Team for Scotland game

Ian_K

Without a whole lot to play for and Scotland being a poor, poor team at the moment we really should think about using this game to give lads some experience

1. Healy
2. Cronin
3. Buckley
4. DOC
5. Cullen
6. Ferris
7. Jennings
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. Wallace
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

Was very surprised with Kidney's hesitance at making changes yesterday and Cronin, Jennings, Reddan etc. really need a chance
Our centres could do with a break imo
Sexton and Kearney need to get back to their 2009 form

Risteard

Ian_K wrote: »

Without a whole lot to play for and Scotland being a poor, poor team at the moment we really should think about using this game to give lads some experience

1. Healy
2. Cronin
3. Buckley
4. DOC
5. Cullen
6. Ferris
7. Jennings
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. Wallace
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

Was very surprised with Kidney's hesitance at making changes yesterday and Cronin, Jennings, Reddan etc. really need a chance
Our centres could do with a break imo
Sexton and Kearney need to get back to their 2009 form

I'd agree with that save TOL instead of Reddan. Reddan plays week-in week-out with Sexton, I think TOL should develop a partnership with with Sexton as I feel both are first choice.

I'd also have BOD instead of Wallace but I agree with the rest of it.

Podge_irl

O'Driscoll will play. You don't rest your captain for a 6N game no matter what is at stake.

Kidney won't make wholesale changes or experiment, it's not his style. Even the 4 changes he made last year were hardly what you'd call blooding new players. D'Arcy was coming from injury, Best is experienced and fairly interchangable with Flannery, Leamy was likewise back from injury but obviously a massively experienced backrow, Stringer was probably the weakest player brought in and he's one of Ireland's most capped players.

I think we'll see O'Driscoll and Earls in the centre with Trimble coming if D'Arcy doesn't make it. I would desperately like to see Buckley start (or anyone who isn't Hayes tbh) but I don't consider it likely. Murphy/Kearney is up in the air, but Kearney didn't exactly do a lot to merit the start. There have already been more changes than last year due to injuries/suspensions so I'd be surprised if there was any major change to the team to face Scotland.

danthefan

Way too many changes to be any sort of realistic team imo.

LeeroyJones

id be very surprised and quite annoyed if Kidney made wholesale changes.

The Triple Crown is on the line. No it wouldn't be a great success to win the Triple Crown but it would be a great failure not to. So first and foremost we need to ensure that.

Secondly, regardless of how this France Italy match finishes we still have a chance, however slight, of winning the championship. Wouldn't we feel foolish if we settled for a 2 or 3 point victory versus the Scots and then learn a few hours later England snatched a win in Paris. Strange things can happen in sport.

Ian_K

LeeroyJones wrote: »

Secondly, regardless of how this France Italy match finishes we still have a chance, however slight, of winning the championship. Wouldn't we feel foolish if we settled for a 2 or 3 point victory versus the Scots and then learn a few hours later England snatched a win in Paris. Strange things can happen in sport.

Unless Italy do something amazing in the second half inParis we'll need England to beat them by 50 points

LeeroyJones

Ian_K wrote: »

Unless Italy do something amazing in the second half inParis we'll need England to beat them by 50 points

Granted its unlikely that France lose to England and also that our first-team will beat Scotland by 50 but it could happen and we should give ourselves every chance. Last year I would have bet on France to do a number over England, but they lost 34-10.
These things can happen and while it's still possible to defend our championship I think we should put up a challenge to France next weekend rather than throwing in the towel.

pappyodaniel

Scotland aren't the 'bad' team you subscribe them to be. Their main problem is their inability to score tries. They've a decent pack esp. an abrasive back-row, coupled with some dangerous strike runners in the backs. The othe problem Scotland have is their lack of a decent out-half, I just don't think Parks does enough in such a key position.

Whole-sale changes to the Irish team won't happen but Kidney is anything but predictable. We might see Cullen and P Wallace as the only changes. What I'd like to see different from the Wales win would be more game time for the replacements. 6 minutes for Buckley was my only gripe with Kidney. And unloading the bench with 2 minutes to go was a pointless exercise.

thomond2006

Healy
Best
Buckley
DOC
POC
Ferris
Wallace
Heaslip
TOL
Sexton
Earls
Wallace
BOD
Bowe
Murphy

Cronin
Court
Cullen
Jennings
Reddan
ROG
Kearney

durkadurka

i'm a tad disappointed with kidney's reluctance to put new players in, particulary at tight head, and he's pretty slow to empty the bench too. Getting a bit like eddie.

Most of the changes have been forced by injury.

