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Irish Rugby - The Isolation Years

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So squad is named in Monday? What are we expecting? Some of the newer guys have seen their hype die down a bit in recent months so not sure how many new faces we’ll see. Doesn’t help how broken up this last while has been so some guys just back from injury are lacking game time. We had a 35-man squad in October so with that in mind.

Props: Healy, EOS, Kilcoyne, Porter, Bealham, O’Toole - hopefully Farrell has learned his lesson from picking too few props last time.

Hookers: Herring, Kelleher, Heffernan/Marshall/Delahunt - I’d like Delahunt but he’s the least likely one I’d imagine.

Locks: Ryan, Beirne, Dillane, Roux, Baird - Henderson was meant to be back by the 6N but haven’t seen any updates.

Backrow: Doris, Stander, POM, Connors, Boyle, Coombes - I think POM is more likely to play 7 so that’s why I didn’t include VDF.

Scrumhalves: Murray, McGrath, Casey - other than Murray I have no idea could easily have any of Marmion, Blade and JGP.

Outhalves: Sexton, Burns, Healy/HB

Centres: Ringrose, Henshaw, Aki, Farrell - inevitably one of the first three will get injured. I’d rather someone who brings something different to Chris but don’t think there’s any Andy will pick.

Backthree: Keenan, Stockdale, Larmour, Daly, JOB - couldn’t see an update on Lowe. Earls will probably end up in the squad but given his age and other options I’d rather he didn’t.
 
big ginger 8 said:
So squad is named in Monday? What are we expecting? Some of the newer guys have seen their hype die down a bit in recent months so not sure how many new faces we’ll see. Doesn’t help how broken up this last while has been so some guys just back from injury are lacking game time. We had a 35-man squad in October so with that in mind.

Props: Healy, EOS, Kilcoyne, Porter, Bealham, O’Toole - hopefully Farrell has learned his lesson from picking too few props last time.

Hookers: Herring, Kelleher, Heffernan/Marshall/Delahunt - I’d like Delahunt but he’s the least likely one I’d imagine.

Locks: Ryan, Beirne, Dillane, Roux, Baird - Henderson was meant to be back by the 6N but haven’t seen any updates.

Backrow: Doris, Stander, POM, Connors, Boyle, Coombes - I think POM is more likely to play 7 so that’s why I didn’t include VDF.

Scrumhalves: Murray, McGrath, Casey - other than Murray I have no idea could easily have any of Marmion, Blade and JGP.

Outhalves: Sexton, Burns, Healy/HB

Centres: Ringrose, Henshaw, Aki, Farrell - inevitably one of the first three will get injured. I’d rather someone who brings something different to Chris but don’t think there’s any Andy will pick.

Backthree: Keenan, Stockdale, Larmour, Daly, JOB - couldn’t see an update on Lowe. Earls will probably end up in the squad but given his age and other options I’d rather he didn’t.
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What would your starting team look like?
 
jcahill1 said:
What would your starting team look like?
Click to expand...

Based off of that squad, with Wales first up, I'd probably be looking at something like:

1. O'Sullivan
2. Kelleher
3. Porter
4. Beirne
5. Ryan
6. Stander
7. O'Mahony
8. Doris
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Stockdale
12. Henshaw
13. Ringrose
14. Larmour
15. Keenan

16. Herring
17. Healy
18. Bealham
19. Baird
20. Connors
21. Casey
22. Healy/Byrne
23. Daly

Fairly uninspiring I suppose. Certainly should beat Wales though. I'd be hoping for decent rotation in some positions as well. I do like some things though. The front five all have good handling skills and can make strong contributions in the loose. The halfbacks are still the same old guys but have played much better recently. The centres are class and the backthree are all versatile while bringing individual attacking threat.

Picked EOS because Healy is really showing his mileage. I think he's still good as a sub to steady the scrum though and Kilcoyne still seems to be finding his feet.

Kelleher was 100% in horrible conditions last night even if one may have been slightly crooked. It's become the narrative that he's a shocking thrower but he's really not. He's definitely not amazing but neither are any of our other options and he's much more useful at everything else compared to them.

Don't think there can be any argument about the tightheads.

The starting locks are the best performing ones we have. I do worry about their partnership against England and France but from what I remember they were actually grand together against France. Part of me would like us to use a 'big 6' if we're in that situation. Would be a different conversation if Henderson was fit. I've Baird on the bench but could see them reverting to Roux for set piece reasons. Baird is a bit up and down but his versatility and explosiveness makes him such a good bench option.

