Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread V

wp_rathead

Dillane, Stander, McCloskey and Van der Flier the 4 uncapped

vienne86

No new caps in the backs apart from McCloskey.

irishbucsfan

Maybe the end of Mike Ross' Ireland career?

AGC

wp_rathead wrote: »

Dillane, Stander, McCloskey and Van der Flier the 4 uncapped

I am glad he didn't take a chance on a few others although good chance they may be drafted I throughout.

Can see Stander and McCloskey as starters.

Good squad. Nothing to really complain about there and I think we can form a fine 23 out of it. Best as captain is a great call.

James "won't be considered for Ireland" Cronin is one of only two LHs in the squad I notice.

Harley Uptight Light

Harley Uptight Light wrote: »

Good squad. Nothing to really complain about there and I think we can form a fine 23 out of it. Best as captain is a great call.

James "won't be considered for Ireland" Cronin is one of only two LHs in the squad I notice.

I'd say they are confident enough Healy will back available early in the tournament. Is Kilcoyne injured?

AGC

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Maybe the end of Mike Ross' Ireland career?

Injured.

He will be back

vienne86

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Maybe the end of Mike Ross' Ireland career?

Looks like it.

former total

No major shocks really. Dillane and van der Flier there for the experience you'd imagine.

Kilcoyne left out so only two looseheads.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I'd say they are confident enough Healy will back available early in the tournament. Is Kilcoyne injured?

I don't know, Cronin is better anyway imo.

I think this squad is for the first two games.

sulberto

4 hookers seems a bit excessive!

kuang1

Delighted for Best.
Delighted for the team's sake that he's captain.

former total

vienne86 wrote: »

Looks like it.

This is only for the first two games. Healy, Henry and Ross are specifically named as likely to come back in.

sulberto

sulberto wrote: »

4 hookers seems a bit excessive!

That's an interesting one alright. Wonder if someone is carrying an injury.

sulberto

sulberto wrote: »

4 hookers seems a bit excessive!

Reading between the lines and perhaps finding something that isn't there, but not sure Joe is Sean Cronin's biggest fan. He didn't look to utilise him during the World Cup and almost seemed to be making excuses for it at the time which isn't all that like Joe.

Herring may be there as Joe want's a different kind of player as backup hooker.

AGC

sulberto wrote: »

4 hookers seems a bit excessive!

4????

sulberto

AGC wrote: »

4????

Best, Cronin, Strauss & Herring

Sangre

No Jordi Murphy. Fair enough really but bit of a fall from grace.

AGC

sulberto wrote: »

Best, Cronin, Strauss & Herring

Sorry, didn't even spot Herring:(

LuckyGent88

Delighted in the news of Best as captain. Right choice in my opinion.

Good squad picked but very surprised ringrose wasn't included.

Drop herring for ringrose

Sangre

Sangre wrote: »

No Jordi Murphy. Fair enough really but bit of a fall from grace.

His form doesn't justify him being there really. Shame for him and hopefully he'll be back to his best.

Duggie2012

really disappointed ringrose isnt involved. him for marshall?? i mean the guys going to be a superstar, hes just got it. maybe he might get involved in some of the games along the line. what are we waiting for. if hes good enough to start in the Champions Cup hes good enough. END OF.

irishbucsfan

Duggie2012 wrote: »

really disappointed ringrose isnt involved. him for marshall?? i mean the guys going to be a superstar, hes just got it. maybe he might get involved in some of the games along the line. what are we waiting for. if hes good enough to start in the Champions Cup hes good enough. END OF.

Luke Marshall is good enough to start in more Champions Cup games so he must be good enoughER

CMOTDibbler

Duggie2012 wrote: »

really disappointed ringrose isnt involved. him for marshall?? i mean the guys going to be a superstar, hes just got it. maybe he might get involved in some of the games along the line. what are we waiting for. if hes good enough to start in the Champions Cup hes good enough. END OF.

Fact!

techdiver

Duggie2012 wrote: »

really disappointed ringrose isnt involved. him for marshall?? i mean the guys going to be a superstar, hes just got it. maybe he might get involved in some of the games along the line. what are we waiting for. if hes good enough to start in the Champions Cup hes good enough. END OF.

