BOD

clsmooth

Do you reckon its time to move him to 12? He's had an ordinary year for his high standards after last years revivial and looks like he's lost a vital yard of pace. His defence, leadership and inspirational skills are still top drawer but maybe its time to try a BOD-Fitz partnership or even try BOD-Earls as a 12-13 combination?

I know he's had a long year with the Lions and this tour and is as likely to have a great year again but I cant help but feel that maybe its time to move him inside closer to the action? What do you guys reckon?

funky penguin

I'm saying no, because I don't want to look silly when he makes his inevitable return to form. :P

Stev_o

BOD and Earls combo needs to be tried at some combination, we are being exposed for a serious lack of pace in the centre's (point in case Trimbles long pass to BOD on the wide against Australia and BOD preceded to walk in field and not try take anyone on)

Amazotheamazing

BOD usually steps it up when it counts, it's too early to say Earls should be our starting 13. If Earls rips it up next season before the six nations we can decide then, imo. For all we know, Fitzy or Bowe might be better options at 13 when BOD decides to go.

phog

Stev_o wrote: »

BOD and Earls combo needs to be tried at some combination, we are being exposed for a serious lack of pace in the centre's (point in case Trimbles long pass to BOD on the wide against Australia and BOD preceded to walk in field and not try take anyone on)

BOD should have loop passed that ball back to Trimble again

thomond2006

Wallace at 12 and Earls at 13 has got to be tried before the World Cup.
With Wallace's beautiful flat skip passes, I could see Earls ripping defences apart at will with his pace.

I've no opinion on moving BOD to 12 tbh.

Kiwi_knock

I do not see any point moving BOD to 12 if the Sexton-Wallace combo continues to perform. BOD had one bad game and people seem ready to cast him aside. It was quite obvious that his mind was on his wedding rather than the match. He will be our starting 13 at the WC barring injury.

Risteard

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

I do not see any point moving BOD to 12 if the Sexton-Wallace combo continues to perform. BOD had one bad game and people seem ready to cast him aside. It was quite obvious that his mind was on his wedding rather than the match. He will be our starting 13 at the WC barring injury.

He's been poor enough by his own standards for most of the season tbh.

anonymous_joe

He's had a couple of bad games (I feel dirty admitting even that) and a season that was good, though not excellent.

Age means we can no longer rely on him as much as we once did.

Definitely time to use someone else as the focus for some of our attacks. Bring more variety, and allow O'Driscoll take up some differing roles for the side.

subfreq

It's a combo that has to be tried in the next 12 months. Surely the idea is always as simple as make sure your best 15 players are on the park.

If Fitz, Earls, Bowe, BOD, Trimble, Kearney, Conway are all fit and in form then I don't see how you can't try and accommodate them all without needing Wallace or D'Arcy.

The above players mentioned are better quality IMO and should be included.

I'm not personally on the same page as the current Wallace love in. I still think he is below top standard and not a realistic option if you are looking to trouble the best teams.

BOD has the best hands in world rugby, as good a range of passing as any Irish player, a decent kicking game, best Irish defensive back both in the tackle, position and organisation. The only thing that he is starting to lose is a fraction of pace.

Makes sense if Ireland has a more explosive player they could put outside him to give it a go.

Just because he is BOD and has been a player of his generation doesn't mean you can't move his position. Happened to loads of great players through the years.

Goodluck2me

subfreq wrote: »

It's a combo that has to be tried in the next 12 months. Surely the idea is always as simple as make sure your best 15 players are on the park.

If Fitz, Earls, Bowe, BOD, Trimble, Kearney, Conway are all fit and in form then I don't see how you can't try and accommodate them all without needing Wallace or D'Arcy.

The above players mentioned are better quality IMO and should be included.

I'm not personally on the same page as the current Wallace love in. I still think he is below top standard and not a realistic option if you are looking to trouble the best teams.

BOD has the best hands in world rugby, as good a range of passing as any Irish player, a decent kicking game, best Irish defensive back both in the tackle, position and organisation. The only thing that he is starting to lose is a fraction of pace.

Makes sense if Ireland has a more explosive player they could put outside him to give it a go.

Just because he is BOD and has been a player of his generation doesn't mean you can't move his position. Happened to loads of great players through the years.

Conway isn't anywhere near the standard of D'arcy or Wallace - I don't see why so many people jump on the young player bandwagon so often, he isn't that good, yet.

subfreq

I think Conway will be pushing for a start on the wing next season, and certainly come World Cup time. Makes the options more cramped in a good way for back line selection, as in you can move more quality to an inside position where in years gone by you simply would not have had this many top level players.

twinytwo

All Drico needs is a rest.. Next season will be his last at international. Also as he is pushing on maybe being expected to play the full 80 mins of every international is a bit much.

phog

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

I do not see any point moving BOD to 12 if the Sexton-Wallace combo continues to perform. BOD had one bad game and people seem ready to cast him aside. It was quite obvious that his mind was on his wedding rather than the match. He will be our starting 13 at the WC barring injury.

