Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

irishbucsfan

My team for this week would be:

Healy, Best, Ross, Ryan, O'Connell, Ferris, O'Brien, Heaslip, Reddan, Sexton, Trimble, D'Arcy, Earls, Bowe, Kearney

Cronin, Court, Tuohy, O'Mahoney, Murray, ROG, McFadden

IE pretty much the same team I wanted against Wales!

When are we looking at a team announcement this week?

thomond2006

I wouldn't mind seeing 3 or 4 players come in, realistically we are not going to win anyway. I'd like to see O'Mahony get a start, at either 7 or 8. It's impossible for every backrower to make 15+ carries a game, but at the same time SOB and Heaslip don't seem as explosive as they have been in the past.

Healy, Best, Ross, Ryan, POC, Ferris, POM, Heaslip;
Reddan, Sexton, Trimble, D'Arcy, Earls, Bowe, Kearney

Bench: Cronin, Court, DOC, SOB, Murray, ROG, McFadden

That would be 3 changes from last week.

Rattlehead_ie

French team announced today at lunch
Irish tomorrow at lunch

bilston

irishbucsfan wrote: »

My team for this week would be:

Healy, Best, Ross, Ryan, O'Connell, Ferris, O'Brien, Heaslip, Reddan, Sexton, Trimble, D'Arcy, Earls, Bowe, Kearney

Cronin, Court, Tuohy, O'Mahoney, Murray, ROG, McFadden

IE pretty much the same team I wanted against Wales!

When are we looking at a team announcement this week?

+1

Although I'll confess I wanted Murray to start at 9 at the beginning of the Championship.

There's an argument for POM as well but it would be a very brave man to drop SOB. I would look to start POM somewhere though, Scotland seeming the most likely opportunity.

profitius

thomond2006 wrote: »

I wouldn't mind seeing 3 or 4 players come in, realistically we are not going to win anyway. I'd like to see O'Mahony get a start, at either 7 or 8. It's impossible for every backrower to make 15+ carries a game, but at the same time SOB and Heaslip don't seem as explosive as they have been in the past.

Healy, Best, Ross, Ryan, POC, Ferris, POM, Heaslip;
Reddan, Sexton, Trimble, D'Arcy, Earls, Bowe, Kearney

Bench: Cronin, Court, DOC, SOB, Murray, ROG, McFadden

That would be 3 changes from last week.

I hope the players are not thinking like that.

JustinDee

thomond2006 wrote: »

I wouldn't mind seeing 3 or 4 players come in, realistically we are not going to win anyway

Thats the spirit.
Available to coach, Alan? lol

thomond2006

JustinDee wrote: »

Thats the spirit.
Available to coach, Alan? lol

haha my opinion and hopefully not the squads!

I just can't see how we will beat France, particularly because of their poor performance against Scotland. France always play well against us and tend to always raise their performance levels.

I hope I'm wrong!

Incidentally I'll try to stick up a writeup tommorrow, I'll try to find positives!

totallegend

thomond2006 wrote: »

I wouldn't mind seeing 3 or 4 players come in, realistically we are not going to win anyway. I'd like to see O'Mahony get a start, at either 7 or 8. It's impossible for every backrower to make 15+ carries a game, but at the same time SOB and Heaslip don't seem as explosive as they have been in the past.

Healy, Best, Ross, Ryan, POC, Ferris, POM, Heaslip;
Reddan, Sexton, Trimble, D'Arcy, Earls, Bowe, Kearney

Bench: Cronin, Court, DOC, SOB, Murray, ROG, McFadden

That would be 3 changes from last week.

I'd be happy with that team, I would perhaps like to see McFadden get a run at 12. I would agree that we're serious underdogs and probably will lose so we might as well learn something while we're at it. That's not being negative, just realistic.

I'll tell you one thing though, if we go out and play like we did against Wales and Italy, France will be out of sight by half-time. Is picking the same XV the best way of achieving a different performance? Unfortunately I suspect DK thinks it is.

Bromium

totallegend wrote: »

I'd be happy with that team, I would perhaps like to see McFadden get a run at 12. I would agree that we're serious underdogs and probably will lose so we might as well learn something while we're at it. That's not being negative, just realistic.

I'll tell you one thing though, if we go out and play like we did against Wales and Italy, France will be out of sight by half-time. Is picking the same XV the best way of achieving a different performance? Unfortunately I suspect DK thinks it is.

Totally agree that if we play the same way as we did against Wales and Italy we will be butchered but I don't think POM offers enough to dislodge SOB or Heaslip. But a definite change in mindset is needed.

jacothelad

thomond2006 wrote: »

haha my opinion and hopefully not the squads!

I just can't see how we will beat France, particularly because of their poor performance against Scotland. France always play well against us and tend to always raise their performance levels.

I hope I'm wrong!

Incidentally I'll try to stick up a writeup tommorrow, I'll try to find positives!

Having a long Continental lunch break? Have you no work to do? Or are you just girding up your loins for the podcast?:)

siltirocker

Lads we all know what the team is going to be.

Albert Einstein's THEORY OF INSANITY. - The endless repetition of the same experiment, in the hope of obtaining a different result.

