Ireland RWC 11 Thread

[TRF_Olyy]

Tony Buckley should NOT be in the squad

Fingers crossed he is, as it gives time to someone else to establish themselves as first choice #3 at Sale

 

[munstermuffin]

My Irish 15 I think would (been honest and fair)

15. Felix Jones (Simply because he is playing well and is the only natural 15 that is fit, obviously I'll reconsider if Kearney gets fit and gets form) Needs games though.
14. Tommy Bowe
13. BOD
12. McFadden (It either him or D'Arcy and well D'Arcy isn't same player he was)
11. Earls (Has been playing well and was great in 6 Nations)
10. Sexton (Again it's fine way him and ROG are so don't break it and he is form 10 in World at the moment)
9. Murray (Best all-round 9 on form at moment but if not then probably Boss or Stringer as I just think Reddan isn't good enough and despite a good final didn't have great season)
8. Heaslip
7. Wallace
6. O'Brien (Ferris has to prove form/fitness but also it was no accident O'Brien only came alive Saturday when moving to 6)
5. Paulie
4. Cullen
3. Ross
2. Flannery if fit, Best if not
1. Healy

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Hayes
19. DOC
20. Ferris
21. Read 9 situation
22. ROG
23. Fitzgearld hasn't been great but if it's between him and Trimble (who was good against England) I think I'd go for Luke.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Now, as you guys know, I'm as big a Johnny Sexton fan is there is on the planet, but even I'm not going to say he's the form 10 in the world. That'd just be silly.

EDIT: I vomited a little bit when I saw John Hayes on the bench. NO!

 

[Groundhog]

My Irish 15 I think would (been honest and fair)

15. Felix Jones (Simply because he is playing well and is the only natural 15 that is fit, obviously I'll reconsider if Kearney gets fit and gets form) Needs games though.
14. Tommy Bowe
13. BOD
12. McFadden (It either him or D'Arcy and well D'Arcy isn't same player he was)
11. Earls (Has been playing well and was great in 6 Nations)
10. Sexton (Again it's fine way him and ROG are so don't break it and he is form 10 in World at the moment)
9. Murray (Best all-round 9 on form at moment but if not then probably Boss or Stringer as I just think Reddan isn't good enough and despite a good final didn't have great season)
8. Heaslip
7. Wallace
6. O'Brien (Ferris has to prove form/fitness but also it was no accident O'Brien only came alive Saturday when moving to 6)
5. Paulie
4. Cullen
3. Ross
2. Flannery if fit, Best if not
1. Healy

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Hayes
19. DOC
20. Ferris
21. Read 9 situation
22. ROG
23. Fitzgearld hasn't been great but if it's between him and Trimble (who was good against England) I think I'd go for Luke.

agree with this team the most i cant stand reddan or O'Leary they both have the same problem theyre slow passers who take a huge wind up when passing

 

[Feicarsinn]

15) Kearney
14) Bowe
11) Horgan

Ohhh, imagine. We could murder people with the physicality. Shame that Shaggy isn't going to travel, he really deserves to based upon the last 12 months. The form Irish winger, but alas, Deccie and himself don't get on.

 

[DorceOutSide]

i think kidney should slot fitzgerald in at 12 and have d'arcy on the bench.
also it may be an idea for kidney to play a back three of kearney,bowe and horgan if we play the likes of nz or s.a who will bully irelands back three of earls ,fitzgerald and bowe.

 

[munstermuffin]

Feic I think Shaggys not going and management have decided that it seems.
As for Hayes on the bench I'll ask if it 2 props (not sure if it is) then it Hayes or Buckley.

Also Sexton on current form is up there with best in World but key word is form

 

[superprop]

What I'd have probably not going to happen and of course people will disagree with certain choices.

1.Healy (has potential to be one of the best looseheads around and makes at least one brilliant run per game.)
2.Best
3.Ross
4.Ferris (long shot I know)
5.O'Connell (v.c.)
6.O'Brien
7.Wallace
8.Heaslip
9.Reddan
10.Sexton (k)
11.Fitzgerald/McFadden
12.D'arcy
13.O'Driscoll (c)
14.Bowe
15.Kearney (if he goes one loan to the stormers and plays in the warm up games including the the Connaught one)

16.Cronin (crap thrower but really dynamic)
17.Court
18.Cullen
19.Jennings (need at least one jackal)
20.Murray
21.O'Gara
22.Fitzgerald/McFadden

Unlikely team but think it could reach the semis maybe even the final.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

What I'd have probably not going to happen and of course people will disagree with certain choices.

