Ireland A v Scotland A 5/02/10 kick off 7.30pm

dreamer_ire

Here's the squad Kidney has announced for Friday's game against the Scots. I'm gutted that Boss is named! Horan included which must mean Healy is starting against Italy. Also a little dissapointed to see Chris Henry in the A squad rather than benching for the Italian match.

Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)
Nigel Brady (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster)
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster)
Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)
Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
Ian Humphreys (Ballymena/Ulster)
Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Ian Keatley (Galwegians/Connacht)
Keith Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Johne Murphy (Leicester Tigers)
Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)

http://www.irishrugby.ie/283_19568.php

danthefan

A hooker and backrow have to be added to that squad.

WeeBushy

Ross, Buckley and Horan in the squad... Who will be the sub prop against Italy?
Tom Court?

Also pity that Boss is in the squad, was hoping he was in with a shout against Italy.

gavkm27

No Wallace,hope Keatly gets a run

Podge_irl

WeeBushy wrote: »

Ross, Buckley and Horan in the squad... Who will be the sub prop against Italy?
Tom Court?

Also pity that Boss is in the squad, was hoping he was in with a shout against Italy.

Court - he was the bench prop for all of the last 6N.

I can't ****ing believe that Carr has been dropped and Dowling remains there. That's beyond ridiculous. It is, in fact, one of the stupidest selection decisions I have ever seen. I also can't believe TOL and Reddan are ahead of Boss.

_blank_

Is that supposed to be 5/02/10?

thomond2006

Podge_irl wrote: »

I can't ****ing believe that Carr has been dropped and Dowling remains there. That's beyond ridiculous. It is, in fact, one of the stupidest selection decisions I have ever seen.

I can't believe it either.

Kidney must not rate Carr at all.

Podge_irl

thomond2006 wrote: »

I can't believe it either.

Kidney must not rate Carr at all.

Is Carr injured?

thomond2006

Podge_irl wrote: »

Is Carr injured?

Don't know, only logical reason that he would left out.

However Carr has been left out in the cold before.

dreamer_ire

Des wrote: »

Is that supposed to be 5/02/10?

Sorry Des, yeah it is... *joke about living in the past*

If you wouldn't mind changing it that would be great. Thanks

_blank_

easily done

The link in your post isn't working either

thomond2006

Is this on TV?

Dave Joyce

I didn't see the match but from reading the comments on here I thought that Gavin Duffy also had a good game and no sign of him in the squad as well as Fionn Carr:mad:.

d-gal

I presume this means that they are deciding between Muldoon and O'Brien for the bench spot of the 22 vs Italy?
Same with Fogarty/Croinin/Best for the hooker?

kilasser

thomond2006 wrote: »

Is this on TV?

Yes but only on BBC Interactive on sky. This can be viewed by pressing red button on BBC 1.
Info here http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/tv_and_radio/5345480.stm

Sangre

d-gal wrote: »

I presume this means that they are deciding between Muldoon and O'Brien for the bench spot of the 22 vs Italy?

I'd say there is no deciding. It will be SOB.

outwest

i think ferris may be a boubt, so muldoon might be there as cover, disapointed with this, duffy and carr both had good games and dropped dowling has a poor game and still gets his spot, i hope keatley starts, humps is to old to make it at an higher level,

thomond2006

outwest wrote: »

i think ferris may be a boubt, so muldoon might be there as cover, disapointed with this, duffy and carr both had good games and dropped dowling has a poor game and still gets his spot, i hope keatley starts, humps is to old to make it at an higher level,

He's only 27.

Digifriendly

kilasser wrote: »

Yes but only on BBC Interactive on sky. This can be viewed by pressing red button on BBC 1.
Info here http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/tv_and_radio/5345480.stm

This makes it very difficult to record. You cannot use full facilities of Sky+ to do this and have to manually record. Pity BBC2 NI weren't covering this.
BTW mistake regarding Nigel Brady's club - should be Dungannon and not Belfast Harlequins.

Podge_irl

Humphs is too poor to make it at a higher level, not too old.

