Who would be your 6 Nations fullback?

SomeFool

I think this is going to be a bigger headache for the Irish management than any other position. What do people think? For me it's Kearney with Geordan on the bench as he offers cover for the wing too.

RugbyFanatic

How anyone could possibly pick someone above Kearney is beyond me

Serenity Now!

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

How anyone could possibly pick someone above Kearney is beyond me

If a coach wants Murphy and Kearney on the field at the same time, he will pick Murphy at fullback and Kearney on the wing.
If this is beyond you then fine but thats the way it is.

Erin Go Brath

I'd pick Kearney at fb at this time.

crisco10

I wonder who picked Earls and why. I think he is 4th in the queue behind kearney, demspey, murphy (in that order) myself.

Seeing Kearney on Friday night was the highlight of an otherwise drab game. He just fields and attacks with such aggression. Great to watch.

ALH-06

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

How anyone could possibly pick someone above Kearney is beyond me

Murphy's having (yet another) great season at Leicester. He is a brilliant attacking full back, no-one can argue with that. Kearney is superb, but he's spent the season playing on the wing for Leinster. In order to accommodate both these guys for the 6N, Kidney will have to play Kearney on the wing.

Murphy turns 31 in April. Has 2 years left max in international rugby? He's still a great player, we should use him while he's still playing so well. Kearney will claim the full back berth afterwards.

PS: Earls is no full back. I really hope Munster don't continue to play him there - it could ruin his development into a world class centre / winger.

barnesd

Kearney.

premierstone

Definitely would go with Kearney also but it is a concern that he's nothing getting proper game time in the position and been moved around, hopefully he can get a sustained period in the FB position and develop into the player he promises to be (off topic slightly but i agree with ALH that Earls needs to be playing in the centre as it is unquestionably he's best position)

Stev_o

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

How anyone could possibly pick someone above Kearney is beyond me

Kearney is only playing Fullback now while in the case of Murphy, Dempsey and to a lesser extent Earls have been playing consistently at 15.

cmcsoft

I think Kearney is excellent, definitely a future Ireland 15 but I don't think Ireland can afford to leave someone with the obvious class of Murphy out. If I could I would play them both by maybe putting Kearney on the wing. Both excellent players though

Lasher1980

i think i would play Murphy and Kearney on the wing. The better teams seem to be interchange these postions during open play and i don t see why Ireland can t do the same.

Podge_irl

Kearney is, at best, an average winger but an excellent full back. Its a waste putting him on the wing (and I really don't understand why Cheika and Kidney persist in doing so).

Sangre

I'd say either play him full back or don't play him at all. We have better wingers than him imo. Although, it does depend how ireland play i.e. if they play like leinster with essentially two full backs. I guess his huge boot comes in handy as well.

Amazotheamazing

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

How anyone could possibly pick someone above Kearney is beyond me

And yet Chekia does it every other week.

corny

Geordan Murphy. Not to accomodate but because he's the best fullback at the mo imo.

Paulw

Dempsey is consistent and gets his place.
Murphy is playing brilliantly, and is very attacking minded.
Kearney is certainly the future and is worth his place at 15.

If we're looking for someone just for the RBS 6 Nations, then maybe it should be Murphy. But, if Ireland are building for the future, then Kearney is the only choice, in my view.

Gelio

Kearny is the best fb, but if you want dempsy on the pitch, kearny goes on the wing

Amazotheamazing

ajeffares wrote: »

Kearny is the best fb, but if you want dempsy on the pitch, kearny goes on the wing

Kearney is only an average winger imo.

Some day, presuming he can get his game there for Leinster, he will a great fullback though. I'd play him and have Murphy on the bench, but only at fullback.

Gelio

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Kearney is only an average winger imo.

Some day, presuming he can get his game there for Leinster, he will a great fullback though. I'd play him and have Murphy on the bench, but only at fullback.

I agree he is nothing special on the wing

Amazotheamazing

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

And yet Chekia does it every other week.

Cheika has said in numerous interviews that Leinster play with 2 fullbacks,Dempsey and Kearney and they interchange depending on attack or defence and positioning and If you go to the matches you can see this.

He picks Kearney on the wing because he has to make do with the best he has.

