Irish Back Row Strength Worrying?

Heaslip, Blowing hot and cold.
O'Mahony yet to show he is up to it.
Henry, we'll wait and see.
Ryan and Ruddock haven't shown much after early promise.

Henderson seems to be the only positive.

Ferris and O'Brien? I know Ferris is a huge injury concern, but O'Brien is still the best replacement for Ferris we could have asked for, and a truly world class player. I don't even think he has peaked yet, hopefully we will see him at 6 again for Ireland where he plays best.

There are a few young options who could be great eventually also. O'Mahony will probably kick on at some point, he has potential to be a great 8. Hendy will more than likely end up in the second row eventually.

I didn't feel the need to mention Ferris or SOB.

Yeah I've been saying it for a while. Loosing Wallace and to a lesser extent Leamy and Quinlan, all Lions calibre players, has left us shorter on depth than it looked we would be at the time.

Ferris and SOB are world class but Heaslip has lost a yard of pace and some of the younger guys haven't yet came on as much as we've hoped - Dom Ryan, Ruddock, Faloon, O'Mahoney etc.

Jennings and Henry are in excellent form but really only Henderson looks like he might reach the level of Ferris and SOB right now.

There's Roger Wilson and Muldoon too.

Backrow is still a position of relative strength but there is a drop of in quality when there are a few injuries.

I have to say I have been really disappointed by Dom Ryan and Ruddock. They just don't seem to have stepped up at all, not even putting pressure on the incumbents.

From an Ulster point of view we obviously have Henderson, but I think Ali Birch has potential as well.

I really like the look of Sean Dougall at Munster. I think he is going to be a super player. Tommy O'Donnell I don't think will ever be international class, but a solid provincial player. O'Mahony is a good young player but lacks the physicality at the moment, but that is something he can gain over time. I'd rather a player was more brains than brawn and could develop his strength and carrying ability rather than being a brute without a basic footballing brain.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:I have to say I have been really disappointed by Dom Ryan and Ruddock. They just don't seem to have stepped up at all, not even putting pressure on the incumbents.

From an Ulster point of view we obviously have Henderson, but I think Ali Birch has potential as well.

I really like the look of Sean Dougall at Munster. I think he is going to be a super player. Tommy O'Donnell I don't think will ever be international class, but a solid provincial player. O'Mahony is a good young player but lacks the physicality at the moment, but that is something he can gain over time. I'd rather a player was more brains than brawn and could develop his strength and carrying ability rather than being a brute without a basic footballing brain.

Its kinda hard to impress when you have been injured as much as Dom Ryan has.

POM isn't lacking physicality. Hes a lacking the experience to make his physicality count more. For example he is a good ball carrier but often he runs across the pitch with the ball when he should be running straight.

Dom Ryan is injured constantly it seems but looks a good prospect. Too early to say how he'll do.

I know its a term used alot but I think Ireland are going through a transition period. Lots of players have retired at the same time so we must blood a bigger than normal group of them at once. Short term pain for long term gain.

There's Kevin McLaughlin as well, who had a great season last year but hasn't quite hit the same heights this year yet... as with a few on the NZ tour.

I think we have a a lot of guys doing well provincially, just maybe not many really knocking down the international door the way SOB did a couple of seasons ago.

Hopefully Ryan and Ruddock will find their form and fitness and kick on, same with O'Mahoney who hasn't quite recovered from NZ either.

Niall Ronan is another underrated player but not sure he has the physicality to step up to international level.

Henderson is the great white hope right now but looks the real deal for sure. As Rory says he'll likely end up in the second row but with his athleticism and ball skills he's probably needed more in the back row right now.