Irish Squad/Ireland XV for Six Nations?

thomond2006

What should be the ireland team for 6N 2009? Do you agree/disagree with my team selection?

15 Rob Kearney
14 Tommy Bowe ...been fantastic for Ospreys
13 Keith Earls .... plays best at OC
12 BOD
11 Ian Dowling ......deserves a chance at highest level
10 ROG
9 Tomas O' Leary

1 Horan
2 Flannery
3 Hayes
4 O' Callaghan
5 POC - Captain
6 Denis Leamy ......hopefully will be fit
7 Niall Ronan
8 David Wallace ........Number 8 is his best position

Bench
16 Tony Buckley ....no other prop getting meaningful game time
17 Rory Best
18 Donnacha Ryan / Bob Casey
19 Stephen Ferris
20 Peter Stringer
21 Ian Humphreys .....very good for Ulster
22 Geordan Murphy

barnesd

I'm going to go out on a limb here... are you a Munster fan by any chance? Your team is incredibly biased, and quite frankly ridiculous.

thomond2006 wrote: »

What should be the ireland team for 6N 2009? Do you agree/disagree with my team selection?

15 Rob Kearney Yep
14 Tommy Bowe ...been fantastic for Ospreys Yep
13 Keith Earls .... plays best at OC There's no evidence of this really, he's done nothing at centre. Fitz, Cave or D'Arcy have just as good a claim on a centre spot
12 BOD Yep
11 Ian Dowling ......deserves a chance at highest level No he doesn't, nowhere near dangerous enough. Fitz or Earls or J. Murphy. Basically anyone who can score a try.
10 ROG Yep
9 Tomas O' Leary Yep

1 Horan Yep, but Healy is pushing now
2 Flannery Best has been better this season imo
3 Hayes Yep
4 O' Callaghan Yep
5 POC - Captain Yep, he's not the captain though
6 Denis Leamy ......hopefully will be fit No. Ferris is the incumbent and playing very well. Leamy will have basically no gametime coming into the 6N.
7 Niall Ronan No. Hasn't really done the business in the HEC. Wallace here, O'Brien or Pollock the bolters.
8 David Wallace ........Number 8 is his best position Heaslip or Leamy if he gets gametime/form

Bench
16 Tony Buckley ....no other prop getting meaningful game time Healy is, Ross is. Buckley has been shown up in the scrums time and again this season, and he can't even make the Munster squad for HEC games. No.
17 Rory Best
18 Donnacha Ryan / Bob Casey Ryan
19 Stephen Ferris Starting
20 Peter Stringer Reddan. Did you see Stringer v Connacht for example?
21 Ian Humphreys .....very good for Ulster Wallace, he covers 12 and has been in good form.
22 Geordan Murphy

Stev_o

thomond2006 wrote: »

What should be the ireland team for 6N 2009? Do you agree/disagree with my team selection?

15 Rob Kearney
14 Tommy Bowe ...been fantastic for Ospreys
13 Keith Earls .... plays best at OC
12 BOD
11 Ian Dowling ......deserves a chance at highest level
10 ROG
9 Tomas O' Leary

1 Horan
2 Flannery
3 Hayes
4 O' Callaghan
5 POC - Captain
6 Denis Leamy ......hopefully will be fit
7 Niall Ronan
8 David Wallace ........Number 8 is his best position

Bench
16 Tony Buckley ....no other prop getting meaningful game time
17 Rory Best
18 Donnacha Ryan / Bob Casey
19 Stephen Ferris
20 Peter Stringer
21 Ian Humphreys .....very good for Ulster
22 Geordan Murphy

Ill guarantee mate your going to get people here including me complaining about that selection as it is incredibly biased.

For me against Italy and Scotland id prefer to see this

1.Ross
2.Jackman (Providing a succesfull injury recovery)
3.Hayes
4.POC
5.Caldwell (Badly need a ball carrying 2nd row)
6.Ferris
7.Pollock
8.Wallace (C)
9.F Murphy
10.I. Humphries
11.J.Murphy
12.P.Wallace
13.Cave
14.Bowe
15.Kearney

16.Best
17.Healy (Has been doing well enough)
18.Ryan
19.O'Brien??
20.Reddan
21.BOD
22.Fitz

cmcsoft

thomond2006 wrote: »

What should be the ireland team for 6N 2009? Do you agree/disagree with my team selection?

