Irish Squad/Ireland XV for Six Nations?

anonymous_joe

If any of us was totally unbiased there'd probably be a rake of Ulster lads in the team going by current form.

sock puppet

chuckie1001 wrote: »

i m biased? i think your Leinster bias is showing by you getting angry.
you pick up on the one good thing he does in a game that show s your looking for an excuse, he is a very talented player Fitzgerald and will definitely be involved, i like a hard working players which i think dowling is more of than Fitzgerald. i m a rugby fan and i picked the best team i think is playing at the moment.

Dowling and Fitzgerald are suddenly the only two Irish wingers? Just because you don't think Fitzgerald should start doesn't mean Dowling should. Any of Trimble, Horgan, Earls, Kearney or Murphy would be better.

chuckie1001

sock puppet wrote: »

Dowling and Fitzgerald are suddenly the only two Irish wingers? Just because you don't think Fitzgerald should start doesn't mean Dowling should. Any of Trimble, Horgan, Earls, Kearney or Murphy would be better.

as i said i m going of form wingers , Johnie Murphy is playing well i agree but wont break in now for the 6N, most likely for Churchill cup or similar. Horgan is playing terrible, Trimble is a center in my opinion and i have Kearney in full back cause he offers more than Geordan Murphy at this time in that position.

Goose81

chuckie1001 wrote: »

as i said i m going of form wingers , Johnie Murphy is playing well i agree but wont break in now for the 6N, most likely for Churchill cup or similar. Horgan is playing terrible, Trimble is a center in my opinion and i have Kearney in full back cause he offers more than Geordan Murphy at this time in that position.

Johne Murphy is better than Dowling and has scored more tries,so why do you say he will go to the churchill and dowling the full team?

Geordan Murphy can also play wing.

Realistically the backline will and should be

9-Reddan
10-O'Gara
11-Bowe
12-Wallace
13-Bod
14-Fitzgerald
15-Kearney


Backs on bench

Earls
Murphy/Dempsey
Darcy

Amazotheamazing

I don't understand why people want Fitz in the team? His game isn't progressing at all. He's still a skillful player who can't lock down any one position, can't link in with his team-mates, and is defensively suspect too.

As a stand alone player he has lovely skills, but he hasn't yet become the player he looked like he would become when he left school straight into the Irish team.

Goose81

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

I don't understand why people want Fitz in the team? His game isn't progressing at all. He's still a skillful player who can't lock down any one position, can't link in with his team-mates, and is defensively suspect too.

As a stand alone player he has lovely skills, but he hasn't yet become the player he looked like he would become when he left school straight into the Irish team.

Well his best position is fullback and Kearney is playing there.

He for some reason hasnt done as well as predicted in centre,so a move back to wing seems best.

Yesterday he was played on the wing,he was Leinsters best attacking back.
He is Leinsters top try scorer.

I think if they had left him on the wing,he would have had a better record this season.

Amazotheamazing

Goose81 wrote: »

Well his best position is fullback and Kearney is playing there.

He for some reason hasnt done as well as predicted in centre,so a move back to wing seems best.

Yesterday he was played on the wing,he was Leinsters best attacking back.
He is Leinsters top try scorer.

I think if they had left him on the wing,he would have had a better record this season.

Does he have the pace to be a top level wing?

Goose81

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Does he have the pace to be a top level wing?

I dont know to tell you the truth.

Rarely see him going full speed,although we dont have fast players anyway.So I dont think beggers can be choosers.He is a very good finisher though.

thehighground

Goose81 wrote: »

Well his best position is fullback and Kearney is playing there.

He for some reason hasnt done as well as predicted in centre,so a move back to wing seems best.

Yesterday he was played on the wing,he was Leinsters best attacking back.
He is Leinsters top try scorer.

I think if they had left him on the wing,he would have had a better record this season.

He might have been Leinster's best attacking back, but that got him nowhere. And since no trys were scored by Leinster yesterday, you would have to view his team contribution as rather limited as well.

I thought Kearney was Leinster's best back yesterday.

RugbyFanatic

I think if we were to pick a team currently on form without bias it would be

1.Horan
2.Best
3.Hayes
4.Toner
5.POC
6.Ferris
7.O'Brien
8.Wallace
9.Boss
10.Humphreys
11.J.Murphy
12.Wallace
13.Cave
14.Bowe
15.Kearney

Stev_o

Dowling is Dempsey mark 2 and its a shame really as i admire the guy for his work rate, he aint the fastest, strongest or flashiest player but he does all the basics right and gives his heart in every game. If he was the same age as Dempsey and all back in the day he would of got 30 or more caps i say. He's just unlucky that we arent looking for that mold of player at the moment.