.ak

The whole thing about POM replacing one of the backrowers has it's merit, but should definitely not be tried against France. While SOB and Heaslip haven't been doing the fan-favorite crash n' break carries as of late their work in defense has been immense, and they'll be a safe pair of hands against a very loose French side. I'd like him to start against Scotland though.. not because it'll be 'safe' for him to do so, but because of his niggily style he'll tire the intense Scottish phases.

As much as I hate to admit it, I think we need to play the safe, boring game on Sunday. Whilst I'd like our attacking play to suddenly spring into life and score a few tries against the French I think we need to be looking at our defensive structures more so. There was a marked improvement in our linespeed against Italy, but at times our structure was totally broken and we were easily dragged inside, leaving huge gaps on the wing. Clerc is good enough, he doesn't need a welcome mat on our tryline as well.

Also there needs to be a bit of defensive management on field too. Players have been caught seriously out of position, especially the backs. With the lack of BOD 'directorial' skills, we need someone to step up to the mark and issue the orders out. Sexton would be my candidate, D'arcy would be the logical 'leader' in the backline but does seem to shut off at times.

The try Italy scored was a walk in the park. Who's decision was it for us to play so tight off the line out? The entire team was on one side of the park. Was POC so confident he'd win the lineout? Or was there a miss-communication in the backline? Either way it's showing that Kiss is being stretched between his commitments between the attack and the defensive structure.

totallegend

siltirocker wrote: »

Lads we all know what the team is going to be.

Albert Einstein's THEORY OF INSANITY. - The endless repetition of the same experiment, in the hope of obtaining a different result.

Kidney keeps picking the same team hoping for a different result.

We all keep speculating and demanding team changes hoping for a different selection.

Seems like DK is no more insane than the rest of us.

molloyjh

totallegend wrote: »

Kidney keeps picking the same team hoping for a different result.

We all keep speculating and demanding team changes hoping for a different selection.

Seems like DK is no more insane than the rest of us.

I think a lot of us gave up that ghost a long time ago. As big Vic said last night he should make changes but he won't.

.ak

Still no French team? Thought it would be announced at noon their time? Would it be too bold for me to start listing off some conspiracy theories? The most shocking of them all: The French are afraid of the Irish and can't decide on their match-day squad!

Hahah, needed a good laugh...

molloyjh

.ak wrote: »

Still no French team? Thought it would be announced at noon their time? Would it be too bold for me to start listing off some conspiracy theories? The most shocking of them all: The French are afraid of the Irish and can't decide on their match-day squad!

Hahah, needed a good laugh...

I'd say it's due around 12:30-1:00 their time so it'll be within the next hour or so.

totallegend

molloyjh wrote: »

I'd say it's due around 12:30-1:00 their time so it'll be within the next hour or so.

Word on the twitter machine is that the injury to Medard has meant they're delaying it to tomorrow.

justsomebloke

molloyjh wrote: »

I'd say it's due around 12:30-1:00 their time so it'll be within the next hour or so.

Don't worry lads someone will do the maths for him at some point;)

.ak

molloyjh wrote: »

I'd say it's due around 12:30-1:00 their time so it'll be within the next hour or so.

Yeah but it's 2:40 their time... seriously, they're gonna throw in the towel!

.ak

totallegend wrote: »

Word on the twitter machine is that the injury to Medard has meant they're delaying it to tomorrow.

That's strange Poit has already been called up. You'd think he'd be ahead of Beauxis right?

molloyjh

justsomebloke wrote: »

Don't worry lads someone will do the maths for him at some point;)

Whoops!

siltirocker

totallegend wrote: »

Kidney keeps picking the same team hoping for a different result.

We all keep speculating and demanding team changes hoping for a different selection.

Seems like DK is no more insane than the rest of us.

No, I meant Kidney. As is Kidney keeps picking the same team hoping for a different result. Not boardsies. We have been vocal in numerous changes for the past few months based usually on the logic of form and/or performances.

Fishooks12

I think we'll probably see the same French team bar Swarzeski and the injured Medard

Dave6858

Big Question mark over Murray now...cant see any reason why he should start against France,so obviously DK will select him!
Also acid test time for Earls at 13,I'm not a fan of his at centre but I would loved to be proved wrong.

Timothy Bryce

Interesting photos from the IT website there show POM playing 7 training with the would be match team...

photos here http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/2012/02/28/irish-rugby-team-training/#slideshow

CIARAN_BOYLE

Timothy Bryce wrote: »

Interesting photos from the IT website there show POM playing 7 training with the would be match team...

photos here http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/gallery/2012/02/28/irish-rugby-team-training/#slideshow

If you are talking about the one with the orange bibs you can just make out the number 6 on POCs bib

irishbucsfan

If the only change is POM in at 7 then Kidney should be banned for trolling

Thanos

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

If you are talking about the one with the orange bibs you can just make out the number 6 on POCs bib

I'm all for change but that would be a bit much :eek::D

totallegend

irishbucsfan wrote: »

If the only change is POM in at 7 then Kidney should be banned for trolling

This seems to show Reddan with the seconds anyway.

Tox56

It's hard to tell about the number on POC's bib, I'd say (ominously) it is a 5.