Winning the match is everything. Wonder if it really is the irfu putting pressure on.

Micky Dolenz

durkadurka wrote: »

i'm a tad disappointed with kidney's reluctance to put new players in, particulary at tight head, and he's pretty slow to empty the bench too. Getting a bit like eddie.

Most of the changes have been forced by injury.

Winning the match is everything. Wonder if it really is the irfu putting pressure on.

And this is why I would not never want to be an international coach. Lose once in 18 months and people will be disappointed. blood young and new players and win once in 18 months and people will want your head.

Tough crowd.

danthefan

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

And this is why I would not never want to be an international coach. Lose once in 18 months and people will be disappointed. blood young and new players and win once in 18 months and people will want your head.

Tough crowd.

Surely there's a bit of a balance between those extremes. We had the game in the bag against Wales yesterday, bringing the likes of Cullen on a bit earlier would not have harmed our chances in any way. To be fair Kidney has not used his bench much as a rule.

Micky Dolenz

danthefan wrote: »

Surely there's a bit of a balance between those extremes. We had the game in the bag against Wales yesterday, bringing the likes of Cullen on a bit earlier would not have harmed our chances in any way. To be fair Kidney has not used his bench much as a rule.

fair enough, but why Cullen? don't get me wrong, he is a good and capable player, but he isn't the future.

Cronin and Jennings should have had more game time.

Podge_irl

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

And this is why I would not never want to be an international coach. Lose once in 18 months and people will be disappointed. blood young and new players and win once in 18 months and people will want your head.

I'd want it far sooner than 18 months into his tenure if he'd only won one game. Bit of a ridiculous extreme and just because he has only lost once in 16 games doesn't mean people can't comment on certain things he does.

Podge_irl

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

fair enough, but why Cullen? don't get me wrong, he is a good and capable player, but he isn't the future.

Cronin and Jennings should have had more game time.

Buckley is the prime person who should have been on earlier.

Giving Cullen game time would be part of the squad ethic that Kidney likes to talk about. For all his talk about it DOC came straight back in as soon as he was fit and Cullen got naff all game time off the bench. I don't have a major problem with that, he's never a massive user of the bench and he has always tended to drop his first choice players straight back in. He's some talker though.

durkadurka

Yep it is a tough gig and that's why he gets the money. He's a great coach and he's done well but he had the match won yesterday and was slow to put cronin and buckley on. I Reckon buckley only came on when hayes was under a lot of pressure in scrum.
Can't we beat scotland with say buckley in the team?
I'm not arguing for conway to play but he could be doing a touch more without jeapordising the team.

danthefan

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

fair enough, but why Cullen? don't get me wrong, he is a good and capable player, but he isn't the future.

Cronin and Jennings should have had more game time.

Ah just an example, don't read too much into it.

buck65

I actually see Scotland as a tougher nut to crack than Wales. They are playing with grit and though not prolific they can score tries. Parks will kick most and can play the corners too.
O Gara might be brought back here just to steady the ship a little. Sexton performed well in both games in general play but hasn't really grasped the shirt fully. If D'arcy is fit the centre pairing should stay as normal, Geordan Murphy probably has done enough to hold the 15 shirt from Kearney who looked a little sluggish on his return.
Rory Best, Heaslip, Wallace, Ferris all had great games. DOC and POC dominated the lineout. Hayes held his own as did Healy. I would have preferred to see more of Buckley but Kidney is unlikely to change just yet.

15. Murphy 14. Bowe 13. BOD 12. D'arcy 11. Earls 10. O Gara 9. O Leary
1. Healy 2. Best 3. Hayes 4. DOC 5. POC 6. Ferris 7. Wallace 8. Heaslip

16. Cronin 17. Buckley 18. Cullen 19. Jennings 20. Reddan 21. Wallace 22. Kearney

No point having Sexton on the bench (or O Gara for that matter if Sexton starts).

thehighground

Podge_irl wrote: »

Buckley is the prime person who should have been on earlier.

Giving Cullen game time would be part of the squad ethic that Kidney likes to talk about. For all his talk about it DOC came straight back in as soon as he was fit and Cullen got naff all game time off the bench. I don't have a major problem with that, he's never a massive user of the bench and he has always tended to drop his first choice players straight back in. He's some talker though.

