Ireland Squad 2018/2019

[Amiga500]

Getting this up and running.

Quite a few things worthy of discussion for autumn and beyond.

From the Nordies:
John Cooney. If his box kicking was a bit better, I'd be arguing he's not fighting for 2nd behind Murray, but instead fighting Murray for 1st choice 9.
Will Addison. Not joking - looks razor sharp at full back and covers 11-15.

From the Westies:
Tom Farrell. Seriously impressive stuff last season and picked up right where he left off.
Denis Buckley. Probably toughest position to get in the team.

From the Turnips:
edit: Beirne.... where does he fit into Camp Joe?

From the Pale:
Larmour becomes an established first 15 name in green?
Can JVDF get a spot in the (Ireland) squad?
Will SOB be fit?

 

[profitius]

I agree with Addison and Tom Farrell. Maybe Max Deegan or even Doris could get called up. Not too many places available but I think Addison could be a big mover in the squad because he can play in multiple positions and looks quality. Don't know how he never got an England cap.

 

[Amiga500]

Don't know how he never got an England cap.

I know. Beggars belief - especially given who was collecting them!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

1. Healy, McGrath
2. Best
3. Furlong
4. Ryan
5. Toner, Henderson, Beirne
6. POM, Beirne
7. Leavy, VdF, SOB
8. Stander
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Stockdale, Larmour
12. Henshaw
13. Ringrose
14. Earls
15. Kearney, Larmour

16. Scannell, Herring
17. Loser of 1
18. Porter
19. Beirne, Henderson, Toner
20. POM, Nordi
21. Cooney, McGarth, Marmion
22. Carbery, Byrne
23. Larmour, Conway, Addison

Potential squad players not mentioned: John Ryan, Kilcoyne, Aki, Chris Farrell, Tom Farrell, Conan, Deegan, Kleyn

I think at this stage Tom Farrell is a long shot, Joe loves his four centres. Addison is in with a shout because after the top four back three players there is an obvious drop, he's in a straight shootout with Conway considering Adam Byrne and Sweetnam failed to impress in the past 12 months. After that the only bolter is Deegan, Conan is flirting with a flat track bully reputation and if Deegan can show more substance he's in. I think the emergence of Beirne eliminates Ruddock from contention, he's the more effective lock/backrow hybrid.

That's 40 players fighting for 31 RWC spots, 39 without T Farrell who I think has come too late to the party. It's looking very promising and with the exception of the front row and 10 I don't think there's anywhere that an injury really forces us to pick a player who isn't really of standard.

(I may have missed some players, it's still early in the season, I'm far from sharp!)

 

[profitius]

Paul Boyle could be in with a shout. Just 21 and having a storming season for Connacht. Can play anywhere in the backrow and captained Ireland U20s.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Front Row

Healy and McGrath are the looseheads and realistically that's not going to change without an injury. The Munster pair are both fairly limited IMO. Buckley is probably good enough but he obviously insulted Joe in a past life. No clear third choice but if the Aus tour is anything to go by we'll only take 2 anyway. Hooker is 2 Best, 16, Cronin probably. Third spot is between Herring, Scannell, Marshal (maybe). They could all push on into the 23 because tbh it's far from our best postiton. TH is Furlong, Porter, probably Ryan.

Second Row

Pretty easy: Ryan, Henderson, Toner, Beirne. Dunjo about the order but with Beirne's versatility I could see Toner being the man on the outside. Kleyn probably first on the plane if there's an injury.

Back Row.

It'll all cone down to form and fitness, the only thing I'd say is that it'll come from the current pool of capped players, Deegan and Doris will block each other unfortunately.

9/10

Murray, Cooney, McGrath/Marmion
Sexton, Carbery, Byrne

Depends on how many we take, but to free up space in the rest of the back line my instinct would be to leave Byrne at home given Cooney's ability to cover 10. McGrath has the advantage of having played with the 10s at club level and a lot more elite games than Marmion so I'd pick him but that's a close call.

Centres

Ringrose, Aki, Henshaw are all nailed on if fit. Fourth choice is probably Chris Farrell given the level of his performances in green. To late for Tom Farrell I'd say sadly.

Back Three

Larmour should be starting in November. The first four choice pick themselves but fifth is tricky. Conway is the incumbent but he's got competition in Munster from Sweetnam and Haley, not to mention Addison up north. Adam Byrne looked good v Cardiff in week 1 but hasn't featured since then.

This is obviously talking about a world cup squad, I'd expect almost all of the players mentioned to feature in November. I'd say anyone who's fit and doesn't make that squad probably isn't going to Japan which is what'd worry me about the likes of McGrath who's been outshined in blue so far by JGP although Murray's injury will probably save him.

Just a load of idle speculation really, I probably missed someone really obvious.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Addison spent almost three full years injured,
Every time he made a come back he'd get injured just as he built up a head of steam/started knocking on England's door.
Mike Haley debuted 3 years after and played about the same number of games (and Addison was a first choice right from his try scoring debut, basically)

Hopefully he's over it now, deserves to play international rugby, he's incredibly talented.
Also glad to see he's given up on his ideas of being a 13 - he's good there, don't get me wrong, but he excels in the back 3.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Addison spent almost three full years injured,
Every time he made a come back he'd get injured just as he built up a head of steam/started knocking on England's door.
Mike Haley debuted 3 years after and played about the same number of games (and Addison was a first choice right from his try scoring debut, basically)

Hopefully he's over it now, deserves to play international rugby, he's incredibly talented.
Also glad to see he's given up on his ideas of being a 13 - he's good there, don't get me wrong, but he excels in the back 3.

