Keith Earls ruled out of Summer Tour

[munstermuffin]

Lads if Ireland win against All Blacks or Austrailia in given circumstances well then Declan Kidney should be made Pope as he will be a God.

 

[dangandan]

well that kinda means we're definitely going to lose because the chance of a rugby coach ever becoming a god is pretty slim i think

 

[MunsterMan]

Nah we'll be fine. We are strongest where NZ are weakest, in the centre. They had to call Ben Smith in as cover for 12 D'arcy and Drico running at them or Paddy Wallace pulling strings will sort them out, especially when you bring Tommy Bowe popping up in midfield into the equation.

Also, NZ are strongest in the front 5, where we are weekest. We will get raped at scrum and probably lineout too

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

Nah we'll be fine. We are strongest where NZ are weakest, in the centre. They had to call Ben Smith in as cover for 12 D'arcy and Drico running at them or Paddy Wallace pulling strings will sort them out, especially when you bring Tommy Bowe popping up in midfield into the equation.

Also, NZ are strongest in the front 5, where we are weekest. We will get raped at scrum and probably lineout too

For a second there with the first paragraph, I thought an Irish fan was not going to lay down and have the All Blacks take a (insert your choice of word) on them. Then I read the second paragraph.

I'm sure the players who do come over won't be spineless and will give themselves hope against an All Black side with around 10 missing players (half of them first choice selections).

I'm sure that there will be someone brave enough in Ireland to support them.

 

[coonor]

haha its alright for me to have a negative attitude cos im not playing! also with that attitude u will never be disappointed and if ireland wins it will feel like winning the lottery. bit of an exageration with the lottery but im trying to get my point across

Thats exactley how the Scots feel. I was talking to a few at Croker after the final match of this years 6N and they had actually bought a wooden spoon with them. lololol

 

[MunsterMan]

I'm about as optimistic as ever about playing NZ and think anything is possible over 80 minutes. I do think our backs have the potential to cause you problems if we can get them the ball, but we will probably play a conservative game anyway as last time we tried to play expansive stuff was against Australia in November and we needed and last minute try to earn a draw. Plus we do have Declan Kidney in charge

We are very lucky NZ are having injury problems too, a first choice All Black side would tear this team a new one, I'm thinkg 30-40 point hammering. We are only missing 5 first choice players, but we are missing so many Locks and Blindside flankers (7 by my count) that we are scraping the barrel for guys who would normally never make a tour to New Zealand who will have to start. NZ have a similar porblem with the 12 jersey it seems.

 

[munstermuffin]

Reasons we won't win are the southern hemisphhere teams are fresher. And ok All Blacks are missing some centres but some unknown will probably come to the table and make a name. As for our centres D'Arcy is playing poor. And well the kiwis have a pack that can hurt us massively like if we honest the task was massive with a full squad but now with so many injuries it is a massive task.

But as Munster saying goes "to the brave and faithful nothing is impossible"

 

[MunsterMan]

http://www.irishrugby.ie/21_21096.php

Picture 10 suggest out front row down under will either be:

1. Healy 2. Flannery 3. Court

or

1. Horan 2. Cronin 3. Buckley

No Hayes! Excellent news, when was the last time a tighthead who wasn't John Hayes started for Ireland (not including the 2009 north american tour when Hayes was with the Lions)

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Interesting........maybe Hayes is just being rested though. I don't think he's good enough any more but picking him for this squad suggests that Declan Kidney wants him to play on next season and through the World Cup - if he was retiring, why send him to Oz and NZ? At his age he needs as much time off as possible if that's the case. Having him in scrummaging sessions for a meaningless fixture against the Barbarians doesn't really make sense.

If it were up to me, I'd go with Healy, Flannery and Court in the front row with Cronin and Buckley coming off the bench after 60 minutes to cause havoc. Cronin will hopefully jump the queue to become top choice hooker by the World Cup.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

"to the brave and faithful nothing is impossible".

Please be so, it'll be good to see. Also, our side is very injured due to the fact that many of the players have just come off 13 bruising weeks of the inferior (according to Bullitt) Super 14. So, freshness stops mattering to a degree after that amount of time.

 

[munstermuffin]

Lads why even tour the Bull if he isn't starting.

I'd puck Buckley over Court but agree with Snoop about Cronin but don't think he will jump que unless he signs for Munster or Leinster although there is talk he's agreed to come back after the coming season but well how much truth is in that I don't know

 

[coonor]

This will be a big test for Sexton. His place kicking has improved in club rugby (ignoring the one he missed in the ML final) but will he keep his nerve down under. O'gara will be breathing down his neck and after the Scotland game he did prove something. If Sexton can pull it off here he will surely cerment his pace for the future but thats a big IF.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

Personally I think O'Gara is a player who does what he does do well, but when asked for dynamism he just isn't creative enough. A steady guy, well if he's not playing for the Lions, lol. Would be good to see someone come through and gradually become an option there. Is Sexton a good first-five option or just a goal kicker?

 

[MunsterMan]

Haha he is a great first five option but his goal kicking can be shaky. Excellent passing, running and kicking out of hand though, and cool as ice when it comes to things like important drop goals.

 

[coonor]

does anyone know if I can watch this on RTE.IE in Guernsey if not can someone tell me where I can watch it online for FREE

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Coonor, turn on your PMs (Settings -> General Settings -> Private Messaging On)

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

Haha he is a great first five option but his goal kicking can be shaky. Excellent passing, running and kicking out of hand though, and cool as ice when it comes to things like important drop goals.

How old is he and in terms of growth is he the kind of player who could be one day the first-choice five-eighth?

 

[Teh Mite]

As opposed to 40 weeks of domestic and European competition?

Apples and Oranges.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

As opposed to 40 weeks of domestic and European competition?

Apples and Oranges.

So, it's a wait and see approach. He could be great or average, we'll just have to give him a chance and assess then? That does seem to be the way with newer internationals, you can't always tell till they've had a run or two.

 

[MunsterMan]

How old is he and in terms of growth is he the kind of player who could be one day the first-choice five-eighth?

He is 24 but only had his breakthrough season last year, playing out of his skin in Leinster's Heineken Cup semi final and final wins. He kicked Ireland to victory over South Africa in November, and started Ireland's last 3 Six Nations games (victories over England and Wales and a loss to Scotland).

Sexton should be first choice on tour and all the way to 2011 in my view. When it comes to First Fives Ireland only have him and O'Gara at the moment, no back up of note.