Ireland vs Italy - Warm up 5/8/23 20:00

[big ginger 8]

Coaches saying we're looking to use all players in the squad across the three games (with one notable exception) and Kinsella suggesting this will be the most experimental one.

Casey, Conan, and Beirne all expected to start with musings about Coombes, Prendergast, JOB and McCarthy.

Also player names will be on the back of Irish jerseys for the first time ever.

Team named at 2.

 

[Which Tyler]

Quick note - This is a full-capped game, so the Raeburn Shield is up for grabs.
Italy have never held it.
Ireland's current run is 9 successful defences - their longest. If they beat Italy, they'll move ahead of England in the table of nations with the longest streak, behind only South Africa (11) and New Zealand (17*).


*NB: NZ have 5 streaks of >10

 

[big ginger 8]

Fairly strong Italian team.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Interested to see how Lamb and Odogwu get on.

 

[big ginger 8]

15. Jimmy O'Brien (Leinster/Naas)(5)
14. Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster)(98)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers)(63)
12. Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor (12)
11. Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan)(35)
10. Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)(3)
9. Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon)(10)

1. David Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemian) (51)
2. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) (34)
3. Tom O'Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) (9)
4: Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy)(72)(Captain)
5. Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin University)(1)
6. Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University)(11)
7. Caelan Doris (Leinster/St. Mary's College)(28)
8. Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere)(38)

Replacements:

16. Tom Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch)*
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) (123)
18. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) (65)
19. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) (38)
20. Cian Prendergast (Connacht/UCD) (1)
21. Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) (1)
22. Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/UCD)*
23. Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster)*


Very dynamic team. Interesting backrow make up. Makes sense with VDF being the only pure 7 in the squad.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Don't know what in want from this game. A sound win I suppose. Feels different to normal.

 

[munstermuffin]

Don't know what in want from this game. A sound win I suppose. Feels different to normal.

No injuries

 

[big ginger 8]

Last night we had over half the rain we usually get for the entire month of August and it's still raining. Not exactly standard preseason conditions.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Last night we had over half the rain we usually get for the entire month of August and it's still raining. Not exactly standard preseason conditions.

I had a golf weekend organised, all the courses are closed... This summer has been depressing.

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

Unless Ireland repeat history.... again, and underperform now they're starting the WC months, Ireland will win by 50

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Its tuning in to games like this on a Saturday night to support Italy that really makes a man question the direction his life has taken.

Hoping both Crowleys have a blinder.

Honest question. Do we think Farrell has a preferred backup 10 at this stage? Is it Ross, with Crowley & Frawley fighting for 3rd place with Harry and Carty out of the picture?

 

[Smurfy]

No idea. I'd like to believe that Byrne blew his chance with his abject ERC final performance, and that Crowleys progress as shown in the later stages of the season must have moved him into the 2nd spot, but Farrell moves in mysterious (and overwhelmingly correct) ways, so we won't really know until the match against South Africa. I think the fact that he's been selected in such an obviously 2nd string side doesn't augur well for Crowley's prospects.

Frawley might travel as a utility back given his ability to play 10 or 12, in which case I could see one of Byrne, Crowley or McCloskey missing out. The fact that Crowley can also play 12 might knock that possibility on the head. So again, no idea.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Allan kicking penalties ahead of Garbisi?

Italy scoring at more than a point a minute!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Do you think that Italy backs moves are called in English or Italian?

 

[big ginger 8]

It's so green.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

McCloskey played himself out of the squad with that carry alone as far as I'm concerned

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Stockdale too there.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ioane still not learnt when to not throw a pass

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Is this the famously hated Irish RWC top? Its alright. Like a Portuguese away strip but without the flamboyance in the back play.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Seems like a good spot to bail out.