Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread IV

total former · 25-08-2015 07:14PM

gamma001 wrote: »

Anyone know what the rule on bringing an injured player is? Can you have him subbed at anytime or is there some clause to it?

He has to be medically certified as injured in order to be replaced.

The new player cannot play for 48 hours after being called up.

The injured player cannot return later.

bilston · 25-08-2015 07:17PM

LEIN wrote: »

Friday lunchtime.

That's really late for a test match.

The Rape of Lucretia · 25-08-2015 07:26PM

bilston wrote: »

That's really late for a test match.

Yes. But this is a match to test (fitness) rather than a test match.

The Pheasant2 · 25-08-2015 08:03PM

Zzippy wrote: »

a "Lord ofthe Flies" style contest for leadership. My money is on Connachta.

Surely he'll be in a protective padded cell what with Marmion's exclusion? :P

total former · 25-08-2015 08:03PM

I reckon we'll see:

McGrath Best White
POC Ryan
POM Murphy Henry
Murray Sexton
Trimble Henshaw Earls D Kearney
R Kearney

Strauss Bent Moore Henderson SOB Reddan Jackson Fitzgerald

That assumes Moore is fit, obviously.

b.gud · 25-08-2015 08:11PM

awec wrote: »

When is the 31 man squad announced? It has to be before Monday, right?

For some reason I think I read somewhere that it'll be announced the day after the Wales match

Witheringeye · 25-08-2015 08:18PM

total former wrote: »

I reckon we'll see:

McGrath Best White
POC Ryan
POM Murphy Henry
Murray Sexton
Trimble Henshaw Earls D Kearney
R Kearney

Strauss Bent Moore Henderson SOB Reddan Jackson Fitzgerald

That assumes Moore is fit, obviously.

I'd have Dave on the left and trimble on the right. Will Trimble really come straight back in if he's only just returned to running? Suppose he did a full session and he'll probably won't get much over 40 minutes

connachta · 25-08-2015 08:25PM

3 hours absent, and my asylum cell is prepared. Tough. But it would be tougher for you all when Marmio is called.:P
But anyway, as long as Zippy bets on me, I guess it's ok:D

stephen_n · 25-08-2015 08:40PM

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I had read here that media reports suggested Madigan was training at 9 but obviously that's not the case. Was it Peter O'Reilly who said he was training there? If so it looks like his sources are faulty.

It was Brendan Fanning who started that one!

irishbucsfan · 25-08-2015 09:19PM

The team I'd pick is this:

1. Dave Kilcoyne
2. Rory Best
3. Nathan White
4. Donncha Ryan
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Peter O'Mahoney
7. Chris Henry
8. Jordi Murphy

9. Eoin Reddan
10. Jonny Sexton
11. Dave Kearney
12. Robbie Henshaw
13. Keith Earls
14. Andrew Trimble
15. Rob Kearney

16. Richardt Strauss
17. Michael Bent
18. Marty Moore (?)
19. Iain Henderson
20. Sean O'Brien
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Ian Madigan
23. Luke Fitzgerald

I'd pick Kilcoyne again in the front row again, his scrum discipline last week was poor so give him a chance again against a targetable Welsh front row. There's a chance we might need Nathan White and the only way that happens is if he's properly tested first. Best in the middle to give some experience and leadership to the unit. Ryan is looking good, give him a chance to not only cement his place on the plane but also put some pressure on Toner. POC is the only guy we know will be starting for marketing reasons. Start Jordi Murphy at 8 because it's likely we'll need him there in at least one of the group games. Give Henry the run out to get up to full speed.

In the backs, we know everything we need to know about our starting half backs so we don't need to start them together, give Reddan a run with Sexton (start Murray with Jackson against England next week, we're one injury away from either of those combinations being needed in the real thing). Get Marmion and Madigan off the bench early enough to show what they can do. Give Dave Kearney a shot to make the squad, let him show if all those reports of him training well will translate to anything on the pitch. Get Earls in there at 13, if he's our 2nd choice 13 then it would be great to give him time with Henshaw (again in case of emergency).

stephen_n · 25-08-2015 09:25PM

Assuming Murray will only play one of the early pool games, that would mean he'd be starting the Italy game with only 2 games in nearly 5 months though.

