Ireland squad named for training camp

[Jackass]

Hansel wrote: »

This is why I think that Keatley will move ahead of Sexton this coming season. Keatley, will most likely be the Connacht place kicker this season. Sexton is highly unlikely to receive much kicking duties during a match with Contepomi in the starting line up. That could be the clincher.

I don't know about that, I mean he got his shot at Leinster and didn't make it on the same training pitch as Sexton, so it's a tough one to call.

Hansel

[Jackass] wrote: »

I don't know about that, I mean he got his shot at Leinster and didn't make it on the same training pitch as Sexton, so it's a tough one to call.

But in the Churchill Cup, which is all we can go on from a visual point of view, there wasn't much between them. In fact some would say that Keatley looked better. ewill get as much, if not more gametime than Sexton this season, along with a lot more kicking practice. The only advantage Sexton has is that he's training with the Irish backs every week. But if he can't kick, it'll be no good to him as he won't get a game with Ireland.

zAbbo

Keatley looked far better at the CC.

Sextons confidence was completely shot, imagine having a converson charged down. I'd say he was disappointed not to be down under with the full squad - but he had a really poor CC in all the area's that mattered. Having TOL alongside him didn't help either...

RuggieBear

zAbbo wrote: »

Keatley looked far better at the CC.

Sextons confidence was completely shot, imagine having a converson charged down. I'd say he was disappointed not to be down under with the full squad - but he had a really poor CC in all the area's that mattered. Having TOL alongside him didn't help either...

If it was disappointment thatc cuased his poor CC he'd want to sort out his attitude pretty quick as he won't make it as a professional player.

Keatley really didn't get a chance at Leinster he was only on an academy contract. I was very impressed with his maturity at schools level but while i have high hopes for him i haven't really seen much of him since.

[Jackass]

They're all fair enough points, and I'm not saying Keatley wont emerge ahead of Sexton, it's possible, but my point is anyone who has watched Sexton week in week out for the last couple of years would know he is a far better player than he showed in the CC. (and he wasn't TERRIBLE or anything, he actually did reasonably well with the exception of his place kicking)

If we were to have judged O'Gara on a handful of games in the last world cup you might say you'd struggle to see how this guy would be a professional player too! But as we all know he's class.

My point is just that coaches who've seen them both in training every week and know them inside out decided to keep one in the first 15 and let one go altogether, so from my admitedly limited knowledge of Keatley I'd say Sexton is the far more developed player at this moment in time (and of course his place kicking is a major aspect that needs to be addressed.)

zAbbo

Keatleys only on a loaner (same as Fionn Carr), he's behind Conters, Sexton and Necewa for the 10 spot at Leinster - it was a sensible choice all round.

Young players need games, and not wasting time in the academies.

Keatley also kept Nial O'Connor out of the the grand slam u-20 team, so he's obviously talented.

Playing at Connacht will give him a chance to prove if he's good enough, as he'll be playing against the same opposition in the ML.

Hansel

zAbbo wrote: »

Keatleys only on a loaner (same as Fionn Carr), he's behind Conters, Sexton and Necewa for the 10 spot at Leinster - it was a sensible choice all round.

Young players need games, and not wasting time in the academies.

Keatley also kept Nial O'Connor out of the the grand slam u-20 team, so he's obviously talented.

Playing at Connacht will give him a chance to prove if he's good enough, as he'll be playing against the same opposition in the ML.

The only problem is that he won't have the same calibre of player around him as Sexton and O'Connor will have.

Goodluck2me

zAbbo wrote: »

Keatleys only on a loaner (same as Fionn Carr).

neither player above are on loans. They have no affiliation with leinster anymore.

Damo.Smith

are you sure about that?i thought they were both only out on loan

zAbbo

It's a loan in everything but name, they'll be back to Leinster if they make a breakthrough.

Podge_irl

Neither are there "on loan", but they are both only there on one year deals so it is surmised that they may want to return to Leinster after the yeah.

[Jackass]

Or go off to the GP and turn out to be class players and we can't get them back

Amazotheamazing

Surprised people seem to be writing of Manning completely, he was probably the reason Cork Con actually won the AIL (despite having the best team for the last 4 or 5 years). Think he was MOTM in something like half the games he played.

RuggieBear

i reckon manning has the skills but he seems too small and every game i've seen him play he has been injured.

Amazotheamazing

RuggieBear wrote: »

i reckon manning has the skills but he seems too small and every game i've seen him play he has been injured.

He could be the new Andy Dunne alright. Still though, he went uninjured this year afaik, and McGahan and Munster seemingly went to a few lengths to keep him in Munster.

Hansel

Manning's dropped from most people's radar at this stage as the AIL doesn't figure much in most people's rugby brain these days. He needs more meaningful gametime with a strong Munster team if he's to stake any claim for Irish honours..... if he's even interested in such a thing. I'd much rather one of our own Irish lads came through anyway, rather than an import.

Amazotheamazing

Hansel wrote: »

Manning's dropped from most people's radar at this stage as the AIL doesn't figure much in most people's rugby brain these days. He needs more meaningful gametime with a strong Munster team if he's to stake any claim for Irish honours..... if he's even interested in such a thing. I'd much rather one of our own Irish lads came through anyway, rather than an import.

Any idea of who's going to come through at outhalf for Munster though? Deasy won't make it as an outhalf, and of the younger guys, Burke is rated but injury prone?

Hansel

Burke will definitely make it, if he can get over the succession of injuries.
We're spoiled for choice at scrumhalf with some huge talent coming through. That O'Donnell fella is top class and hugely rated, and I also see that Conor Murray has been added to the academy, another young lad with a lot of potential. Have seen him play and he's never failed to impress.

Amazotheamazing

I don't know too much about Burke, only that he is both hugely talented and seemingly rarely fit. What's going on with him? Is he in the same boat as Duncan Williams, another massive talent with a body that just isn't up to pro rugby?

zAbbo

Hansel wrote: »

Manning's dropped from most people's radar at this stage as the AIL doesn't figure much in most people's rugby brain these days. He needs more meaningful gametime with a strong Munster team if he's to stake any claim for Irish honours..... if he's even interested in such a thing. I'd much rather one of our own Irish lads came through anyway, rather than an import.

I thought Manning had packed his bags and was heading back to NZ?

Amazotheamazing

zAbbo wrote: »

I thought Manning had packed his bags and was heading back to NZ?

It's hard to know what's going on. Originally he turned down a Munster contract. Then after the AIL, he was offered another one and went for it. Supposedly it's not about money (he would have been on less in NZ) but rather he wants gametime. I admire a player who'll turn down money in order to get games, but I can't say I'm a huge fan of players getting contracts that guarantee gametime either.

zAbbo

Interesting, especially as he's Irish qualified this year, I think gametime is hugely important - just look at Sexton and O'Connor.

I've not seen enough of Manning, but surely the nail was in the coffin when Munster signed Warwick, Manning should have switched to Connacht last year.

We have far too many promising youngsters getting zero gametime as it is.