Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

Teferi

Jamie seemed to give a slight nod to Sexton for captain.

CoDy1 wrote: »

Just watched it, O'Callaghan nailed on starter so? Captain even?

I'm unsure if you're joking or not, but that's not what I got from it at all.

CoDy1

Teferi wrote: »

Jamie seemed to give a slight nod to Sexton for captain.



I'm unsure if you're joking or not, but that's not what I got from it at all.

I am highly trained in body language and in identifying the underlying truth.

O'Callaghan will start and will be captain.


And also because Kidney is the coach

thomond2006

Just for the larf I'd love to see ROG named captain. Can you imagine what this place would become?

awec

thomond2006 wrote: »

Just for the larf I'd love to see ROG named captain. Can you imagine what this place would become?

Swiwi

thomond2006 wrote: »

Just for the larf I'd love to see ROG named captain. Can you imagine what this place would become?

I would guess the boards.ie rugby forum would go into meltdown...

jm08

Archer called into Ireland squad. No Felix Jones.

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/11081.php

goreyguy

jm08 wrote: »

Archer called into Ireland squad. No Felix Jones.

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/11081.php

christ

Cpt_Blackbeard

jm08 wrote: »

Archer called into Ireland squad. No Felix Jones.

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/11081.php

Great news, he certainly deserves it more than Bent - who mustn't be showing up too well in training - anyway. I assume that Buckley and Andress mustn't have have impressed either. Fingers crossed that Fitzpatrick makes it back.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Great news, he certainly deserves it more than Bent - who mustn't be showing up too well in training - anyway. I assume that Buckley and Andress mustn't have have impressed either. Fingers crossed that Fitzgerald makes it back.

*Fitzpatrick maybe?

Clegg

Archer may just have been called up to help our good props in training.

There is no way Kidney will actually pick him for a teat match.

He's the worst tighthead in Ireland by a large margin.

danthefan

Clegg wrote: »

Archer may just have been called up to help our good props in training.

There is no way Kidney will actually pick him for a teat match.

He's the worst tighthead in Ireland by a large margin.

My views precisely. Would assume he's just going to be involved in training in some aspect, possibly a niggle in the camp and it's handier to get him to drive up from Cork/Limerick than get someone over from England.

If he actually is considered for the test squad then Kidney is officially the worst coach of all time.

Glass Prison 1214

danthefan wrote: »

If he actually is considered for the test squad then Kidney is officially the worst coach of all time.

I second this.

Blackheath

See below John Andress thoughts on an Ireland call up take from the Premiership website

'' Worcester Warriors prop John Andress insists there's nowhere he'd rather be than the Aviva Premiership despite his continued international snub by Ireland boss Declan Kidney.

Andress, 28, has been in impressive form for Warriors this season in a formidable front row that boasts recent England call-up Matt Mullan as well as Euan Murray, who has 47 Scotland caps to his name.
But Andress, who left Ulster in 2009 to join Harlequins before moving on to Exeter Chiefs and now Worcester, remains uncapped despite Ireland's problems in the front row.

South African born hooker Richardt Strauss will make his debut for Ireland this autumn, as will Kiwi Michael Bent, who has only just arrived at Leinster, and Andress believes the selectors should be casting their net to the Premiership.

"It is frustrating but for whatever reason, and I don't know what it is, the selectors seem to be ignoring the Premiership," said Andress.

"I spoke to Declan Kidney recently and he said that he was keeping an eye on me, that was the gist of it, so I'll have to wait and see.

"It's not just me, you have people like Roger Wilson who was at Northampton and he was playing fantastically in the Premiership for years but hasn't had a look in.

"But the Premiership is one of the strongest leagues in the world with some of the best players, I'm loving my time at Worcester, I love everything about it, but it's just a shame about the international side of things."

Andress and co will be looking to chalk up a first away win of the season as they head to Exeter Chiefs on the back of two thumping wins in Europe and a home victory over Sale Sharks last time out in the Premiership.

Consistency has been the problem for Warriors, who have lost just once at home and picked up two losing bonus points on the road, this season, and Andress believes Saturday is the perfect time for his side to end their away day blues.

"We've got ourselves on a bit of a roll which is pleasing, we got the big wins in Europe and then an important win against Sale," added Andress.

"But we've always been a strong team at home, we've got quality all through the side and it's away from home where we need to pick up wins.

"We feel like we're getting closer, we've run some teams close but it's all about getting the victories away from Sixways, that's the key for us.

"Exeter are a very good side. It was no surprise to see them perform so well at Leinster.

"They are a very tough side who have added that little bit of initiative this season, it's going to be a challenge going there but we need to impose our game on them."

totallegend

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Great news, he certainly deserves it more than Bent - who mustn't be showing up too well in training - anyway. I assume that Buckley and Andress mustn't have have impressed either. Fingers crossed that Fitzpatrick makes it back.

I don't think it's anything to do with Bent. There is no way Ross will be risked against Fiji so there would have to be another TH added one way or the other, given that the word on Fitzpatrick is not good.

Perhaps would have made more sense to see how Hagan gets on tomorrow before plumping for Archer.

Tox56

How inconceivable is it that Archer gets on the bench for the South Africa game through injury or whatever? I mean, what on earth happens if he gets on the pitch at some point??? He was seriously struggling for the Wolfhounds against the England Saxons earlier in the year, surely it would be a safety concern if he has to face the Saffers..?

dub_skav

totallegend wrote: »

I don't think it's anything to do with Bent. There is no way Ross will be risked against Fiji so there would have to be another TH added one way or the other, given that the word on Fitzpatrick is not good.

