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Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread IV

RoundBox11

Pairing Luke Marshall with Cave in the centre and Payne at fullback could be really good for the wolfhounds backline. They should know each other inside out. Then Gilroy could be on one wing.

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penybont exile

Wang King wrote: »

Do any of the other top teams have a player covering both sides of the scrum?

Paul James might be asked to do this ........

b.gud

total former wrote: »

Rodney Ah You, Tom Court?

Lads, I think you're having your legs pulled.

If Tom got called up I get the impression that he'd say no thank you. Rodney would say yes in a heartbeat but it ain't gonna happen. Also while he can play both sides I can't remember him playing anything other than tighthead in quite a while

total former

Rodney Ah You, Tom Court?

Lads, I think you're having your legs pulled.

thomond2006

John Smit played hooker and prop.

Buer

aimee1 wrote: »

do south africa have a hooker who can play tighthead?

Assume you might be thinking of the Du Plessis brothers? Bismarck is a hooker, Jannie is a tighthead. Bismarck has never played prop.

Don't think any of the hookers have packed down at prop unless it was uncontested.

smiley_face

aimee1 wrote: »

do south africa have a hooker who can play tighthead?

They have two du Plessis brothers, one is tighthead and the other is hooker.
John Smit played hooker before moving to tighthead prop.
Trevor Nyakane can play both sides.

aimee1

Wang King wrote: »

Do any of the other top teams have a player covering both sides of the scrum?

do south africa have a hooker who can play tighthead?

Buer

Wang King wrote: »

Do any of the other top teams have a player covering both sides of the scrum?

I suppose Gethin Jenkins if he's brought but he hasn't played tighthead for Wales in years.

smiley_face

Podge_irl wrote: »

White has played loosehead in the past I believe, though I don't know when and how often. Would definitely be in with a shot.

If that's true then that would be it alright.
Probably have Ross 1st choice and Moore or White (whichever is better) as 2nd choice, plus Bent to cover both sides.
If any of the 3 that will be selected gets injured then whichever doesn't get selected between Moore and White would be on standby, or possibly Furlong if he makes a quick recovery and Moore doesn't.

Podge_irl

smiley_face wrote: »

Rodney Ah You plays both sides.
Tom Court is playing for London Irish, 2 more years left on his contract, but I'd imagine he is not up to it anymore.
Somebody mentioned that McGrath has played tighthead one or twice for Leinster.
Anybody else?

Possible they'd take another loosehead and have the next available tighthead on standby in case of injury.
Buckley or Maybe Cronin, with Moore or White on standby (whichever is not already selected obviously).

Neither Ah You or Court have a chance of going. McGrath absolutely cannot cover the tighthead side - he was mangled there for Leinster in one game and no longer covers it for them.

White has played loosehead in the past I believe, though I don't know when and how often. Would definitely be in with a shot.

smiley_face

thomond2006 wrote: »

McGrath, Best, Moore, POC, Henderson, POM, Henry, Heaslip;
Murray, Sexton, Fitzgerald, Henshaw, Earls, D Kearney, R Kearney

Strauss, Bent, Furlong, Ryan, SOB, Marmion, Jackson, Payne

A possible team for Wales.

I noticed you have Dave Kearney on the right wing,
Is he right legged?
I thought he was left legged, but could kick off his right also, "ambi-legs-trous" I call it, is that right?
After all the commentary that he's going well in training I'd definitely like to see him start, in any of the back 3 positions, but with Trimble having a bruised bone in his foot he may not make it back before the Wales match, and Bowe was not really firing against Scotland, right wing could be available if Kearney puts in a good performance. Pity we haven't seen Gilroy yet, as he was great last season for Ulster.
If I had to choose I'd start the back 3 with Dave Kearney no.11, Craig Gilroy no. 14, and Rob Kearney no. 15, with McFadden on the bench.

