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

Larbre34 · 13-11-2020 7:05pm

Looking forward to O'Sullivan marking Heaslip tight, could be a bit of needle, might take Ferris coming in from the flank to clear out.

Burkie1203 · 13-11-2020 7:07pm

Larbre34 wrote: »

Looking forward to O'Sullivan marking Heaslip tight, could be a bit of needle, might take Ferris coming in from the flank to clear out.

The chat so far is fairly reasonable.

Larbre34 · 13-11-2020 7:10pm

Burkie1203 wrote: »

The chat so far is fairly reasonable.

3 mins in!

Nah look they'll disagree about bits and pieces but if there's evidence to make their arguments more power to both of them. I'll listen to any analyst so long and they use evidence and informed opinion.

lawrencesummers · 13-11-2020 7:19pm

My big question tonight is about lowes kicking.

He is lethal with the ball, not the best defender that ever existed but it’s his kicking I will be watching closely.

arsebiscuits1 · 13-11-2020 7:25pm

lawrencesummers wrote: »

My big question tonight is about lowes kicking.

He is lethal with the ball, not the best defender that ever existed but it’s his kicking I will be watching closely.

He has an absolute cannon of a left leg.

Leinster use him for clearance kicks a bit

Dave_The_Sheep · 13-11-2020 7:26pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Ireland v Wales 2018 - some big performances but Sexton was on another level that day, maybe his best game in green:

That was such a frustrating game to watch. We were all over Wales, dominated possession and territory it felt, but every time Wales threatened we let them score. Rarely have I been as satisfied to see a team leave Dublin with zero points.

lawrencesummers · 13-11-2020 7:35pm

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

He has an absolute cannon of a left leg.

Leinster use him for clearance kicks a bit

It’s the accuracy im more interested in.

arsebiscuits1 · 13-11-2020 7:45pm

lawrencesummers wrote: »

It’s the accuracy im more interested in.

Pretty dry and minimal wind. I'm sure he will get some decent touch finders if called upon

Larbre34 · 13-11-2020 8:09pm

Bit of filth, love it.

bilston · 14-11-2020 7:04pm

So what changes are likely ahead of next week?

I would bring Herring, Henderson, Connors and Stander back into the pack.

Aki to come into the backs, I'd keep the back three as it is. I'd also keep JGP at 9.

15 Keenan
14 Conway
13 Henshaw
12 Aki
11 Lowe
10 Sexton
9 Gibson Park
1 Healy
2 Herring
3 Porter
4 Henderson
5 Ryan
6 Doris
7 Connors
8 Stander

Bench
Kelleher, Byrne, Ryan, Roux, O'Mahony, Murray, Burns, Earls

Although I'd be sorely tempted to keep O'Mahony at 6 and Doris at 8!

Burkie1203 · 14-11-2020 7:10pm

bilston wrote: »

So what changes are likely ahead of next week?

I would bring Herring, Henderson, Connors and Stander back into the pack.

Aki to come into the backs, I'd keep the back three as it is. I'd also keep JGP at 9.

15 Keenan
14 Conway
13 Henshaw
12 Aki
11 Lowe
10 Sexton
9 Gibson Park
1 Healy
2 Herring
3 Porter
4 Henderson
5 Ryan
6 Doris
7 Connors
8 Stander

Bench
Kelleher, Byrne, Ryan, Roux, O'Mahony, Murray, Burns, Earls

Although I'd be sorely tempted to keep O'Mahony at 6 and Doris at 8!

2. Kelleher
16. Herring

Sexton I think will miss this one.

thomond2006 · 14-11-2020 7:10pm

Healy, Kelleher, Porter, Roux, Ryan, Stander, Connors, Doris;
Murray, Burns/R Byrne, Lowe, Henshaw, Farrell, Stockdale, Keenan

Herring, Byrne, Bealham, Henderson, POM, JGP, R Byrne/Carty, Earls

bilston · 14-11-2020 8:09pm

Burkie1203 wrote: »

2. Kelleher
16. Herring

Sexton I think will miss this one.

I wasn't taking injuries into account.

I was a bit underwhelmed by Kelleher, but I'm more than happy for him to get a run, I'm just thinking of the 80 minutes itself against England, Id have a bit more faith in Herring's darts. But im not against Kelleher getting a run of games.

OneLungDavy · 14-11-2020 9:40pm

I prefer to see Dorris at 8 simply because he's a playmaking option from the back of scrums. Stander at 6, Connors at 7.

Burkie1203 · 15-11-2020 8:53am

Proper order too

https://twitter.com/JohnBurnsST/status/1327741927933046785?s=19

15-11-2020 12:16pm

OneLungDavy wrote: »

I prefer to see Dorris at 8 simply because he's a playmaking option from the back of scrums. Stander at 6, Connors at 7.

Ditto, Stander at 7 and Dorris at 8 would be my preference.

Feel that once he comes back from injury, Conan will find it tough to get a look in, lack of versatility probably doesn't help either.

Paul Weller · 15-11-2020 12:19pm

Eleanor Flaky Seeker wrote: »

Ditto, Stander at 7 and Dorris at 8 would be my preference.

Feel that once he comes back from injury, Conan will find it tough to get a look in, lack of versatility probably doesn't help either.

As things stand, Conan will have real trouble getting back into the starting side at Leinster

Buer · 15-11-2020 12:50pm

There's a very real chance of POM coming in at 7 if Sexton and/or Henderson is out. It's not a criticism of Connors at all but there's a real leadership void there as well as line out problems which desperately need to be attended to.

