Ireland RWC 11 Thread

[Feicarsinn]

Nah, you're alright, you can keep him
Older than Flood with none of the experience, much better players coming up from age-grade etc.



iHumph for Ireland, I say

I'm still to be convinced by Humphreys. I've seen him misfire on far too many occasions to have much faith in him (he's been pretty damn quiet any time he's come up against Leinster) and I don't trust him as a kicker either. He's played well enough this season but I thin it's no coincidence that he's seen a dramatic improvement in form since the arrival of Ruan Pienaar at Ulster. He won't have as effective a 9 while playing for Ireland.

I'd bring Keatley and Sexton if we are without Dickface. Play Sexton for 80 minutes in all the important games and obviously have him on the bench for the rest. Keatley is more solid than iHumph, if less spectacular, but considering that we're looking to have a very inexperienced 9 starting in Conor Murray, I'd wan't someone less prone to the odd brainfart playing at 10.

 

[staph.glorious]

I'm still to be convinced by Humphreys. I've seen him misfire on far too many occasions to have much faith in him (he's been pretty damn quiet any time he's come up against Leinster) and I don't trust him as a kicker either. He's played well enough this season but I thin it's no coincidence that he's seen a dramatic improvement in form since the arrival of Ruan Pienaar at Ulster. He won't have as effective a 9 while playing for Ireland.

I'd bring Keatley and Sexton if we are without Dickface. Play Sexton for 80 minutes in all the important games and obviously have him on the bench for the rest. Keatley is more solid than iHumph, if less spectacular, but considering that we're looking to have a very inexperienced 9 starting in Conor Murray, I'd wan't someone less prone to the odd brainfart playing at 10.

Fine points concerning Humphreys halfback partner. His kicking has improved considerably, and I suspect one could double your pinch-of-salt for Sexton if they had the gall. But his misfiring does not equate to a complete balls-up. Humphries may disappear, but he doesn't plummet to the depths of a Freddie Michalak. Keatley, on the back of an average-to-poor season, is not solid. It is only a stereotype that assumes the no-frills Keatley is a better choice than the solid, sometime surprising iHumph. 'Brainfarts' are not synonymous with below-average performances.

 

[munstermuffin]

I'm still to be convinced by Humphreys. I've seen him misfire on far too many occasions to have much faith in him (he's been pretty damn quiet any time he's come up against Leinster) and I don't trust him as a kicker either. He's played well enough this season but I thin it's no coincidence that he's seen a dramatic improvement in form since the arrival of Ruan Pienaar at Ulster. He won't have as effective a 9 while playing for Ireland.

I'd bring Keatley and Sexton if we are without Dickface. Play Sexton for 80 minutes in all the important games and obviously have him on the bench for the rest. Keatley is more solid than iHumph, if less spectacular, but considering that we're looking to have a very inexperienced 9 starting in Conor Murray, I'd wan't someone less prone to the odd brainfart playing at 10.

Don't worry about Murray he'll handle everything in his stride, I think a Murray/Sexton partnership could do damage in today's game and build for the future. As it was said by Doug Howlett before age isn't really a factor in the game today. Look at Australian players like James O'Connor and Will Genia both young and have been around a while and are some of best in World.

Agree with Feic on Ian Humphs and would say to counter when we are resting Sexton you will probably rest Murray or allow him to gain experience but regardless we know on the bench Boss/Reddan/O'Leary/Stringer will be there and all of these guys are experienced to back Murray up.

 

[molloyjh]

Not taking a'thing away from Earls, but his form must be seen to translate to Test level before he's shoe-horned into the first XV. Trimble also has his performances this season to boast at Ulster, and rightly wore the 11 jersey against England. He has been an impressive winger. That said, I don't doubt Earls will try and reset the bar.

As a Leinster season ticket holder, I've a horror reel of all his mistakes, in all facets of his game, imprinted on my young delicate mind. I think Fitzgerland's potential still remains in the corridors of Blackrock College. Meanwhile, Trimble deals in performances, and has shown a commendable improvement in his defense.

Earls is without doubt our best option at 11 right now. He was fairly quiet there this 6 Nations but I don't think that was his fault. Poor overall team performaces make it hard for individuals, especially wingers, to look good. He had a good season last 6 Nations though iirc, and looked sharp against England albeit in the FB jersey.

