Tomtom364 wrote: » LH: Healy, Byrne HK: Herring,Kelleher, Heffernan TH: Porter, Ryan, Bealham LK: Henderson, Ryan, Baird, Beirne, Roux BS: Doris, POM OS: VDF, Connors N8: Stander, Conan SH: Murray, Marmion, JGP OH: Sexton, Byrne, Carty IC: Aki, Henshaw, McCloskey OC: Ringrose, Farrell WG: Conway, Larmour, Stockdale FB: Daly, Keenan Italy squad could need a few additions. TBC OUT
bilston wrote: » Whats wrong with Sexton?
Jump_In_Jack wrote: » Marty Moore maybe as a tight-head replacement for Bealham and/or Porter, Tracy as a hooker (already training with them), Dillane or Thornbury as lock, Not sure if there’s a need for another out-half to replace Sexton. Maybe Burns if he’s not injured?
Burkie1203 wrote: » Oh bollocks
Buer wrote: » 11 days out and the bloke has just joined up with the squad. There will be multiple tests in the coming days so unless there are multiple cases, the game isn't under threat. We've seen several cases in multiple professional sports teams in recent weeks and their games still proceed. Racing 92 had 9 positive cases within their camp and they were playing last weekend (they had a game postponed which was 48 hours after the initial outbreak).
Dog Botherer wrote: » has RR89 ever posted a team lineup that wasn’t a wind up
Dog Botherer wrote: » has RR89 ever posted anything that wasn’t a wind up
molloyjh wrote: » Seriously though, I'm getting pretty worried about Ireland in the short term at the very least. We dont have any top level LHs knocking about. Our hooker options aren't great. While Kelleher is a great prospect, for now that's all he is. We've 2 great TH options if they could both stay fit. But Furlongs absence will hurt us. Behind them Ryan is great obviously, but we dont exactly have great depth. Hendo is good and Baird looks a prospect, but everything after that is various shades of average at Test level. We're also a far, far cry from our back row hey day of Ferris, Wallace, Heaslip & SOB. We've some good options there, but no real great ones. Certainly no destructive ball carriers like that former back row. At half back we dont have clear cut Test level replacements for either Murray or Sexton. We've some good centres thankfully, and the overall age profile there is good. Our back 3 options mainly have some great strengths with glaring weaknesses. I can see us being a good team over the coming years, but not a great team. I dont think we have the squad to be challenging England or possibly even France if they are in fact finally getting their act together. It makes me appreciate the 2014 - 2018 period all the more. I think we might be seeing a slump in the coming years. Certainly for the coming few games, we're not in the best of shapes anyway. Thank god one of those is Italy.
Guinness RFC wrote: » Totally agree on the above. I said it here around a week ago the next 5-10 years at international level is going to be a case of damage limitation to plain miserable. We certainly don’t have a plethora of rising superstars. In fact I’d go as far to say they want to be superstars but fail to see their own shortcomings. Do they do what the coaches tell them? I get the feeling they want to show off when they’re on the pitch but they don’t have the raw materials to pull it off. Anything is possible with a humble hard working below average set of players but I wonder do the current crop know what it is to fight out a victory on the pitch.. Of course I’m coming from the Leinster perspective here.
thomond2006 wrote: » You all know who Ireland need to bring back to the international fold in order to reach the promised land. You know.
molloyjh wrote: » Heaslip. Gives us more freedom to play around with the back row. Proven player and leader. And delivers on all the non-rugby controversy anyone could possibly need.
molloyjh wrote: » I think that's more than a little harsh. For starters, Ireland being behind 2 of the biggest rugby countries in the world shouldn't be a source of misery. Its got to be expected, at least some of the time. If anything, I dont think enough people truly appreciated how much we've been punching above our weight for much of the last 10-15 years, RWCs aside. As for what level of self awareness players have, we dont know and we can't know. Its a futile discussion and needlessly personal. The Roy of the Rovers idea that "anything is possible with a humble hard working below average set of players" simply isn't true either. How many teams like that have won trophies or beaten NZ or been consistently ranked inside the top 5? Average teams tend to have average ceilings. Some are lucky enough to break through those ceilings on the odd occasions but thats about it. I'm reasonably okay with us having a slump and fighting it out for 2nd or 3rd place for a while. Its still a good, competitive place to be. It beats being Scotland or Italy. Even England, France, Australia & South Africa have had their poor spells. Most teams do. And maybe, just maybe, we might learn to appreciate success more when it comes. I won't hold my breath there though. It often seems that if we aren't the absolute best then we're the absolute worst, which of course is nonsense.
molloyjh wrote: » Whats everyone else thinking in terms of a first choice 23 for the 2 6Ns games? Is the below the most likely or am I missing someone? Healy Herring Porter Dillane Ryan Doris Stander VDF Murray Sexton Aki Ringrose Stockdale Keenan Conway Kelleher, Byrne, Ryan, Roux, Conan, Marmion, Byrne, Henshaw
Guinness RFC wrote: » As far as the mindset of the players is concerned I believe it is possible to determine what that is like individually and collectively by merely watching them play. Trying to pull off flicks behind the back or forwards stationed out on the wings are signs of Prima Donna attitude. It’s not the players’ faults they simply haven’t been taught not to do these things. I know some will say sometimes it’s in Leo’s gameplan to create mismatches on the wing and have forwards blazing down that channel but I think if you are young and trying to make an impression you get stuck in to the basics and are seen to be working your ass off. You don’t hang out in the wide channels. This could also be said of tackling technique, trying too many fancy plays, kicking the ball excessively (I.e. hogging possession to make yourself look good) or simply not digging out tough matches.
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wa.vanillicon.com/v2/ad289898c0c6dda7e667bf900ae26d0c.svg)
