Ireland v. Wales - Your Team

Otacon

With a few days left before the official team is named, what would be your team for the game against Wales?

To start things off...

Ireland 22-Man Team vs. Wales

1. C. Healy
2. R. Best
3. M. Ross
4. D. Tuohy
5. P. O'Connell
6. S. Ferris
7. S. O'Brien
8. J. Heaslip
9. C. Murray
10. J. Sexton
11. K. Earls
12. G. D'Arcy
13. T. Bowe
14. A. Trimble
15. R. Kearney

16. S. Cronin
17. T. Court
18. D. Ryan
19. P. O'Mahony
20. E. Reddan
21. R. O'Gara
22. L. Fitzgerald F. McFadden

Only thing in there that may cause controversy is POM. While, if I'm honest, Munster bias may have influenced his inclusion over Dominic Ryan, I think he deserves a shot.

Fishooks12

Not going to happen but here's my team

1 Cian Healy
2 Best
3 Ross
4 Tuohy
5 POC
6 Ferris
7 SOB
8 heaslip
9 Murray
10 Sexton
11 Trimble
12 Darcy
13 EOM
14 Bowe
15 kearney

totallegend

I'd pick;

Healy, Best, Ross
O'Connell, Tuohy
Ferris, O'Brien, Heaslip
Reddan, Sexton
Trimble, D'Arcy, O'Malley, Bowe
Kearney

Bench: Cronin, Court, Ryan, Henry, Murray, O'Gara, Earls

(@Otacon, Fitzgerald is out of contention with injury)

Fireball07

My team would be:

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Earls
12. McFadden
13. O'Malley
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Tuohy
19. O'Mahoney
20. Reddan
21. O'Gara
22. Trimble

Tox56

totallegend wrote: »

I'd pick;

Healy, Best, Ross
O'Connell, Tuohy
Ferris, O'Brien, Heaslip
Reddan, Sexton
Trimble, D'Arcy, O'Malley, Bowe
Kearney

Bench: Cronin, Court, Ryan, Henry, Murray, O'Gara, Earls

(@Otacon, Fitzgerald is out of contention with injury)

That's what I would have too pretty much. Think McFadden should be in there too, I would love to have him at 12, although that will never happen.

Quint2010

Kearney
Trimble
Bowe
D'Arcy
Earls
Sexton
Reddan
Healy
Best
Ross
Tuohy
POC
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip

Court
Cronin
Ryan
Henry
Murray
ROG
McFadden

fitz

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. Darcy/McFadden
13. O'Malley
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Tuohy
19. Henry
20. Murray
21. O'Gara
22. Earls

molloyjh

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Tuohy
5. POC
6. Ferris
7. SOB
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Earls
12. Darce
13. Bowe
14. Trimble
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Ryan
19. POM
20. Murray
21. ROG
22. McFadden

smurphy29

Healy Best Ross
Ryan POC
Fez Jamie SOB

Murray
Sexton
Ferg Earls
Trimble Bowe
Kearney

Bench: Cronin Court Tuohy O'Mahony Reddan ROG Fitz

Instruction to Deccie.

1. Give Murray and Sexton the tournament together to establish a partnership and don't f*ck around with their heads. Same goes for whoever is picked at 13
2. Give Cronin a good chunk of game time off the bench. He is in smashing form. Get Tuohy on and get him on the ball and offloading. O'Mahony should be capped.
3. If Fitz isn't fit stick Darce on the bench

Quint2010

smurphy29 wrote: »

Healy Best Ross
Ryan POC
Fez Jamie SOB

Murray
Sexton
Ferg Earls
Trimble Bowe
Kearney

Bench: Cronin Court Tuohy O'Mahony Reddan ROG Fitz

Instruction to Deccie.