15 Rob Kearney
14 Tommy Bowe ...been fantastic for Ospreys
13 Keith Earls .... Maybe Darcy might be too soon for him though
12 BOD
11 Ian Dowling ......deserves a chance at highest level
10 ROG
9 Tomas O' Leary Eoin Reddan

1 Horan
2 Flannery
3 Hayes
4 O' Callaghan
5 POC - Captain
6 Denis Leamy ......Shane Jennings
7 Niall Ronan
8 David Wallace ........Number 8 is his best position

Bench
16 Tony Buckley ....no other prop getting meaningful game time
17 Rory Best
18 Donnacha Ryan / Bob Casey
19 Stephen Ferris
20 Peter Stringer
21 Ian Humphreys .....very good for Ulster
22 Geordan Murphy

I agree with most of it, I think most of the team picks itself. I don't think Leamy will be fully fit, I wouldn't mind seeing Jennings there.

I'm not 100% convinced about Earls at centre yet but it's probably as good a time as any to try players. Interesting to see what will happen if Darcy is back fully fit.

I still find it hard to leave G Murphy out, maybe on the wing instead of Bowe.

I'd definitely go for Reddan at scrum half

RugbyFanatic

thomond2006 wrote: »

What should be the ireland team for 6N 2009? Do you agree/disagree with my team selection?

15 Rob Kearney
14 Tommy Bowe ...been fantastic for Ospreys
13 Keith Earls .... plays best at OC
12 BOD
11 Ian Dowling ......deserves a chance at highest level
10 ROG
9 Tomas O' Leary

1 Horan
2 Flannery
3 Hayes
4 O' Callaghan
5 POC - Captain
6 Denis Leamy ......hopefully will be fit
7 Niall Ronan
8 David Wallace ........Number 8 is his best position

Bench
16 Tony Buckley ....no other prop getting meaningful game time
17 Rory Best
18 Donnacha Ryan / Bob Casey
19 Stephen Ferris
20 Peter Stringer
21 Ian Humphreys .....very good for Ulster
22 Geordan Murphy

Oh. My. God.

[Jackass]

thomond2006 wrote: »

What should be the ireland team for 6N 2009? Do you agree/disagree with my team selection?

15 Rob Kearney
14 Tommy Bowe ...been fantastic for Ospreys
13 Keith Earls .... plays best at OC
12 BOD
11 Ian Dowling ......deserves a chance at highest level
10 ROG
9 Tomas O' Leary

1 Horan
2 Flannery
3 Hayes
4 O' Callaghan
5 POC - Captain
6 Denis Leamy ......hopefully will be fit
7 Niall Ronan
8 David Wallace ........Number 8 is his best position

Bench
16 Tony Buckley ....no other prop getting meaningful game time
17 Rory Best
18 Donnacha Ryan / Bob Casey
19 Stephen Ferris
20 Peter Stringer
21 Ian Humphreys .....very good for Ulster
22 Geordan Murphy

Quoted for comedy value.

phog

There's about four games to be played before the 6Ns begins so looking at team starters at the moment is a bit premature, anything can happen (hopefully not) in the lead up. One other problem is that our first game is against France so the team need to hit the ground running, little time to try out players.

However assuming all were fit and available then I think I'd go for

15 - Kearney, but he needs to get game time here with Leinster
14 - Bowe
13 - Darcy
12 - BOD
11 - Earls, like Kearney, he'd need gametime here first, I'd pick anyone but Horgan, his form has dipped.
10 - O'Gara
9 - O'Leary - best of a bad lot at the moment as all of them seem to have lost some form, not really happy with Redden, Stringer or Boss and I don't think Murphy has proved himself, tomorrow night might change that.

1 - Horan
2 - Flannery
3 - Hayes
4 - O'Callaghan
5 - O'Connell
6 - Ferris
7 - Wallace
8 - Leamy

NaiveMelodies

thomond2006 wrote: »

What should be the ireland team for 6N 2009? Do you agree/disagree with my team selection?

