Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

bamboozle

Fishooks12 wrote: »

What Irish lock deserves to be ahead of DOC?

And Darcy deserves his spot too. He now has realistic competition in the form of Marshall which is perfect

Kidney has named 6 2nd rows yet only 2 OH's and 2 Hookers.

irrespective of DOC's or Darcy's form i would not have selected either as it is time to start brining players through, the likes of McSharry, Stevenson, Tonar should be introduced to the squad now.

Podge_irl

ROG :rolleyes:

What an utterly absurd decision. He even gets in when he's injured and the 5th best outhalf in the country.

Still, aside from that its actually a pretty decent squad. Surprised Earls is the only fullback cover though, would have liked to see Henshaw included.

Quint2010

Hagz wrote: »

All in all there's not much to complain about. O'Gara really shouldn't be there, but the real head wrecker is the back-row selection. He's taken Ferris/Henderson/Muldoon and McLaughlin, with Ryan/McCarthy and O'Mahony able to play blindside as well. Yet he's only taken Henry and POM for openside cover. Probably would've been better leaving one of Locky/Muldoon and taking Dougall.

Yeah Kidney was talking about the physicality of the South African's and Pumas. He'll want to play as big a pack as possible which is why I doubt we will see a specialist openside starting. The backrow will be Ferris, POM and Heaslip.

thomond2006

bilston wrote: »

Watching the press conference I don't think he was asked once about the out half situation. The focus was on Kearney, the four new caps, Strauss, the additions of Foley and Feek to the coaching team, how to improve the restarts and rucking and a little bit about what sort of team may play Fiji.

That's because the average journalist here sings to the same hymn sheet.

Fishooks12

bamboozle wrote: »

Kidney has named 6 2nd rows yet only 2 OH's and 2 Hookers.

irrespective of DOC's or Darcy's form i would not have selected either as it is time to start brining players through, the likes of McSharry, Stevenson, Tonar should be introduced to the squad now.

I don't think Toner should be in the sqaud. He's not exactly some young gun anymore either so putting him in for development reasons isn't really a good excuse.

You couldn't have two 12's as inexperienced as McSharry and Marshall in the squad. Darcy is still needed to assimilate one of these guys into the squad. Then it becomes a straight pick between the two young 12s

Hype710

O'Mahony up against Alberts and co? Sincerely hope not. Hopefully Henry will start but I doubt it.

Podge_irl

bilston wrote: »

Watching the press conference I don't think he was asked once about the out half situation. The focus was on Kearney, the four new caps, Strauss, the additions of Foley and Feek to the coaching team, how to improve the restarts and rucking and a little bit about what sort of team may play Fiji.

It was the same before Munster's first HEC game. No one even came close to questioning whether ROG should start. Farcical.

Fishooks12 wrote: »

I don't think Toner should be in the sqaud.

Neither do I. I would have him in if he was starting for Leinster (which he should be), but it would be hard to argue the merits of having him in ahead of any of the options there.



Disappointed none of the young Connacht lads got in actually.

irishbucsfan

ROG is not as bad a selection as most are making out. Yes he's incredibly limited but he's the only other experienced 10 we have in the country going into the South Africa game. He has to be there for that reason. You just can't put young Paddy Jackson on the bench for that game with no experience without risking a repeat of Twickenham if he had to be used.

The issue is that unless we give Jacko experience against Fiji or Argentina we will continue to be handcuffed to ROG as he continues his slide into mediocrity. I'll be extremely disappointed if we don't see him or one of the others before the end of the series.

cp

Have to say, I just don't see it with Toner: he can't even break into a comparatively weak Leinster 2'nd row. Yes he's tall, but he's in no way the prototype modern second row who is expected to do a helluva lot more in open play and especially around the breakdown.

If you were gonna drop a second row (and there are too many) I'd be bringing in more cover at 7: Jennings or Dougall.

Fishooks12

Kidney says he'll be watching warriors v sharks closely friday for @JANDRESS84 and Buckley as TH cover option. #rugbyunited


@SeanFarrell

irishbucsfan

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Kidney says he'll be watching warriors v sharks closely friday for @JANDRESS84 and Buckley as TH cover option. #rugbyunited


@SeanFarrell

It'd be great to see Andress involved!

molloyjh

Overall it was pretty much as expected. The usual suspects with a few young faces thrown in to hold the tackle bags.

In fairness squad selection more often than not was never the issue really anyway. It'll be interesting to see if the changes in the coaching structure can have the desired impact. That's the bit I'd be most interested in personally.

jm08

thomond2006 wrote: »

ROG in the squad is a slap in the face to Keatley, Madigan and Jackson. But not to worry, our ass-kissing journalists will find some bull**** reasons why ROG should be there.

Keatley, Madigan and Jackson would only be the nuclear option as Sexton will play most of the time. Far better off playing and training with their provinces who would suffer a bit anyway if all the 2nd option outhalf's were removed to hold tackle bag at camp Ireland.

