is bracken good enough to prop for Ireland

7mountpleasant

Just wondering with the world cup coming up and the lack of cover available , does anyone reckon that Bracken is up to test standard?

Amazotheamazing

Considering how short we are for genuine options, I'd say he's almost certain to travel, should he get enough gametime. He was doing very well until Vickery returned for Wasps.

Another contender, though extremely unlikely, is Mike Ross (formerly of Cork Con, now with Harlequins), he's currently injured but had impressed so far for Quins.

bugler

I have seen him play twice over the past couple of weeks, albeit as a replacement this weekend versus Newcastle. He's a very erratic scrummager. First game out he bulldozed Gethin Jenkins a couple of times, got buckled inwardson-top of his hooker another few times, and was penalised for slipping his bindings at least once (I suspect more).

The second time (this weekend) he came on for Vickery early in the second half. He didn't go great in the scrum against a poor Newcastle front row, and again was penalised for a binding offence. He also got binned with 10 minutes left.

EOS does not rate him. Ulster has a stranglehold on the TH back up. S Best if he recovers well should be next in line. Tom Court was chosen for the A side too. Hopefully Young will be slotting in at LH by the end of this year.

Amazotheamazing

bugler wrote:

I have seen him play twice over the past couple of weeks, albeit as a replacement this weekend versus Newcastle. He's a very erratic scrummager. First game out he bulldozed Gethin Jenkins a couple of times, got buckled inwardson-top of his hooker another few times, and was penalised for slipping his bindings at least once (I suspect more).

The second time (this weekend) he came on for Vickery early in the second half. He didn't go great in the scrum against a poor Newcastle front row, and again was penalised for a binding offence. He also got binned with 10 minutes left.

EOS does not rate him. Ulster has a stranglehold on the TH back up. S Best if he recovers well should be next in line. Tom Court was chosen for the A side too. Hopefully Young will be slotting in at LH by the end of this year.

Bracken toured to NZ and Aus this summer, albeit in Bests absence. EOS presumably rates him since he has been included in the squad meetings since then.

bugler

He toured to NZ because there was no other TH available. Best was out long-term, the other props were with the A side for the CC.

Who else would he have taken? They were talking about getting Reggie Corrigan back to play TH!

If they didn't take Bracken they had to select someone of AIL/provincial development standard.

In Hayes and Best's absence in the training squad, the two tightheads were Bracken and Court. Once Hayes and Best are back and fit, well, the blanks are easy to fill in.

Amazotheamazing

bugler wrote:

He toured to NZ because there was no other TH available. Best was out long-term, the other props were with the A side for the CC.

Who else would he have taken? They were talking about getting Reggie Corrigan back to play TH!

If they didn't take Bracken they had to select someone of AIL/provincial development standard.

In Hayes and Best's absence in the training squad, the two tightheads were Bracken and Court. Once Hayes and Best are back and fit, well, the blanks are easy to fill in.

Actually, Bracken was never in the A squad becuase of a rumoured falling out with a provincial coach, he was deemed better than any on the A squad and was brought straight up to senior level. Every player who toured with Ireland in the SH is closer the Irish first team than those in the Churchill Cup, imo.

I'm not saying he's great or anything, but he is EOS' plans. I think he could do a job for Ireland, he's had a few very good games for Wasps, course, a lot depends on both Hayes and Best's form.

bugler

Well, I disagree.

I expect to see him vanish from the international scene once the full complement are back. He won't be helped by the fact that if Vickery stays fit he will very definetly be a bench player at his club.

Bracken was in the same position as Staunton over the SH tour. He was picked more by default due to a lack of options. Neither were ever getting near the test side.

In addition to this, B Young can cover TH.

Amazotheamazing

bugler wrote:

Well, I disagree.

I expect to see him vanish from the international scene once the full complement are back. He won't be helped by the fact that if Vickery stays fit he will very definetly be a bench player at his club.

Bracken was in the same position as Staunton over the SH tour. He was picked more by default due to a lack of options. Neither were ever getting near the test side.

In addition to this, B Young can cover TH.

Considering Vickery is approaching the end of his career and I don't think Bracken is even 30 yet there's still time for him to get capped, and he'll have the one of the best props in the GP to learn off.

Staunton did actually get another cap on the summer tour, so I guess he got pretty close to the test side. EOS wouldn't waste even a bench spot on the player he didn't want there.