Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread III

Fireball07 · 21-01-2015 9:18pm

tommyteetoes wrote: »

mahony could move to seven and diack or muldoon could come in at 6 for Italy

Don't see that as being better than TOD or Murphy. In fact, I see it as a level below tbh.

tommyteetoes · 21-01-2015 9:37pm

Fireball07 wrote: »

Don't see that as being better than TOD or Murphy. In fact, I see it as a level below tbh.

you could be right but I think O Mahony is our best 6 and now because of injuries our best 7.
Muldoon and Diack are big men who would do a job at 6 in the short term.

Interested Observer · 21-01-2015 9:44pm

tommyteetoes wrote: »

you could be right but I think O Mahony is our best 6 and now because of injuries our best 7.
Muldoon and Diack are big men who would do a job at 6 in the short term.

Diack is way underpowered for international rugby imo.

aimee1 · 21-01-2015 9:47pm

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

I wouldn't be so quick to shunt POM out of position. He was Ireland's best player in 2014 and has made the 6 jersey his own. Henderson is a great talent, but he isn't a great player yet. Murphy shouldn't be involved on the bench.

POM has to be at 6.

On what basis should Murphy not be involved? Henderson is only just back from injury. Murphy has played quite well the last 2-3 games and is getting better week on week

Fireball07 · 21-01-2015 9:48pm

tommyteetoes wrote: »

you could be right but I think O Mahony is our best 6 and now because of injuries our best 7.
Muldoon and Diack are big men who would do a job at 6 in the short term.

That may be true, but I think both others are better 7s than those two are 6s. None of them are in the same league as POM, but in the circumstances, I think I'd prefer to keep POM at 6. Tbh I think 7 is Murphy's weakest position of the 3 back row positions.

tommyteetoes · 21-01-2015 9:55pm

Interested Observer wrote: »

Diack is way underpowered for international rugby imo.

His no more under powered than TOD or Murphy

Teferi · 21-01-2015 9:57pm

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

I wouldn't be so quick to shunt POM out of position. He was Ireland's best player after Andrew Trimble in 2014 and has made the 6 jersey his own. Henderson is a great talent, but he isn't a great player yet. Murphy shouldn't be involved on the bench.

FYP.

tommyteetoes · 21-01-2015 9:57pm

Fireball07 wrote: »

That may be true, but I think both others are better 7s than those two are 6s. None of them are in the same league as POM, but in the circumstances, I think I'd prefer to keep POM at 6. Tbh I think 7 is Murphy's weakest position of the 3 back row positions.

I agree with you that O Mahony is our best 6 but if O Brien and Ruddock stay injured, could u imagine Murphy or TOD at 7 against England. not a good thought

total former · 21-01-2015 10:01pm

Diack? Very unlikely. Muldoon? Absolutely no chance, quite literally zero.

b.gud · 21-01-2015 10:06pm

I think I recall Muldoon saying recently that his international career was over. He didn't officially retire or any but he said the chances of him playing again for Ireland were pretty much 0

tommyteetoes · 21-01-2015 10:12pm

b.gud wrote: »

I think I recall Muldoon saying recently that his international career was over. He didn't officially retire or any but he said the chances of him playing again for Ireland were pretty much 0

thats a pity if true, hes only 32, and could if selected for Ireland have a good 6 nations.

Teferi · 21-01-2015 10:15pm

b.gud wrote: »

I think I recall Muldoon saying recently that his international career was over. He didn't officially retire or any but he said the chances of him playing again for Ireland were pretty much 0

You can't retire from international rugby if you've signed a contract for an Irish province anyway.

Tox56 · 21-01-2015 10:15pm

Teferi wrote: »

FYP.

Sexton? He was a MOTM contender in literally every match we played last year except v England, the only one we lost

aimee1 · 21-01-2015 10:19pm

Tox56 wrote: »

Sexton? He was a MOTM contender in literally every match we played last year except v England, the only one we lost

Trimble, Sexton, Murray, POM were the best 4 players for Ireland in the 6n and in the year overall Murray was our best player IMO.

Zzippy · 21-01-2015 10:24pm

Teferi wrote: »

You can't retire from international rugby if you've signed a contract for an Irish province anyway, and you're Irish or Irish qualified.

FYP

salmocab · 21-01-2015 10:29pm

I reckon with injuries and the world cup this year Joe will pick someone likely to be in the WC squad to start v Italy, probably Murphy at 7 along with POM and JH who are pretty nailed on.

S12b · 21-01-2015 10:58pm

Look Muldoon is a legend of Connacht rugby but he's simply not good enough for international level, and that's coming from a Connacht fan.

The simple thing to do is leave POM at 6 and pick one of TOD or Jordi for 7. A few weeks back I would have said TOD 100%, he was having a good run and was by far the best backrower on the pitch against Leinster Stephen's Day....he completely out played Murphy who was put on his arse about 3 times in that game. But Jordi seems to have found some form in his last few games so right now, there's very little between them.

Just to throw a spanner in the works, Conan to have a stormer against Wasps, play for the Wolfhounds and have another great game and get picked at 6 for the Italy game with POM moving to 7. In some ways, this would give us a more conventional backrow with a big ball carrier at 6 with a smaller guy who is good on the floor at 7.

