Ireland V Samoa team announcement and build up thread.

Grimebox

Anyone else you would put on the bench other than Dave Kearney? I'm not too sure about him

P.Walnuts

Grimebox wrote: »

Anyone else you would put on the bench other than Dave Kearney? I'm not too sure about him

Personally i'd have Trimble on the wing and McFadden at 23

awec

Grimebox wrote: »

Anyone else you would put on the bench other than Dave Kearney? I'm not too sure about him

Kearney is only there because of all the injuries.

former legend

awec wrote: »

Kearney is only there because of all the injuries.

That sounds mean but yeah, pretty true. If any of Gilroy, Earls or Zebo were fit, Kearney would be out.

Still, neither Gilroy nor Zebo will be back for the Oz and NZ games and it looks like Earls will miss the Oz game at least, so DK will hopefully get a chance to shine. I think he's very underrated; he's very quick, solid in defence and is a good finisher, he won't let us down.

But no discussion of Dave Kearney would be complete without this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He0LWJEC8bk

Podge_irl

Grimebox wrote: »

Seagulls...?

They come in, **** on everything and then leave.

Fireball07

awec wrote: »

Kearney is only there because of all the injuries.

You could have Trimble, but Kearney covers full-back too and without Earls, Zebo, Gilroy, there's no one else really since Luke Fitz isn't in the squad.


What actually is the Samoan team?

desertcircus

Are Samoa being captained by Giant Novak Djokovic?

19543261

No. I'll be captaining Samoa.

All 5'7 and 54kg of me. Ireland, watch out.

bilston

Grimebox wrote: »

Anyone else you would put on the bench other than Dave Kearney? I'm not too sure about him

He covers FB though and nobody else really does that, I suppose Bowe maybe but you might as well give a younger lad a chance if the opportunity arises. If Earls, Zebo or Gilroy had been fit he wouldn't be there, but this is where versatility pays off! Someone like Darren Cave must be thinking how is Dave Kearney in an Ireland squad and I'm not (obviously different positions), he's a better rugby player, but the truth is Kearney is more useful to Ireland right now, might be different when BOD retires though.

19543261

Will we always assume Dave is a second rate player just because Rob is his brother?

Buer

19543261 wrote: »

Will we always assume Dave is a second rate player just because Rob is his brother?

.....does anyone think like that at all?

Podge_irl

Buer wrote: »

.....does anyone think like that at all?

Honestly, I used to a few seasons ago. Proven spectacularly wrong obviously.

.ak

Buer wrote: »

.....does anyone think like that at all?

Ah I think that's very much accepted amongst casual fans. Younger brother, not a lion, just a squad player etc., etc.

Last few seasons have been a little stop start for him but he's shown glimpses he can be a tidy winger with some excellent skill sets. In many ways he's probably a more rounded player than his brother. I really hope he continues his upward path as he could be a very handy utility back for Leinster and Ireland.

mogwai81

Anybody putting this up on youtube. I'm living in OZ and the only game on Setanta is the New Zealand game.

wittycynic

19543261 wrote: »

Will we always assume Dave is a second rate player just because Rob is his brother?

No, its assumed that he is a second rate player because he's never displayed the attributes of a truly first rate one.

Riskymove

Rightwing wrote: »

There are probably too many Leinster players in alright, at the expense of Ulster.

this selection is down to injuries so we cannot really worry too much about the numbers this time around

Henderson, Ferris, Gilroy, Ryan, Zebo and Earls would probably all be involved if available

justsomebloke

wittycynic wrote: »

No, its assumed that he is a second rate player because he's never displayed the attributes of a truly first rate one.

Yes he has on multiple occasions. However though injury and the sheer amount of wingers Leinster use to have he never really got a proper chance.

bilston

19543261 wrote: »

Will we always assume Dave is a second rate player just because Rob is his brother?

I'd hope not! But in a way it probably doesn't help that his brother is a Lion.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Rightwing wrote: »

There are probably too many Leinster players in alright, at the expense of Ulster.

Even though we are lording it in the league, we can have v few complaints.

So much for assuming the coaches know more: (1 day ago)

Rightwing wrote: »

If we lose people will complain, myself included. I won't be complaining about the teamsheet though, we have to assume coaches know more than we do.

wittycynic

justsomebloke wrote: »

Yes he has on multiple occasions. However though injury and the sheer amount of wingers Leinster use to have he never really got a proper chance.