I'd say ROG would far prefer to be lining out for Munster than collecting blisters in the Aviva.

Podge_irl

jm08 wrote: »

Keatley, Madigan and Jackson would only be the nuclear option as Sexton will play most of the time. Far better off playing and training with their provinces who would suffer a bit anyway if all the 2nd option outhalf's were removed to hold tackle bag at camp Ireland.

No they really aren't.

thomond2006

Incidentally this must be the first squad in years where there is no non-Irish domicile player involved, with Bowe back in Ulster and Geordan Murphy retired from international duty.

Podge_irl

thomond2006 wrote: »

Incidentally this must be the first squad in years where there is no non-Irish domicile player involved, with Bowe back in Ulster and Geordan Murphy retired from international duty.

Still time to add Buckley

Quint2010

Think Joe Schmidt may have had a word with Deccie and told him there is no way he is giving him Madigan..

Podge_irl

Quint2010 wrote: »

Think Joe Schmidt may have had a word with Deccie and told him there is no way he is giving him Madigan..

And then Deccie laughed and told him he was never going to select him anyway.

thomond2006

Very happy for Luke Marshall, but Ulster's 2nd choice 12 gets in but 1st choice 10 doesn't? Jokeshop.

Utopia Parkway

Any of the young Connacht backs must be pretty disappointed. Surely one maybe even two of them should have made the extended squad.

Podge_irl

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Any of the young Connacht backs must be pretty disappointed. Surely one maybe even two of them should have made the extended squad.

I'm surprised Henshaw isn't there given Earls is the only FB cover (and when was the last time Earls even played there??). I imagine Jones will be parachuted into the squad if he manages not to break his neck in the next Munster game, which I would moan about but I'm frankly past the point of caring.

.ak

Really really hope Luke Marshall gets more to do than just holding tackle bags.

Would also love to see Darce and Cave in midfield.

molloyjh

Podge_irl wrote: »

I'm surprised Henshaw isn't there given Earls is the only FB cover (and when was the last time Earls even played there??). I imagine Jones will be parachuted into the squad if he managed not to break his neck in the next Munster game, which I would moan about but I'm frankly past the point of caring.

Sure it doesn't matter anyway. Even if Henshaw made the squad he'd never make the field. Same with Jackson. The squad selection debate is a bit of a red herring. We know what the match day squads will be. The only thing that matters is how they play on the day. Or at least how they try and play. I'd hope that with the change in coaching staff we will start to see a change in game plan. If not it makes the squad selection even more irrelevant.

Utopia Parkway

Podge_irl wrote: »

I'm surprised Henshaw isn't there given Earls is the only FB cover (and when was the last time Earls even played there??). I imagine Jones will be parachuted into the squad if he manages not to break his neck in the next Munster game, which I would moan about but I'm frankly past the point of caring.

I like Felix Jones but he's had awful injury troubles and is just back from injury now again. Would surely be better off getting back up to speed again with Munster before being landed straight back into the Ireland squad.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Quint2010 wrote: »

Yeah Kidney was talking about the physicality of the South African's and Pumas. He'll want to play as big a pack as possible which is why I doubt we will see a specialist openside starting. The backrow will be Ferris, POM and Heaslip.

I reckon Henry is more physical than POM

Podge_irl

molloyjh wrote: »

I'd hope that with the change in coaching staff we will start to see a change in game plan.

You mean with the man hired as full time defence coach moving into full time attack coach?

I realise its almost irrelevant who is selected, but I'll be kind and wait til I see the games before moaning about the style of play so I'll stick to moaning about the squad for now!

Tox56

Things have really gone stale with Ireland, I honestly don't care about these squad announcements anymore. No value in giving Madigan/Jackson/Keatley 2 minutes at the end of a test match, hopefully DK will be gone in a few months and we can get someone new in to shake things up.

irishbucsfan

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

I reckon Henry is more physical than POM

He definitely is. He has the added bonus of being able to keep a level head, which'll be important against the South Africans. If he isn't selected I'll be irate.

Foxtrol

molloyjh wrote: »

Overall it was pretty much as expected. The usual suspects with a few young faces thrown in to hold the tackle bags.

In fairness squad selection more often than not was never the issue really anyway. It'll be interesting to see if the changes in the coaching structure can have the desired impact. That's the bit I'd be most interested in personally.

This. Despite having had major issues with him as Irish coach for a number of years the majority of his squad announcements during that time have each had only minor enough complaints. However, each time the squad is hailed by some as a sign of Kidney turning the corner but then when he picks his starting line up his ineptitude at building for the future becomes crystal clear.

It’s a never ending cycle and it’s worn me down to the point where I honestly barely care anymore.

Winters

thomond2006 wrote: »

Incidentally this must be the first squad in years where there is no non-Irish domicile player involved, with Bowe back in Ulster and Geordan Murphy retired from international duty.

And interestingly the split in provincial terms is a change from years gone bye too.

Ulster - 10;
Leinster - 10;
Munster - 9; and
Connacht - 2.