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Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread VIII - MOD NOTE POST #4781

Steve

Continuing on from the previous thread....

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FACECUTTR

Wegians89 wrote: »

Think someone with a more realistic chance of making World Cup squad should move to Connacht and Ulster, if two of madigan, Carbery, Byrne or Johnston should end up one at connacht and one at Ulster it would leave the four provinces with strong Irish tens. Bit unrealistic though

Blame Nuicfailure for not making it happen.

Wegians89

FACECUTTR wrote: »

Blame Nuicfailure for not making it happen.

Down to the players can't blame them for not wanting to leave but I feel it something New Zealand do well

Burkie1203

connachta wrote: »

Of course if you're talented enough back-3 player and under 33 in 2019

Why 33. Why not 34?

kingofthekong

Porters progress has really been slowed by his transition to 3 , seems to have put on a lot of extra weight which seems to have effected his ability and mobility in the loose, hope moving to 3 doesn't damage his career.
Would've like to seen him kept at loosehead and used as an Ellis Genge type player and a more unathletic player developed at tighthead instead, hopefully i'm wrong and he becomes an outstanding tighhead

kingofthekong

believe they tried to move jack Mcgrath to tighthead also and it was a disaster...quickly moved him back and he became a Lion..

Sabre0001

Anyone know of good pubs in Boston that would be showing the match this weekend?

kingofthekong

Jump_In_Jack wrote: »

My Team to beat Argentina:
1. Healy, 2. Best, 3. Furlong,
4. Henderson, 5. Ryan,
6. Stander, 8. Conan, 7. O'Brien,
9. Murray, 10. Sexton,
12. Aki, 13. Henshaw,
11. Stockdale, 15. Kearney, 14. Byrne,

16. Tracy, 17. Kilcoyne, 18. Ryan, 19. Treadwell, 20. Ruddock, 21. McGrath, 22. Keatley, 23. Conway.

Few close calls,
Kearney to start at fullback though Conway is well capable otherwise.
I think right wing is an area of strength in depth. so would like to see rotation there, so Byrne to start.
Centre is also an area of strength but would go with the Aki/Henshaw midfield that was so good against SA.
McGrath for Marmion would be pure rotation.
Ruddock and Conan did enough to nudge in front of O'Mahony.
Toner to be rested in place of Ryan if fit, with Treadwell as impact sub.
Front row is same as against SA,
But would like to see the bench give some rotation there, if the Munster props aren't fit I'd go with McGrath and Porter.

Is toner out injured ?, would love to see Ryan and Henderson together

[Deleted User]

FACECUTTR wrote: »

Blame Nuicfailure for not making it happen.

Why on earth would Carbery for example move to Connacht?

connachta

Wegians89 wrote: »

Looking like 10 is an area that really needs to be depth developed quickly before the World Cup. Ulster and Connacht could do with a high quality Irish qualified 10 each. Cartys good but international level and we all know about Jackson.
Leinster have sexton Byrne Carbery marsh, and in the academy Crawley could play there? Byrnes you get brother? Any other options?
Munster have beylandaal, keatley hanrahan and Johnston Conor Fitzgerald, Alan tynan? And Tomas quinlan?
With madigan in Bristol.
Really think the irfu should push for spreading talent

I know he'll be 34 for 2019, but Steenson is out of contract with Exeter this summer. Worthwhile addition for Connacht/Ulster on a 2-y-deal?

awec

FACECUTTR wrote: »

Blame Nuicfailure for not making it happen.

It will never happen. This mass-movement between provinces is complete fantasy stuff.

awec

connachta wrote: »

I know he'll be 34 for 2019, but Steenson is out of contract with Exeter this summer. Worthwhile addition for Connacht/Ulster on a 2-y-deal?

I believe Steenson has no interest in returning to Ireland to play.

FrannoFan

connachta wrote: »

I know he'll be 34 for 2019, but Steenson is out of contract with Exeter this summer. Worthwhile addition for Connacht/Ulster on a 2-y-deal?

leave the club that brought you through when Ulster didn't want you. English champions, going well in Europe, top of the premiership.....

I'm sure he would like to go

CIARAN_BOYLE

kingofthekong wrote: »

believe they tried to move jack Mcgrath to tighthead also and it was a disaster...quickly moved him back and he became a Lion..

Not really. He had covered both sides in schools and underage level and B&I cup(in the 22 man squad days) then Leinster put him in at tight head in the pro 12 (against Ospreys) in a game where two leinster props were injured in order to avoid uncontested scrums and going a man down. He was murdered but the press leaped on it thinking he was actually being converted.

kingofthekong wrote: »

Porters progress has really been slowed by his transition to 3 , seems to have put on a lot of extra weight which seems to have effected his ability and mobility in the loose, hope moving to 3 doesn't damage his career.
Would've like to seen him kept at loosehead and used as an Ellis Genge type player and a more unathletic player developed at tighthead instead, hopefully i'm wrong and he becomes an outstanding tighhead

There wasn't a future in Leinster for him at loosehead. He probably would have had to move to get game time. Hopefully there's one at tight head.

CIARAN_BOYLE

FrannoFan wrote: »

leave the club that brought you through when Ulster didn't want you. English champions, going well in Europe, top of the premiership.....

I'm sure he would like to go

He has fallen to second choice in Exeter. Maybe at contract negotiation time that will mean a pay cut and he will be looking for a new option. If so an offer should be considered. I doubt it will receive a positive outlook but there is no harm in making contact.

irishfan9

kingofthekong wrote: »

Porters progress has really been slowed by his transition to 3 , seems to have put on a lot of extra weight which seems to have effected his ability and mobility in the loose, hope moving to 3 doesn't damage his career.
Would've like to seen him kept at loosehead and used as an Ellis Genge type player and a more unathletic player developed at tighthead instead, hopefully i'm wrong and he becomes an outstanding tighhead

bonkers

Former Former

kingofthekong wrote: »

believe they tried to move jack Mcgrath to tighthead also and it was a disaster...quickly moved him back and he became a Lion..