1.Healy (has potential to be one of the best looseheads around and makes at least one brilliant run per game.)
2.Best
3.Ross
4.Ferris (long shot I know)
5.O'Connell (v.c.)
6.O'Brien
7.Wallace
8.Heaslip
9.Reddan
10.Sexton (k)
11.Fitzgerald/McFadden
12.D'arcy
13.O'Driscoll (c)
14.Bowe
15.Kearney (if he goes one loan to the stormers and plays in the warm up games including the the Connaught one)

16.Cronin (crap thrower but really dynamic)
17.Court
18.Cullen
19.Jennings (need at least one jackal)
20.Murray
21.O'Gara
22.Fitzgerald/McFadden

Unlikely team but think it could reach the semis maybe even the final.

Earls ahead of fitzgerald, McFadden ahead of darcy, ferris not enough time to change and Connacht

 

[superprop]

and Connacht

Actually I'm spelling it the proper way not anglisised club way.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Actually I'm spelling it the proper way not anglisised club way.

Unless you're going to write in old Irish it's a bit redundant, non?

 

[irelandfan123]

Major onjection to the presence of Leamy in the 22 and possinly even the squad,,,Coughlan's been better than him pretty much all season, if there any justice he'd be ahead of him for selection and Wally should definitely make the bench ahead of him.

The back rows are the hardest to choose , Leamy is experienced at 6 and 8 at both international level and has played recently at that level , he is also playing well himself and he's a strong leader
And if I have Wally on my bench and one back row gets injured he only plays 7 (as far as I know) so you would have to swap up your back row to get it in order again
that would have players playing swapping about places and that could lead to a lack in consistency.

 

[irelandfan123]

Actually I'm spelling it the proper way not anglisised club way.

you are actully calling it the anglisised way :L

 

[King_D'Arcy]

Ireland squad I would bring:

Forwards (16):
Prop (4): Cian Healy, Mike Ross, Tom Court,... Tony Buckley
Hooker (3): Jerry Flannery, Rory Best, Sean Cronin (Damien Varley if Flannery is unfit)
Lock (4): Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan, Leo CUllen, Kevin McLaughlin
Back Row (5): Jamie Heaslip, Sean O'Brien, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Shane Jennings

Backs (14):
Scrum Halves (3): Conor Murray, Eoin Reddan, Isaac Boss/Peter Stringer
Fly Halves (2): Johnny Sexton, Ronan O'Gara
Centres (3): Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Fergus McFadden
Back Three (6): Tommy Bowe, Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Earls, Shane Horgan, Rob Kearney, Andrew Trimble (Felix Jones if Kearney is injured)

Starting XV:

15. Kearney
14. Bowe
13. O'Driscoll (captain)
12. D'Arcy
11. Earls
10. Sexton
9. Reddan
8. Heaslip
7. Wallace
6. O'Brien
5. Cullen
4. O'Connell
3. Ross
2. Best
1. Healy

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. O'Callaghan
19. Ferris
20. Murray
21. O'Gara
22. McFadden

 

[Feicarsinn]

Jamie Hagan for Tony Buckley? He can lock the scrum at the very least.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

Yeah Hagan's probably the far better choice really... at least we'd be readying him for the future.

 

[Jockstap]

Has everyone forgotten how **** Kearney had been for a LONG time before he got injured, he has a lot to prove before he gets back in, we need a counter attacking FB a la Nacewa to play the type of game we want to play and Earls demonstrated that brilliantly with Ireland against England. True he wasn't really tested under the high ball, so why not give Jones a try, he's solid under the high ball and is the best counter attacking FB Ireland have available at the minute.

 

[munstermuffin]

That a bit bias -
18 Leinster (Hagan and Cronin Included as Leinster)
7 Munster
4 Ulster
1 Osprey

That means 3 can make an Irish World Cup squad but not their province ????
Don't agree with that. I'd like to see Hagan tested at a higher level with Leinster, Kearney was good in 2009 but isn't the same type player and unless he can find form and fitness - why all of a sudden does he deserve a spot for producing crap - he is in same boat as TOL.
McLaughlin is a good player but he was totally outplayed in Heineken Cup final and that may count against him and someone everyone is forgetting but Irish management team like is John Muldoon.

 

[Feicarsinn]

The big issues for Ireland this world cup are going to be tighthead prop, scrum half, inside centre and full back. Here's my view on them:

TH Prop
Thank god for Mike Ross. Since the rapid decline of John Hayes began about 2 seasons ago we've been crying out for another tightie to step up to the plate. Tony Buckley was rubbish, Tom Court was a loosehead at heart and no one else was getting regular game time. Happily CJ went home and Stan Wright picked up an injury so Mike Ross got his chance to be first choice at Leinster and took it with both hands. The question of his understudy is still pretty serious. To me, neither John Hayes nor Tony Buckley are options worth considering. The primary function of the tighthead prop is to lock the scrum. Neither of these guys can do this and therefore shouldn't be considered. Our only other prop getting the game time needed is Jamie Hagan at Connacht. He's got a lot of promise and will be at Leinster next season. He's young, so the world cup experience and being round the camp in the build up will do him a world of good. A fw warm up games and a run against either the States or Russia shouldn't be out of the question.
Depth Chart:
Ross
Court
Hagan
Buckley
Hayes

