Your Team To Play Australia

sock puppet · 12-09-2011 12:55AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Ioeva

The cool headedness of Toeava and the crisp passing of Ioane. The perfect player.

Teferi · 12-09-2011 01:21AM

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Houdini Houdini Houdini

The only disappearing act that happens here is that you can only see Munster players when you put on those red goggles of yours. He had an okay game, I think he done a share of some unseen work.

Podge_irl · 12-09-2011 01:43AM

Flincher wrote: »

To suggest Murray isn't a good player in light of the 50 minutes or so he got today is stretching it, even assuming your assessment of his performance is accurate.

Suggesting Murray is a bad player based on today would obviously be folly. What today did show is that he is still inexperienced and needs more top level gametime. He made several mistakes and was not always assertive enough with the forward for my liking.

It would have been a decent performance with promise of better had it occurred in a warm-up or an AI. But this is the World Cup and is about performance and not potential and the fact he was started today smacks somewhat of desperation from Kidney and leaves us in a pretty awful state with regards scrum halves.

The Aussie · 12-09-2011 06:42AM

Just heard that Ioane is out for the rest of the WC with a broken thumb, could be a ray of light for a hapless Irish team having the leading try scorer of the Tri-Nations(?) out, talk of Drew Mitchell back on the wing after doing his ankle in the Super 15.

Now if Ireland can actually catch the ball:D and drop the team luggage in Darcy and attack the left wing with Mitchell who is after recovering from his dislocated ankle...

Nah i jest..

fitz · 12-09-2011 08:49AM

jacothelad wrote: »

Healy ..
Best
Ross...No other choice

DOC
POC

Ferris
O'Brien
Heaslip

Reddan
Sexton

Trimble
McFadden
BOD
Bowe
Kearney

Bench: Court , Flannery , Cullen , Jennings , Boss , ROG, Earls

I thought Murray was average to dross during the game. I watched it again this afternoon - masochism really - and I have to say he was pretty awful. Poor options, bad passes, slow getting the ball away, knocking on, slow getting to rucks. His main ploy is simply to look for POC and shovel the ball to him even when he is in totally the wrong place. He may become a good player but he isn't one yet. Instead of playing Murray with ROG and Sexton with Reddan or Boss he does neither.

Jennings was our top tackler by the way.

We won't win any Oz lineout ball because we don't challenge and only POC is athletic enough of our likely second rows to actually get off the ground quickly. I would have given Cullen at least 30 minutes today alongside POC. Cullen is a far better lineout player than DOC. Instead we had DOC and POC playing the full game and the dull and talent free Ryan scratching his plums on the bench. He won't add anything different and brings considerably less.

Instead of taking off Earls to give Trimble a run, he put Trimble at full back in place of G.M. Smart move that.

Then we had the drivel at the end from Kidney. Blaming the weather and the fact that we dominated the set pieces for not playing any rugby. Is he completely off his trolley? Getting positives out of missing penalties because we than didn't have to face kick - offs from the mighty USA. Does he think we are a bunch of brain damaged window lickers? The man is either a wonderful con artist who is lulling Oz and Italy and us into a false sense of superiority and has a bagful of tricks up his sleeve. OR. He is a total fraud, completely over his head and is lulling them into a true sense of superiority. We'll soon find out. If he has been ordering the players to keep the game plan secret, they have been doing it for 2 years.

This would be my team as well, and hopefully it'll be the one I get to watch at Eden Park on Saturday! (flying down Wednesday morning

)

I think you're a little harsh on Murray there though Jaco.
He wasn't helped by our shocking performance at the breakdown...

Just read on Twitter about Ioane too.
Terrible thing to have happen for him, but I'm MASSIVELY relieved we don't have to worry about him on Saturday.
His pace is frightening.

poncho000 · 12-09-2011 08:55AM

Reddan at 9
Sexton at 10

Boss to come on after 60

Worked for Leinster, Kidney hasnt even tried it once.

