Average age of each provinces best 15

JagerScout

Interesting to note the age profiles of each squad. Leinster clearly the aging squad, while positive enough signs for Connacht(at least they arent terrible and old). Obviously there is room for a bit of change to each squad to find your own best 15 as it's fairly subjective, I think i've done a decent job in evaluating it though.

Leinster

1. Healy(25)
2. Strauss(27)
3. Ross(33)
4. Cullen(35)
5. McCarthy(31)
6. SOB(26)
7. Jennings(32)
8. Heaslip(29)
9. Reddan(32)
10. Madigan(24)
11. Fitzgerald(25)
12. Darcy(33)
13. BOD(34)
14. McFadden(27)
15. Kearney(27)

Average age of starting 15 is 29.3

Ulster

1. Court(32)
2. Best(31)
3. Afoa(29)
4. Muller(33)
5. Touhy(28)
6. Henderson(21)
7. Henry(28)
8. Williams(29)
9. Pienaar(29)
10. Jackson(21)
11. Trimble(28)
12. Marshall(22)
13. Cave(26)
14. Bowe(29)
15. Payne(27)

Average age of 15 is 27.5

Munster

1. Kilcoyne(24)
2. Sherry(25)
3. Botha(33)
4. Ryan(29)
5. O'Connell(33)
6. POM(23)
7. TOD(25)
8. Coughlan(32)
9. Murray(24)
10. Keatley(26)
11. Zebo(23)
12. Downey(32)
13. Lualua(31)
14. Earls(25)
15. Jones(26)

Average age of 15 is 27.4

Connacht

1. Buckley(23)
2. Harris Wright(24)
3. White(31)
4. Clarke(30)
5. Kearney(22)
6. Muldoon(30)
7. Faloon(26)
8. McKeon(23)
9. Marmion(21)
10. Parks(35)
11. Poolman(24)
12. McSharry(23)
13. Griffen(22)
14. TOH(22)
15. Henshaw(20)

Average age of 15 is 23.6

6. McLaughlin
7. SOB

and Jennings not starting is both a younger and stronger backrow at Leinster.

Adding in the second XV would make it really very interesting if someone was to spend time on it. How often in a season do the first XV actually manage to play together?

bilston

The average of the 2nd XV would be interesting to see what depth there is

AngeGal

JagerScout wrote: »

Interesting to note the age profiles of each squad. Leinster clearly the aging squad, while positive enough signs for Connacht(at least they arent terrible and old).

Very helpful comment. :rolleyes:

bilston

JagerScout wrote: »

I think i've done a decent job in evaluating it though.

Proud of yourself Jager?;)

pickarooney

Scrum half, lock and centre need refreshing for Leinster. That won't surprise anyone

.ak

Funny that Leinster are the old dogs. Won't be like that in the 2014/15 season though, wouldn't be surprised to have the youngest squad then with the retirement of Cullen, Jenno, BOD, Darce etc., etc. This year will be a crucial hand over process, but the old fellas will want one more crack at glory before they go out too.. Interesting times.

Robbo

For interests sake, based on JagerScout's Connacht first XV (which I wouldn't have too much quarrel with), I've chosen a Second XV, which has surprised me with the mix of quality and experience in it. Only potential weak spots are Second Row where I've chosen Qualter simply because he's the furthest along the line in academy terms and at hooker, again Henry being the most experienced so to speak.

Everyone here bar big George is Irish Qualified (or can be).

1. Wilkinson (29)
2. Henry (25)
3. Loughney (28)
4. Dillane (20)
5. Qualter (21)
6. Browne (26)
7. Heenan (20)
8. Naoupu (29)
9. F. Murphy (29)
10. Ronaldson (23)
11. Carr (27)
12. B. Murphy (27)
13. Tonetti (25)
14. Healy (24)
15. Duffy (31)

Average Age: 25.5 (amended)

Edit: Just realised I'd used Mick Kearney (him having been the OP) so swapping in Ultan Dillane brings the average age down 0.2 years. Putting in Swifty would be just unfair because (a) it would bring up the average, (b) he does not feel pain and (c) he does not age like a human.

Teferi

Is Darce definitely retiring at the end of this season? You could easily imagine at least another season if not two out of him. I think it would be a great idea to see him stay on to help manage the transfer. He's still a class player.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Robbo wrote: »

Average Age: 23.9

If you recalculate you will get 25.7

Robbo

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

If you recalculate you will get 25.7

Cheers, too many spreadsheets going on today.