Stev_o

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

I think if we were to pick a team currently on form without bias it would be

1.Horan
2.Best
3.Hayes
4.Toner
5.POC
6.Ferris
7.O'Brien
8.Wallace
9.Boss
10.Humphreys
11.J.Murphy
12.Wallace
13.Cave
14.Bowe
15.Kearney

Remove Toner and put in Ed O'Donoghue and your spot on. Fair play for mentioning Boss id agree with you there aswell but id doubt most people would dare mention his name on any message board (bar Ulster) for fear of having everyone disagree with them

fetishphil

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

End of the day wales in going to win so it's not importent who's picked for ireland from a welsh guy in ireand (loved last year)

Goose81

I dont think Wales will win it tbh.Teams will have figured out how to neutralise them and an old Munster sytle kick to the corners could be just the recipe to beat them.Their talisman Jones has been muck and the enigma that was Powell seems to have started to fade out.

I actually think it may be between Ireland and France.There will be no grandslam though.

Stev_o

Goose81 wrote: »

I dont think Wales will win it tbh.Teams will have figured out how to neutralise them and an old Munster sytle kick to the corners could be just the recipe to beat them.Their talisman Jones has been muck and the enigma that was Powell seems to have started to fade out.

I actually think it may be between Ireland and France.There will be no grandslam though.

Haha France thats a good one..... what was their midfield pairing for the Autumn Internationals Baby at 12 Jouzion at 13 hilarious think a over 60's team could go faster them then. In all seriousness Livermount is a joke of a coach and they wont get anything out of him.

Wales favourites and ill go for the 2nd year in a row (got it so so so wrong last year) Scotland as dark horses (Provided Hadden suddenly figures out how the game of rugby works)

Podge_irl

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

I think if we were to pick a team currently on form without bias it would be

Well that's a pointless statement. No one is without bias.

Does he have the pace to be a top level wing?

I don't think so, and if he were competing with the likes of Hickie then he wouldn't be getting a look in. Ireland have very few speedster options on the wing though at the moment.

Chucky the tree

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Howlett is incredibly fast, he was a champion sprinter in school. His PB for 100ms is 10.68.

Dowling is a very smart player, btw, how often do you see him caught out defensively?

Howlett was incredibly fast. He's lost a good bit of his pace since then.

curts82

How people pick Redden I dunno!! exposed to much against Leinster. takes the ball a step and passes or kicks. He's poor! Dowling deserves a chance also. He's strong in defence and attack. I don't think Jennings should get in wit Wallace, Heslip(whos poor at mo) ferris Leamy. Defo for Humps to come in as 2nd OH. And lookin at Cheika selections will Darcy get enough game time?

twinytwo

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Howlett was incredibly fast. He's lost a good bit of his pace since then.

he is still faster than most

twinytwo

fetishphil wrote: »

End of the day wales in going to win so it's not importent who's picked for ireland from a welsh guy in ireand (loved last year)

You base this on what?? Last years Six nations? which was the biggest farce iv seen in a long time or the AI they get their ass handed to them by the Abs cant beat a very poor Sa and all of a sudden they are better than everyone else?

Chucky the tree

twinytwo wrote: »

You base this on what?? Last years Six nations? which was the biggest farce iv seen in a long time or the AI they get their ass handed to them by the Abs cant beat a very poor Sa and all of a sudden they are better than everyone else?

It will be either them or France. England got destroyed by everyone. Ireland barely got by a poo Argentine and looked worse in their game against NZ.

Micky Dolenz

Stev_o wrote: »

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

Would you really leave O Gara out of your 22?

Amazotheamazing

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Howlett was incredibly fast. He's lost a good bit of his pace since then.

He broke the AB try scoring record just over a year ago. Why do you think he's slowed down since then?

thehighground

Chucky the tree wrote: »

It will be either them or France. England got destroyed by everyone. Ireland barely got by a poo Argentine and looked worse in their game against NZ.

Looks are deceptive - Ireland actually did better against the ABs than Wales did!

And, the only try scored against the ABs in the NH was by Barry Murphy (created and scored by two Irish players who can't make the Irish team).

And before you say this wasn't a full ABs - it was pretty much the same team that played against Scotland.

Various results from AIs

Ireland 3 v 22 NZ (-19)
Munster 16 v 18 NZ (-2)
Wales 9 v 29 NZ (-20)
England 6 v 32 NZ (-26) - same as Scotland

Wales in SA during the summer

SA 37 v 21 Wales
SA 43 v 17 Wales

last season 6Ns
Ireland 12 v 16 Wales (Tight enough result).

