Ireland RWC Backline

total former · 01-08-2015 10:59am

shuffol wrote: »

I think we'll see another option tried at 13, possibly Earls or Fitz with Payne possibly getting a run at FB. Think we might see D'arcy starting a game also.

No one is going to play all 4 games so we'll see alternatives tried in every position.

I don't think Payne will play any at 15 simply because he's never going to do so in the RWC and he needs all the game time at 13 he can get.

wittycynic · 01-08-2015 4:39pm

shuffol wrote: »

I wouldn't have D'arcy in the squad myself but we've shag all options at 12 and I can see him being given an opportunity. I can't see Cave being involved, we'll be relying on someone from the back 3 as center cover so that would mean Earls or Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald also played 6 games in the ERC last season and looked better than ok IMO, not sure why his try scoring record on the wing is relevant to him playing center either.

I really think we have little option but to view Madigan as our second choice 12 and Earls as our second choice 13. They are both international quality players with a good amount of experience in those positions at club level.

Fitzgerald is a great talent but he doesn't have a lot of centre experience and Joe does view him very much as a winger, and Fitz has admitted as much. Cave in my opinion can do a job, but I have never been seriously impressed by him and his perpetual standing as a fringe squad player in the international team suggests I'm not alone in that assessment. D'arcy is past it; a great servant who shone for a decade, but his time has finished. Past these men, we have no other serious contenders for back up centre roles.

With Madigan likely occupying the No. 22 shirt, I believe Earls should surely be included in the squad, either at left wing or at 23 to provide outside centre cover. With aerial challenges and constant breakdown battles a core part of Joe's game, I do wonder will Earls's size keep him out of the picture though.

shuffol · 01-08-2015 4:50pm

total former wrote: »

No one is going to play all 4 games so we'll see alternatives tried in every position.

I don't think Payne will play any at 15 simply because he's never going to do so in the RWC and he needs all the game time at 13 he can get.

I think we'll be looking at options to cover in contingency situations, as it stands Jones is backup 15 but is of limited value in a WC squad, if we're going to be looking at optimizing resources then Payne covering 15 with another center included at Jones expense may be an option.

irishbucsfan · 01-08-2015 4:59pm

I don't think Payne at 15 fits the way we play whereas Jones can reproduce some of Kearney's style of play. I would be surprised if we see Payne at 15 tbh.

total former · 01-08-2015 7:38pm

It's more that, if Kearney gets injured, shifting Payne to 15 creates another hole at 13 so it just compounds the problem.

Flipper22 · 01-08-2015 11:47pm

Yeah, if Kearney got hurt I reckon Jones would come straight into the team. I'd be shocked if he moved Payne, think he'd start any of Zebo, Fitz, DK, Earls at fullback before he'd do that. If one of our centres get injured I'd bring in Fitz or Earls, but I wouldn't be surprised to see D'Arcy come into the picture. Id rather him than Madigan at 12 anyway.

Ardillaun · 03-08-2015 7:10am

With Joe in charge, such discussions worry me a lot less than they used to. I'm confident he will be in the region of right on whom to pick for his plan, so after that it's just down to who is fit to go. I happen to not see much in Jones and feel that Zebo brings something special to attack but I won't be in my usual torment if the choices don't go my way.

smiley_face · 22-08-2015 8:42am

1 week to go before Wales match in Dublin.
The backline is still up for much debate and speculation;
3rd Scrum half, 1st choice left wing, No. 23, squad cover, select Trimble though not 100%.

My current prediction for the RWC is:
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. Henshaw
13. Payne
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

21. Reddan
22. Madigan
23. Earls

Squad cover:
Marmion
Jackson
Fitzgerald
Jones

Final Wales match:
After 2 matches of experimentation would guess that against Wales we will put out a full team, but...
Would like to see 9. Marmion, 10. Jackson, 11. Fitzgerald, 12. Henshaw, 13. Earls, 14. Gilroy, 15. D Kearney,
21. Murray, 22. Sexton, 23. McFadden

Moflojo · 22-08-2015 2:37pm

Based on the above cliché, below is my pseudo-scientific prediction on who's going to the RWC. Each player receives a score out of ten for their current form (International form where possible) and a score out of ten based on their overall ability (Class), with the average score predicting whether they should be in the squad or not. Here goes...