So for people saying he doesnt play it for Leinster so he cant play it for Ireland,come and watch the bloody matches and see for yourself.

I also rate Kearney better than Lee Byrne and If asked to choose who I would pick Kearney every day.
Lee byrne was voted the best fullback in the world this year,so we are extremely lucky to have kearney

Who voted Earls?
Come on admit it.
A guy who is suspect under the high ball and we have at our disposal one of the best 3 fullbacks in the world,imo the best.
you have to be joking.

The GAA give us very special fullbacks,we easily have the best group of them in the world

Kearney
Murphy
Dempsey
Fitz

are all natural fullbacks,we are very lucky.
In England they rate Murphy so high,that they would love to have him.He isnt even our first choice.

Gelio

Elisha Crooked Cheek wrote: »

Who voted Earls?
Come on admit it.
A guy who is suspect under the high ball and we have at our disposal one of the best 3 fullbacks in the world,imo the best.
you have to be joking.

The GAA give us very special fullbacks,we easily have the best group of them in the world

Kearney
Murphy
Dempsey
Fitz

are all natural fullbacks,we are very lucky.
In England they rate Murphy so high,that they would love to have him.He isnt even our first choice.

I agree. Feckin Biased munster fans, grrr

ajeffares

ajeffares wrote: »

I agree. Feckin Biased munster fans, grrr

LOl,I would have stuck Earls (who I rate very highly) in that fullback list but I think he has played all his under age at 12 or 13 or wing and he is not a good fullback.
The others are all natural Fullbacks

padser

Elisha Crooked Cheek wrote: »

The GAA give us very special fullbacks,we easily have the best group of them in the world

Kearney
Murphy
Dempsey
Fitz

are all natural fullbacks,we are very lucky.
In England they rate Murphy so high,that they would love to have him.He isnt even our first choice.

Agreed - any of the above are really high quality full backs (I would pick Kearney since I think Fitz will make a great centre and its unknown whether the other two will be up to it come the next world cup)

If only we could also produce some wingers....

crisco10

padser wrote: »

Agreed - any of the above are really high quality full backs (I would pick Kearney since I think Fitz will make a great centre and its unknown whether the other two will be up to it come the next world cup)

If only we could also produce some wingers....

McCrae for Ulster looked like he could be a hickie-esque speedster. Although granted I have only seen him play the once which was on saturday when everything was going right for ulster!

barnesd

crisco10 wrote: »

McCrae for Ulster looked like he could be a hickie-esque speedster. Although granted I have only seen him play the once which was on saturday when everything was going right for ulster!

Didn't think he looked as quick as Hickie at all. He's big and strong, thought he was excellent when he came on though.

Edit - and don't be surprised to see Dempsey back at 15 for Leinster at the weekend.

Gelio

barnesd wrote: »

Didn't think he looked as quick as Hickie at all. He's big and strong, thought he was excellent when he came on though.

Edit - and don't be surprised to see Dempsey back at 15 for Leinster at the weekend.

The only bad thing about Dempsey starting is it puts Kearney on the wing but overall that is better for the team I suppose

Hazys

Murphy at Fullback is useless defensively.

I will never forgive him for the attempted "tackle" he made against Ibanez against France in the 6N 2 years ago, the most disgracful thing I've ever seen in an Irish jersey.

Utterly useless under the high ball.

Id stick him on the wing but nowhere near anywhere with any responsibility.

barnesd

ajeffares wrote: »

The only bad thing about Dempsey starting is it puts Kearney on the wing but overall that is better for the team I suppose

Not sure if it is the best thing for the team to be honest, we'll see though. I think Dempsey has been a fantastic servant to Leinster and Ireland and I (along with most Irish fans I'd hope) have huge respect for him at all but it's possibly time to bring through our next fullback now.

Stev_o

Hazys wrote: »

Murphy at Fullback is useless defensively.

I will never forgive him for the attempted "tackle" he made against Ibanez against France in the 6N 2 years ago, the most disgracful thing I've ever seen in an Irish jersey.

Utterly useless under the high ball.

Id stick him on the wing but nowhere near anywhere with any responsibility.

