Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

Tox56 · 13-05-2012 1:06pm

There's a difference between not playing well, and not hitting his "previous extremely high standards," if that is indeed what he said.

irishbucsfan · 13-05-2012 1:10pm

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Tell that to BOD, who clearly doesn't have a clue about these things...

The way BOD said it you could see he thought the notion of him not playing well was completely ridiculous, which it is.

Suits · 13-05-2012 7:56pm

Given how the weekend panned out I wonder what this means for the tour to NZ? Can Kidney justify selecting players like DOC ahead of Ryan for example? Will he take Tomas O'Leary?(wouldnt surprise me actually as he seems to not be aware TOL is rubbish). The chatter in NZ is that they have given us 3 tests on the strength of performance of Leinster in Europe, but we could get hammered if Kindey plays a team that is "under par" from that standard.

I may be speaking with my Leinster hat on but from what I can see there are players on the Munster side that are not up to International rugby on current form, yet they are selected. Earls is great in the Rabo, but in the top tier HEC games and internationals he looks out of his depth and is a defensive weakness wherever he plays for Ireland as was shown by Priestland in the World Cup. For me a fit Luke Fitz in the absence of a fit BOD is better than Earls at 13. On current top tier form I would find it very hard to see a Munster players beyond O'Connell and Ryan who can positively demand a green jersey ahead of another player.
Leinster have the front row sewn up, and the back row in O'Brien, Heaslip plus Ferris. Half backs must be Reddan and Sexton as they are the form pair without a doubt as I think Connor Murray blew it in the 6 nations. After the 6 nations I would have questioned D'arcy but he has been on song for Leinster in the HEC and himself and BOD seem the obvious choice of centres. Kearney, Trimble and Bowe would be 1st choice at the back but with Bowe out perhaps Earls may get my vote if Luke isnt fit, but I'd be looking for a better defensive performance and if he didnt deliver he would have to be dropped.

If we're going to play the All Blacks and win we have to play our best team. But Kidney seems to pick the same players over and over. Again I may have my Leinster hat on, but I dont see why we dont put out the Leinster team with the foreign positions of 2(Best),4(Ryan)5(O'Connell),6(Ferris),and 14(Bowe) slotted in. However we rarely see that team picked, but if we did I think we would be stronger for it.

Podge_irl · 13-05-2012 8:02pm

You have your Leinster hat on.

emmet02 · 13-05-2012 8:05pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

You have your Leinster hat on.

AAAAND Fitz isn't available to tour. Neck surgery.

phog · 13-05-2012 8:12pm

Haven't read any of the posts since I last posted pre match, bar the one above which is about team selection for ths tour to NZ.

Anyway, hugely disappointed with the result and the performance, probably worse than our loss in the H/Cup Q/f to Scarlets a few years back, less of a drumming but still a huge diappointment for team and the fans. We recovered from that and went on the win the H/cup the following year and I've no doubt that we'll recover from Friday night.

We were without doubt 2nd to the Ospreys in all aspects of the game but the try just before halftime and the penalty immediately afterwards was the death knell for us, a mountain too high. Had we gone in at halftime just 6 points down and we socre next then anything was possible but once we turned over that ball and they ran the length of the field to get the try our goose was almost cooked.

Suits · 13-05-2012 8:15pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

You have your Leinster hat on.

But with the greatest of respect they could go to NZ with European and Rabo Medals on.
The harsh reality for Munster is that there are very few players in their squad that are performing well consistently at European/International level, but they are still picked ahead of players from other provinces who are in better form. It's a sad fact that Earls hasnt played well for Ireland against any team in the world's top 8. At present Earls along with some others are Rabo standard and not capable to stepping up.
If Fitz is unavailable I would play Earls(pn the wing..he's failed for ireland at 13), but if he puts on a display like he usually does someone else will have to be picked...perhaps Zebo!

Monty Burnz · 13-05-2012 8:20pm

Suits wrote: »

At present Earls along with some others are Rabo standard and not capable to stepping up.

Credibility = zero.

irishbucsfan · 13-05-2012 8:23pm

Criticising Earls is SOOOO 2011

emmet02 · 13-05-2012 8:28pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Criticising Earls is SOOOO 2011

2010 imo, was our best back in the 2011 6N

ray jay · 13-05-2012 8:30pm

phog wrote: »

We were without doubt 2nd to the Ospreys in all aspects of the game but the try just before halftime and the penalty immediately afterwards was the death knell for us, a mountain too high. Had we gone in at halftime just 6 points down and we socre next then anything was possible but once we turned over that ball and they ran the length of the field to get the try our goose was almost cooked.

