Ireland v Scotland -Aviva Stadium - Saturday 10th March 5pm

Clegg

Michael Corcoran is saying that Henry has an achilles injury. This probably explains the Jennings call-up.

Although Kidney probably would probably have called up Jennings even if Henry were fit.

totallegend

Michael Corcoran on Twitter wrote: »

Chris Henry is injured and receiving treatment on an achilles injury.

Looks like Kidney may not be as bad as he's being made out this afternoon.

ambid

I'm very surprised at the strenuous demands for experimentation in this match. Even before O'Brien's injury, Ireland were already massively weakened by losing their forwards coach, captain, and second captain. Scotland are a good side who could/ should have beaten France and England, and statistically their set pieces are stronger than Ireland's.

The IRFU have made clear that Ireland need to finish as high as possible in the six nations table every year. We can experiment in the non competitive tests later this year, but the six nations is our unquestioned priority.

Playing against a good team, in a vital competitive match, when we have already been substantially weakened - well it seems to me we have little scope for experimentation and need our experienced players in this match.

Beachballz

Who is next to cry off for Ireland?

I blame the doctors, Paul O'Connell would play on 1 leg if he could. Medical advice is always geared towards stopping people playing the game they love.

irishbucsfan

ambid wrote: »

The IRFU have made clear that Ireland need to finish as high as possible in the six nations table every year. We can experiment in the non competitive tests later this year, but the six nations is our unquestioned priority.

That's fair enough, but do you really think there'll be experimentation?

Clegg

ambid wrote: »

I'm very surprised at the strenuous demands for experimentation in this match. Even before O'Brien's injury, Ireland were already massively weakened by losing their forwards coach, captain, and second captain. Scotland are a good side who could/ should have beaten France and England, and statistically their set pieces are stronger than Ireland's.

The IRFU have made clear that Ireland need to finish as high as possible in the six nations table every year. We can experiment in the non competitive tests later this year, but the six nations is our unquestioned priority.

Playing against a good team, in a vital competitive match, when we have already been substantially weakened - well it seems to me we have little scope for experimentation and need our experienced players in this match.

It's our experienced players that are the problem. Players like DOC and Darcy haven't been international class for years. Experience means nothing when the players we have are playing poorly.

You hold the same mindset as the IRFU. The constant need to pick experienced players has left us woefully unprepared for the next few years. It is short minded and naive in the extreme.

irishbucsfan

O'Mahoney will find it tough going against Scotland. Hopefully the experience will stand to him later on.

Neil3030

Wow, that injury list is now nearly as long as the list of people who want Kidney locked in a brazen bull.

ambid

irishbucsfan wrote: »

That's fair enough, but do you really think there'll be experimentation?

I don't know, but there should be. The result is all important against Scotland, the result against Australia in a non competitive Autumn test is not all important so there should be experimentation then.

Clegg wrote: »

It's our experienced players that are the problem. Players like DOC and Darcy haven't been international class for years. Experience means nothing when the players we have are playing poorly.

You hold the same mindset as the IRFU. The constant need to pick experienced players has left us woefully unprepared for the next few years. It is short minded and naive in the extreme.

Steady on! :eek:

I did say there is a time for experimentation, I did not say that we have a "constant need to pick experienced players".

JustinDee

Tox56 wrote: »

I'm not arguing that some players had to go, but even so, the size and speed of the clearout was something not all managers would have done. Not all players were dropped solely on their ability and age, but many were.

The positions you've mentioned have all been such a case. Your speculation that other managers are lagging behind some form of progression amongst the England setup is off mark, in my opinion.
A clearout was required and was made happen, for reasons already pointed out.

Bearcat

Well we need to blood these guys, the sooner the better. Championship is lost so now is the time. Best of luck to Ryan and O'Mahony.....

Mr.Applepie

irishbucsfan wrote: »

While that's true he also has a lot of Ireland A and Churchill Cup experience.

I just don't accept a guy whose around as long as him and has been such a big part of Ulsters H Cup form should be overlooked based on experience for Shane Jennings who isn't exactly the Methuselah of international rugby.


But were we really expecting Kidney to reward form over familiarity?

Personally I think Kidney should be congratulated for not calling up Wallace.... baby steps!

leftleg

irishbucsfan wrote: »

O'Mahoney will find it tough going against Scotland. Hopefully the experience will stand to him later on.

Everyone will find it tough going against the Scots; England, France and Wales will testify to that; They are very difficult to breakdown and in our case on certain days just plain better at the game we have tried to play; I really hope Kidney has a good game plan for this one because so far in terms of attack, both teams have been quite weak; we will certainly need to keep the tempo moving and not allow offloads as thats what this team seem to be good at; support and offloads; particularly their backrow;

phog

@ThornleyIsRugby tweeted

Shane Jennings in Carton House today. After a brief struggle, Deccie came down and told security that he had invited him

phog

I was one of those that proposed a change of one of the backrow but I never wanted it this way and I would always have gone for whoever was being rotated would have been on the bench, that is not an option now. I think we'll all appreciate what SOB does on the field now that he's not there.

