Ireland 2016/2017

[Groundhog]

Well we're not far off the beginning of our internationals, and there remains no thread for the general discussion of Ireland (unlike English threads which appear whenever Itoje farts). So let's come together as one, only to let our petty tribal nature lead to resentment and for three of the provinces, for a general mistrust of any 50/50 call which goes in a Leinster player's favour to grow.
We had our first Camp Joe yesterday and 10 Munster players were called up. They were reportedly Zebo, Earls, Murray, Scannell, Sweetnam, Donncha Ryan, Stander, O'Mahony, O'Donnell and Kilcoyne.
Well I reckon that a pretty broad group was called up, so there's no point reading too much into it. I'm not sure who was called from the other province. It's great to see Scannell and Sweetnam rewarded for tearing up trees, and I think they have a big future with Ireland. I would label Kilcoyne as our second choice loosehead at the moment as Cronin has been so dominant at scrum time, but he's still an international. I think John Ryan has a chance of making an Irish squad before long although I appreciate it's only been 5 games and it's maybe too soon for him. He needs a bigger test at scrumtime.
Anyone know who was called from the other provinces?

 

[Peat]

According to PR, this was the Leinster contingent

Healy, McGrath, Cronin, Ross, Furlong, Toner, Heaslip, JVDF, SOB, Murphy, Ruddock, McGrath, Sexton, Carberry, Henshaw, Ringrose, Kearney, Kearney, McFadden

Think the last three didn't make it due to injury, here's to a few more injuries yet.

 

[Groundhog]

Yup so as I thought VERY broad. For the week that's in it I feel this camp couldn't be worse timed. I don't want Munster players seeing Leinster players as anything other than the dirty little heathens they are right now.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

McFadden and D Kearney were injured against Cardiff so were almost certainly not there considering they're likely to be out until after the European games, Rob has an outside chance of making Saturday but I doubt they'd interrupt his recovery, I read Janes Treacy went though.

Nice to see JC has come to save Irish rugby, two fingers to Ian Madigan if he makes the squad ahead of him!

 

[Peat]

Yup so as I thought VERY broad. For the week that's in it I feel this camp couldn't be worse timed. I don't want Munster players seeing Leinster players as anything other than the dirty little heathens they are right now.

Cuts both ways though. I expect the IRFU like the timing as any points lost by a province due to disruption go to another province anyway.

More interesting to see the names not mentioned. With only one lock each from Leinster and Munster, I'm wondering whether a second Ulster lock went south with Henderson.

Remind me who Ireland play this autumn?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

NZ x2, Canada and Australia. Two wins minimum is what is needed.

 

[Peat]

NZ x2, Canada and Australia. Two wins minimum is what is needed.

Will be interesting to see who gets the Canada game - probably more interesting than who gets the big ones.

I'd set my expectations for Schmidt in terms of performance. 3 cracking games (assuming Aus wake up again) that he loses are of more value than limping home against Oz and getting hammered twice by NZ.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Premature ejac right here... Considering we only have 3/4rs of the two European weekends done I'm early here but lets get talking about which Connacht, Munster and Ulster players get to pretend to be Leinster players for four weeks! The starting team I want to see smash the All Blacks 27-24 on the first weekend of November is as follows;

