Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

Glass Prison 1214

Hopefully with Muller being out injured for Ulster for the next few weeks it will mean that Henderson gets a few opportunities in the second row

Fireball07

Glass Prison 1214 wrote: »

Hopefully with Muller being out injured for Ulster for the next few weeks it will mean that Henderson gets a few opportunities in the second row

I'd expect Stevenson to join Tuohy as a starter, had a great beginning to the season. Henderson will probably be next in line, as he's shown some excellent form.

totallegend

Glass Prison 1214 wrote: »

Hopefully with Muller being out injured for Ulster for the next few weeks it will mean that Henderson gets a few opportunities in the second row

Probably not; if Ferris gets back to fitness, he'll be pulled again quickly enough for the national team so Henderson will continue at 6 I'd imagine.

Glass Prison 1214

Fireball07 wrote: »

I'd expect Stevenson to join Tuohy as a starter, had a great beginning to the season. Henderson will probably be next in line, as he's shown some excellent form.

I agree that Tuohy and Stevenson will be first choice but they wont start every game together, so I expect Henderson to get a start or two in the Rabo

irishbucsfan

Neil McComb played very well earlier on in the season.

RoundBox11

TheKeenMachine wrote: »

According to @irfurugby on Twitter, the squad announcement will be on Wednesday.

It's amazing how they always take so much longer than other countries to announce the squad/22 even tho it's always the same bloody selections. I mean what do they be discussing??

Glass Prison 1214 wrote: »

Hopefully with Muller being out injured for Ulster for the next few weeks it will mean that Henderson gets a few opportunities in the second row

Is it just me or does Henderson look a lot lighter than his listed 18 stone these days? I remember during the summer thinking he was enormous for the u20's but he looked like a boy amongst men standing beside the rest of the pack this weekend

Hagz

gally74 wrote: »

It would be a high reward for him after coming to conn from Mary's

UCD, and yes it would be a tremendous achievement. Would be a great advertisement for Connacht as well.

bilston

RoundBox11 wrote: »

It's amazing how they always take so much longer than other countries to announce the squad/22 even tho it's always the same bloody selections. I mean what do they be discussing??



Is it just me or does Henderson look a lot lighter than his listed 18 stone these days? I remember during the summer thinking he was enormous for the u20's but he looked like a boy amongst men standing beside the rest of the pack this weekend

Are you sure you're looking at the right person?! I think Henderson is huge for a 20 year old. The way he drives players back in the tackle would suggest this too.

He does have a baby face though even with the shaved head!

irishbucsfan

bilston wrote: »

Are you sure you're looking at the right person?! I think Henderson is huge for a 20 year old. The way he drives players back in the tackle would suggest this too.

He does have a baby face though even with the shaved head!

He's heavier than both Muller and Tuohy already!

dtpc191991

I'm actually getting less worried about our future at inside centre. Come 2015 I reckon we'll have options providing Marshall. Farrell and Hanrahan fulfil their potential. Personally I think they will.

mogwai81

dtpc191991 wrote: »

I'm actually getting less worried about our future at inside centre. Come 2015 I reckon we'll have options providing Marshall. Farrell and Hanrahan fulfil their potential. Personally I think they will.

Two of are best young inside centre's at the same province. Do you think Marshall will prevent Farrell getting
game time in the years to come.

RoundBox11

mogwai81 wrote: »

Two of are best young inside centre's at the same province. Do you think Marshall will prevent Farrell getting
game time in the years to come.

Farrell seems to be more of a 13 from what ive seen of him so the two could play together.

Cpt_Blackbeard

We're looking in pretty bad shape in the centre for the upcoming AI's. At 13, BOD has picked up where he left off in NZ and Earls is still injured, although he started the season very well. Cave is solid, but very much unspectacular.

At 12, McSharry is probably the form option going into the AI's. D'Arcy has been a busted flush at international level for 2+ seasons; he will do a job for Ireland but he's nothing but a stopgap. Downey's form has fallen off a cliff and should't be near the squad. Marshall has been unable to get a shot ahead of Wallace, who despite 1-2 good performances, has never been above average for Ireland. McFadden is a good HEC squad player, but I don't think he'll ever be more than a utility player for Ireland. Sexton could be an option - it would allow us to get the form Irish 10 onto the field - but its never going to happen.