SH
Murray: Form=9 Class=9 Avg=9
Reddan: Form=7 Class=9 Avg=8
Marmion: Form=8 Class=6 Avg=7
Boss: Form=5 Class=7 Avg=6

OH
Sexton: Form=8 Class=10 Avg=9
Madigan: Form=7 Class=7 Avg=7
Jackson: Form=6 Class=7 Avg=6.5

Centre
Henshaw: Form=10 Class=8 Avg=9
Earls: Form=9 Class=8 Avg=8.5
Payne: Form=9 Class=7 Avg=8
Cave: Form=8 Class=6 Avg=7
D'arcy: Form=2 Class=9 Avg=5.5

OB
Trimble: Form=7 Class=9 Avg=8
Zebo: Form=9 Class=7 Avg=8
Bowe: Form=6 Class=9 Avg=7.5
D Kearney: Form=8 Class=7 Avg=7.5
R Kearney: Form=5 Class=9 Avg=7
Fitzgerald: Form=6 Class=8 Avg=7
Jones: Form=8 Class=6 Avg=7
McFadden: Form=7 Class=6 Avg=6.5
Gilroy: Form=6 Class=6 Avg=6

The players with the lowest average score are dropped. Where players have the same average score, the player with the higher 'Class' score travels (R. Kearney vs. Fitzgerald vs. Jones). My method predicts 14 backs, with Earls and Madigan as the cover for centre.

22-08-2015 3:25pm

Moflojo wrote: »

Based on the above cliché, below is my pseudo-scientific prediction on who's going to the RWC. Each player receives a score out of ten for their current form (International form where possible) and a score out of ten based on their overall ability (Class), with the average score predicting whether they should be in the squad or not. Here goes...

SH
Murray: Form=9 Class=9 Avg=9
Reddan: Form=7 Class=9 Avg=8
Marmion: Form=8 Class=6 Avg=7
Boss: Form=5 Class=7 Avg=6

OH
Sexton: Form=8 Class=10 Avg=9
Madigan: Form=7 Class=7 Avg=7
Jackson: Form=6 Class=7 Avg=6.5

Centre
Henshaw: Form=10 Class=8 Avg=9
Earls: Form=9 Class=8 Avg=8.5
Payne: Form=9 Class=7 Avg=8
Cave: Form=8 Class=6 Avg=7
D'arcy: Form=2 Class=9 Avg=5.5

OB
Trimble: Form=7 Class=9 Avg=8
Zebo: Form=9 Class=7 Avg=8
Bowe: Form=6 Class=9 Avg=7.5
D Kearney: Form=8 Class=7 Avg=7.5
R Kearney: Form=5 Class=9 Avg=7
Fitzgerald: Form=6 Class=8 Avg=7
Jones: Form=8 Class=6 Avg=7
McFadden: Form=7 Class=6 Avg=6.5
Gilroy: Form=6 Class=6 Avg=6

The players with the lowest average score are dropped. Where players have the same average score, the player with the higher 'Class' score travels (R. Kearney vs. Fitzgerald vs. Jones). My method predicts 14 backs, with Earls and Madigan as the cover for centre.

Some of your scores are nonsense.

Moflojo · 22-08-2015 3:32pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Some of your scores are nonsense.

Which ones?

Wang King · 22-08-2015 3:54pm

Moflojo wrote: »

Which ones?

Obviously Jones not getting 11's

jacothelad · 22-08-2015 4:54pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Some of your scores are nonsense.

Well, Gilroy for one. Form? Top try scorer in the Pro12. Winner of try of the year. You gave Dave K. an 8 based on 10 minutes against a beaten and hopeless Scotland. You gave Fitz. an 8 for class. Based on what exactly?

Yeah_Right · 22-08-2015 5:42pm

Also what's the definition of "form"? Performance in preseason games? This year? Last season?

irishbucsfan · 22-08-2015 5:44pm

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Also what's the definition of "form"? Performance in preseason games? This year? Last season?

It depends when the last time your favourite players played well was

Wang King · 22-08-2015 5:45pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

It depends when the last time your favourite players played well was

D'Arcy 2009?

Ireland RWC Backline

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