Best fo luck to POM on his first start and get well soon to SOB.

irishbucsfan

I'm over the Henry thing.

If he's injured he's injured. The fact he has been 23rd man suggests he would have played. Nothing to see here anymore. Kidney is still failing to impress for a 3rd year in a row but this is probably the right call.

Fireball07

Well if Henry is injured, I guess it's fair enough. Jennings is a good player, and I suppose it's his experience that gets him in but he's getting on and I don't think he would ever have made a top international player.

I'd have had Muldoon in there tbh.

andrewdcs

So is SOB out with atheletes foot or something?

Or is it like gangrene?

totallegend

Fireball07 wrote: »

Well if Henry is injured, I guess it's fair enough. Jennings is a good player, and I suppose it's his experience that gets him in but he's getting on and I don't think he would ever have made a top international player.

I'd have had Muldoon in there tbh.

I've huge time for Muldoon and he definitely deserves more game time for Ireland, but yet another 6 was not what Ireland needed.

PhatPiggins

andrewdcs wrote: »

So is SOB out with atheletes foot or something?

Or is it like gangrene?

It must be the latter. With Sean you always think it has to be something that would kill Superman to keep him off the pitch. Itchy toes just doesn't sound right

MungBean

I think his foot fell off, he's taking a week out to grow a new one.

PhatPiggins

MungBean wrote: »

I think his foot fell off, he's taking a week out to grow a new one.

:pac::pac:

A bigger, better, harder foot of course

molloyjh

MungBean wrote: »

I think his foot fell off, he's taking a week out to grow a new one.

I heard he hacked it off himself with a spoon at the first sign of weakness....

MungBean

molloyjh wrote: »

I heard he hacked it off himself with a spoon at the first sign of weakness....

MungBean

^^^ Grew it himself too.

Fireball07

totallegend wrote: »

I've huge time for Muldoon and he definitely deserves more game time for Ireland, but yet another 6 was not what Ireland needed.

Hmm...maybe. But I'm sure POM will do a fine job at 7, and Jennings is getting on and can only play there. Muldoon could play all 3 positions in the back row at a push, didn't he play at 7 for a while when O'Connor was injured?

Cpt_Blackbeard

Delighted for POM actually. SOB's injury doesn't sound too bad and injury appears to be Kidney's only tactic of developing a squad.

Will be interesting to see who POM will pick his first fight with. The lucky Scot will be able to tell the grandkids of how he got in an off the ball scuffle with Peter O'Mahony - the great Munster, Irish, and Lions captain - in his first international start.

totallegend

Fireball07 wrote: »

Hmm...maybe. But I'm sure POM will do a fine job at 7, and Jennings is getting on and can only play there. Muldoon could play all 3 positions in the back row at a push, didn't he play at 7 for a while when O'Connor was injured?

I'm sure POM will do fine at 7, but in terms of replacements, I still think Jennings was the logical choice once Henry was ruled out.

Even if Muldoon can cover 7, he is still primarily a 6, as are Ferris and POM. I'm not sure how much experience he really has, but certainly McCarthy was being talked about as a "5.5" in the lead-up to the World Cup and of course Ryan has often played at 6. So then you have four guys in the 22 capable of covering at 6, before adding Muldoon into the mix?

ttankk

i love how people are worrying about how the line out for ireland will hold up against scotland due to o connells absence and the fact that gert smal isnt around ! its absolute nonsence we still have quality in o callaghan and now ryan who should have been starting from the very start and know these lineouts inside out yes scotland have possibly the best up and coming second row in gray and a very effective lineout in general but we will most def finish on top. also chuffed to see peter o mahony getting his chance

ormond lad

ttankk wrote: »

i love how people are worrying about how the line out for ireland will hold up against scotland due to o connells absence and the fact that gert smal isnt around ! its absolute nonsence we still have quality in o callaghan and now ryan who should have been starting from the very start and know these lineouts inside out yes scotland have possibly the best up and coming second row in gray and a very effective lineout in general but we will most def finish on top. also chuffed to see peter o mahony getting his chance

Paul normally calls the lienouts and is a very good jumper. DOC is usually a 2 jumper and they never give him the resonsibility of calling the lineouts. It says something about DOC that he is the experienced one in the 2nd row and more senior player yet isnt given the responsibility of running the lineout. Yes they know the lineouts very well(its their job to!!) but how often has Donnacha Ryan had to call and run the lineout in a game(not that i dont think DR can do it, hes more than capable) against a very strong and effective lineout