Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

Clegg · 01-03-2012 4:24pm

phog wrote: »

Well between the French & Scottish games I'd go with dropping some or all of DOC, Murray, Darcy and drop one from either Heaslip or SOB and try and freshen things up.

Freshen things up by dropping one of your most in form players.

Genius.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 4:25pm

phog wrote: »

Well between the French & Scottish games I'd go with dropping some or all of DOC, Murray, Darcy and drop one from either Heaslip or SOB and try and freshen things up.

It started off so well.....

phog · 01-03-2012 4:30pm

Clegg wrote: »

Freshen things up by dropping one of your most in form players.

Genius.

leftleg wrote: »

It started off so well.....

I'm not in favour of dropping Heaslip but a lot of posters claim that SOB is better at 8 than 7, to give him a chance to show his worth I'd consider dropping Heaslip for one game to give SOB a chance.

Otherwise just drop SOB.

Otacon · 01-03-2012 4:32pm

Why don't we 'rest' Ferris? SOB to 6 and POM/Henry/DomR to 7?

irishbucsfan · 01-03-2012 4:33pm

I would like to see a back row of O'Brien, Henry, Heaslip. Ferris is our best player imo but also has pretty messed up knees.

Tox56 · 01-03-2012 4:33pm

HEASLIP TO 7, or let him wear 8 and let SOB pack down at the back of an attacking scrum.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 4:34pm

How about Ferris; SOB, Heaslip

Clegg · 01-03-2012 4:38pm

phog wrote: »

I'm not in favour of dropping Heaslip but a lot of posters claim that SOB is better at 8 than 7, to give him a chance to show his worth I'd consider dropping Heaslip for one game to give SOB a chance.

Otherwise just drop SOB.

If SOB has a poor game against France then it may be worth putting POM in at 7 against Scotland. I don't SOB is even playing that poorly. He isn't making big carries but he's still putting himself into every ruck he can. I'd play POM against the Scots just to see how he handles an international match.

SOB is a decent 8 but I'd pick Heaslip over him every time.

andrewdcs · 01-03-2012 4:38pm

I've worked it out...

Start with 2 in the backrow.... with the other one coming at 60 minutes for impact.

BOOM! HEADSHOT!

Podge_irl · 01-03-2012 4:46pm

Otacon wrote: »

All I can say is I hope it works out for him. He is young enough, and talented enough, to be a top class 13. He needs proper coaching there though.

He better hope Munster bring in a competent backs coach then.

It's gonna be very interesting to see what happens next season. I'm of the opinion that Laulau was definitely brought in to be first choice 13 ahead of Earls, but that's irrelevant now as he was brought in by McGahan. A new coach may have a new idea.

fitz · 01-03-2012 5:07pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

He better hope Munster bring in a competent backs coach then.

It's gonna be very interesting to see what happens next season. I'm of the opinion that Laulau was definitely brought in to be first choice 13 ahead of Earls, but that's irrelevant now as he was brought in by McGahan. A new coach may have a new idea.

Just as likely a new coach will tell Earls to get over it and put him back where he's at his best, on the wing.

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:18pm

fitz wrote: »

Just as likely a new coach will tell Earls to get over it and put him back where he's at his best, on the wing.

I'm sure axel would have had his say already about playing earls in the centre

leftleg · 01-03-2012 5:22pm

jm08 wrote: »

I'm sure axel would have had his say already about playing earls in the centre

no he wouldn't; hes a forward coach

Podge_irl · 01-03-2012 5:23pm

fitz wrote: »

Just as likely a new coach will tell Earls to get over it and put him back where he's at his best, on the wing.

Quite likely I would think, but it's Earls' only chance.

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:27pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

He better hope Munster bring in a competent backs coach then.

It's gonna be very interesting to see what happens next season. I'm of the opinion that Laulau was definitely brought in to be first choice 13 ahead of Earls, but that's irrelevant now as he was brought in by McGahan. A new coach may have a new idea.

Laulau will only be with Munster for 2 seasons and cannot be replaced with a NIQ player. What will happen then. If earls is not developed as an outside centre, that would leave Munster with 1 outside centre (danny barnes) in two seasons time.

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:29pm

leftleg wrote: »

no he wouldn't; hes a forward coach

Assistant Coach and Defence.

Tox56 · 01-03-2012 5:30pm

jm08 wrote: »

Laulau will only be with Munster for 2 seasons and cannot be replaced with a NIQ player. What will happen then. If earls is not developed as an outside centre, that would leave Munster with 1 outside centre (danny barnes) in two seasons time.

So Munster have to play two 13's, presumably one being Laulau, would it not make sense to develop Barnes there for two seasons? Is that not a possible reason Laulau was brought in?

irishbucsfan · 01-03-2012 5:31pm

jm08 wrote: »

Podge_irl wrote: »

He better hope Munster bring in a competent backs coach then.

It's gonna be very interesting to see what happens next season. I'm of the opinion that Laulau was definitely brought in to be first choice 13 ahead of Earls, but that's irrelevant now as he was brought in by McGahan. A new coach may have a new idea.

