Irish Analysis and player ratings against S.Africa

First topic message reminder :

Tough game for sure. Not enjoyable for a neutral I'd say. Credit to S.Africa for coming out in the second half with a different mind set and getting the job done.

Good to see Lansdowne road back at full capacity or close enough. Strauss and Bent played well and it was great to see Strauss sing the anthem.

Anyways here it is:
Watching the game again and looking back at Irish general play to have a look in a bit more detail:

Earls in 2nd minute has a 2 on 1 and kicks it into his opposite number the man he was up against on the inside was their tighthead after good work from Darcy.

Unreal zebo under the high ball, good line kicking too.

Sexton kicking well out of hand early on.

Henry dealing with restarts well.

Murray's box kicks are too far for Ireland to challenge for.

Great turnover by POM. He then messes up a lineout badly.

Irish defensive line not coming up together off Saffa scrum. Doing much better off lineout in defence.

Great Irish scrum. First attacking angle run by Earls and Darcy (dummy switch 12 pop 13) knocked on by Earls. Sexton and POM handed off by Adriaan Strauss.

14th minute Irish go wide from inside their 22 they have the numbers but Earls and Trimble can't continue the continuity so kick it. Poor drawing of men.

First Irish lineout lost.

Fantastic steal from Healy after really good attacking play from S.Africa.

18th min good counterattack and then inside line by Zebo. Poor passing by Murray. Good switch from Sexton to Strauss gets over the gainline. Awful decision by Murray to feed McCarthy who was isolated.

Murray's box kicking improving hugely, another good take from Henry on restart.

Great man and ball tackle by McCarthy slowing SA ball down. Great turnover by Henry.

23min. Darcy has to take Murrays pass over his head and ruins attemp to take it up. McCarthy lays out one defender. Ball gets scrappy and Earls plays awful pass to McCarthy.

26min. Good take by Bowe then Sexton uses quick hands to release Earls on the right wing who steps past Hougaard beautifully but becomes isolated.

28min McCarthy fighting brilliantly in maul then turnover penalty won by Strauss. Quick one taken, Sexton feeds Bowe who makes halfbreak on the inside offloads to Murray who feeds Earls really well. Earls releases Zebo who runs well. Murray's passing poor. Great interchange between Bowe and Zebo and then drive by Healy. Momentum slowed due to murray passing slightly above or slightly behind the runner.

JP gets yellow. Ref tells Heaslip to make sure Sexton overreact.

McCarthy misses lineout, looks like a timing issue.

33min. Scrum penalty to ireland on Ross's side.
Penalty count to now is 4-10
Possession 58-42.

Murray wastes ball inside S.African 10m line by box kicking the ball away when maul doesn't work. Poor decision as Boks are still down to 14.

Lineout off the top, ball going straight to Darcy with Trimble and Sexton running wider lines but ball goes well above Darcy's head and the move breaks down.

Darcy challenges line again but very obvious due to no runners. POM carries well. Good carrying Healy after another poor Murray pass.

Ryan and Heaslip doing very well in lineout now. Good maul started on Ryan and Strauss runs over Lambie, ball goes wide and Earls throws the ball forward and in to touch.

Sexton misses his first kick 39min.

Good take by POM on restart, Heaslip goes to high in to contact and support are too slow.

40min. Great work at the breakdown by Murray who steps but offloads to the wrong side as Bowe was on the other shoulder. Henry then gives away idiotic penalty.

HALF TIME.

Zebo clears well from kickoff.

Henry claims ball and offloads to POM who runs approx 15m left and 3m forward.

Good up and under from Sexton Bowe nearly wins it for the second time.

S.Africa counter and Sexton, Earls and Henry are pushed back in contact, then McCarthy absolutely empties Estebenz.

Healy goes off with suspected concussion, Kilcoyne on. S.Africa go for touch instead of points.

McCarthy doesn't get near Estenbez in lineout but does well defending the maul but S.Africa still going forward. Held up eventually by Bowe and Heaslip.

Heaslip sent to the bin for entry in the maul, looked like Ross or Ryan but ref said that Heaslip was the most recent transgression.

McCarthy and Strauss sack maul again, S.Africa go blind and Murray makes a try saving tackle. Sexton and Darcy weak in contact against Adriaan Strauss then very poor pillar defending by Ryan as Pienaar goes in for the try.

