Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread IV

Witheringeye

awec wrote: »

Agreed. I suspect he'll be under a lot of pressure for his Ulster place in a year or two too, but right now he's still a guaranteed starter for Ireland cause he has more than enough credit in the bank to make up for any dip in form at the moment.

I still think he'll start but I think it's definitely debatable. As of now he's a guaranteed starter but I think that could change between now and the France game. I doubt whether he has enough credit to automatically warrant a starting place in the event that he's been in poor/average form and been training badly(according to reports) while either DK (who may well be in the peak of his career) excels and/or Trimble recovers and finds his 2014 form(far less likely situation)

MattD

I think that there's only really 2 places in the squad up for grabs on merit and its SH and Back 3 Cover. For me only one from Trimble, D. Kearney and Jones will go, and I couldn't really call it. Fergus is out unfortunately.

Murray, Sexton, Fitzgerald, Henshaw, Payne, Bowe, Kearney

Reddan, Madigan, Zebo

SH Cover: Boss/Marmion
OH Cover: Jackson
Centre Cover: Earls
Back 3 Cover: Trimble/Kearney/Jones

In the forwards you're looking at Kilcoyne or White/Furlong potentially benefiting from an injury. Otherwise it's set with Ryan ahead of Tuohy and Murphy ahead of Conan/O'Donnell.

Awesomeness

Witheringeye wrote: »

Yeah I think DK has a very good shot at the 23 jersey if jones doesn't travel

In that case you would have to expect Zebo to start or be on the bench and luke to miss out as hes the only other person to have played fb

Mr Tickle

If we're asking questions of Bowe It might be worth looking at Rob Kearney too. He's another one who's been in a bit of a dip in form for long while. Again he's got a lot of credit in the bank but i don't know if he should have a total lock on the 15 jersey.
there are options there now (including Payne and Henshaw if Joe becomes possessed by some evil spirit) so maybe after the world cup it could be looked at.

What both of them do have going for them is that they're solid out under a high ball which worked well early in the 6 nations.

irishbucsfan

I don't think anyone SHOULD be guaranteed a place but I also think it's most probable that Bowe is our best option in the position. We could well see a different animal by the time the competition starts.

accidentprone1

MattD wrote: »

I think that there's only really 2 places in the squad up for grabs on merit and its SH and Back 3 Cover. For me only one from Trimble, D. Kearney and Jones will go, and I couldn't really call it. Fergus is out unfortunately.

Murray, Sexton, Fitzgerald, Henshaw, Payne, Bowe, Kearney

Reddan, Madigan, Zebo

SH Cover: Boss/Marmion
OH Cover: Jackson
Centre Cover: Earls
Back 3 Cover: Trimble/Kearney/Jones

In the forwards you're looking at Kilcoyne or White/Furlong potentially benefiting from an injury. Otherwise it's set with Ryan ahead of Tuohy and Murphy ahead of Conan/O'Donnell.

If Earls is centre cover, then would it not make sense to take Jones as your back three cover? Earls can slot in at wing if necessary, and Jones provides an excellent option at fullback if Kearney gets injured.

.ak

Mr Tickle wrote: »

If we're asking questions of Bowe It might be worth looking at Rob Kearney too. He's another one who's been in a bit of a dip in form for long while. Again he's got a lot of credit in the bank but i don't know if he should have a total lock on the 15 jersey.
there are options there now (including Payne and Henshaw if Joe becomes possessed by some evil spirit) so maybe after the world cup it could be looked at.

What both of them do have going for them is that they're solid out under a high ball which worked well early in the 6 nations.

TBH that question has been asked and answered. RK had a very good 6N, stats back that up also.

Bowe, however, seems to have been struggling with something.

total former

Awesomeness wrote: »

In that case you would have to expect Zebo to start or be on the bench and luke to miss out as hes the only other person to have played fb

Why do people think we need to have dedicated FB cover on the bench?

And pretty much everyone except McFadden and Trimble has played FB at some point. Henshaw, Payne, Madigan, Dave Kearney, Earls, Fitz, even Isaac Boss.

sydthebeat

accidentprone1 wrote: »

If Earls is centre cover, then would it not make sense to take Jones as your back three cover? Earls can slot in at wing if necessary, and Jones provides an excellent option at fullback if Kearney gets injured.

madigan, D Kearney, Zebo, Earls, Henshaw, Payne......

Witheringeye

Awesomeness wrote: »

In that case you would have to expect Zebo to start or be on the bench and luke to miss out as hes the only other person to have played fb

No I expect Trimble and jones to miss out with fitz, Zebo, bowe and DK to travel

I just don't see fitz missing out as he seems to be the only person being prepped solely as an 11 which indicates joe is strongly considering him as a starter

sydthebeat

total former wrote: »

Why do people think we need to have dedicated FB cover on the bench?

