Ireland in the November tests

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

......who would you pick? It was pointless starting this thread until the H and Amlin Cup got underway due to no provinces picking from a full deck until now. Allowing for some provincial bias (which I'm sure every poster has) this is my team:

15. Kearney
14. Bowe
13. O'Driscoll
12. Wallace
11. Trimble
10. Sexton
9. uh, help
1. Court
2. Cronin
3. Ross
4. O'Callaghan
5. toss up between Ryan, Toner and Tuohy
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip

Jamie Hagan and Ian Keatley have made strides with Connacht but for now I'd stick with Tony Buckley and Ronan O'Gara on the bench. Hagan and Keatley deserve to be capped this November though- Argentina and Samoa may provide the best option.

 

[lynam1104]

15. Kearny
14. Bowe
13. BOD
12. D'arcy/Wallace
11. not to sure ill go for Trimble
10. Sexton
9. Reden
8. Heslip
7. O'Brien/Wallace
6. Ferris( if not broken)
5. Tuohy
4. DOC
3. Buckly
2. i don't know im not informed on whos out and whos not so i won't pick one.
1. Court
At 7 ans 12 i think it's a bit too close to call. I know that D.Wallace have been dropped but he is a great player but i doubt he can last the 80 and O'Brien is a similar play not as good in the breakdown but he can still learn. At center D'arcy has been a bit off lately but after yesterday i think he might really be pushing for 12.

 

[Thingimubob]

What about Fion Carr? The guy's been immense this season! He's a threat pretty much everytime he gets the ball. Must be worth at least a look in for the AI's!

 

[lynam1104]

Forgot about him i hope he does get game time in the AI's maybe against Samoa.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Maybe Carr deserves a shot against Samoa or Argentina but he's not in the same league as Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Earls, Tommy Bowe or Andrew Trimble in my opinion. When you factor in that the four players I've mentioned can play multiple positions (as opposed to Carr's one position), I think it's unlikely that Carr will feature too heavily.

 

[Conal]

theres no real need for carr but id like to see him play against samoa
trimble is on form court is doing well and has been playing alot at tighthead

also at muster buckley is getting alot of game time i think finally it may be that time we have alltalked about for several years hayes may at last not be in irelands team

caldwell has also been on form in my opinion he is on par with dan tuhoy
he has stopped giving away needless penalties (so far this season) so mabey he deserves a bench spot against samoa

anynews on bods hamstring heard he hurt it against racing metro?

 

[lynam1104]

I don't think it's too bad we would have heard more if it was.

 

[Conal]

I don't think it's too bad we would have heard more if it was.

goodish news then

since fitzgerald is back
and bowe rob Kearny and earls are fit who will be on the bench ??

i cant see kidney moving bod to 12 and placing earls at 13
i reckon he will stick to wallace and darcy at 12
so who goes on the bench?

 

[GalwayCanuck5]

Maybe Carr deserves a shot against Samoa or Argentina but he's not in the same league as Luke Fitzgerald, Keith Earls, Tommy Bowe or Andrew Trimble in my opinion. When you factor in that the four players I've mentioned can play multiple positions (as opposed to Carr's one position), I think it's unlikely that Carr will feature too heavily.

Fionn Carr can also play fullback if needs be. If you ask me he's a mile better than Trimble. There isn't a Connacht match nowadays where Fionn Carr doesn't make at least two or three dazzling runs. If you watched Connacht V Ulster a few weeks ago when Trimble and Carr went head to head you would have clearly seen that Carr is the better of the two. He should have gone on the Summer Tour with Ireland too!

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Carr has seemingly been on fire for the past two or three seasons, and should definatly play against Samoa. Am I right to believe he's still uncapped?

 

[Feicarsinn]

Carr should play against South Africa and Argentina. We want to see how he performs against teams we should be competitive with,not teams we should beat by at least 20 points. He offers a hell of a lot more than no hands Trimble imo so we might as well give him a go. We have nothing to lose in this series. So anyway, here's my squad for the Autumn Internationals. Bear in mind we have 4 games this time around:

Props: Cian Healy, Tom Court, Tony Buckley, Mike Ross, Jamie Hagan
Hookers: Sean Cronin, Rory Best, Jerry Flannery
Second Rowers: Donncha O'Callaghan, Leo Cullen (here's hoping!), Ed O' Donohoe, Devin Toner,
Flankers: Stephen Ferris, Sean O'Brien, David Wallace, Shane Jennings, Donnacha Ryan, Dominic Ryan
Number 8's: Jamie Heaslip, Denis Leamy
Scrum-halves: Tomas O'Leary, Eoin Reddan, Frank Murphy
Fly-Halves: Johnny Sexton, Ronan O'Gara, Ian Keatley
Centres: Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'arcy, Paddy Wallace, Keith Earls
Wingers: Luke Fitzgerald, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Johne Murphy, Fionn Carr
Fullbacks: Rob Kearney

 

[Peat]

Think some of you are underrating Trimble. He's a ferocious beast and a half and has been so important for Ulster in his runs coming into the midfield. The difference between him not being there and being there in terms of go forwards is big while he still has the ability and pace to carve defences up given a bit of space. Compared to Carr? I think Carr was a bit better in the Connacht-Ulster game, but not massively better and was playing on the more ambitious team that day. Would still have Trimble ahead of Carr just about though.