Didn't Cullen start two games in this 6Ns already ... and DOC two. Seems fairly equal, bearing in mind the POC / DOC partnership are going to be first choice for the simple reason that they work better together.

thehighground

durkadurka wrote: »

Yep it is a tough gig and that's why he gets the money. He's a great coach and he's done well but he had the match won yesterday and was slow to put cronin and buckley on. I Reckon buckley only came on when hayes was under a lot of pressure in scrum.
Can't we beat scotland with say buckley in the team?
I'm not arguing for conway to play but he could be doing a touch more without jeapordising the team.

He didn't change because he was wary of a Welsh resurgence - which is what they have been doing lately - playing the last quarter really well. Healy was having a tough time on Saturday and probably wanted to leave Best on who was having a great game so as not to put more pressure on him.

Why would you bring Conway on at this stage. We've a relatively new back 3 this 6ns - let them all settle down for a while.

JustinDee

durkadurka wrote: »

I'm not arguing for conway to play but he could be doing a touch more without jeapordising the team.

The selectors are doing just fine. Thats how they all became good at what they do.

loveacca

We cannt underestimate the Scots. Kidney needs to play the team he thinks will deliver the Trible Crown and hockey the Scots as a bonus. I would only consider a change at 15 and 10 assuming D'Arcy is sorted

toomevara

loveacca wrote: »

We cannt underestimate the Scots.

True, but lets not overestimate them either. They are the lowest try scorers in the 6N since its inception. Trys to that Scotland rugby team, are like virgins in brothels..rare to non-existent and very often entirely accidental. I just cannot, for the life of me, see where they are going to score from against rugby league maestro Les Kiss' superbly coached Irish defence.

They have a good back row and a competent fly half..as for the rest would any of them make the ireland bench, never mind the first XV? Ireland at this point should be looking to put these guys away in some style to bring the curtain down on the Croker era. Disrespect them? Take them lightly? No way, but they're not in our class. Fact. Sad but true....

danthefan

toomevara wrote: »

True, but lets not overestimate them either. They are the lowest try scorers in the 6N since its inception. Trys to that Scotland rugby team, are like virgins in brothels..rare to non-existent and very often entirely accidental. I just cannot, for the life of me, see where they are going to score from against rugby league maestro Les Kiss' superbly coached Irish defence.

They have a good back row and a competent fly half..as for the rest would any of them make the ireland bench, never mind the first XV? Ireland at this point should be looking to put these guys away in some style to bring the curtain down on the Croker era. Disrespect them? Take them lightly? No way, but they're not in our class. Fact. Sad but true....

Cussiter, easily.

toomevara

danthefan wrote: »

Cussiter, easily.

Agreed, I stand corrected...

JustinDee

toomevara wrote: »

They have a good back row and a competent fly half..as for the rest would any of them make the ireland bench, never mind the first XV?

Cusiter, Jacobsen, Murray and Hines are all good leading players.

toomevara

JustinDee wrote: »

Cusiter, Jacobsen, Murray and Hines are all good leading players.

Oh alright then! Perhaps I've been a tad previous...*sheepishly dismounts high-horse*

outwest

toom, i would take murray as he would walk into out team, cusiter blair for sub 9, any one of the 3 b's. scotland have a 3 games but only have -20 points diff, their defense is prob better then ours,

Spud83

Kidney is not gonna make too many changes for this game, its just not his style.
It will be a team picked to win the game, and the triple crown with maybe some room for experimenting from the bench.

Healy
Best
Buckly / Court

If we go the championship without starting an alternative a tighthead I would be disappointed.

POC
Cullen

After playing well in the first two games I think Cullen deserves another start.

Ferris
Wallace
Heaslip

Maybe a case for Jennings to come in for some game time.

Reddan
Sexton

Giving Sexton the experience is still the way to go IMO. O'Leary has put in a good effort in the last two games, and could actually need a break.

Earls
Darcy / Wallace
BOD
Bowe
Kearney

Kearney to start ahead of Murphy. Kearney needs to get some confidence back. The grey area for me here is what happens if Darcy doesn't make it. Earls could be moved into center and Trimble to the wing, the more likely case is Wallace to come though.