45min. Takes Ireland a while to call lineout (must have been Heaslip's job) but the 5 man works and Trimble is sent up the middle on a switch to mediocre effect. Murray immediately then attacks the blind side which is poorly executed by the team. Murray then kicks the ball far too deep and JP takes ball relatively easily and Ireland end up back on halfway from the mark.

47min. Exact same call is made. 5 man lineout, switch with Trimble. Attack the blindside with Murray switching with POM which would work well if the Boks hadn't seen it 2mins before and be prepared for it. Continuing attacking blind side. Poor passing, Irish guys taking it standing still. Poor cross kick from Sexton and returned with interest and trimble knocks it in to touch by mistake.

DeVilliers runs over Darcy then drags Earls with him. Darcy and Henry don't stand up to lambie physically who wins cheap yards.

Another great tackle by McCarthy and steal by Healy. Ball goes through Earls' hands and then Trimble with the entire backfield unoccupied finds a poor touch just outside the 22 when he could have kicked long.

Ryan and Healy working hard in tackle and ruck. Positive contacts. Darcy misses another tackle then POM gives away a penalty for not releasing the tackled player.

53min. Great lineout take again by Ryan, ball is fed to Sexton then Darcy. S.Africa don't put anyone in ruck but the ball is still slow for some reason. Murray takes a while to get there. Great hands from Zebo releases Bowe on the right. Quicker ball not utilised very well at all. Zebo makes some head way again. Darcy and then Earls both attack the blindside to no gain. Strauss and Healy carry very well. Good continuity play. Murray looks unfit takes a while to get to the ruck and when we go through a few phases he just doesn't get there in time and by the time he does the spaces that the quick ball had created are gone. Penalty eventually conceded.
This phase of possession lasted over 3 minutes but we only made it from halfway to just before their 22 yard line. Most yards made by Bowe and Zebo in this attack.

57min. Great maul defence (Healy, McCarthy) but DeVilliers gets over the gainline and supplies quick ball far too easily. Great turnover by Strauss and McCarthy.

58min. Good lineout by McCarthy and nice line running by Darcy and Sexton to put Sexton in the secondary but the S.African defence read it and Sexton has to throw a high pass to McFadden (now on the wing) which kills momentum. Great carry Heaslip and Zebo uses great feet to make yards. Murray and Sexton give hospital passes to POM and McCarthy respectively, lose of yards/momentum.

Excellent feet by Earls to make a halfbreak but he gets caught and doesn't have the strength to stop himself being driven back by Hougaard.

Sexton misses kick from 55m.

More good lineout work but poor contact in midfield. Fringe attack by forwards is very good. Ball becomes far too slow.

64mins. Ross concedes first penalty in the scrum.

POM concedes penalty for taking man in the air. Missed kick and cleared by Zebo. POM knocks on the high bomb after a few phases McCarthy wins the ball back with a huge tackle. Ross concedes another penalty at the scrum won by McCarthy.

72mins. Better scrum with Bent and DOC in. On the second scrum he wins a penalty.

73min. Quick ball from reddan see's Healy go through 3 tackles and then Bent through 2. Negative carries by Ryan stunt momentum and ball lost when ball slows further.

76min. Promising scrum then carry by Heaslip. Good move off the back but Zebo unfortunately loses ball in contact.

79min. Strange seeing the way ROG and Sexton are playing. Insead of all the runners coming off the 10 position they are now running off the 12 position. ROG is almost acting like a second scrumhalf, he gets the ball from Reddan and feeds Sexton who then makes the call on who receives the ball next. We are missing a 12 in this passage of play but we have two 10's which gets the ball wider but also limits the space for second phase possession.

80min. Lineout off top from Heaslip, play in the midfield, Bowe is caught from Zebo's nice inside pass. Play slows. ROG goes blind and chips the ball on for Henderson to chase.

Ireland lose the game.

1-Worst performance you have ever seen
2-Very very bad
3-Bad
4-Below par
5-Average
6-Above average
7-Good
8-Very good
9-Excellent
10-Best performance you've ever seen

Healy- 7.
Good carrying and did well in the rucks and scrummaging.

Strauss- 7.
Some good steals. Lineout went well after few blips. Carried well at times.

Ross- 5.
Some good and bad carries. Still quite ponderous. Good in scrum but unfit.

Ryan- 5.
Poor defence for try. Good lineout. Not much carrying and not enforcing in rucks.

McCarthy- 8.5
Huge workrate on small things. Ruck, maul and tackle was outstanding.

POM- 3.
Not physical enough. Poor discipline. Won a turnover or two I think though.