As for Fitzy I think you're getting carried away with his lack of form. His defense for the latter part of the season was excellent (his stats were almost as good as SOBs in that regard). His only issue was going forward he tended to be slightly ahead of where he should have been at crucial moments. With more gametime he was getting better. And if you see at times how well he linked up with Isa he was far from the awful player some pundits were making him out to be. In the 6 Nations he had only just come back from injury to play in a position he'd never played in anywhere near Test level. I think he needs to get some gametime in the warm ups. If they can get him back in form we could have a great battle for the 11 jersey as we have for a few others already. And the more of that the better.

And I hope the games are a sell-out. I'll be at both the France and England ones and plan on being incredibly loud for them. The England game in the 6 Nations was something special from an atmosphere point of view - we finally got the noise levels back. I hope we can keep that sort of thing up.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm looking forward to the England/Ireland match, but at the same time dreading it
Doesn't matter what form England are in, we get beaten by Ireland
Especially IN Ireland

Hopefully Kidney uses that match to try out different combinations and starts Buckley and O'Leary and Paddy Wallace at 10 etc.etc.

 

[psychic duck]

I think Trimble should be given a run in the wing shirt

he has never really been given a run in the Ireland shirt

and I know he wasn't great when he played wing at the 2007 World Cup and was often found out of position in defense but he had just started to play wing then, after giving up on having a chance to play at centre

and Trimble was good against England in the 6N

but then again, I don't think Earls has done enough wrong to be dropped, so it would be harsh on him though

 

[staph.glorious]

[Fitzgerald's] defense for the latter part of the season was excellent (his stats were almost as good as SOBs in that regard).

Could you post those stats for me? I'm a lazy keyboard warrior, see...

I do recall Fitzgerald forgetting the touchline so often in defense this season, and being shown up by 'Magners League' standard wingers. In my mind "latter" encompasses all of two games, and "excellent" is a word I don't throw about the place.

His only issue was going forward he tended to be slightly ahead of where he should have been at crucial moments. With more gametime he was getting better.

Classic Fitzgerald! His support play has often been a bête noire for Leinster fans. But I do again recall some promise in those "latter" matches. He'll be trialed in August, I don't doubt it. We shall see.

And I hope the games are a sell-out. I'll be at both the France and England ones and plan on being incredibly loud for them. The England game in the 6 Nations was something special from an atmosphere point of view - we finally got the noise levels back. I hope we can keep that sort of thing up.

What is it, only some 500 tour packets were sold by the IRFU for the RWC? Here's hoping the expats and the locals take to Kidney's lads.

 

[Peat]

Well as I said Fitz had a poor season last year and was awful. But he has only had 1 bad spell in green at 15. Trimble has had alot of chances on the wing. I also agree the Lions issue doesn't have a bearing on this and agree they are on a equal level but I wasn't hiking up Fitz just pointing out that his "bad patch" in an Ireland jersey came when he was at 15 not on the wing and well he was dropped for that English game.

MM, when was Trimble's last bad game for Ireland? It wasn't this season. Nor was it in the last summer tour. Fitzgerald has been appalling pretty much all season and really should have completely lost his place to McFadden.

My choice for Ireland's wings would be Bowe and Earls, Trimble on the bench/first injury cover, McFadden as the squad cover and Luke Fitzgerald left at home barring a spectecular summer.

I'm still to be convinced by Humphreys. I've seen him misfire on far too many occasions to have much faith in him (he's been pretty damn quiet any time he's come up against Leinster) and I don't trust him as a kicker either. He's played well enough this season but I thin it's no coincidence that he's seen a dramatic improvement in form since the arrival of Ruan Pienaar at Ulster. He won't have as effective a 9 while playing for Ireland.

I'd bring Keatley and Sexton if we are without Dickface. Play Sexton for 80 minutes in all the important games and obviously have him on the bench for the rest. Keatley is more solid than iHumph, if less spectacular, but considering that we're looking to have a very inexperienced 9 starting in Conor Murray, I'd wan't someone less prone to the odd brainfart playing at 10.

You are right to look at Pienaar's arrival, but he's still played well when paired with Paul Marshall. His kicking has also been ridiculously good all season long.

I'd agree you wouldn't want to play him if you could help it at international level, there's a bit too much inconsistency there not to mention the tackling.

But Keatley should not be ahead of him. Keatley's done plenty of bone-headed things himself, he's not the same attacking threat, and he's not as experienced. He's not gone through the same high-pressure situations either. Humphreys has played teams like Munster, Biarritz and Bath in decisive HC matches and done it succesfully. About the only thing Keatley does better is tackle.

