Ireland Team Talk XI: Team of nervoUS MOD warning Post 1

PhlegmyMoses

Said it here the other day but Farrell and the provinces are going to have to work on getting some fresh blood on the wings too. Conway and Kearney are smashing players but they will be right up there age wise next World Cup. Earls won't make it either and there are arguments that his wheels are already going right now.

thomond2006

No John Hayes.

I know Buer has something to do with this.

mogwai81

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

Said it here the other day but Farrell and the provinces are going to have to work on getting some fresh blood on the wings too. Conway and Kearney are smashing players but they will be right up there age wise next World Cup. Earls won't make it either and there are arguments that his wheels are already going right now.

I was never Earls biggest supporter but to say his wheels are gone is a bit extreme. He out paced Larmour during the World Cup to make a try saving tackle.

Former Former

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

Very strange call to omit McCloskey.

Another one who's face doesn't, and will never, fit by the looks of it.

Just a case of playing in a position of strength unfortunately.

Utah_Saint

Gutted for big stu... wouldn't be surprised to see him move to England or France for a big payday.

Interested Observer

I'll wait for the first team selection but not really thrilled at t squad. Very worried about the back row. We're all set for the team that failed time and time again in 2019.

prawnsambo

Interested Observer wrote: »

I'll wait for the first team selection but not really thrilled at t squad. Very worried about the back row. We're all set for the team that failed time and time again in 2019.

Why? JvdF, POM and Stander are very experienced. It's time to start bringing in new blood and Deegan and Doris are certainly pushing. Deegan is 23 now, if not now when?

PhlegmyMoses

mogwai81 wrote: »

I was never Earls biggest supporter but to say his wheels are gone is a bit extreme. He out paced Larmour during the World Cup to make a try saving tackle.

I get what you are saying but the 30 and 40 yard stuff isnt necessarily the first to go, more like the 10-20 yard quick darts that tend to go early. Having watched him recently he looks sluggish and off the pace and we all know how quick that goes when it starts. Tommy Bowe is only 35 and his last try for Ireland was 5 years ago at this stage.

Either way, agree or disagree with my assessment of Earls, we need to get some younger wingers in as a priority. Lots of other positions are teeming with prospects that could make the next WC but nobody really jumps out from a winger perspective.

Interested Observer

prawnsambo wrote: »

Why? JvdF, POM and Stander are very experienced. It's time to start bringing in new blood and Deegan and Doris are certainly pushing. Deegan is 23 now, if not now when?

I'm worried he's going to pick POM, VdF and Stander. I don't care how experienced they are.

AbusesToilets

Interested Observer wrote: »

I'm worried he's going to pick POM, VdF and Stander. I don't care how experienced they are.

Pretty solid odds on that. The fact POM was selected pretty much guarantees it. Shocking

Trevorclever

How many 6 nations games has Ruddock started? Don't know where he's got his reputation from, not a top level player in my opinion. McCloskey the big omission, can safely rule out a more expansive game plan I think.

AbusesToilets

Trevorclever wrote: »

How many 6 nations games has Ruddock started? Don't know where he's got his reputation from, not a top level player in my opinion. McCloskey the big omission, can safely rule out a more expansive game plan I think.

How many games has POM started and been **** in? Don't know where he's got his reputation from.

Interested Observer

Trevorclever wrote: »

How many 6 nations games has Ruddock started? Don't know where he's got his reputation from, not a top level player in my opinion. McCloskey the big omission, can safely rule out a more expansive game plan I think.

I'm going to go for more than McCloskey has.

Does anyone remember that time we were all convinced there was something romantic going on between Ruddock and POM?

I think it was phog who first pointed it out.

yerrahbah

https://www.the42.ie/andy-farrell-ireland-squad-six-nations-4967095-Jan2020/

Some quotes from Farrell in there

Interesting line in there about Ruddock from Murray

"Ruddock was among the players to receive a much-dreaded phone call from Farrell before this squad was announced and has been challenged to step his form onto another level as he works to get back into the mix"

mogwai81

PhlegmyMoses wrote: »

I get what you are saying but the 30 and 40 yard stuff isnt necessarily the first to go, more like the 10-20 yard quick darts that tend to go early. Having watched him recently he looks sluggish and off the pace and we all know how quick that goes when it starts. Tommy Bowe is only 35 and his last try for Ireland was 5 years ago at this stage.