PS: How long has Murray been on the scene? A couple of months? A couple of starts for Munster? And now he's our first choice SH?
If we was a prodigy or something I could understand. But right now he is just decent, and should be the back up SH for this world cup. Im sure he will improve and his time will come, but it amazes me that the Heineken cup winning combination isnt our first choice for this world cup

bamboozle · 12-09-2011 09:15AM

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

The biggest selection issues for the AUS match surround the backrow and 12 jersey imo. Houdini (Yup, I'm starting to call him that now) is in terrible form and is living off his reputation and D'Arcy isn't the first cousin of an international centre any more.

Houdini deserves to be dropped but, without Wallace we don't have many options in the backrow. As good as Jennings can be for Leinster, he doesn't have the physicality for international rugby. Leamy has had a poor enough season and was anonymous yesterday, but he can match anyone in physcality stakes. Ryan isn't anything but an emergency option off the bench. If Leamy can watch his penalty count, I wouldn't mind seeing him at 7 provided he is just told to hit rucks all day, so SOB can concentrate on his carrying (from 8). Kidney's refusal to consider Wilson or Coughlan is really harming us since Wallace's injury.

A backrow of 6. Ferris, 7. Leamy, 8. SOB, would be incredibly abbrasive. Our only way to beat Australia, is to beat them up front but, the above backrow would probably too big of a risk. I'd love if the above backrow was picked and it worked out. Dropping Heaslip would be the best way of making him realise that he isn't untouchable and that he needs to up his game.

D'Arcy has to be dropped. He has offered nothing on the international scene for quite a while (Indian Summer last August aside). The question now surrounds who we will (hopefully) replace him with - do we choose Wallace, McFadden or Sexton? McFadden seems the obvious choice for the 12 jersey, as he brings a similar skillset to the team but, he appears to be pretty far down the pecking order.

Believe it or not but, I actually am a fan of Wallace's game but, he is not used to his strengths by Ireland. We use him as the world's smallest crashball merchant and it is a waste of a talented and skillful 12. The more I think of it though, Sexton could offer so much more than Wallace at 12. I was originally against playing him in the centre, but he might just thrive with someone else managing the game at 10. He is solid in defense and has a decent running game (better than D'Arcy or Wallace anyway). I know that Kidney said that playing him at 12 against France was a once-off but, it wouldn't be unimagineable for Kidney to make a big call like that.

So, here's the team I would currently choose:

1. Healy
2. Best - It would be wrong to drop him after today's performance.
3. Ross
4. DOC
5. POC
6. Ferris
7. Leamy - I would have no problem starting Houdini if he could up his game but, as I see it we are unlikely to win the game so we might as well try and get him up to pace by the Italy game. Dropping him is the best way imo.
8. SOB
9. Murray - He showed enough when he wasn't getting swarmed by the opposition forwards to earn a start. And as all the Leinster posters always say, we should keep the provincial pairings together :P .
10. ROG
11. Trimble
12. Sexton
13. BOD
14. Bowe
15. Kearney - I haven't actually decided if we should go for the safe option or go for the more dangerous Earls, as he is unlikely to be tested under the highball. Earls hasn't played 15 this season though, so its likely Kearney will get the nod.

if you want to go down the road of slurring Heaslip by calling him Houdini why dont we call DOC Jimmy Hoffa cause DOC has not been seen on the pitch in 2 seasons.
Leamy at 7 - you should really stick to munsterfans.

i'd take heaslip on a bad day any day over the penalty machine that is Leamy. Did you by any chance notice how our rucks disintigrated once Jennings was replaced by Leamy? Leamy POC and DOC were hanging out in the 10 channel looking to carry the ball when they should have been hitting rucks with gusto.

My team for Oz

Healy
Flannery
Ross
Cullen/Ryan
POC
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip
Reddan (i'd have gone for boss if he had any game time behind him to counter Genia)
O'Gara
Trimble
McFadden
BOD
Bowe
Murphy

i'd give strick instructions to POC, Ryan/Cullen, Flannery & Ross that i dont want to see them carrying the ball, their job in open play is to hit rucks and make tackles.
McFadden to come in to add some much needed spark to our backline.
ROG to come in to play a disciplined teritory game and frustrate the autralians.

pickarooney · 12-09-2011 09:30AM

I don't get why in the thread about Kidney's management almost everyone cited his insistence of picking the out of form O'Callaghan as a major failing yet he's almost a unanimous selection in this thread

Healy
Flannery
Ross
O'Connell
Cullen
Ferris
O'Brien
Heaslip
Boss
Sexton
Bowe
McFadden
Trimble
Murphy

BTW, genuine question - who is 'Houdini' and why is he called that?

totallegend · 12-09-2011 09:54AM

pickarooney wrote: »

BTW, genuine question - who is 'Houdini' and why is he called that?