This is Ireland not New Zealand! We will get him involved in his mid twenties and will use words like "young" and "breakthrough".

Meanwhile other nations will give youth a shot.

The same for the selection of captain. I have great time for Rory Best and he has been a great servant, but his selection as captain is the same old conservative thinking in Ireland. Clearly we have no eye on building for the future and will be back in 2019 talking about another premature world cup exit and those of us unhappy with it will be labeled as reactionary!

CMOTDibbler

techdiver wrote: »

This is Ireland not New Zealand! We will get him involved in his mid twenties and will use words like "young" and "breakthrough".

Meanwhile other nations will give youth a shot.

The same for the selection of captain. I have great time for Rory Best and he has been a great servant, but his selection as captain is the same old conservative thinking in Ireland. Clearly we have no eye on building for the future and will be back in 2019 talking about another premature world cup exit and those of us unhappy with it will be labeled as reactionary!

So Ultan Dillane (22), Stuart McCloskey (23) and Josh Van der Flier (22) are all in their mid-twenties then?

.ak

Yeah, that's right, ruin ringrose's career by bringing him in too early...

He'll get there lads, patience...

b.gud

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

So Ultan Dillane (22), Stuart McCloskey (23) and Josh Van der Flier (22) are all in their mid-twenties then?

Lets not forget that we kept old man Henshaw (22) rather than the young gun Ringrose (21 next week)

Bazzo

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

So Ultan Dillane (22), Stuart McCloskey (23) and Josh Van der Flier (22) are all in their mid-twenties then?

Robbie Henshaw(22), Kieran Marmion(23), Tadhg Furlong(23) yep, no young players at all in that squad.

techdiver

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

So Ultan Dillane (22), Stuart McCloskey (23) and Josh Van der Flier (22) are all in their mid-twenties then?

I take your point, but would Dillane and VDF be in the squad if there weren't injuries in those areas?

The proof of the pudding will be how many of these "young" players are more than just tackle bag holders.

I would also take the opinion of our greatest ever 13 on what makes a good 13 and whether he should be involved.

b.gud

Bazzo wrote: »

Robbie Henshaw(22), Kieran Marmion(23), Tadhg Furlong(23) yep, no young players at all in that squad.

Paddy Jackson (24), Luke Marshall (24) nope none at all

b.gud

b.gud wrote: »

Paddy Jackson (24), Luke Marshall (24) nope none at all

It's almost like they've gone for some kind of strange mix of youth and experience.

Madness ted.

eclipsechaser

sulberto wrote: »

4 hookers seems a bit excessive!

With his pace, I've always considered Cronin more of a winger

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Were there any suprise omissions?

former total

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Were there any suprise omissions?

Jordi Murphy the biggest omission who is not injured, not really surprising though, he had a good world cup then fell off a cliff.

Dave Kilcoyne next, surprising in that we have four hookers, three tightheads but only two looseheads.

Apart from that, not really.

Faugheen

.ak wrote: »

Yeah, that's right, ruin ringrose's career by bringing him in too early...

He'll get there lads, patience...

Yep, just like O'Driscoll and D'Arcy's career's were shattered by being called up too early.

If he's good enough, he's old enough. Ringrose is certainly good enough.

If Dillane and Van Der Flier are there for the experience, then why isn't Ringrose? If he's going to be our next big thing then surely the experience wouldn't do him any harm.

Hagz

Bringing in Ringrose wouldn't ruin him. But it's a toss up. Is it better for him to experience the Irish training environment or is it better for him to rack up minutes with Leinster? I'm happy with the decision they've made. I think game-time is still the priority with him.

irishbucsfan

Faugheen wrote: »

Yep, just like O'Driscoll and D'Arcy's career's were shattered by being called up too early.

If he's good enough, he's old enough. Ringrose is certainly good enough.

If Dillane and Van Der Flier are there for the experience, then why isn't Ringrose? If he's going to be our next big thing then surely the experience wouldn't do him any harm.

