Fwiw, this was exactly my concern with regards Cian Healy being selected over Boyle:
…the last time Healy played more than a half of rugby for Ireland was as far back as the last game of 6 Nations in 2021/22.Following that, he played 22 times and averaged 14.5 minutes.We were very fortunate we didn't need him earlier in games thru injury, in his last number of years, imo.
…the last time Healy played more than a half of rugby for Ireland was as far back as the last game of 6 Nations in 2021/22.
Following that, he played 22 times and averaged 14.5 minutes.
We were very fortunate we didn't need him earlier in games thru injury, in his last number of years, imo.
It'd be less of a concern with a 6-2 split and another lock on the bench, alright tho.
Personally don't think it's too big an issue, and expect Edogbo to get gametime vs Italy. I see him being a massive player for Ireland in the future.
My point was theres been a huge turnover and churn of players. As there always is in rugby due to injury, which has led to us having a pretty untested team by our standards. In the circumstances it might be nice to have a proven 76 cap international to come on rather than Edogbo, who will have plenty more opportunities.
Its just the latest new shiny thing cause celebre on here like Tiernan o Halloran is better than Rob Kearney, Harry Byrne is Romain Ntmack, Coombes etc etc
Not sure where the notion that Ireland doesn’t have a big powerful lock?
for the last 14 seasons we have had Henderson and/or McCarthy, who are as powerful as anyone. The Irish tight 5 has been outstanding in that time frame.
posted twice
Complete aside that I haven't seen mentioned on here, but pretty cool for both Cian and Sam to be starting together on Thursday.
Its pretty simple put Crowley in a better team and you get a better Crowley!
If our tight 5 is so awesome, how come our scrum gets demolished so often? And how come we hear so much discourse about Ireland lacking powerful locks?
Anyone any idea when the A team is announced? Tomorrow?
It doesn’t though, in the last 6N the Irish scrum definitely held its own.
Ireland had plenty of issues but the scrum was not one of them.
As was stated earlier Irelands pack is bigger than the French pack on Thursday and you won’t find many more powerful locks than Joe McCarthy so I don’t see how power could be labelled an excuse on Thursday, if we get breasted our issues lie elsewhere.
lunch time according to Sindo
Hopefully our lineout issues will be rectified this six nations, if not I think POC would be under immense pressure as its our achielles heel for the last 2 years
POC and Beirne.. Beirnes calling has been woeful
I'm on about Jegou, Auradou and Nouchi. Three 22 year old forwards in their match day 23. We wouldn't bench our 23 year old for Thursday.
Yes, it can't possibly have anything to do with the - checks notes - 7 other guys involved….
You do realize yeah that nouchi at 22 has almost 3000 more professional minutes than edogbo does, even with Edwin a year older? Have you any actual knowledge of what you are trying to argue??
So I'll say it again, comparison with the selection choices of Ireland and France is utter stupidity.
Ireland DOES NOT HAVE the same selection choices that France does, so it's utterly pointless in comparing both.
You and other posters also don't seem to understand why the homework for a second row would be more than most other positions, especially considering the line out, so it's really not at all confusing or strange to accept why edogbo might not be ready for this game tomorrow night
Have any of them missed 2 entire years of rugby due to injury? Edogbo is being hugely fast tracked (rightly so) as it is.
I swear if the roles were reversed and we were starting Jalibert people would be complaining he's 27 and past it 😅
Yeah, it's just one player in eight who is solely responsible for a malfunctioning lineout. How convenient. I'm sure the issues in the scrum are down to him too.
Agreed, blaming the caller when you (us fans) don't even know the calls if also the height of ridiculousness
Leinster have, statistically, the highest lineout success rate in the URC and the Champions Cup this season.
We really need to see that start showing through at test level. There's a step up with regards to difficultly due to better opposition players and analysis. But I can only guess that something has gone wrong in our own preparations to have a lineout that has at times, looked barely functional.
Probably because he’s only played 334 minutes of rugby in 2 years, throwing him into a test match of this magnitude like that would be irresponsible.
Agreed, syd. There's little doubt Beirne shares some of the blame (and I'm not a massive fan of him as captain for Munster or lineout caller in general).
But if Baird fluffs his jump, Kelleher overthrows, or Clarkson misses his lift - examples we've seen during the AI's - that can't possible be blamed on Beirne.
Club apps/mins:
I think there is probably also less detail for the French players to absorb, as France tend to be less structured/prescribed in attack, and they are also back rows so less integral to the lineout.
Edogbo is behind in his development due to missing two years to severe injury. He's averaged 37 minutes per game since his return. He'll get there but I don't think this is the game for him.
You then have to look at the line-out coach in those situations if it’s part of a trend. Especially when they’re not making the same mistakes for their provinces.
They were last season though. They were 13th out of 16th in the league for lineout success rate. I couldn't fimd anything aside from the top 5 for Europe but they weren't in that either.
That's not to absolve the coaching though. I think most people would agree that O'Connell has been very fortunate to hold onto his position. This has been an issue since the lead up to the last RWC.
Absolutely agree.
Tbh, at this stage, even if we see an improvement in this 6N, I'm not convinced POC should stay on beyond it. We've seen this pattern at least twice now where it seems much improved, but then falls off entirely again.
It's the degree to which is disimproves between those cycles that's the worry, and it completely bit us in the ass in the RWC.
It's a brilliant story.
Fascinated to see if Cian will bring that hard nosed DISCIPLINED edge that Ireland need.
His workrate around the pitch is brilliant and he's excellent at clearing and hitting rucks. Basically he has the anger, grit and spit to get stuck into Jegou and co.
I think Ireland have the more balanced pack than this French 4,5,7,6,8.
The primary reason for the win/loss v France over the last two years has been the yellow (&Red) cards from both sides.
With the most important scores (1st and 2nd Tries) all happening when the opposition were down to 14.
Beirne, McCarthy; Prendergast, vdF, Doris v Ollivon, Guillard; Jegou, Cros, Jelonch
Ireland started really well last year. Had France on the ropes and shot themselves in the foot with their specialty: getting isolated and held up over the line.
And that was a better (more balanced) pack Flament, Guillard; Bodehent, Cros, Aldritt
Was just going to add I think its an unnecessary risk only having the 2 backs on the bench because it wont be THE deciding factor IF Ireland keep their discipline.
Prendergast, vdF and Doris are all 80min men.
Ryan and Edogbo for 6-2 would have made more sense.
edit
how often has it got demolished in the last decade?
Those guys have 50+ starts in pro rugby. Edogbo has about 10 and has been chronically injured. The comparison is disingenuous, particularly as Joe McCarthy is both young and in great form so there's no urgency to replace him.