Perhaps would have made more sense to see how Hagan gets on tomorrow before plumping for Archer.

But hagan's not playing for Munster tomorrow

Zuffer

In the game I'm watching right now, there is an irish qualified fullback playing, looks pretty good, maybe kidney should give him a call given our current dire straits in that position

Cpt_Blackbeard

totallegend wrote: »

I don't think it's anything to do with Bent. There is no way Ross will be risked against Fiji so there would have to be another TH added one way or the other, given that the word on Fitzpatrick is not good.

Perhaps would have made more sense to see how Hagan gets on tomorrow before plumping for Archer.

It definitely would have made more sense, but its probably the right decision to choose Archer. It sends out a better message for the Irish management to choose the player who has improved massively over the last 12 months - albeit from a very, very low starting point - over the guy who has regressed.

Thinking about it, I'm doubtful Archer will be involved in the SA game. If the prop chosen was going to play against SA, one of the England based lads (probably Buckley) would have been called up. If Andress/Buckley was called up, they'd either have to be picked for the squad by Tuesday or sent back to England.

I'd still much prefer Archer selected over Bent because as it stands, we look to be heading into the SA match with a Saffer and Aussie in the frontrow; there is no need to have all the tri-nations involved.

Cpt_Blackbeard

dub_skav wrote: »

But hagan's not playing for Munster tomorrow

Neither is Archer...

.ak

Zuffer wrote: »

In the game I'm watching right now, there is an irish qualified fullback playing, looks pretty good, maybe kidney should give him a call given our current dire straits in that position

Murphy or Morris? Both were both anonymous in a forward based game imo.

Cpt_Blackbeard

I'm guessing Loughney was overlooked because he'd be a day later hooking up with the Irish squad?

Tox56

Archer has 14 minutes of Heineken Cup rugby, both in games that were well and truly over. Stating the obvious here, but South Africa is an absolutely monumental step up from anything he has ever faced.

Maybe Kidney doesn't want to use him, but given this call up he is presumably the next in line for tightheads, and as I said above, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he could be on the bench v South Africa due to injury or whatever (if DK does indeed see him as the next in line).

danthefan

Tox56 wrote: »

Archer has 14 minutes of Heineken Cup rugby, both in games that were well and truly over. Stating the obvious here, but South Africa is an absolutely monumental step up from anything he has ever faced.

Maybe Kidney doesn't want to use him, but given this call up he is presumably the next in line for tightheads, and as I said above, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he could be on the bench v South Africa due to injury or whatever (if DK does indeed see him as the next in line).

If he's called up Archer as an actual real live option for the squad then this genuinely is a disgrace. The argument that he's available earlier than whatever other player is completely irrelevant because you could call up Andress 5 minutes before the game and he'd still be 10 times better than Archer.

Fireball07

I doubt Archer is going to play against SA. I mean that would be lunacy. Tbh he shouldn't be in the squad at all, but it's grand as long as he doesn't play.

irishbucsfan

I'd say Loughney and Fitzpatrick are both ahead of Archer when fully fit. It's still mind boggling that Archer is in the squad.

I think you could make the argument that Archer deserves to be there, but only if you ignore every single game of rugby he's played for Munster in his life.

tolosenc

I don't see the point in bringing in Archer. If we are planning for the future, why bother with a player whose international career will be over as soon as Kidney gets the chop? Just because Bent is from NZ...

totallegend

danthefan wrote: »

If he's called up Archer as an actual real live option for the squad then this genuinely is a disgrace. The argument that he's available earlier than whatever other player is completely irrelevant because you could call up Andress 5 minutes before the game and he'd still be 10 times better than Archer.

Thanks for saving me typing that. Agree with all.

Is it odd that this was announced on Munsterrugby.ie but not yet on Irishrugby.ie?

irishbucsfan

tolosenc wrote: »

I don't see the point in bringing in Archer. If we are planning for the future, why bother with a player whose international career will be over as soon as Kidney gets the chop? Just because Bent is from NZ...

In fairness it may just be because they need a body to scrummage against and Munster have Botha while Leinster need Hagan. Or something like that. It's very hard to make up an excuse for it.

danthefan

totallegend wrote: »

Thanks for saving me typing that. Agree with all.

Is it odd that this was announced on Munsterrugby.ie but not yet on Irishrugby.ie?

They don't get much good news these days...



Edit - I'll add if he's just there to take part in training, i.e. they need another prop for whatever reason, then it only made sense to call up Archer.

Cpt_Blackbeard

danthefan wrote: »

If he's called up Archer as an actual real live option for the squad then this genuinely is a disgrace. The argument that he's available earlier than whatever other player is completely irrelevant because you could call up Andress 5 minutes before the game and he'd still be 10 times better than Archer.

Other than the fact that Andress won't know any calls and has discipline issues off the field, I don't think you can do that. From what I've seen about Premiership based players, you can call them up at the start of the week, but you have to make the decision whether or not they'll be involved by the Tuesday. If they aren't going to be involved, they have to be released back to their clubs.

If they are calling up a player in case Fitz doesn't make it or Bent isn't good enough, the only options are Archer, Hagan and Loughney. I'd have Loughney as the best of that bunch, but I think he has had injury issues recently? If its a shoot-out between an Archer who is ready to join the squad now and Hagan who will only be free by Monday, Archer wins every time.