I don't think it would have made a difference in the same way the Keatley try didn't - the Ospreys were just so much better than Munster that a more even scoreline at half time wouldn't have changed the result.

Suits wrote: »

It's a sad fact that Earls hasnt played well for Ireland against any team in the world's top 8. At present Earls along with some others are Rabo standard and not capable to stepping up.
If Fitz is unavailable I would play Earls(pn the wing..he's failed for ireland at 13), but if he puts on a display like he usually does someone else will have to be picked...perhaps Zebo!

This is straight up false and the fact that you'd suggest Zebo would be the next most likely winger to be picked shows you don't know much about players' form.

Cpt_Blackbeard · 13-05-2012 8:30pm

Suits wrote: »

But with the greatest of respect they could go to NZ with European and Rabo Medals on.
The harsh reality for Munster is that there are very few players in their squad that are performing well consistently at European/International level, but they are still picked ahead of players from other provinces who are in better form. It's a sad fact that Earls hasnt played well for Ireland against any team in the world's top 8. At present Earls along with some others are Rabo standard and not capable to stepping up.
If Fitz is unavailable I would play Earls(pn the wing..he's failed for ireland at 13), but if he puts on a display like he usually does someone else will have to be picked...perhaps Zebo!

Just to humour you for a minute.

Any chance you could name these Munster players - that are in contention for the Irish squad - who are unable of stepping up from Rabo level?

ray jay · 13-05-2012 8:57pm

On the Breakdown earlier, one of the lads suggested Madigan should be the second out half behind Sexton on the New Zealand tour. I wonder if that'll get any traction in the press this coming week.

thomond2006 · 13-05-2012 8:59pm

ray jay wrote: »

On the Breakdown earlier, one of the lads suggested Madigan should be the second out half behind Sexton on the New Zealand tour. I wonder if that'll get any traction in the press this coming week.

The general media will find it hard to turn against ROG. While I wouldn't call ROG a "media darling", his outspokenness (if that's a word) makes great press for them.

CatFromHue · 13-05-2012 9:03pm

I'm not sure how much of a benefit for Madigan will there be in touring with Ireland. He won't get any game time except for injury and then his season won't start until a few weeks after the Rabo starts next season. If he tours he could effectively not start a game until next October which would mess him about.

ROG was very poor on Friday night though.

Fireball07 · 13-05-2012 9:11pm

I think most people realise this, but Earls is actually playing really well atm. I think he's improving as a player all the time.

MLC61 · 13-05-2012 9:17pm

Earls was the only Irish player that came out of Friday nights match with his reputation unblemished. Before he has let games pass him by, but he was continually looking to get involved.
I still think his best position is wing.

Clegg · 13-05-2012 9:20pm

Earls has improved massively as a centre but I still wouldn't have him as BODs eventual successor. He's a very good wing and his try scoring record at the World Cup proved that.

I think Eoin Griffin could be a very good centre in a few years time. He needs that opportunity to play against good opposition though. Thats why I'm glad that Connacht have gotten into next years Heineken Cup.

Tox56 · 13-05-2012 9:25pm

There is an Irish 13 not called Brian playing in a HEC Final next week you know! I'm still convinced Cave should get a chance. If he was up against Conrad Smith it would be a good test of his credentials, they are similar players with an almost identical physique.

TheKeenMachine · 13-05-2012 10:15pm

Suits wrote: »

Given how the weekend panned out I wonder what this means for the tour to NZ? Can Kidney justify selecting players like DOC ahead of Ryan for example? Will he take Tomas O'Leary?(wouldnt surprise me actually as he seems to not be aware TOL is rubbish). The chatter in NZ is that they have given us 3 tests on the strength of performance of Leinster in Europe, but we could get hammered if Kindey plays a team that is "under par" from that standard.

