Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

marco_polo

I think would like to see the following:

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross

4. Tuohy
5. Ryan

6. SOB
7. Henry
8. POM (Although would be happy with any of the possible combination of SOB and 2 of the other 3 backrows)

9. Reddan (Although it will Murray, couldn't have any complaints after last week mind)
10. Sexton

11. Trimble
12. Wallace (In good form and played superbly last time we had a test away to NZ)
13. BOD
14. Earls
15. Kearney

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

BOD and Earls were pretty interchangeable in the first test.

and were poor.

irishbucsfan

Kate Harsh Lightning wrote: »

irishbucsfan wrote: »

BOD and Earls were pretty interchangeable in the first test.

and were poor.

In your opinion maybe.

I thought they were quite good for a pair who'd never played together before on a team getting a hiding. They really suit each other.

bamboozle

Deleted User wrote: »

he's had one game at 12 this season.

First centre and second centre are miles different.

If you're suggesting moving BOD to 12, that weakens our team.

i find it amazing on here how 12 & 13 are considered so similar in contrast TH & LH props are recognised as being very different.

BOD is an excellent 13, he has mastered the defence of the 13 channel and this resulted in NZ running very little ball wide last weekend.

for me it has to be McF or Wallace at 12 with BOD at 13. Though if Wallace starts i dont think we can expect to see him play to the standards he's reached this season given the jet lag etc.

Mr.Applepie

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Weakens us how? Our other options are Cave, McFadden, Sexton and Wallace (jetlagged and lacking gametime). None of those players are better than Earls in the centre.

I'd have Cave ahead of Earls at 13 but that debatable. None are better then BOD though.

McFadden & Wallace are better 12's then Earls & BOD.

Sexton isn't a centre.

shootermacg

The more I think about it, the more I think he'll play McFadden at 12 with Paddy as backup. it would be the logical thing to do really.

Cpt_Blackbeard

shootermacg wrote: »

The more I think about it, the more I think he'll play McFadden at 12 with Paddy as backup. it would be the logical thing to do really.

Playing McFadden in such an important position is in no way a logical thing to do. He has pace to burn, yet his defending and decision making is badly shown up as a winger. That would only be exemplified at 12.

Tox56

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Playing McFadden in such an important position is in no way a logical thing to do. He has pace to burn, yet his defending and decision making is badly shown up as a winger. That would only be exemplified at 12.

I would like to see him given the chance at 12, he's solid for Leinster there and he's the closest thing to a younger alternative we have in that position.

bamboozle

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Playing McFadden in such an important position is in no way a logical thing to do. He has pace to burn, yet his defending and decision making is badly shown up as a winger. That would only be exemplified at 12.

you seem to be missing the point, McFadden is a 12. He is currently playing out of position at 14.

defending at 12 & 14 are completely different.

molloyjh

shootermacg wrote: »

The more I think about it, the more I think he'll play McFadden at 12 with Paddy as backup. it would be the logical thing to do really.

There's a lot of debate and opinion here but the reality is Deccie will play Earls and BOD in the centre. Murray will start at SH and McFadden will stay at 14. Wallace will be on the bench. Just where Deccie likes him. The toss up for the 11 jersey is a direct shoot out between Zebo and Trimble, and is the only place I'm not fairly sure of. Trimble didn't do much last week but I can see Deccie wanting to stick with the same team as much as possible. I reckon the squad will be:

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Tuohy
5. Ryan
6. McLaughlin
7. SOB
8. POM

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. Earls
13. BOD
14. McFadden
15. Kearney

Replacements:
16. Cronin
17. Fitzpatrick
18. DOC
19. Henry
20. Reddan
21. ROG
22. Wallace

Personally I'd go with:

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Tuohy
5. Ryan
6. McLaughlin
7. SOB
8. POM

9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Earls
12. Wallace
13. BOD
14. McFadden
15. Kearney

Replacements:
16. Cronin
17. Fitzpatrick
18. DOC
19. Henry
20. Murray
21. ROG
22. Trimble

I'd be pretty much 50/50 on McFadden/Trimble. I just think McFadden came in looking for work a lot in the last test and chased well where-as Trimble was a bit anonymous.

Podge_irl

With all the talking Wallace being jetlagged and not having time to train (and people have a point), it does kind of emphasis the stupidity of not bringing him in the first place.

I don't think BOD/Earls works. It could in time, but the last game of the season isn't the place to be doing it. I've actually been impressed with Earls at centre this season, so it's not an anti-Earls thing. But he and BOD are both 13s and I think it showed.