I'm going back and forth on that backrow a lot. Doris should be nailed on but I think the flanks can depend on gameplan a lot and whatever the contract situation is with POM and Stander. If we want to focus on the lineout and forcing turnovers POM is the better option but if we're looking to eliminate certain carriers and have better linkplay Connors is the better option. I thought Stander was pretty ineffectual last night and he was poor in the second half of the last 6N but he obviously has a lot of credit in the bank. I do worry about him though as someone who's now in his 30's and has probably averaged over 20 carries a game. That's a lot of wear and tear. Would certainly like one of Coombes or Baird to get a start at 6 at some stage.

I think given the way all the halfbacks are playing at the moment Farrell can afford to have the short term thinking the IRFU want. I fully expect Sexton not to make it through the tournament. Definitely want Casey and whichever young 10 starts to get good gametime.

Don't think there can be any arguments about the centres.

There's some legitimate worries about how those wingers (especially Larmour) will deal with kicks but they're also two of our most dangerous weapons and we're not in a position to ignore that. I'd hope to see Stockdale and Keenan switching around in attack. I think there's good arguments for either of Daly or JOB and don't mind either on the bench, again it depends on gameplan, maybe who they prefer covering centre.
 
big ginger 8 said:
There's some legitimate worries about how those wingers (especially Larmour) will deal with kicks but they're also two of our most dangerous weapons and we're not in a position to ignore that. I'd hope to see Stockdale and Keenan switching around in attack. I think there's good arguments for either of Daly or JOB and don't mind either on the bench, again it depends on gameplan, maybe who they prefer covering centre.
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I love Larmour and normally I'm all for adding attack for Ireland but he knocked it on 5 times last night. I suppose for Wales we could try play him into fielding form, but that's not gonna cut it against the stronger teams.

You're saying that team is not too inspiring but I actually think it looks pretty good, hoping Burns starts though. Weirdly liking POM at 7 lately, although I also hope Stander can come into some more form.
 

Ireland Squad – Guinness Six Nations Championship 2021​

Backs (17)​

Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 30 caps
Billy Burns (Ulster) 3 caps
Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 11 caps
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) uncapped
Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen) 24 caps
Shane Daly (Munster/Cork Con) 1 cap
Keith Earls (Munster/Young Munster) 88 caps
Chris Farrell (Munster/Young Munster) 14 caps
Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 5 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 47 caps
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 6 caps
Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 24 caps
James Lowe (Leinster) 2 caps
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 4 caps
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 87 caps
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 30 caps
Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 95 caps Captain

Forwards (19)​

Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 17 caps
Will Connors (Leinster/UCD) 5 caps
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 7 caps
Ultan Dillane (Connacht/Corinthians) 17 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 25 caps
Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 104 caps
Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 5 caps
Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy) 58 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 16 caps
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne) 6 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 39 caps
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 73 caps
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Banbridge) uncapped
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 32 caps
Quinn Roux (Connacht/Galwegians) 16 caps
Rhys Ruddock (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 26 caps
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 32 caps
CJ Stander (Munster/Shannon) 46 caps
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 28 caps

Casey and O'Toole are promising selections, hopefully they'll get on the pitch.
Those out halves... Christ above. You could make the argument none of them are the best in their provinces, certainly won't be in 6-9 months anyway. We desperately need Harry Byrne in there.
I have a real problem with McCloskey as the last centre in the squad, we have two lads with a far higher ceiling playing good stuff in Frawley and Hume, his selection basically telling everyone if Ringrose is injured prepare for crash ball shite.
In two weeks time we're going to name a 23 with Sexton, Healy, POM, Stander, Murray (All of these will start too) and Earls, there's no chance you can convince me that in the 2nd year of a world cup cycle a quarter of our 23 should be in their 30s. Rhys Ruddock's form deserves a call up but come on, what the hell is he going to bring to the set up? He won't get a game and is only blocking the likes of Leavy, Coombes and Timoney who are all looking like they're ready to make the jump.
Even critiquing the selection without considering age, which clearly isn't a factor, there are some shocking calls, Conway and Earls but no Dave Kearney is ridiculous for example.

Same old tired **** from Farrell. Watch us win 3/5 with the softest schedule possible. Go home Andy, you're out of your depth.
 
Anyone know if there's a reason we keep including so few props? Only two looseheads this time.
 