Either way, agree or disagree with my assessment of Earls, we need to get some younger wingers in as a priority. Lots of other positions are teeming with prospects that could make the next WC but nobody really jumps out from a winger perspective.

I definitely agree with younger wingers being brought in, I’d start Baloucoune ahead of Earls. I just wouldn’t drop Earls due to a lack of pace.

Squidgy Black

mogwai81 wrote: »

I definitely agree with younger wingers being brought in, I’d start Baloucoune ahead of Earls. I just wouldn’t drop Earls due to a lack of pace.

Balacoune won't be a part of match day squads, the development players are generally just there to be in the training camps. England do it quite regularly and call them "apprentices".

Trevorclever

AbusesToilets wrote: »

How many games has POM started and been **** in? Don't know where he's got his reputation from.

He's been class for Ireland. Maybe not on best form but has far more ability than Ruddock.

Trevorclever

Interested Observer wrote: »

I'm going to go for more than McCloskey has.

McCloskey is younger and has high potential. Ruddock not so much.

Interested Observer

yerrahbah wrote: »

https://www.the42.ie/andy-farrell-ireland-squad-six-nations-4967095-Jan2020/

Some quotes from Farrell in there

Interesting line in there about Ruddock from Murray

"Ruddock was among the players to receive a much-dreaded phone call from Farrell before this squad was announced and has been challenged to step his form onto another level as he works to get back into the mix"

You'd wonder what's expected of him then. If Farrell is honestly basing the squad on form (hint - he isn't) then there's absolutely no case for POM over Ruddock.

molloyjh

Trevorclever wrote: »

How many 6 nations games has Ruddock started? Don't know where he's got his reputation from, not a top level player in my opinion. McCloskey the big omission, can safely rule out a more expansive game plan I think.

Ruddock was one of the only back rows to actually perform during the RWC. Every time he has been called up for Ireland he has delivered. I'm not sure why he has been left out, but he definitely has reason to feel hard done by. As has McCloskey.

Sinbad_NI

Former Former wrote: »

Just a case of playing in a position of strength unfortunately.

I have a dream, that one day we'll actually play the guys who are performing the best.

AbusesToilets

Trevorclever wrote: »

He's been class for Ireland. Maybe not on best form but has far more ability than Ruddock.

0 tackles against Wales during the last 6N iirc.

Class indeed

Former Former

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

I have a dream, that one day we'll actually play the guys who are performing the best.

Well, Henshaw has been playing well, haven't seen much of Aki since RWC to be honest but he's proven quality. McCloskey needed to be picked in addition to these two, displacing one of them was a big ask.

prawnsambo

Interested Observer wrote: »

I'm worried he's going to pick POM, VdF and Stander. I don't care how experienced they are.

It's up to the younger lads to unseat them then. And they have that opportunity now.

Bridge93

Trevorclever wrote: »

McCloskey is younger and has high potential. Ruddock not so much.

McCloskey is 28 in August, he's hardly a youngster who should be talked about in potential terms. He should be at his peak. He's only a year and a half younger than Ruddock. Both should've been picked.

Trevorclever

molloyjh wrote: »

Ruddock was one of the only back rows to actually perform during the RWC. Every time he has been called up for Ireland he has delivered. I'm not sure why he has been left out, but he definitely has reason to feel hard done by. As has McCloskey.

Who did Ruddock play against?

Trevorclever

AbusesToilets wrote: »

0 tackles against Wales during the last 6N iirc.

Class indeed

Man of the match in an unbelievable display when beating New Zealand.

Class!

Trevorclever

Bridge93 wrote: »

McCloskey is 28 in August, he's hardly a youngster who should be talked about in potential terms. He should be at his peak. He's only a year and a half younger than Ruddock. Both should've been picked.

Ruddock is 30 in November. McCloskey is at his peak, gives us something we don't have in his position. Ruddock does not.

molloyjh

Trevorclever wrote: »

Who did Ruddock play against?

I get the point you are trying to make, but even against weak opposition he was a stand out. And then rest of my point was around all his other appearances. The guy is in very good form, performing as well as anyone selected and better in some cases. And every time hes been asked to step up to Test level hes done so and performed well. Unless you can dispute any of this (and I cant see how you can) then it's hard to conclude anything other than him being hard done by. Especially when one of the guys ahead of him has struggled for form at any level for over a year.