Ireland team to face Romania named.

Downtime

Welcome back Leo Cullen, goodbye ROG and Strings. No place for Brennan.

IRELAND TEAM AND REPLACEMENTS TO PLAY ROMANIA (Sat, Nov 26, Lansdowne Road, kick-off 12.30pm):
15 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester), DOB: 19/04/78, Caps: 33
14 – Shane Horgan (Leinster – Lansdowne), 18/07/78, 39
13 – Andrew Trimble (Ulster – Ballymena), 20/10/84, 1
12 – Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster – Lansdowne), 10/02/80, 14
11 – Tommy Bowe (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins), 22/02/84, 5
10 – David Humphreys (Ulster – Dungannon), Captain, 10/09/71, 71
9 – Kieran Campbell (Ulster – Dungannon), 06/07/79, 2
1 – Marcus Horan (Munster – Shannon), 07/09/77, 32
2 – Shane Byrne (Saracens), 18/07/71, 40
3 – Simon Best (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins), 11/02/78, 9
4 – Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster – Cork Constitution), 23/03/79, 18
5 – Leo Cullen (Leicester), 09/01/78, 17
6 – Neil Best (Ulster – Belfast Harlequins), 03/04/79, 1
7 – Johnny O'Connor (Wasps), 09/02/80, 9
8 – Denis Leamy (Munster – Cork Constitution), 27/11/81, 5
Replacements:
16 – Jerry Flannery (Munster – Shannon), 17/10/78, -
17 – John Hayes (Munster – Bruff), 02/11/73, 56
18 – Mick O’Driscoll (Munster – Cork Constitution), 08/10/78, 2
19 – Simon Easterby (Llanelli), 21/07/75, 44
20 – Peter Stringer (Munster – Shannon), 13/12/77, 60
21 – Ronan O'Gara (Munster – Cork Constitution), 07/03/77, 54
22 – Girvan Dempsey (Leinster - Terenure College), 02/10/75, 60


Is it possible that this could be the last time an irish team trots out (and makes a show of themselves) on the sacred Lansdowne surface? Considering the IRFU are very much in doubt whether the N Terrace will be fixed after recent damage and the possibility that the 6 Nations may be played in Croker or somewhere else and the recent application for planning permission we might never see an Irish team in lansdowne (as it is) again.

RuggieBear

shane byrne......why?

D Humphreys...why?

JuliusFranco

this is just f'ing great:mad:
no lewis or kearney on the friggin bench even!
a few changes sure but can't see why not more...are we afraid of romania or something?

brennan wasn't even in the training squad

an other thing..there will be no rugby in croker next year

Miley

Flannery should be starting instead of Byrne and Bob Casey was always better than Cullen. Brennan should definitely been given a chance for these internationals and it would of been no harm giving David Wallace a run out either. Its hard to understand O'Sullivans thinking of late :mad:

Downtime

RuggieBear wrote:

shane byrne......why?

D Humphreys...why?

Leo Cullen ... why?
Tommy Bowe ... why?
Mick O'Driscoll ...why?

Surely this was the best chance to give Kearney, Heaslip, Bob Casey, Wallace, a shot in the green?

youcancallmeal

Leo Cullen is an excellent choice. Far superior player than McCulloch and more experienced than casey. It makes sense

Hippo

Apparently he's had a big falling out with Wallace, which is of course no reason to exclude him from the team if he's good enough. On the other hand, the back row was the only relatively successful area of the team v Australia.

Nukem

Downtime wrote:

Surely this was the best chance to give Kearney, Heaslip, Bob Casey, Wallace, a shot in the green?

Exactly. What the hell no Flannery,people have put him down and he has fronted up everytime.Byrne is over the hill.
Campbell at last but then again too late IMO should have been last week.
Where are th two wingers from Leinster??????

What about blooding a new out half sharpish*
Brennan should at least have got a look in:mad:

All in all- Eddie you w@nker

Downtime

Unsteady's own thought's

http://www.rugby.ie/news/breaking.asp?b=231462

PowerHouseDan

D Humphreys...why indeed. He fked up last weekend twice....
I thought john Kelly got called up?

