Ireland Squad for North American Tour

[Feicarsinn]

Good. Rhys Ruddock is captaining too btw.

 

[big ginger 8]

Also Best and Ruddock are the captains.

Good. Rhys Ruddock is captaining too btw.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Whatevz. I'm much cooler than you. I own a leather jacket.

 

[big ginger 8]

Whatevz. I'm much cooler than you. I own a leather jacket.

Oh wow I'm not worthy.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I saw Archer live this season at the Liberty Stadium. I didn't see any evidence of his scrummaging being anything other than abysmal and that was the Ospreys weaker props playing. Dullonien said that even Scarlets got on top of Munster's scrum as well. He came off the bench against Italy and conceded a scrum penalty straight away IIRC. And Loughney is seriously crap as well btw, if he's around his level then he is still abysmal. Fitzpatrick, Hagan are both better easily.

That's exactly the point I'm making. He's not a good player. Loughney is the worst prop I'd seen in an Ireland shirt until I saw Archer play. From what I have seen of Archer, he has improved from a very, very, very, very low base to Loughney's low base level. I'm not lauding him as a good prop by any means but he has gotten slightly better. He's 25 now and a few years away from his prime. He should improve to be a passable Pro 12 player.

Fitzpatrick and Hagan are both easily better as I've said here a number of times. In one year will a 31 year old injury prone Fitzpatrick still be better? I think they'll be on a similar level in 12 months time so may as well go with the guy who in theory can benefit you for a longer period of time. Hagan surpasses both of them.

For 2015 I think Ireland will go with Mike Ross (should he hold up), Jamie Hagan and a newly qualified Nathan White.

What I suspect the Ireland team will be for the first test:
Zebo, McFadden, Cave, Madigan, Trimble, Jackson, Boss; Kilcoyne, Best, Ross, McCarthy, Toner, Henderson, Henry, O'Mahony

What I hope it will be:
Zebo, McFadden, Cave, Olding, Trimble, Madigan, Marmion; Kilcoyne, Best, Hagan, McCarthy, Toner, Henderson, Henry, O'Mahony

 

[munstermuffin]

Hagan will be least used I think as he's going abroad. Can't see Madigan at 12 Snoop it'll be him or Jackson at 10 regardless and other on bench.

 

[profitius]

I think a Madigan - Olding partnership looks very exciting looking ahead to the next world cup.

JJ Hanrahan needs a break if he only had 2 weeks off last season. Its a good sign they've withdrawn him because it means they'll be looking to use him a lot next season. Dave O'Callaghan has been carrying ****ly injuries most of the season so its understandable that he has been withdrawn too.

I wouldn't be so quick to write off Archer. He could turn into a very good prop. He has the physical strength and is learning techniques to deal with illegality. Judging him on one or two games is an amature mistake to make when judging props. You have to take into account many other things.

This season Archer has won numerous penalty tries. He is still young for a prop. It might have escaped peoples notice that the best tightheads are in their late 20s to early thirties. In fact Hagan has been written off for the last few seasons and look at him now. Its too early to write Bent off too.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I wouldn't be so quick to write off Archer. He could turn into a very good prop. He has the physical strength and is learning techniques to deal with illegality. Judging him on one or two games is an amature mistake to make when judging props. You have to take into account many other things.

This season Archer has won numerous penalty tries. He is still young for a prop. It might have escaped peoples notice that the best tightheads are in their late 20s to early thirties. In fact Hagan has been written off for the last few seasons and look at him now. Its too early to write Bent off too.

Indeed it is. You can't judge a player on a couple of cameo appearances. Archer has played 50 times for Munster though.

Who knows, maybe the new scrum procedures will make us re-evaluate who the top props are. Based on his half century of appearances for his province, I very much doubt Archer will make it to that level.

 

[munstermuffin]

Archer will be at top level for Ireland but not through his own class more so due to lack of resources at tighthead. My point being we should row in behind Archer because simply put he will be in the mix. Lets remember Ross isn't getting any younger and after him it's not great news

 

[psychic duck]

Also note that in the RaboPro12 there are some god awful scrummaging teams. Notably Zebre, Cardiff Blues, Dragons, Scarlets all have weak scrums, Treviso and Edinburgh are also poor when the first choices are out and they all get taken apart by any decent team in European rugby. The other Welsh regions scrums are easy pickings of late for Adam Jones.

So if Archer has managed to look okay against Campese Ma'afu and Scott Andrews or Nathan Williams and Dan Way I wouldn't read too much into it as there are a fair few abysmal props around the bottom of the Pro12. Scarlets Samson Lee got hyped on the back of out scrummaging the Dragons, yet in the Heineken Cup the Scarlets scrum was not much challenge for the top teams in Clermont or Leinster, or even the Ospreys in the Pro12.

 

[big ginger 8]

So if Best goes to Oz I'm presuming Cronin to N.A. and JHW to Georgia.

Henry to captain?

 

[munstermuffin]

Varley maybe for experience in squad.

 

[big ginger 8]

Varley maybe for experience in squad.

Don't think that's the way they're working it tbf. If Varley went I'm pretty sure he'd be the oldest in the squad. It is the "Emerging" Ireland.

 

[Groundhog]

Tiernan O'Halloran.

 

[big ginger 8]

Niall Annett to Emerging squad JHW's injured.

Olding having trouble with his ankle apparently and Downey's on standby.

 

[big ginger 8]

TG4 will be broadcasting both games as well as the u20's.

SUNDAY 9th JUNE - USA v Ireland, Senior International,
Live from the BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston Kick-off: 1:30am (Irish Time).
TG4 live coverage begins at 1:20am.
Full deferred coverage 12:05pm on Sunday 9th June.

SUNDAY 16th JUNE - Canada v Ireland, Senior International,
Live from BMO Field, Toronto Kick-off: 1:00am (Irish Time)
TG4 live coverage begins at 12:50am.
Full deferred coverage at 12:05pm on Sunday 16th June.

 

[big ginger 8]

Downey has joined the squad apparently haven't heard anything about whether it's for Olding or not.

 

[Groundhog]

Downey has joined the squad apparently haven't heard anything about whether it's for Olding or not.

Yeah saw that on the Munster twitter. I'm looking around and can't see anything about who he's replaced. Hope its not Olding, I want to see him play.

 

[BDS12]

I'm a massive Ireland fan currently living in Cardiff. Does anyone know where or how I can watch the games live?

 

[big ginger 8]

I'm a massive Ireland fan currently living in Cardiff. Does anyone know where or how I can watch the games live?

The only way I know of is TG4 which I presume isn't available in Wales, sorry.

I dunno if you'd really want to watch them live though they bout kick off around 1:30 a.m.! I will but I'll probably regret it.