Henry- 5.5
He made some good carries off restart. Good in ruck. Underpowered at times though. Was rarely a link either.

Heaslip- 4.
Unlucky to be sin binned. Good in defence and lineout but not much in attack.

Murray- 3.
His accuracy of passing was atrocious. Service marginally quicker. Box kicks ok. Decision making poor.

Sexton- 5.5.
Started the game very well but couldn't kick on. Not as great in defence as before, passed well and goal kicking was ok. Will be disappointed.

Trimble- 4.
Didn't get used anywhere near enough. Made a few very basic mistakes but Ireland really need to get the ball in to his hands more often.

Darcy- 5.
Carried well at the start and his defence was good too. Later in the game he really seemed to lose steam. Murray's pass did him no favours.

Earls- 4.5.
Didn't get over the gainline often enough. In wider channels used great feet. His defence was good but never kept his man from getting over the gainline.

Bowe- 7.5
Came off his wing really well and looked for work. Linked brilliantly with Zebo. Nearly won some offensive high balls. Defended well.

Zebo- 8.
He was very good. Very dangerous runner and wasn't underpowered against the Boks. High ball and kicking was good. Great game at 15.

Positives:
1) Scrum was excellent overall
2) Rucking was pretty good in parts as was defence.
3) I thought the lineout was good.
4) McCarthy, Zebo, Bowe, Healy.

Negatives:
1) This team doesn't know how to attack.
2) Maul defence.
3) Mental strength.
4) Murray, Earls, POM.

I am confused by a few things.

A) Why we called the same play twice. It was a phase play idea (the opposite of playing with your heads up) and I was really disappointed that Ryan, Sexton, POM and Henry as the leaders on the pitch in Heaslip's absence didn't do the sensible thing and call a different one.

B) How we are so toothless. earls' break aside we never really looked dangerous and even that was very isolated. Bowe and Zebo did well and looked really good at certain points but we don't seem to know "how to attack". For a side that scored the most tries in the 6N we never once looked remotely like scoring yesterday.

C) Decision making. Rog kicking it in the last play. Madness. Why was he even on? Very disappointing.

D) Physicality was a big issue we just couldn't deal with them once they got out of second gear. You rarely see Sexton getting pushed back very far, he was really strong against SBW for instance but the Saffa's were dominating everyone other than McCarthy and Healy really.

E) We need a proper scrumhalf.

What you guys think? Feel free to vent away about any points I've made or any you have.

neilthom7 wrote:If moneys an issue give me a ring IRFU, I'll coach the side for a very reasonable rate, yes I don't technically have the credentials but I'd counter that with I can't be worse than Kidney is right now, I'm sure I could find plenty of others on here willing to volunteer their time as my assistants.

Count me in Neil, I'll sort out the scrumhalf and 13 disaster

Lads, well intentioned though you undoubtably are, I suspect that might have been scarily close to how we ended up with the current crew!

What team would you lads pick for the Fijian game next week?

I'd pick New Zealand. They are quite handy. Sure stick them in our alternate strip and no one will notice. Oh, and add Ronan O'Gara and Keith Earls in to 'get the crowds out' as Sin suggested.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:If moneys an issue give me a ring IRFU, I'll coach the side for a very reasonable rate, yes I don't technically have the credentials but I'd counter that with I can't be worse than Kidney is right now, I'm sure I could find plenty of others on here willing to volunteer their time as my assistants.

Count me in Neil, I'll sort out the scrumhalf and 13 disaster

Good man Pete, so that's my backs coach sorted out, who wants the job of bossing around Paul O'Connell up front then, bearing in mind you need to be brave for that.

Honestly who should we put out to develop our team?

Selection isn't an issue. There aren't any players we have possessed in past, present or future than can be effective under this coaching regime.

1. Kilcoyne
2. Strauss
3. Bent
4. Touhy
5. Ryan(c)
6. Henderson
7. Henry
8. O'Mahoney
9. Marshall
10. Jackson
11. Zebo
12. Marshall
13. Bowe
14. Gilroy
15. D. Kearney

Bench: Court, Cronin, Fitzpatrick, McCarthy, McLaughlin, Murray, Madigan, Cave.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Selection isn't an issue. There aren't any players we have possessed in past, present or future than can be effective under this coaching regime.

I don't know, Simon Geoghegan was pretty adept at making lemonade from lemons......

