Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread

MungBean

danthefan wrote: »

The Lions squad was selected in April 2009, which was 2 years and 3 months ago roughly. It is not remotely relevant to the coming RWC.

Think he meant that the criticisms of him being a rubbish SH are a bit harsh considering he got onto a lions tour playing that position, so he must have been decent enough.

CIARAN_BOYLE

wixfjord wrote: »

Luke Fitz I would say would be a good SH. It's always him who seems to go in if there's a SH dragged into a ruck.

Him and D'arcy do it for Leinster, if they are going to pass while Hines did it if there was going to be a pick and go.

For Ireland Best gets the job a lot and it never works out well. I think Kindey needs to designate a player to do it.

thomond2006

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Him and D'arcy do it for Leinster, if they are going to pass while Hines did it if there was going to be a pick and go.

For Ireland Best gets the job a lot and it never works out well. I think Kindey needs to designate a player to do it.

Oh god no don't put that idea in his head. He'll put TOL on the wing....and then...

Phonehead

Brace yourselves;)

Just after listening to Les Kiss talking about Irelands build up for the World Cup. It looks like O'Leary has his ticket to the World Cup, Les explained that they will be using the warm up games to get some guys match practice, so they will good to hit the ground running in the World Cup, while I agree with the likes of Flannery, Kearney and Ferris needing as much game time as possible my heart really did sink when Les kept repeating the name O'Leary. I would say Murray is probably the one most likely to miss out now:(

CatFromHue

The first pre season friendly against the Scots is on the 6th, that's next Saturday week!

Or in 8 sleeps time!

CatFromHue

CatFromHue wrote: »

The first pre season friendly against the Scots is on the 6th, that's next Saturday week!

Or in 8 sleeps time!

I bought 40 tickets yesterday.

Student tickets are £5.

DELISH

MungBean

Deleted User wrote: »

I bought 40 tickets yesterday.

Student tickets are £5.

DELISH

What ya gonna do with 40 tickets?

Skunkle

Skunkle wrote: »

What ya gonna do with 40 tickets?

There's almost as many Irish people living here as there are at home...

MungBean

Interview with Marcus Horan about Ireland's pre season training progress and whatnot.


http://www.irishrugby.ie/matchdaytv/play/media/id/8845

faigs

Was down there the other day interviewing BOD, ROG, Heaslip and Trimble, all in good form, dying to get into some contact! It's a nice setup down there for pre-season.

bamboozle

Skunkle wrote: »

Interview with Marcus Horan about Ireland's pre season training progress and whatnot.


http://www.irishrugby.ie/matchdaytv/play/media/id/8845

i've been feeling quite confident about our world cup chances, then i see this and remember himself and bull will no doubt be involved and the confidence has disappeared

totallegend

bamboozle wrote: »

i've been feeling quite confident about our world cup chances, then i see this and remember himself and bull will no doubt be involved and the confidence has disappeared

Surely Horan won't be picked?? Like, Hayes is in with a shout purely because we're woefully short at TH and it's between him and Buckley as to who will carry the tackle bags, but with Healy and Court at LH, what use will Horan serve?

MungBean

bamboozle wrote: »

i've been feeling quite confident about our world cup chances, then i see this and remember himself and bull will no doubt be involved and the confidence has disappeared

I agree with totallegend Horan wont be picked, he's done enough to be involved in the warm ups but when it comes to a 30 man squad there is no need for him. Hayes if he goes will be last resort back up and cover for low key games, so whether its him or Buckley they wont be let near a decent side. I'd prefer Buckley to go myself, he's still young enough to grow into a decent TH and a few WC games will benefit him whereas Hayes is at the end of the road.

Luckycharm

Skunkle wrote: »

I agree with totallegend Horan wont be picked, he's done enough to be involved in the warm ups but when it comes to a 30 man squad there is no need for him. Hayes if he goes will be last resort back up and cover for low key games, so whether its him or Buckley they wont be let near a decent side. I'd prefer Buckley to go myself, he's still young enough to grow into a decent TH and a few WC games will benefit him whereas Hayes is at the end of the road.

They have been saying that for the last 4 years and he has not improved at all scrummaging wise Hayes is past it but get a feeling he is still going.
Please go do not bring Kidneys lovechild TOL

MungBean

Luckycharm wrote: »

They have been saying that for the last 4 years and he has not improved at all scrummaging wise Hayes is past it but get a feeling he is still going.
Please go do not bring Kidneys lovechild TOL

I know but however bad he is in the scrum at least he can carry the ball and throw in a few tackles. Hayes is past playing rugby, let alone international rugby. O'Leary will go I'm afraid, I just hope Kidney has enough cop on to bring Boss instead of Strings or we are banjaxed if Reddan goes down.

jolley123

I'm surprised to see that people don't think Horan will go. I think he's a cert. I think Kidney will bring 5 props -> Healy, Horan, Hayes, Ross and Court. I'd rather he didn't, added to that, I'd prefer that he bring Wilkinson if he does go for the 5 props.