Fishooks12

My 22

15 Kearney
14 Earls
13 BOD
12 Wallace
11 Zebo
10 Sexton
9 Murray
8 POM
7 SOB
6 Locky
5 D Ryan
4 D Tuohy
3 Ross
2 Best
1 Healy

16 Cronin
17 Fitzpatrick
18 DOC
19 Henry
20 Reddan
21 ROG
22 McFadden

snow mad

Tox56 wrote: »

I would like to see him given the chance at 12, he's solid for Leinster there and he's the closest thing to a younger alternative we have in that position.

I have seen him shown up a few times for leinster this year have to say i think he should be left to have a go at one position look at earls his for has suffered over the last few years from being switched around and he is still better on the wing than any other position.

wallace for me but as said above we really dont know if he wil be up to it

phog

Guinness Series 2012

Ireland v South Africa, Aviva Stadium, Saturday November 10th, 5:30pm

Ireland v Argentina, Aviva Stadium, Saturday November 24th, 2:00pm

You may purchase up to 6 tickets/packages per match. All orders are subject to a booking fee per ticket/package purchased - amount varies depending on cost of tickets/packages.

Tickets on sale here

Shelflife

Poor Paddy Wallace, he really must be the most shat upon player in Irish rugby yet ive never heard any complaints from him in the public domain.

29 caps in a 9 year international career to date, half of them as a sub,

2003 world cup replacement - not used,
2007 wc sub in the namibia game even though rog was in meltdown.
2011 wc one app v russia

long time back up to rog and rarely used even though there were times that he should have been.
It must have been terrible to be a sub, see a player in a position that you can cover have a mare and still be left on the bench.

now after been left behind initially he jets halfway across the world to make up the numbers again. a lesser man may have declined the call.

padraig.od

Shelflife wrote: »

Poor Paddy Wallace, he really must be the most shat upon player in Irish rugby yet ive never heard any complaints from him in the public domain.

29 caps in a 9 year international career to date, half of them as a sub,

2003 world cup replacement - not used,
2007 wc sub in the namibia game even though rog was in meltdown.
2011 wc one app v russia

long time back up to rog and rarely used even though there were times that he should have been.
It must have been terrible to be a sub, see a player in a position that you can cover have a mare and still be left on the bench.

now after been left behind initially he jets halfway across the world to make up the numbers again. a lesser man may have declined the call.

I read elsewhere he was on a beach in Portugal. What a trooper!

Luckycharm

Shelflife wrote: »

Poor Paddy Wallace, he really must be the most shat upon player in Irish rugby yet ive never heard any complaints from him in the public domain.

29 caps in a 9 year international career to date, half of them as a sub,

2003 world cup replacement - not used,
2007 wc sub in the namibia game even though rog was in meltdown.
2011 wc one app v russia

long time back up to rog and rarely used even though there were times that he should have been.
It must have been terrible to be a sub, see a player in a position that you can cover have a mare and still be left on the bench.

now after been left behind initially he jets halfway across the world to make up the numbers again. a lesser man may have declined the call.[/QUOTE]

Aren't the IRFU his employer so it would me or you getting rang back by work to come for some emergency and declining. I presume he was told he was on Standby anyway. Wallaces would have alot more caps if he had moved to 12 much earlier in his career as he was never going to start ahead of Humps for Ulster or ROG for ireland. He also wasted a year playing fullback where he was terrible.

GerM

Harsh international career for Wallace but he was unlucky to be behind Kevin Maggs for the early part of his career and then as soon as it looked like an opportunity might come available, D'Arcy decided to deliver on his potential. He was also often seen as a utility player earlier in his career so never really found his niche until the last 4-5 years.

Another unfortunate one is that, if not selected for the 2017 Lions as is likely, Luke Fitzgerald will probably have a 15 year rugby career having been one of the most exciting prospects ever in Irish rugby and never toured NZ once in his life. Odd when you think Peter Bracken, Johne Murphy and Ed O'Donoghue have toured there. Gavin Duffy has even gone on all 3 of the last tours and has never been more than a peripheral player. In fact, Fitzgerald has never toured any of the Tri Nations with Ireland.

Fishooks12

phog wrote: »

Tickets on sale here

Back in the country for this and I'm wondering what section would be best to book the tickets in (Cat 1)

Luckycharm

GerM wrote: »

Harsh international career for Wallace but he was unlucky to be behind Kevin Maggs for the early part of his career and then as soon as it looked like an opportunity might come available, D'Arcy decided to deliver on his potential. He was also often seen as a utility player earlier in his career so never really found his niche until the last 4-5 years.