1. Give Murray and Sexton the tournament together to establish a partnership and don't f*ck around with their heads. Same goes for whoever is picked at 13
2. Give Cronin a good chunk of game time off the bench. He is in smashing form. Get Tuohy on and get him on the ball and offloading. O'Mahony should be capped.
3. If Fitz isn't fit stick Darce on the bench

Earls at 13?...hmmmm

bm1993

My team

Kearney
Bowe
EOM
McFadden
Trimble
Sexton
Reddan
Healy
Best
Ross
Tuohy
POC
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip

Cronin
Court
Ryan
Henry
Murray
ROG
Earls

DK's team

Kearney
Bowe
Earls
D'Arcy
Trimble
Sexton
Murray
Healy
Best
Ross
Ryan
POC
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip

Cronin
Court
DOC
Jennings
TOL
ROG
Wallace

astonaidan

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Tuohy
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. ROG
11. Trimble
12. McFadden
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

Pudsy33

astonaidan wrote: »

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Tuohy
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. ROG
11. Trimble
12. McFadden
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

Good god no.

slowburner

Quint2010 wrote: »

Kearney
Trimble
Bowe
D'Arcy (12)
Earls (13) ??
Sexton
Reddan
Healy
Best
Ross
Tuohy
POC
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip

Court
Cronin
Ryan
Henry
Murray
ROG
McFadden

Quint2010 wrote: »

Earls at 13?...hmmmm

little173

I am genuinely shocked that anyone would pick O'Malley at 13 for this 6N, maybe 30 mins vs Italy at a push, he has barely played a handful of meaningful games for Leinster and is too slight at this stage of his development, he gets turned over in contact too easily.

CiaranMT

little173 wrote: »

I am genuinely shocked that anyone would pick O'Malley at 13 for this 6N, maybe 30 mins vs Italy at a push, he has barely played a handful of meaningful games for Leinster and is too slight at this stage of his development, he gets turned over in contact too easily.

That hoary old chestnut again. Watch his defensive performance last weekend (tackle on Matt Banahan in particular).

Rattlehead_ie

So the 32man squad was announced today.
Pick your team from the below

Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)
Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Shane Jennings (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
Eoin O'Malley (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht)*
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)*

* Uncapped player
Bold for my 22 man

irishbucsfan

little173 wrote: »

I am genuinely shocked that anyone would pick O'Malley at 13 for this 6N, maybe 30 mins vs Italy at a push, he has barely played a handful of meaningful games for Leinster and is too slight at this stage of his development, he gets turned over in contact too easily.

He has started at 13 and excelled in the heineken cup on multiple occasions, never playing poorly. Not something you can say about any of his competitors.

The idea he is too slight is madness. He's proven time and again he's plenty big enough. Nearly as annoying as the old Paddy Wallace can't defend b*ll****

irishbucsfan

Good squad. Exactly as Ive been saying, Kidneys conservatism was completely overstated.

molloyjh

little173 wrote: »

I am genuinely shocked that anyone would pick O'Malley at 13 for this 6N, maybe 30 mins vs Italy at a push, he has barely played a handful of meaningful games for Leinster and is too slight at this stage of his development, he gets turned over in contact too easily.

You obviously haven't watched him much. Even the 80 mins on Saturday would have been enough to put paid to that tired old line.

I do agree it's probably a little too soon for him, but to say he gets turned over in contact easily is simply not true. Banahan, Monye and Rougerie can all attest to that.

Tox56

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Good squad. Exactly as Ive been saying, Kidneys conservatism was completely overstated.

The match-day squad will reveal more, this is encouraging though.

CIARAN_BOYLE

slowburner wrote: »

He has Earls at 11, Darcy at 12, Bowe at 13 and trimble at 14
Why are you confused

slowburner

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

He has Earls at 11, Darcy at 12, Bowe at 13 and trimble at 14
Why are you confused

I'm not now

Amazotheamazing

Interesting than POM has seemingly forced his way due to whatever he produced in training during the week.

Any word on Fitz's injury?

