Ireland Squad Announced For Guinness Series

[Conal]

but I'd be pretty surprised if they beat New Zealand

id be over the bloody moon if ireland beat new zealand
i just cant seeing it happining

 

[Feicarsinn]

Must admit though if we fail to beat the All Blacks this time then it will be a massive chance lost because we are in our own yard and our players are on form.
It's no disrespect to the All Blacks either just that this is a massive chance for us on Nov 20

The All Blacks are playing their best rugby since 2005. If we keep them within 10 I'll be happy.

 

[durbutter]

The All Blacks are playing their best rugby since 2005. If we keep them within 10 I'll be happy.

Yep. i know its a terrible way to look at it but its true............

 

[eot345]

Lucky:
Shane Horgan, Isaac Boss, Marcus Horan, John Hayes (WTF?!), John Muldoon

Unlucky:
Fionn Carr, Ian Keatley, Jamie Hagan

I fail to see how a ball carrying, solid scrummaging tighthead in the shape of Jamie Hagan is considered inferior to a clapped out veteran who doesn't carry ball or scrummage anywhere near competently in the shape of John Hayes.

I can see why Carr and Keatley haven't been included. Carr has a lot of competition for the spot and lacks versatility which the other wingers provide. Keatley is viewed as 3rd choice flyhalf and given the fact that Paddy Wallace can provide cover at 10, he probably isn't needed.

i think that including john hayes in an already relatively weak scrummaging pack is madness

 

[Conal]

i think that including john hayes in an already relatively weak scrummaging pack is madness

i think he means lucky as in
the players should count themselves lucky for being picked that mabey they didnt deserve it

 

[Feicarsinn]

With any luck he'll be third choice TH by a long way. Ross is the strongest scrummager, Buckley the most destructive in the loose. Hayes can't compete with either IMO.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

Who would people rather see get the 3 jersey; Ross or Buckley? I'm not even gonna give Hayes as an option. I'd rather see Ross get it because I'd like to see Ireland be somewhat competitive in the scrum. Also, I'm biased

 

[Conal]

Who would people rather see get the 3 jersey; Ross or Buckley? I'm not even gonna give Hayes as an option. I'd rather see Ross get it because I'd like to see Ireland be somewhat competitive in the scrum. Also, I'm biased

id start with ross buckley on the bench so when there tired you unleash buckley on them

 

[Feicarsinn]

Ross is my man, but obviously I'm massively biased toward Leinster. Seriously, I'd have 10 or 11 of our guys in the Ireland team.

Ross for fifty, then unleash Buckley in the last half hour to kill all humans in the loose but go backwards in the set piece . Offset it by replacing Healy with Court at roughly the same time.

 

[Conal]

, then unleash Buckley in the last half hour to kill all humans .

quote of the day

 

[Feicarsinn]

quote of the day

Shucks, thanks. They don't hand out these most quotable member awards to just anyone you know.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

I'd have 10 or 11 of our guys in the Ireland team.

I counted 10 for my starting XV: Ross, Healy, O'Brien, Heaslip, Reddan, Sexton, D'Arcy, BOD, Fitz, Kearney

 

[Feicarsinn]

I counted 10 for my starting XV: Ross, Healy, O'Brien, Heaslip, Reddan, Sexton, D'Arcy, BOD, Fitz, Kearney

No Leo?

 

[King_D'Arcy]

No Leo?

Will he be fit?

 

[Feicarsinn]

Got an hour against Connacht on the weekend. Not exactly international standard I know but he did alright.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

Only caught the last 10 minutes of the Connacht game. If Leo's fit then he will of course be in my starting XV. So I guess hat makes it 11 Leinster lads for me. Lovely stuff

 

[munstermuffin]

If there 11 Leinster starting I'd eat my hat. I think Munster and Ulster combined will have alot more than 4

 

[munstermuffin]

Also I think people seemed to miss point that Buckley has been doing well in scrums this year.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Going well to me infers that he locks the scrum on Munster's put in and pushes his opponent back on their put in. Buckley has done neither but he's not going backwards as easily as he did before and Munster are fairly comfortable. I think he deserves to start for Ireland due to his form in open play as opposed to his supposed newfoend scrummaging prowess. Since Greg Feek is now involved with Ireland, hopefully he'll help Buckley improve in much the same way that he's helped Cian Healy, Mike Ross, Heinke van der Merwe and Simon Shawe for Leinster.

 

[munstermuffin]

Snoop I'll accept that but Ross was a waste last year too so like I'd have him in same boat as Buckley. But at least we have 2 challenging for jersey now as opposed to when Hayes had it he had no rival.

The fact of the matter for 1st time we have realistic competition for every spot