Ireland A (Wolfhounds) Tour, June

boardieboardie

I have heard that Ireland A / Wolfhounds will be playing in a four team tournament in early June in Tbilissi against SA 'A', Uruguay and Georgia.
Match dates 7/11/16 June.

Basically this is one of two replacement tournaments for the old 6-Team IRB nations cup (the other tournament will be in Bucharest).

Not sure what sort of team SA will send. They can vary between a genuine A team and a completely uncapped U23 team. Not sure if Georgia would have access to their full team for the three games either as they're presumably targeting the away test to Argentina on 22nd and the Top14 is only over on 1st. If any of their Toulouse/Montp/Clermont/Toulon players are involved they may be rested.

Either way, with Lions gone, Ireland's seniors in North America and additional injuries and retirements, it should be a good test for what will presumably be a very young and inexperienced squad.

Hagz

Can't imagine what our side will look like.

molloyjh

boardieboardie wrote: »

I have heard that Ireland A / Wolfhounds will be playing in a four team tournament in early June in Tbilissi against SA 'A', Uruguay and Georgia.
Match dates 7/11/16 June.

Basically this is one of two replacement tournaments for the old 6-Team IRB nations cup (the other tournament will be in Bucharest).

Not sure what sort of team SA will send. They can vary between a genuine A team and a completely uncapped U23 team. Not sure if Georgia would have access to their full team for the three games either as they're presumably targeting the away test to Argentina on 22nd and the Top14 is only over on 1st. If any of their Toulouse/Montp/Clermont/Toulon players are involved they may be rested.

Either way, with Lions gone, Ireland's seniors in North America and additional injuries and retirements, it should be a good test for what will presumably be a very young and inexperienced squad.

Don't forget the Junior RWC in June as well. Who knows who will be playing in this one....

.ak

I'd imagine it'll be a who's who of Pro12 backup players.

CIARAN_BOYLE

boardieboardie wrote: »

I have heard that Ireland A / Wolfhounds will be playing in a four team tournament in early June in Tbilissi against SA 'A', Uruguay and Georgia.
Match dates 7/11/16 June.

Either way, with Lions gone, Ireland's seniors in North America and additional injuries and retirements, it should be a good test for what will presumably be a very young and inexperienced squad.

Great news if it is going to happen, we should have looked at getting into something like this last year rather than years when we have no Lions tour to take some of our players.

I might have to consider my previous position that all players over 30 should have a summer off to rest and recover.

.ak

.ak wrote: »

I'd imagine it'll be a who's who of Pro12 backup players.

I'll take a random stab in the dark at it too.

15. Jones (I think Henshaw will travel with the first team to USA)
14. Conway
13. EOM
12. McSharry
11. LOD/TOH
10. Keatley/Olding (Can Olding still travel with the RWC squad?)
09. What's the name of that Ulster SH? Marshall2.0?
08. Murphy (although I have a feeling he'll sneak onto the full team, otherwise Diack will)
07. TOD
06. ???
05. Marshall
04. Stevenson
03. Archer
02. JHW
01. JOC


Pretty all over the place team TBH. I'm probably being a bit unfair on some and a tad over ambitious on others!

CIARAN_BOYLE

.ak wrote: »

10. Keatley/Olding (Can Olding still travel with the RWC squad?)

RWC goes till 23rd of June

McGrath JHW Hagan Tuohy Browne (the Connacht one) DRyan TOD Murphy Marmion Keatley TOH McSharry EOM Conway Jones

ssaye

.ak wrote: »

I'll take a random stab in the dark at it too.

15. Jones (I think Henshaw will travel with the first team to USA)
14. Conway
13. EOM
12. McSharry
11. LOD/TOH
10. Keatley/Olding (Can Olding still travel with the RWC squad?)
09. What's the name of that Ulster SH? Marshall2.0?
08. Murphy (although I have a feeling he'll sneak onto the full team, otherwise Diack will)
07. TOD
06. ???
05. Marshall
04. Stevenson
03. Archer
02. JHW
01. JOC


Pretty all over the place team TBH. I'm probably being a bit unfair on some and a tad over ambitious on others!

Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan perhaps

Clegg

I think Jordi Murphy should be brought with the senior side. He cover cover any position in the backrow and has improved a hell of a lot for Leinster this season.

SOB will be away with the Lions and Henderson will probably be used as a lock. Leave spaces in the backrow.