You'll love Kearney then as he is in the same mold of Murphy of not wanting to make tackles

Serenity Now!

Hazys wrote: »

Murphy at Fullback is useless defensively.

I will never forgive him for the attempted "tackle" he made against Ibanez against France in the 6N 2 years ago, the most disgracful thing I've ever seen in an Irish jersey

A tad melodramatic, wouldn't you say? :rolleyes:

Hazys wrote: »

Utterly useless under the high ball

????
The high ball is one of his strengths! lol

Hazys wrote: »

Id stick him on the wing but nowhere near anywhere with any responsibility.

Ah thats okay. I'm responding to someone who thinks the wings have no responsibility lol!

Trojan

I wouldn't base anything on what Leinster do or don't. We've seen Dempsey on the wing and who can forget Blaney playing centre?

damnyanks

Poor oul Dempsey has always had the public against him - despite being to or over 100 caps. I can't remember a game where he ****ed up unlike the others.

crisco10

damnyanks wrote: »

Poor oul Dempsey has always had the public against him - despite being to or over 100 caps. I can't remember a game where he ****ed up unlike the others.

well there was that one game against oz where he winked at the camera before than match then went on to have a shocker. IN fairness tho, he wasn't the only one..one of THOSE performances from Ireland...

Crash

Dempseys still secure as ever, however his positional kicking for up and unders etc. has been quite wayward in the last few matches - overcooking them in most cases, either allowing them to be marked or giving the opposition plenty of space to start running.

crisco10

Seriously, who is voting for Earls? He has got more votes than Dempsey but there is not one comment justifying this! I would be interested to know why...

Having said all of that, it seems pretty clear who Boards.ie would start at full back! Luke, of course.

remus808

crisco10 wrote: »

Seriously, who is voting for Earls? He has got more votes than Dempsey but there is not one comment justifying this! I would be interested to know why...D

One-eyed Munster fans.......... :rolleyes:

old boy

karmabass wrote: »

One-eyed Munster fans.......... :rolleyes:

in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king

crisco10

crisco10 wrote: »

Having said all of that, it seems pretty clear who Boards.ie would start at full back! Luke, of course.

The funny thing is luke is a fullback and would play his best rugby there.If Kearney wasnt around then Luke would be heir to the throne,he is also very secure under high ball,not as much as kearney but still very good.I would also argue that he is a better attacking threat.

Unfortunately for him he is around at the wrong time.

thehighground

karmabass wrote: »

One-eyed Munster fans.......... :rolleyes:

Well, bearing in mind Earls is actually getting a few games at FB for Munster, its not all that surprising.

Just saw that Jeremy Gussett has Earls as a cert for the Lions. Before rubishing him, he has BOD as captain.

thehighground

thehighground wrote: »

Well, bearing in mind Earls is actually getting a few games at FB for Munster, its not all that surprising.

Just saw that Jeremy Gussett has Earls as a cert for the Lions. Before rubishing him, he has BOD as captain.

Earls probably will tour,as will Fitz and Kearney.

I think the only one who would start the tests is Kearney though,on the wing.
The other two will probably get midweek.

thehighground

Elisha Crooked Cheek wrote: »

Earls probably will tour,as will Fitz and Kearney.

I think the only one who would start the tests is Kearney though,on the wing.
The other two will probably get midweek.

No actually, Gussett didn't do a full Lions pick. Just some predictions like that Sale would win the HCup, BOD as captain of the Lions and Earls as an outstanding talent.

Please note: I think its way too early to pick anyone for the 6Ns, let alone the Lions team. :D:D

thehighground

thehighground wrote: »

No actually, Gussett didn't do a full Lions pick. Just some predictions like that Sale would win the HCup, BOD as captain of the Lions and Earls as an outstanding talent.

Please note: I think its way too early to pick anyone for the 6Ns, let alone the Lions team. :D:D

Sale win the heineken cup?
That lad is a joke tbh.
Although his other 2 bets will probably come through

thehighground

Elisha Crooked Cheek wrote: »

Sale win the heineken cup?
That lad is a joke tbh.
Although his other 2 bets will probably come through

Oops - Actually I think he said Bath, not Sale - please excuse a one-eyed Munster fan with Sale on my mind