I wouldn't say any of them are currently considered some of the top wingers in the world, Stockdale in 2018 yes but none currently. None were close to selection for the Lions.
Even if we don't win, but perform well and build on what we did v England and Japan, I'll think we're turning a corner.
Honestly the result is secondary for me. I just want to see a performance, further progress and continued development of a style of rugby that can win us a world cup.
Beating NZ in an Autumn International is great but it isn't a true reflection of where the two teams are at. So lets learn from our mistakes and not hype ourselves up as world cup favourites if we win (jesus I sound like that knobhead MacKenna).
At the end of the day, we should view NZ as our peers. A tier 1 nation beating another tier 1 nation at home shouldn't be seen as an amazing upset.
Kilcoyne is just over a year younger than Healy, Healy is a better scrummager, not sure much between them in the Loose, Kilcoyne runs fast straight into nearest defender even when a 4 on 1. Healy did score off bench last week, he is still very good.
Not getting picked for the Lions doesn't mean you are not a top quality player. The Lions had a plan before a ball was kicked and as we seen that was nothing about having an attacking style of rugby
This review ogf Biggar says it all
The fact that he passed the ball on just three occasions was initially a reflection of the game plan but he should have over-ridden the directions when things changed dramatically after the interval. He will be disappointed with the penalty miss and was replaced on 58 minutes. Rating: 6
I guess the IRFU/Joe were influential with his move to Munster to play ten once it became clear that Leinster saw him at 15, , that's the influence I was talking about. But before the move was announced there was talk about Joe's influence on selection of Carbery at ten even though the assumption was that Leinster weren't interested long term in him playing there. He was selected at ten for this reason, occasionally. We can nit pick, but in principle the Irish coach has some power over provincial selection afaik. Maybe you're disagreeing and saying he doesn't?
I'm probably reaching. But it wouldn't surprise me all the same. Doubt Ireland will get the space, time and soft shoulders v NZ to be able to offload and keep it fast and loose. 20 offloads v Japan! If Ireland are able to get 7 or 8 of those away they will be doing well.
Joe & the IRFU only became interested in Joey as a 10 when Jackson was suddenly unavailable. If Jackson had to stay in that night I think Carbery would currently be fighting for the starting 15 jersey. That was the knock on affect of the whole Jackson disaster.
Beirne or Hendo in second row is not going to change that. I would have slotted in Beirne at 6 myself.
Hendo is also a ball playing second row and it's not like he doesn't know how to throw a pass, what he has on Beirne is bulk, something which will be required against the NZ second rows.
Beirne coming off the bench in a hoepfully tight match could make a huge difference in the backrow/second row
You'd nearly have to go with a 6-2 split with that amount of quality!
Beirne, Ryan/Henderson; vdF, Dorris, Conan
Henderson/Ryan, Baird, Coomes, Doak, Maybe Ciaran Frawley could be our Frans Steyn!
I definitely view Ireland's back 3 as the weakest positions in the squad. Would many/any of these guys get selected for NZ/Aus/SA/England/France? I'd say probably not.
I think the english back 3 is the weakest ive seen in a long time, and the australian one that played in edinburgh wouldnt put the fear of god into you.
Keenan would moonwalk his way into the Australia and England team and possibly the SA team.
Not sure about France, that Jaminet lad looks very good. As for NZ, not at 15 as Jordie Barrett is probably the best in the world right now, but he would not disgrace the jersey.
You might be right. It's difficult to say how Jackson would have developed had he stayed at Ulster, but he was not very impressive in France and though I haven't watched much of LI this season, what I've seen doesn't inspire confidence that he'd get near the Irish team. Defensively he has been up there with the worst moments from Jlo.
Speaking of which, Lowe's performance on Saturday will really tell us whether he's turned a corner defensively. The ABs will definitely go looking for him. Same goes for Carbery, assuming he get 20 or 30 minutes, it's make or break time for both of them.
In a close match, I don't see Carberry getting many minutes. Sexton will probably see it through, if we are in with a chance. That's if he doesn't pick up an injury.
JGP starting is great. A good performance and he's certainly in the conversation as a starter. Murray will probably see 30 minutes.
When have Ireland ever had a stack of 8's like this? There's about 6 quality 8's right now!
That's my point!! Another poster was giving him his P45!!
Ur knowledge of the game is shocking if u think Keenan is better than leroux.
As a FB Yeah. Crazy selection to pick him there.
He never looked like a player capable of adapting to that position defensively and was cruelly exposed.
Wouldn't have any of those names in the top 15 wingers in the world at the moment, Keenan is going very well though. Earls and Zebo are getting on a bit, and conway's form has been very patchy for a while now. I'm as big a fan of Baloucoune as you're likely to find but he's unproven at international level and he's injured a lot. Lowe suffers from the same defensive problems as Stockdale and Larmour isn't far behind tbh. I like Larmour but he'd only recently returned to form a bit after being moved away from 15.
My point was Stockdale is as good a young talent as your likely to find in Ireland (on the wing), and our squad is filled with older players and players with questionable form - so jettisoning him from the squad is very premature imo. I see Stockdale being a key player over the next couple of years when the older players are winding down and the up-and-coming players (whoever they may be) are developing.
15 is the real problem. Keenan or bust for me at the moment.
It will be interesting to see how McIlroy and Osborne develop over the next year or two. Not sure who else is out there in terms of up and coming FBs, but after Keenan I'd probably put Zebo there right now.
Forgot that Osbourne is training with them as well, I'm really curious to see if they prefer him at fullback or centre.
the dev players were only in camp for the 1st weeks training
That is odd. Why bother if they aren’t going back to play for the provinces.
The gas thing about this comment is that Freddie Steward (who is starting at 15 for England this weekend), if you asked me to describe him, I would describe him as a better Hugo Keenan. The guy is a baller under the high ball and has all the attacking tools - he's always been the standout player whenever I've seen Leicester playing .
Kurtley Beale is no slacker either.
Not saying Keenan wouldn't get into their teams, but "moonwalk" is a bit extreme
They were extra bodies while Henshaw and Henderson couldn't train fully.
Shane Daly got his call up to the Ireland squad last year off the back of some solid performances at 15, but he’s since 1) fallen out of form and 2) been playing on the wing.
Not up-and-coming, but Mike Haley is someone who I think is very underrated, but the reality is he wouldn’t be called in to start from outside the squad if Keenan got injured, say. I think Keenan is the only one in the squad at the moment regularly playing 15?
Jackson arrived back from the SA tour and a lot of people wanted him to start instead of Sexton in the AI's before everything came out. Everything changed after that of course but Jackson was the heir and everything he had shown up to his last cap with Ireland would suggest he had what it took....
Yeah, he was definitely the standout then and all thing being equal he might have kicked on but blowing up his career didn't help his game and he hasn't looked like that player since. The same could be said for Carbery though, he showed great promise before his run of injuries and even though Joe liked him at 10 I liked the look of him as a second playmaker joining the line from 15, a role Lowe seems carved out for now. But you're right, Jackson was well ahead of Carbery back then.
Can anyone recommend a good NZ rugby podcast for the Kiwi preview of the game?
Sorry to say but looking at those 2 teams and the forecast, All Blacks by 23 plus.
I can see NZ pull away in the second half all right, although not sure if they’ll go 23 clear. Probably not far off that though.
From an Irish perspective I’d be okay with that if our starting XV show they can in some way implement the sort of game they did against Japan. I don’t expect or want us to be the finished article right now. So if we’re not then that’s fine. As long as we’re headed in the right direction.
