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rebuilding after the world cup
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<blockquote data-quote="snoopy snoopy dog dog" data-source="post: 145459"><p>Ireland certainly will have to rebuild to a large extent come the next World Cup. Fortunately, replacements are coming through.</p><p></p><p>At loosehead, Marcus Horan never has been and never will be a great prop. He looks like a squashed backrow forward. s you've mentioned, Simon Best is a possible replacement who can do an average job. Darragh Hurley is developing nicely for Munster and could come to the fore in two years time. He seems like a good scrummager. Cian Healy is an awesome prospect for Leinster and three years down the line could get a chance. There's also Ray Hogan who has just made the move to Bristol. He'll be in his prime come 2011 as will Bryan Young. Ireland will be stronger at loosehead in four years time both in terms of the starter and added depth.</p><p></p><p>Both Jerry Flannery and Rory Best are young enough to travel to New Zealand. Behind them it's hard to gauge with Sean Cronin, Denis Fogarty, Richard Sweeney, Brian Blaney, Stuart Philpott and Joe Merrigan all roughly equal in terms of talent. We should be no worse off at hooker in '11.</p><p></p><p>Tighthead could be a problem. Hayes is n average scrummager but is imperious around the fringes and at lineout lifting. Simon Best is a short term solution. Longer term, Mike Ross of Harlequins could be an outside bet. Tony Buckley is being groomed by Munster to take over that spot. His scrummaging seemed okay in Argentina during the summer. Other than that, we're struggling with Peter Bracken as an emergency backup, Timmy Ryan of Munster hopefully developing a more rounded game perhaps becoming an option and maybe an outside bet like Ronan Loughney as contenders. Whatever happens, Hayes must be replaced immediately in order to get others up to gamespeed at international level.</p><p></p><p>In the 2nd row, Ireland could have a bit of a dads army look about them next world cup. O'Connell, O'Callaghan, Cullen, O'Driscoll and Hogan will all still be around but each of them will be in their early 30s. Younger contenders are Matt McCullough, Ryan Caldwell, David Gannon and perhaps Devin Toner or Donnacha Ryan. It's not an area of huge concern and Ireland will be as good here in 2011 as they are now.</p><p></p><p>The backrow is about to see an explosion in new talent. Both Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip have already been capped and should have a huge part to play in 2011. Denis Leamy will be right in his prime. David Pollack and Shane Jennings will give Ireland two outstanding opensides. Johnny O'Connor will have a part to play. Sean O'Brien is a very exciting prospect for Leinster. We'll have more depth and competition for places here in 2011 and will be a far stronger unit.</p><p></p><p>Scrumhalf won't be a problem like it is at present. Leinster have two cracking prospects in Cillian Willis and Paul O'Donohue. Tomas O'Leary is far from the finished product but he showed signs that he could become a useful player towards the end of last season. Gerry Hurley has been given a lot of gametime for Munster in preseason and although small in stature, he's a classy player. Paul Marshall of Ulster has some ability. Eoin Reddan will be in his prime and should start but we'll have seroius depth there. Scrumhalf could be a strength in 2011.</p><p></p><p>At outhalf, I expect Eddie O'Sullivan will wrap O'Gara in cotton wool so that he's still an open in four years time. Other than that, there's Johnny Sexton and Ian Keatley at Leinster, Niall O'Connor at Ulster may develop, Ian Humphreys who's getting a good rugby education with Leicester and still the possibility than Staunton and Wallace could improve. Peter Durcan could become a good player with Connacht. We'll be fine there.</p><p></p><p>In the centre both BOD and Darcy will still be around. Unlike today, we'll have huge depth come 2011. Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Keith Earls and Eoin O'Malley are all immensely talented. Hopefully Leinster will give Luke Fitzgerald a run at 13 in competitive action this year, as they've done in preseason. Ireland will be able to mix and match in the centre in four years.</p><p></p><p>Out wide, neither Hickie, Horgan nor Carney will be options. Hickie is retiring immediately with Trimble likely to slot in. Vasily Artemiev of Leinster is being groomed as a winger. Luke Fitzgerald or Rob Kearney can fill the roll. Tommy Bowe of Ulster is almost a forgotten man of Irish rugby while Leicester's Johne Murphy could ghost into the lineup in a couple of years time.</p><p></p><p>At the back, the World Cup should be the last we see of Girvan Dempsey in an Ireland shirt. He's still a quality player but won't be available in four years. Dan Riordan, Gavin Duffy, Geordan Murphy, Luke Fitzgerald and Rob Kearney are the most likely fullback options in 2011.