 

[staph.glorious]

[Humphreys has] still played well when paired with Paul Marshall.

This is the definitive litmus test, for those not in the know.

 

[Logorrhea]

I do recall Fitzgerald forgetting the touchline so often in defense this season, and being shown up by 'Magners League' standard wingers.

Fitzgerald had two games where he struggled defensively. I remember them well and cringed my way through them. Dont paint it as a season long issue though, it wasnt.

Luke did struggle for form though after coming back from the second knee injury (he was flying before then). It was clearly an issue with form, not ability.

Trimble on the other hand is a damn fine runner with ball in hand. He is not as good a distributor, not as good in a back three, and cant kick, but I think hes probably the best runner in the team with ball in hand. I think he is a real option on the wing and had no problem calling for him to play ahead of Luke at the far end of the 6-nations.

 

[roryjbd]

I think Trimble is a better player than both Earls and Fitz. He is defensively strong and is an excellent runner. Unlike Earls and Fitz he is consistent and I can't remember him having a bad game in an Ireland or Ulster shirt last season.

 

[staph.glorious]

Fitzgerald had two games where he struggled defensively. I remember them well and cringed my way through them. Dont paint it as a season long issue though, it wasnt.

Not exactly my sentiments. But it wasn't two consecutive games in which he was exposed. It was a handful, and they were peppered across the board. It was amateur and, yes, worthy of cringe.

 

[Logorrhea]

But it wasn't two consecutive games in which he was exposed. It was a handful

But it was just the two. I'm sure Fitzgerald has made other mistakes through the season (as have O'Driscoll, McCaw, Carter, O'Connell and many other professional rugby players), but the defensive issues you were talking about came to the fore during that two game series. While the rest of his game didnt improve much for a while, the defensive errors stopped at that point. I havent bothered reading back on the thread so no idea what your agenda is but your not painting an accurate picture of Fitzgeralds defensive ability.

 

[lucky number 7]

Go team Sean O'Brien ...Yeaaahhhh....

 

[staph.glorious]

But it was just the two. I'm sure Fitzgerald has made other mistakes through the season (as have O'Driscoll, McCaw, Carter, O'Connell and many other professional rugby players), but the defensive issues you were talking about came to the fore during that two game series. While the rest of his game didnt improve much for a while, the defensive errors stopped at that point. I havent bothered reading back on the thread so no idea what your agenda is but your not painting an accurate picture of Fitzgeralds defensive ability.

But it wasn't just the two.

It's not worth the effort in proving either of us right, so I'll drop the defense talk.

I have no agenda beyond commenting fairly, no matter the player. I have no provincial bias.

I feel that there is evidence to suggest most-to-all facets of Fitzgerald's game were relatively poor for the majority of this season. At a wager, this is down to his mentality, brought on by poor management from others and from himself. Technically-speaking, Fitzgerald has proven to be a sound operator over his few years as a professional. His composure in-game would concern me, as a follower of Irish rugby.

 

[munstermuffin]

Well I'll counter it and say Trimble has over 30 caps for Ireland and still cant nail down a spot in the 22 never mind starting 15,
Some may say injury is a factor but I don't buy that because likes of Keith Earls and Luke Fitz got straight back in to the fold after injury.

Trimbles big chance game when he got the nod to start against Italy in Croker last season in 6 Nations and well he was a joke that day. Trimble always is consistent for Ulster but not for Ireland and if he was that good then he'd have a spot in 22 nailed down but at moment he is fighting for a spot in the 30.

 

[Logorrhea]

But it wasn't just the two.

But it was

 

[Conal]

he is playing better than fitzy g latley
he did well for ireland in the last guinness series

i think trimble offers a nice balance to are wings a huge physical hard game instead of skills and flare by earls and fitzy g

 

[staph.glorious]

Trimbles big chance game when he got the nod to start against Italy in Croker last season in 6 Nations and well he was a joke that day.

Or, if you will:

I remember RTÉ putting on a one-minute highlight reel at halftime, and the image Trimble kicking away possession drew my infinite, indefinite ire.

Irish fans scapegoat a lot, it seems. When the Irish team were horrendous against Wales this season, the common consensus was to lynch Paddy Wallace. On the back of that woeful performance at home against Italy in 2010, you only appear to cast judgement on one player. (Here is the team-list for that fixture, you're welcome to suggest more names for the axe!)

 

[staph.glorious]

You're entirely right, staph.glorious, it wasn't just the two.

Humility is a noble pursuit, Logorrhea. I commend thee.