RoutineBites

Based on the squad named today,

1 Healy
2 Best
3 Ross
4 Tuohy
5 O'Connell
6 Ferris
7 O'Brien
8 Heaslip
9 Murray
10 Sexton
11 Trimble
12 D'Arcy
13 O'Malley
14 Bowe
15 R Kearney

16 Cronin
17 Wilkinson
18 Ryan
19 O'Mahony
20 Reddan
21 O'Gara
22 McFadden

yupyup7up

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. O'Mahony
8. O'Brien
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. McFadden
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Tuohy
19. Heaslip
20. Reddan
21. O'Gara
22. Zebo/D. Kearney

Heaslip is not on form and doesn't deserve to start.
D. Kearney impressed me a lot in the wolfhounds game.
O'Mahony has been brilliant for Munster and I think he could be a great no. 7.
McFadden would bring physicality and good hands into the centre partnership and Earls has a great ability to straighten the line. Could intermittently swap him and Bowe.

O' Gara > Sexton but we need Sexton to get all cylinders firing in a green jersey too!

yupyup7up

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Good god no.

Why? He was great vs northampton. O'Malley is far from the finished article at 13 right now. I think it's insane to pick him over Earls at 13. Only person I'd even consider over earls at 13 right now is McFadden. Bowe is a winger and his game is largely based on coming off his wing.

Otacon

yupyup7up wrote: »

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Trimble

O' Gara > Sexton

rugbug86

yupyup7up wrote: »

Heaslip is not on form and doesn't deserve to start.
O' Gara > Sexton but we need Sexton to get all cylinders firing in a green jersey too!

Just to pick up on these two points.

Heaslip is playing phenomenal rugby at the moment. He's not the brute ball carrying number 8 of previous seasons but himself, SOB and Ferris are working together as one of the best backrows in the world. Heaslip has adapted his game and does more work on the ground than previously to allow SOB/Ferris to run with the ball.

and O'Gara > Sexton? I think not. I'm a Leinster supporter but as I live in Munster I have gone to many Munster games this year and O'Garas performances haven't exactly inspired me - there's been no spark to the back line, which when you consider includes speedies like Zebo & Earls says a lot. I have said it before, they've a different style of game, I think Sexton is more rounded as a player.

Tox56

yupyup7up wrote: »

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. O'Mahony
8. O'Brien
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. McFadden
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Tuohy
19. Heaslip
20. Reddan
21. O'Gara
22. Zebo/D. Kearney

Heaslip is not on form and doesn't deserve to start.
D. Kearney impressed me a lot in the wolfhounds game.
O'Mahony has been brilliant for Munster and I think he could be a great no. 7.
McFadden would bring physicality and good hands into the centre partnership and Earls has a great ability to straighten the line. Could intermittently swap him and Bowe.

O' Gara > Sexton but we need Sexton to get all cylinders firing in a green jersey too!

You would pick O'Mahony over Heaslip...? I'm not going to go into Earls at 13.

rugbug86

My team:

Healy
Best
Ross

Ryan/Tuohy
POC

Ferris
SOB
Heaslip

Reddan
Sexton

Earls
D'Arcy
O'Malley
Bowe
Kearney

Cronin
Court
Ryan/Tuohy
O'Mahony
Murray
ROG
McFadden

little173

irishbucsfan wrote: »

He has started at 13 and excelled in the heineken cup on multiple occasions, never playing poorly. Not something you can say about any of his competitors.