Doesn't seem to me that Wales are miles in front of us - and the Millenium is like home to the Irish pack who are used to seeing a sea of red there

Chucky the tree

thehighground wrote: »

Looks are deceptive - Ireland actually did better against the ABs than Wales did!

And, the only try scored against the ABs in the NH was by Barry Murphy (created and scored by two Irish players who can't make the Irish team).

And before you say this wasn't a full ABs - it was pretty much the same team that played against Scotland.

Various results from AIs

Ireland 3 v 22 NZ (-19)
Munster 16 v 18 NZ (-2)
Wales 9 v 29 NZ (-20)
England 6 v 32 NZ (-26) - same as Scotland

Wales in SA during the summer

SA 37 v 21 Wales
SA 43 v 17 Wales

last season 6Ns
Ireland 12 v 16 Wales (Tight enough result).

Doesn't seem to me that Wales are miles in front of us - and the Millenium is like home to the Irish pack who are used to seeing a sea of red there

I dont judge matches just by the score. I'd be suprised if you cant find anyone who will say Ireland gave NZ a tougher match then Wales did. lol, nice straws you have there? So because some Irish fella who wont even make he Irish 22 scored against NZ it means we'll do well in the 6nations? I never said there miles in front, but France and Wales will be favourites with Ireland ranked 3rd favourite probaly.

Chucky the tree

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

He broke the AB try scoring record just over a year ago. Why do you think he's slowed down since then?

Just because he scored broke the record doesnt mean he was fast then. I dont think he has the same speed now as he did 5 years ago. But at his age with the amount of top class rugy he's played it's hardly suprising.

thehighground

Chucky the tree wrote: »

I dont judge matches just by the score. I'd be suprised if you cant find anyone who will say Ireland gave NZ a tougher match then Wales did.

lol, nice straws you have there? So because some Irish fella who wont even make he Irish 22 scored against NZ it means we'll do well in the 6nations?


I never said there miles in front, but France and Wales will be favourites with Ireland ranked 3rd favourite probaly.

It would be interesting to know what the AB team would say. What do you judge matches on, if not the results (which is the thing that is recorded)? I'm afraid, you don't get points for entertainment value.

The mention of Barry Murphy's try was just to illustrate (obviously badly) that just because Wales gave the ABs a game, they haven't become world beaters and should expect to win the Six Nations - just like I don't think that Barry Murphy is now a world beater because he scored a try against the ABs and should be on the Irish team for the 6Ns.

btw, I quoted the results in response to a post which claimed Ireland were absolute poo in comparison to most other nations in the AI. The actual results just do not support that theory.

Chucky the tree

thehighground wrote: »

It would be interesting to know what the AB team would say. What do you judge matches on, if not the results (which is the thing that is recorded)? I'm afraid, you don't get points for entertainment value.

The mention of Barry Murphy's try was just to illustrate (obviously badly) that just because Wales gave the ABs a game, they haven't become world beaters and should expect to win the Six Nations - just like I don't think that Barry Murphy is now a world beater because he scored a try against the ABs and should be on the Irish team for the 6Ns.

btw, I quoted the results in response to a post which claimed Ireland were absolute poo in comparison to most other nations in the AI. The actual results just do not support that theory.

Of course you dont, if you lose a match by 1 point or 100 it doesnt make a diffence in Internation rugby, you still lost. Do you really think how much you lost by is the best way to judge how a team performed?

I never said they were world beaters or that they should expect to win a 6nations, I just think they have a better chance then Ireland do. So you think Ireland played well in the AI and wouldnt have anything negative to say about it?

thehighground

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Of course you dont, if you lose a match by 1 point or 100 it doesnt make a diffence in Internation rugby, you still lost. Do you really think how much you lost by is the best way to judge how a team performed?

I never said they were world beaters or that they should expect to win a 6nations, I just think they have a better chance then Ireland do. So you think Ireland played well in the AI and wouldnt have anything negative to say about it?

I don't think Ireland are world beaters - but I don't think we are 'poo' which is the post I was responding to.

I think most people at the end of a beating would think that way. For instance, when Munster beat Leinster in the RDS recently, a lot of people said (and as a Munster supporter myself, I would have agreed with at the time), that there wasn't as much difference between the teams as suggested by the score on the day.

chupacabra

Chucky the tree wrote: »

I never said there miles in front, but France and Wales will be favourites with Ireland ranked 3rd favourite probaly.

Depends in what country you live in, England will be favourites to win with the english press/fans , French in the french press/fans etc. irish press are somewhat more realistic and will probably even LOOK for faults in the irish team once announced.

Real test for Kidney is this 6N.