Who should play 15 for Ireland if Kearney isn't fit for November???

Earls:
Has looked good at times when he's played here. The 2011 6Nations game against England for one was a very good showing. He has outstanding pace, a large boot if not used that often and this season has looked better regarding spacial awareness and linking with his team mates. His 1 on 1 defending is by and large quite good too.

Duffy:
Has the most experience of the bunch but isn't necessarily the most talented. Injured at the moment but will be back and is solid if nothing else, can be painfully slow at times however he has a very educated right boot.

Madigan:
Obviously primarily a flyhalf. Has looked good when at 15 but doesn't field balls like a natural. Has great pace and a step and kicks well overall but would be quite raw at 15 and hasn't even won a cap in his favoured position yet.

Hurley:
Getting consitent game time at Munster and is a very strong defender and kicks well. He is very dependable I think but wouldn't be what many would call a creative atacking threat. Has been done for pace more than once but as said before is so solid.

Keatly:
I feel is an natural 10 and should be playing there [side issue], good boot, creative in entering the line and is a good defender. Another who has very little experience at international level and not much at 15 either so could be a bridge too far.

Conway:
Can play at 15 but has done very little playing there. Has done very little playing for Leinster overall. Is young, quick, an attacking threat, safe-ish under the high ball, can kick, is an ok defender.

Options not looking wonderful beyond Earls IMO, praying Kearney is around and fit for the game. What do you guys think?

keith earls please.

It sounds like Kearney will be back.

By the way, Bowe would be an option there as well - he played there a few times for the Os.

Jarod Payne .

Earls doesn't want it
Duffy won't be offered
Madigan won’t get a cap til next year at the earliest
Hurley is steady
Keatley has too little experience at 15
Conway won't be near the squad

We have very few specialist full backs getting regular game time at the provinces. With Murphy’s retirement and Kearney injury record it is looking like a problem area.
Personally I would love to see Duffy get the nod but his age and injury problems will probably count against him.
Earls is the obvious choice but he doesn't want to play there.
Which really only leaves Hurley as a viable option.

Left field option, Zebo?

What happened to Felix Jones?

Injured.

I'd say Hurley would be favourite right now. The bolder options would be Earls or Keatley.

We'll know who Kidney is looking at by who the provinces play there over the next few weeks.

Jones is injured again. So unlucky the poor lad.

Iv heard Kearney is in a race to be fit for it, he definitely won't be match fit however. Bowe and gilroy are both options too but I'd go for neither.

I wouldn't care what earls wanted and do what's best for the team and put him in there if Kearney isn't available

Paddy Wallace.

Geordan Murphy said when he retired of inter. rugby he would come back if Ireland were stuck.

IMO we are not stuck.

We could easily send in Keith Earls or Tommy Bowe or Ian Keatley or Ian Madigan or Craig Gilroy or Andrew Conway to play.

If we call Geordan Murphy out of retirement we do a disservice to our players.

Not sure I'd want Keatley, Madigan, Gilroy or Conway making their international fullback debut against SA.

red_stag wrote:If we call Geordan Murphy out of retirement we do a disservice to our players.

agreed, especially as he is injured.

Sin é wrote:Not sure I'd want Keatley, Madigan, Gilroy or Conway making their international fullback debut against SA.

Then its a pity that Rob Kearney and Felix Jones and Luke Fitzgerald are injured.

I would just put Keith Earls there and dont think its an issue.

We have a few injuries - this might just mean playing a different player.

If we starting ringing up lads who have retired because we don't trust the ability of new players its time to pack in international rugby.

Honest q, is hurley good enuf to b our starting 15?

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Honest q, is hurley good enuf to b our starting 15?

No our starting 15 is Kearney. But he may be unavailable.

Jones is injured again. So unlucky the poor lad.

Iv heard Kearney is in a race to be fit for it, he definitely won't be match fit however. Bowe and gilroy are both options too but I'd go for neither.

I wouldn't care what earls wanted and do what's best for the team and put him in there if Kearney isn't available

Too much is made about Earls not wanting to play there. I think he would play there in a heartbeat if asked.

If Kearney is unavailable, then I would trust Hurley with the shirt. He does the basics of a full back very well. He's a good runner and offloader. Lacks the out and out pace of some of the others but hey you ply the cardsyou're dealt.
I would also prefer to have Earls on the wing until if and when he is first choice 13.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Honest q, is hurley good enuf to b our starting 15?

If hes the best full back available then he's good enough. Not sure I get the question?

I cannot believe Geordan Murphy has been mentioned. Christ maybe Girvan Dempsey and Conor O'Shea could jump in there and give us some depth too....

Jim Staples is dusting down the boots. Forgot about him when I was picking my fav team.

