How do you figure the majority of the team haven't had a hard game of rugby this season?
Leinster's win in La Rochelle was test match level of ferocity.
Munster's win in Toulon is arguably their second biggest win in the past 12 months.
Can you see France doing the slam though?
A slip up in Murrayfield is always possible
The non selection of Zebo is fine, his age is wrong but Keenan is the only proper FB in the squad and Stockdale cant be ahead of him on form.
I would have picked zebo ahead of Stockdale but also hope that neither is needed.
Just find it easier to follow in this format.
It's nice to see the three training panellists in for some experience in camp.
Cian Prendergast is a surprise omission.
Timoney gets the nod over Hodnett, fair play to him.
No room for Zebo despite there not being a lot of inspiring options at fullback.
Overall, it was always likely to be very similar to the World Cup squad, but there are a few changes, just enough to keep it interesting.
The squad looks fairly decent overall, but just don't feel like they'll win a Grand Slam, but who knows.
I would of liked to seen Doak in the Training Panel as well as part of long term planning.
He does, unfortunately he thinks about it, a long, long, long, time.
So you agree with me that he wont be captain but called me a hater anyway.
I dont think we have enough players with enough rugby in their legs to win in Marseilles Friday 2 weeks time.
The majority of the team that will start havent had a hard game of Rugby yet this season.
I dont think we are ready for France, anyone else maybe but not them.
Henry slade would like this post if he was logged on.
I dont think anyone sees him as being captain in 4 years time, but there is a place in The world cup squad for an older highly experience player (earls this year) for the smaller games and to help out off the field as much as on it.
Not saying that is going to be POM, but that role exists for someone.
Looking at all the squads now, I think Ireland have a very good chance of winning this year's championship.
Wales and England are starting fresh to varying degrees. France is without some very big names, but obviously a very formidable squad, Italy will Italy.
Scotland, like us, have a very settled squad, and have both France and England at home, so they will fancy their chances to challenge for the title.... But facing us on Patrick's day weekend will be beyond then imo.
At 6/4 I think we're worth a punt
I agree, it was more the way that he hasn't gotten to the level a lot of posters felt he was going to reach by this stage of his career
I thought Casey was excellent in Toulon on Saturday. His passing is now at a top class level, and his kicking has improved.
Naturally his decision making isn't where you want it to be, but he's a young guy and he'll only get there with experience. I think this is the year he steps into the Irish 23.
I think Murray is a better SH than Casey. Murray makes the right decision more often than Casey does.
🎵 When captain O'Mahony throws his mighty shield...
Crowley is firmly no. 1... Toss up for backup imo
Don't think it's a hugely surprising squad, and happy enough with the decision to make POM captain. Still think there's a chance to win another 6N there for this squad, even with the upheaval from Sexton leaving.
France have had plenty of injury and disruption too, and can't be happy either with how their 2022 finished. They've lost the best player in the world out of their team, and they've looked pretty mortal the last few years when he hasn't been around, notwithstanding how good Lucu & La Garrec et al are.
In terms of the squad - think the interesting calls are the following:
-Cian Healy still deemed the next best option at LHP. Hard to see where else they could have gone here.
-Nick Timoney gets the nod in the back row - his form has been good, but Cian Prendergast and John Hodnett might feel a bit unlucky.
-Conor Murray retained at scrum half despite a relatively poor run of form. I get it, but mostly driven by no one else really stepping up to displace him. It wouldn't shock me if Craig Casey (who is playing well) has supplanted him in the 23 though.
Nash deserves his call up as does Larmour. I hope they both get minutes.
I think O Mahony is a good choice of captain.
I also think the player who is rumoured to be considering retirement and has several highly promising young players coming up in his positiopn has zro chance of being captain in 4 years.
I am happy enough. The first and 4th year of a RWC cycle is about building momentum which its good to see Farrell is focused on. Get our cycle off to a good start and then we can look to add to our squad.
Has to be disappointing for Baloucoune that he's missed this opportunity. Not that long ago he was pretty close - started against SA and Fiji in Nov'22. Now with Mack and JOB injured and Keith Earls & Conway's retirement, he's still not in the squad, despite having his first relatively injury free run in a while.
I don't disagree with the call - think Nash and Larmour are just playing better than him.
100%. Loads of coaches talk about periodisation, and peaking at the right times. ROG has talked previously about it only being possible for around 18 months at a time.
Balacoune is not in form. He shouldn't be near the squad, imo.
A lot of people would have expected Balacoune to be at this level now. He has certainly shown the promise but maybe not the consistency.
I would have included prendergast.
Conor Murray! Jesus!
Agreed. Ross Byrne would obviously have been in if fit, any ideas of his return date yet?
I think we had similar post RWC 2019, at hooker. Sheehan, Kelleher and Herring had very few caps between them at that point.
2 ways of looking at it, the one you've bought forward and the needed turnover for the cycle.
The 2023 World Cup was not won in February 2019. Long term planning is not a thing this early. The World Cup won't be a consideration at all until after the Lions tour at the very least.
No Prendergast! Shocking in my opinion. Glad to see Timoney, though. He's deserved a call up.
I do not see a slam this year.
What uncapped players would you like to have seen included?
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