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[2020 Six Nations] Ireland vs Italy (24/10/20)

Some mention on radio that this game could be moved to Belfast if Irish Government lock down all sports.

From my understanding though all pro sports will be ok.
 
Team according to Thornley

Ireland v Italy (possible): Stockdale; Keenan, Ringrose, Aki, Conway; Sexton (capt), Murray; Healy, Heffernan, John Ryan, Beirne, James Ryan, Stander, van der Flier, Doris. Replacements: Herring, Ed Byrne, Porter, Roux/Dillane, O'Mahony, Gibson-Park, Ross Byrne, Henshaw

Would definitely be one of the weaker teams we've fielded in a 6 Nations game, particularly the front row.
 
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Not exactly out most exciting team if true...don't think Thornley has been too accurate so far with Farrell though. Team to be named today anyway.

Would be happy with that starting backrow although POM on the bench is a bit meh. Kelleher and Daly not making the 23 would be hugely disappointing. The backthree is interesting could rotate the players and have them in arguably their stronger positions but I like the idea of giving Keenan his debut with the more straightforward duties of wing. Stockdale has been inconsistent but he had a very good performance at 15 against the Ospreys.
 
Not sold on Stockdale at fullback, he's got potential there but of the four back three players in the squad I think the others are all better fullbacks than him. I don't think Keenan has a long term international future as a winger but I do think he's a future Ireland starter at fullback so giving him a debut is good.

Murray is still being picked. Curious to see just how badly he'd have to play to actually be dropped, given it's over 2 years since he was consistently good.

Kelleher and Porter both have fitness issues so I'm not going to get too worked up there.

Not a particularly inspiring team but at the same time Thornley was wrong in February so who knows what he's working off. I do think it's clear we don't have the players right now and a win here and a loss in Paris would be a fair reflection of where we're at right now.
 
It's kind of off topic, but I do think we could have made a better appointment than Andy Farrell when Schmidt stepped down. Just felt like a case of 'next man up' rather than trying to get a top class coach. It's very early days of course. I don't think Farrell has done a huge amount wrong or anything and I think he's been a good coach for Ireland in the Schmidt era, its just defense coach to head coach is a very big step for a coach with a very limited CV....
 
The Alpha Bro said:
Andy Farrell is a sham
Click to expand...
Groundhog said:
It's kind of off topic, but I do think we could have made a better appointment than Andy Farrell when Schmidt stepped down. Just felt like a case of 'next man up' rather than trying to get a top class coach. It's very early days of course. I don't think Farrell has done a huge amount wrong or anything and I think he's been a good coach for Ireland in the Schmidt era, its just defense coach to head coach is a very big step for a coach with a very limited CV....
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Straight copying my posts now?

Groundhog is a sham
 
15. Jacob Stockdale
14. Andrew Conway
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki
11. Hugo Keenan
10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
9. Conor Murray

1. Cian Healy
2. Rob Herring
3. Andrew Porter
4. Tadhg Beirne
5. James Ryan
6. Caelan Doris
7. Will Connors
8. CJ Stander

Replacements:

16. Dave Heffernan
17. Ed Byrne
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Peter O'Mahony
21. Jamison Gibson-Park
22. Ross Byrne
23. Robbie Henshaw

Slightly sexier but not much
 
The Alpha Bro said:
15. Jacob Stockdale
14. Andrew Conway
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki
11. Hugo Keenan
10. Johnny Sexton (captain)
9. Conor Murray

1. Cian Healy
2. Rob Herring
3. Andrew Porter
4. Tadhg Beirne
5. James Ryan
6. Caelan Doris
7. Will Connors
8. CJ Stander

Replacements:

16. Dave Heffernan
17. Ed Byrne
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Peter O'Mahony
21. Jamison Gibson-Park
22. Ross Byrne
23. Robbie Henshaw

Slightly sexier but not much
Click to expand...
Big issues for me.
Shane Daly or Keenan should be 15. On Form, Ability or attributes Stockdale is 4th best 15 and that is being kind behind the 2 mentioned as well as Conway as a 15.
Hooker is issue too.