The idea he is too slight is madness. He's proven time and again he's plenty big enough. Nearly as annoying as the old Paddy Wallace can't defend b*ll****

He has proven very little other than he has potential to be a good player, he has started only half Leinsters HC games. I think its a step too far at this stage for him, he was ok in the A game but wasnt spectacular by any means.

domino123

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. McFadden
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

i know this will be unpopular with leinster people but i think zebo deserves his chance......he has been in outstanding form lately.....has proven it in HC and again last week......i would also prefer to see Bowe in the centre but we all know kidney prefers to play earls there.....time to give youth their chance and the building process for 2015 starts here

ormond lad

domino123 wrote: »

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. McFadden
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

i know this will be unpopular with leinster people but i think zebo deserves his chance......he has been in outstanding form lately.....has proven it in HC and again last week......i would also prefer to see Bowe in the centre but we all know kidney prefers to play earls there.....time to give youth their chance and the building process for 2015 starts here

There is no way zebo should be anywhere near the 22. Great to see him in the squad for this week but there is so many more options who are better than him at this moment in time

irishbucsfan

little173 wrote: »

irishbucsfan wrote: »

He has started at 13 and excelled in the heineken cup on multiple occasions, never playing poorly. Not something you can say about any of his competitors.

The idea he is too slight is madness. He's proven time and again he's plenty big enough. Nearly as annoying as the old Paddy Wallace can't defend
b*ll****

He has proven very little other than he has potential to be a good player, he has started only half Leinsters HC games. I think its a step too far at this stage for him, he was ok in the A game but wasnt spectacular by any means.

If we used that logic though Connor Murray still wouldn't have any caps.

He has started and excelled at H Cup level home and away. He was very good for the Wilfhounds and importantly he's an actual 13.

He should be given a couple of runs.

yupyup7up

rugbug86 wrote: »

Just to pick up on these two points.

Heaslip is playing phenomenal rugby at the moment. He's not the brute ball carrying number 8 of previous seasons but himself, SOB and Ferris are working together as one of the best backrows in the world. Heaslip has adapted his game and does more work on the ground than previously to allow SOB/Ferris to run with the ball.

and O'Gara > Sexton? I think not. I'm a Leinster supporter but as I live in Munster I have gone to many Munster games this year and O'Garas performances haven't exactly inspired me - there's been no spark to the back line, which when you consider includes speedies like Zebo & Earls says a lot. I have said it before, they've a different style of game, I think Sexton is more rounded as a player.

I disagree, I dont think he has been playing nowhere near his best. Needs a good boot up the hole. SOB/Ferris and Heaslip were shown up against Wales. I think we need an out and out 7 and I reckon SOB would be more effect than Heaslip ATM.

I'm sorry now, but O'Gara can grind out wins and has done it for years. Sexton hasn't it done it for me in an Irish jersey yet. I hope he does, but until then, he's just another Heineken cup player.

He is absolutely brilliant for Leinster though.

And as for Earls at 13, he is better than O'Malley. I don't know what match some of ye were watching the other day but he didn't show to me how he deserves to start for the senior team yet.

Tox56

yupyup7up wrote: »

I disagree, I dont think he has been playing nowhere near his best. Needs a good boot up the hole. SOB/Ferris and Heaslip were shown up against Wales. I think we need an out and out 7 and I reckon SOB would be more effect than Heaslip ATM.

I'm sorry now, but O'Gara can grind out wins and has done it for years. Sexton hasn't it done it for me in an Irish jersey yet. I hope he does, but until then, he's just another Heineken cup player.

He is absolutely brilliant for Leinster though.

And as for Earls at 13, he is better than O'Malley. I don't know what match some of ye were watching the other day but he didn't show to me how he deserves to start for the senior team yet.

I really don't know where to start with that. It looks like you won't be convinced, so I won't try, and just say I disagree with most of it.

Mr.Applepie

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Touhy
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. SOB
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. D'Arcy
13. EOM
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Ryan
19. POM
20. Murray
21. O'Gara
22. Earls

I'd like to see a bit of variety in the lineups over the 6N.

Ryan & Touhy both getting gametime with POC.

POM should start a game or 2 with either Ferris/SOB rested. I'd like Ruddock to see a bit of gametime from the bench maybe.

I like to see the provincal halfbacks play together rather than the constant Leinster/Munster pairing Kidney seems to prefer. We are at our best when the provincial pairings are together.

