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Pick your ideal Irish team (looking to the future)

  • 04-02-2008 1:30am
    #1
    ozt9vdujny3srf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,152 ✭✭✭


    For a bit of fun, pick your ideal irish team with 1 eye on development for the next world cup while still being able to win 2-3 games a season in the 6 nations. Provide reasons for your picks.

    15. Girvan Dempsey
    14: Rob Kearney
    13: Andrew Trimble
    12: Brian O'Driscoll
    11: Tommy Bowe
    10: Ronan O'Gara
    9: Eoin Reddan
    8: Jamie Heaslip
    7: Shane jennings
    6: Denis Leamy
    5: Donncha O'Callaghan
    4: Paul O'Connell
    3: John Hayes
    2: Jerry Flannery
    1: Marcus Horan
    Subs:
    Cian Healy: As soon as John Hayes begins to flag, bring him on. I'd go so far as to say at 50 mins the latest.
    Johnathan Sexton: If O'Gara is having an off day or Ireland are way ahead, sub him in. Important to at least have him training with O'Gara a good bit. I reckon paddy wallace is too old to be blooding up to international standard, and he hasn't really been on top form at ulster.
    Chris Keane: Again, Play him when we can. I think he's better then Guy Easterby - should have played over guy in the heineken. Not at the standard of stringer, but stringer is too old.
    Murphy: If Ireland need a bit more creativity, bring him on. But with time to make a difference, not 5 minutes to go.
    Luke Fitzgerald: Great backup for a number for positions. If trimble isn't firing bring him on.
    Tony Buckley: On for horan at 50.
    Head Coach: Declan Kidney,

    Backs: Alan Gaffney



    I lost my original post which was longer, had a complete subs bench and reasons for every pick. I guess my selections were obvious though. Only thing I'm not sure of is a decent young second rower to slot in.

    As an aside, taking into accunt current player availability - Jackman for Flannery, O'Kelly for O'Connell and


    Edit: WARNING LEINSTER BIAS DETECTED.


Comments

  • #2
    Podge_irl
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 28,119 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    Archer Sweet Boomerang wrote: »
    Cian Healy: As soon as John Hayes begins to flag, bring him on. I'd go so far as to say at 50 mins the latest.
    Tony Buckley: On for horan at 50.

    Other way round (Healy is a loosehead and Buckley is primarily a tighthead). I'd say Healy is a bit raw for international rugby yet (though frankly, Horan isn't that much better). Not a lot of options at LH though, but Buckley covers grand from the bench for now.
    Head Coach: Declan Kidney

    If you're looking to the future than that's the last thing we want. I'm probably labouring the point at this stage, as I keep bringing it up, but Kidney is a horribly conservative coach wrt selection - as bad as O'Sullivan - I don't understand the infatuation with him. He does many a thing people criticise EOS for, he just has a better team to work with (with regard to the level they are at).
    Chris Keane: Again, Play him when we can. I think he's better then Guy Easterby - should have played over guy in the heineken. Not at the standard of stringer, but stringer is too old.

    I think he's a bit useless personally. Takes a bloody age to pass the ball and has a very time-consuming passing style. Don't think he is all the young either is he? Horrible shame that Willis has yet to re-capture his form post shoulder reconstruction. Hopefully he'll get back to where he was, but for now Stringer is the only real option.


    First team looks very good though, would have no complaints with that. I would be of the opinion that it is about the best team we could field now regardless of looking to the future or not. Young second rower would be one of Donncha Ryan or Ryan Caldwell I guess, whichever can nail down a starting spot first (Donncha Ryan may need to move for that). Damn shame Sexton injured himself too, as I think he would have been in there ahead of Wallace this 6 Nations (though I still don't think he would have gotten game time as he's not really ready).


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