Now I know that would be a shock and I'm sure the idea will be shot down by most, fair enough.....but I simply don't accept the idea that a backrow of O'Mahony, TOD/Jordi, Heaslip is significantly better than a backrow of Conan, POM, Heaslip. People may throw out the experience card but neither Murphy or TOD have any experience worth talking about.........anyways, it's just a thought!!

wp_rathead · 22-01-2015 12:52am

S12b wrote: »

Look Muldoon is a legend of Connacht rugby but he's simply not good enough for international level, and that's coming from a Connacht fan.

The simple thing to do is leave POM at 6 and pick one of TOD or Jordi for 7. A few weeks back I would have said TOD 100%, he was having a good run and was by far the best backrower on the pitch against Leinster Stephen's Day....he completely out played Murphy who was put on his arse about 3 times in that game. But Jordi seems to have found some form in his last few games so right now, there's very little between them.

Just to throw a spanner in the works, Conan to have a stormer against Wasps, play for the Wolfhounds and have another great game and get picked at 6 for the Italy game with POM moving to 7. In some ways, this would give us a more conventional backrow with a big ball carrier at 6 with a smaller guy who is good on the floor at 7.

Now I know that would be a shock and I'm sure the idea will be shot down by most, fair enough.....but I simply don't accept the idea that a backrow of O'Mahony, TOD/Jordi, Heaslip is significantly better than a backrow of Conan, POM, Heaslip. People may throw out the experience card but neither Murphy or TOD have any experience worth talking about.........anyways, it's just a thought!!

Couldn't handle the boards meltdown if Joe picked Conan over TOD :pac:

CatFromHue · 22-01-2015 1:18am

I don't think Conan even played for the Leinster A's when Schmidt was in charge.

.ak · 22-01-2015 1:20am

CatFromHue wrote: »

I don't think Conan even played for the Leinster A's when Schmidt was in charge.

He did yeah. No senior caps though, afaik.

Sanjuro · 22-01-2015 7:58am

Anybody know what time the squad announcement is at?

Interested Observer · 22-01-2015 8:11am

wprathead wrote: »

Couldn't handle the boards meltdown if Joe picked Conan over TOD :pac:

It would be beautiful.

Cosmo Kramer · 22-01-2015 9:03am

Zzippy wrote: »

You can't retire from international rugby if you've signed a contract for an Irish province anyway, and you're Irish or Irish qualified.

Is this written into every player's contract? Does that mean that if Stander is called up this time next year he has no choice but to accept (I know he has said he wants to play anyway) and by extension if Heenan signs a contract extension does that mean he is then obliged to declare for Ireland as soon as he is called on?

Podge_irl · 22-01-2015 9:20am

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

Is this written into every player's contract? Does that mean that if Stander is called up this time next year he has no choice but to accept (I know he has said he wants to play anyway) and by extension if Heenan signs a contract extension does that mean he is then obliged to declare for Ireland as soon as he is called on?

I can't see any way that would be enforceable (it would almost certainly be against IRB regs) and I highly doubt its true.

It would be a different matter for already capped players. I've heard similar before but I kind of always assumed it only referred to centrally contracted players.

Swiwi. · 22-01-2015 9:58am

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

Is this written into every player's contract? Does that mean that if Stander is called up this time next year he has no choice but to accept (I know he has said he wants to play anyway) and by extension if Heenan signs a contract extension does that mean he is then obliged to declare for Ireland as soon as he is called on?

No. They have a choice. Incarceration, bread & water, and One Direction piped in 24 hours a day, or they can play for Ireland. Most choose Ireland.

Neil3030 · 22-01-2015 10:03am

Conan needn't neccesarily light it up against wasps to warrant a start against italy. I'd more be looking at how wasps' defence react to him. Do they put extra men in his channel on first phase, etc. If he's consistently creating space he gives us something that none of our fit backrows really give us, especially with his offloads.

Clearlier · 22-01-2015 10:10am

Podge_irl wrote: »

I can't see any way that would be enforceable (it would almost certainly be against IRB regs) and I highly doubt its true.

It would be a different matter for already capped players. I've heard similar before but I kind of always assumed it only referred to centrally contracted players.

I seem to remember Hump the elder retiring from international rugby while still playing for Ulster. Centrally contracted players not being allowed to retire from international rugby makes sense. Provincially contracted players much less so although it's obviously possible.

vienne86 · 22-01-2015 10:12am

Sanjuro wrote: »

Anybody know what time the squad announcement is at?

Not a sign of it on the IRFU website, which is unusual. Must be a low key affair.

22-01-2015 10:14am

Murray injury is to a disc in his neck issue apparently.

...He also said that Conor Murray is a doubt for Sunday’s Champions Cup dead rubber against Sale because of a disc problem in his neck...

Neil3030 · 22-01-2015 10:15am

vienne86 wrote: »

Not a sign of it on the IRFU website, which is unusual. Must be a low key affair.

Well in fairness it will be joe schmidt listing off every Irish qualified player currently under 40 and not missing a limb.

Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread III

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