Another unfortunate one is that, if not selected for the 2017 Lions as is likely, Luke Fitzgerald will probably have a 15 year rugby career having been one of the most exciting prospects ever in Irish rugby and never toured NZ once in his life. Odd when you think Peter Bracken, Johne Murphy and Ed O'Donoghue have toured there. Gavin Duffy has even gone on all 3 of the last tours and has never been more than a peripheral player. In fact, Fitzgerald has never toured any of the Tri Nations with Ireland.

Wallace was never behind Kevin maggs as Maggs played centre and wing- When their careers overlapped Wallace was outhalf or fullback.
As for Luke he is out of contract currently so lets hope he regains fitness and more importantly form would not be surprised to see him move abroad in the next couple of years. To be fair Fitz was in S Africa with the lions and we have not toured there in a long time.

totallegend

Luckycharm wrote: »

As for Luke he is out of contract currently so lets hope he regains fitness and more importantly form would not be surprised to see him move abroad in the next couple of years. To be fair Fitz was in S Africa with the lions and we have not toured there in a long time.

Sorry to be nitpicking, but Fitzgerald was the best winger in the country this season, when fit. His form was not a problem this year.

WeeBushy

And to continue the nit picking - he's not out of contract yet. Current deal expires on the 30th June.

GerM

Luckycharm wrote: »

Wallace was never behind Kevin maggs as Maggs played centre and wing- When their careers overlapped Wallace was outhalf or fullback.

As I said in my original post, he was a utility back and didn't find his niche until last 5 years. For the record, Wallace covered across the back line and did also played centre for Ulster in his early years.

WeleaseWoderick

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Back in the country for this and I'm wondering what section would be best to book the tickets in (Cat 1)

Based on previous matches there, I ended up going for the South Upper.

East Upper can have issues with seeing the big screens if you end up in a bad section and the West Upper sections on sale appear to be in the corner.

I've had tickets in the South Upper a couple of times before and the view was fairly good.

JRant

totallegend wrote: »

Luckycharm wrote: »

As for Luke he is out of contract currently so lets hope he regains fitness and more importantly form would not be surprised to see him move abroad in the next couple of years. To be fair Fitz was in S Africa with the lions and we have not toured there in a long time.

Sorry to be nitpicking, but Fitzgerald was the best winger in the country this season, when fit. His form was not a problem this year.

DOC got a 3 year deal at the age of 32, ROG will be about 54 years old before he retires and they stop giving him central contracts.
Wasn't Leamy given a new central contract a couple of months before he retired?
Shocking treatment of a player by the IRFU, as soon as they got wind of Lukes injury they took their own contract offer off the table.

Shelflife

Aren't the IRFU his employer so it would me or you getting rang back by work to come for some emergency and declining. I presume he was told he was on Standby anyway. Wallaces would have alot more caps if he had moved to 12 much earlier in his career as he was never going to start ahead of Humps for Ulster or ROG for ireland. He also wasted a year playing fullback where he was terrible.

Im open to correction, but id say that ulster rugby are his employer, and i would agree that he would be foolish not to travel.

I also agree that his versatility counted against him at time

JRant

JRant wrote: »

Shocking treatment of a player by the IRFU, as soon as they got wind of Lukes injury they took their own contract offer off the table.

this simply isn't true. The contract negotiations went on for aaaaaages.

IRFU and Luke couldn't come to an agreement. As a result, IRFU removed their offer.

You might want to add the shock that D'Arcy got put back on a central contract after 2 years off one just a few short months ago too! (otherwise you'll be hopped off for only mentioning one team)

errlloyd

Shelflife wrote: »

Aren't the IRFU his employer so it would me or you getting rang back by work to come for some emergency and declining. I presume he was told he was on Standby anyway. Wallaces would have alot more caps if he had moved to 12 much earlier in his career as he was never going to start ahead of Humps for Ulster or ROG for ireland. He also wasted a year playing fullback where he was terrible.

Im open to correction, but id say that ulster rugby are his employer, and i would agree that he would be foolish not to travel.

I also agree that his versatility counted against him at time

Yeah he's not centrally contracted, so it'd be Ulster Rugby. I guess he could retire from international rugby if he wanted to.

JustinDee

Deleted User wrote: »

IRFU and Luke couldn't come to an agreement. As a result, IRFU removed their offer

No offer was removed. It simply wasn't taken up.
There's a difference.

Otacon

JustinDee wrote: »

No offer was removed. It simply wasn't taken up.
There's a difference.

So is the offer still there if he wants it?