Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

ireland01

For what it's worth here's my team for next week, reckon I'll get a bit of stick for it but here goes:

1. Healy
2. Strauss
3. Ross
4. DOC
5. Ryan/McCarthy
6. Ryan/McCarthy
7. Henry
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan/Murray
10. Sexton
11. Gilroy
12. Marshall
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Zebo (Bowe and Zebo to interchange like last week)

16. Cronin
17. Kilcoyne
18. Bent
19. Touhy
20. POM
21. Murray/Reddan
22. Jackson
23. Cave

AGREE 100% with this team

jm08

Deano7788 wrote: »

I really don't see why that should come into the Ireland selection. For the IRFU, Ireland comes first so if they're wanted by Ireland, that's that.

If we're going to go down that route, 1 of Strauss or Cronin should be left out because the Leinster backup is inexperienced and POM should be left out because Munster are a bit short in the back row due to injuries

You have to have two props on the bench for a competitive game - I think Ulster have only 4 fittish props (Court, Black, Afoa & Fitzpatrick). Fitzpatrick wasn't used today which suggests he isn't fit either (He has played very little this season).

Other props are McAlister (long term injury) and Maclin. He has played 19 minutes this season so far!

JRant

bleg wrote: »

Can't see Henderson being involved next week.

Your probably right but I'd love to see him given a start against the Puma's.

Deano7788

jm08 wrote: »

You have to have two props on the bench for a competitive game - I think Ulster have only 4 fittish props (Court, Black, Afoa & Fitzpatrick). Fitzpatrick wasn't used today which suggests he isn't fit either (He has played very little this season).

Other props are McAlister (long term injury) and Maclin. He has played 19 minutes this season so far!

Alright, so, if they were needed, why not call up the likes of Loughney, Buckley, Hagan or McGrath for yesterday, instead of running Healy and Ross into the ground and risk injury in an inconsequential game.

Tox56

jm08 wrote: »

You have to have two props on the bench for a competitive game - I think Ulster have only 4 fittish props (Court, Black, Afoa & Fitzpatrick). Fitzpatrick wasn't used today which suggests he isn't fit either (He has played very little this season).

Other props are McAlister (long term injury) and Maclin. He has played 19 minutes this season so far!

Start Bent and put Buckley on the bench, Fiji don't have the greatest scrum in the world.

JRant

Quint2010 wrote: »

That was Ryan no? Anyway-next week there is not a snow ball in hells chance of Reddan or Henderson starting. It'll be Murray and POM all the way-with probably DOC back in harness and ROG back on the bench

We can dream

jm08

Deano7788 wrote: »

Alright, so, if they were needed, why not call up the likes of Loughney, Buckley, Hagan or McGrath for yesterday, instead of running Healy and Ross into the ground and risk injury in an inconsequential game.

None of them have been involved in the training camp and so wouldn't have known any of the calls.

Ross to partner the inexperienced Kilcoyne.

It was only a bit of a roundaround anyway for Healy & Ross.

Deano7788

jm08 wrote: »

None of them have been involved in the training camp and so wouldn't have known any of the calls.

Ross to partner the inexperienced Kilcoyne.

It was only a bit of a roundaround anyway for Healy & Ross.

Hindsight's a beautiful thing.

jm08

Deano7788 wrote: »

Hindsight's a beautiful thing.

Sure is. And in this instance it worked out well. Bet Ulster were glad they had Court to put on against Zebre. The scrum saved their bacon in the end.

Jaco will be singing Diccie's praises for saving Ulster's skin :pac:

JRant

jm08 wrote: »

None of them have been involved in the training camp and so wouldn't have known any of the calls.

Ross to partner the inexperienced Kilcoyne.

It was only a bit of a roundaround anyway for Healy & Ross.

Well why aren't any of those players involved in the camp?
You have the ludicrous situation whereby Archer is in there but none of these lads can get anywhere near it.

yimrsg

jm08 wrote: »

Sure is. And in this instance it worked out well. Bet Ulster were glad they had Court to put on against Zebre. The scrum saved their bacon in the end.

