Ireland World Cup squad

Assuming we did not have any injury concerns going into the World Cup,who would you take

Here's my squad

Healy,Court,Ross and Buckley
Flannery,Best and Cronin
POC,DOC,Cullen and Ryan
SOB,Wally,Heaslip,Ferris and Jennings
Murray,Reddan and Boss
Sexton and ROG
BOD,Darcy,Wallace and Spence
Earls,Jones,Bowe,Trimble and McFadden

My starting 15 would be

Healy,Flannery,Ross
POC,DOC
SOB,Heaslip,Wallace
Murray,Sexton
BOD,Darcy
Earls,Jones,Bowe

We do have injuries.

Would you really start a scrum half and fullback with no international caps in the world cup? There may be little choice at fullback if Kearney and Murphy don't return, but would you really risk them starting unless forced? I can see an argument for them on the bench to come on against the weaker sides in the group when the game is won, but it would be a huge risk to start them unnecessarily.

Red_Stag

"Assuming we do not have injuries"


Cat

Yes I would certainly start with Murray and Jones as they offer more in those 2 positions than the others.
Murray is without doubt the best sh in Ireland at the moment and so too Jones at Fullback.

I don't think that Kearney is good enough to take to the WC and Earls can step in if required.

Tayto, yes I know you said "assuming we don't" but then it gets to stage where Murray isn't included. If Tomas O'Leary was never injured he wouldn't have got game time. Similarly we have to specualte on Flannery who has played 6 games for Munster in all competitions over last 2 years. Without Kearney being injured Earls and Fitzy would never have played Fullback.

The fact is that we DO have injuries to some players and these must be taken into account when penning our World Cup selections.

What I would ask is why you are wasting a place with Spence. An incredible talent but there is no way he should travel. O'Driscoll will be first choice and more versatile players like Earls or Bowe can slot in there in event of injury.

The worry I would have is that although you feel Murray and Jones are the best in their positions, you also have to consider the mental side to the game. The WC will be the most pressured environment that they have ever played in. You can't honestly say that they will be the best under those conditions. That's why I think they would have to get experience from the bench first should they go, unless they started and had experienced back up in an early game.

I would consider taking both Jones and Murray(Jones more than Murray as we have some decent options at SH).They need time in the warmup games anyway even if they don't travel.I certainly wouldn't start both of them in the world cup that is just crazy to start two rookies in such crucial postitions.

Anyway for what its worth:

Loosehead: Tom Court, Cian Healy
Hooker: Rory Best, Sean Cronin, Damien Varley
Tight Head: Tony Buckley, Mike Ross
Second Row: Leo Cullen, Donnacha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Donnacha Ryan
Backrow: Stephen Ferris, Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings, Sean O'Brien, David Wallace
Scrumhalf: Conor Murray, Eoin Reddan, Peter Stringer
Flyhalf: Ronan O'Gara, Jonathon Sexton
Centre: Gordon Darcy, Brian O'Driscoll, Paddy Wallace
Winger: Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald, Andrew Trimble
Fullback: Felix Jones, Rob Kearney

On Stand By: Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Mick O'Driscoll, Denis Leamy, Tomas O'Leary, Fergus McFadden, Geordan Murphy

That is pretty much who I would bring too Stag. The only question I would have would be whether McFadden should go rather than Fitzgerald. However, since Fitzgerald has started to improve in recent weeks, I wouldn't be too worried over which of them go.

Fitzgerald for me. He has experience of touring and has managed to turn around a poor run of form. I would back him to be in fighting form come the World Cup.

Right now I would be set on that being my World Cup squad. However the friendlies will reveal more.

I think Jones will travel and will start some group games, maybe even all of them. I wouldn't worry about throwing him into a high pressured enviroment, I think he would thrive in such conditions. He's played with all our backs before, with the exception of Bowe and Trimble, and I think there's enough experienced players on the field to guide him through. Our other options at FB, if fit, are Kearney and Murphy. Both lack any game time, Kearneys form wasn't great before he got injured and I don't think DK will bring Murphy. I've heard it mentioned that someone like Earls would be a good choice at FB against Australia since they won't kick too many high balls his way and he can certainly cause damage from there, I like that idea.


Murray is a very promising SH but It could be a little too early for him but he's done himself no harm with his recent performances. Saying that, I really don't want to see TOL near an Ireland squad until he sorts out his passing and box kicking, both woeful.

Stag, you've included Jennings in your squad, any word on his injury?

red_stag wrote:Anyway for what its worth:

Loosehead: Tom Court, Cian Healy
Hooker: Rory Best, Sean Cronin, Damien Varley
Tight Head: Tony Buckley, Mike Ross
Second Row: Leo Cullen, Donnacha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Donnacha Ryan
Backrow: Stephen Ferris, Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings, Sean O'Brien, David Wallace
Scrumhalf: Conor Murray, Eoin Reddan, Peter Stringer
Flyhalf: Ronan O'Gara, Jonathon Sexton
Centre: Gordon Darcy, Brian O'Driscoll, Paddy Wallace
Winger: Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald, Andrew Trimble
Fullback: Felix Jones, Rob Kearney

On Stand By: Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Mick O'Driscoll, Denis Leamy, Tomas O'Leary, Fergus McFadden, Geordan Murphy

That's... pretty damn good! I might swap Jones for McFadden and Murray for either Boss or O'Leary but that's bang on. And Murray and Jones will get their chance in the final warm-up and if they grasp it, fair enough!

Stag's forward are exactly who I would pick, to the last man.

With plenty of cover at wing and centre I would question need for McFadden. If any winger is to lose out it could very well be Trimble.

I assume because of Fitzgeralds and Earls' greater utility? I think you've got the balance right there. I want to see more of the back three that started against England but if you accept the clause that Earls shouldn't be at fullback at all that means someone has to go.

I don't think missing this World Cup will harm McFaddens future career with Ireland. If he replaces anybody, it would be Wallace or Fitzgerald but they offer cover in key positions (10 and 15) and have much more top-level experience. I'm not so sure I'd be rushing out to hang players on this seasons form when they won't be back on a rugby field for a couple of months.

Certainly McFadden is a more versatile player than Trimble, but Trimble is a better winger...

Exactly Notch I think picking on form is nonsense. I always say it. Form goes out the window come a world cup.

For me its unfortunate but I can't justify having McFadden in my squad. I think ideally we'd have 3 players who can cover each position. Its only really loosehead that doesn't have that.

Yeah Notch, why don't you suggest 22 players that are playing hopelessly, that'll show 'em.