The Rape of Lucretia · 25-08-2015 09:32PM

stephen_n wrote: »

Assuming Murray will only play one of the early pool games, that would mean he'd be starting the Italy game with only 2 games in nearly 5 months though.

Two games, three games. Does it really make any difference ?

Witheringeye · 25-08-2015 09:37PM

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

Two games, three games. Does it really make any difference ?

Yes it makes a difference. It's 50% more game time. There's no chance any of Murray, sexton, henshaw, Kearney, poc, POm not starting this game

connachta · 25-08-2015 09:42PM

My own picks for Wales

1. Michael Bent
2. Richardt Strauss
3. Nathan White
4. Donncha Ryan
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Peter O'Mahoney
7. Chris Henry
8. Jordi Murphy

9. Kieran Marmion
10. Jonny Sexton
11. Luke Fitzgerald
12. Robbie Henshaw
13. Keith Earls
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Rob Kearney

16. Sean Cronin
17. Dave Kilcoyne
18. Marty Moore (?)
19. Iain Henderson
20. Sean O'Brien
21. Ian Madigan:P
22. Paddy Jackson
23. Dave Kearney

total former · 25-08-2015 09:51PM

Witheringeye wrote: »

Yes it makes a difference. It's 50% more game time. There's no chance any of Murray, sexton, henshaw, Kearney, poc, POm not starting this game

I'd agree. These are warm up games, not "seeing what lads can do" games. I'd expect anyone who hasn't yet started a game to do so this weekend (unless you're Gilroy or Marmion...)

bilston · 25-08-2015 09:59PM

I'd go with...

15 Kearney
14 Trimble
13 Earls
12 Henshaw
11 Kearney
10 Sexton
9 Murray
1 Bent
2 Best
3 White
4 Henderson
5 O'Connell
6 O'Mahony
7 O'Brien
8 Heaslip

16 Cronin
17 McGrath
18 Ross
19 Ryan
20 Murphy
21 Reddan
22 Jackson
23 Fitzgerald

irishbucsfan · 25-08-2015 10:18PM

Witheringeye wrote: »

Yes it makes a difference. It's 50% more game time. There's no chance any of Murray, sexton, henshaw, Kearney, poc, POm not starting this game

To what end, aerobic fitness? This game is over a month before the Italy game, there's no direct benefit to starting these guys for that reason. There is however a benefit to getting them out and working on whatever they've been going through in training, I just don't see the necessity of starting everyone and tempting fate.

connachta · 26-08-2015 08:31AM

total former wrote: »

I'd agree. These are warm up games, not "seeing what lads can do" games. I'd expect anyone who hasn't yet started a game to do so this weekend (unless you're Gilroy or Marmion...)

A international game against a 1st string side (not really Wales 2 weeks ago) can't be smth else than a "seeing what lads can do" game. Warn up doesn't exist at this level. Warn up is 30 min before K-O. Point blank

.ak · 26-08-2015 08:44AM

No, they're for match sharpness, which can't be replicated in training, playing against different opposition.

That makes them essentially warm ups.

I'd be 100% confident that Joe has made up his mind for the 31, bar injuries or players not able to return from injury.

rrpc · 26-08-2015 08:48AM

connachta wrote: »

A international game against a 1st string side (not really Wales 2 weeks ago) can't be smth else than a "seeing what lads can do" game. Warn up doesn't exist at this level. Warn up is 30 min before K-O. Point blank

You're joking right?

Do you think that players who haven't played in months can turn up to a RWC test match with just training and a pre-kick-off warm up to get them up to match speed?

flangemeistro · 26-08-2015 08:52AM

bilston wrote: »

That's really late for a test match.

If Joe had his way he wouldn't name it till after the anthems on Saturday, he likes to keep us in suspense and keep the opposition guessing, I've noticed it the last two years while waiting to make my 6 nations fantasy league changes i always seem to be waiting on Joe while Wales and France sometimes have theirs out a week before the game.

connachta · 26-08-2015 09:12AM

rrpc wrote: »

You're joking right?

