The future of irish rugby

chupacabra

Its sunday and im bored, so how about a good ol fashioned prediction thread on what the future irish XV (or 22) will be.

Here's my take,:

1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best
3. Tony Buckley
4. Donnacha Ryan
5. Devin Toner
6. Stephen Ferris
7. David Pollock
8. Jamie Heaslip

9. Tomas O'Leary
10. Ian Keatley (He'll have a big summer this year)
11. Luke Fitzgerald
12. Darren Cave
13. Keith Earls
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Rob Kearney

16. Sean Cronin
17. Bryan Young
18. Ryan Caldwell
19. Sean O'Brien
20. Cillian Willis
21. Johnny Sexton
22. Johne Murphy

Feel free to rip it to shreds if you are so inclined.

Robbo

Throw in Brett Wilkinson in the front row and you're more or less spot on.

thomond2006

chupacabra wrote: »

Feel free to rip it to shreds if you are so inclined.

No way, you're pretty much on the ball. Though doubt George Hook would agree with you including Tommy "No Pace " Bowe on the wing. :p

SOB instead of Pollock for me, but come on Sexton instead of Ian Humphreys??

ScholesyIsGod

I wouldnt put Tony Buckley anywhere near an Irish jersey ever again, what good is a prop that is utterly hopeless in the scrum.

chupacabra

thomond2006 wrote: »

No way, you're pretty much on the ball. Though doubt George Hook would agree with you including Tommy "No Pace " Bowe on the wing. :p

SOB instead of Pollock for me, but come on Sexton instead of Ian Humphreys??

I see Pollock as a potential captain, his leadership in the pack is superb and the more leaders the better.

Chucky the tree

tony buckley is 28 so hardly the future, but if he is we're ****'d.

bren2002

Felix Jones too

twinytwo

chupacabra wrote: »

Its sunday and im bored, so how about a good ol fashioned prediction thread on what the future irish XV (or 22) will be.

Here's my take,:

1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best
3. Tony Buckley
4. Donnacha Ryan
5. Devin Toner
6. Stephen Ferris
7. David Pollock
8. Jamie Heaslip

9. Tomas O'Leary
10. Ian Keatley (He'll have a big summer this year)
11. Luke Fitzgerald
12. Darren Cave
13. Keith Earls
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Rob Kearney

16. Sean Cronin
17. Bryan Young
18. Ryan Caldwell
19. Sean O'Brien
20. Cillian Willis
21. Johnny Sexton
22. Johne Murphy

Feel free to rip it to shreds if you are so inclined.

While Earls and Cave are excellent players, i dont see them being as good as Drico and D'arcy were in their prime.:(

Just thinking.... The boots that some of the younger guys will have to try and eventually fill......

big dan

D'arcy could be around for a long while yet if he can stay injury free.

bamboozle

think Leamy is only 25 or 26

Paul O'Donoghue & Keatley will be Irish Half-backs.

if we're looking for a speedster on the wing Keating on the U20's is the man

Timothy Bryce

Fergus McFadden too

twinytwo

Anyone think the irfu should try and coax Hession over to rugby...... he would be faster than Habana... 10.33 compared to 11 secs

From watching Darren Cave he is an out an out 13,hes like Mortlock he runs good lines hard and direct.

Whatever about Earls best position,Cave could only play 13 imo.

I would also question Fitzgeralds position,a wing he is clearly not.
The Kiwis thought he would make a good 12 from when he played them.

Earls and Fitz are not wings but imo earls would be more effective on the wing than Fitz.So who knows where they all would end up.

The rest of the selection looks good though,apart from Buckley.

velocirafter

twinytwo wrote: »

Anyone think the irfu should try and coax Hession over to rugby...... he would be faster than Habana... 10.33 compared to 11 secs

didnt the usa do that with Ngwenya, he ended up outrunning habana on the wing to score a wonder try at the world cup

Diom

Yeah Wilkinson should make the squad instead of Mushy.

twinytwo

Leroy Nutritious Prize wrote: »

From watching Darren Cave he is an out an out 13,hes like Mortlock he runs good lines hard and direct.

Whatever about Earls best position,Cave could only play 13 imo.

I would also question Fitzgeralds position,a wing he is clearly not.
The Kiwis thought he would make a good 12 from when he played them.

Earls and Fitz are not wings but imo earls would be more effective on the wing than Fitz.So who knows where they all would end up.

The rest of the selection looks good though,apart from Buckley.

He is a better wing than he is a 12 so..... ya

chupacabra

Leroy Nutritious Prize wrote: »

From watching Darren Cave he is an out an out 13,hes like Mortlock he runs good lines hard and direct.

Whatever about Earls best position,Cave could only play 13 imo.

I agree to an extent, but i wouldnt switch the 2 either, a 12 earls is not and Caves all around game is superior to Earls's, defence and distribution especially.

twintytwo wrote:

Anyone think the irfu should try and coax Hession over to rugby...... he would be faster than Habana... 10.33 compared to 11 secs

Ive always said this, he has the height and the build too, but i doubt it. Irish athletes care only about no. 1

chupacabra

OOPS, didnt mean to double post.

LeeroyJones

velocirafter wrote: »

didnt the usa do that with Ngwenya, he ended up outrunning habana on the wing to score a wonder try at the world cup

Ngwenya wasn't a sprinter who was coaxed into playing rugby, he grew up playing rugby in Zimbabwe and he subsequently moved to the USA where he continued to play.
Dwain Chambers on the other hand was a sprinter who converted to rugby league and was a flop. In todays game you need more than just pace to make it professioanlly, never mind playing at international level.

Also, in rugby its pace over 30 metres which is important for wingers, i think i remember a couple of years ago hearing Girvan Dempsey was the quickest at Leinster over 100m, but it was Hickie who was quickest over 30m.

Diom

chupacabra wrote: »

Ive always said this, he has the height and the build too, but i doubt it. Irish athletes care only about no. 1

Paul's a nice man, not at all conceited. I think his problem with playing rugby would be that he doesn't play rugby. Not sure if he ever has, but certainly not since starting college, and I doubt it before then as he only developed his build through training for inter-varsities and the like. Why would he risk injuring himself for something he may never be any good at?

twinytwo

Diom wrote: »

Paul's a nice man, not at all conceited. I think his problem with playing rugby would be that he doesn't play rugby. Not sure if he ever has, but certainly not since starting college, and I doubt it before then as he only developed his build through training for inter-varsities and the like. Why would he risk injuring himself for something he may never be any good at?

Habana isnt that good either......

Chucky the tree

er, maybe he just doesnt like rugby?

rapture 3

my god,take it easy on Buckley,he s had injury after injury,and does no one remember his slap down on mr.shaw,......;) for Munster of coarse.

Sangre

chupacabra wrote: »

Ive always said this, he has the height and the build too, but i doubt it. Irish athletes care only about no. 1

Unlike Irish fans of course :rolleyes:

twinytwo

twinytwo wrote: »

He is a better wing than he is a 12 so..... ya

I dissagree tbh.

His talents are more suited to the middle of the pitch and his distribution is good enough.
He is also miles ahead of the other youngsters in his defence.

themont85

rapture 3 wrote: »

my god,take it easy on Buckley,he s had injury after injury,and does no one remember his slap down on mr.shaw,......;) for Munster of coarse.

Tony Buckley's problems with fitness go way beyond injuries, thats well known down in Munster anyway.

Tony Buckley even when 100% fit is a disgraceful scrummager for a man of his size.At the age he is now I would be surprised if he ever gets a good run for Munster or Ireland.