Wang King

Do any of the other top teams have a player covering both sides of the scrum?

thomond2006

McGrath, Best, Moore, POC, Henderson, POM, Henry, Heaslip;
Murray, Sexton, Fitzgerald, Henshaw, Earls, D Kearney, R Kearney

Strauss, Bent, Furlong, Ryan, SOB, Marmion, Jackson, Payne

A possible team for Wales.

smiley_face

b.gud wrote: »

Most people seem to think that we'll be bringing 5 props with Bent being used to cover both sides and I'm happy enough with this as he can certainly hold his own and will be very useful for the group stages, though I'm not sure how much he'll feature in the knock out stages.

A question occurred to me yesterday, who will replace him in the squad if he was to get injured in the first game? We don't really have anyone else who can cover both sides of the scrum

Rodney Ah You plays both sides.
Tom Court is playing for London Irish, 2 more years left on his contract, but I'd imagine he is not up to it anymore.
Somebody mentioned that McGrath has played tighthead one or twice for Leinster.
Anybody else?

Possible they'd take another loosehead and have the next available tighthead on standby in case of injury.
Buckley or Maybe Cronin, with Moore or White on standby (whichever is not already selected obviously).

b.gud

Most people seem to think that we'll be bringing 5 props with Bent being used to cover both sides and I'm happy enough with this as he can certainly hold his own and will be very useful for the group stages, though I'm not sure how much he'll feature in the knock out stages.

A question occurred to me yesterday, who will replace him in the squad if he was to get injured in the first game? We don't really have anyone else who can cover both sides of the scrum

[Deleted User]

smiley_face wrote: »

What kind of selection would be best against Wales?
A lot of question marks over fitness and injuries, but in general, should a full team be selected, or a nearly full team with a few hopefuls given a chance, or should it be a team made up of people who had the least match time so far?
Discuss...

Think it's going to be very close to full strength. We've seen little or none of Sexton, Murray, POM, POC, Kearney, Henderson so I'd imagine they'll all be in. I'd like to see Earls on one wing, maybe Dave Kearney on the other, and Moore at TH if he's fit.

[Deleted User]

smiley_face wrote: »

What kind of selection would be best against Wales?
A lot of question marks over fitness and injuries, but in general, should a full team be selected, or a nearly full team with a few hopefuls given a chance, or should it be a team made up of people who had the least match time so far?
Discuss...

Sexton and Murray will start against Wales. Probably Payne and Henshaw and Kearney also. 11 and 14 who knows.

Forwards will be mostly first choice, Moore to come in and POM. Pretty much first choice bar second row and back 3 potentially.

smiley_face

What kind of selection would be best against Wales?
A lot of question marks over fitness and injuries, but in general, should a full team be selected, or a nearly full team with a few hopefuls given a chance, or should it be a team made up of people who had the least match time so far?
Discuss...

Buer

bilston wrote: »

The mad thing about the 11 jersey is that you could just as likely be in the starting XV as you could miss out from making the squad completely.

Quite true. It really is that tight. We've had multiple players start in that jersey in the last 18 months and all go well: Zebo, DK and Fitz have all been there in the last two 6N campaigns.

Bowe will travel but I think this will be the last time he'll go automatically as a proven top class performer. He turns 32 in the next Six Nations which is getting into pretty veteran territory for a winger. With the level of competition around him, he needs to hit the ground running this season and lift it from yesterday's pretty flat showing which has gone under the radar a little.

bilston

The mad thing about the 11 jersey is that you could just as likely be in the starting XV as you could miss out from making the squad completely.

Buer

total former wrote: »

My predicted team for Wales:

R Kearney
Trimble
Earls
Henshaw
D Kearney
Sexton
Murray
McGrath
Best
Moore/White
POC
Ryan
POM
Murphy
Heaslip

Cronin, Kilcoyne, White/Moore, Henderson, Henry, Reddan, Jackson, Jones

I think that's quite likely. A number of people are now out of contention and we won't see them involved again i.e. D'Arcy and Tuohy most obviously.

I think Marmion might get the bench spot again for a showing given Reddan has two appearances already. Boss didn't go well yesterday overall and, while I'd still say the likelihood is that Boss travels, Marmion should get more than 10 minutes to stake a claim.

The backs just gets more and more interesting. D'Arcy is gone. Gilroy gone. McFadden probably gone.

