Timoney came through the typical pathway. Rock SCT, academy now pro. yes he got let go from Leinsters academy but was immediately signed to Ulster.
But yeah he has been quite under rated for some time and totally deserves the call ups as his all round game is especially good.
Murray Kinsella's "probable" XV as opposed to "possible" XV is going to cause ructions here!
Lol!
I've got my popcorn ready.. this will be fun!
Ah here
Murray says...
Keenan
Earls/Conway
Ringrose
Aki
Lowe
Sexton
Gibson Park
Healy/Porter
Herring
Furlong
Henderson
Ryan
Berine
Van Der Flier
Conan
I assume you're referring to this? Not really sure what the big deal would be.
15. Hugo Keenan
14. Keith Earls/Andrew Conway
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki
11. James Lowe
10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park
1. Andrew Porter/Cian Healy
2. Rob Herring
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Iain Henderson
5. James Ryan
6. Tadhg Beirne
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan.
What I will say is that the new structure to the season and the lack of European rugby before the Autumn Internationals looks to be a bit of a killer for less experienced players.
Lowe, Herring, Gibson Park...even Sexton
There will be plenty unhappy with those selections. Not saying I agree, but it will disappoint many on here.
I'm not massively convinced by either Gibson Park or Lowe for Ireland, and while I think Herring is underrated, I'm surprised Kelleher isn't there (if this is correct).
Imagine the absolute minefield this thread would be if POM was starting
Very dissapointed at 2 9 11 and 12 if that's the team.
We have some great young talent coming through in kelleher/sheehan, casey, balacoune and frawley/hume.
Yet farrell continues to pick These guys aged 29 and 31 who aren't world class.. never were, never will be..
How do you expect to try and beat Nz the following week with 3 players deemed surplus to requirements to be given a cap by NZ. Will they do the haka too?
I dont think the team will be as hinted by kinsella but if it is then Two years out from a World cup and we are going backwards in terms of selection not forwards.
Im sure the sexton selection debate has been done to death but selecting lowe is just teo fingers to so many people who have out their hands up for selection in the last while.
Its sad if the team against japan is what murray kinsella has named.
Complete and utter waste of time if true, but not surprising.
Porter has to start at least 1 test at loosehead. Think we need him to gain as much experience as possible before the WC as I'm not enthused by the idea of Healy or Kilcoyne lining up these.
Disappointing lack of Zebo
I wonder if the team is right will there be some head to heads for selection for NZ. Lowe plays 40/50 then Zebo comes on. Same for Herring/Kelleher, Earls/Conway, Beirne/Conan/Dorris.
Overall I'd love to see us keep Japan tryless(big ask) and build more in our attacking play.
No Zebo.
As for the team, I like the look of it. No real surprises - Herring maybe? Farrel clearly fancies JPG so I'm not surprised to see him there. Probably last chance saloon for Lowe to show his defensive goods.
Good god…that team is even more uninspiring than the one mentioned during the week of that was possible…
Why the hell with young players like Larmour and Balacoune are we starting a **** 34 year old who almost certainly won’t make the next RWC? And don’t get me started on the 10 shirt, people moan to the cows come home about the problems at 10 well when you play Sexton in every single and give skeleton minutes to the alternatives then as a direct result you get the situation we are in at 10. While I would hate Sexton to pick up a knock and get ruled out of the NZL game another part of me would think from an Irish management perspective it would be poetic justice for being so conservative.
The worst part of this selection is you know it will be a dog **** performance because most of these players will have one eye on NZL because in Ireland we have promoted a culture that you can play as badly as you want you’ll never be dropped, they’ll make a dogs dinner of this and produce a totally uninspiring performance as a result and to sum up Irish rugby Murray who was garbage for Munster against Ospreys and who hasn’t started a single match will be suddenly drafted in versus NZL where he will once again play terribly as he knows he’ll be picked no matter how he plays as he’s another undroppable group member.
if this ends up being the team I’m seriously questioning weather I’ll even bother watching it, there’s nothing to be learnt playing this dull, safe, conservative team. It’s almost like Andy is try to see how many fans he can get to turn off this match, I mean how against **** Japan are you playing daddy’s army essentially, I thought these were the sort of games for looking at alternatives…if not now when?
I dont think it will be a poor performance.
The pack that is named will do a number on Japan and we will win because of it, its just that behind the pack there is nothing to be excited about.
That backline will get shown up badly the following week, it will be fine for the japanese but against Nz Espically if (when) aki gets carded, and ringrose pulls up.
Looks like it's going to be windy on Saturday. Looking forward to the team box kicking their way to victory. 😥
That's a poor selection imo. Farrell must not be willing to take any risks! The only iffy selection is Lowe. He's blessed! He wouldn't get these chances at home.
Earls is another terrible call.
NZ are bedding in a player like Will jordan and we are picking lowe who can defend and Earls who is not getting any younger
what a conservative dog turd of a team.
I sincerely hope Japan do a number on us. If thats the team for NZ we will be absolutely mullered. and probably will spell the end of this train wreck of a coaching ticket.
Farrell out for me. beyond useless, and Irish rugby repeating the same mistakes over and over. infuriating.are we hoping for World rankings is that it?
like honestly why do we bother?
People have been calling for Earls to be phased out every year for the last three or four years - and each time he's been our undisputed best winger (bar Stockdale's superhuman year). I've no issues with his selection - play our best players. It's not like he has a dodgy injury record like Sexton either - I can easily see him sticking around until 2023.
Indo team.
Slightly different..
Possible Ireland team to face Japan: H Keenan; A Conway, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Lowe; J Sexton (capt), J Gibson-Park; A Porter; R Kelleher, T Furlong; T Beirne, J Ryan; C Doris, J van der Flier, J Conan.
Catt loves a good box kick tactic when he thinks the weather will be bad..
Just look back to his tactics in the French 6 nations game.. amateur tactics.. and with a scrumhalf who can't kick
People have been calling for Earls to be phased out every year for the last three or four years
I'm not sure if this is true. When he was playing well from 2016-2019 and this time last year nobody had an issue with him playing. But we're in the 2nd half of the WC cycle and he'll be 36 at the WC and it's Japan in an Autumn international.
You may disagree, but you just shouldn't be playing 34 year old wingers against tier 2 nations 2 years out from a RWC. Play him against NZ, no problem. But Larmour and Baloucoune need minutes.
play our best players.
Yes but within reason. It's Japan in an Autumn international.
Nobody is asking for a completely alternate XV or a bunch of kids, but a bit of rotation with one eye on 2023 and beginning to phase out the old guard. That isn't too much to ask for.
If that selection is correct, it reeks of conservatism and fear from Farrell. If he thinks he needs to go fully locked and loaded to beat Japan at home at the end of their season and we get beat heavily by NZ, than I'm going to start having doubts.
Which one of the 7 stages of grief are we at now?
Not acceptance anyways
Then don't. Problem solved.
Our pack is a very good shape judging by the predicted teams. We could swap in half a dozen other forwards and still have a pretty good one.
I dont have a problem with earls playing, but we know what he can do, and he has plenty of minutes this season so against japan we dont need him.
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