Phonehead

My biggest fear is that Kidney will bring Horan, Leamy and TOL.

danthefan

I'd say Leamy and TOL are guaranteed to go, no question.

Horan, I doubt it. He hasn't featured for Ireland for a long long time.

jolley123

danthefan wrote: »

I'd say Leamy and TOL are guaranteed to go, no question.

Horan, I doubt it. He hasn't featured for Ireland for a long long time.

Oh boy do I hope you're wrong. Leamy being a cert, is the same logic as Paddy Wallace on the bench in the 6 nations. It just doesn't make any sense what-so-ever. There is absolutely no rational reason as to why he should get on the plain. Unless he outperforms one of O'Brien, Ferris or Heaslip in the warm-ups.

tolosenc

Well, if you take the 6 nations game against Italy, Leamy is 5th choice backrower, so likely will make the squad (SOB, Heaslip, Ferris and Wallace being ahead of him).

jolley123

tolosenc wrote: »

Well, if you take the 6 nations game against Italy, Leamy is 5th choice backrower, so likely will make the squad (SOB, Heaslip, Ferris and Wallace being ahead of him).

That's Kidney's logic for ya. We have ridiculously strong ball carriers in Heaslip, Ferris, Wallace and SOB, and instead of going for a player like Jennings, who can offer something different, he just goes and picks Leamy. If you're going to waste another back-row spot on a blind-side, then he should at least go for the better option in Muldoon.

Cpt_Blackbeard

If Leamy does travel, it will probably be as an 8 who covers 6. SOB would then be used as a 6 who covers 7. In an ideal world, Leamy is a 6 covers 8 and SOB is a 6 who covers 8 (and 7 in an emergency) though.

Backrow will be the least of our problems. We are very weak in the front row, at scrumhalf and at 12.

danthefan

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

If Leamy does travel, it will probably be as an 8 who covers 6. SOB would then be used as a 6 who covers 7. In an ideal world, Leamy is a 6 covers 8 and SOB is a 6 who covers 8 (and 7 in an emergency) though.

Backrow will be the least of our problems. We are very weak in the front row, at scrumhalf and at 12.

If he wants an 8 then Roger Wilson is far better than Leamy.

durkadurka

The @rugbyonslaught blogger says he heard from a Leinster player that fitz won't go to rwc...

bamboozle

jolley123 wrote: »

That's Kidney's logic for ya. We have ridiculously strong ball carriers in Heaslip, Ferris, Wallace and SOB, and instead of going for a player like Jennings, who can offer something different, he just goes and picks Leamy. If you're going to waste another back-row spot on a blind-side, then he should at least go for the better option in Muldoon.

Jennings, Muldoon, Wilson, McLaughlin & Donncadh Ryan all could be argued to have jumped Leamy in the queue over the last 18 months, unfortunately form has nothing to do with some (many) of Kidney's decisions.

bamboozle

durkadurka wrote: »

The @rugbyonslaught blogger says he heard from a Leinster player that fitz won't go to rwc...

i've defended Fitz for so long and finally got a bit fed up towards the end of last season, he needs to stop overrunning passes simple as that. However i'd be shocked if he doesnt travel, his defence and workrate are world class, he just needs to fine tune some aspects of his attacking play.

durkadurka

If he didn't go I guess mcfadden and Wallace would

I thought he was steadily improving towards the end of the season

ironingbored

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/darcys-world-cup-prospects-look-bleak-after-ankle-surgery-2836109.html

Disaster.

Looks like Fitz, McFadden and Wallace will be on the plane.

wixfjord

Could be much ado about nothing (wouldn't be like the Indo :rolleyes:)
But we'd be up ****s creek if true. McFadden to 12?

totallegend

wixfjord wrote: »

Could be much ado about nothing (wouldn't be like the Indo :rolleyes:)
But we'd be up ****s creek if true. McFadden to 12?

There isn't any new information in this article, so let's not freak out just yet; he had surgery in late June with a six-week turnaround, all of which we knew already. If all goes to schedule, he'll be back in plenty of time.

If D'Arcy doesn't make it back, I suppose Wallace would be next in line, but I'd much rather see McFadden there.