I would be asking Connors to spend a lot of time working on his line out work. His athleticism, size and shape makes him an ideal candidate to be an excellent jumping option. He's relatively light and 6'5" yet has little involvement in that area at this time.

theVersatile · 15-11-2020 1:14pm

Buer wrote: »

There's a very real chance of POM coming in at 7 if Sexton and/or Henderson is out. It's not a criticism of Connors at all but there's a real leadership void there as well as line out problems which desperately need to be attended to.

I would be asking Connors to spend a lot of time working on his line out work. His athleticism, size and shape makes him an ideal candidate to be an excellent jumping option. He's relatively light and 6'5" yet has little involvement in that area at this time.

7s by their nature don't usually spend much time in the line out. It's a system thing. If a six man (or anything less) is ever run, they are usually the ones deployed in the scrum half position. Same on defensive line out, tackling sevens like Connor make good tailgunners in the 9 position (or just solid defensive options in the back line all together). Maybe they're missing a trick though, I didn't realise he was so tall.

El_Duderino 09 · 15-11-2020 1:37pm

Paul Weller wrote: »

As things stand, Conan will have real trouble getting back into the starting side at Leinster

He was on great form before he got injured and should have been the starting 8 on form. But his form hasn’t been great since lockdown and Stander has been on great form. Plus the addition of Connors, Doris and POM on good form, I think he will struggle to make the Ireland team and even the Leinster team (with Ruddock on such great form).

I think the teams tend to be picked on old form rather than recent form so he might get the benefit of the doubt. Form comes and goes so I’m not assuming he’s washed-up or anything. We’ll see how he plays when his neck heals and he gets a run of games. But recent form should follow through to selection.

the baby bull elephant · 15-11-2020 1:45pm

Buer wrote: »

There's a very real chance of POM coming in at 7 if Sexton and/or Henderson is out. It's not a criticism of Connors at all but there's a real leadership void there as well as line out problems which desperately need to be attended to.

I would be asking Connors to spend a lot of time working on his line out work. His athleticism, size and shape makes him an ideal candidate to be an excellent jumping option. He's relatively light and 6'5" yet has little involvement in that area at this time.

I know he's listed as 6'5" but anyone I know who's met him in person says he's at most 6'3".

aloooof · 15-11-2020 1:47pm

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

He was on great form before he got injured and should have been the starting 8 on form. But his form hasn’t been great since lockdown and Stander has been on great form. Plus the addition of Connors, Doris and POM on good form, I think he will struggle to make the Ireland team and even the Leinster team (with Ruddock on such great form).

I think the teams tend to be picked on old form rather than recent form so he might get the benefit of the doubt. Form comes and goes so I’m not assuming he’s washed-up or anything. We’ll see how he plays when his neck heals and he gets a run of games. But recent form should follow through to selection.

I'm sensing this post has something to do with form?

El_Duderino 09 · 15-11-2020 1:51pm

aloooof wrote: »

I'm sensing this post has something to do with form?

Yeah it’s the thing the Ireland team talks a great game about using to select players. But they haven’t got form for picking on form.

P.Walnuts · 15-11-2020 2:01pm

Yeah i'm not buying Connors is 6'5

15-11-2020 2:16pm

Buer wrote: »

There's a very real chance of POM coming in at 7 if Sexton and/or Henderson is out. It's not a criticism of Connors at all but there's a real leadership void there as well as line out problems which desperately need to be attended to.

I would be asking Connors to spend a lot of time working on his line out work. His athleticism, size and shape makes him an ideal candidate to be an excellent jumping option. He's relatively light and 6'5" yet has little involvement in that area at this time.

It's an interesting one. Lineout has not gone well against England of late but I also feel that some of POM's most ineffectual performances have also been against England. A lot will hinge on Henderson's availability - any word on what was wrong with him at the weekend?

CMcsporty · 15-11-2020 2:33pm

Buer wrote: »

There's a very real chance of POM coming in at 7 if Sexton and/or Henderson is out. It's not a criticism of Connors at all but there's a real leadership void there as well as line out problems which desperately need to be attended to.

I would be asking Connors to spend a lot of time working on his line out work. His athleticism, size and shape makes him an ideal candidate to be an excellent jumping option. He's relatively light and 6'5" yet has little involvement in that area at this time.

It was ever thus with PO’M re: Lineout and Leadership under Schmidt even with Sexton, Best, SOB & PO’C

So he’s ever more important if Ireland want to prioritise nailing set piece.
Number on back doesn’t matter. it’s what balance Ireland want to strike in a particular game.

Connors has all the qualities to improve but I’m not sure he has PO’M unique vertical spring.

For the purpose of these games leadership is not the priority.
I would persist with Connors In the interest of his development.
VdF is the one I think will loose out come the 6N

El_Duderino 09 · 15-11-2020 2:42pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

...A lot will hinge on Henderson's availability - any word on what was wrong with him at the weekend?

They were cryptic in how they phrased it. They said it was a medical issue but clarified it wasn’t COVID. They didn’t say it was a physical injury picked up in training or anything. I wondered if he came in contact with someone with covid and had to isolate pending tests etc. Was he at the game?

Note: I respect that nobody, player or any other citizen, has to divulge medical information. So I’m happy to wait for an official update when they chose to give one.

molloyjh · 15-11-2020 2:45pm

Its interesting given the complaints about our selection for Wales that England in no way made any real efforts to use the Georgia game as a development opportunity, never mind that Wales went pretty much full strength too. Has anyone used the opening game to give loads of young lads their chance?