Ireland Tour of USA & Canada

First topic message reminder :

Ok so we're headed over for a two test tour of Canada and USA. Personally I think that there is little to be gained from such a tour. A once off match with USA and another with the Canadians but ce la vie.

The point is who do we want to see out there. We will have some guys on Lions Tour - I suspect Healy, Best, O'Connell, O'Brien, Sexton, O'Driscoll, Bowe and Kearney.

Other guys - like Mike Ross - I wouldn't bother bringing on tour. The man is currently invaluable as we have no depth. Giving him the Summer off rugby increases his longevity and also allows us to find new options.

Our objectives simply should be:

- To win both games
- To find new options in centre
- To find new options at tighthead
- To find new options at fullback
- To play for the full 80 minutes (like against Fiji)

I would be looking at the following team:

01 David Kilcoyne
02 Sean Cronin
03 Stephen Archer

Kilcoyne and Archer were our backups in the 6 Nations and I think its logical we give them a go. Sherry would be a good choice in that it makes an all Munster front row but I think its important to get our props used to scrummaging with a different hooker.

04 Donnacha Ryan
05 Mike McCarthy

Assuming that Paul O'Connell makes the Lions, why not keep our lock pairing from the 6 Nations. We need to make changes in other positions so some continuity is important.

06 Iain Henderson
07 Tommy O'Donnell
08 Jamie Heaslip (c)

Not a popular captain this is a good tour for Heaslip to become the leader he needs to be. The "grown ups" of the team are gone or rested, this is the chance he gets to prove his merits. I think O'Donnell is a better #7 than Peter O'Mahony who I think would make a good bench player. We need to learn how to use a bench and O'Mahonys aggression will raise the intensity whenever he is introduced.

09 Kieran Marmion
10 Ian Madigan

The all Ulster pairing of Marshall and Jackson is probably the more likely given they were ahead in the 6 Nations and already know each others game (especially with Marshall playing at 12). However I think Madigan needs to go into the Summer as the leading flyhalf and Marshall to me is the ideal #21. Its why he looks so good for Ulster, he comes in and changes the pace of the game attacking the fringes of the breakdown like Care does for England. Marmion has been a stand out player for Connacht starting every game and deserves to start. Let Murray have a break along with Reddan and Boss - we know what these guys can do.

12 Luke Marshall
13 Darren Cave

It makes sense. We always knew it really. He hasn't got bags of pace and he ain't the next O'Driscoll but he is an outside centre (a very difficult position to develop). There aren't many out and out #13s in world rugby, why ignore the only proper one we have outside of BOD. He's done the business for Ulster and sandwiched between Marshall and Gilroy he should be in his comfort zone delivering what we saw them do against Fiji. Marshall has been a good introduction during the 6 Nations and should continue in the role.

11 Simon Zebo
14 Craig Gilroy
15 Robbie Henshaw

Regardless of whether Kearney makes the Lions Tour I think its important to see Henshaw start at 15. We badly need options at fullback, we've seen Zebo at 15 but realistically Henshaw should play there. Zebo and Gilroy have I think always looked great for Ireland and should add competition when Bowe returns.

BTW, I see Ireland have their new straight-talking, shoot-from-the-hip (possible)10 to take over from O'Gara.

Not for Madigan the timid soundbites of "Yeah, hopefully we'll give a good account of ourselves". Nope, he predicts what headlines might be in the aftermath of a poor game and gives the journalists their headlines before they think of writing them:
"If we lose, the three main people who will take the brunt of it are myself, Peter O'Mahony and Les Kiss."

His entire interview was forthright, open and direct...and most especially hit virtually all pertinent points.

Notch wrote:Manoa and La Valla at 6 and 7- they both play lock for their club sides!

Plenty of ball carriers in the USA side, they've picked a pretty big team.

They're aiming for maximum physicality so I'd say. I hope Ireland play a quick tempo passing, running game.

SecretFly wrote:BTW, I see Ireland have their new straight-talking, shoot-from-the-hip (possible)10 to take over from O'Gara.

Not for Madigan the timid soundbites of "Yeah, hopefully we'll give a good account of ourselves". Nope, he predicts what headlines might be in the aftermath of a poor game and gives the journalists their headlines before they think of writing them:
"If we lose, the three main people who will take the brunt of it are myself, Peter O'Mahony and Les Kiss."

His entire interview was forthright, open and direct...and most especially hit virtually all pertinent points.

Yeah. Read that. Cockee basterd.

All that talent, intelligence and inner-confidence too.

He's really special though. BOD-like.

Some Munster geezer I know, called it 2 years back.

Funny, thing is most of us Leinster fans thought McKinley was better and didn't have such high hopes for Madigan a few years ago.

Gimme a link Gibson or I'll send my Buddhist mates after ye.

profitius wrote:

Notch wrote:Manoa and La Valla at 6 and 7- they both play lock for their club sides!

Plenty of ball carriers in the USA side, they've picked a pretty big team.