Refusing to learn from our mistakes isn't a good sign.

1. Ringrose + the same set of one dimensional centres isn't a winning formula. If Ringrose gets injured in the first game again we'll create nothing. Especially because...
2. Outhalves. What did Ross do to get picked? Not sold on JGP either.
3. Two looseheads again. Why?

At least Ruddock is there.
 
By position

LH: Healy, Kilcoyne
Hooker: Herring, Kelleher, Heffernan
Tighthead: Furlong, Porter, O'Toole
Second Row: Ryan, Henderson, Beirne, Dillane, Roux
Backrow: O'Mahony, Ruddock, Connors, Van der Flier, Doris, Stander
Scrumhalf: Murray, JGP, Casey
Outhalf: Sexton, Burns, Byrne
Centre: Henshaw, Aki, McCloskey, Ringrose, Farrell
Back Three: Keenan, Larmour, Lowe, Conway, Earls, Daly
 
The Alpha Bro said:
Happy for him and deserved on form but total waste of a spot really.
Click to expand...
That is it Ruddock is there to carry bags.

But as you said originally. The overall pot is not based on form or with future thinking.

Confirmed is Sexton/Cooney issue must be true.

But as you say a lot is very strange for future thinking of a RWC cycle.

At 1 Killer is still on way back from injury and Healys milage is way off
 
23 for Wales?

1. Healy/Kilcoyne
2. Herring
3. Porter
4. Beirne
5. Ryan
6. Stander
7. POM
8. Doris
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Lowe
12. Henshaw
13. Ringrose
14. Earls
15. Keenan

16. Kelleher
17. Other LH
18. Furlong/O'Toole
19. Henderson/Dillane
20. Ruddock
21. Casey
22. Burns
23. Larmour

Not what I'd pick but can see something like this. Hopefully we actually play Casey and he isn't just there for 20 minutes against Italy. He'd be better off with Munster in that case.(I'm pretty optimistic about this given that none of the other young players have been picked. Hopefully Andy has Casey because he can actually see him getting real game time.)

Back three is weird, hopefully Keenan takes the chance to really nail down the 15 shirt with Stockdale out. Earls really shouldn't be starting but he probably will. Conway shouldn't be in the 23 on form. If I was picking I'd have the Leinster guys with Daly on the bench but Larmour being targeted has to be a concern after the Munster game. If we don't actually play Ruddock there's no reason for him to be there too. Don't love POM at 7 but he's in better form than the others there so even if I wouldn't pick him there Ireland probably will.

Loosehead doesn't make any more sense the more you can think about it. There has to be a third loosehead somewhere. Even if Andy doesn't rate them calling up 5 props when one has barely played in the last year in nearly negligent.
 
Interesting to see how it will work with lads supposed to be locked on camp. Will there be releases for Pro14.
If not don't understand.
Shane Daly and Andrew Conway would benefit more playing 80 for us than training. Furlong should be told ignore 1st 2 rounds and play with Leinster for time. To be honest Ulster may benefit from this in their Pro14 run in with Leinster.

I would be shocked if Ruddock is used. Can see backrow POM, Doris and CJ with Connors benching. When you have backrow starting we mentioned it has to be a 7 on bench.
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Well the Irish games would be held in Wales,
also the English games would be held in Wales,
also the Scottish games would be held in Wales.
Click to expand...
All games will be in Glasgow and clash with old firm derby games in order to achieve the highest safety rating on the the recommendation.
 
The Alpha Bro said:
All games will be in Glasgow and clash with old firm derby games in order to achieve the highest safety rating on the the recommendation.
Click to expand...
Yeah I hope the fact Ireland is apparently only as safe as a country with one of the highest crime rates in the world according to a typo riddled report from World Rugby doesn't drag this bid down too!
 
Leinster Fan said:
Had a few quiet games in November and is back in form now. Let's not make things into things they aren't.
Click to expand...
That not a slight on Ryan but as I was saying he was poor in Autumn but is stepping back up. But still off his best. Not questioning his talent or spot or anything just simply comparing to his own standards.
 
munstermuffin said:
That not a slight on Ryan but as I was saying he was poor in Autumn but is stepping back up. But still off his best. Not questioning his talent or spot or anything just simply comparing to his own standards.
Click to expand...
Still think he looked better than Henderson when they've played together. Reckon a ball-carrying Henderson option will do wonders for Ryan, with a hopefully barnstorming Beirne in the backrow.
 

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