Downtime

youcancallme>al wrote:

Leo Cullen is an excellent choice. Far superior player than McCulloch and more experienced than casey. It makes sense

Would have gone with Casey - true Cullen has played 12 more times in the green than Casey but then again Casey has had far more 1st team action, played 70 top level gmaes for London Irish in 3 seasons and is one of the top second rows in the UK. Personal prefernce though.

Last week McCullough looked like it was his first time on a rugby pitch.

Downtime

PowerHouseDan wrote:

D Humphreys...why indeed. He fked up last weekend twice....
I thought john Kelly got called up?

Kelly did but just to the training squad. Humpty set up two excellent and well taken tries last week.

PowerHouseDan

Did he?so Causing two tries makes up for it...O gara's Tackling has improved alot.... He handling ball handling is one of the best in the team. Fair enough he line kicking wasnt great at the start, but as he started getting into his game he was taken off.....

Downtime wrote:

Kelly did but just to the trining squad. Humpty set up two excellent and well taken tries last week.

youcancallmeal

Downtime wrote:

Last week McCullough looked like it was his first time on a rugby pitch.

True and he's not even over 6ft playing at lock?
Some may argue its not about height but just look at other top sides second row players and you'll be hard stuck to find anyone under 6ft.

Hippo

ROG has had two really poor games in a row, Humpy not much better....who is the third option?

PowerHouseDan

I didnt see the Nz game so cant comment on him, but apart from the kicking(Yes i no his main job) he played well....Humpy should of been shot after the match....2Nd choice for Munster is Burke he is a good player tbh..

Hippo wrote:

ROG has had two really poor games in a row, Humpy not much better....who is the third option?

Funkstard

I was expecting WAY more experimentation, but still I'm glad to see Campbell is starting at 9, Kearney & Lewis should be in there somewhere though

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

PowerHouseDan

Dave surprised you have nothing to say about O Gara Dropped and Hump starting remember not so long ago we agreed to Disagree who was the better player..

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

PowerHouseDan

I dont think anyone thinks he is a Good tackler just alot better than he was in my views anyway..... Hump maybe more fancy passing but O Gara passing has been excellent lately..And if i was to be honest i say O Gara might of missed the tackle if it was the other way around...Hump passing maybe good but for the other team.....He gifted them the other try...

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

GreenHell

Hippo wrote:

ROG has had two really poor games in a row, Humpy not much better....who is the third option?

Paddy Wallace
Staunton
Andy Dunne

I know I'm missing someone, anyway all the above players could use experience with the international squad. EOS is a spanner, sooner he is gone the better. Its not a question of fielding experience in the autumn internationals its about trying out new players were we have little depth or aging players. Games against the AB's and the Aussies would have brought on the next generation of green shirts for the 6 nations and world cup. No disrespect to the Romanians but if the game hits Parker Pen standards I'll be amazed.

Downtime

GreenHell wrote:

Paddy Wallace
Staunton
Andy Dunne

Staunton :eek:

What about Niall Malone - playing excellent stuff for Irish? Edit - was thinking of Barry Everitt

SparkyLarks

The problem with pickinghunphry and byrne is that neither will be playing in the world cup.

so assuming Rogand Frankie are 1st choice for the world cup then what if one get's injured.

Staunton is probably the front runner , he should be getting game time.
Ralph Keyes may have been able to go into a world cup with only 1 internatinal cap to his credit and come out the top scorer at the world cup but that;s not going to happen any more, we need to be testing out new players.

Give flannery/ Staunton or even manning the nod.

Why even have Stringer onthe bench? they could have given another guy a spot there

Wallace not being picked, it's just one of those things that noone knows why, I think it;s the 4th secret of fatima.

Second rows Casey and Micko are the top two performing lock at the moment.
Cullen is on the bench for Leicester most weeks

What's the point in playing Donnacha, we know what he can do.
ditto
Horgan
murphy
even Leamy and O'Conner

Hippo

GreenHell wrote:

Paddy Wallace
Staunton
Andy Dunne

Couldn't agree more about Andy Dunne, a wonderful natural talent, but what kind of first team action is he getting at the moment? Staunton and Wallace haven't put in a decent game between them in the last couple of seasons....

GreenHell

Staunton should have been carted off to leinster as soon as ROG became king pin in munster, bad resource management really. Look what Matt Williams did for D'arcy, pains me to say that.

There are plenty of players that could make the squad for the world cup but are getting no game time.