Jamie Heaslip, because he disappears from matches. Hilarious, isn't it?

That one comes courtesy of that most balanced and not at all red-hued poster, Cpt_Blackbeard.

jacothelad · 12-09-2011 09:56AM

Reloc8 wrote: »

Oh yeah I don't doubt it.

But if we had a little bit of clear thinking from the management...playing Ferris at 4 against Australia is not really experimentation or certainly not risky, shall we say...

..despite the fact that Ferris has stated that 2nd row is not an option because of the damage to his left knee. Jumping and landing 18 stones on it is the quickest way to retirement.

...and we should, one way or the other, be expecting to play not less than four more games of which two will be genuine **** or bust (Italy and the QF) so I say starting Bowe at 12 makes so much sense its almost like not doing it would be crazy.

So you would pick a player who has never played there at 12 against the worlds best back-line and second best back row. You do realise rthat Bowe has been crap at 13 for the Ospreys? What makes you think he suddenly can play 12? I doubt that even Deccie with his case of rampant mad coach disease would do that.

But here is the team Kidney will in fact pick, assuming all fit :-

1. Healy
2. Flannery
3. Best....I'm sure Rory would give it a go but even The Kidneyloon isn't that daft.
4. DOC
5. POC
6. SOB
7. Jennings
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. O'Gara
11. Earls
12. D'Arcy
13. BOD
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

Subs :-

16. Best
17. Buckley
18. Court
19. Donncha Ryan
20. Sexton.
21. Boss.
22. Trimble.

The problem he/the Irish management seem to have is that theylook at it on paper and it looks like a great side, how could you play badly ? They're in a brain freeze and not seeing what is really there to be seen.

I totally agree.

Teferi wrote: »

The only disappearing act that happens here is that you can only see Munster players when you put on those red goggles of yours. He had an okay game, I think he done a share of some unseen work.

If you are talking about Jennings he was Ireland's top tackler. I also think that all the back-rowers used black scrum caps which led to difficulties in i.d.s. I don't think he was any better or worse than the likes of DOC, Leamy, Ross, Heaslip, or certainly far, far more effective as a player than Darcy,Murphy etc.

Monty Burnz · 12-09-2011 10:02AM

The Aussie wrote: »

Just heard that Ioane is out for the rest of the WC with a broken thumb, could be a ray of light for a hapless Irish team having the leading try scorer of the Tri-Nations(?) out, talk of Drew Mitchell back on the wing after doing his ankle in the Super 15.

Cooper, Beale and O'Connor will be more than sufficient to cut us to ribbons.

fitz · 12-09-2011 10:03AM

I don't get the criticism of Jenno either.
He was left to deal with the rucks on his own far too often.
Thought he did a good job tbh.

pickarooney · 12-09-2011 10:05AM

totallegend wrote: »

Jamie Heaslip, because he disappears from matches. Hilarious, isn't it?

That one comes courtesy of that most balanced and not at all red-hued poster, Cpt_Blackbeard.

Ah, I thought it was to do with Houdini being the great escape artist and was trying to think of players who were great at slipping tackles.

purpleblaa · 12-09-2011 10:10AM

theboss80 wrote: »

Mine would be

Healy
Best
Ross

DOC
POC

Ferris
O'Brien
Heaslip

Reddan
ROG

Trimble
McFadden
BOD
Bowe
Kearney

Bench: Court , Flannery , Cullen , Jennings , Murray , Sexton , Earls

Very similar....only changes I'd have would be...

9- Murray
11- Earls
12- Darcy (if fit)

No matter who plays, we're up against a serious fight. ROG has to play as it's important we control the ball and ROG's kicking is far better than Sexton.