D'Arcy isn't the best example to use...

As long as Ringrose is involved with Leinster and playing then we are fine. Ringrose isn't going to be involved in the matchday XXIII for Ireland. McCloskey could be. I'd much rather they focus on giving McCloskey focus for now while Ringrose continues to develop with Leinster.

It'd be nice to seem him finish out the year starting for Leinster and then maybe travelling down to South Africa

stephen_n

Ringrose may well get experience training with the team, it wouldn't be the first time Leinster players trained as part of an extended squad. He's not ready to be part of the match day 23 yet, the comparisons to BOD do the guy no justice at all.

I wouldn't want ring rose starting against any of the 6 nations teams at wing or center. When I put that way, it's fair enough.

.ak

Yeah, my point wasn't that he's not good enough. He certainly is. But he's not ready for international footy.

We have so many good centres now in the squad, no point in rushing it.

I want to see him cut his teeth against bigger/better players first, another season when T'eo has gone and he'll be in a better place.

molloyjh

Faugheen wrote: »

Yep, just like O'Driscoll and D'Arcy's career's were shattered by being called up too early.

In fairness the game is so hugely different to what it was 16-17 years ago that it's impossible to compare the two. As Hagz said getting Ringrose game time with Leinster is the best for all concerned. I imagine he'll get called up in the summer and we can take it from there. He's only just turned/turning 21 this month and it's not like we're stuck for young centres either.

Bazzo

Faugheen wrote: »

Yep, just like O'Driscoll and D'Arcy's career's were shattered by being called up too early.

If he's good enough, he's old enough. Ringrose is certainly good enough.

If Dillane and Van Der Flier are there for the experience, then why isn't Ringrose? If he's going to be our next big thing then surely the experience wouldn't do him any harm.

And whose expense would his admission be at? All the other centres in the squad have racked up more minutes than him at a higher level and proven themselves. And it's not like they're all old boys being wheeled out, 2 of them are 22 and one is a 24 year old.

Ringrose, if he keeps going as he is, will get plenty of game time with Leinster in the remainder of the season and then in the autumn internationals/next year he'll get involved with the Ireland squad. Exactly as it should be.

molloyjh

Overall I'm happy enough with that squad. No real changes I can think of that I'd make. Best was the obvious choice as captain too. Jordis omission has to based on the fact he's had very little rugby since the RWC as much as it has to do with his form. Although I am surprised at the number of hookers and open sides in there. It also seems that Zebo is our FB cover again which isn't great. And we've quite a bit of 12 cover. I wonder will Joe look to move 1 of those out and Payne back to FB as the tournament goes on?

Blackclaret

Pretty much as expected great to see Dillane get the call up, think O Hallaren is the stand out ommision as RK only there on old form and Zebo........well yeah. TOH twice the player Zebo is.

former total

molloyjh wrote: »

Overall I'm happy enough with that squad. No real changes I can think of that I'd make. Best was the obvious choice as captain too. Jordis omission has to based on the fact he's had very little rugby since the RWC as much as it has to do with his form. Although I am surprised at the number of hookers and open sides in there. It also seems that Zebo is our FB cover again which isn't great. And we've quite a bit of 12 cover. I wonder will Joe look to move 1 of those out and Payne back to FB as the tournament goes on?

I really don't see it happening. Payne is very much first choice 13 and Kearney is nailed on as 15. I think both will start all 5 matches (injury permitting) in those positions.
It would be a major departure in policy for Joe to start tinkering around with things just to see how it pans out.

FB is definitely an area of weakness for us in terms of depth though. Zebo might just need more time there with Munster but he's not up to scratch yet, O'Halloran is not really of the required quality, and Ulster will have Piutau arriving next season.

errlloyd

I would like to see squad rotation against Italy and Scotland at home. There is quite a lot of rotation in the rugby championship we should replicate that.

aimee1

errlloyd wrote: »

I would like to see squad rotation against Italy and Scotland at home. There is quite a lot of rotation in the rugby championship we should replicate that.

I think a lot will depend on the championship situation going into those two games.