I can't imagine Muldoon is in contention for the senior squad at all. Kev will start if Ferris is out with SOB on the bench either way. One of Kev/Muldoon will play for the As depending on the Ferris situation.

anonymous_joe

Podge_irl wrote: »

Humphs is too poor to make it at a higher level, not too old.

I can't imagine Muldoon is in contention for the senior squad at all. Kev will start if Ferris is out with SOB on the bench either way. One of Kev/Muldoon will play for the As depending on the Ferris situation.

Dunno about too poor.

Watching the A's game, the player Humphries reminded me most of was actually one Spencer, Carlos.

Not for a second equating the two, or any silliness, but Humphries is all flair, all exciting little chips, steps and passes. He's actually an astonishingly talented out-half. He's just quite poor at controlling a game not to mention defending.

bamboozle

Podge_irl wrote: »

Is Carr injured?

Carr's treatment is pathetic, a young winger scoring trys for connacht cant get a look in whereas Ian Dowling playing most of his rugby at 12 this season for Shannon gets the nod.

Last season Fionn Carr scored more trys than Barry Murphy, Dennis Hurley and Dowling but all three of them got selected and capped on North American tour.

Honestly, what logic is there in playing someone who is in his late 20's and cant get his game for his province ahead of younger better players????

Brewster

One or two strange ones there... Chris Henry should be in the senior squad at this stage IMHO. I don't know what Boss has to do, he has been playing better than Reddan this year and was sure he would get a bench spot against Italy.

PhatPiggins

thomond2006 wrote: »

He's only 27.

Sure but he's playing exactly the same as he did 5 years ago i.e with all the same strenghts and weaknesses.

thehighground

Brewster wrote: »

One or two strange ones there... Chris Henry should be in the senior squad at this stage IMHO. I don't know what Boss has to do, he has been playing better than Reddan this year and was sure he would get a bench spot against Italy.

The 6Ns is only starting - plenty of time for players to pick up injuries, not play well, be dropped. Boss will get a chance. The fact that the game is being played in Ravenhill might have something to do with a couple of those getting a game in the 'A's this weekend.

buck65

Maybe Carr got promoted?

danthefan

buck65 wrote: »

Maybe Carr got promoted?

He didn't.

outwest

duffy should still be in the squad, only full back there that has played there this season, hurley is there as a winger because that were he has been playing very well at this moment in time,

i lossing faith in kidney, he is not using the A team to develop the young talent, fair enugh horan needs the game time, nut mod has no right still being there, and carr should still be there,

thehighground

outwest wrote: »

duffy should still be in the squad, only full back there that has played there this season, hurley is there as a winger because that were he has been playing very well at this moment in time,

i lossing faith in kidney, he is not using the A team to develop the young talent, fair enugh horan needs the game time, nut mod has no right still being there, and carr should still be there,

Its Johne Murphy who is keeping Carr out, not MOD. MOD is there to captain the team.

Duffy got a game last weekend. Murphy can play fullback.

Micky Dolenz

outwest wrote: »

i lossing faith in kidney, he is not using the A team to develop the young talent, fair enugh horan needs the game time, nut mod has no right still being there, and carr should still be there,

Jezz, it's not like he lead Ireland to a Grand Slam/Churchill Cup and a first Undefeated Calendar year in modern Irish rugby history.

Podge_irl

thehighground wrote: »

Its Johne Murphy who is keeping Carr out, not MOD. MOD is there to captain the team.

I'm pretty sure they were separate comments. In fairness, Bossy or Horan could captain that team. Ryan should really be there ahead of MOD, MOD is never going to play for Ireland again. Also if Carr isn't injured than its an absurd decision to leave him out.

Zzippy

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Jezz, it's not like he lead Ireland to a Grand Slam/Churchill Cup and a first Undefeated Calendar year in modern Irish rugby history.

That's irrelevant, although losing faith in Kidney is a bit over the top. But A games should be there to have a look at up and coming players, with a view to developing a squad with enough depth to really compete at the World Cup in 2011. Keeping Dowling in the squad when a) we already know how good/bad (delete as appropriate) he is, and his limitations; b) when he played absolute rubbish last week and c) when Carr was infinitely superior last week and should be looked at again at this level, is a joke.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Kidney, but I think he has his favourites and thats a weakness. We need to build a big squad and develop the depth in that squad to have good cover in all positions. Yet he persists with Buckley and Dowling, two players who have had more than enough chances and have proven they are not good enough.

