Alternative Irish XXII (of non WC squad members)

scriba

Given that there has been a lot of debate in recent threads about DK's squad selection, and seeming reluctance to look at viable up and coming options from the provinces and England, I thought a thread would be handy where people could list off 15s or 22s of players they'd like to see compete for positions in the 6N 2012 and beyond. We'll allow fringe WC squad players too.

Any takers?

irishbucsfan

Non WC-Squad XXII:

1. Wilkinson
2. Sherry
3. Hagan
4. Tuohy
5. Toner
6. Ruddock
7. Ryan
8. Diack

9. Marshall
10. Humphries

11. Carr
12. Fitzgerald
13. O'Malley
14. Gilroy
15. Jones

16. Harris-Wright
17. McAllister
18. Toner
19. Faloon
20. Stringer
21. Keatley
22. Spence

And if you made Joe Schmidt their coach they'd probably beat the current Irish team!

WeeBushy

Is this a list of players not at the WC, or who we want competing for spots in the future, not including the current regulars? I've treated it as the latter...

Props:

Hagan

Hookers:

Cronin, Strauss, Sherry

Second Rows:

Nagle, Touhy, McLaughlin (if he is played there more. i like the idea of McL in the second row)

Back Row:

Ruddock, Dom Ryan, McLaughlin, Henry

Scrum Half:

Murray (is he allowed?)

Out Half:

Keatley

Centre:

McFadden, Cave, Spence, O'Malley (has the potential but too early for him yet)

Wings:

Carr, Gilroy

Full Back:

Jones, if he can stay fit.

Some areas look quite bare, props particularly. But there are a load of ~21 yo props coming through at the moment so in 2/3 years time i reckon we'll be fine there. Might be a bit lean on depth until then.
Second Row looks a bit underwhelming as well. Touhy particularly needs to step up next year because he will be our leading 2nd row soon enough I'd say.
OH as well, but jacothelad has high hopes for a few of the Ulster youngsters there so in 2/3 seasons we should be OK hopefully.

bm1993

Jones
Carr
Spence
McFadden
Fitzgerald
Keatley
Murray
Healy (no one else)
Cronin
Hagan
Tuohy
Nagle
McLaughlin
Dom Ryan
Ruddock

Also I'd like to see Ferris at 4 and SOB at 8. Other player who should be blooded over the next few years:

Sherry
Faloon
Toner
Cave
O'Malley
Gilroy

However I realise that a lot of these players especially those not in the team I've picked won't make the grade.

CIARAN_BOYLE

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Non WC-Squad XXII:

You used Toner twice

Non WC-Squad XXII: Fit players only
Wilkinson
Sherry
Hagan
MOD
Tuohy
Muldoon
D Ryan
Diack

Stringer
Keatley
Fitzgerald
Spence
Cave
Carr
A D'arcy

Brady
McAlister
Toner
Ruddock
Marshall
Humphries
Gilroy

WeeBushy

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

You used Toner twice

Well he is very tall. He doesn't fit when only used once.

scriba

bm1993 wrote: »

However I realise that a lot of these players especially those not in the team I've picked won't make the grade.

This is part of the point of the thread, so we can have an overview of what depth (or lack thereof) there is at present. Plenty to be positive about though.

totallegend

scriba wrote: »

This is part of the point of the thread, so we can have an overview of what depth (or lack thereof) there is at present. Plenty to be positive about though.

Same old story when you go to pick a squad; lots of players in certain positions (back five, back row), sparse enough in others (prop, SH):

Jones
Carr
Spence
Marshall
Gilroy
Keatley
Marshall
Wilkinson
Sherry
Hagan
Tuohy
Toner
Ruddock
Ryan
Henry

Hmmm... cupboard is not as full as one would like.

Honourable mention to Richardt Strauss, I'm ticking off the days on my calendar until he's eligible.

CIARAN_BOYLE

totallegend wrote: »

Honourable mention to Richardt Strauss, I'm ticking off the days on my calendar until he's eligible.

Next november isn't it?

Speaking of project players I wonder if Robbie Diack will ever get a cap now that he is Irish eligible.

bamboozle

no mention of Muldoon, Downey or Wilson

Wilkinson
Sherry
Hagan
McCarthy
Touhy
Muldoon
O'Connor
Wilson
Stringer
Keatly
Carr
Marshall
O'Malley
Johne Murphy
Gilroy

Subs
Diak, TOL, Dundon/harris Wright, McLaughlin, Ruddock, Humphries, Spence

ambid

totallegend wrote: »

Same old story when you go to pick a squad; lots of players in certain positions (back five, back row), sparse enough in others (prop, SH):

Jones
Carr
Spence
Marshall
Gilroy
Keatley
Marshall
Wilkinson
Sherry
Hagan
Tuohy
Toner
Ruddock
Ryan
Henry

Hmmm... cupboard is not as full as one would like.

Honourable mention to Richardt Strauss, I'm ticking off the days on my calendar until he's eligible.

What an incredibly exciting backline!

