Ireland Squad Announced

First topic message reminder :

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/25479.php

Prop: Cian Healy, Tom Court, Brett Wilkinson, Mike Ross

Hooker: Sean Cronin, Rory Best

Lock: Paul O'Connell, Donnacha Ryan, Dan Tuohy, Donnacha O'Callaghan

Backrow: Rhys Ruddock, Peter O'Mahony, Chris Henry, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Stephen Ferris, Shane Jennings

Scrumhalf: Eoin Reddan, Conor Murray

Flyhalf: Jonathan Sexton, Ronan O'Gara

Centre: Eoin O'Malley, Fergus McFadden, Gordon Darcy, Paddy Wallace

Winger: Simon Zebo, Andrew Trimble, Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Dave Kearney

Fullback: Rob Kearney, Denis Hurley

Most of the bench picks itself Court, Cronin, POC, Reddan, ROG, McFadden

Not sure of the backrower though - I think it should be Henry but I'm bias
With the exception of Kearney no one in the Wolfhounds did enough to say - pick me

geoff998rugby wrote:With the exception of Kearney no one in the Wolfhounds did enough to say - pick me

Then maybe Peter O'Mahony?

I know how close they are to the squad Stag, but if they make it, we’re in a bad way.

Yup that we are Mick that we are.

Brett Wilkinson v Adam Jones
Stephen Archer v Jean Baptiste Poux



Ah still remember how shocking Cian Healy was against Toulouse. Got taken off after about a half hour.

If Court is our TH cover then God help us - I will defend the guy as a decent LH but he is not a TH.

If Ross gets injured we are screwed.

We need to put the likes of Hagan, Andress, Fitzpatrick and Macklin through a crash course in scrummaging as we are 1 injury away from a complete shambles.

It either that or a visit to the Hayes farm for a swan song appearance

I think Hagan and Macklin look like the best choices to work on. Hagan to me looks like the next tighthead for Ireland possibly. Macklin has a lot of time ahead of him to be developed. Hopefully we will buy a few scrum machines for his birthday.

Stag, agreed totally re the 2 players. The Wolfhounds are there to keep the 3rd & 4th choice guys ticking over. And the beauty with Deccie is that we now know all four players are going to see game time, about 120 mins and 40 mins splits starter/bencher injuries notwithstanding. That is good squad & player management.

Regarding centres, I wouldn't be totally happy with D'Arcy at 12, regardless of who plays 13. I dont think he is anywhere near his best and new contract and chat of a 4th RWC aside, investing time engery on EOM or McFadden right now (I know lots of other people will want to suggest injured player os those outside the squad!) but the two youngsters are there now and weather paire together or with Earls, or Wallace (or even Bowe, but that would be left field and Bowe hasn't been that good recently) I think the coming generation should be tested.

As in fairness, say he continues wit the older guys and then in 6months time, all the experience vanishes due to injury etc, then you have to pick the auxillary guy who prob only has experience against an PI team in November or a summer tour to the Churchill Cup. Not like they wout have support with Sexton or ROG inside them and Bowe/Kearney/Ealrs outside them and a very dynamic & experienced pack.

That's my 2 cents anyway!

Andress actually looks a good scrummager but it looks to me like IRFU are holding firm on playing outside Ireland - apart from Bowe who looks set to return home.

Agreed but from a purely scrummaging angle for the hear and now the other 2 are more mature. Not saying they are great, they aren't, but could do jobs as emergency replacements for a year or two to back up Ross before the younger lads are ready.

Both can scummage better than what we saw from Archer on Friday - that is the second time I have seen him taken to the cleaners this year - very worrying.

geoff998rugby wrote:Most of the bench picks itself Court, Cronin, POC, Reddan, ROG, McFadden

Not sure of the backrower though - I think it should be Henry but I'm bias
With the exception of Kearney no one in the Wolfhounds did enough to say - pick me

I presume you've made a mistake and aren't advocating Poc on the bench?


The team I'd like to see from the 32 would be along the lines of;

Healy Best Ross
Ryan Poc
Ferris Sob Heaslip
Murray Sexton
McFadden Earls
Trimble Kearney Bowe

Court Cronin Tuohy POM Reddan Rog ? I'd nearly give Kearney a shot after last week but I'm not really sure who is best placed for this spot.
As much as I love Paddy and Darce, I think mcfadden is the way to go, give youth a chance and if he and earls click it would mean an extremely quick backline.