Micky Dolenz

Zzippy wrote: »

That's irrelevant, although losing faith in Kidney is a bit over the top. But A games should be there to have a look at up and coming players, with a view to developing a squad with enough depth to really compete at the World Cup in 2011. Keeping Dowling in the squad when a) we already know how good/bad (delete as appropriate) he is, and his limitations; b) when he played absolute rubbish last week and c) when Carr was infinitely superior last week and should be looked at again at this level, is a joke.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Kidney, but I think he has his favourites and thats a weakness. We need to build a big squad and develop the depth in that squad to have good cover in all positions. Yet he persists with Buckley and Dowling, two players who have had more than enough chances and have proven they are not good enough.

It is far from irrelevant. We live in an age where the here and now is very important. What would be said of a coach who was losing and saying "I am building for the future". No doubt Kidney is building for the future and winning. Having an unbeaten year is a massive thing for a squad of players, confidence is all important when you need people to compete.

Kidney has done enough to prove he knows exactly what he is doing. I wouldn't doubt that.

SomeFool

I seem to remember Carr going down akwardly tackling Cato at the end of the last game so I'm guessing he's injured, can't see any other reason why he'd be left out for Dowling.

thehighground

SomeFool wrote: »

I seem to remember Carr going down akwardly tackling Cato at the end of the last game so I'm guessing he's injured, can't see any other reason why he'd be left out for Dowling.

I'd say the quota of wingers are filled (Bowe, Horgan, Trimble, Earls & Johne Murphy at the moment) not to mention Fitzy and Geordan Murphy to come back.

Is Carr any better than any of them - that is who he is competing against? Dowling is there because he will provide good training opposition as he has experience in competing against top sides.

thehighground

Podge_irl wrote: »

I'm pretty sure they were separate comments. In fairness, Bossy or Horan could captain that team. Ryan should really be there ahead of MOD, MOD is never going to play for Ireland again. Also if Carr isn't injured than its an absurd decision to leave him out.

Sure they can (not Horan though, I can't ever remember him captaining a team). Having a couple of people who can step up to being captain can allow substitutions, if for instance they want to give a bit of time to Stringer. Not outragious to have two/three core player who are able to allow that to happen. Ryan is 4th choice lock after Cullen.

Starting Carr isn't a priority - we have loads of wingers well ahead of him.

outwest

high ground ur not getting my point, the A team should be used to reward player for good play, u agrument is all wrong if u think because we have a good few winger it ok for dowling to still be in the squad,

and with regards to murphy playing fullback, when?
ryan should start ahead of mod,

kidney big weakness is he does have favourites, and it seem to me he has players he isnt to found off, boss and carr,

anonymous_joe

thehighground wrote: »

Starting Carr isn't a priority - we have loads of wingers well ahead of him.

Yeah, but that's a circular argument - there's no need not to play him either. If he's fit, I'd start him ahead of Ian Dowling. Then again, I'd start Tony O'Reilly ahead of Dowling given his recent performance...

Podge_irl

thehighground wrote: »

I'd say the quota of wingers are filled (Bowe, Horgan, Trimble, Earls & Johne Murphy at the moment) not to mention Fitzy and Geordan Murphy to come back.

Is Carr any better than any of them - that is who he is competing against? Dowling is there because he will provide good training opposition as he has experience in competing against top sides.

Carr is better than Dowling, and younger I might add, which is all that should matter. Good training oppostion? Dowling is a poor winger who served a purpose at Munster but has since been usurped and is unlikely to ever get his place back there, never mind start for Ireland imo. It's a stupid decision unless Carr is injured.

Ryan is 4th choice lock after Cullen.

Then he should really be playing some games. MOD, Toner and Caldwell have gotten game time and he has nothing. Considering he doesn't get a lot of game-time for Munster either, that is a problem. I wouldn't want him near the senior team at the moment because he hasn't played enough. He should be there ahead of MOD. MOD offers nothing to the A team.

thehighground

thehighground wrote: »

I'd say the quota of wingers are filled (Bowe, Horgan, Trimble, Earls & Johne Murphy at the moment) not to mention Fitzy and Geordan Murphy to come back.