Outside of that, we've players putting up their hand for selection in every other position. Hopefully the squad announcement will give some hope for the next 12 months.

Quint2010

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

We're looking in pretty bad shape in the centre for the upcoming AI's. At 13, BOD has picked up where he left off in NZ and Earls is still injured, although he started the season very well. Cave is solid, but very much unspectacular.

At 12, McSharry is probably the form option going into the AI's. D'Arcy has been a busted flush at international level for 2+ seasons; he will do a job for Ireland but he's nothing but a stopgap. Downey's form has fallen off a cliff and should't be near the squad. Marshall has been unable to get a shot ahead of Wallace, who despite 1-2 good performances, has never been above average for Ireland. McFadden is a good HEC squad player, but I don't think he'll ever be more than a utility player for Ireland. Sexton could be an option - it would allow us to get the form Irish 10 onto the field - but its never going to happen.

Outside of that, we've players putting up their hand for selection in every other position. Hopefully the squad announcement will give some hope for the next 12 months.

Presume you are talking about Jackson? Yeah-I wouldn't put it past Kidney to put the favourite for the Lions 10 jersey in at 12.

Tox56

D'Arcy was fantastic v Scarlets and in his only game v the AB's, he's rediscovered his form since the 6N and will rightly start. McSharry should play v Fiji. BOD will be fine and Sexton has been playing well in an underperforming team.

The Fiji game is really the only one I'm looking forward to at the moment, that's where the interesting selections will come.

gally74

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

We're looking in pretty bad shape in the centre for the upcoming AI's. At 13, BOD has picked up where he left off in NZ and Earls is still injured, although he started the season very well. Cave is solid, but very much unspectacular.

At 12, McSharry is probably the form option going into the AI's. D'Arcy has been a busted flush at international level for 2+ seasons; he will do a job for Ireland but he's nothing but a stopgap. Downey's form has fallen off a cliff and should't be near the squad. Marshall has been unable to get a shot ahead of Wallace, who despite 1-2 good performances, has never been above average for Ireland. McFadden is a good HEC squad player, but I don't think he'll ever be more than a utility player for Ireland. Sexton could be an option - it would allow us to get the form Irish 10 onto the field - but its never going to happen.

Outside of that, we've players putting up their hand for selection in every other position. Hopefully the squad announcement will give some hope for the next 12 months.

Have to agree I think the n z tour is the reason for some poor form and the high injury count, it was good to see how fresh O Connell looked on sun, however players who went to nz seem off form bar ulster or injured.

Will be interesting to see deccies selection however I feel the old irl contracts will pick the squad,

totallegend

Cave is a better 13 than Earls.

TheKeenMachine

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Sexton could be an option - it would allow us to get the form Irish 10 onto the field

For one horrible moment, I truly thought you meant ROG.

Foxtrol

Tox56 wrote: »

D'Arcy was fantastic v Scarlets and in his only game v the AB's, he's rediscovered his form since the 6N and will rightly start. McSharry should play v Fiji. BOD will be fine and Sexton has been playing well in an underperforming team.

The Fiji game is really the only one I'm looking forward to at the moment, that's where the interesting selections will come.

It's where the interesting selections should come but it's Kidney so Id advise not holding your breath.

This time there is actually a greater chance of young players being given a chance as Kidney has lost (due to retirement or form) a number of his “go to” older backup players who used to clog up these fixtures (eg Leamy (after his form dropped), Cullen, MOD, Horan, Hayes, Buckley).

totallegend

Foxtrol wrote: »

It's where the interesting selections should come but it's Kidney so Id advise not holding your breath.

This time there is actually a greater chance of young players being given a chance as Kidney has lost (due to retirement or form) a number of his “go to” older backup players who used to clog up these fixtures (eg Leamy (after his form dropped), Cullen, MOD, Horan, Hayes, Buckley).

Just for context; here's the team DK picked against Samoa in November 2010:
Fitzgerald; Bowe, O’Driscoll (capt), Wallace, Trimble; O’Gara, Stringer; Court, Cronin, Hayes, O’Callaghan, Toner, Leamy, O’Brien, Heaslip.
Of them, only Cronin, Toner and O'Brien would have been regarded as not being established internationals.