Hagz

1. Wilkinson/Buckley
2. Harris-Wright
3. Archer
4. Tuohy
5. Toner
6. Ruddock
7. Murphy (I think TOD will go to America)
8. Wilson
9. Marmion
10. Keatley
11. Kearney Jnr
12. McSharry
13. O'Malley
14. O'Dea
15. Jones

boardieboardie

Well since you're all trying to predict the starting 15, bear in mind there's 3 games so 26-30 players will be needed. And that's on top of 26-30 in NA and the (not so) countless Lions and (increasingly) countless injuries that will be unavailable.

For comparison here's the matchday squad (acc. to BBC) that started the final (49-22 win over the Saxons) the last time we tried this (Churchill Cup, 2009). If the squad looked unusually strong it's because Ireland's test dates in NA were before the tournament started, so several of the senior squad were brought in.

Jones, Hurley, McFadden, Matthews, J. Murphy, Sexton, Boss, Healy, Cronin, Buckley, Ryan, Toner, Best, Ronan, Henry.
Replacements: Fogarty, Young, Hogan, Muldoon, Keogh, O'Connor, Downey.

wp_rathead

Hagz wrote: »

1. Wilkinson/Buckley
2. Harris-Wright
3. Archer
4. Tuohy
5. Toner (Will prob go USA tour) A. Browne ?
6. Ruddock (Will prob go USA?) Diack?
7. Murphy (I think TOD will go to America)/ Faloon?
8. Wilson / McKeon
9. Marmion (USA tour? with Reddan injured and Murray possibly on Lions? If he not he'd be shoe in]
10. Keatley
11. Kearney Jnr / Conway
12. McSharry ( USA tour? Maybe not with the form of Marshall) Would it be pointless bring Paddy Wallace for bit of leadership?
13. O'Malley
14. O'Dea / TOH
15. Jones

did bit of tinkering Hagz

bilston

Practically impossible guessing a squad but based on Healy, Best, O'Brien, Sexton and BOD travelling with the Lions with the possibility of O'Connell, Heaslip and Kearney joining them, throw in the injuries, at the moment it looks like Fitz and Fez will be out and then you can start to get a picture of the team that will play in the US. Axtually not quite because then you have to factor in whether a new coach (assuming we have one) will see any mileage in bringing the likes of Court, Ross, DOC, ROG and D'Arcy to the US.

Possible squad for the US then and this is just my opinion, I don't expect to see someone like Jack McGrath or John Andress going to North America.

Props - Kilcoyne, McGrath, Fitzpatrick, Andress, Archer
Hookers - Strauss, Cronin
Locks - Ryan, Toner, McCarthy, Tuohy
Back Row - Henderson, O'Mahony, Henry, Ruddock
Half Backs - Murray, Marshall, Jackson, Madigan
Back Five - Marshall, Earls, Cave, Gilroy, Zebo, Trimble, Bowe

Who does that leave for the Wolfhounds? We'd also have to assume that Luke McGrath, Stuart Olding and Robbie Henshaw will be with the U20s.

rchendz92

.ak wrote: »

I'll take a random stab in the dark at it too.

15. Jones (I think Henshaw will travel with the first team to USA)
14. Conway
13. EOM
12. McSharry
11. LOD/TOH
10. Keatley/Olding (Can Olding still travel with the RWC squad?)
09. What's the name of that Ulster SH? Marshall2.0?
08. Murphy (although I have a feeling he'll sneak onto the full team, otherwise Diack will)
07. TOD
06. ???
05. Marshall
04. Stevenson
03. Archer
02. JHW
01. JOC


Pretty all over the place team TBH. I'm probably being a bit unfair on some and a tad over ambitious on others!

Heaney. Cracking talent by the look of it!

Hype710

Great news. The Churchill cup win in '09 was brilliant and helped develop the likes of Healy, Cronin, Ryan, Toner, Henry, Sexton, McFadden and Jones.

A stab at a team:
Jones, Morris, EOM, Hanrahan, TOH, Keatley, Marmion, Buckley, Sherry, Bent, Stevenson, Nagle, Browne, Murphy, McKeon.
Herring, Black, Hagan (although would love to see Moore), Marshall, Ryan, Cooney, Steenson, Conway.

.ak

Jaysus forgot about Hanrahan, reckon he'd defo travel considering his experience at underage. Although I'd love to get a look at EOM and McSharry together.

PhatPiggins

Archer will definitely be on the NH Tour

Donald Coyle

.ak wrote: »

Jaysus forgot about Hanrahan, reckon he'd defo travel considering his experience at underage. Although I'd love to get a look at EOM and McSharry together.

Like a kind of preview for Leinster '14/'15?

