I think it's just important Ahern gets game time while he's fit and in form. If he has to play full back for that, so be it.
Weirdly - Ahern was a full back up until the age of 15 or 16.
Read a piece before about him where he grew 7 inches in height over the course of about 6 months or so and then got swapped into the second row then!
If Ahern can play 6, I think its a great idea to play him there. There is no clear successor to POM (at munster or ireland) or Conan, and i’d say ahern has more upside than either prendergast or baird.
Could be. However, Prendergast really is a workhorse. He does a bit of everything. He's a good carrier too.
Baird needs to be given a position. Is he a lock? Is he a blindside? Whatever way it goes, I think we are looking good at blindside.
I would say what Baird really needs - more than settling in one position - is to get significant playing time. Unless a first choice lock or backrower gets injured it's hard to see where that comes from though.
I don't see it being as much of an issue for Baird having to pick a position at this stage. Given his height and frame he can live between both pretty easily - like Beirne. With Ahern he is giving up something trying to flip flopping
Baird is ideally a 6 for me.
Just nabbed 2 tickets for France v Ireland. First ever 6N game and it's going to be Baltic!
Both Baird and Ahern could definitely play the role that Pieter-Steph du Toit has played in South Africa for the last number of years.
At nearly 6'7" (2m) and 115kg he could conceivably play at second row at essentially any team in the world. But he just happens to be such an unbelievably good blindside flanker.
PTSD combines amazing athleticism while adding his size and bulk to set pieces. A huge advantage for South Africa who can then play 2 other huge second rows.
He is a recent world player of the year and just gave one of the greatest rugby performances ever seen in the RWC final.
I think with South Africas dominance we are going to see a newer mould of blindsides come out. A combination of tall and bulky but with decent athleticism.
Courtney Lawes would be similar.
Baird and and Ahern could both very well find themselves being used predominantly at 6 with these stats and abiliy
I can see Baird playing the 6 role but I think Ahern is a second row slotting in at 6 because POM is out injured and his height will help with lineout. Just my opinion.
There is an element of stop gap about it for sure.
But an athlete of Aherns calibre is rarely seen. You just don't regularly see 6'9 people with that sort of pace or mobility.
I'm sure his frame can carry a lot more kgs on it. But does that get the most out of him? Could keeping him as a mobile back row be a master stroke because you can keep 2 sizeable locks in the row all the while having Ahern as an additional setpiece option
are tickets available?
Depends on the game plan I suppose. Ireland has gone for a more mobile setup over the last few years even in the second row with Ryan/Beirne.
Still we don't really get beat up, maybe SA and France can. The rest we are on a par and maybe ahead.
I do think I myself have a lot of questions on what the plan is because of what is the coaching setup going to be. Is Catt confirmed as gone? will Farrell stay past the 2 years into the next World Cup.
Ahearn certainly looks a talent, if he cn stay fit and get game time I expect he will be in or around the 6 nations squad
Ollivon must be one of the tallest players who's never played second row (apart from one club game in 2020).
I got them through the FFR. Should be on public release soon.
I have been surprised Munster haven’t gone with Beirne at 6 to replace POM, they have depth at second row. Thought we’d see that transition with both Munster and Ireland.
same here, maybe since its more likely that beirne will be starting in the second row hes staying there for now to allow continuity when POM is back?
I think part of the reason for that is because, at least in attack, the 6 role for Munster often finds themselves in the wide forward role out wide, whereas we seem to prefer having Beirne more central where he can get his hands on the ball more frequently than he otherwise would.
He's already had some brilliant passing involvements and late offloads already this season.
Ah that makes sense, haven’t seen Munster enough to realise that
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a forward as a passing first receiver as often as I have with Beirne for Munster this season.
Aly Muldowney Connacht 2016
very key to connachts success that season !
South Africa v Ireland, Saturday, 6 July, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
South Africa v Ireland, Saturday, 13 July, Kings Park, Durban
https://www.irishrugby.ie/2023/12/08/fixtures-confirmed-for-irelands-summer-tour-to-south-africa/
Why is it only a 2 match tour?
World Cup, agreement not to burn out the players
Irish players hardly need more resting
Brilliant, we can go down there win the series and we can all feel great again.
We can anoint ourselves as the best team in the World again. Another RTE documentary maybe.
beating the world champions away would still be a very big achievement and if ireland were to win the series then even more so. yes it would be nothing compared to the rwc but it wouldnt be anything to sniff at either
Could be more the South African side though
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