Declan Kidney is a turnip. For God's sake he isn't even fancy enough for me to call him a swede. Make something tasty out of him Rodders. I dare ya.

I'd give the young guys a shot Pete see how they go
Kilcoyne (because he is young and needs the game more than Court)
Strauss (he could use more games at this level to get used to it and also I really don't think Cronin is good enough)
Bent
Tuohy (despite how much Ulster need him lol)
McCarthy (want to see how that partnership would do)
Henderson
Dougal
Henry (as captain just to keep the younger guys in line and because he has been Ulster captain before )
Paul Marshall
Jackson
Gilroy
Luke Marshall
Cave
Earls (if nothing else but to show Kidney where he belongs)
Zebo (would like to have put him at wing but needs the gametime at Fullback with a big game v Argentina coming)

Subs
Court
Cronin
Ross
Ryan
O'Mahoney
Reddan
Madigan
Tommy Bowe (He can cover most of the backline)

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Declan Kidney is a turnip. For God's sake he isn't even fancy enough for me to call him a swede. Make something tasty out of him Rodders. I dare ya.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/devilled_kidneys_58867

rodders wrote:1. Kilcoyne
2. Strauss
3. Bent
4. Touhy
5. Ryan(c)
6. Henderson
7. Henry
8. O'Mahoney
9. Marshall
10. Jackson
11. Zebo
12. Marshall
13. Bowe
14. Gilroy
15. D. Kearney

Bench: Court, Cronin, Fitzpatrick, McCarthy, McLaughlin, Murray, Madigan, Cave.

Like this team. But kearney jr isn't in the squad so he won't be playing.

That looks worse than a Mike Ross nude exercise DVD. It's new for 2013, though I doubt the promises of weight loss going by him.

I'd keep it much the same for Fiji. The team looked like strangers, like they had never met, so resting them and hoping they do better when recalled in a week seems like wishful thinking.

We can use the bench a lot earlier. I'd just make a few changes.

1. Healy 2. Strauss 3. Ross
4. Ryan 5. McCarthy
6. Henderson 8. O'Mahony (c) 7. Henry
9. Reddan 10. Sexton
12. D'Arcy 13. Cave
11. Earls 15. Zebo 14. Trimble

16. Cronin 17. Kilcoyne 18. Bent 19. Tuohy 20. Heaslip 21. Murray 22. Jackson 23. Bowe

Basically Bowe and Heaslip are nailed on so let Trimble and Earls fight over who gets to start on the other wing. No real other fullback option. Good chance to see if Henderson can add some dynamic ball carrying to the backrow. Don't see the point of having O'Callaghan and O'Gara on the bench for this one. And we desperately need a new outside centre.

Does anyone realise that we have a centre crisis atm?

Im not worried at all worried about our prop situation anymore, I think we have plenty coming through. But we need to start producing centres quick.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Does anyone realise that we have a centre crisis atm?

Im not worried at all worried about our prop situation anymore, I think we have plenty coming through. But we need to start producing centres quick.

We need to give Marshall a chance now and if he is up to it bring him in over D'Arcy although it's probably pointless as long as Kidney is in charge anyways

neilthom7 wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Does anyone realise that we have a centre crisis atm?

Im not worried at all worried about our prop situation anymore, I think we have plenty coming through. But we need to start producing centres quick.

We need to give Marshall a chance now and if he is up to it bring him in over D'Arcy although it's probably pointless as long as Kidney is in charge anyways

I hear that Henshaw will be playing 13 for the u20s. He looks a cracking player so hopefully we'll see him play well there.

I like rodders' team too. Defo agree with giving the young guys a shout, I'd go:

Kilcoyne-Strauss-bent
Get these guys some game time

Ryan-McCarthy
Ryan needs games to find form and he could partner McCarthy vs argies so gametime together is invaluable. Tuohy on bench for Ryan.

Henderson-Pom-Henry (c)
Henderson looks promising and the other two need further gametime too.

Marshall-Jackson
Both form picks IMO.

Marshall-Bowe
I want to see Bowe at 13 and I think Marshall is going to be outstanding. Very exciting centres.

Earls-Zebo-O'Hallorahan
I liked zebo at 15 and want him there again, earls where he belongs and a dash of some more youth.

Cronin-Healy-Ross-tuohy-McLaughlin-redden-madigan-trimble

What about Henderson in the 2nd row? That is where his future is, isnt it ?

Here are the results of the Jaffa/West Brit jury....or the I need to get out and get some fresh air (Pete) or the that dirty Shannon feicer who injured me (H&H)....

