Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread III

former legend

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Does Keatley need surgery? Stands a decent chance of travelling considering his form

TBH, speculating on touring parties is a bit pointless without knowing what Schmidt's intentions are regarding resting of key players.

If Sexton is rested, Jackson will go as first-choice and Keatley has probably done enough to overtake Madigan as cover. If Sexton travels, I'd imagine only two OHs will go and Keatley will lose out.

Larbre34

Hopefully he is disposed to resting the regulars, the Lions with the exception of Zebo and maybe Bowe really shouldn't travel.

Would love to see

Zebo, McFadden, Cave, Marshall, Gilroy, Marmion, Jackson, McGrath, Strauss, Moore, Ryan, Henderson, Ferris, Murphy, O'Brien (if rumours are true)

dtpc191991

Larbre34 wrote: »

Hopefully he is disposed to resting the regulars, the Lions with the exception of Zebo and maybe Bowe really shouldn't travel.

Would love to see

Zebo, McFadden, Cave, Marshall, Gilroy, Marmion, Jackson, McGrath, Strauss, Moore, Ryan, Henderson, Ferris, Murphy, O'Brien (if rumours are true)

If Zebo can build in the form he showed at the weekend he should get into the Irish team soon. Could see world cup bacline of.
9 Murray
10. Sexton
11. Fitz/Zebo
12. Marshall
13. Payne
14. Bowe/Trimble/Earls
15. Kearney

Under Schmidt they could be lethal. I'm excited.

Fireball07

Larbre34 wrote: »

Hopefully he is disposed to resting the regulars, the Lions with the exception of Zebo and maybe Bowe really shouldn't travel.

Would love to see

Zebo, McFadden, Cave, Marshall, Gilroy, Marmion, Jackson, McGrath, Strauss, Moore, Ryan, Henderson, Ferris, Murphy, O'Brien (if rumours are true)

Chances of seeing that team are approximately 0, I would say.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Fireball07 wrote: »

Chances of seeing that team are approximately 0, I would say.

Especially with

9 jackson
10 marmion

bilston

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Especially with

9 jackson
10 marmion

Haha.

Jackson is small enough to play 9!

Todd Toddington III

Any chance that Schmidt will use bowe at 11 and leave Trimble at 14 like they do up north in ulster?

vienne86

I really hope they do rest some of the first choice players, particularly Sexton. They deserve a break.

The Lost Sheep

vienne86 wrote: »

I really hope they do rest some of the first choice players, particularly Sexton. They deserve a break.

Hopefully we do as we're 12 or so games from world cup and we need to see other options against top test opposition

The Lost Sheep

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Hopefully we do as we're 12 or so games from world cup and we need to see other options against top test opposition

It's unlikely we will get "top test opposition" on this tour, as with last year, Argentina will also be resting a lot of key players.

I doubt O'Brien will go, though he may play before the end of the season.

Travelling squad:

Front row will be kilcoyne, mcgrath, cronin, strauss, ross, moore maybe 1 other TH
Second row will be McCarthy, D Ryan, Toner, Henderson.
Back row will be Ruddock, Coughlan, Henry, Murphy, O'Donnell, and 1 other
Out Halves will be Jackson, Keatley and Madigan
Scum Halves will be Reddan, Murray and 1 other (Marmion)
Centres will be Marshall, Cave, Henshaw, McFadden / Reid?
Wings will be Bowe, Zebo, Earles, Dave Kearney maybe 1 more
FB will be Jones and 1 other

Ross seems to prefer to play matches and may want to get a game but I think three TH's will travel regardless with Ross in a more "backup" capacity.

With McCarthy out for parts of the season I think he will go. I think Toner might captain as I'm informed he is considered a genuine leader. If POM is back from injury he will be included and will captain.

Will be a real battle of the OH's with some pecking order at stake. Jackson is in the driving seat but Keatley was excellent against Toulon despite some shaky performances this season. I think Madigan is the most talented, but MOC seems to favour Gopperth so who knows what the craic is there.

