Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread IV

total former · 01-09-2015 04:11PM

connachta wrote: »

So if we're unlucky we'll have, for France or Q-f

17) Furlong (if Healy not fit)
18) No-one (if Ross gets injured at the same time, within 48 hours before K-o, White and Furlong both occupied)
21) Madigan

You cannot leave a front-row position empty. We would forfeit the match.

CatFromHue · 01-09-2015 04:12PM

Anyone getting injured 48 hours before a game is very very unlucky as the day before is a light Captain's run and the day before that usually a rest day or light workout.

Two guys getting injured is lottery statistics.

pickarooney · 01-09-2015 04:15PM

jacothelad wrote: »

He has moved there during games on quite a few occasions and has looked very accomplished there. It allows Pienaar to move to 10 for example. He may have started a few at 12 but I honestly don't think so but it's clear that he is very comfortable there - as are most good 10s to be fair.

Is it a rule at Ulster that every player must try out at inside centre? Might have backfired in the case of McCloskey, that's a decent back-rower gone to waste

connachta · 01-09-2015 04:17PM

total former wrote: »

You cannot leave a front-row position empty. We would forfeit the match.

That's the issue I pointed out, what happen if both Healy and Ross get injured within the 48h window?

awec · 01-09-2015 04:17PM

Ah McCloskey is no back row. He can pack down in a scrum if we are down a man and want a full pack, but that's about it.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 01-09-2015 04:18PM

jacothelad wrote: »

He may have started a few at 12 but I honestly don't think so but it's clear that he is very comfortable there - as are most good 10s to be fair.

He did before Humphries left Ulster, looked a very good 12 then.

CatFromHue · 01-09-2015 04:19PM

Ireland aren't the only team to go with 5 props, I think Wales and NZ have also gone with that amount.

For 2 players to go down 48 hours before a game you're looking at a car accident or a mild injury.

connachta · 01-09-2015 04:21PM

CatFromHue wrote: »

Anyone getting injured 48 hours before a game is very very unlucky as the day before is a light Captain's run and the day before that usually a rest day or light workout.

Two guys getting injured is lottery statistics.

Agree but with Healy quite uncertain, it's possible..

CatFromHue · 01-09-2015 04:22PM

Not really as with Healy they know they've a problem so will be monitoring it the whole time. If he goes down it won't be a surprise to the staff that he did.

You're also looking for Ross to go down too.

total former · 01-09-2015 04:23PM

CatFromHue wrote: »

Ireland aren't the only team to go with 5 props, I think Wales and NZ have also gone with that amount.

For 2 players to go down 48 hours before a game you're looking at a car accident or a mild injury.

Most teams have gone with 5 props. But most teams have gone with 5 fit props.

If Healy was fully fit, this conversation wouldn't arise.

connachta · 01-09-2015 04:29PM

total former wrote: »

Most teams have gone with 5 props. But most teams have gone with 5 fit props.

If Healy was fully fit, this conversation wouldn't arise.

Exactly, Ross have to be rock-solid anyway..

Yeah_Right · 01-09-2015 04:32PM

total former wrote: »

Most teams have gone with 5 props. But most teams have gone with 5 fit props.

NZ didn't. Faumauina had neck surgery during Super rugby then got concussed at one of his first trainings back. Only had 40 minutes of rugby for Auckland at th weekend before being named.

I guess what I'm saying is Healy being named isn't unprecedented.

total former · 01-09-2015 04:40PM

Yeah_Right wrote: »

NZ didn't. Faumauina had neck surgery during Super rugby then got concussed at one of his first trainings back. Only had 40 minutes of rugby for Auckland at th weekend before being named.

I guess what I'm saying is Healy being named isn't unprecedented.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Faumauina is a tighthead, as are the Franks brothers? So NZ have cover on his side if something goes wrong.