Anyhow...

Zebo - most metres carried made no mistakes looked dangerous but very little opportunity....1/10
Bowe - Not bad, tried his best 10/10
Earls - Second highest ball carrier after Zebo, tackled well made some inroads..1/10
D'Arcy - Not great - endof...5/10
Trimble - er who ? 10/10
Sexton - kicked his goals (except for the ones that mattered), got run over by JP Pieterson, and taken on the outside by a hooker....8/10
Murray - played well in the first half, faded in the second... 1/10

Ross - did ok, could do better 5/10
Strauss - not bad could be better 5/10
Healy - best of the front row 7/10
Ryan - not a great game DOC should have started. 1/10
McCarthy - not bad at all, able to match the Boks physically 7/10
POM - gave it all, good option in the LO, 1/10
Henry - absolutely fantastic, took the elbow in the face well. just the next best thing in openside 10/10
Heaslip - without his two buddies looks exactly what he is...average 8/10

Replacements.
Redden - really made a difference. Especially at one stage when Ireland were in the Boks 22 and he was standing, pointing and making the wrong option....erm....10/10

All the rest were just bit parts....

Enjoy the whingefest lads...

I think the centre crisis is self inflicted. D'arcy is shot, Paddy Wallace isn't physical enough and Earls isn't a centre no matter how many times Kidney,Lehihan, DOD or Earls himself say it.

McFadden is a 12 not a wing. Bowe is a wing but is a great footballer and good enough to play for the lions at 13 3 years ago.

It's about balance. If you have a small, quick 13 then you need a big ball carrier who can break the line and offload at 12. If you have a slower, distributor at 12 then you need a strike runner at 13 who can run an outside arc.

Sexton/ BOD, Sexton/Bowe, Cave/Bowe, McFadden/ Cave, Cave/Earls, BOD/Bowe, Marshall/Bowe are all potentially good combinations that we haven't looked at imo.

At some stage soon Marshall and Hanaran will become the key men in our midfield and it will come down to which players compliment them best.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:What about Henderson in the 2nd row? That is where his future is, isnt it ?

At the start of the season I would have said absolutely but he has been so outstanding for Ulster at 6 this season the waters are somewhat cloudy on that. Yeah our 20's seem to be brimming full of young talent too so with the right provincial gametime and a decent international coaching set up we could have a good wee crop.

DOD spot on mate!

LeinsterFan4life wrote:What about Henderson in the 2nd row? That is where his future is, isnt it ?

Why?

neilthom7 wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:What about Henderson in the 2nd row? That is where his future is, isnt it ?

At the start of the season I would have said absolutely but he has been so outstanding for Ulster at 6 this season the waters are somewhat cloudy on that. Yeah our 20's seem to be brimming full of young talent too so with the right provincial gametime and a decent international coaching set up we could have a good wee crop.

Fair enough he has played well there. I just thought he was great in the 2nd row in the u20 WC and we could do with a big 2nd row .Tbh im just glad he's in the team. Im one of his biggest fans, he's a cracking player.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:What about Henderson in the 2nd row? That is where his future is, isnt it ?

At the start of the season I would have said absolutely but he has been so outstanding for Ulster at 6 this season the waters are somewhat cloudy on that. Yeah our 20's seem to be brimming full of young talent too so with the right provincial gametime and a decent international coaching set up we could have a good wee crop.

Fair enough he has played well there. I just thought he was great in the 2nd row in the u20 WC and we could do with a big 2nd row .Tbh im just glad he's in the team. Im one of his biggest fans, he's a cracking player.

He's 20 too in his first proper season with Ulster at provincial level which means he is likely to get bigger as well, which is a scary though

I presume everyone knows why Heaslip got a yellow card? Apparently his hairdresser couldnt get to the Team room at half time and only arrived after the teams had gone back out so Jamie got himself sinbinned....

got a few tweets in as well I would imagine.

rodders wrote:DOD spot on mate!

Bit generous to give Earls 1. Take off the red tinted spectacles lad

Awk DOD, how did I injury you? I feel sad now that I could inflict pain upon you.

Notch's point makes a lot of sense on second thoughts.

I'd go with the team from yesterday but swap Murray for redden. Swap earls and bowe. Put in henderson for Heaslip w Pom at 8.

