Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread III

Greyian

aimee1 wrote: »

Its not looking good for conor murray at the moment

So its down to Marmion or Boss, or Stringer


Marmion/Boss - Madigan - Henshaw - Fitz

Don't make baby jesus cry

Buer

It'll be Marmion and Boss for Italy if they're both ruled out.

And people won't be happy but Boss might be the one starting. Schmidt has trusted him a lot in the past and had him in his 23 several times last season ahead of Marmion.

Stringer needs 2 caps. Lets figure this out

.ak

Stringer has been playing well so I wouldn't begrudge him an emergency call up - I don't think it'd be for sentiment or anything either, he's a genuine option and we're badly stuck.

What is the official word on Murray? We badly, badly need him I think. I can see us slipping up in Italy if we don't have a competent halfback on the field.

thomond2006

If Murray is out for Italy then it's possible the starting halfbacks could play in Cork, particularly if it's Marmion/Madigan.

.ak

thomond2006 wrote: »

If Murray is out for Italy then it's possible the starting halfbacks could play in Cork, particularly if it's Marmion/Madigan.

The only thing is Madigan has played a lot of rugby. I thought he butchered a couple of chances on saturday which is a bit uncharacteristic of him - he looks a bit tired, mentally speaking. Could explain the kicking too, although more than likely it must've been an injury causing him to pull those.

Buer

Stringer has been barely playing, in fairness. He started a game back at the start of the season (possibly the first game of the entire season?) and has come off the bench since then for the last 20 minutes a number of times. I can't see him having the lungs or the legs for test rugby, even off the bench, any longer. He turns 38 at the end of this year. It's remarkable he's even still playing!

sydthebeat

.ak wrote: »

Stringer has been playing well so I wouldn't begrudge him an emergency call up - I don't think it'd be for sentiment or anything either, he's a genuine option and we're badly stuck.

completely agreed, i would have no problem at all with him having the first, or second, half against the saxons with Marmion having the other.
Depending on the game JS wants to play of course.

Buer

Buer wrote: »

Stringer has been barely playing, in fairness. He started a game back at the start of the season (possibly the first game of the entire season?) and has come off the bench since then for the last 20 minutes a number of times. I can't see him having the lungs or the legs for test rugby, even off the bench, any longer. He turns 38 at the end of this year. It's remarkable he's even still playing!

Shut up. Just shut up.

Have you never seen any sports films? If there's one thing they've taught me, it's that over-the-hill players are the luckiest guys in the world.

Stringer is going to come off the bench in the world cup final when we're 6 points down and under pressure. Stringer leaps to action, tap-tackling a clean-through Julian Savea, forcing him to knock on. The resultant scrum, after 3 resets, sees Stringer making his first ever break at international level all the way from the Irish 22 and going under the posts to leave a simple kick for the emergency out half replacement (ROG) for the win.

errlloyd

Buer wrote: »

Stringer has been barely playing, in fairness. He started a game back at the start of the season (possibly the first game of the entire season?) and has come off the bench since then for the last 20 minutes a number of times. I can't see him having the lungs or the legs for test rugby, even off the bench, any longer. He turns 38 at the end of this year. It's remarkable he's even still playing!

Apparently (I dunno if this is just one of those feel good stories) he tops the endurance testing in Bath and is in unbelievable physical shape. He claims it's because he quit the booze and has had a healthy committed professional diet his whole life.

.ak

Buer wrote: »

Stringer has been barely playing, in fairness. He started a game back at the start of the season (possibly the first game of the entire season?) and has come off the bench since then for the last 20 minutes a number of times. I can't see him having the lungs or the legs for test rugby, even off the bench, any longer. He turns 38 at the end of this year. It's remarkable he's even still playing!

Yeah but have you seen him play in those 20 min cameos? He's the ideal bench scrumhalf at the moment. He has no problem getting around the pitch quickly despite the frantic offloading game Bath play at times. He's fit as a fiddle. It's a bit strange how fit he is, but he's a tea-total fitness freak so not all too surprising. If I saw him on the bench for an Ireland game I honestly wouldn't be too bothered, he'd obviously be there as a break-glass incase of emergency... What if Boss or Marmion pick up a knock somewhere? Boss didn't look comfortable in the closing minutes in coventry.

thomond2006

Buer wrote: »

Stringer has been barely playing, in fairness. He started a game back at the start of the season (possibly the first game of the entire season?) and has come off the bench since then for the last 20 minutes a number of times. I can't see him having the lungs or the legs for test rugby, even off the bench, any longer. He turns 38 at the end of this year. It's remarkable he's even still playing!

Mahatma Geansai

I'd certainly prefer Stringer to Boss anyway. Boss shouldn't be near the Leinster side, never mind the Irish squad.

Anyway, Schmidt isn't going to bring in a player that he knows nothing about and has never trained with him. McGrath will come into the squad.

Oregano_State

It would be fantastic to see Stringer make a cameo against Italy. He scores highly in the 'ligind' column.

I'd like to see Marmion start ahead of Boss, he's looked very promising for Connaught. In Joe we trust though, I'm sure as hell not going to go against whatever he decides is best.