Wexfordboy89

What about herring and nikora for this tourney.Noel reid Michael swift tadgh furlong quite a few too pick from

freyners

bilston wrote: »

Practically impossible guessing a squad but based on Healy, Best, O'Brien, Sexton and BOD travelling with the Lions with the possibility of O'Connell, Heaslip and Kearney joining them, throw in the injuries, at the moment it looks like Fitz and Fez will be out and then you can start to get a picture of the team that will play in the US. Axtually not quite because then you have to factor in whether a new coach (assuming we have one) will see any mileage in bringing the likes of Court, Ross, DOC, ROG and D'Arcy to the US.

Possible squad for the US then and this is just my opinion, I don't expect to see someone like Jack McGrath or John Andress going to North America.

Props - Kilcoyne, McGrath, Fitzpatrick, Andress, Archer
Hookers - Strauss, Cronin
Locks - Ryan, Toner, McCarthy, Tuohy
Back Row - Henderson, O'Mahony, Henry, Ruddock
Half Backs - Murray, Marshall, Jackson, Madigan
Back Five - Marshall, Earls, Cave, Gilroy, Zebo, Trimble, Bowe

Who does that leave for the Wolfhounds? We'd also have to assume that Luke McGrath, Stuart Olding and Robbie Henshaw will be with the U20s.

Buckley/wilkinson and Loughney will prob be ahead of mcgrath and andress

Henwin

What form is munster's Danny Barnes like these days? i was really impressed wit him a few years ago, havent heard much bout him since.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Henwin wrote: »

What form is munster's Danny Barnes like these days? i was really impressed wit him a few years ago, havent heard much bout him since.

Only one start this season. He has always been a great worker but no skill and no physicality. Downey and Lualala have limited his gametime.

RoundBox11

Wow this is a really great opportunity to give everyone a shot. Great timing too. With the new coach coming in, everyone will effectively get a chance to prove their worth.

I would presume that Sexton, Best, SOB, BOD and Healy will almost definitely be in the Lions squad. I'll add in Kearney and Bowe aswell just to cover possible numbers. Obviously that won't be the exact list and I don't know whether some of better players (Heaslip, POM etc.) will be needed for Ireland or left behind, but hypothetically that would leave our North America tour squad as:

Kilcoyne, Court, Loughney, Fitzpatrick, Archer (I think Ross will be rested until the AIs)
Strauss, Cronin, Sherry
Ryan, McCarthy, Tuohy, Toner (POC and DOC rested until AIs)
Heaslip, POM, Henry, Henderson, O'Donnell (Ferris rested)

Murray, Marshall, Boss
Jackson, Madigan
Luke Marshall, McSharry, Cave, Earls (D'Arcy rested)
Fitzgerald, Gilroy, McFadden, Trimble
Zebo (fullback)

That's a 31 man squad there with the main injuries and overworked lads left out. So that would leave the following for the Wolfhound squad:

S Buckley, McGrath, Black, Bent, Moore
JHW, Herring, Varley
Stevenson, Caldwell, Hayes, Nagle
Murphy, Ruddock, Ryan, Diack, Coughlin

Marmion, Heaney, Cooney
Keatley, Hanrahan
McSharry, EOM, Reid, Tonetti
D Kearney, Conway, TOH, LOD
Jones

CIARAN_BOYLE

If calling up players in England I'd have Steenson somewhere probably in the A squad, shift JJ out to the centers and drop Ried, Nial Morris would feature as well ahead of LOD.

You've McSharry down in both squads, replace with Griffin maybe in the A squad.

Don't rate Nagle at all. Would have Marshall, Kearney or A Brown ahead of him

Hagz

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

If calling up players in England I'd have Steenson somewhere probably in the A squad, shift JJ out to the centers and drop Ried, Nial Morris would feature as well ahead of LOD.

I wouldn't touch Steenson with the 10 options we have, not unless he's needed. Robin Copeland is someone I'd definitely take.

.ak

Hagz wrote: »

I wouldn't touch Steenson with the 10 options we have, not unless he's needed. Robin Copeland is someone I'd definitely take.

No harm in getting Steenson capped!

Zzippy

.ak wrote: »

Jaysus forgot about Hanrahan, reckon he'd defo travel considering his experience at underage. Although I'd love to get a look at EOM and McSharry together.

Donald Coyle wrote: »

Like a kind of preview for Leinster '14/'15?

Get yer grubby mitts off! Unless EOM is moving to Connacht you won't be seeing them together that season

http://www.connachtrugby.ie/2013032283254/mcsharry-commits-future-with-connacht

Beery Eyed

Can't wait to see who goes on this tour & ends up playing. I hope there's some decent coverage of it though.

Whatever about the Lions, with the North America tour & this tournament it's shaping up to be an exciting summer for Irish rugby! Looking forward to seeing who will stand up & make a name for themselves.

boardieboardie

Up on the Irish website now:
http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/28908.php