Staunton is being groomed as Alex Kings replacement, started for wasps last weekend, didn't see the game but they won.

RuggieBear

GreenHell wrote:

Staunton should have been carted off to leinster as soon as ROG became king pin in munster, bad resource management really.

i've been saying that for years and the abuse i got off Munster "fans" was unbelievable

Miley

Barry Everit? Saw him play last friday.
At least he's steadier than Staunton

Amazotheamazing

Copied from another site.

"Prior to RWC 2003 EOS toyed with playing G. Murphy at outhalf, he may have played a half there against Italy in Thomond Park. The following week he broke his leg and the idea died with his world cup hopes. This led to P.Wallace being included in the squad, Thornley at the time mentioned he produced the most "sublime" piece of skill... in training, EOS never gave him gametime. Wallace has never recovered from then, his career has been almost all been spent on the bench or at fullback. This summer he tried to get out of his contract and move club, he wasn't allowed. Meanwhile Steenson waits (and wastes?) in the AIL.

Staunton on the other hand was touted as highly as Kearney currently is, he was brought (but didn't play) on tour to Aus when he was 18/19. Kidney refused him a move to Saracens (he had scored in the HEC against them the previous year) but rather played him at fullback, he never got a game at outhalf for Munster while O'Gara was fit, basically he spent 3 years waiting for a chance Kidney would never give him. Any games he has played for Munster at 10 was behind their "B" pack. He finally moved after Gaffney cited fullback and not centre (??) as Munster's problem position. He has only played one full season at outhalf, for Harlequins last year. He is a good goalkicker but his overall game needs more work, more experience. He has all the ability but none of the experience (some would say rather he has no footballing mind). The started for Wasps last Sunday, but that has been his only significant gametime all season (not including Wasps A).

I'd love to see all 3 of the above outhalves, Wallace, Steenson and Staunton fulfill their potential."

A brief history of what has happened to Ireland's options at outhalf.

Snickers Man

Downtime wrote:

Staunton :eek:

What about Niall Malone - playing excellent stuff for Irish?

Who? Not the Niall Malone who played for Leicester and got a few caps at outhalf in the early 90s? Without much distinction?

He must be 40 if he's a day.

Amazotheamazing

Barry Everitt plays for London Irish, he was born in Tipperary, has played for Garryowen and Munster, Lansdowne and Leinster, moved to London in 2000. A great kicker, highest points kicker last year I think. Never really been connected with the Irish squad, not sure why.

There's a Malone playing outhalf for Bath but he's english.

Downtime

Snickers Man wrote:

Who? Not the Niall Malone who played for Leicester and got a few caps at outhalf in the early 90s? Without much distinction?

He must be 40 if he's a day.

Apologies, was thinking of Everitt

CCOVICH

O'Sullivan has implied that Paul Burke would be his third choice at OH. He's 32, and had his day at international level. Why not throw someone like Dunne, Everitt or Staunton (although I do think he's been tried and found wanting in the past) in against Romania? All three have significant top level experience so would be unlikely to 'freeze' against a second rate side like Romania at a 60% full Landsdowne Road.

Agree as well that there is no point having Stringer on the bench (same way there was no point in giving him so much game time in Japan). Give someone else a chance. We'll need three scrum halfs for the RWC anyway, right?

The only justification I can give for starting Byrne is that he's not getting his game at Saracens and so needs all the competitive rugby he can get. Apparently Eddie has had a word with Bob Casey and told him what he needs to work on. I guess Eddie knows best..........

Trimble at 13 is an odd choice

Buer

Deleted User wrote: »

Trimble at 13 is an odd choice

Young Trimble has played the vast majority of his rugby at 12 and 13 for Ulster. Went ok at 13 last weekend against Australia too.

I can see him excelling on the wing in future though.

Tommybojangles

Great to see humphs getting a start. The competition at 10 is very healthy but unfortunately once Humphreys moves on I dont see anyone challenging ROG for as long as hes around.

Tommybojangles

Tommybojangles wrote: »

Great to see humphs getting a start. The competition at 10 is very healthy but unfortunately once Humphreys moves on I dont see anyone challenging ROG for as long as hes around.

If in a few years another province produced a promising young 10 I wonder which of the two would turn out to be better.

We should have a detailed and highly antagonistic chat about it.

All hypothetical of course.

connemara man

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