Wouldn't mind seeing Bowe in the centre with Earls/Trimble on the wing. Also Fitzy should hopefully be back from injury at some point. If he is still in form he should be starting.

domino123

ormond lad wrote: »

There is no way zebo should be anywhere near the 22. Great to see him in the squad for this week but there is so many more options who are better than him at this moment in time

Zebo will be in the 22........what about conor murray before the world cup??....people were sayin the same......zebo will get gametime during the 6 nations imo

[Jackass]

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Tuhoy
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip

9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Earls
12. McFadden
13. Bowe
14. Trimble
15. Kearney

16. Cronin 17. Court 18. Ryan 19. Henry 20. Boss 21. O'Gara 22. D'Arcy

yupyup7up

Tox56 wrote: »

I really don't know where to start with that. It looks like you won't be convinced, so I won't try, and just say I disagree with most of it.

I'm just calling it how I see it. Dave Kearney was the player that impressed me the most on the wolfhounds match. People were calling for Chris Henry to start for the seniors the other day and he was useless! I'm not being biased in terms of Munster players ahead of others, I'm just giving my honest opinion as someone who plays the game and is a dedicated supporter.

irishbucsfan

POM will be behind Henry. Can't argue with that either.

[Jackass]

domino123 wrote: »

Zebo will be in the 22........what about conor murray before the world cup??....people were sayin the same......zebo will get gametime during the 6 nations imo

I agree that he definitely will play in this 6 nations, which is comical by the way, while other players can't earn a place, no matter what they do, particularly if they're from Ulster or Connacht, but massively so for Leinster lads too.

Munster players pretty much just need to be registered as a PRO12 player to be on the cusp of several competetive caps under Kidney.

Where's Gilroy, O'Halliran, Griffen? - no, no, we've got Zebo and Hurley.... lol... he'll probably be ahead of Trimble too... and Dave Kearney has been tearing up PRO12 and Heineken Cup even....

rugbug86

yupyup7up wrote: »

I disagree, I dont think he has been playing nowhere near his best. Needs a good boot up the hole. SOB/Ferris and Heaslip were shown up against Wales. I think we need an out and out 7 and I reckon SOB would be more effect than Heaslip ATM.

I'm sorry now, but O'Gara can grind out wins and has done it for years. Sexton hasn't it done it for me in an Irish jersey yet. I hope he does, but until then, he's just another Heineken cup player.

He is absolutely brilliant for Leinster though.

And as for Earls at 13, he is better than O'Malley. I don't know what match some of ye were watching the other day but he didn't show to me how he deserves to start for the senior team yet.

How can Sexton close out an Ireland game if he's hauled off after 60 minutes?

Earls is a winger, not a centre, not a fullback, he's a world class WINGER. Why play him out of position when there's a perfectly capable centre that could challenge BOD for number 13 if he returns from injury? Have to remember that BOD was given an international call up before he played properly for Leinster and that ended well, why not take a risk with O'Malley, who, IMO, has shown he's of international standard.

rugbug86

domino123 wrote: »

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. McFadden
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

i know this will be unpopular with leinster people but i think zebo deserves his chance......he has been in outstanding form lately.....has proven it in HC and again last week......i would also prefer to see Bowe in the centre but we all know kidney prefers to play earls there.....time to give youth their chance and the building process for 2015 starts here

More unpopular with Ulster fans to be fair - Trimble deserves a start over Zebo.

Tox56

yupyup7up wrote: »

I'm just calling it how I see it. Dave Kearney was the player that impressed me the most on the wolfhounds match. People were calling for Chris Henry to start for the seniors the other day and he was useless! I'm not being biased in terms of Munster players ahead of others, I'm just giving my honest opinion as someone who plays the game and is a dedicated supporter.

Chris Henry wasn't bad at all, but wasn't as good as he has been this season, which is a compliment I suppose.

Earls had a solid if unspectacular game against Northampton, and the previous 3-4 games he was really poor at 13. EOM has impressed every time he has played. Whilst I don't expect him to start, Earls shouldn't either, he has shown countless times he isn't up to it, especially at international level.