He covered tight-head once or twice when we had a spate of injuries. And he played ten minutes TH for Ireland once, against Argentina when it was actually a better idea to throw McGrath in rather than risk putting Rodney Ah You out on the pitch.

I don't think moving him over permanently was ever the intention.

Porter is 21 and he's started a test for Ireland, a few months after switching sides. Most props haven't even made their pro debut at 21. Relax.

Buer

kingofthekong wrote: »

believe they tried to move jack Mcgrath to tighthead also and it was a disaster...quickly moved him back and he became a Lion..

McGrath was coming through at the time of 22 man squads. He played tighthead multiple times for Ireland at U20 level. Only made sense for them to have a look at him at tighthead at some point.

The problem was that he was thrown in there unexpectedly due to two injuries against the Ospreys where he packed down against a front five of Paul James, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, AWJ and Ryan Jones and he was absolutely demolished to the extent that he was injured.

He never started a match there for Leinster although did so a few times for the A side, I vaguely recall.

irishfan9

McGrath's form is a bigger worry than Porters.... looks tired

determinations

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

He has fallen to second choice in Exeter. Maybe at contract negotiation time that will mean a pay cut and he will be looking for a new option. If so an offer should be considered. I doubt it will receive a positive outlook but there is no harm in making contact.

Who is ahead of him? Slade is center these days and Steenson has started at 10 in every game I've seen since mid September.

CIARAN_BOYLE

determinations wrote: »

Who is ahead of him? Slade is center these days and Steenson has started at 10 in every game I've seen since mid September.

Maybe I'm wrong but I had thought Slade started at 10 for Exeter in the last match I saw. Never mind that.

irishfan9 wrote: »

McGrath's form is a bigger worry than Porters.... looks tired

I reckon McGrath while no longer injured is dealing with some injury effects. He will be fine in a few weeks. If he is tired Leinster can give him some time off Healy is tearing up trees.

Don Kiddick

irishfan9 wrote: »

McGrath's form is a bigger worry than Porters.... looks tired

Horgan reckoned he was carrying a bit of early Xmas pudding weight

irishfan9

Don Kiddick wrote: »

Horgan reckoned he was carrying a bit of early Xmas pudding weight

doesn't look any different that usual..

has a lot of minutes the past two seasons.. looks heavy legged.

.ak

Yeah McGrath has played a tonne of rugby since his breakthrough... nature of the beast.

The fact that Healy is back firing is good, the rotation between the two will help.

Don Kiddick

irishfan9 wrote: »

doesn't look any different that usual..

has a lot of minutes the past two seasons.. looks heavy legged.

Yeah...fat

Padraig121

I have to say that I'm a bit concerned about the direction the Irish team are going. We have not learned anything from the last world cup it seems. Our hoofball game plan will be exposed! We're depending on Murray and Sexton too much, what if they have off days? We are too predictable, it can be difficult for teams to deal with it but the top teams will be able to and even teams like Wales will have a plan to defuse us. Don't get me wrong, I think Schmidt is a top class coach and organises the team very well but the tactics are too primitive. We need a more expansive game plan, similar to the one he implemented at Leinster.

determinations

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Maybe I'm wrong but I had thought Slade started at 10 for Exeter in the last match I saw. Never mind that.

It might have happened in Europe tbf, but Steenson has played 80 min at 10 in all but the opening game of the season. He isn't going anywhere anytime soon unfortunately. He would be a great addition to either Ulster or Connacht.

aloooof

Padraig121 wrote: »

I have to say that I'm a bit concerned about the direction the Irish team are going. We have not learned anything from the last world cup it seems. Our hoofball game plan will be exposed! We're depending on Murray and Sexton too much, what if they have off days? We are too predictable, it can be difficult for teams to deal with it but the top teams will be able to and even teams like Wales will have a plan to defuse us. Don't get me wrong, I think Schmidt is a top class coach and organises the team very well but the tactics are too primitive. We need a more expansive game plan, similar to the one he implemented at Leinster.

At a minimum, we've learned that we need greater strength in depth outside the starting 15/23, and this is definitely being addressed.

Buer

Padraig121 wrote: »

We need a more expansive game plan, similar to the one he implemented at Leinster.

Leinster weren't particularly expansive under Schmidt. They were extremely accurate and direct with a really low error count but I don't think they were a side that flung the ball wide with any regularity. They scored through strike runners and pulling teams apart before punching through disorganised defences.

I don't think I'd ever remember Fitzgerald or Nacewa getting outside teams and making big breaks out wide for Leinster.

Padraig121

aloooof wrote: »

At a minimum, we've learned that we need greater strength in depth outside the starting 15/23, and this is definitely being addressed.

But it doesn't matter who's in the squad if the game plan is the problem!

determinations

Buer wrote: »

Leinster weren't particularly expansive under Schmidt. They were extremely accurate and direct with a really low error count but I don't think they were a side that flung the ball wide with any regularity. They scored through strike runners and pulling teams apart before punching through disorganised defences.

I don't think I'd ever remember Fitzgerald or Nacewa getting outside teams and making big breaks out wide for Leinster.

I agree, people look back and think if the flowing set piece try's and equate it to a team that flung the ball around a lot which is just not the case. Ruthless efficiency more so than expansiveness is what comes to mind.