Scary times, but we've been low key to here so here's hoping for a good performance.

totallegend · 12-09-2011 10:14AM

Was thinking about this game this morning and I have to say a bit of optimism is creeping in, not for a win but for a decent performance. I thought to myself, we did so well against England in the Six Nations, and we did OK against France in that tournament as well, maybe we can raise our game again for the big opposition. Foolish hope but I'll cling to it nonetheless.

Then I started thinking some more, about how all the pundits etc want us to recapture the pace and ambition we showed against England in March and what has changed in that time, and to me, the answer is obvious; the half-back pairing.
It fills me with rage that Kidney just refuses to play Reddan and Sexton together; at first I thought it was just the way the warm-up games fell, but it's getting to the point where it has to be a deliberate policy. In his last three starts for ireland, Sexton has played alongside O'Leary (twice) and Murray, whereas O'Gara has started with Reddan twice and has come as a replacement at/around the same time as him twice more.
Can someone give me a logical explanation why these two have been given 15 minutes together in the last five matches? Other than the fact that Kidney obviously doesn't rate Reddan, a Heineken Cup winner with two different teams. That would be fair enough if Kidney had shown himself to be any sort of a judge of scrum-half talent...

I'm not having a go at O'Gara or Murray, I just don't see why Kidney has not given any game time to what would appear to be our most attacking half-back combination.

On that basis, my team would be:

Healy
Best
Ross
Cullen
POC
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip
Reddan
Sexton
Trimble
McFadden
BOD
Bowe
Kearney

Reps: Court, Flannery, DOC, Jennings, Murray, O'Gara, Earls

I would bet my house on Kidney picking O'Gara for next weekend though.

Edit: maybe start DOC and bring Cullen on, think that would work better.

exaisle · 12-09-2011 10:16AM

maddragon wrote: »

Connolly qualifies under residency and Haughey was banned for match fixing. Bertie Ahern would have been a shoe in at the 2007 WC due to the inability of the opposition to lay anything on him but he is stuck in a closet somewhere now. Jedward would make an interesting half back pairing but Kidney won't play them together because they might know each other too well from home.

I'd be playing Sinead O'Connor as eh...ahem...well...in the centre of the front row, if you get my drift. Well...she certainly frightens the sh1t outta me....

endabob1 · 12-09-2011 10:24AM

Healy
Best
Ross

Leo
POC

Ferris
O'Brien
Heaslip

Reddan
ROG

Trimble
McFadden
BOD
Bowe
Kearney

Bench: Court , Flan, DOC, Jennings , Murray , Sexton, Earls

Assuming the full fitness of everyone;
Best was one of our best players yesterday so on that basis holds his place, Healy comes in because I think he's our best front row in the loose, and I think we'll deed lots of ball carriers, tough enough on Court who didn't do a lot wrong.
D'Arcy is gone and should never have been included, he had (England aside) a shocking 6 nations and was abysmal again yesterday.
If Jennings had stepped up I would have been tempted to drop Heaslip but I think he's there by default as much as anything else. Leo Cullen is the best second row we currently have, DOC is another living on reputation.
ROG over Sexton is the tightest Call, but I think ROG will be better starting, we need to play tight 10 man stuff for as long as we can to try and stifle and frustrate them. I thought he did well when he came on and steadied the ship a bit, a couple of intelligent kicks into the corner, we'll need a lot of that on Saturday.
Murray on the bench ahead of Boss is another close one, I didn't think Murray was as bad as people are making out, wouldn't lose sleep if it was Boss ahead of him, I think Reddan needs to be on top form though.

pickarooney · 12-09-2011 10:33AM

totallegend wrote: »

Can someone give me a logical explanation why these two have been given 15 minutes together in the last five matches?