Do you think that players who haven't played in months can turn up to a RWC test match with just training and a pre-kick-off warm up to get them up to match speed?

They have had one month trainning, we'll be the 30th of August, start of the regular season FFS. I've never said they are all 100% like an RWC final, but a lot closer to this than "warn up" or even June test matches. So it's relevant now to know who's in form and who's not.

26-08-2015 09:25AM

connachta wrote: »

They have had one month trainning, we'll be the 30th of August, start of the regular season FFS. I've never said they are all 100% like an RWC final, but a lot closer to this than "warn up" or even June test matches. So it's relevant now to know who's in form and who's not.

I don't think you are appreciating the very big difference between fitness and match fitness. Having competed myself at a very high level albeit in a non contact sport I can tell you that it takes a couple of times competing to get to your top level in a season.

Even more so in a contact sport where you absolutely need a few tests to reach your best. If you want an example watch Sean O'Brien during the six nations. Took until the Scotland game for him to start really imposing himself.

total former · 26-08-2015 09:26AM

connachta wrote: »

A international game against a 1st string side (not really Wales 2 weeks ago) can't be smth else than a "seeing what lads can do" game. Warn up doesn't exist at this level. Warn up is 30 min before K-O. Point blank

There is more to warming up than stretching out your hamstrings and tightening your studs.

You need your key combinations playing together, you need guys who haven't thrown a ball in months to blow off the cobwebs and you need players to get back in the mindset of how Joe plays the game. None of that can be replicated in training, they need gametime.

I know some people desperately want certain players to get game time but at this point, the squad is 99% picked (regardless of what Kiss said yesterday) and we have to move on to making sure that squad is at its best come the start of the RWC.

connachta · 26-08-2015 09:49AM

In Kiss I trust, then

.ak · 26-08-2015 10:11AM

I have a feeling we'll see

Kearney
Trimble
Payne
Henshaw
Dave Kearney
Sexton
Murray
Murphy
Henry
POM
POC
Hendo
Ross
Best
McGrath

Cronin
Bent
Moore
Ryan
Heaslip
Boss
Madigan
Fitzgerald

aimee1 · 26-08-2015 10:12AM

total former wrote: »

I know some people desperately want certain players to get game time but at this point, the squad is 99% picked (regardless of what Kiss said yesterday) and we have to move on to making sure that squad is at its best come the start of the RWC.

The comments from Kiss would suggest maybe a few guys are playing on saturday who might be one of a few who are in the 50-50 (ish) call bracket (Marmion, D Kearney and front row)

Otherwise yeah barring injury JS has 28-29 positions sorted with just a few injury related ones to run with

b.gud · 26-08-2015 10:27AM

.ak wrote: »

I have a feeling we'll see

...
Ross

...

I wonder might we see White start this one? Ross has started the previous 2 and with the doubts over Moore Joe might use it as a chance to try someone else. Although given Ross gas started every game under Joe I obviously have no basis for this

Other than that I think that's likely to be the team we see

connachta · 26-08-2015 10:31AM

aimee1 wrote: »

The comments from Kiss would suggest maybe a few guys are playing on saturday who might be one of a few who are in the 50-50 (ish) call bracket (Marmion, D Kearney and front row)

Otherwise yeah barring injury JS has 28-29 positions sorted with just a few injury related ones to run with

Hopefully he has 95% of the squad written. It's a good sign, Ireland has strong, immovable players. But I agree with you, there's a margin of 2-3 players. A little fresh air, some who have to convince right now.

.ak · 26-08-2015 10:32AM

b.gud wrote: »

I wonder might we see White start this one? Ross has started the previous 2 and with the doubts over Moore Joe might use it as a chance to try someone else. Although given Ross gas started every game under Joe I obviously have no basis for this

Other than that I think that's likely to be the team we see

Good call actually. It'd be a pretty big test and if there's question marks over Moore I think you might be right.

Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread IV

Comments