The ability to play centre could be incredibly valuable for him, the way the Irish WC squad is shaping up, there's definitely space there for a back 3 player who can cover centre.

 

[Leinster Fan]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugb...-for-late-runners-in-japan-race-37355472.html

Ruadhri O'Connor's take. Of course, most of it is utter b*******. I wouldn't have either Scannell anywhere near the squad personally, (imo Rory in particular is vastly overrated). Some of what you see in the indo raises the question of what their journos do that any random season ticket holder for an Irish rugby team couldn't.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugb...-for-late-runners-in-japan-race-37355472.html

Ruadhri O'Connor's take. Of course, most of it is utter b*******. I wouldn't have either Scannell anywhere near the squad personally, (imo Rory in particular is vastly overrated). Some of what you see in the indo raises the question of what their journos do that any random season ticket holder for an Irish rugby team couldn't.

Who would your three hookers ahead of him be?

Word on the street is that Schmidt is done with Cronin, leaves Best, Scannell and Herring in my opinion.

As for Rory, yeah I'd be looking at guys north and wesht before him.

 

[Leinster Fan]

IF Schmidt is genuinely finished with Cronin, and I'm far from convinced that anything that bad happened in Oz, then I guess there's no one else other than Scannell (Delahunt maybe but that's a huge stretch). Short of that though he's either been injured or out of form for over a year and hasn't done near enough to justify being picked in an Irish squad and as soon as Marshall is IQ I'd have him straight in ahead of Scannell although with Herring having 2 import hookers could be seen as a bit much.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

IF Schmidt is genuinely finished with Cronin, and I'm far from convinced that anything that bad happened in Oz, then I guess there's no one else other than Scannell (Delahunt maybe but that's a huge stretch). Short of that though he's either been injured or out of form for over a year and hasn't done near enough to justify being picked in an Irish squad and as soon as Marshall is IQ I'd have him straight in ahead of Scannell although with Herring having 2 import hookers could be seen as a bit much.

Cronin got one bench appearance in Oz in a tour without Best having come in in fantastic form and was dropped last winter too, all signs appear to be that Joe isn't a fan, Strauss was always no. 1 in Ster too.

You must rate Herring much higher than I do, he's little more than dead weight in my opinion. I thought Scannell was comfortably the better of the two in Oz as well. If Cronin was to be picked he'd be a permanent fixture at 16 for me too, Best as first choice, Scannell 2nd choice but Cronin as the sub. I'd have Marshall in front of Herring but would not want to rely on either in knockout stages of a RWC.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Who's going Earls and Kearney in the back three? I reckon Larmour could pip Stockdale to the post.

I appreciate Stockdale is working with far less but Addison and Lowry are the ones makeing things happen in this backline, like Stockdale was last year

 

[munstermuffin]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugb...-for-late-runners-in-japan-race-37355472.html

Ruadhri O'Connor's take. Of course, most of it is utter b*******. I wouldn't have either Scannell anywhere near the squad personally, (imo Rory in particular is vastly overrated). Some of what you see in the indo raises the question of what their journos do that any random season ticket holder for an Irish rugby team couldn't.

Scannell is probably the best with darts by a distance.
Cronin, it'd be foolish to leave home. Always said he's the best 16 to bring in to a game

 

[munstermuffin]

Who's going Earls and Kearney in the back three? I reckon Larmour could pip Stockdale to the post.

I appreciate Stockdale is working with far less but Addison and Lowry are the ones makeing things happen in this backline, like Stockdale was last year

Conway and Sweetnam will challenge but 5 back 3 guys will be Earls Conway Kearney Larmour and Stockdale. Carbery can cover 15 too so that'd be 6 options

 

[big ginger 8]

Think there's no chance Addison doesn't get at least one cap this autumn if fit.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Think there's no chance Addison doesn't get at least one cap this autumn if fit.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Conway and Sweetnam will challenge but 5 back 3 guys will be Earls Conway Kearney Larmour and Stockdale. Carbery can cover 15 too so that'd be 6 options

I'm just talking about the starting XV here, Larmour and Stockdale will both make the squad.

Addison v Conway is going to be a battle for the last spot. Addison is playing great rugby.

 

[munstermuffin]

I'm just talking about the starting XV here, Larmour and Stockdale will both make the squad.

Addison v Conway is going to be a battle for the last spot. Addison is playing great rugby.

Yes but just feel Conway is a typical Schmidt guy and suits system to perfection. Agreed Addison playing well but all the other guys are on form and know system so it may be a battle. Not impossible but very tough

 

[Leinster Fan]

I think Addison could well be ahead of Conway on form at the moment. Academic probably right now though because they'll both be in the AI squad. Addison has versatility on his side though from a WC pov and if he can pip Conway to the plane to Japan, he could also be putting Chris Farrell's place at risk in favour an extra halfback.

On the hookers I lost faith a bit in Scannell last year because he was really poor after he got back from injury. He's been better this year though and I'd have him 3rd after Best/Cronin.

Finally I'd say Dan Goggin is in for a call in a few weeks, he's been very good. McCloskey has turned into a key player for Ulster as well.