15. Jared Payne - A few other options here but Payne has them at arms length, Kearney needs a lot more rugby after what was basically a season long rest and O'Halloran is coming but not there yet, Zebo lacks the game intelligence for an international 15 at the moment.
14. Earls - Tough one here, Bowe is back on the up and Earls form is shaky but he's been a different beast on the wing and in green in recent seasons, he's our man.
13. Ringrose - The kid is ready, two huge shifts in the last two weeks and the three quarter line will be a well oiled, Dublin manufactured machine.
12. Henshaw - No explanation required.
11. Trimble - Tempted to go with Adeolokun at 14 and have Earls here but, unlike Ringrose, Niyi isn't ready to make a Chicago debut v NZ. Trimble is in form and safe as houses, hasn't let us down before and ready to beat NZ!
10. Sexton - 2nd best 10 in the world right now excluding Joey Carberry who needn't worry himself with small time like NZ, if there's anyone to put Beauden Barrett in his place this year it's J-Sex.
9. Murray - League of his own in Ireland right now, take the second half of Sexton's explanation and replace Barrett with Aaron Smith.
8. Heaslip - Makes the backrows he plays in tick, is the link man between the backs and forwards and always puts in serious shifts.
7. Van der Flier - SO'B is making another return but it won't matter, VdF is Ireland's 7 for the foreseeable future, let him at the All Blacks ruck ball after a big Henshaw/Sexton tackle in midfield and Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett will have to remember how to work hard very quickly.
6. Henderson - Probably the toughest selection with PO'M, Stander and Ruddock all in fine form but this guy has the ability to be the best 6 in the world on his day, big time attacking players like him are needed to beat NZ and he doesn't shirk his defensive duties.
5. Dillane - On fire with Connacht, a modern, ball handling second row, no brainer.
4. Toner - Safe as houses and in some fine form, one of the first names on the sheet.
3. Furlong - Mike Ross has been replaced, Furlong can scrum and do a bit around the pitch too, don't be surprised if Furlong plays NZ 5 times in the next 12 months.
2. Best - Who else? A 2013 type match would be tasty, especially if the arm stays in tact.
1. McGrath - Best LH in world rugby, will want to redeem himself for a certain penalty he conceded in 2013.

16. Cronin - Flying with Leinster, let Nugget give NZ hell from the 65th minute
17. Healy - He looks like he's back, strong efforts in his last two cameos.
18. Ross - Scrum #NodisrespecttoKeet
19. O'Mahoney - Let second row be covered by Henderson, these backrow subs would make any team wince.
20. Stander - Just imagine the pashun of these lads coming on on the hour!
21. McGrath - New order, still prone to mistakes, wouldn't use him unless required, our second best choice.
22. Jackson - *Don't say Carberry, Don't say Carberry, don't say Carberry*
23. O'Halloran - Covers the back three better than anyone, have Payne if a centre goes down.

Only 12 Leinster... 5 of them front rows, those other provinces might not be all that bad!
2 Connacht
4 Munster
5 Ulster

 

[Brigantine]

If Ireland can sell out a stadium in Chicago 3 days before their election (hypothetical. I know nothing about ticket sales), then they deserve an upset win against the AB's.

Munster - Maori All Blacks is on on the same weekend as Ireland - Canada. Do Munster get to have a strong team for that? Or is pounding Canada into the ground more important?

Do you think Australia will have a full strength side vs Ireland? or might they rest some key players for the big England re-match the following week? If they rest players, Ireland should win that match, no excuses.
They're also playing *every top 8 ranked side* except South Africa over the next 7 weekends.

 

[profitius]

If Ireland can sell out a stadium in Chicago 3 days before their election (hypothetical. I know nothing about ticket sales), then they deserve an upset win against the AB's.

Munster - Maori All Blacks is on on the same weekend as Ireland - Canada. Do Munster get to have a strong team for that? Or is pounding Canada into the ground more important?

Do you think Australia will have a full strength side vs Ireland? or might they rest some key players for the big England re-match the following week? If they rest players, Ireland should win that match, no excuses.
They're also playing *every top 8 ranked side* except South Africa over the next 7 weekends.

If Australia have so many games lined up they'll have to rotate fairly often. I don't think they'll make too many changes for the Ireland match. I expect Ireland to have a much stronger and fresher squad available than the one that went to south Africa.

 

[Peat]

I can see Canada being very much an A team affair and, as such, it wouldn't be surprising if they avoided using too many Munster players. Certainly, they don't have to. Even if you excluded everyone involved with the NZ 23, you could field the following Irish XV without bothering Munster at all.