And against Fiji in 2009:
R Kearney, S Horgan, B O’Driscoll (capt), G D’Arcy, K Earls, J Sexton, E Reddan, T Court, J Flannery, J Hayes, L Cullen, P O’Connell, S Ferris, D Leamy, J Heaslip.
So again, only Sexton and maybe Earls could have been described as international newbies at the time.

Things might be different this time around as it's an Ireland XV and not a full international, let's hope so. I would really like to see guys like McSharry, Dave Kearney, Gilroy, Henderson, P Marshall etc get a decent run.

Fishooks12

totallegend wrote: »

Cave is a better 13 than Earls.

Disagree. Think Earl's pace has set them apart now that he's gotten to grips with his defensive issues

bilston

I don't think one is better than the other actually. Cave and Earls are very different 13s. Cave is a bit more of a classical OC who picks good lines and is good at cutting back and fixing the opposition defence but Earls is quicker and exploit teams on the outside a bit more. I'd say Cave has the edge defensively while Earls is a lot more experienced at test level. You make your pick and you go with it, Kidney prefers Earls, that much is clear so we go with that. Earls having that extra bit of pace is probably the decisive issue in Kidney's mind. I'd still like to see Cave given a decent run but he'll have to wait until BOD retires but with guys like Macken, Allen, Farrell, Griffin and Henshaw emerging it may be too late for him by then.

Tox56

Yeah, the best 13 in the world right now is probably more comparable to Cave than Earls, so pace isn't everything, but you can make a good argument for either player. It's not like Cave is slow, but Earls is just electric. Both have been in good form this season, but with Earls being injured I'd hope that Cave is at least given a chance (and not just 7 minutes at the end of a doomed test match).

mogwai81

RoundBox11 wrote: »

Farrell seems to be more of a 13 from what ive seen of him so the two could play together.

Farrell has played a lot of underage at 13 but i think his best position is 12. Either way with Marshall, Farrell, Jackson,
Gilroy and Henderson coming through Ulster have some serious talent.

dtpc191991

My team vs Fiji

1. Klcoyne
2. Strauss (Has he declared? anyone can fill me in)
3. Furlong
4. Touhy
5. Henderson
6. POM
7. Jennings (For some experience. I expect Henry to be starting big Games)
8. Heaslip (c)
9. P.Marshall
10. Jackson
11. D. Kearney
12. Luke Marshall
13. Cave
14. Gilroy
15. Earls (If fit)

16. Cronin
17. Healy
18. Ross
19. O'Callaghan
20. Dom Ryan (If fit)
21 Murray
22. Madigan
23. Jones

mogwai81

dtpc191991 wrote: »

My team vs Fiji

1. Klcoyne
2. Strauss (Has he declared? anyone can fill me in)
3. Furlong
4. Touhy
5. Henderson
6. POM
7. Jennings (For some experience. I expect Henry to be starting big Games)
8. Heaslip (c)
9. P.Marshall
10. Jackson
11. D. Kearney
12. Luke Marshall
13. Cave
14. Gilroy
15. Earls (If fit)

16. Cronin
17. Healy
18. Ross
19. O'Callaghan
20. Dom Ryan (If fit)
21 Murray
22. Madigan
23. Jones

Furlong is a serious talent but he is well down the pecking order at Leinster let alone Ireland. TH is one position
you don't throw a guy in too early.

Fishooks12

Furlong is a good prospect, but they guy isn't ready for a Leinster game yet nevermind a full international

dtpc191991

mogwai81 wrote: »

Furlong is a serious talent but he is well down the pecking order at Leinster let alone Ireland. TH is one position
you don't throw a guy in too early.

I know. Just wanted a young team. But can't think of anyone else. I suppose there is Deccie Fitzpatrick.

Tox56

Put Ruddock in at 6 for the Fiji game if he impresses over the next while. He's just back from injury, and although I have never been sold on him, he's a good young player who would benefit from a game like this.

Sinbad_NI

mogwai81 wrote: »

Farrell has played a lot of underage at 13 but i think his best position is 12. Either way with Marshall, Farrell, Jackson,
Gilroy and Henderson coming through Ulster have some serious talent.

Allen was doing really well as well before he picked up the knock. He was the pick of the bunch for me early on this year.