Your extended squad for the 6 Nations?

Amazotheamazing

Okay, it kicks off in 3 weeks, so far this season what players have called for inclusion in the Irish squad for this 6 nations, and if you've left high profile players out, why have you?

Props: Best, Hayes, Horan, FitzPatrick,

Hookers: Best, Flannery

Locks: O'Callaghan, O'Connell, O'Driscoll, O'Kelly,

Backrow: Easterby, Foley, Gleeson, Jennings*, Leamy, O'Connor, Wallace

Scrumhalf: Campbell, Reddan, Stringer

Outhalf: Humphreys*, O'Gara, Staunton

Wings: Bowe, Hickie, Horgan, Lewis

Centre: D'Arcy, O'Driscoll, Trimble

Fullback: Dempsey, Murphy.

*denotes possible injury.


Ok, in the front row I've dropped Corrigan and Byrne, one because he's past it at provincial level, and one because he's struggling for his game in England. I've included FitzPatrick because he can play either side, and Hayes for his work in the setpieces for Munster.

In the second row I haven't included McCullough, Casey or Brennan, McCullough because he hasn't recovered from a disasterous November game against Aus and is a penalty machine, Casey because in O'Connell and O'Kelly we all ready have players who match his versatility, and Brennan because we are building for a World Cup he is likely to be too old for, O'Callaghan is included (luckily) purely on Lions form, in the hope he can show again his ability, O'Driscoll because he can play 6 or 8 as well as being a great lineout option.

Backrow: Gleeson has found some form, and Wallace has been immense for Munster (ie in the first 10 minutes against Castres he put in 2 move stopping tackles), Easterby has been very effective for Llanetli, Jennings has been the signing of the season for Leicester and deserves his chance, O'Connor is the incumbant. Foley and Leamy are having only ok seasons but their challengers haven't stepped up. I didnt consider Miller because he's struggling to get his game with Leinster, Heaslip hasn't impressed enough to demand a cap since since early December.

Scrumhalves, Reddan gets the nod for keeping Dawson on his toes at Wasps, Campbell edges out Boss in my view becasue he is more consistent, Stringer is there because he is the incumbant.

Outhalves, O'Gara obviously, Humphreys obviously, Staunton (despite my reservations) because Humphreys may not be fit, and is in any case getting too old to play in the World Cup

Wings + Centres, several players can play either wing or centre, eg D'Arcy, Lewis and Trimble, added to this is the Leinster backs abilty to interchange has really made titles like first or second centre indeterminate. Also Murphy has played most of this seson on the wing.

Fullback, no denying Dempsey's form, Murphy is the incumbant.



I suppose it's a straight enough squad, Kearney hasn't been considered because of his lack of games since Hickie came back, Heaslip because he has had a quiet December, followed by a quiet Jan. O'Leary, B. Murphy and Dowling are still untested by a top class side, and there is several players already deservedly ahead of them. I would have liked to have found a place for Duffy but it was his decision to stay with Harlequins and play in Div 1 in England. Bracken hasn't shown enough to suggest he is ahead of any other props. Wilson suffers from Ulster's exit from Europe.

I don't deny it is a Munster biased squad, and some players like Best (the flanker) would be hard done by. Admittedly, the backrow probably lacks a lineout ability, but you'd have to hope that O'Kelly and O'Connell could compensate for that. Boss wasn't included due to differing form for Ulster

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

legspin

I think the lack of replies shows the paucity of rugby talent here. The only positions for which there is true competition are hooker and the back row. Everything else is more or less sown up

kermitdfrog

I'd love to sit down and answer properly but snowed under in work, so just a quick reply WRT to Kearney and Heaslip. I would agree Heaslip has a quiter few games, but onnly by his own, high, standards, and he's still the form Irish eight, and exactly what we need ( a ball carrying backrower - he was second only to Chabal for carries coming up to last weekend in the HEC). And Kearney was not dropped - he retained his place for one game with Hickie on the bench, he was injured for the next 2 games, and was on the bench for the last. So was only benched once, when comign back from injury.

I disagree with legspin about the paucity of talent - we've genuine competition in most position except a few critical ones (scrumhalg, flyhalf and prop) and while we don't have workd class competition in some of the others (hooker), there is competition there. Other positions (lock, backrow, all of the outside backs) have huge competition for places and some class options there.

I will try to reply better this evening with both my preferred squad (no JOC, bring in Wallace, Jennings, Gleeson - and that's just the backrow!) and discuss the announced squad (2.30pm today) but too busy now.... Looking forward to seeing the squad this afternoon though

Amazotheamazing

I'm aware that Heaslip has a high numbers of carries, but against Glasgow, Bath and Bourgoin, none of whom possess the backrow comparable to a 6n's side (Scotland and Italy aside). He's one for the future, but he isn't there yet.

I'm probably being unfair to Kearney, but he isn't ready for internationalduty yet either.

Should both players be on the fringes of the squad? Probably, but I've chosen players who could play at an international level this season, not players who will be first-teamers next season. (Half-backs aside). If i was to extend the squad to 40+, I'd have Heaslip, Miller, Kearney, O'Leary, Duffy, Keane, Casey, N. Best, Bracken (maybe), and Wilson.

Players like Kearney and Heaslip (imo) will go straight from provincial level to first team, without spending too much time on the fringe or bench for Ireland, but aren't there yet. All the players I've listed above should have a reasonable chance of winning a starting place for Ireland for this 6n's, some players like O'Driscoll and O'Gara are obviously already certainities.

Downtime

Squad is:

Forwards (19):
Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Simon Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Shane Byrne (Saracens)
Reggie Corrigan (Greystones/Leinster)
Simon Easterby (Llanelli)
Anthony Foley (Shannon/Munster)
Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)
John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster)
Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
Shane Jennings (Leicester)
Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Johnny O’Connor (Wasps)
Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Malcolm O’Kelly (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)

Backs (16): Club Caps
Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster)
Guy Easterby (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Denis Hickie (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)
Shane Horgan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
David Humphreys (Dungannon/Ulster)
Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
John Kelly Cork (Constitution/Munster)
Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
Brian O’Driscoll (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution)
Eoin Reddan (Wasps)
Jeremy Staunton (Wasps)
Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

legspin

Ummm, I was bemoaning the lack of true competition. There will always be a skirmish to see who gets what places, but tbh I would say we all know who is going to be where really. I mean, who else other than Hayes are we going to play TH, or POC and M O'Kelly for 2nd row, and the majority of the places are the same.

I hope I am proven wrong, I really do.