack spaces in midfield at pace.

13- Bowe:
I would really like to see him here for Ireland for a bit. He has played there in a Lions test. Could be good here has the pace, balance, strength, line running, pass and appreciation of space. Something of an experiment for Ireland.

These are the only three I really disagree with. I'd like to see murray start at nine. Like you said this is going to be his only real chance, therefore he should get it from the beginning. If he survives from the start against france in france, he has to go. If not then he can go back to munster and secure the 9 jesrsey there before hopefully being ready for Ireland by the six nations.

I'd swap earls and bowe around. Partly because I think it is what Kidney will do but mainly because in the games he played for the ospreys at 13 this year bowe didn't look very comfortable and his positioning was quite poor. For all the doubts over earls' play in the centre this year, his defence and positioning was solid. I think that a wallace earls partnership could be very exciting. Bowe is one of the best wingers in the world and will pop up in midfield anyway but, for me, he is much better left at 14.

Anyway my team would be;

1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best
3. Mike Ross
4. Donncha O'Callaghan
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Sean O'Brien
7. David Wallace
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Eoin Reddan
10. Jonathon Sexton
11. Keith Earls
12. Paddy Wallace
13. Fergus McFadden
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Geordan Murphy

16. Jerry Flannery 17. Tom Court 18. Donnacha Ryan 19. Denis Leamy 20. Peter Stringer 21. Ronan O'Gara 22. Andrew Trimble/Luke Fitzgerald

I think this is basically our strongest team, bar the missing D'Arcy and BOD. I've already said I want to assess both of our centres and our outhalf with a first choice pack in front of them. I know it's a bit unfair on the back three, but they all came out of that game with credit and are pushing Earls and Bowe hard. I just want to see some other players get gametime there.

I would change the centres if we didn't have a few injuries there. I want to see our first choice pack get a chance to get on the field together and get time to gel.

Biltong, for your reference, this is about 12/15 of our strongest team

Geordan Murphy? for reals?

Would take that team but with Felix Jones at 15 Notch.

1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best
3. Mike Ross
4. Donncha O'Callaghan
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Sean O'Brien
7. David Wallace
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Eoin Reddan
10. Jonathon Sexton
11. Andrew Trimble
12. Paddy Wallace
13. Keith Earls
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Rob Kearney

16. Jerry Flannery 17. Tom Court 18. Donnacha Ryan 19. Denis Leamy 20. Peter Stringer 21. Ronan O'Gara 22. Luke Fitzgerald

Mickado wrote:

red_stag wrote:Biltong - the first choice Irish team will look something like (not a guarantee).

Healy, Best, Ross
O'Callaghan, O'Connell
O'Brien, Heaslip, Wallace
Reddan, Sexton
Darcy, O'Driscoll
Earls, Kearney, Bowe

Flannery, Court, Cullen, Ferris, O'Leary, O'Gara, Fitzgerald

5 Lions and a double Heineken cup winning captain on that bench...
...And Tom Court.

Likely SA team for Irish match up.

Guthro Steenkamp
John Smit
Jannie du Plessis
Bakkies Botha
Victor Matfield
Schalk Burger
Juan Smith
Pierre Spies
Fourie du Preez
Morne Steyn
Jean de Villiers
Jaque Fourie
JP Pietersen
Bryan Habana
Frans Steyn

Beast Mtwarira
Bismarck du Plessis
CJ v d Linde
Danie Rossouw
Butch James
Heinrich Brussouw
Gio Aplon

14 World cup winners
6 Super Rugby winners ( Three times)

roddersm wrote:1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best
3. Mike Ross
4. Donncha O'Callaghan
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Sean O'Brien
7. David Wallace
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Eoin Reddan
10. Jonathon Sexton
11. Andrew Trimble
12. Paddy Wallace
13. Keith Earls
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Rob Kearney

16. Jerry Flannery 17. Tom Court 18. Donnacha Ryan 19. Denis Leamy 20. Peter Stringer 21. Ronan O'Gara 22. Luke Fitzgerald

+1

But PDV at the helm so its all good

biltongbek wrote:
14 World cup winners
6 Super Rugby winners ( Three times)

roddersm wrote:

biltongbek wrote:
14 World cup winners
6 Super Rugby winners ( Three times)

Sorry, Rodders, it's only a little bit of gamesmanship. I like you Irish.

Would people not like to see a bit more eperimentation or is this the beginning of getting our starting team-ish together???

Wish list?

"Sorry, Rodders, it's only a little bit of gamesmanship. I like you Irish."
Cheers bru!

Pete - I reckoned there was a lot of experiementation in the team I named.

red_stag wrote:But PDV at the helm so its all good

I won't worry too much about him Stag, Rassie is secretly coaching the team, and in finals rugby the Springboks will do what england did in 2007, play hard despite the coach.



I hope!

Would people not like to see a bit more eperimentation or is this the beginning of getting our starting team-ish together???

Because in my opinion this is the most important game before the World Cup.

Yes Stag, I see that yours is pretty experimental too, I'd be more a long those lines.