15 Rob Kearney
14 Tommy Bowe ...been fantastic for Ospreys
13 Keith Earls .... plays best at OC
12 BOD
11 Ian Dowling ......deserves a chance at highest level
10 ROG
9 Tomas O' Leary

1 Horan
2 Flannery
3 Hayes
4 O' Callaghan
5 POC - Captain
6 Denis Leamy ......hopefully will be fit
7 Niall Ronan
8 David Wallace ........Number 8 is his best position

Bench
16 Tony Buckley ....no other prop getting meaningful game time
17 Rory Best
18 Donnacha Ryan / Bob Casey
19 Stephen Ferris
20 Peter Stringer
21 Ian Humphreys .....very good for Ulster
22 Geordan Murphy

haha... hahaha.... hahahahaha.... hahahahahaha.... hahahahahahahahaha ....

I usually only come on this site when im bored or sick, but with legends like yourself frequenting the site i will be coming more often.
I havent laughed as hard in quite the while.

Cheers,

Ste.

thomond2006

OMG, is my team THAT bad? I am a Munster fan by the way. Why follow any another team? I am "Irish by Birth, Munster by the Grace of God".

P.S. No problem only1stevo

anonymous_joe

I must confess I think I can work out who the OP supports. :pac:

Ehm, realistically, or on form or whatever, it's tough to say. But I'll give it a bash. And try and justify each position.

15. Rob Kearney - he's not a great (but a good) winger, but a fantastic attacking full back

14. Tommy Bowe (I'd want him at outside centre, but we need a winger)
13. Luke Fitzgerald
12. O'Driscoll
11. Johne Murphy (we can dream :pac:)

10. O'Gara
09. Reddan

1. I don't know. Horan's kinda meh. He's our best in Ireland. Is Ross a loosehead or tighthead?
2. Best
3. Hayes

4. POC
5. Bob Casey

6. Ferris
7. Jennings
8. I don't know. I think Wallace, but I think Heaslip's been underused as an attacking option because Wallace gets all the ball the 8 should get. Wallace is probably better, but in rugby terms he's almost finished.

Chucky the tree

So what are everyone's hopes for the 6N's? Give started to some new players/try new things or go with the same 15 as usually and try and win it?

I'd rather experiment a bit

15. Kearney
14. Bowe
13. Earls/Fitz
12. D'Arcy
11. J. Murphy
10. ROG/Humphreys
9. TOL/Reddan
7 & 8 can be rotated between Wallace, Leamy, Jennings, JOC, Heaslip, Poolock and I'm sure there's a few more.
6. Ferris
5. POC
4. DOC, caldwell, Casey(Whens Cullen due back actually?)
3. Hayes(is there even half decent cover here?
2. Flannery
1. Front rows arent my strong point but anyone expect Horan will do.

I think BOD deserves a decent break and I'd like to see how we do without him. Good chance for D'arcy to get his fitness back at the top level.

I'd see players like Kearney, Fitz, Earls be given games at there preferred positions rather them turning them into utility players.

barnesd

Ross is a tighthead, not hugely mobile but a good player anyway. Ever present in a pretty decent Quins team for the last few seasons. Considering our lack of props it's criminal that he's been ignored, he's a lot better than Buckley imo.

I can't really see the argument for Casey over O'Callaghan. If anyone else is going to be played it should be Caldwell imo, himself and Ryan will be forming the 2nd row partnership of the future for Ireland.

Cullen is set to come back for the Cardiff game I think, he'll be fit for Wasps at worst.

dorgal

15.rob kearney
14.tommy bowe
13.bod
12.paddy wallace (i know yee might laugh but thought he worked well with ogara and bod on summer tour and ireland benifited from having a 2nd decision maker in backline )
11.horgan ireland lacking his physicallity in back line
10.rog
9. reddan
1.horan
2.best
3.hayes
4.doc
5.poc
6.ferris
7.wallace
8.heaslip

subs
quinlan
darcy/earls
ian humphries
Tomas O' Leary
Tony Buckley
Flannery
Donnacha Ryan

with the lions tour this summer think kidney will blood most of his players on the summer tour the only players that might get blooded in 6nations is Poolock/Humphreys,Donnacha Ryan,poolock is going to be a serious player a leader in the making

Bounty Hunter

this will or should be the team imo

15. Rob Kearney
14. Tommy Bowe
13. Luke Fitzgerald
12. Brian O'Driscoll
11. Keith Earls

10. O'Gara
09. Reddan

1. Horan
2. Best/Flannery (not much to choose between them)
3. Hayes

4. POC
5. Donnacha O'Callaghan

6. Leamy
7. Wallace
8. Heaslip

Bench: Quinlan, Darcy, Buckley, Casey, P.Wallace, Tomas O'Leary, best/flannery

Goose81

thomond2006 wrote: »

OMG, is my team THAT bad? I am a Munster fan by the way. Why follow any another team? I am "Irish by Birth, Munster by the Grace of God".