On semi-logical explanation is that they've been played together all season so three or four matches together in green won't necessarily be as useful as a bit of mixing and matching to see who else measures up. I can't help feeling Kidney is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't as regards experimentation, although his scrum-half selection policy is very hard to fathom. Regarding O'Leary I don't know if Kidney was ready to write him off but gave him one more go or if he only realised at the last minute that he simple wasn't good enough. On the fly-halves I honestly think he's done as well as he could in managing the two over the last couple of seasons.

trackguy · 12-09-2011 10:51AM

pickarooney wrote: »

On semi-logical explanation is that they've been played together all season so three or four matches together in green won't necessarily be as useful as a bit of mixing and matching to see who else measures up. I can't help feeling Kidney is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't as regards experimentation, although his scrum-half selection policy is very hard to fathom. Regarding O'Leary I don't know if Kidney was ready to write him off but gave him one more go or if he only realised at the last minute that he simple wasn't good enough. On the fly-halves I honestly think he's done as well as he could in managing the two over the last couple of seasons.

This is not a problem at all. Both players will only push each other on ultimately. I favour Sexton's style of play but would have no problems with ROG being picked.

Kidney is certainly not 'damned if he does and damned if he doesn't' with regards to experimentation. He doesn't. There was little to no experimentation since the Grand Slam, barring players that were impossible to ignore.

The 4 warm-up matches was leaving it a bit late to be fair - experimenting a few weeks before the WC was never going to provide many good alternatives.

My team would be -

Ross
Best
Healy (if fit)
POC
Cullen (will be DOC)
SOB
Heaslip
Ferris
Reddan
Sexton
Trimble
McFadden
BOD
Bowe
Murphy

CardinalJ · 12-09-2011 10:53AM

Healy
Flannery
Ross
Cullen
POC
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip

Reddan
Sexton

Trimble
McFadden
BOD
Bowe
Kearney

Court
Best
Jennings
Boss
ROG
Darcy
Earls

Flannery - we needs his darts to have any chance. Once best throws one wonkey ball that tends to be him done for the game.

DOC would be a much better impact player than Cullen I think. However Cullen is better at lineout and at rucks and mauls.

We have to have Ferris, SOB and JH on the pitch from the start. JH is due a big game and has shown bits and pieces of form during the warm up games. Jennings can come on and SOB can go to 6/8 ferris can play 6/8. Moving any of the back row around wouldn't be an issue. Leamy is a penalty machine and quite frankly, stupid.

Boss can speed up the game well and is physical enough to not have a problem. I think he's been shafted so far. Murray isn't at the races yet.

I can see us kicking the leather off the ball once ROG comes on to try and neutralise the Oz back three, however I think we should try use a running game. Sextons is better, and he's also better in defence which will take some pressure off SOB at 7.

I'd start McF as Darce isn't up to speed at all. I think not making the 15 might be the motivation he needs to get going again. He's not finished yet. PW obviously isn't up to the standard.

BOD hasn't played great, but a game v Oz is not the time to play around there.

I'd start Kearney ahead of GM. Think he looked the part when he came back.

SSK · 12-09-2011 11:10AM

I'm not sure it'll make much difference what team we put out because we really don't seem to be in any sort of form to compete with Australia and I'd be shocked based on what we've seen lately if the management can come up with any sort of competent game plan to enable us to expoit the Aussie weaknesses.

A couple of points on team selection:

- The front row was fine yesterday but the Garryowen seconds probably would have put up more resistance in the scrums. I though Best was one of our best players and assuming the lineout demons have been sorted I think he offers more than Fla around the field and particularly in the scrum and shouldn't be dropped. Healy to come in for Court.

- I don't think Cullen would offer any more than DOC so the status quo remains. Cullen should definitely be on the bench because the thought of an injury to POC leading to a DOC/Ryan second row gives me nightmares.

- I don't think Jennings is good enough to compete with Pocock on the deck and therefor shouldn't be accomodated in place of one of our few world class players (SOB/Ferris) just to fill this purpose.

- I thought Murray was pretty poor yesterday, his decision making just isn't quick enough yet. Redden has to start and the fact that he and Sexton haven't yet played together is a massive black mark against the management. It really does beggar belief at this stage

- Sexton over ROG, just. Purely because Sexton's defence is better and I would prefer to see ROG coming off the bench if by some miraculous twist of fate we're actually in the game with 20 minutes left. I think Sexton would be better with Redden inside him.