The rest is basically best of what is available.
 
munstermuffin said:
Big issues for me.
Shane Daly or Keenan should be 15. On Form, Ability or attributes Stockdale is 4th best 15 and that is being kind behind the 2 mentioned as well as Conway as a 15.
Hooker is issue too.

The rest is basically best of what is available.
Click to expand...
I agree re 15 but can at least see the logic with Stockdale long term, with Lowe, Larmour and Conway playing their best stuff on the wing developing his potential at 15 could be valuable.

Murray, Sexton and POM are all at stages of their career that they either need to start or not be involved, the first two are starting but POM has very little value from the bench short or long term.

Henshaw ahead of Aki would be a more positive choice too in my opinion.

I hope Kelleher is unavailable (Haven't read anything) because if we're not trying to develop that talent with our current options there is a serious issue.
 
The Alpha Bro said:
I agree re 15 but can at least see the logic with Stockdale long term, with Lowe, Larmour and Conway playing their best stuff on the wing developing his potential at 15 could be valuable.

Murray, Sexton and POM are all at stages of their career that they either need to start or not be involved, the first two are starting but POM has very little value from the bench short or long term.

Henshaw ahead of Aki would be a more positive choice too in my opinion.

I hope Kelleher is unavailable (Haven't read anything) because if we're not trying to develop that talent with our current options there is a serious issue.
Click to expand...
Agreed on O'Mahony. We don't need versatility with Stander and Doris both covering 2 positions. An actual 7 is what we need on the bench. I don't mind Murray starting simply because I don't love our other 9 options for the moment. Yes Murray has been poor, but I don't think the other 9s have put their hands up massively. JGP will have his shot I hope though.

I don't think you can justify Aki not starting. He's been unbelievable for Connacht and has carried them in some games. I know international is a different story, but I don't think there's too much that makes Henshaw more positive than Aki from a play point of view.

Kelleher apparently didn't get past his injury and wasn't available for selection. Would like Herring to drop out of the 23 when Kelleher is fit.
 
Groundhog said:
Agreed on O'Mahony. We don't need versatility with Stander and Doris both covering 2 positions. An actual 7 is what we need on the bench. I don't mind Murray starting simply because I don't love our other 9 options for the moment. Yes Murray has been poor, but I don't think the other 9s have put their hands up massively. JGP will have his shot I hope though.

I don't think you can justify Aki not starting. He's been unbelievable for Connacht and has carried them in some games. I know international is a different story, but I don't think there's too much that makes Henshaw more positive than Aki from a play point of view.

Kelleher apparently didn't get past his injury and wasn't available for selection. Would like Herring to drop out of the 23 when Kelleher is fit.
Click to expand...
I think JGP is probably the better player right now but not so much that you'd parachute him in, although there is certainly an argument for it with Ster 8 and 10.

Henshaw is more of a case that he's been distributing very well for Ster whereas Aki gets the ball and keeps/drops it at international level, we need a bit of jouer and Ali isn't the player to bring it.
 
The Alpha Bro said:
I think JGP is probably the better player right now but not so much that you'd parachute him in, although there is certainly an argument for it with Ster 8 and 10.

Henshaw is more of a case that he's been distributing very well for Ster whereas Aki gets the ball and keeps/drops it at international level, we need a bit of jouer and Ali isn't the player to bring it.
Click to expand...
Grow up. Even in France jouer is the ten giving it to a big dude of islander descent on a skip pass and letting him run the pitch before he offloads it to another dude and then calling it a great team try.
 
Is Josh unfit or something? Can't understand having O'Mahony ahead of him.

Stockdale is the 4th best fullback in the squad. Murray is starting.

Other than that that's probably the best we can do. Front row isn't ideal but it's what I'd have picked with the players we have out.

Absolutely delighted for Ed Byrne and Will Connors though. Both been through hell with injuries and deserve this.
 

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