As for Ed O'Dongohue - really? Maybe he's improved a lot quickly at Leinster but last year at Ulster he was not an international lock. Definitley not better than Tuohy, probably not better than Barker and only preferable to Caldwell because he's a not a penalty magnet, if Caldwell's brain transplant sticks he'd be ahead of him too.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Think some of you are underrating Trimble. He's a ferocious beast and a half and has been so important for Ulster in his runs coming into the midfield. The difference between him not being there and being there in terms of go forwards is big while he still has the ability and pace to carve defences up given a bit of space. Compared to Carr? I think Carr was a bit better in the Connacht-Ulster game, but not massively better and was playing on the more ambitious team that day. Would still have Trimble ahead of Carr just about though.

As for Ed O'Dongohue - really? Maybe he's improved a lot quickly at Leinster but last year at Ulster he was not an international lock. Definitley not better than Tuohy, probably not better than Barker and only preferable to Caldwell because he's a not a penalty magnet, if Caldwell's brain transplant sticks he'd be ahead of him too.

Trimble cannot catch the ball - not good enough at this level.

 

[MunsterMan]

It's only the AI's like, give Carr the 11 jersey and if he doesn't play well enough drop him. If not we are laughing.

Scrumhalf is a serious issue.

Second row, i think Tuohy played well enough to keep the jersey down south over the summer.

Other than that I like Mr. Snoop's team

 

[Peat]

Trimble cannot catch the ball - not good enough at this level.

Going to have to disagree then as I've seen very little wrong with his hands.

 

[Conal]

Carr should play against South Africa and Argentina. We want to see how he performs against teams we should be competitive with,not teams we should beat by at least 20 points. He offers a hell of a lot more than no hands Trimble imo so we might as well give him a go. We have nothing to lose in this series. So anyway, here's my squad for the Autumn Internationals. Bear in mind we have 4 games this time around:

Props: Cian Healy, Tom Court, Tony Buckley, Mike Ross, Jamie Hagan
Hookers: Sean Cronin, Rory Best, Jerry Flannery
Second Rowers: Donncha O'Callaghan, Leo Cullen (here's hoping!), Ed O' Donohoe, Devin Toner,
Flankers: Stephen Ferris, Sean O'Brien, David Wallace, Shane Jennings, Donnacha Ryan, Dominic Ryan
Number 8's: Jamie Heaslip, Denis Leamy
Scrum-halves: Tomas O'Leary, Eoin Reddan, Frank Murphy
Fly-Halves: Johnny Sexton, Ronan O'Gara, Ian Keatley
Centres: Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'arcy, Paddy Wallace, Keith Earls
Wingers: Luke Fitzgerald, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Johne Murphy, Fionn Carr
Fullbacks: Rob Kearney

no murphy? or duffy? i know kearney is back on form bt you need more than one full bck in the sqaud
with o'leary out mabey all up frnk murphy as i dont think marshall is up to international

o'donnohoe? no tuhoy even caldwell is better than him espically now he isnt giving away asmany penalties

 

[lynam1104]

Johne Murphy, Luke Fitzgerald and Keith earls can cover FB.I agree on the Tuhoy point he did much better than MOD in NZ and AU.

 

[Duckdee]

G Murphy hasn't been outstanding for Leicester, he's been solid enough, but you wont miss him if Kearney is on form.

 

[coonor]

I think Ireland have a bit of a scrum half crisis. All of our scrum halfs are very talented but are inconsistent. They all have such different techniques aswell. Boss is a strong player and forwards love to play off him. reddan is a great sniping scrum half and great for the backs. Stringer has the experience and the pass but never really threatens the opposition. Alot of great flankers and winger tough choices there which is great to see. I think Touhy should be given a shot but cullen diserves to really be considered as Ireland's starting lock. besides we need to look at wether we reall want to win these games or would rather blood players. I think full squad New zealand, Near full squad but with different combinations for SA, mix bag for argentina and more of an young side but with some experience especially on the bench for somoa.

 

[munstermuffin]

Going to have to disagree then as I've seen very little wrong with his hands.

Have you seen Trimble for Ireland. He played OK in tests last summer but other than that he never performs. But I'll admit I not a fan of Trimble however he is a totally different player and does perform excellent but never brings this form to Irish camp