Teferi

Interesting that Carr would be seen as a second XV player now considering he would have been one of the first on the teamsheet for Connacht a few years ago. A pity he couldn't kick on with the potential he showed but it's a good sign of growth for Connacht.

swiftman

Teferi wrote: »

Interesting that Carr would be seen as a second XV player now considering he would have been one of the first on the teamsheet for Connacht a few years ago. A pity he couldn't kick on with the potential he showed but it's a good sign of growth for Connacht.

he'll prove himself!

robo, what about aly muldowney?

JagerScout

bilston wrote: »

Proud of yourself Jager?;)

extremely :rolleyes:

JagerScout

Deleted User wrote: »

6. McLaughlin
7. SOB

and Jennings not starting is both a younger and stronger backrow at Leinster.

disagree, Jennings and SOB was a stronger backrow last season but I can see your argument, either way it's not like McLaughlin is young(29 next month)

Tox56

JagerScout wrote: »

disagree, Jennings and SOB was a stronger backrow last season but I can see your argument, either way it's not like McLaughlin is young(29 next month)

Don't agree at all, Jennings had some great games at the end of the season but that was generally in SOB's absence (who was in and out of the team with injury and also started one game at 8). SOB was better at 7 and as a unit McLaughlin/SOB/Heaslip was the better backrow. Ruddock even started the Amlin final at 6 with Jennings on the bench so keen were they to keep SOB at 7.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

JagerScout wrote: »

disagree, Jennings and SOB was a stronger backrow last season but I can see your argument, either way it's not like McLaughlin is young(29 next month)

Just coincidence that Jennings (33) brings up the average Leinster age a bit as opposed to KMCL (28) then :P

jamiedav2011

pickarooney wrote: »

Scrum half, lock and centre need refreshing for Leinster. That won't surprise anyone

We're ok at SH and lock, plenty coming through there (Marshall, Roux, McGrath, Cooney), centre is the major worry though.

JagerScout

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

We're ok at SH and lock, plenty coming through there (Marshall, Roux, McGrath, Cooney), centre is the major worry though.

none of those are the sure thing to reach the standard of a Heineken cup level winning player... McGrath is probably the most likely but even his biggest flaw is worrying.

Still better health than centre where there is very little coming through

Podge_irl

McL/SOB/Heaslip is Leinster's first choice backrow - that's fairly unarguable as far as I'm concerned. With all the players available those three start the big games.

Paul Smeenus

Ulster’s second team.

Paddy McAllister (23 – 24 this month)
Rob Herring (23)
Declan Fitzpatrick (29 – 30 tomorrow!)
Lewis Stevenson (29)
Neil McComb (29 – 30 this month)
Robbie Diack (27)
Sean Doyle (24)
Roger Wilson (31)
Paul Marshall (27 – 28 this month)
James McKinney (22)
Craig Gilroy (22)
Stuart Olding (20)
Chris Farrell (20)
Michael Allen (22)
Peter Nelson (20)

Average age: 26.4

Personally, I’d have had Wilson in the 1st 15 rather than Williams, but I decided to work off the basis of the team initially posted.

Farrell is there as he was obviously in Anscombe’s plans from the start of last season, having featured in the pre-season friendlies and against Glasgow, until he was injured.

By the end of the season, I’d expect Heaney (22) to have leapfrogged Marshall at scrumhalf, and Fitzpatrick to be replaced (possibly by Macklin (24) ). McAllister will probably be in the 1st 15, replaced by Calum Black. Hopefully O’Connor and Simpson start featuring at second row.

Also, an awful lot of Ulster players are born in July. An awful lot. Not much to do in Ulster during the long nights of October, clearly.

jj1

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Ulster’s second team.

Paddy McAllister (23 – 24 this month)
Rob Herring (23)
Declan Fitzpatrick (29 – 30 tomorrow!)
Lewis Stevenson (29)
Neil McComb (29 – 30 this month)
Robbie Diack (27)
Sean Doyle (24)
Roger Wilson (31)
Paul Marshall (27 – 28 this month)
James McKinney (22)
Craig Gilroy (22)
Stuart Olding (20)
Chris Farrell (20)
Michael Allen (22)
Peter Nelson (20)

Average age: 26.4

Personally, I’d have had Wilson in the 1st 15 rather than Williams, but I decided to work off the basis of the team initially posted.

Farrell is there as he was obviously in Anscombe’s plans from the start of last season, having featured in the pre-season friendlies and against Glasgow, until he was injured.

By the end of the season, I’d expect Heaney (22) to have leapfrogged Marshall at scrumhalf, and Fitzpatrick to be replaced (possibly by Macklin (24) ). McAllister will probably be in the 1st 15, replaced by Calum Black. Hopefully O’Connor and Simpson start featuring at second row.

Also, an awful lot of Ulster players are born in July. An awful lot. Not much to do in Ulster during the long nights of October, clearly.