Your forwards are very dynamic too, though as has been said before it's getting harder to see Toner making the grade at test level.

The only arguments I'd have with your side are maybe POM, Coughlan (on last season's excellent form) or Muldoon in for Henry in your back row, McAlister as an alternative option at loosehead, and maybe Conway or Cave in the backs (don't think they've been mentioned yet).

part time punk

Mmm I see a few people mentioning Stringer. Is that Peter Stringer? Doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the team, or is he the wise old head to guide the youngsters? Also Dave Kearney is another one who might be pushing for a squad place in a few years, although in a position where we probably have the most strength.

totallegend

ambid wrote: »

The only arguments I'd have with your side are maybe POM, Coughlan (on last season's excellent form) or Muldoon in for Henry in your back row, McAlister as an alternative option at loosehead, and maybe Conway or Cave in the backs (don't think they've been mentioned yet).

I haven't seen that much of POM tbh, and Coughlan is shoving on a bit to be thought of as one for the future, likewise Muldoon. Conway, Cave, McAlister absolutely could be in there.

Let's be realistic though, a lot of these young guys aren't going to make the step up from Celtic League level (which is where most of them are) to international grade.

Zzippy

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Non WC-Squad XXII:

1. Wilkinson
2. Sherry
3. Hagan
4. Tuohy
5. Toner
6. Ruddock
7. Ryan
8. Diack

9. Marshall
10. Humphries

11. Carr
12. Fitzgerald
13. O'Malley
14. Gilroy
15. Jones

16. Harris-Wright
17. McAllister
18. Toner
19. Faloon
20. Stringer
21. Keatley
22. Spence

And if you made Joe Schmidt their coach they'd probably beat the current Irish team!

McCarthy in for Toner, Muldoon in for Ruddock and Keatley in for iHumph and I'd agree with the rest. BTW you have Toner twice, I know he's tall but he hardly stretches that much!

Malmedicine

Only 1 person mention McCarthy. I must say I was impressed with the guy, looked looked from what I've seen of him. However the player that needs to brought along is Dom Ryan. This guy is Brussowesque burrower of a no 7.


Him SOB Heaslip Rhys Ferris McLaughlin, Henry and maybe Faloon, is some backrow for the post world cup years, not to mention a bolter or two coming up.

bm1993

bamboozle wrote: »

no mention of Muldoon, Downey or Wilson

Their ship has sailed I'd say.

phily2002

WeeBushy wrote: »

Is this a list of players not at the WC, or who we want competing for spots in the future, not including the current regulars? I've treated it as the latter...

Props:

Hagan

Hookers:

Cronin, Strauss, Sherry

Second Rows:

Nagle, Touhy, McLaughlin (if he is played there more. i like the idea of McL in the second row)

Back Row:

Ruddock, Dom Ryan, McLaughlin, Henry

Scrum Half:

Murray (is he allowed?)

Out Half:

Keatley

Centre:

McFadden, Cave, Spence, O'Malley (has the potential but too early for him yet)

Wings:

Carr, Gilroy

Full Back:

Jones, if he can stay fit.

Some areas look quite bare, props particularly. But there are a load of ~21 yo props coming through at the moment so in 2/3 years time i reckon we'll be fine there. Might be a bit lean on depth until then.
Second Row looks a bit underwhelming as well. Touhy particularly needs to step up next year because he will be our leading 2nd row soon enough I'd say.
OH as well, but jacothelad has high hopes for a few of the Ulster youngsters there so in 2/3 seasons we should be OK hopefully.

yeah watching the u20 world cup I thought Tadhg Furlong looked like a star for the future, I'd like to see the Irish team starting to bring up some young guys for experience...

siltirocker

Wilkinson
Sherry
Hagan
McCarthy
Tuohy
Muldoon
O'Concrete
Henry
TOL
Keatley
Fitz
Cave
Murphy
Carr
Jones

Flavin
Horan
McLaughlin
Ryan
Marshall
iHumph
Duffy

tolosenc

Zzippy wrote: »

Muldoon in for Ruddock

You know that's Rhys Ruddock, right? The guy is a monster and it's a real shame he's not at the world cup right now.

siltirocker

tolosenc wrote: »

You know that's Rhys Ruddock, right? The guy is a monster and it's a real shame he's not at the world cup right now.

John Muldoon is a better player than Ruddock IMO too.

CIARAN_BOYLE

siltirocker wrote: »

John Muldoon is a better player than Ruddock IMO too.

agreed Ruddock is a beast with tonnes of potential but he isn't there yet by any strech of the imagination

.ak

The Downey flood-gates gotta open up soon. Think he might make an appearance in the next 6N?

scriba

.ak wrote: »

The Downey flood-gates gotta open up soon. Think he might make an appearance in the next 6N?

Perhaps, but I suspect Kidney would go with youth rather than a thirty year old if he's trying someone 'new'.

irishbucsfan

I just don't understand why someone in their right mind would pick Downey ahead of what we've got at home.