Again, if we brought Bent or Kilcoyne ahead of Furlong or White, I wouldn't care, but it's hard to understand bringing two looseheads, one of whom is a major doubt.

fitz · 01-09-2015 04:43PM

total former wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong but Faumauina is a tighthead, as are the Franks brothers? So NZ have cover on his side if something goes wrong.

Again, if we brought Bent or Kilcoyne ahead of Furlong or White, I wouldn't care, but it's lunacy bringing two looseheads, one of whom is a major doubt.

I'm guessing that we'll see against England that Healy isn't a major doubt. At least I hope so!

aimee1 · 01-09-2015 04:49PM

just watched the JS press conference on RTE Player. What an impressive man. The way he speaks about the players is top class. Always positive. A 6 hour meeting to come up with the 31 and if you assume about 26-27 were probably straightforward selections then its they certainly didnt make any calls lightly anyway.

From how he spoke, Furlong, D Kearney and Madigan to cover 9 were the big calls. Madigan has been training over the summer on the idea with some limited practice in group training

smiley_face · 01-09-2015 04:58PM

total former wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong but Faumauina is a tighthead, as are the Franks brothers? So NZ have cover on his side if something goes wrong.

Again, if we brought Bent or Kilcoyne ahead of Furlong or White, I wouldn't care, but it's hard to understand bringing two looseheads, one of whom is a major doubt.

Charles Faumuina, 20.5 stone, can play both sides of the scrum.
According to Wikipedia:
"His main position is tighthead prop but has also covered loosehead prop for the Blues."

smiley_face · 01-09-2015 05:04PM

CatFromHue wrote: »

Anyone getting injured 48 hours before a game is very very unlucky as the day before is a light Captain's run and the day before that usually a rest day or light workout.

Two guys getting injured is lottery statistics.

connachta wrote: »

That's the issue I pointed out, what happen if both Healy and Ross get injured within the 48h window?

If this is the biggest risk we face, then surely the two Loose Head props will be taking it easy for those 48 hours, probably no contact work, and probably no running around where they could pull something.
Only a guess, but that's what I would do, i.e. restrict their exercise to light stuff and leave no possibility of injury.

JF100 · 01-09-2015 05:08PM

Competition: who can read Joe's mind now?

Name all 15 starters + 8 subs v Eng?

[OR: does it even really matter..?]

Yeah_Right · 01-09-2015 05:10PM

total former wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong but Faumauina is a tighthead, as are the Franks brothers? So NZ have cover on his side if something goes wrong.

Again, if we brought Bent or Kilcoyne ahead of Furlong or White, I wouldn't care, but it's hard to understand bringing two looseheads, one of whom is a major doubt.

Yeah Faumauina is primarily a TH. Can cover LH in an emergency. B. Franks plays both sides.

I get what you're saying though. I'm surprised with 3 THs and 2 LHs when one of the LHs is coming back from injury. I would have assumed they would want the extra cover at LH. Any chance that Ross is carrying an injury??

wittycynic · 01-09-2015 05:12PM

JF100 wrote: »

Competition: who can read Joe's mind now?

Name all 15 starters + 8 subs v Eng?

[OR: does it even really matter..?]

Very difficult to predict. Joe suggested that there would be quite a few changes from the team that faced Wales, and that guys from outside the WC squad would be selected, as well as some of those who made the cut.

Zuffer · 01-09-2015 05:26PM

If a doomsday scenario happens, that will be, well, doomsday. Within the confines of a 31 man squad, you can't cover every eventuality.

Every nation that has chosen to go with 5 props (and there a lot of them) will be goosed if two of those five go down within the 48 hour window.

The only way around it would be to bring a 6th prop. If you want to do that, then you have to say in which other position you'd go light in.

smiley_face · 01-09-2015 05:27PM

JF100 wrote: »

Competition: who can read Joe's mind now?

Name all 15 starters + 8 subs v Eng?

[OR: does it even really matter..?]

wittycynic wrote: »

Very difficult to predict. Joe suggested that there would be quite a few changes from the team that faced Wales, and that guys from outside the WC squad would be selected, as well as some of those who made the cut.