Not sure if the age bracket has changed but it used to be July when I was playing. Obviously in rugby being born in the early part of the year will give you at slight advantage within your age group playing clubs & schools. This is probably something to do with it.

Not sure if the ages have stayed the same for the clubs but I think the underage provinces have changed to January for the last few years to line up with international age groups

Paul Smeenus

jj1 wrote: »

Not sure if the age bracket has changed but it used to be July when I was playing. Obviously in rugby being born in the early part of the year will give you at slight advantage within your age group playing clubs & schools. This is probably something to do with it.

Not sure if the ages have stayed the same for the clubs but I think the underage provinces have changed to January for the last few years to line up with international age groups

Indeed - if you're born in July, you'd be one of the oldest in the school year as well.

[Jackass]

JagerScout wrote: »

Interesting to note the age profiles of each squad. Leinster clearly the aging squad, while positive enough signs for Connacht(at least they arent terrible and old).

I'm struggling to even figure out what that's in reference to...

JagerScout wrote: »

Obviously there is room for a bit of change to each squad to find your own best 15 as it's fairly subjective, I think i've done a decent job in evaluating it though.

Yeah I'd agree, those teams you selected seem pretty on the ball. However, cimparing age for the sake of it means nothing, it's important to compare the quality of those teams also. Perhaps one team has a load of young players because the majority of their senior players are of no use, and with the young players they still aren't winning anything.

I mean Leinster, Ulster or Munster could put out a team of 12 year olds, but in context, they'd probably stick with older players for now.

I'll have a go at second string, again this is all subjective, so feel free to correct any of them, but here goes.. (also, this is excluding anyone who was in the first 15, obviously, so although this is a "second string", some players may be 3rd or 4th choice in a given position, as I can't make positional switches from personnel in the first XV)

Leinster

1. McGrath (23)
2. Cronin (27)
3. Bent (27)
4. Roux (22)
5. Toner (26)
6. Ruddock (22)
7. Ryan (23)
8. Murphy (22)

9. Boss (33)
10. Gopperth (30)
11. D. Kearney (23)
12. Reid (23)
13. O'Malley (24)
14. Hudson (23)
15. Kirchner (29)

Average Age 25.1 ... Internationally capped players = 6

Ulster

1. Black (27)
2. Annet (22)
3. Fitzpatrick (29)
4. McComb (30)
5. Stevenson (29)
6. Diack (27)
7. McComish (29)
8. Wilson (31)

9. Marshall (27)
10. Olding (20)
11. Cochrane (24)
12. Wallace (33)
13. Allen (22)
14. Gilroy (22)
15. Nelson (20)

Average Age = 26.1 ........Internationally Capped players = 6

Munster

1. Ryan (24) - can he play loose head?
2. Varley (29)
3. Archer (25)
4. O'Callaghan (34)
5. Holland (27)
6. Dougal (23)
7. Stander (23)
8. Butler (22)

9. Williams (27)
10. Hanranhan (20)
11. Murphy (28)
12. Bohane (21)
13. Dineen (26)
14. Conway (21)
15. Hurley (28)

Average age = 25.2..........internationally capped players = 4

Leinster the youngest "second 15" and dare I say by far and a way the strongest of the 3 (I left out Connacht cause I was starting to get bored and began to think, what is the point to be made here?)

Tox56

Goodman would play 12 ahead of Reid Jackass (so would 3 or 4 others but they're already in the first 15 as you mentioned). Increases the average age but does improve the team.. will be an important Rabo player next season

budhabob

On the Munster second 15, Sheridan had looked to have overtaken Williams at back up 9 at seasons end.

Risteard

budhabob wrote: »

On the Munster second 15, Sheridan had looked to have overtaken Williams at back up 9 at seasons end.

Plus if fit I'd guess LOD would occupy the other wing instead of Murphy.

Paul Smeenus

Just to flag up, my rudimentary maths skills are atrocious, and the average age of the Ulster 2nd team I posted above would actually be 23.5.

As regards Jackasses' 2nd Ulster team, I chose Olding over Wallace because Paddy's one-year-extension demonstrates that he's there to ease Marshall and Olding's transition, nothing more. McAllister is definitely preferred to Black, Doyle is definitely preferred to McComish (as a starter; McComish's "flexibility" - he's similarly poor at all three backrow positions - means he gets a bench spot ahead of Doyle). We could well see Cochrane on the wing and Allen at OC, rather than Farrell at OC and Allen at wing - I just think Farrell featured so much at the start of last season before injury that Anscombe looked to be including him in his plans.

McIlwane (24?) might feature ahead of Nelson, but we'll have to see - they let him go two seasons ago, after all.

[Jackass]

Forgot about Goodman, yeah as mentioned, I was just cobbling the teams together, not 100% on who would start in each case.