Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

Benny Cake

danthefan wrote: »

You're not making much sense. And you clearly don't understand the point Kearney was making. Oh well.

I understand it perfectly well, I just don't agree with you're interpretation.

Don't take it too personally.

leftleg

Whatever was said seemed to work; nuff said reallly

Teferi

leftleg wrote: »

Radge Fan

You should have stopped reading when you saw this.

davegrohl48

Do all these clear the air meetings help in anyway?
Isn't the main problem the gulf in size and fitness to teams such as New Zealand/England and Wales.
A new style of play involving maintaining posession. All 15 players with the fitness and knowledge of how to execute a specific gameplan.
Why do I think Jim McGuinness would actually manage to be better than Kidney with the same resources and players. For one he'd abandon quickly any tactic that wasn't working (kicking the ball to the opposition back three? POC as carrier?). Those two factors alone have been killing us.

Podge_irl

davegrohl48 wrote: »

Isn't the main problem the gulf in size and fitness to teams such as New Zealand/England and Wales.

No. There is no gulf in size and fitness between Ireland and Wales/England and its questionable if there is one to NZ. There is a rather large gulf in how they approach the game however.

leftleg

davegrohl48 wrote: »

Why do I think Jim McGuinness would actually manage to be better than Kidney with the same resources and players.

they wouldn't kick anything at all; it would be all about keeping the ball between close pods and working hard to get the ball back when its lost. You could be on to something there.

thomond2006

Jackson has to be considered for an Ireland spot!

Clegg

In terms of performances over the last year Madigan has been better than Jackson. But Jackson is the first choice 10 for his province while Madigan is a replacement for Sexton.

It's only a matter of time before Jackson leapfrogs Madigan and becomes Irelands number 2 outhalf.

irishbucsfan

Jackson is the better player right now, but obviously Madigan has so much potential.

Then again Jackson is far younger... Bah it's a hard one to call.

Podge_irl

Jackson, if not ahead now, will be by then end of the season simply from playing first team rugby all year.

jacothelad

Clegg wrote: »

In terms of performances over the last year Madigan has been better than Jackson. But Jackson is the first choice 10 for his province while Madigan is a replacement for Sexton.

It's only a matter of time before Jackson leapfrogs Madigan and becomes Irelands number 2 outhalf.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves lads. Madigan is three years older than Jackson and has played 54 games for the best team in Europe. Jackson has started 11 games.

Tox56

Give Jackson time at this level to learn, he looked like a rabbit in the headlights at the H Cup final and there's always potential for the same to happen if he was thrown into an international too soon.

bilston

Jackson's general play was exceptional at times last night.

His kicking stats were 6 from 10 though and that is a bit of negative. Not so for Ulster as we have Pienaar but Ireland wouldn't have that luxury if he ever started for them. I think his stats for the season are 15 from 21 which is decent but it would be nice if he got up to 80%. Still most kickers mature and become more reliable with experience so for a 20 year old he's doing grand.

Clegg

So with Kearney potentially being out for the AI's, who can Ireland play at FB?

Earls seems the most likely option but then we need someone to take his spot on the wing. I'm still not comfortable with Zebo at test level but there doesn't really seem to be man other options other than himself or Trimble. I'd take Gilroy but Kidney doesn't seem to rate him.

Fishooks12

Clegg wrote: »

So with Kearney potentially being out for the AI's, who can Ireland play at FB?

Earls seems the most likely option but then we need someone to take his spot on the wing. I'm still not comfortable with Zebo at test level but there doesn't really seem to be man other options other than himself or Trimble. I'd take Gilroy but Kidney doesn't seem to rate him.

Meh, the argument for leaving out Zebo can be easily applied to Gilroy

And for what it's worth I think Zebo has shown more in the early part of the season

molloyjh

Clegg wrote: »

So with Kearney potentially being out for the AI's, who can Ireland play at FB?

Earls seems the most likely option but then we need someone to take his spot on the wing. I'm still not comfortable with Zebo at test level but there doesn't really seem to be man other options other than himself or Trimble. I'd take Gilroy but Kidney doesn't seem to rate him.

I'd say we'll see

Healy
Best
Ross
Ryan
POC
Ferris
POM
Heaslip

Murray
Sexton
Zebo
Wallace
BOD
Bowe
Earls

Tox56

Gilroy didn't get ahead of Zebo for NZ so there's not a hope he will now

thomond2006

molloyjh wrote: »

I'd say we'll see

Healy
Best
Ross
Ryan
POC
Ferris
POM
Heaslip

Murray
Sexton
Zebo
Wallace
BOD
Bowe
Earls

Paddy Wallace won't get back into the squad anymore I'd say. He turned 33 in August. Downey got called up to the squad meet up ahead of him too.

POC hasn't played for months and is still touch and go for the Racing match. I don't think he'll make it back in time.

Hersheys

Madigan to 15 maybe?

thomond2006

Hersheys wrote: »

Madigan to 15 maybe?

Only if plays in the HEC and performs.

Tox56

Hersheys wrote: »

Madigan to 15 maybe?

God no, he's barely good enough to play there in the Rabo, Earls is the most obvious replacement but he doesn't seem to want to play there, so I really don't know.

Hagz

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. Downey
13. O'Driscoll
14. Bowe
15. Earls

Teferi

Earlsy will throw a fit if he has to play 15.

thomond2006

Teferi wrote: »

Earlsy will throw a fit if he has to play 15.

rather that than be on the bench!

Fireball07

Teferi wrote: »

Earlsy will throw a fit if he has to play 15.

No he won't.


If BOD is fit, Earls doesn't play 13. The 12-13 thing of them is interesting because the lack of a real quality 12 but Earls is probably the best 15 available.

Teferi

Fireball07 wrote: »

No he won't.

His interviews of the last year and a half tell a different story.

Fireball07 wrote: »

Earls is probably the best 15 available.

I agree.

Fishooks12

Teferi wrote: »

His interviews of the last year and a half tell a different story.

I don't think his interviews tell a story that he'll throw his toys out of the pram if he isn't picked at 13 either.

bilston

It's hard to pick an Ireland XV just yet. If you did and you picked it on form it would be a predominantly Ulster/Munster XV yet we know that probably half the team will be Leinster players (Kearney, O'Driscoll, Sexton, Healy, Ross, Heaslip are certs for starters).

Teferi

Fishooks12 wrote: »

I don't think his interviews tell a story that he'll throw his toys out of the pram if he isn't picked at 13 either.

Every interview he has he mentions he wants to play 13 whether for Munster or for Ireland. It's boring to read at this stage.

He might not throw his toys out of the pram but I can guarantee you he won't be happy about it. In which case he will mention it in an interview again.

danthefan

Earls doesn't seem the type to throw a hissy fit, if he's asked to play 15 I'm sure he'll realise it's what the team needs and he'll put in all his effort to playing well there.