How about we put out an Ireland Wolfhounds team instead and save our RWC boys from injuries altogether!

1. David Kilcoyne
2. Rob Herring
3. Martin Moore
4. Dan Tuohy
5. Mike McCarthy
6. (Rhys Ruddock), Dominic Ryan
7. (Tommy O'Donnell), Eoin McKeon
8. Jack Conan
9. Isaac Boss
10. Ian Keatley
11. Craig Gilroy
12. Gordon D'Arcy
13. Fergus McFadden
14. Andrew Trimble
15. Felix Jones

16. Mike Sherry
17. Michael Bent
18. Rodney Ah You
19. Robbie Diack
20. Robin Copeland
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Noel Reid
23. Andrew Conway

Yeah_Right · 01-09-2015 05:41PM

Zuffer wrote: »

If a doomsday scenario happens, that will be, well, doomsday. Within the confines of a 31 man squad, you can't cover every eventuality.

Every nation that has chosen to go with 5 props (and there a lot of them) will be goosed if two of those five go down within the 48 hour window.

The only way around it would be to bring a 6th prop. If you want to do that, then you have to say in which other position you'd go light in.

You are absolutely right. Losing 2 props 48 hours before a game would be extremely unlucky. I imagine if that happened the team would have to appeal to the tournament organisers for some sort of dispensation to get front row cover on the bench.

I think what has people puzzled is the extra prop being Furlong/White and not Bent or a LH specialist.

Stheno · 01-09-2015 05:43PM

Yeah_Right wrote: »

You are absolutely right. Losing 2 props 48 hours before a game would be extremely unlucky. I imagine if that happened the team would have to appeal to the tournament organisers for some sort of dispensation to get front row cover on the bench.

I think what has people puzzled is the extra prop being Furlong/White and not Bent or a LH specialist.

Joe said in the press conference today that Furlong has been doing a lot of LH work in camp

connachta · 01-09-2015 05:43PM

OSI wrote: »

Entire team to consist of Connacht players with Marmion as captain for the lols.

Yes a team able to beat Lenister's current one with Boss as captain, ok:)

connachta · 01-09-2015 05:45PM

Yeah_Right wrote: »

You are absolutely right. Losing 2 props 48 hours before a game would be extremely unlucky. I imagine if that happened the team would have to appeal to the tournament organisers for some sort of dispensation to get front row cover on the bench.

I think what has people puzzled is the extra prop being Furlong/White and not Bent or a LH specialist.

Because Healy is (was, fingers crossed) injured

jacothelad · 01-09-2015 05:46PM

total former wrote: »

You cannot leave a front-row position empty. We would forfeit the match.

Not true afaik. We would have to start the game with a squad of 22 players, not 23.

JF100 · 01-09-2015 05:47PM

An interesting point... if somewhat red-herring-ish.
Your suggestion does however question the actual value of the fixture to the Irl RWC squad...
Especially if half the players playing aren't going to be at the RWC... (initially at least).

jacothelad · 01-09-2015 05:52PM

I don't really get the value of the game if non-RWC players are there. One or two, sure but many more and it's only giving, say, Healy and a few others match exposure. Pretty much a waste of energy and riven with the shadow of injury. Wallace. Murphy. crocked in meaningless games.

connachta · 01-09-2015 05:53PM

JF100 wrote: »

Competition: who can read Joe's mind now?

Name all 15 starters + 8 subs v Eng?

I'd go with

1) McGrath
2) Best
3) Furlong
4) Ryan
5) Toner
6) O'Brien
7) Henry
8) Murphy
9) Redd
10) Mad
11) Zebo
12) Henshaw
13) Earls
14) Fitz
15) Payne

16) Cronin
17) Healy
18) White
19) Handerson
20) POM
21) Murray
22) Jackson
23) Cave

Ireland Team Talk/Gossip/Rumour Thread IV

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