I may be speaking with my Leinster hat on but from what I can see there are players on the Munster side that are not up to International rugby on current form, yet they are selected. Earls is great in the Rabo, but in the top tier HEC games and internationals he looks out of his depth and is a defensive weakness wherever he plays for Ireland as was shown by Priestland in the World Cup. For me a fit Luke Fitz in the absence of a fit BOD is better than Earls at 13. On current top tier form I would find it very hard to see a Munster players beyond O'Connell and Ryan who can positively demand a green jersey ahead of another player.
Leinster have the front row sewn up, and the back row in O'Brien, Heaslip plus Ferris. Half backs must be Reddan and Sexton as they are the form pair without a doubt as I think Connor Murray blew it in the 6 nations. After the 6 nations I would have questioned D'arcy but he has been on song for Leinster in the HEC and himself and BOD seem the obvious choice of centres. Kearney, Trimble and Bowe would be 1st choice at the back but with Bowe out perhaps Earls may get my vote if Luke isnt fit, but I'd be looking for a better defensive performance and if he didnt deliver he would have to be dropped.

If we're going to play the All Blacks and win we have to play our best team. But Kidney seems to pick the same players over and over. Again I may have my Leinster hat on, but I dont see why we dont put out the Leinster team with the foreign positions of 2(Best),4(Ryan)5(O'Connell),6(Ferris),and 14(Bowe) slotted in. However we rarely see that team picked, but if we did I think we would be stronger for it.

Bowe is out for the summer tour

WeeBushy · 14-05-2012 11:20am

Provisional squad for the tour to NZ is being announced at lunchtime today, according to Newstalk.

Seph503 · 14-05-2012 11:23am

WeeBushy wrote: »

Provisional squad for the tour to NZ is being announced at lunchtime today, according to Newstalk.

So that'll be what...50 players thereabouts?

That's the usual provisional squad we get, tells us absolutely nothing.

CatFromHue · 14-05-2012 11:24am

Seph503 wrote: »

So that'll be what...50 players thereabouts?

That's the usual provisional squad we get, tells us absolutely nothing.

It could just be one squad that covers both the BaaBaa game and the tour.

Seph503 · 14-05-2012 11:29am

CatFromHue wrote: »

It could just be one squad that covers both the BaaBaa game and the tour.

Forgot about the BaaBaa's! Still though, you'll see the likes of Gilroy, Jackson, O'Malley, etc. thrown in who haven't a hope of travelling.

EDIT: Just saw O'Malley is out because of injury, but the point still applies

siltirocker · 14-05-2012 11:31am

I heard the announcement is being delayed by a day.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 14-05-2012 11:33am

Seph503 wrote: »

Forgot about the BaaBaa's! Still though, you'll see the likes of Gilroy, Jackson, O'Malley, etc. thrown in who haven't a hope of travelling.

EDIT: Just saw O'Malley is out because of injury, but the point still applies

Nah Jackson will be going to South Africa for the U20s so he won't be named in the provisional squad.

irishbucsfan · 14-05-2012 1:00pm

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Seph503 wrote: »

Forgot about the BaaBaa's! Still though, you'll see the likes of Gilroy, Jackson, O'Malley, etc. thrown in who haven't a hope of travelling.

EDIT: Just saw O'Malley is out because of injury, but the point still applies

Nah Jackson will be going to South Africa for the U20s so he won't be named in the provisional squad.

You never know, he might play against the Baabaas? When do they fly out to SA?

its_phil · 14-05-2012 1:03pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

You never know, he might play against the Baabaas? When do they fly out to SA?

I really can't imagine that kidney will pluck the U20's playmaker and captain for an entire week for what really is a meaningless game, when the U20'S have their own important preparations to deal with.

bilston · 14-05-2012 1:10pm

Seph503 wrote: »

Forgot about the BaaBaa's! Still though, you'll see the likes of Gilroy, Jackson, O'Malley, etc. thrown in who haven't a hope of travelling.

EDIT: Just saw O'Malley is out because of injury, but the point still applies

I'd hope Gilroy has some chance of travelling. With Fitz (definitely) and Bowe (probably) out he should be quite high up the list to replace one or other irrespective of what the pecking order was during the 6Ns.

dtpc191991 · 18-05-2012 7:32pm

Team I'd like to see next World Cup

1. Healy
2. Strauss
3. Loughney
4. Ryan
5. Touhy
6. Ferris (C)
7. O'Brien
8. Henry
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Earls
12. L.Marshall
13. Cave
14. Fitzgerald
15. R.Kearney
16. Cronin
17. Ross
18. Toner
19. O'Mahony
20. P.Marshall
21. Madigan
22. D.Kearney

Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

Comments