P.S. No problem only1stevo

Are you taking the piss?

15 Kearney
14 Bowe
13 Fitzgerald
12 BOD
11 Earls
10 ROG
9 Stringer:) reddan

1 Horan/Healy to get on at 60
2 Best
3 Hayes
4 Cullen
5 POC
6 Ferris
7 Jennings
8 Wallace but for the sake of development Heaslip

barnesd

How anyone can seriously leave Ferris not only out of the team (he's the form 6 in the country, easily) but out of the 22 altogether is beyond me. Hopefully the selectors will have more sense.

[Jackass]

Roughly, a team based around this, but there are a lot of big calls to be made. Some in a good way, some in a not so good way. Some positions and combinations are very tough to call.

1. Horan / Healy (I'd suspect this will be Healy's break through season for the green 1 jersey)
2. Best (although I feel Jackman has been the form hooker, wont be selected)
3. Hayes
4. POC
5. Anyone from DOC, Cullen, Casey, Caldwell & MO'K - although knowing Kidney it'll be DO'C
6. Ferris / Leamy
7. Wallace / Jennings
8. Heaslip / Wallace

9. O'Leary
10. O'Gara
11. Fitzgerald
12. D'Arcy (hopefully - form & fitness permitting)
13. BO'D
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. 17. Jackman / Flannery 18. Casey / Cullen / MO'K 19. Heaslip / Jennings / Leamy 20. Reddan 21. Keatley (would be great!!) 22. Earls

themont85

thomond2006 wrote: »

OMG, is my team THAT bad? I am a Munster fan by the way. Why follow any another team? I am "Irish by Birth, Munster by the Grace of God".

P.S. No problem only1stevo

I hope your taking the piss, for your sake.



1)Horan-Unfortunately, i want Healy there but realistically not enough games
2)Best
3)Hayes-if there was another option i'd go for it, i hope he plays another 10 years for our sake
4)DOC
5)POC
6)Ferris
7)Wallace
8)Heaslip
9)TOL
10)ROG
12)BOD
13)Fitz
11)J Murphy
14)Bowe
15)Kearney

Subs
16)Healy
17)Flannery
18)Caldwell
19)Pollock
20)Reddan
21)Wallace
22)Earls

RuggieBear

lads debate the post not the poster.:)

besides a few odd (and let's say 50/50 calls) the OP's team is not that far off the best that can be selected.

We all have our biases....just some are stronger than others.


My team (Bias included)
1)Horan...although healy is getting closer.
2)Best
3)Hayes
4)DOC...altho he needs to get the finger out big time.
5)POC
6)Ferris
7)Wallace....best forward in the country
8)Heaslip...again needs to get the finger out
9)TOL...no decent scrumhalves from Ireland. Stringer is increasingly inconsistent. He was excellent against NZ but shocking against Connacht
10)ROG...nobody close to hm unfortunately
11)Horgan/Trimble/D'Arcy/Earls
12)BOD
13)Fitzgerald
14)Bowe
15)Kearney

barnesd

besides a few odd (and let's say 50/50 calls) the OP's team is not that far off the best that can be selected.

There are about 10 players currently who will 100% start the first 6N game against France: Hayes, Horan, POC, DOC, Wallace, TOL, ROG, BOD, Kearney, Bowe. This leaves 5 spots up for grabs, and the OP has gotten every single one wrong. It's about as wrong as you can possibly get for an Ireland team.

RuggieBear

barnesd wrote: »

There are about 10 players currently who will 100% start the first 6N game against France: Hayes, Horan, POC, DOC, Wallace, TOL, ROG, BOD, Kearney, Bowe. This leaves 5 spots up for grabs, and the OP has gotten every single one wrong. It's about as wrong as you can possibly get for an Ireland team.

ah it depends on how one views it....I agree it's potentially at least 2/3 right!