Is Carr any better than any of them - that is who he is competing against? Dowling is there because he will provide good training opposition as he has experience in competing against top sides.

I have great time for Dowling who is a fine example of how to use fairly limited talent but at the moment the only experience he has is of playing the likes of UL Bohs etc. in the AIL

Podge_irl

15 - Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
14 - Johne Murphy (Leicester)
13 - Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
12 - Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
11 - Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster)
10 - Ian Humphreys (Ballymena/Ulster)
9 - Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)

1 - Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
2 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
3 - Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
4 - Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster)
5 - Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
6 - Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)
7 - Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
8 - Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster) Captain

Replacements:
16 - Nigel Brady (Dungannon/Ulster)
17 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
18 - Ed O’Donghue (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
19 - Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)
20 - Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)
21 - Ian Keatley (Galwegians/Connacht)
22 - Keith Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht)


Buckley and Stringer starting again. I despair.

Podge_irl

Scotland A

15 Jim Thompson (Edinburgh)

14 Nikki Walker (Ospreys)
13 Ben Cairns (Edinburgh)
12 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)
11 Simon Danielli (Ulster)

10 Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors)
9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh) CAPTAIN

1 Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors)
2 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors)
3 Euan Murray (Northampton Saints)
4 Scott MacLeod (Edinburgh)
5 Jim Hamilton (Edinburgh)
6 James Eddie (Glasgow Warriors)
8 Scott Gray (Northampton Saints)
7 Roddy Grant (Edinburgh)

Replacements
16 Andrew Kelly (Edinburgh)
17 Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh)
18 Craig Hamilton (Edinburgh)
19 Fraser McKenzie (Edinburgh)
20 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh)
21 Rob Dewey (Glasgow Warriors)
22 John Houston (Edinburgh)


Well that's our scrum boned so.

SomeFool

9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh) CAPTAIN

Suprised to see Blair named in the A team too, would have thought he'd have been in the test squad.

Zzippy

Podge_irl wrote: »

Scotland A

15 Jim Thompson (Edinburgh)

14 Nikki Walker (Ospreys)
13 Ben Cairns (Edinburgh)
12 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh)
11 Simon Danielli (Ulster)

10 Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors)
9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh) CAPTAIN

1 Jon Welsh (Glasgow Warriors)
2 Dougie Hall (Glasgow Warriors)
3 Euan Murray (Northampton Saints)
4 Scott MacLeod (Edinburgh)
5 Jim Hamilton (Edinburgh)
6 James Eddie (Glasgow Warriors)
8 Scott Gray (Northampton Saints)
7 Roddy Grant (Edinburgh)

Replacements
16 Andrew Kelly (Edinburgh)
17 Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh)
18 Craig Hamilton (Edinburgh)
19 Fraser McKenzie (Edinburgh)
20 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh)
21 Rob Dewey (Glasgow Warriors)
22 John Houston (Edinburgh)


Well that's our scrum boned so.

WTF is Euan Murray doing in the A team? Is this to do with the Scotland game being on Sunday?

andrewdcs

Murray can't surely be in the Scotland A squad?

andrewdcs

Zzippy wrote: »

WTF is Euan Murray doing in the A team? Is this to do with the Scotland game being on Sunday?

that must be it! good call.

danthefan

andrewdcs wrote: »

Murray can't surely be in the Scotland A squad?

Why exactly?

And yes it's because Scotland are playing on Sunday.

thomond2006

3 - Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
11 - Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster)
9 - Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)

Sums up my opinion of these selections pretty well.

danthefan

At least Buckley was somewhat conspicuous around the park against the Saxons.

Stringer starting again is just a bad joke.

thomond2006

9 - 14 is very strong for Scotland A.

andrewdcs

danthefan wrote: »

Why exactly?

And yes it's because Scotland are playing on Sunday.

Cos he's way too good, I'd forgotten his Sabbath observance thing.

Bit of a bonus for France, who have imho a devastating front row. Scotlands (any teams) is considerably weakened by his absence.