15. Gilroy 14. Bowe. 13. Marshall 12. Olding 11. Adeolokun 10. Carberry 9. Marmion
1. Buckley 2. Herring 3. Bealham 4. O'Connor 5. Browne 6. Leavy 7. Reidy 8. Ruddock

16. Err, okay, running a little low here 17. Warwick 18. How Heavy Ah You 19. Tuohy 20. Some lad from Leinster 21. Cooney 22. Reid 23. Kearney

And that's just off the top of my head with outrageous bias.

 

[profitius]

I can see Canada being very much an A team affair and, as such, it wouldn't be surprising if they avoided using too many Munster players. Certainly, they don't have to. Even if you excluded everyone involved with the NZ 23, you could field the following Irish XV without bothering Munster at all.

15. Gilroy 14. Bowe. 13. Marshall 12. Olding 11. Adeolokun 10. Carberry 9. Marmion
1. Buckley 2. Herring 3. Bealham 4. O'Connor 5. Browne 6. Leavy 7. Reidy 8. Ruddock

16. Err, okay, running a little low here 17. Warwick 18. How Heavy Ah You 19. Tuohy 20. Some lad from Leinster 21. Cooney 22. Reid 23. Kearney

And that's just off the top of my head with outrageous bias.

An alternative would be

15 O'Halloran
14 Sweetnam
13 Ringrose
12 McCloskey
11 Gilroy
10 Carbery
9 McGrath
1 Buckley
2 Herring
3 Bealham
4 Nagle
5 Roux
6 Connachts Sean O'Brien
7 Leavy
8 Conan

16 Tracy
17 Dooley
18 Moore
19 Ruddock
20 M Kearney
21 Noel Reid?
22 Blade
23 Adeolokun


The locks could be any combination of Nagle, Roux, M Kearney, Moloney, Alan O'Connor etc.

I don't know if they'd bother playing Bowe against Canada. I presume it'll be mostly young players and give some established players a chance to stretch their legs. Could also see the likes of Jacob Stockdale, Cian Kelleher, Jake Heenan, Dave Heffernan etc involved.


Carbery has a good chance of playing in one of the big games. Sexton is injury prone and to be honest, Carbery looks to be on a different level to Jackson already in terms of talent. Experience is a different matter.

 

[lentenbok]

Cuts both ways though. I expect the IRFU like the timing as any points lost by a province due to disruption go to another province anyway.

More interesting to see the names not mentioned. With only one lock each from Leinster and Munster, I'm wondering whether a second Ulster lock went south with Henderson.

Remind me who Ireland play this autumn?

Dillane will most likely also have gone as well though, so that's a lock from each province. I haven't been able to see a full list of who went down yet though and I don't know who's currently injured either.

 

[Groundhog]

Schmidt signs on until 2019. God bless America

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Watch us go 28 games unbeaten against NZ now!

 

[Amiga500]

I wouldn't have Bowe or Trimble near the squad to be honest. Trimble hasn't impressed and Bowe has been more negative than positive since his return.

 

[munstermuffin]

I wouldn't have Bowe or Trimble near the squad to be honest. Trimble hasn't impressed and Bowe has been more negative than positive since his return.

I think Bowe is on the decline and Les Kiss seems to think the same ot seems. Owes nothing to Ireland though as he's been a superb servant and still does battle away

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

With Earls missing the first two tests minimum I can't see Trimble not playing, the rest of our wings are too "naive" defensively, have your pick of Zebo, Gilroy or Adeolokun to join Trimble and Payne in the back three. Bowe would be a bad choice.

 

[Diomedes]

Henderson out for a month.

That's a blow - I'd expect Dillane and Dev to be the starters with Donnacha Ryan on the bench

 

[westernforce]

aki has signed a new contract at connacht..surely we will se him in green in the near future? can he play six nations 2017?