I actually don't think Boss will travel, not sure about his future in Green. Marmion will likely go and I would really like to see McGrath given a shot. He played against poor opposition for Leinster but he had swagger and confidence and skill to boot. Made some crisp passes too which was considered a weakness. If we have strength elsewhere to compensate it would be nice to see some blooding at 9. Murray, Marmion, McGrath would be an interesting lineup.

Wings and FB is up for debate given we have utility players that can cover. This is a big chance for Zebo. I think he has great skill and if he could bottle what he did against Toulon and reproduce that he would have little traffic in front of him.

Not sure about Luke Fitz travelling. I think he is one of our most talented rugby players full stop, but needs to last more than a 1/4 of a season before you can honestly start seriously investing in him.

Hagz

I would go more along the lines of
LH: Healy, McGrath
HK: Strauss, Cronin, Best (if fit)
TH: Ross, Moore
LK: O'Connell, Toner, Henderson, Ryan
BR: O'Mahony, O'Brien, Henry, Heaslip, Murphy
SH: Murray, Reddan, Marmion
OH: Sexton, Jackson, Madigan
CT: D'Arcy, Marshall, Cave, Henshaw
WG: Trimble, Bowe, Zebo, Kearney
FB: Kearney

Fireball07

Hagz wrote: »

I would go more along the lines of
LH: Healy, McGrath
HK: Strauss, Cronin, Best (if fit)
TH: Ross, Moore
LK: O'Connell, Toner, Henderson, Ryan
BR: O'Mahony, O'Brien, Henry, Heaslip, Murphy
SH: Murray, Reddan, Marmion
OH: Sexton, Jackson, Madigan
CT: D'Arcy, Marshall, Cave, Henshaw
WG: Trimble, Bowe, Zebo, Kearney
FB: Kearney

That's not resting 1 single player......


I mean it's possible, but I wouldn't be surprised if one or two of the Lions were rested. Or even someone like POM who has played an awful lot of rugby, then got injured. There's always Ferris too.


That selection would be extremely harsh on Earls too. And Ruddock... tbh I can't see Murphy going ahead of Ruddock if both Henry and SOB travel.

The Pheasant2

Not sure if I'd send Jones tbh...not convinced that he's IQ

Hagz

Actually yeh, swap out Murphy with Copeland.

The only lion i can see rested is Healy to be honest.

Hagz

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Not sure if I'd send Jones tbh...not convinced that he's IQ

I think he is. I think his grandfather was from Ireland irrc.

awec

Hagz wrote: »

I think he is. I think his grandfather was from Ireland irrc.

I'm confused. Is Felix Jones not a dub?

Hagz

awec wrote: »

I'm confused. Is Felix Jones not a dub?

He is indeed.

The Pheasant2

Hagz wrote: »

I think he is. I think his grandfather was from Ireland irrc.

Oop brain fart on my end - when I said he wasn't IQ I meant I didn't think he was international quality

Bridge93

I think by IQ Pheasant means international quality. I could be wrong. If it does i agree, i really do not rate Jones and feel he is lucky to be in Munsters team at times.

Edit: There you go, from the man himself

Fireball07

Now look what you've done Hagz



With just a year to go the World Cup, I'd be looking at a few questions.

If Heaslip gets injured (not that he will, he's got a phenomenal record), who plays 8? Whoever this player is should play a game at 8 imo.

Who is our 3rd choice TH? It's the one position I'm slightly worried about, it can be a very attritional position, and Ross isn't getting younger. Particularly with the latest health issues hanging over Deccie Fitz.... is it Archer? If it is, I'd be looking at playing him. Or if it's Ah You or Loughney, play them.

Bring Marmion. Play Marmion.