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="snoopy snoopy dog dog, post: 145459"] Ireland certainly will have to rebuild to a large extent come the next World Cup. Fortunately, replacements are coming through. At loosehead, Marcus Horan never has been and never will be a great prop. He looks like a squashed backrow forward. s you've mentioned, Simon Best is a possible replacement who can do an average job. Darragh Hurley is developing nicely for Munster and could come to the fore in two years time. He seems like a good scrummager. Cian Healy is an awesome prospect for Leinster and three years down the line could get a chance. There's also Ray Hogan who has just made the move to Bristol. He'll be in his prime come 2011 as will Bryan Young. Ireland will be stronger at loosehead in four years time both in terms of the starter and added depth. Both Jerry Flannery and Rory Best are young enough to travel to New Zealand. Behind them it's hard to gauge with Sean Cronin, Denis Fogarty, Richard Sweeney, Brian Blaney, Stuart Philpott and Joe Merrigan all roughly equal in terms of talent. We should be no worse off at hooker in '11. Tighthead could be a problem. Hayes is n average scrummager but is imperious around the fringes and at lineout lifting. Simon Best is a short term solution. Longer term, Mike Ross of Harlequins could be an outside bet. Tony Buckley is being groomed by Munster to take over that spot. His scrummaging seemed okay in Argentina during the summer. Other than that, we're struggling with Peter Bracken as an emergency backup, Timmy Ryan of Munster hopefully developing a more rounded game perhaps becoming an option and maybe an outside bet like Ronan Loughney as contenders. Whatever happens, Hayes must be replaced immediately in order to get others up to gamespeed at international level. In the 2nd row, Ireland could have a bit of a dads army look about them next world cup. O'Connell, O'Callaghan, Cullen, O'Driscoll and Hogan will all still be around but each of them will be in their early 30s. Younger contenders are Matt McCullough, Ryan Caldwell, David Gannon and perhaps Devin Toner or Donnacha Ryan. It's not an area of huge concern and Ireland will be as good here in 2011 as they are now. The backrow is about to see an explosion in new talent. Both Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip have already been capped and should have a huge part to play in 2011. Denis Leamy will be right in his prime. David Pollack and Shane Jennings will give Ireland two outstanding opensides. Johnny O'Connor will have a part to play. Sean O'Brien is a very exciting prospect for Leinster. We'll have more depth and competition for places here in 2011 and will be a far stronger unit. Scrumhalf won't be a problem like it is at present. Leinster have two cracking prospects in Cillian Willis and Paul O'Donohue. Tomas O'Leary is far from the finished product but he showed signs that he could become a useful player towards the end of last season. Gerry Hurley has been given a lot of gametime for Munster in preseason and although small in stature, he's a classy player. Paul Marshall of Ulster has some ability. Eoin Reddan will be in his prime and should start but we'll have seroius depth there. Scrumhalf could be a strength in 2011. At outhalf, I expect Eddie O'Sullivan will wrap O'Gara in cotton wool so that he's still an open in four years time. Other than that, there's Johnny Sexton and Ian Keatley at Leinster, Niall O'Connor at Ulster may develop, Ian Humphreys who's getting a good rugby education with Leicester and still the possibility than Staunton and Wallace could improve. Peter Durcan could become a good player with Connacht. We'll be fine there. In the centre both BOD and Darcy will still be around. Unlike today, we'll have huge depth come 2011. Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Keith Earls and Eoin O'Malley are all immensely talented. Hopefully Leinster will give Luke Fitzgerald a run at 13 in competitive action this year, as they've done in preseason. Ireland will be able to mix and match in the centre in four years. Out wide, neither Hickie, Horgan nor Carney will be options. Hickie is retiring immediately with Trimble likely to slot in. Vasily Artemiev of Leinster is being groomed as a winger. Luke Fitzgerald or Rob Kearney can fill the roll. Tommy Bowe of Ulster is almost a forgotten man of Irish rugby while Leicester's Johne Murphy could ghost into the lineup in a couple of years time. At the back, the World Cup should be the last we see of Girvan Dempsey in an Ireland shirt. He's still a quality player but won't be available in four years. Dan Riordan, Gavin Duffy, Geordan Murphy, Luke Fitzgerald and Rob Kearney are the most likely fullback options in 2011. [/QUOTE]
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