When everyone is fit and available at Leinster he doesn't make the starting fifteen. He has never been capped for Ireland. What about that suggests he is first rate?

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

wittycynic wrote: »

When everyone is fit and available at Leinster he doesn't make the starting fifteen. He has never been capped for Ireland. What about that suggests he is first rate?

He's only 24 , he has been very good this season, better than his older brother in fact

He deserves a chance

wittycynic

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

He's only 24 , he has been very good this season, better than his older brother in fact

He deserves a chance

Perhaps I am being a little harsh but I just compare him to the likes of Craig Gilroy, who has had limited exposure at international level too, albeit more than DK obviously). Gilroy can be hit and miss, but when he is on song he displays individual brilliance that cuts defences to ribbons (think his try against Argentina). He truly has the potential to be first rate.

By contrast DK is a bit older but I've rarely if ever seen him provide the same kind of incision and individual threat. When he's playing well he just seems to be robust and very strong at the basics.

justsomebloke

wittycynic wrote: »

When everyone is fit and available at Leinster he doesn't make the starting fifteen. He has never been capped for Ireland. What about that suggests he is first rate?

until injury he should of been looking at an Ireland call up ahead of Gilroy and Zebo as he was out performing them at the time.

Also he was behind Isa and Fitz at leinster so getting the run of games together to improve his game where hard to come by

Rightwing

wittycynic wrote: »

Perhaps I am being a little harsh but I just compare him to the likes of Craig Gilroy, who has had limited exposure at international level. Gilroy can be hit and miss, but when he is on song he displays individual brilliance that cuts defences to ribbons (think his try against Argentina). He truly has the potential to be first rate.

By contrast DK is a bit older but I've rarely if ever seen him provide the same kind of incision and individual threat. When he's playing well he just seems to be robust and very strong at the basics.

I haven't seen a lot of him, but it could well be a case of 1 Kearney being truly over rated and the other under rated.

Todd Toddington III

Rightwing wrote: »

I haven't seen a lot of him, but it could well be a case of 1 Kearney being truly over rated and the other under rated.

Dunno if RK could be called over rated. Most here would be aware of his limitations (tackling and forgetting to pass at times!). He is still a good fullback though, just not hitting the heights he was a few years ago.

c.b.

P.Walnuts wrote: »

Personally i'd have Trimble on the wing and McFadden at 23

I expect that there's an element of having McFadden in the team to take over place-kicking duties should it appear as if Jackson is having a dose of the yips.

Buer

c.b. wrote: »

I expect that there's an element of having McFadden in the team to take over place-kicking duties should it appear as if Jackson is having a dose of the yips.

Unless Jackson literally misses 4 kicks in a row, I doubt that will be the case. I wouldn't say McFadden's kicking came into consideration at all when selecting him. He hasn't kicked for Leinster for a long time and, as far as I'm aware, he wasn't part of the goal kicking sessions that were taking place in training.

.ak

As an aside, there's something oddly satisfying about Ferg's kicking. It's so ugly. I always think he's saying "'ave some of that!" when he's hoofing it over the posts.

Grimebox

mogwai81 wrote: »

Anybody putting this up on youtube. I'm living in OZ and the only game on Setanta is the New Zealand game.

This lad usually uploads full matches:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpqdSLHXz6u9QPWflAbhyPw

geekington

When talking about D'Arcy, I remember something that Will Greenwood mentioned before one Leinsters Heineken cup games last year. He said that D'Arcy has "spent a career making others look good at the expensive of himself". I think this really sums him up. He is a fantastic player but knows his limits and has a fantastic ability to bring others in to the game with his passing game - which I think is right up there as one of the most technically brilliant from all Irish players. If you spend a bit of time watching him you rarely see him through a pass that isn't positioned so that the player is running on it to and not having a check their run. It really is a joy to behold.

Secondly, out of interest - In Aus, NZ etc.. - have supporters ever complained like some sections of our country do about the relative lack of players from their own locality - I'm thinking Canterbury (or South Island) players being picked ahead of other North Island players. I assume there isn't the bickering we have here?