- We really are struggling for pace in the centre, both in attack and defence. I think D'arcy is just about done at this level and I'm not sure that Wallace is the answer. For the Australia game i think McFadden is too inexperienced and I would therefore love to see a BOD/Bowe partnership. Bowe has a lot of experience at 13, is a good defender and adds that much needed pace to the midfield. Why it hasn't been tried before now is beyond me...particularly when we have a good deal of depth in the back 3.

- Kearney back in for Murphy, Earls and Trimble on the wings McFadden to bench.

Kearney
Trimble
Bowe
BOD
Earls

Sexton
Redden

Healy
Best
Ross

DOC
POC

Ferris
O'Brien
Heaslip

Court
Flannery
Cullen
Jennings
Boss
ROG
McFadden

wixfjord · 12-09-2011 11:14AM

Have to say, I find it hilarious the furore about Heaslip, stemming from Gorgeous George.

He wasn't himself, but actually did quite well. Carries, lineout takes etc.

Think a few on here, and particularly on MF, want to see his tweeting, personality and coloured boots as a sign of something, when it's clear that he's still one of the best 8s in the world.

Anyone have any stats for the game?

trackguy · 12-09-2011 11:18AM

wixfjord wrote: »

Have to say, I find it hilarious the furore about Heaslip, stemming from Gorgeous George.

He wasn't himself, but actually did quite well. Carries, lineout takes etc.

Think a few on here, and particularly on MF, want to see his tweeting, personality and coloured boots as a sign of something, when it's clear that he's still one of the best 8s in the world.

Anyone have any stats for the game?

It has blown out of all proportion, without doubt.

He is not back to himself yet, hasn't had a good season overall since the injury to his ankle.

He looks a yard off his best pace to me. Still, I'd have him in the team in a heartbeat for his all-round ability.

wixfjord · 12-09-2011 11:20AM

trackguy wrote: »

It has blown out of all proportion, without doubt.

He is not back to himself yet, hasn't had a good season overall since the injury to his ankle.

He looks a yard off his best pace to me. Still, I'd have him in the team in a heartbeat for his all-round ability.

Certainly he's a world class player, a class above Leamy and Jennings, and someone we can't afford to leave out.

wixfjord · 12-09-2011 11:22AM

Bollix!

Just saw that about Ioane, had him for top tryscorer. Fook it anyway.

Will certainly help our cause though.

endabob1 · 12-09-2011 11:24AM

wixfjord wrote: »

Anyone have any stats for the game?

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/rugby-union-match-centre?match=2400030

SSK · 12-09-2011 11:28AM

wixfjord wrote: »

Certainly he's a world class player, a class above Leamy and Jennings, and someone we can't afford to leave out.

If Wally was fit then there could potentially be an argument for playing a Ferris, Wally, SOB backrow. But he's not so thats where it ends as far as I'm concerned.

And anyway I though he was ok yesterday, particularly in the first half when he was one of Ireland's best players

Quint2010 · 12-09-2011 11:38AM

Realistically Uncle Declan wont drop DOC or D'Arcy. The changes I can see him making are Reddan for Murray, ROG for Sexton, Trimble for Earls, SOB for Jennings, Healy for Court and Kearney for Murphy . Deccie just wont break up the POC/DOC partnership. I reckon POC had Deccie's ear on this and told him he prefers to play with DOC.

Kearney
Bowe
BOD
D'Arcy
Trimble
ROG
Reddan
Healy
Best
Ross
DOC
POC
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip

Court, Flannery, Cullen, Leamy, Boss, Sexton, Earls.

Personally I would move Bowe to 12, stick McFadden on the wing, play Sexton at 10, play Boss at 9, Ferris at 4 and SOB at 6 with Jennings at 7.

LFC5Times · 12-09-2011 11:40AM

DK has to go with O'Gara and even still I could see Sexton coming on as a sub and having a positive impact.

A lot of people seemed to of gone for McFadden however I just can't see Kidney dropping Darcy.

Leinstersqspur · 12-09-2011 11:40AM

Ferris accounting for 1/3 of all metres run by the front eight.

Compared to the average ball carrying of O'Brien and Healy v Jennings (2/5) and Court (5/12) the two lads will be a welcome return against Australia.

Sexton and Reddan to start too....

Your Team To Play Australia

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