We should have far too much for Italy, even if we are missing both our first choice half-backs.

irishbucsfan

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

I'd certainly prefer Stringer to Boss anyway.

Based on this sentence I'm quite certain it's been a while since you've seen Stringer play a game.

errlloyd

The problem with Stringer is he's a facilitator. He was great with ROG because ROG is a perfect game manager. Madigan needs a box kicking, game managing 9.

jacothelad

errlloyd wrote: »

The problem with Stringer is he's a facilitator. He was great with ROG because ROG is a perfect game manager. Madigan needs a box kicking, game managing 9.

Set up for Paul Marshall then.......:D

The Pheasant2

I don't see it happening but it'd be interesting to see James Hart called in

Bridge93

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

I don't see it happening but it'd be interesting to see James Hart called in

I think he's barely played this year. Fallen out of favour at Grenoble.

Just checked, he's started 4 games all year and come on 6 times.

.ak

Good news regarding Heaslip, Reddan and Dave Kearney.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/irish-international/2015/0126/675642-matt-oconnor-reveals-positive-injury-news/

Obviously you need to take what Leinster say regarding injuries with a pinch of salt, but by the sounds of it Reddan and Heaslip will be good to go against Italy.

DK wasn't likely to feature, but 2 weeks sounds a lot better than what it first looked like.

Swiwi.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Shut up. Just shut up.

Have you never seen any sports films? If there's one thing they've thought me, it's that over-the-hill players are the luckiest guys in the world.

Stringer is going to come off the bench in the world cup final when we're 6 points down and under pressure. Stringer leaps to action, tap-tackling a clean-through Julian Savea, forcing him to knock on. The resultant scrum, after 3 resets, sees Stringer making his first ever break at international level all the way from the Irish 22 and going under the posts to leave a simple kick for the emergency out half replacement (ROG) for the win.

Not enough romance emmet. It's the Uruguayan winger that stringer tip tackles, Uruguay having made it out of pool A in 1st place and followed a dream run to the final.

total former

So to summarise after this weekend:


Reddan - sounds like he'll be OK?
DK - out of the Italy match at least, probably longer
Foley - doubtful for Italy
Earls - precautionary, should be OK
Murray - who knows?
Heaslip - should be OK

Was anyone else injured?

bilston

total former wrote: »

So to summarise after this weekend:


Reddan - sounds like he'll be OK?
DK - out of the Italy match at least, probably longer
Foley - doubtful for Italy
Earls - precautionary, should be OK
Murray - who knows?
Heaslip - should be OK

Was anyone else injured?

Could have been much worse. They key is Murray but if Reddan is fit then we can cope.

aimee1

total former wrote: »

So to summarise after this weekend:


Reddan - sounds like he'll be OK?
DK - out of the Italy match at least, probably longer
Foley - doubtful for Italy
Earls - precautionary, should be OK
Murray - who knows?
Heaslip - should be OK

Was anyone else injured?

Half back is our only real concern. I reckon murray could be out so hopefully reddan is back

Heaslip should be ok but it might also be something he needs to sort if the same thing reoccurs over and over. Thats 3 weeks running he has had this I think. Looks like its a managed problem but hopefully two week break makes a difference

SaveOurLyric

.ak wrote: »

Stringer has been playing well so I wouldn't begrudge him an emergency call up - I don't think it'd be for sentiment or anything either, he's a genuine option and we're badly stuck.

Talking of badly stuck, does anyone know if ROG has been keeping fit ?
To see the pair of them for old times sake like.

MJohnston

SaveOurLyric wrote: »

does anyone know if ROG has been keeping fit ?

I don't think he's been doing that since about 2008

mfceiling

SaveOurLyric wrote: »

Talking of badly stuck, does anyone know if ROG has been keeping fit ?
To see the pair of them for old times sake like.

ROG as you well know is above international fitness...

Wang King

MJohnston wrote: »

I don't think he's been doing that since about 2008

.ak

Injury update.

Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw and Kieran Marmion are all fit to train this week following the weekend European action.

Scans have confirmed ligament damage in Dave Foley's wrist and he will have a surgical consultation this week, while Conor Murray is scheduled to have further scans this week also.

Jamie Heaslip's shoulder continues to recover and he will be rested from contact this week.

Eoin Reddan strained medial ligaments in his knee and is being rehabbed in an effort to be fit for the first game of the RBS 6 Nations.

Rhys Ruddock did not join up with the extended Ireland Squad this week and will continue his recovery with his province.

Foley out by the sounds of it. CM still shrouded in mystery, hopefully the scan goes ok. ER could be touch n go. Heaslip has two weeks to get right and sure we all know what he's like. Ruddock back to Leinster is no surprise, so presumably he's not use in training that means he's got another week or two before he can do contact.

No word on DK, that's unusual....

thomond2006

Didn't Foley get an injury in the autumn? I wonder if he's been playing through it since then and it's just become unbearable now. It looks like Henderson has returned at just the right time to compensate.

Anthony Foley mentioned neurologists re Murray. So it's a wait and see situation.