McFadden + Earls in the centre would equal zero distribution. They can't/won't pass, and we would play an incredibly predictable, one-dimensional game. We have great wingers, and we need to utilise them. EOM is a great distributor of the ball. McFadden/D'Arcy at 12 with EOM at 13 would provide good service out wide.

Sexton has played so well Leinster haven't needed to "grind out" matches, bar against Montpellier (and arguably Bath away), and both times he held his nerve.

Heaslip put in a MOTM performance in his last game (how he didn't officially get it was a joke) and did the same a few games before. Don't judge performances purely based on ball-carrying. Heaslip is not making as many barnstorming runs, but he is working tirelessly around the pitch. He has been Leinster's best player for the last few weeks.

yupyup7up

rugbug86 wrote: »

How can Sexton close out an Ireland game if he's hauled off after 60 minutes?

Earls is a winger, not a centre, not a fullback, he's a world class WINGER. Why play him out of position when there's a perfectly capable centre that could challenge BOD for number 13 if he returns from injury? Have to remember that BOD was given an international call up before he played properly for Leinster and that ended well, why not take a risk with O'Malley, who, IMO, has shown he's of international standard.

Because he isn't doing the business with the hour he was given! The only time he really done it in an Irish jersey against decent opposition was vs Australia.
Once ain't enough.

Yeah I would have agreed with you before, but Earls has been playing at 13 for Munster and he has done pretty well for the last couple of matches in an otherwise lacklustre backline. Trimble is playing great stuff from the wing at the minute, so I'd rather him and Bowe on the wings. BOD sealed his place about 11/12 years ago! Its a totally different game now! And EOM is not the next BOD, you'll never be able to replace him.

If EOM starts a senior fixture in this 6N, he'll be shown up, like all the other "great" players armchairs fans seem to think are great but truly aren't. Others including Leo Cullen, Kevin McLaughlin, Isaac Boss, Chriss Henry etc.etc.

But, if Kidney even thinks about bringing Denis Hurley near the squad I will lose all faith in him!

ed7890

Tox56 wrote: »

Earls had a solid if unspectacular game against Northampton, and the previous 3-4 games he was really poor at 13. EOM has impressed every time he has played. Whilst I don't expect him to start, Earls shouldn't either, he has shown countless times he isn't up to it, especially at international level.

That's a bit of an exaggeration. He was very good against Northampton, linking up well in attacking plays, stickin his man before laying it off, making all his tackles. He had a bad game before that against Castres, but was good other than that. He was good against Treviso, good against Connacht. You're really taking one bad performance, and then using it to colour them all as bad.

Tox56

yupyup7up wrote: »

Because he isn't doing the business with the hour he was given! The only time he really done it in an Irish jersey against decent opposition was vs Australia.
Once ain't enough.

Yeah I would have agreed with you before, but Earls has been playing at 13 for Munster and he has done pretty well for the last couple of matches in an otherwise lacklustre backline. Trimble is playing great stuff from the wing at the minute, so I'd rather him and Bowe on the wings. BOD sealed his place about 11/12 years ago! Its a totally different game now! And EOM is not the next BOD, you'll never be able to replace him.

If EOM starts a senior fixture in this 6N, he'll be shown up, like all the other "great" players armchairs fans seem to think are great but truly aren't. Others including Leo Cullen, Kevin McLaughlin, Isaac Boss, Chriss Henry etc.etc.

But, if Kidney even thinks about bringing Denis Hurley near the squad I will lose all faith in him!

Where on earth has this myth come from?

runman

I know the consensus here on earles at 13..Iv read all the crticisms but i think he can make a good 13. I hope he gets picked there.;)

yupyup7up

Tox56 wrote: »

Where on earth has this myth come from?

Really? Are you having a laugh? Can you please back up your criticism of my views with a bit more info than just this?