Serenity Now!

1. Horan
2. Best
3. Hayes
4. *
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. Wallace
8. Leamy

9. O'Leary
10. O'Gara
11. Kearney
12. **
13. O'Driscoll (c)
14. Bowe
15. Murphy

Bench: Flannery; Healy; *; Jennings; Stringer; Humphreys; Earls/Fitzgerald

I still see Best as the better start at hooker. His throwing is no better or no worse than Flannery's and he's having, in my view, the better season. Horan is definitely scrummaging better these days so I'd have him in at loosehead.
The reason I had an asterisk at lock is because I'm seeing Donncha Ryan playing better and better for Munster. Better than O'Callaghan actually. He also adds to more backrow combinations.
Ferris has to start. Somebody that powerful, pacy and skillful in the backrow is a major requirement. If Leamy is fit, not only is the mongrel element amplified but his handling skills are also a bonus if Ireland were to utilise the better offloading tactics than simple bloc-running for the umpteenth phase.
O'Leary is still the halfback who offers more, I feel.
At centre, I'd like to see O'Driscoll back at outside so d'Arcy will have had four games under his belt by the time the 6N restarts and I'd like to see him fit enough for playing inside again. Defensively speaking as a plus, having O'Driscoll and d'Arcy in the centres is like having two extra openside flankers as their ruck play is top drawer.
In the three-quarters, Bowe and Kearney not only have to be onfield but Murphy too.
Still can't decide between Earls and Fitzgerald for the 22 shirt. Ian Humphreys is definitely the number 2 Irish qualified player for the Irish pivot position. I'd keep Stringer in the loop as halfback understudy.
Jennings covers blind and open backrow. Cian Healy is a player I'd pick over Buckley on form. Unless of course Buckley kicks off in the next three Munster games.
O'Driscoll to skipper. The captaincy is not the problem. If it was, he wouldn't have taken the role on for November.

Diom

My dream team

1) Court
2) Cronin
3) Buckley
4) Ryan
5) O Connell
6) Muldoon
7) Wallace
8) Heaslip

9) TOL
10) Keatley(capt)

11) Fitz
12) Bowe
13) Earls
14) J Murphy
15) Kearney

Replacements: P Wallace, F Murphy, R Best, Quinlan, Ferris, Healy, G Murphy


That would be great craic! The sheer awesomeness of that team would overwhelm the opposition before the ball was even touched. In fact the team is probably too awesome.

Tim Robbins

My Team.

1) Horan
2) Flan
3) Hayse
4) O'Kelly
5) O Connell
6) Ferris
7) Jennings / O'Brien
8) Wallace

9) Reddan
10) Rog(capt)

11) G Murphy
12) BOD
13) Fitz
14) Horgan
15) Kearney

Stev_o

DOC has been at his most uselss self for Munster why he deserves a place in the starting line up let alone 22 in some peoples minds is beyond me he offers feck all imo while someone like Ryan or Caldwell give extra mobility and ball carrying abilities which POC lacks.

SomeFool

Diom wrote: »

9) TOL
10) Keatley(capt)

11) Fitz
12) Bowe
13) Earls
14) J Murphy
15) Kearney

There's a future backline I'd say! Next W.C maybe. Off Topic though. Sorry!

anonymous_joe

Of those I'd suggest that Earls and Keatley are the only ones not ready to be playing for Ireland yet.

Diom

A good reason to start them in the 6Ns.

anonymous_joe

The other player(s) I really want to see in this tournament are Caldwell/Toner or any young flankers and second rows. Donncha and Paul are coming towards the twilight of their careers.

Serenity Now!

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Of those I'd suggest that Earls and Keatley are the only ones not ready to be playing for Ireland yet.

Unless there is an injury to O'Gara or Humphreys, Keatley is a fair bit away from even being considered for international selection.

Serenity Now!

anonymous_joe wrote: »

The other player(s) I really want to see in this tournament are Caldwell/Toner or any young flankers and second rows. Donncha and Paul are coming towards the twilight of their careers.

They're both only 29 yrs old. Hardly at the end of the careers. They'll be 32 when the next world cup takes place and I can guarantee you O'Connell at least doesn't plan on missing that one.
Martin Johnson was 33 yrs old when he lifted the RWC and for those last three seasons, he was in the form of his life.