Why wait for an injury to try out possibilities? I dont think anyone in their sane mind is casting BOD aside but remember how David Wallace missed out on the 2nd last WC, anything is possible and as the saying goes "fail to prepare prepare to fail", we have options and we should certainly try them out.

Bleedin Delish

twinytwo wrote: »

All Drico needs is a rest.. Next season will be his last at international. Also as he is pushing on maybe being expected to play the full 80 mins of every international is a bit much.

Couldnt agree more the guy just really needs a rest and some1 else to stand up for once and take some pressure off him by putting in a good shift so that he doesnt HAVE to play in order for Ireland to have a chance.

A decent rest a good pre-season and he will come roaring back again

Jemo

Speaking of Conway, I noticed he was fullback for some games at jrwc. How'd he get on? O'Driscoll will up the ante when it counts, but for games such as USA etc. I think we should have a more fast paced centre partnership so they can make the line when they break tackles. I'm a keen fan of the Luke to 12 idea more than the Bod to 12 one.

outwest

bod should be rested dropped for the novemeber internationals, no need making him play 3 more tests this year, let him play the 6 nations, he be well rested, and eager to get back to international rugby,


with regards to conway, fitz kearney isa will be ahead of him at leinster this year, no chance in him making the world cup without gaining one of their jerseys,

Bleedin Delish

by the way how far off a comeback is Fitz?? It will take a while to get back up to international match speed id imagine

funky penguin

I'm hesitant to make assumptions about next year's Leinster team, with a new coach. Chances are, it'll be business as usual, but you can never know.

[Jackass]

Bowe is by far the best replacement 13 and Fitz & Earls are better on the wings.

BO'D will tell us when it's time to move on, no one tells BO'D. Last time people tried that, he was the best player on the planet that season (even if the mistook his name for Richie McCaw).

Although, this backline would be interesting to see:

9. O'Leary / Reddan / Boss (whoever is least sh*t at the time)
10. Sexton
11. Fitzgerald
12. O'Driscoll
13. Bowe
14. Earls
15. Kearney

Kind of tastey alright, and probably worth a shot to see how it works.

clsmooth

[Jackass] wrote: »

Bowe is by far the best replacement 13 and Fitz & Earls are better on the wings.

BO'D will tell us when it's time to move on, no one tells BO'D. Last time people tried that, he was the best player on the planet that season (even if the mistook his name for Richie McCaw).

Although, this backline would be interesting to see:

9. O'Leary / Reddan / Boss (whoever is least sh*t at the time)
10. Sexton
11. Fitzgerald
12. O'Driscoll
13. Bowe
14. Earls
15. Kearney

Kind of tastey alright, and probably worth a shot to see how it works.

That would be pretty good alright, although I'd probably switch Earls and Bowe, for some reason i'm not too taken with Bowe in the centre but thats only because I havent seen him much there, I guess it would be great to get him more involved as he doesnt seem to get the best service on the wing at the moment..Also he's a big physical lad compared to Earls.

Scrum half needs to be addressed, I'd like to see Boss get a run, I think he's probably the best passer of the three.

wonton

Jemo wrote: »

Speaking of Conway, I noticed he was fullback for some games at jrwc. How'd he get on?.

you say that as if it wasnt his usual position, which im pretty sure it is.

having said that, i dont think he plays great there.he reminds me of earls.

at the jwc he seemed terrible at high balls and kicking,but great at making breaks and of course his pace is brilliant, he is a winger imo.

Diamondmaker

BOD has 103 caps for ireland in 11 seasons. PLyed 3 Lions tests and the RWCs so he has virtually never had more than a few weeks of between seasons. The guy is totally overplayed and is suffereing pure fatigue you would imagine.

There is no one else in the team who has not got a clearcut replacement
( just ROG and hayes I think ) who are any where near the amount of caps he has. How many others have played 3 lions tours and RWCs also ?? Just ROG.

As we know A. ROGs form is coming into question also and B. also he is not in anywhere near as much a demanding position or type of player.

I think BOD picks his games or periods so to speak as there is no way he can give his all to his own level of expectance this often. I would hope that he has taken a mental break this season in anticipation of one last mental and physical push for 2011 RWC.

Psycholgically and physically 2009 would have been a huge effort for him and the personal sacrifices he must have had to make day by day that year to maintain that form cant be kept up. Heres hoping that he is gearing up to one last animal season.