Laulau will only be with Munster for 2 seasons and cannot be replaced with a NIQ player. What will happen then. If earls is not developed as an outside centre, that would leave Munster with 1 outside centre (danny barnes) in two seasons time.

Ah sure one of the lads will do a job

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:35pm

Tox56 wrote: »

So Munster have to play two 13's, presumably one being Laulau, would it not make sense to develop Barnes there for two seasons? Is that not a possible reason Laulau was brought in?

Hardly - munster have plenty of good wings & fullbacks, just very short on centres.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 5:35pm

jm08 wrote: »

Assistant Coach and Defence.

hes the forward coach at Munster

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/5796.php

hes the forwards coach instead of small with ireland

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0229/1224312523693.html

Podge_irl · 01-03-2012 5:36pm

jm08 wrote: »

Laulau will only be with Munster for 2 seasons and cannot be replaced with a NIQ player. What will happen then. If earls is not developed as an outside centre, that would leave Munster with 1 outside centre (danny barnes) in two seasons time.

I don't know, but I imagine that for the coming season a new coach frankly won't care. He'll be more concerned with getting the team firing.

Besides, it doesn't matter if Earls is the "reserve" 13. That means he'll be played on the wing for important games and get some games at 13. Which means his rotating around the backline will continue and he'll still have difficulties adjusting. He'll also continue to miss a lot of Rabo games because of the player management. Plus there will be new players coming in. Either he becomes Munster's 13 over the next season or it's not gonna happen imo.

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:48pm

leftleg wrote: »

hes the forward coach at Munster

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/5796.php

hes the forwards coach instead of small with ireland

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0229/1224312523693.html

Seems all forwards coaches in munster are also Assistant Coach (jim williams was and so was laurie fisher). Gert Smal is assistant coach for Ireland, as is Les kiss. Foley is Assistant Coach to the wolfhounds

I don't suppose joe schmidt is named as the defence coach of Leinster, but he is the one who does it and axel is the one who does it for Munster. He was named there last year and they have not promoted anyone else.

irishbucsfan · 01-03-2012 5:51pm

I always thought McGahan handled the defense. Isn't he off to become Australia's defense coach?

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:51pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

I don't know, but I imagine that for the coming season a new coach frankly won't care. He'll be more concerned with getting the team firing.

Besides, it doesn't matter if Earls is the "reserve" 13. That means he'll be played on the wing for important games and get some games at 13. Which means his rotating around the backline will continue and he'll still have difficulties adjusting. He'll also continue to miss a lot of Rabo games because of the player management. Plus there will be new players coming in. Either he becomes Munster's 13 over the next season or it's not gonna happen imo.

You don't rate Earls at 13 so you don't think he will be able to compete for the 13 jersey. To accommodate Earls on the wing, would you drop Zebo or Howlett?

jm08 · 01-03-2012 5:56pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I always thought McGahan handled the defense. Isn't he off to become Australia's defense coach?

He came to Munster as a defence coach, then he became backs coach, then head coach in 2008. Axel was appointed defence coach at the beginning of last season, so axel should know all about his defence at 13 & 11.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 5:59pm

jm08 wrote: »

Seems all forwards coaches in munster are also Assistant Coach (jim williams was and so was laurie fisher). Gert Smal is assistant coach for Ireland, as is Les kiss. Foley is Assistant Coach to the wolfhounds

I don't suppose joe schmidt is named as the defence coach of Leinster, but he is the one who does it and axel is the one who does it for Munster. He was named there last year and they have not promoted anyone else.

gwan, admit you got it wrong . you'll feel better when you face up to that.

leftleg · 01-03-2012 6:01pm

jm08 wrote: »

He came to Munster as a defence coach, then he became backs coach, then head coach in 2008. Axel was appointed defence coach at the beginning of last season, so axel should know all about his defence at 13 & 11.

Forwards coach on the website; McGahan was Defence coach

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/5796.php

jm08 · 01-03-2012 6:04pm

leftleg wrote: »

gwan, admit you got it wrong . you'll feel better when you face up to that.

Nope, I'm not wrong (and I'm not going to congratulate you for it

)

from Irish times
Rugby: Ireland forwards’ coach Gert Smal will take no further part in the Six Nations Championship because of an eye condition. Anthony Foley, assistant coach at Munster, has been drafted in to replace the South African for the remainder of the championship.

Irish Independent - 5 days ago
IRELAND forwards coach Gert Smal will take no further part in the RBS 6 Nations because of an eye condition. Anthony Foley, assistant coach at Munster, ...

Podge_irl · 01-03-2012 6:04pm

jm08 wrote: »

You don't rate Earls at 13 so you don't think he will be able to compete for the 13 jersey. To accommodate Earls on the wing, would you drop Zebo or Howlett?

I don't (though I think he gets better there with a run of games, but his passing simply isn't up to scratch), but more to the point it appears the Munster management don't either as they have gone and signed Laulau.

Earls would easily start ahead of Zebo, and Howlett only has one season left - at the end of which Zebo would hopefully be ready to step into the first team.

irishbucsfan · 01-03-2012 6:06pm

I seem to remember Foley taking over the defense alright... The team are definitely improved in that area this season.

Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

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