DOD wrote:I presume everyone knows why Heaslip got a yellow card? Apparently his hairdresser couldnt get to the Team room at half time and only arrived after the teams had gone back out so Jamie got himself sinbinned....

got a few tweets in as well I would imagine.

I've never understood this fascination with Heaslip's mop- its not great. I mean it hasn't even got the blond highlights that BOD once fashioned. They were magnificent.

DOD wrote:I presume everyone knows why Heaslip got a yellow card? Apparently his hairdresser couldnt get to the Team room at half time and only arrived after the teams had gone back out so Jamie got himself sinbinned....

got a few tweets in as well I would imagine.

I seen one of them
"Just watching SA make a better fist at playing v 14 than we did, deccie still loves it"
I should point out at this stage that didn't actually happen before anyone has a go at Jamie

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:I've never understood this fascination with Heaslip's mop- its not great. I mean it hasn't even got the blond highlights that BOD once fashioned. They were magnificent.

His Movember attempt is usually pretty epic though

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:What about Henderson in the 2nd row? That is where his future is, isnt it ?

At the start of the season I would have said absolutely but he has been so outstanding for Ulster at 6 this season the waters are somewhat cloudy on that. Yeah our 20's seem to be brimming full of young talent too so with the right provincial gametime and a decent international coaching set up we could have a good wee crop.

Fair enough he has played well there. I just thought he was great in the 2nd row in the u20 WC and we could do with a big 2nd row .Tbh im just glad he's in the team. Im one of his biggest fans, he's a cracking player.

He's an outstanding prospect, unbelievably physical and a great athlete... like this kid is like O'Connell and Ferris rolled into one, a monster . I like him at 6 for now as he's playing there for Ulster but think the natural process will take him to the second row. Remember he's only 20 so there's loads of time....

I think right now we need to blood a replacement for Ferris and he could become that man.

neilthom7 wrote:

DOD wrote:I presume everyone knows why Heaslip got a yellow card? Apparently his hairdresser couldnt get to the Team room at half time and only arrived after the teams had gone back out so Jamie got himself sinbinned....

got a few tweets in as well I would imagine.

I seen one of them
"Just watching SA make a better fist at playing v 14 than we did, deccie still loves it"
I should point out at this stage that didn't actually happen before anyone has a go at Jamie

#deccie out!

Yes Henderson is clearly the next best thing.....all fall about hysterically...

its like reading the script from the life of brian....

DOD wrote:Yes Henderson is clearly the next best thing.....all fall about hysterically...

its like reading the script from the life of brian....

We should be talking about JJ being the next big thing but sure Munster wont even play the guy even after a motm performance. At least Ulster are giving Hendo a lot of gametime.

You're not the messiah DOD.....

Hanrahan will get his game soon enough...one good game against Zebre doesnt a messiah make.

No but I am a very naughty boy...

Henderson isn't the next messiah, but he's a young player with the potential to be a good international player and an outstanding provincial player.

We'll see how good he can be. When you have a talent like that, you need to nurture it. Irish Rugby doesn't have an inexhaustible supply of Hendersons, Hanrahans or Jacksons.

rodders wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:What about Henderson in the 2nd row? That is where his future is, isnt it ?

At the start of the season I would have said absolutely but he has been so outstanding for Ulster at 6 this season the waters are somewhat cloudy on that. Yeah our 20's seem to be brimming full of young talent too so with the right provincial gametime and a decent international coaching set up we could have a good wee crop.

Fair enough he has played well there. I just thought he was great in the 2nd row in the u20 WC and we could do with a big 2nd row .Tbh im just glad he's in the team. Im one of his biggest fans, he's a cracking player.

He's an outstanding prospect, unbelievably physical and a great athlete... like this kid is like O'Connell and Ferris rolled into one, a monster . I like him at 6 for now as he's playing there for Ulster but think the natural process will take him to the second row. Remember he's only 20 so there's loads of time....

Why not give him a run at 13?

DOD wrote:No but I am a very naughty boy...

The worst.... but to your credit at least you had the balls to come on here after the Munster lads let down the west brit/blue rinse/jaffa alliance yesterday. RESPECT .

Indeed Rodders. I just had to say how brilliant the Ulster / Leinster lads did. They were all great...pity there were any Munster players really.

Well DOD you know me pal....I don't like to gloat ...it's a team game after all....but there is a part of me that thinks if that inside ball from Bowe went to Maurice Field rather than Zebo then it would have been a certain try.

Don't forget big Davy...

No chance of me forgetting Davy, I've got a poster of him in my bedroom....