A lot depends on Trimble's fitness. He needs to play in this game or I'd think he'll be out of the reckoning; given he's not training at the moment, he might already be.

One guy who I think will have had a sleepless night is Luke Fitzgerald. He didn't actually go that badly yesterday. He got involved a huge amount, made some good hits and took the try well. He had a really poor knock on and a bad kick where he didn't make touch. But he's viewed as an 11 and nothing else for this team, it appears. Versatility is huge for such a limited squad. I think his fate might be out of his hands now. He just needs to hope that either Trimble isn't ready for next week or Schmidt now views Jones as surplus to get another crack next time.

Zebo really should have enough done at this point and Schmidt name checked DK after the game as having had a positive impact. Bowe is already there.

I would think our backs are now something along the lines of: Murray, Reddan, Boss, Sexton, Jackson, Madigan, Henshaw, Payne, Earls, Bowe, Rob Kearney, Zebo and two more from Dave Kearney, Jones, Trimble and Fitzgerald.

If Trimble gets to prove his fitness, I think he travels. If DK goes well next week, I think he travels. With that said, I don't think DK was that great yesterday. He didn't get involved a huge amount in his 25 minutes. Aside from the inside ball break, he touched the ball on only one other occasion. But it does appear he has been tearing things up in training.

connachta

Clegg wrote: »

Boss finished at test level, although I struggle to recall if Boss was ever good enough to begin with.

Not me who said it:rolleyes:

total former

My predicted team for Wales:

R Kearney
Trimble
Earls
Henshaw
D Kearney
Sexton
Murray
McGrath
Best
Moore/White
POC
Ryan
POM
Murphy
Heaslip

Cronin, Kilcoyne, White/Moore, Henderson, Henry, Reddan, Jackson, Jones

[Deleted User]

smiley_face wrote: »

Ok, this is the last post I'll make on this topic

At least this much I can agree with you on.

Clegg

First two games have demonstrated some very good rucking and pilfering at the breakdown. Scrum and rolling mauls have been effective too although our line out wobbled a bit today.

Negatives outweighed the positives though. Boss and D'arcy are finished at test level, although I struggle to recall if Boss was ever good enough to begin with.ndont get anything in attack of defence with Darce anymore. The service from the nine was crap too so Madigan, who was patchy anyway, couldn't deliver ball to our outside backs to attack. Tuohy and Toner were empty jerseys today. No physicality or presence on the pitch. Toner has credit in the bank, but Tuohy won't travel on that performance. On paper this wasn't as strong a pack as last weeks and it definitely showed on the pitch too. Too passive in defence and fell off too many tackles in broken play.

Wang King

Paulie says move!

http://www.balls.ie/rugby/paul-oconnell-push-zebo/305051

andymx11

Where could one purchase one of those green Ireland jackets? I've looked in Lifestyle Sports & Elverys online and couldn't find one- although I may have blatantly missed it! Actually come to think of it maybe they aren't available with Canterbury and it was just Puma?

Wang King

Buer wrote: »

I think Zebo could now be Ireland's second choice full back ahead of Felix Jones.

Felix Jones is a winger in Joe's eyes

Tox56

smiley_face wrote: »

Zebo MOTM
How'd you like them apples?

Honest to god, are you 12 years old? I think Im going to steer clear of this place post-match for the actual world cup games

irishbucsfan

smiley_face wrote: »

Ok, this is the last post I'll make on this topic, I swear.
I posited the point that fullbacks that offer more than the basics are worth starting with.
Passing, counter attacking, slicing through the defense, are aspects of a fullback that also count.
Zebo gave a performance that any sane person could see was worthy of praise and if he started against France and played like that then it may be better than what Rob Kearney does week in week out, i.e. Nothing special.

You are completely failing to appreciate that Rob Kearney is a hell of a lot better than "Nothing special"

He's one of the best there is at the core functions of a fullback, and that's why he'll be starting. Passing and counter attacking are great (Zebo is certainly nothing special when it comes to passing btw) but they're secondary attributes. Those aspects aren't even remotely as important today as his ability under the high ball, which he displayed on numerous occasions, or his ability to make the correct decisions when kicking, which wasn't really tested.