Jaco will be singing Diccie's praises for saving Ulster's skin :pac:

We know you two are intimate and all but don't be using those nicknames outside the bedroom.

jm08

JRant wrote: »

Well why aren't any of those players involved in the camp?
You have the ludicrous situation whereby Archer is in there but none of these lads can get anywhere near it.

Optimum number for these camps seems to be 6 props (3 of each).
Fitzpatrick was in the squad, but failed to prove his fitness.
Feek would know if the Leinster prospects were up to it or not (obviously not since Leinster have brought in Bent).

Tox56

jm08 wrote: »

Optimum number for these camps seems to be 6 props (3 of each).
Fitzpatrick was in the squad, but failed to prove his fitness.
Feek would know if the Leinster prospects were up to it or not (obviously not since Leinster have brought in Bent).

But Archer on the other hand..??

jm08

Tox56 wrote: »

But Archer on the other hand..??

..... isn't coached on a day-to-day basis by Feek (so worth taking a look at).

irishbucsfan

I still haven't seen anything from the IRFU to suggest Archer was anything more than a body for training camp.

irishbucsfan

I still haven't seen anything from the IRFU to suggest Archer was anything more than a body for training camp.

Hagz

I still haven't seen anything from the IRFU to suggest Archer was anything more than a body for training camp.

Banbridgeman2

Anyone in the squad is ahead of anyone not in it. I highly doubt that if Ross got injured Kidney would have called up a new tighthead not in the squad to bench

Tox56

jm08 wrote: »

..... isn't coached on a day-to-day basis by Feek (so worth taking a look at).

Neither is Denis Buckley, but he has been starting H Cup games and would actually have a chance of actually playing for Ireland in one of these games (I'm thinking the Fiji match in particular).

If Archer was just a body for a training camp then fair enough, but that shouldn't mean other props can't be called up because 6 is an "optimum number".

JRant

jm08 wrote: »

Optimum number for these camps seems to be 6 props (3 of each).
Fitzpatrick was in the squad, but failed to prove his fitness.
Feek would know if the Leinster prospects were up to it or not (obviously not since Leinster have brought in Bent).

But why call in Archer when there's more promising prospects elsewhere?

Ross is getting on a bit so it makes perfect sense to have a stop gap between himself and the youngsters. If it works out for Bent then I think both the IRFU and Leinster will be quite happy to be honest.

jamiedav2011

jm08 wrote: »

Ulster needed Court & Fitzpatrick in Italy to bench against Zebre. They will be needed next week against Treviso as well as Ulster have very inexperienced/ lack propping depth.

This doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

There's no excusing the idiocy in starting Ross. It's just purely nonsensical, and shows up Kidney for the hypocrite he is.

ScissorPaperRock

I'm excited for the Six Nations, if we can pull together as a team and play cohesively. With the likes of Luke Marshall, Jackson, Gilroy and Cave in contention and with the return of the likes of Kearney, O'Brien, and O'Driscoll, there's a lot of potential.

thoughts on giving Gilroy the nod ahead of Bowe?

Bowe off the bench could make a pretty decent impact!

goreyguy

Gilroy ahead of Trimble not Bowe.

ScissorPaperRock

Deleted User wrote: »

thoughts on giving Gilroy the nod ahead of Bowe?

Bowe off the bench could make a pretty decent impact!

I'd probably rather see Trimble replaced than Bowe. He'd definitely add a bit of pace in attack on the wing.

Deano7788

What about a Gilroy Zebo Earls back three with Cave at 13 and Bowe on the bench?

goreyguy

don't see the logic of dropping bowe and earls at 13 isnt going to be dropped by kidney

ScissorPaperRock

Deano7788 wrote: »

What about a Gilroy Zebo Earls back three with Cave at 13 and Bowe on the bench?

Could be exciting in attack, but I could see it being exposed defensively.

Deano7788

ScissorPaperRoc wrote: »

Could be exciting in attack, but I could see it being exposed defensively.

Oh yeah, I'd rather Bowe start, just looking at different options. I'd also like to see Cave given a chance at 13.

11. Earls
12. Marshall (or D'Arcy for one last grunt!)
13. Cave
14. Gilroy
15. Zebo

23. Bowe