[Jackass]

Who do you think Leinster would replace BOD with as a matter of interest?

Fitzgerald? McFadden? Nacewa? (assuming Macken & O'Malley aren't ready in time / in front of McFadden)

thomond2006

[Jackass] wrote: »

Who do you think Leinster would replace BOD with as a matter of interest?

Fitzgerald? McFadden? Nacewa? (assuming Macken & O'Malley aren't ready in time / in front of McFadden)

Lifeimi Mafi.

LeeroyJones

[Jackass] wrote: »

Who do you think Leinster would replace BOD with as a matter of interest?

Fitzgerald? McFadden? Nacewa? (assuming Macken & O'Malley aren't ready in time / in front of McFadden)

I think by the post BOD/D'arcy era the back 5 will be made up of McFadden, Fitzgerald, Conway, Kearney and Nacewa, but who goes where is anyones guess!

McFadden could be put in at 12 or 13
Fitzgerald could, by then, be deployed at 11, 12, 13 or even 15
Conway could be 14 or maybe 15
Kearney might be shifted out onto the wing depending on his future form or if someone else stands out at 15
Nacewa could..., well Nacewa could be anywhere!

If I was to guess id say

11. Nacewa
12. McFadden
13. Fitzgerald
14. Conway
15. Kearney

With regards the future of BOD in the meantime. I would like to see him put at 12 for Ireland in an Autumn Test match and see how he gets on.
Why? Because I think with Paddy Wallace we can get the ball out wide and fast, but on the flip side, the opposition know he's going to pass and subsequently can defend out strengths out wide quicker. D'arcy on the other hand offers a strong attacking threat through is own runs but his distribution isn't as good as Wallace's.

BOD can offer better distribution than D'arcy and as well as that offer an attacking threat himself. If we can focus the oppositions defence further infield by putting BOD inside centre, then our quick backs can really exploit space outside. For that reason Earls at 13 could really exploit space created by BOD at 12.

It's worth a shot at least!

wonton

LeeroyJones wrote: »

11. Nacewa
12. McFadden
13. Fitzgerald
14. Conway
15. Kearney

i would rather

11.fitzgerald
12.mcfadden
13.macken
14.conway
15.kearney

with necewa on the bench

LeeroyJones

wonton wrote: »

i would rather

11.fitzgerald
12.mcfadden
13.macken
14.conway
15.kearney

with necewa on the bench

Perhaps but I'd prefer to wait and see how he makes the step up before I pass judgement. But yes, he could be the man to take the 13 jersey!

SomeFool

Having seen Jennings and Ronan against the Ozzies I think we should move BOD to 7 if Wally is unavailable

Kannon

wonton wrote: »

i would rather

11.fitzgerald
12.mcfadden
13.macken
14.conway
15.kearney

with necewa on the bench

Is this because these are all Irish or because you think they are better than Nacewa? Nacewa was our best back last season, by a county mile.

If it's because they are Irish, it would sweet for Irish rugby to have these guys playing regularly for Leinster all right.

hardCopy

[Jackass] wrote: »

Bowe is by far the best replacement 13 and Fitz & Earls are better on the wings.

9. O'Leary / Reddan / Boss (whoever is least sh*t at the time)
10. Sexton
11. Fitzgerald
12. O'Driscoll
13. Bowe
14. Earls
15. Kearney

My dream backline. I don't understand the rush to groom Earls and/or Fitz as centres, Bowe could slot in there tomorrow IMO

wonton

has paddy wallace ever played scrum half?

molloyjh

outwest wrote: »

with regards to conway, fitz kearney isa will be ahead of him at leinster this year, no chance in him making the world cup without gaining one of their jerseys,

Conway has only played at 14 for Leinster so far hasn't he? There's no reason in the world that he won't get decent game time this year in that position. Fitzy won't be fully fit immediately so I would think Isa would be 1st choice 11 at the start of the season with Fitzy on the bench and getting brought on for periods. Kearney will probably remain 1st choice FB with Isa challenging as Fitzy comes back to full fitness.

At 14 we really only have Shaggy at the moment, with possibly Isa or Kearney coming into the role if Fitzy is back. Until he is Conway is in with a good shout of ML game time at 14.

As for BOD, I reckon he was both exhausted and focused on the wedding. He is stil an incredibly creative player and I don't see him moving to 12. I've also always been a big fan of D'arcy and would pick him ahead of Wallace for a lot of the big games. He looked pretty threatening going forward against the ABs and I don't think Wallce is big enough or good enough to take on the bigger sides. I would be curious to see BOD at 12 and Bowe at 13 though.