And pretty much everyone except McFadden and Trimble has played FB at some point. Henshaw, Payne, Madigan, Dave Kearney, Earls, Fitz, even Isaac Boss.

snap

Awesomeness

total former wrote: »

Why do people think we need to have dedicated FB cover on the bench?

And pretty much everyone except McFadden and Trimble has played FB at some point. Henshaw, Payne, Madigan, Dave Kearney, Earls, Fitz, even Isaac Boss.

I agree but from everything Joe has done till this point he has made sure to have fb cover on the bench ie jones

I dont think we do need him there but I would be pleasantly surprised if someone covers fb in a match when they have not played there recently ie zebo or jones

.ak

Finally!!

Teferi knows what.

total former

Awesomeness wrote: »

I agree but from everything Joe has done till this point he has made sure to have fb cover on the bench ie jones

Not really; we went the entire 2014 6N with McFadden on the bench. Jones came in for the November 2014 internationals because there was quite literally no-one else available for back three cover, rather than for any pre-planned reason.

LostArt

.ak wrote: »

Finally!!

Teferi knows what.

That's lovely, definitely getting it.

irishbucsfan

total former wrote: »

even Isaac Boss.

Careful now!

dub_skav

.ak wrote: »

Finally!!

Teferi knows what.

Is that what you wear when driving your Prius to 3FE?

.ak

dub_skav wrote: »

Is that what you wear when driving your Prius to 3FE?

Don't be silly...










... I cycle.

Zzippy

.ak wrote: »

Finally!!

Teferi knows what.

It's a bit shiny for my liking. Then again, you are a northsider...

dub_skav

.ak wrote: »

Don't be silly...










... I cycle.

Yeah_Right

total former wrote: »

Why do people think we need to have dedicated FB cover on the bench?

And pretty much everyone except McFadden and Trimble has played FB at some point. Henshaw, Payne, Madigan, Dave Kearney, Earls, Fitz, even Isaac Boss.

I'd forgotten Boss played a lot of FB in NZ. In fact some people reckoned it was his better position. Did he ever play fullback for Ulster or Leinster?

I'm not actually suggesting he should be the FB cover for the RWC.

Zzippy

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I'd forgotten Boss played a lot of FB in NZ. In fact some people reckoned it was his better position. Did he ever play fullback for Ulster or Leinster?

I'm not actually suggesting he should be the FB cover for the RWC.

Well thank fcuk for that! :eek:

Buer

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I'd forgotten Boss played a lot of FB in NZ. In fact some people reckoned it was his better position. Did he ever play fullback for Ulster or Leinster?

I'm not actually suggesting he should be the FB cover for the RWC.

Stepped in at full back one or twice in games when we had injuries mid game but has never started a game there. Also slotted in at 12 mid-game once, I vaguely recall, during the great midfielder shortage of 2013.

dub_skav

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I'd forgotten Boss played a lot of FB in NZ. In fact some people reckoned it was his better position. Did he ever play fullback for Ulster or Leinster?

I'm not actually suggesting he should be the FB cover for the RWC.

From my happy memories of Joe's days in charge of Leinster he had no problem using Boss in any position required; wing, centre, flanker, occasionally scrum half

.ak

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I'd forgotten Boss played a lot of FB in NZ. In fact some people reckoned it was his better position. Did he ever play fullback for Ulster or Leinster?

I'm not actually suggesting he should be the FB cover for the RWC.

He's slotted in on the wing a few times for Leinster (was fairly decent too), and has played at flanker during YC periods.

MattD

Joe has come out and basically said that his favouring of players that have experience of playing full back is no accident. The full back's play of discipline and kicking and covering opposition kicks is paramount to Ireland's play, and he expects everyone who could actually play in that position be able to play it to a tee.

It explains the reliance on R.Kearney and Jones throughout the years as they're the players that up until now have shown that they can play that role perfectly and follow the playbook. Jones being in the matchday squad so much is more of a 'just in case Rob gets injured' rather than coverage. If Rob gets injured, then Joe is confident that he has a dedicated replacement so he doesn't have to think about a change in gameplan. It's really just a question now of whether Zebo/Dave Kearney have shown that they can do the same (flawlessly sit into the FB position and replicate Rob's play from the 6N), while also bringing more versatility and dynamism to the squad if they're needed on the wing.

.ak

Zzippy wrote: »

Well thank fcuk for that! :eek:

He's suggesting he should START, not COVER at FB.

Yeah_Right

.ak wrote: »

He's suggesting he should START, not COVER at FB.

I'm glad someone understood what I was getting at

dub_skav

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I'm glad someone understood what I was getting at

Well at least connachta would be happy:o

Awesomeness

.ak wrote: »

He's slotted in on the wing a few times for Leinster (was fairly decent too), and has played at flanker during YC periods.

Wing suits him. Dont have to pass so much