Scrum Half
It's been a very long time since Ireland have had a top class scrum half. However, we do have a good bunch who are performing at a high level, each bringing a different style to the game. Isaac Boss brings immense physicality and has been excellent when employed of the bench, Peter Stringer has the best pass of any of the Irish scrum halves but isn't exactly a spring chicken and Eoin Reddan exists somewhere in between the two. Conor Murray at Munster is showing a lot of promise, but with only a handful of Magner's League caps, this one might be a bit too soon. I'd have Reddan start and Boss or Stringer on the bench. IMO a good understanding between scrumhalf and outhalf is massively important and Reddan will give you that having played alongside Johnny all year. Also had an excellent Cup final. I'd be tempted to have Boss over Stringer for the sake of variety and being able to somewhat compensate for ROG's lack of physical strength, but I wouldn't complain if Strings were there. Please don't let TOL anywhere near the squad.
Depth Chart:
Eoin Reddan
Isaac Boss
Peter Stringer
Conor Murray
Feicarsinn
Everyone else in the world
Tomas O'Leary

Inside Centre
This is a problem Declan Kidney has inflicted upon himself. How many times over the past two seasons have Gordon D'arcy and Paddy Wallace shown that they're not up to it? Why hasn't the like of Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald or Fergus McFadden been given their chance at 12 consistently? Anyway, that's where we are. I'd go with McFadden. A natural centre, decent bit of pace, decent physicality and has played a lot with BOD and Sexton. James Downey could easily travel after an impressive Heineken Cup campaign.
Depth Chart:
Fergus McFadden
Gordon D'arcy
James Downey
Any of the utility backs
Paddy Wallace

Fullback
We were a bit unlucky here really. It's a position in which we've been dogged with injury. If Rob Kearney can get himself fit he should travel as first choice. Very solid in defence and, while he didn't show it as much as we would have liked in '10, he can be pretty potent when he joins the line. A bit of Super Rugby will be good for him. Geordan Murphy would be good to have, but I fear his time may be up. Keith Earls was pretty effective there in the 6N, while Tommy Bowe and Luke Fitzgerald can do passable jobs. There's a lot of hype around Felix Jones as the moment and it's nice to see him having made his way back after those horror injuries. My only fear is that he doesn't have all that much big game experience in a position that demands a level head, but if he can do it on the weekend it'll be a good indication. Deserves a shot in a few of the warm up games I reckon.
Depth Chart:
Rob Kearney
Geordan Murphy
Keith Earls
Felix Jones
Tommy Bowe/ Luke Fitzgerald

If everyone was fit and firing here's the squad I'd bring:
Props: Mike Ross, Cian Healy, Tom Court, Jamie Hagan
Hookers: Sean Cronin, Rory Best, Damien Varley
Second Row: Paul O'Connell, Leo Cullen, Dan Tuohy, Donncha O'Callaghan
Backrow: Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace, Kevin McLaughlin, Shane Jennings
Scrum Half: Eoin Reddan, Isaac Boss, Peter Stringer
Fly Half: Johnny Sexton, Ronan O'Gara
Centres: Brian O'Driscoll, Fergus McFadden, Gordon D'arcy
Outside Backs: Tommy Bowe, Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald, Shane Horgan, Felix Jones

 

[Feicarsinn]

Has everyone forgotten how **** Kearney had been for a LONG time before he got injured, he has a lot to prove before he gets back in, we need a counter attacking FB a la Nacewa to play the type of game we want to play and Earls demonstrated that brilliantly with Ireland against England. True he wasn't really tested under the high ball, so why not give Jones a try, he's solid under the high ball and is the best counter attacking FB Ireland have available at the minute.

I resent this. Rob Kearney had not scaled the heights that he achieved in the Lions season before injury, but he was certainly not ****. Defensively he was sound as ever, which is the most important thing you're after with a fullback. His trouble stemmed from huge expectations. He wasn't winning us games by himself anymore ala South Africa, but he certainly wasn't costing us in any big way.

@munstermuffin
You asked why should we be willing to take Rob back before Tom O'Leary. Twofold really. Rob wasn't playing as badly as O'Leary has been and he was a helluva lot better at his peak than O'Leary ever was. Add that to the fact that we have 3 other capable and capped scrum halves while we certainly don't have that at fullback and you can see my reasoning.

Also, 18 Leinster players does indeed seem like a lot. However, who would you take and replace them with? Leinster's squad is as strong as any in Europe and there wouldn't be any new cap given out amongst those 18. The four boys in the back row have been a long way ahead of the likes of Leamy or Coughlan this season, while we've all seen how useful McFadden can be. Wouldn't they be good additions to the squad?