Your pick for the first test against NZ: Backrow

Hi all,

Just going to do a few of these for the positions that seem to be most in doubt for the first test.
Leave your votes and reasons for voting and we'll see what we come up with and eventually what DK comes up with.
Try and keep it clean and your thoughts rational in terms of team tactics and backing up your points with examples from games.

Enjoy

Due to Ferris being out there is a space available in the backrow. There are a few options here, should SOB revert to 6 or should he continue at 7 where he has been improving hugely this year for Leinster. Without POC in the engine room it may make sense to put someone in the backrow with a bit of grunt and who is also a good lineout operator IMO.

O'Mahony?
Can play 6 and 7 and 8 and has had a good season so far for Munster due to aggressive running and tackling, good work at the breakdown and a strong showing in the lineout. Definitely one for the future but whenever exposed has done well.

McLaughlin?
Had a great season for Leinster ousting Jennings. Excellent lineout operator and really hard worker in defence and at ruck time. Possibly not the most dynamic but the Leinster backrow has a proven record at a high level.

Henry?
One of the form backrows in the country. His inclusion would push SOB to 6 and Henry has displayed a great ability at the ruck in terms of slowing down ball and affecting turnovers. Not hugely physical but is quite a good linkman.

I've gone for O'Mahoney at 7 and SoB at 6,I wouldn't hate McLaughlin at 6 but my main reasoning is I want to see SoB get a big game for Ireland on the blindside.

I have to say I'd completely go the other way. I think SOB has played really well at 7 this year and one of the things I'd really hope for is that he'd get more time there

Yeah I can why you'd go for that,I want to see him at 6 as a guilty pleasure.I'd love to see him reproduce some of the runs he managed last year at 6.He doesn't get as many chances to carry like that at 7 although if he keeps trailing BoDs runs like he did against Ulster then we could see more of those line breaks no matter what shirt he wears.

I went for O'Mahony at 6, purely because he is the future. I think McLaughlin deserves the shirt, but O'Mahony needs game time.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Yeah I can why you'd go for that,I want to see him at 6 as a guilty pleasure.I'd love to see him reproduce some of the runs he managed last year at 6.He doesn't get as many chances to carry like that at 7 although if he keeps trailing BoDs runs like he did against Ulster then we could see more of those line breaks no matter what shirt he wears.

O'Brien has made some pretty awesome runs at 7 lately though. It was interesting to watch Louw and Gorgodze today play as a left-right flanking partnership. Both share their roles brilliantly, and Louw ended up getting MOTM. I think that the left-right flanking partnership may be the way forward honestly. I am not so sure the need for pure groundhogs is as necessary anymore.

I understand why people want O'Brien at 6, to be honest I would like to see him there too, but he is the best 7 we have.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Yeah I can why you'd go for that,I want to see him at 6 as a guilty pleasure.I'd love to see him reproduce some of the runs he managed last year at 6.He doesn't get as many chances to carry like that at 7 although if he keeps trailing BoDs runs like he did against Ulster then we could see more of those line breaks no matter what shirt he wears.

O'Brien has made some pretty awesome runs at 7 lately though. It was interesting to watch Louw and Gorgodze today play as a left-right flanking partnership. Both share their roles brilliantly, and Louw ended up getting MOTM. I think that the left-right flanking partnership may be the way forward honestly. I am not so sure the need for pure groundhogs is as necessary anymore.

I understand why people want O'Brien at 6, to be honest I would like to see him there too, but he is the best 7 we have.

SoB is also the best 6 we have with Ferris out.What do you think will happen if Ferris has to retire early,will SoB switch back to 6 or would we hope to have another 6 by then?I don't really know what I'd like to see happen if that came to pass.

I think SOB is a better 7 than O'Mahony. O'Brien is the best 6 available (maybe even when Ferris IS available!) but for now, we need to be developing a 7 in the background to partner either O'Brien or Ferris. O'Mahony should be blooded as the replacement to Heaslip, as I think playing him as a 7 will damage him in the long run honestly. There are a few 7s who I will be very interested in seeing develop next season, mostly Birch for Ulster. Leinster/Munster have a few pretty good looking potential 7s in their ranks too.

If I had things my way, the back row for this tour would be:

6) McLaughlin
7) O'Brien
8) O'Mahony

But Heaslip will be a definite starter.

I think in terms of doing well and trying to win we should go for
McL-Heaslip-SOB
I think that is the strongest backrow in terms of balance with out pack. With POC missing I think Kev is needed for lineout purposes and grunt but I agree with what people are saying in terms of POM.

I believe POM is the future and wouldn't be in any way upset if he started it would almost be a good thing for Ireland and would like him to start at elast one test.

I do believe SOB should be retained at 7 though he has shown to be very good there in all facets now. He is generally double marked and he and Schmidt have identified that and are using him as a decoy largely but it is his work at the breakdown that is becoming so impressive, he is winning more turnovers than any other player on the Leinster team and that is a team with a number of very effective breakdown players (BOD, Darcy, Heaslip, Strauss)

I really, really would love to see him start at 7 and will admit to being disappointed if he doesn't start there for at least 2 tests.

I'd agree with your selection for backrow pete, three Leinster men for me. I'd love to see POM in there but not if it means we move SOB from 7. When a player finds their feet in a position we'd be crazy to start chopping and changing. I don't see McLaughlin as a long term starter but he's fitting the bill this tour with injuries we have and he's familiar with the players around him.

I've never been a fan of O'Brien at 7. I've always felt he's a natural 6. But he did finish the season with Leinster very well at 7. Really well. That was a brilliant motm performance in the HC final.

So I'd keep him there for Ireland for this tour. We have plenty of options at 6. O'Brien obviously has a bit of X-factor. So let's give him a bit more time at 7. A position where we have far less top quality options.

The breakdown stuff is quite technical but there are signs that he's getting better there. And if the groundhog duties are shared he can make his brilliant carries too.

I'd want to see 6. O'Mahoney, 7. O'Brien start one test
and 6. O'Brien, 7. Henry start another.

O'Mahoney and Henry have had excellent seasons. O'Mahoney has looked brilliant even when Munster were playing badly, like in the league semi final.

We have lots of options. We just need to find the right balance.

If we look at what our back row is going to be like for the next world cup, and even further on, the two players that I can see being certs if they carry on playing the way they have been, are O'Mahony and O'Brien. O'Mahony is best at 8, O'Brien best at 6. That leaves us a 7 to come through, and meanwhile O'Brien can play 7 with Ferris at 6. We don't know how long Ferris will last.

A mate of mine mentioned a lad called Deavy who is the next up and coming in Ireland, anyone heard of him?

What position? What age? Hit us with some facts Pete.

For me I'd start go for the following in the first test.

6. McLaughlin
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip

19. O'Mahoney

Maybe start O'Mahoney at 6/7 and put Henry on the bench for one of the tests.

I don't know who he is really, I know he is young, from Dublin, went to michaels and is a 7......other than that and I'm in the dark.

I think I'd start that backrow too rodders

Gert Smal on Peter O'mahony

"There is definitely a Schalk Burger quality to him, very much so. He has no fear and does not take a backward step for anybody, an outstanding lineout player as well."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/

Cheers for that sin

I wouldn't mind who starts at 6 between pom and McLaughlin tbh. I think mcl wud work as the combo is hugel successful but I think pom is the future for sure

Here Sin, I thought you told me Laulala was playing at 12 for the barbarians? You even said it was wishful thinking on my part when I said he is a 13.