Staples was a very good 15. I would pick Dave Kearney if Robnoxious is injured but obviously Hurley will be favoured by Kidney.

GunsGerms wrote:Staples was a very good 15. I would pick Dave Kearney if Robnoxious is injured but obviously Hurley will be favoured by Kidney.

Considering D Kearney was ahead of Hurley for the 6 Nations last year, I'd say if they are both fully fit at the time, Kidney will go for Kearney. But, I would be shocked if he doesn't pick Earls, if Kearney is out he is the only choice really. Keatley and Madigan aren't full backs, Duffy is injured and not good enough, Conway relatively inexperienced, and won't have gotten enough gametime to justify being included. Hurley isn't good enough, Bowe would be a disaster at full back, and with Zebo or Gilroy it would be preferable if they were eased into international rugby where they are comfortable.

Like I said, I hoestly think that Earls is the only option if Kearney is injured, which is a worry if he doesn't play there for Munster before the internationals.

GunsGerms wrote:Staples was a very good 15. I would pick Dave Kearney if Robnoxious is injured but obviously Hurley will be favoured by Kidney.

Why do you say that?

Kidney might not be a great coach but I cant stand this who "he is biased to Munster attitude". Dave Kearney was ahead of Hurley in the past - there is no reason to suggest that Kidney will just always pick Munster players.

The question re: Hurley would be regarding him and earls. If earls was in the team at centre r wing with Hurley at fb I'd be quite frustrated as it would be just as easy to put earls at 15 and put zebo/gilroy/Darcy in all of whom I'd consider better players than Hurley. He isnt an outstanding player at hcup level IMO and I don't think he'd do that well on the international stage. Hypothetical I guess

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:The question re: Hurley would be regarding him and earls. If earls was in the team at centre r wing with Hurley at fb I'd be quite frustrated as it would be just as easy to put earls at 15 and put zebo/gilroy/Darcy in all of whom I'd consider better players than Hurley. He isnt an outstanding player at hcup level IMO and I don't think he'd do that well on the international stage. Hypothetical I guess

I'd presume you're talking about Adam Darcy here? I would hope he never gets close to an Ireland jersey, unless he has a huge improvement in his all round game, he doesn't deserve to be mentioned with Zebo and Gilroy. Hurley isn't an international quality player, and I really don't think Kidney sees him as one. Full back actually seems like a position of weakness for us at the moment, Kearney is pretty much unchallenged as first choice, and while I'm quite happy with Earls as the back up, beyond it, it is quite bleak. There are some options in the future such as Layden, Conway and Nelson, but at the minute, Jones is permacrocked, Fitz is not a full back and Duffy isn't up to it/currently injured.

I suppose Pete the point is that we need to look at who is playing at 15 and consider them.

If Earls was he'd be my pick.

However so far I'd be looking at Hurley, Duffy (if fit), Keatley and whoever gets a run at Leinster in Kearney's absence.

Keatley or Madigan would be an exciting choice with Hurley the safe bet.

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:The question re: Hurley would be regarding him and earls. If earls was in the team at centre r wing with Hurley at fb I'd be quite frustrated as it would be just as easy to put earls at 15 and put zebo/gilroy/Darcy in all of whom I'd consider better players than Hurley. He isnt an outstanding player at hcup level IMO and I don't think he'd do that well on the international stage. Hypothetical I guess

I'd presume you're talking about Adam Darcy here? I would hope he never gets close to an Ireland jersey, unless he has a huge improvement in his all round game, he doesn't deserve to be mentioned with Zebo and Gilroy. Hurley isn't an international quality player, and I really don't think Kidney sees him as one. Full back actually seems like a position of weakness for us at the moment, Kearney is pretty much unchallenged as first choice, and while I'm quite happy with Earls as the back up, beyond it, it is quite bleak. There are some options in the future such as Layden, Conway and Nelson, but at the minute, Jones is permacrocked, Fitz is not a full back and Duffy isn't up to it/currently injured.

No I mean Leinster's G.Darcy as if Earls was at 15 that could free up a centre position for Darcy. And if I had to chose between Darcy at 12 with Earls at 15 or Earls at 13 with Hurley at 15 I'd chose the former every time.

I agree that Kidney doesn't think Hurley is international standard.

Rodders-
It would not surprise me if Penny got a call in the next 2 weeks about playing a certain young Kieth at 15 for a few of the games most likely the HCup games. To be frank, I think he could do well there and it would utilise Munster's assets best.

Earls should play at 15. I still think he was always best there. He could really make things difficult for Kearney when he returns.

Does anyone have a detailed idea on what the hell is going on with Jones or if there is some weakness that is getting him these long term injuries? Obviously necck one was a freak