Val,

If that was the 22 with Kearney as the utility man, i'd be very very happy.

Mickado wrote:Val,

If that was the 22 with Kearney as the utility man, i'd be very very happy.

If it was, it would be very harsh on Gilroy is the only thing. As much potential as Kearney and Zebo have shown, Gilroy has been a lot better than either this year and I would be shocked if Kidney goes for Kearney, but I would be happy with it.

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. POC
6. Ferris
7. POM
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Earls
12. McFadden
13. Bowe
14. Trimble
15. Kearney

No SOB?

Surely the starting team against the Welsh will be the same as the QF selection except;
- Earls at 13 to cover the injured BOD
- Trimble onto the wing.

Can we finally assume the Buckley experiment to be over? For good?

I'd be very surprised to see any of D Kearney, Zebo O'Malley, Ruddock or Henry in the final 22.

Valjester you are right I meant DOC

I would be really surprised if we are looking at anything different from

Healy, Best, Ross, POC, Ryan, Ferris, Heaslip, SOB, Murray, Sexton, Trimble, D'Arcy, Earls, Bowe, Kearney

Sub: Court, Cronin, POC, ANOther, Reddan, ROG, McFadden

Rory_Gallagher wrote:No SOB?

I'd like to see POM at 7 for Ireland. I think he's good enough and I think he's ready. I'm not suggesting we throw SOB on the scrap head or anything. He's brilliant too. I just wouldn't mind seeing POM get a chance for Ireland with SOB as a super sub. Nothing wrong with a bit of competition for places. Especially if both options have great potential. In fact not so long ago I'd have liked to see SOB take Heaslips 8 jersey. But Heaslip has turned around his form recently.

If new players are given a chance it will be on the bench against Italy and not before.

geoff998rugby wrote:If new players are given a chance it will be on the bench against Italy and not before.

I'd say POM has a good chance of seeing some gametime against Wales. The only thing I'd worry about is that he could
be so wound up coming of the bench that he might kill one of the poor Welsh lads.

geoff998rugby wrote:Valjester you are right I meant DOC

I would be really surprised if we are looking at anything different from

Healy, Best, Ross, POC, Ryan, Ferris, Heaslip, SOB, Murray, Sexton, Trimble, D'Arcy, Earls, Bowe, Kearney

Sub: Court, Cronin, POC, ANOther, Reddan, ROG, McFadden

A fresh POC coming on for a tired POC would be some ace in the hole. Or, better yet, having both POCs on the field at the same time!

That'd put the fear of God into anyone.

ha, can you imagine two POC on the field at the one time, for the opposition it would be like seeing quadruple.

15 Kearney
14 Bowe
13 O'Malley
12 McFadden
11 Trimble
10 Sexton
9 Reddan
8 Heaslip
7 SOB
6 Ferris
5 POC
4 Ryan
3 Ross
2 Cronin
1 Healy

Bench: Court, Best, Tuohy, O'Mahoney, Murray, P. Wallace, Earls

Feckless Rogue wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:No SOB?

I'd like to see POM at 7 for Ireland. I think he's good enough and I think he's ready. I'm not suggesting we throw SOB on the scrap head or anything. He's brilliant too. I just wouldn't mind seeing POM get a chance for Ireland with SOB as a super sub. Nothing wrong with a bit of competition for places. Especially if both options have great potential. In fact not so long ago I'd have liked to see SOB take Heaslips 8 jersey. But Heaslip has turned around his form recently.

Well I view POM as a 6/8 firstly, but also SOB and Ferris I think are the two backrowers who I think have their positions nailed down. Heaslip has been hit and miss over the past while, doing a lot better recently, but still he hasn't hit the heights of the other two. I think POM would be looking to displace Heaslip.

roddersm wrote:15 Kearney
14 Bowe
13 O'Malley
12 McFadden
11 Trimble
10 Sexton
9 Reddan
8 Heaslip
7 SOB
6 Ferris
5 POC
4 Ryan
3 Ross
2 Cronin
1 Healy

Bench: Court, Best, Tuohy, O'Mahoney, Murray, P. Wallace, Earls

Although I think it is far, far too soon for EOM, I like it because Earls is on the bench