Buckley/Court
Cronin
Cullen
Jennings
O'Leary
ROG
Murphy/Trimble

Spud83

Where is Dan with our team news?

thomond2006

The rumour mill on PR is unusually quiet today...

danthefan

I have nothing.

thomond2006

Ah I spoke too soon, from PR forums:

Kearney
Bowe
BOD
Wallace
Earls
Sexton
TOL
Healy
Best
Buckley
DOC
POC
Wallace
Ferris
Heaslip

conf101

Rumour on munsterfans that ROG, Kearney and Buckley are starting. Probably not a reliable one though!

twinytwo

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ah I spoke to soon, from PR forums:

Kearney
Bowe
BOD
Wallace
Earls
Sexton
TOL
Healy
Best
Buckley
DOC
POC
Wallace
Ferris
Heaslip

At least buckley is in.. its sad that they still expect hayes it play nealry 80 mins of rugby.. rest of the team we knew anyway so i dont really know why people bother debating it

P_1

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ah I spoke too soon, from PR forums:

Kearney
Bowe
BOD
Wallace
Earls
Sexton
TOL
Healy
Best
Buckley
DOC
POC
Wallace
Ferris
Heaslip

Exciting looking team, will be interesting to see what Sexton/Wallace can turn out. Also looks like its deficate or get off the pot time for a certain Mr. Buckley.

twinytwo

pithater1 wrote: »

Also looks like its deficate or get off the pot time for a certain Mr. Buckley.

Co45

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ah I spoke too soon, from PR forums:

Kearney
Bowe
BOD
Wallace
Earls
Sexton
TOL
Healy
Best
Buckley
DOC
POC
Wallace
Ferris
Heaslip

I'd be very happy with that squad. Obviously I'd prefer Court to Buckley but the point is Kidney isn't starting Hayes. I'd also love to see the Cullen-O'Callaghan partnership tried out but you can't win them all.

gcgirl

Same team that started V Wales

danthefan

Fair enough picking the same team again but if Kidney mentions the words "build a squad" again any time soon he is spoofing.

Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, RBS 6 Nations Championship, Croke Park, Saturday March 20th,5 p.m.)
15 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
14 - Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (Capt.)
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
9 - Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 - Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:
16 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 - Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
18 - Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
19 - Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

Co45

danthefan wrote: »

Fair enough picking the same team again but if Kidney mentions the words "build a squad" again any time soon he is spoofing.

Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, RBS 6 Nations Championship, Croke Park, Saturday March 20th,5 p.m.)
15 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
14 - Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (Capt.)
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
9 - Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 - Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:
16 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 - Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
18 - Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
19 - Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

Disappointing. We really need to find a replacement for Hayes. I was hoping we'd see a few changes.

Spud83

Is anyone really that surprised. If you were expecting a rake load of changes it was never gonna happen. I am disappointed that one or two positions weren't looked at though. A partnership for DOC/Cullen being one, tighthead being one, and scrum half being the other.

danthefan

Openside is another. Wallace has played well aside from the France game, doesn't deserve to be dropped or anything, but he doesn't have a huge amount of time left.

Zzippy

Disappointed to see an unchanged team, I understand the imperative is to win games, but if you can't beat Scotland with a few changes what hope is there of beating the ABs or Australia in the World Cup, when injuries etc may mean we have to make changes? Kidney talks a lot about building a squad, but that has to mean giving players meaningful game time.

I'd like to see changes a lot earlier on Saturday - give Cronin, Cullen, Jennings a half, bring on Buckley after 55 mins, that kind of gametime. Not bring them on when the game is well won and they barely break a sweat in the 3 minutes they're on for...

thomond2006

danthefan wrote: »

Fair enough picking the same team again but if Kidney mentions the words "build a squad" again any time soon he is spoofing.

Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, RBS 6 Nations Championship, Croke Park, Saturday March 20th,5 p.m.)
15 - Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
14 - Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (Capt.)
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
9 - Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
6 - Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:
16 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)
17 - Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)
18 - Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
19 - Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

**** sake. No forward thinking at all, conservative selection. For all Gatland's faults, at least he is giving young players (Prydie, Warburton) a shot.

JustinDee

thomond2006 wrote: »

For all Gatland's faults, at least he is giving young players (Prydie, Warburton) a shot.

Thats because he has no choice. His options are crocked.

thomond2006

JustinDee wrote: »

Thats because he has no choice. His options are crocked.

Yes, Williams looks finished but is Halfpennty injured?

danthefan

I wouldn't even mind if the subs got a decent run, but they don't.

Co45

JustinDee wrote: »

Thats because he has no choice. His options are crocked.

Whats your opinion on the continued starting of Hayes?

buck65

Lads lets face it Kidney is only interested in winning the next game with one eye on the one after that. We haven't a hope of winning a world cup with this team, he knows that and is quite happy to keep the likes of Hayes, Wallace, O Driscoll playing because they are the best players in their position right now.

Co45

buck65 wrote: »

Lads lets face it Kidney is only interested in winning the next game with one eye on the one after that. We haven't a hope of winning a world cup with this team, he knows that and is quite happy to keep the likes of Hayes, Wallace, O Driscoll playing because they are the best players in their position right now.

We have a very good shot at reaching the semis if we beat Australia.