I think this is the last game we have (other than Connacht) to go and figure things out about our team. We really need to learn all we can. A game against France and england and the USA should get our starters back into the swing of kicking bum!

MBT-
Do you consider it the most important because it is in France and we don't do well there?

With respect to playing England and France at home, this is going to be our toughest warm up match. It's hard to decide whether we should test players in or about the 22 or go all out for confidence and try and win a game in a country where we struggle. I think the best thing to do is to go for a mixture between the two so Kidney can still get answers and his thirty men match fit for the world cup.

I'd pick the following team but to be honest I'm going to be happy as long as the team we put out is reasonably strong (i.e. a hell of a lot stronger than the Scotland line-up but not necessarily first choice all around).

1. Court
2. Flannery (let's see if he's really back and hope he doesn't kick out at the French like the last time he was there)
3. Ross (Buckley really didn't impress me against Scotland - very disappointing actually and I don't trust Hayes - shows how much we need Ross I suppose)
4. Ryan/McLoughin/McCarthy/ - not fussed but use this match to sort out which of those three are going to the world cup
5. POC - we need a leader in France in the absence of BOD
6. Leamy - I think he did well against Scotland and, in the likely absence of Ferris, he may well play and be important for us in the world cup - needs to cement his form basically
7. Wallace - is Jennings gong to be back from injury in time?
8. SOB - thought he played well for Leinster at 8 earlier in the year - a test doesn't get much tougher than away in France
9. Murray - if Kidney is seriously considering bringing him this is the game to see if he can be relied upon in the world cup - I expect Reddan or TOL to be selected though
10. Sexton
11. Earls/Trimble/McFadden
12. Wallace - like it or not he's very likely to be our starting inside centre at the world cup and therefore needs this game
13. Earls/Bowe
14. Bowe/Trimble
15 Jones - same reasons as Murray but, again, I'd expect someone else to be chosen - probably Kearney, maybe Murphy or Earls.

biltongbek wrote:

roddersm wrote:

biltongbek wrote:
14 World cup winners
6 Super Rugby winners ( Three times)

Sorry, Rodders, it's only a little bit of gamesmanship. I like you Irish.

Don't worry Biltong I was only trying to lure you into a false sense of security. I know how much the boks fear our boys.....

I would see our home game against France as more important. Winning in France has always been a massive hurdle, we could go well in the world cup without getting that monkey off our back. Having said that a home and away win against them would be a massive confidence boost.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Would people not like to see a bit more eperimentation or is this the beginning of getting our starting team-ish together???

Yeah Pete I'd like to see us experimenting with beating the French. That would be a new thing for us to try alright.....

biltongbek wrote:

Mickado wrote:

red_stag wrote:Biltong - the first choice Irish team will look something like (not a guarantee).

Healy, Best, Ross
O'Callaghan, O'Connell
O'Brien, Heaslip, Wallace
Reddan, Sexton
Darcy, O'Driscoll
Earls, Kearney, Bowe

Flannery, Court, Cullen, Ferris, O'Leary, O'Gara, Fitzgerald

5 Lions and a double Heineken cup winning captain on that bench...
...And Tom Court.

Likely SA team for Irish match up.

Guthro Steenkamp
John Smit
Jannie du Plessis
Bakkies Botha
Victor Matfield
Schalk Burger
Juan Smith
Pierre Spies
Fourie du Preez
Morne Steyn
Jean de Villiers
Jaque Fourie
JP Pietersen
Bryan Habana
Frans Steyn

Beast Mtwarira
Bismarck du Plessis
CJ v d Linde
Danie Rossouw
Butch James
Heinrich Brussouw
Gio Aplon

14 World cup winners
6 Super Rugby winners ( Three times)

No 9 cover on the bench Biltong?

roddersm wrote:

biltongbek wrote:

roddersm wrote:

biltongbek wrote:
14 World cup winners
6 Super Rugby winners ( Three times)

Sorry, Rodders, it's only a little bit of gamesmanship. I like you Irish.

Don't worry Biltong I was only trying to lure you into a false sense of security. I know how much the boks fear our boys.....

Rodders, what you hear when the Boks face the Irish isn't trembling, it is the ground thundering under their feet as they charge.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:MBT-
Do you consider it the most important because it is in France and we don't do well there?

There is that but it also getting used to playing away, it's a place where we have bad memories from 4 years ago and also, it is the one game we are playing that is on at the same time as we will be playing at during the World Cup.

I am getting less and less confident about Jones' spot on the plane I have to say. if Fitz can put in another good game too, McFadden may lose out too.

A win in France would be a bonus but not something we 'need'
We may well 'need' to know what Jones is like, or Murray, or McFadden at 13 again or McCarthy at 4.

Standulstermen wrote:
No 9 cover on the bench Biltong?

My apologies, in that case they would put either Francois Hougaard or Ruan Pienaar in place of Gio Aplon.

biltongbek wrote:

Rodders, what you hear when the Boks face the Irish isn't trembling, it is the ground thundering under their feet as they charge.

Well they are a hefty bunch I suppose