They're aiming for maximum physicality so I'd say. I hope Ireland play a quick tempo passing, running game.

Well, Deccie is not in control any more, so... who knows what may happen?

Believe.

Madigan for president..

He is Campbell, Ward (the player not the pundit) and Paul Dean all in one

DOD wrote:Madigan for president..

He is Campbell, Ward (the player not the pundit) and Paul Dean all in one

Love you Decco. In a very Ladyboy-like way mind.

Phhok de Lions. They were invented to keep the Empire and their minions happy.

Same with the cricket.

MON Ireland. Believe ta phhook.

It better be worth the wait!

I've been working in the sun all day, I'm knackered, I'm drinking coffee and I'm listening to the Old Grey Whistle Test..a song called Another Sleep Song.....................

SecretFly wrote:It better be worth the wait!

I've been working in the sun all day, I'm knackered, I'm drinking coffee and I'm listening to the Old Grey Whistle Test..a song called Another Sleep Song.....................

Ja. Me too bud. Nice eh? This music is my time. Loving your young stamina an ting

Ooooooh! Bonnie Raitt. Bow. Just bow losers.

She sure is purty!

Oh Sweet Mother of... Great song.

I really hope we are all watching the same video here.

Youporn has everything. Everything you need.

MON Ireland! Slay the dumb Yanks.

short people walk around telling 8 feet lies..............

Great interviews there.

Stayed up well past my bed time to watch this. UPC went down for a few minutes. Sh!t was about to get real, real fast.

Mornin' folks!

Had your forty winks, clive?

Indeed, slept for 4 hours, now drinking cider, feels very wrong.

So Strauss is going to have the 2 shirt by 2015 Gibbo?

Any score yet?

3 to ireland

Massive hit on POM

this ref wants them kissing close!

Look lads, I'm breaking all the rules here. But phhokit.

This is for me mate Feckless. The udder link didnt work.

Its in Irish btw. The language of the Weavers of Dreams.

http://www.firstrow1.eu/watch/190534/1/watch-usa-vs-ireland.html

Stand Up Ireland.

Standulstermen wrote:So Strauss is going to have the 2 shirt by 2015 Gibbo?

No Stand. It will be his by 2014.

I was just tryin to be nice like.

I love Rory. But Strauss is a massive talent. It will come to pass.

sound gone now....so not only do I not have a clue what the commentators are saying, I can't hear them say it..... and I'm annoyed about that curiously

Ireland just booting the ball away all the time. Its basically Kidney tactics so far.

it's all quite messy and frantic rather than fast and calculating from Ireland.

Oooh. Madigan & McFadden. Sweet.

profitius wrote:Ireland just booting the ball away all the time. Its basically Kidney tactics so far.

Skuse me? Are you from the Sun? The ones who make 5 second decisions and spread instant muck around?

I used love you Prof. But its all over now man.

It breaks my cold, blue, Leinster heart to say that.

Come back.

Go Maddser.

I think we are making good decisions with the ball, we are running them at the right times but their defense is up seriously quick and at those moments it makes sense to kick, if carrying is just gonna lose us yards.

Would be nice to see some more fluidity but the American agression and power defense is really stopping us with developing that part of our game, only been one or two open runs from us so far.

Strauss is having a mare throwing. Sorry Gibbo.

profitius wrote:Ireland just booting the ball away all the time. Its basically Kidney tactics so far.

Yes. I agree. Its a complete and utter disgrace.

Bring Joe in. Phhhokin now.

Good kicking and distribution from Madigan.
POM is carrying well.
Ross and Kilcoyne going well in the scrums.
Olding looks good as a second five eigth style inside centre.

70% possession for us in that half and only 6 points ahead. That is poor. 1/5 lineouts is simply unacceptable

We should pish all over the Yanks in the 2nd-half.
They hate losing. Its the one and only thing I really love about them.

MON Ireland!

Believe.

?

POM is de biz. Munster to the core.

Love it.

Thanks Gibbo.

For the crowd's sake I hope this half has a few tries.....preferably Irish ones......! They're being bullied physically and even out-run on tempo and pace.

Irish is a beautiful and ancient language. Why did we let it go?

Its like French, only hornier.

Gibson wrote:Irish is a beautiful and ancient language. Why did we let it go?

Its like French, only hornier.

It ain't gone yet... do a welsh on it.. it'll come back

Selfless from Mc Fadden there and pity he passed, I think he could have made it...or certainly set up something close to the line

Ah RDS. Love yer style man.

Believe.

MON Ireland!

Missed opportunity there lads

POM is the real deal.

annoying music just to check on a maybe tip?

yc for high?

Harsh. He settled Toner down safely on his back like a baby.....

Gowan Maddser.

Think McFadden was right to pass, if Henshaw had caught that more a less a certain try. Mad miss my Robbie, playing very well though

6-15.... and USA down to 14.. cmon let rip now

bit harsh that yc though?

Hagan on now getting a solid 30minutes or so. Come on Jamie