Who is our back-up full-back? I would be less worried about this because we have lots of decent players who can slot in there, but I wouldn't be against one of Earls, Zebo, Dave Kearney, Henshaw getting some gametime there. Presumably Payne challenges for that position when he qualifies, if he's not playing 13, but you never know.



Not worried about LH, hooker, 2nd row, flankers, out-half, wings.... centre is slight a issue but we do have a clear pecking order there. (Well, not at 13...but Cave & Henshaw are the favoured 2 atm).


But if Joe feels any of the first-choice players would be better off at home for the summer, then we should look to one or two younger players. I.e. Cronin at 1, Ruddock at 6, Marmion at 9, etc.

Taco Corp

O'Brien plays 8. who else is there?

case885

Hagz wrote: »

I would go more along the lines of
LH: Healy, McGrath
HK: Strauss, Cronin, Best (if fit)
TH: Ross, Moore
LK: O'Connell, Toner, Henderson, Ryan
BR: O'Mahony, O'Brien, Henry, Heaslip, Murphy
SH: Murray, Reddan, Marmion
OH: Sexton, Jackson, Madigan
CT: D'Arcy, Marshall, Cave, Henshaw
WG: Trimble, Bowe, Zebo, Kearney
FB: Kearney

Theres no way o'mahony will go surely, when is he back from the dislocated shoulder? Id rather send ferris it would benefit him hugely too.

The Pheasant2

LH: McGrath, Kilcoyne (I'd like Healy rested)
Hooker: Cronin, Strauss, maybe Rory if he's up to it
TH: Moore, Ross (Any word on Deccie Fitz?)
Lock: McCarthy, Ryan, Toner, Hendo
BR: Ruddock, Henry, Murphy, Ferris, POM (if fit) (don't want to have to rush SOB's recovery)

SH: Murray, Reddan, Marmion
OH: Jackson, wildcard JJ (think he's a player that could do with some test exposure), Keatley/Madigan (maybe needed for cover)
Centre: Marshal, D'arcy, Cave, Henshaw, Reid? Fitz?
Wing: Bowe, Zebo (based on recent performance) Earls, Fitz?
FB: probably RK...maybe DK or Zebo or Henshaw

Bridge93

Captain_Hindsight wrote: »

O'Brien plays 8. who else is there?

Jordi Murphy would be my pick. Then Copeland.

Mahatma Geansai

Bridge93 wrote: »

Jordi Murphy would be my pick. Then Copeland.

He'd be very fortunate. He didn't do much to earn his 6N spot, and he's been resigned to Leinster's bench as third choice 7 since.

The Pheasant2

Captain_Hindsight wrote: »

O'Brien plays 8. who else is there?

8 is Murphy's best position, Ferris is a safe pair of hands there too, Copeland wouldn't be a bad choice either

Hagz

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

He'd be very fortunate. He didn't do much to earn his 6N spot, and he's been resigned to Leinster's bench as third choice 7 since.

Only other options are Coughlan or Copeland.

Coughlan would be a bit of a stupid pick. I'll be disappointed if Schmidt brings him.

Copeland is a realistic option. And his chances are much improved given he'll be playing in Ireland next season. I'd personally take him over Murphy.

tdeWires

Copeland over Murphy.

Jordi is a great carrier but unless he improves the rest of his game i'm not sure he will get much more caps.

Bridge93

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

He'd be very fortunate. He didn't do much to earn his 6N spot, and he's been resigned to Leinster's bench as third choice 7 since.

And second choice 8 behind the man who is also Irish first choice. Dont know why you mention 7 here.
I suppose you'd like to waste a spot to develop someone and bring 33 year old James Coughlan?

case885

Bridge93 wrote: »

And second choice 8 behind the man who is also Irish first choice. Dont know why you mention 7 here.
I suppose you'd like to waste a spot to develop someone and bring 33 year old James Coughlan?

Copeland who is first choice at cardiff and playing well, he would have been ahead of murphy in the 6 nations if he was with an irish province.