Ireland Squad

[An Tarbh]

he's weak in the scrum, not as strong on defence, gets the yips on the lineout as much as Best and is more of a liability in terms of discipline.

 

[shazbooger]

The flannery debate is always interesting. While Jackman has well and truly put paid to his chances this year Flannery and Best are right in it. The standard view is that Best is far superior in the tight, while Flannery on form is like having an additional openside on the pitch. Usually I'd go with Best and bring Flannery on from the bench, but Flannery has been in pretty good form of late. Damn good options to have if you ask me, but Best will get the nod to beef up the front row against the French.

 

[Macsen]

Kidney not sounding confident: "There are great sporting groups in Ireland that play Gaelic, hurling, soccer and rugby goes along with that. Rugby has grown in popularity and that's probably raised expectations but the truth is we have four professional teams in Ireland.
"A lot of the sides we play against, it's their primary game. France have 14 professional teams at the top level, England have a dozen or so and we're trying to compete against that. We're a small country and we'll give it our best shot."

Hmmm, Wales only has 4 teams and won it last year...

 

[An Tarbh]

Kidney has never been one to play up a teams chances, if he was still Munster coach he'd have the world convinced the Ospreys are favourites to win at Thomond.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Macsen @ Jan 28 2009, 08:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Kidney not sounding confident: "There are great sporting groups in Ireland that play Gaelic, hurling, soccer and rugby goes along with that. Rugby has grown in popularity and that's probably raised expectations but the truth is we have four professional teams in Ireland.
"A lot of the sides we play against, it's their primary game. France have 14 professional teams at the top level, England have a dozen or so and we're trying to compete against that. We're a small country and we'll give it our best shot."

Hmmm, Wales only has 4 teams and won it last year...[/b]

That's the sort of nonsense Kidney regularly spouts. When he coached Munster (and Leinster) he constantly talked up the opposition and mentioned how his charges faced a monumental task in every fixture. I don't read too much into what Kidney says because there's very often nothing of interest in his comments! He's merely trying to take the pressure off his team.

 

[MunsterMan]

If Kidney said he expected us to win I would be very worried. He knows what he is doing.

At the moment Best is ahead of Flannery, but Flannery performance against Montauban was probably the best by an Irish hooker this season. It depends on the type of game we are going to play, Best is more suited to a tight attentional game where as Flannery is more suited to a more expansive game. Personally I would play Best for the first 45-50 minutes and then bring on Fla and watch him wreak havoc B)

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jan 28 2009, 10:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Personally I would play Best for the first 45-50 minutes and then bring on Fla and watch him wreak havoc B)[/b]

That's what I'd do too. Flannery offers more impact from the bench. Give him 25 or 30 minutes to raise hell!

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoopy snoopy dog dog @ Jan 28 2009, 11:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jan 28 2009, 10:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Personally I would play Best for the first 45-50 minutes and then bring on Fla and watch him wreak havoc B)[/b]

That's what I'd do too. Flannery offers more impact from the bench. Give him 25 or 30 minutes to raise hell!
[/b][/quote]

I'd be happy with that, although he'd probably wait till 60 mins I'd imagine but at least he should actually use the bench.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I've heard that Brett Wilkinson is training with the Ireland squad. He's Connacht's first choice loosehead prop and won't be Ireland qualified until the summer. I'm not a huge fan of the three year residency rule but Wilkinson is a very good prop. In my opinion he's the best loosehead currently playing for an Irish province and having just turned 25, he could be around for a long time.

It's just a rumour but it wouldn't surprise me one bit if Wilkinson pulls on an Ireland shirt before the end of the year.

 

[An Tarbh]

Not too pleased with the reduced squad that Kidney has announced today.

Backs
Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Girvan Dempsey (Leinster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Shane Horgan (Leinster), Robert Kearney (Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Ronan O'Gara (Munster), Tomás O'Leary (Munster), Peter Stringer (Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ulster)

Forwards:
Rory Best (Ulster), Ryan Caldwell (Ulster), Tom Court (Ulster), Stephen Ferris (Ulster), Jerry Flannery (Munster), John Hayes (Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Marcus Horan (Munster), Denis Leamy (Munster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster), Paul O'Connell (Munster), Mick O'Driscoll (Munster), Malcolm O'Kelly (Leinster), Alan Quinlan (Munster), David Wallace (Munster)

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Eoin Reddan appears to be the biggest ommision from the squad. I don't understand how Shane Horgan or Mick O'Driscoll made the cut.

 

[An Tarbh]

he's basically given his back row selection to Lievremont with that announcement, well done Deccie.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 30 2009, 04:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

he's basically given his back row selection to Lievremont with that announcement, well done Deccie.[/b]

I don't know. He's named 5 backrowers in the squad. There's a debate at 6 (Quinlan or Ferris - I'd go for Ferris) and 8 (Heaslip or Leamy - a 50:50 call). The only thing he's given away is Wallace will start at 7.

 

[durbutter]

Bob Casey in both squads?

 

[An Tarbh]

if there's a debate at 6 then Kidney wants the sack, no way in hell should Quinlan start ahead of Ferris.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (noidsay @ Jan 30 2009, 05:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Bob Casey in both squads?[/b]

no my mistake. Perhaps wishful thinking on my part

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoopy snoopy dog dog @ Jan 30 2009, 05:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 30 2009, 04:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

he's basically given his back row selection to Lievremont with that announcement, well done Deccie.[/b]

I don't know. He's named 5 backrowers in the squad. There's a debate at 6 (Quinlan or Ferris - I'd go for Ferris) and 8 (Heaslip or Leamy - a 50:50 call). The only thing he's given away is Wallace will start at 7.
[/b][/quote]

I would have thought with the selection of Court, he's trying to cover as many options as possible on the bench, hence Leamy on the bench with Heaslip starting alongside Wallace and Ferris, unless he's had a full frontal lobotomy in the meanwhile

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 30 2009, 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoopy snoopy dog dog @ Jan 30 2009, 05:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 30 2009, 04:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

he's basically given his back row selection to Lievremont with that announcement, well done Deccie.[/b]

I don't know. He's named 5 backrowers in the squad. There's a debate at 6 (Quinlan or Ferris - I'd go for Ferris) and 8 (Heaslip or Leamy - a 50:50 call). The only thing he's given away is Wallace will start at 7.
[/b][/quote]

I would have thought with the selection of Court, he's trying to cover as many options as possible on the bench, hence Leamy on the bench with Heaslip starting alongside Wallace and Ferris, unless he's had a full frontal lobotomy in the meanwhile
[/b][/quote]
That's exactly what I'd do although I wouldn't be surprised if Leamy got the nod at 8.

 

[MunsterMan]

Mick'O. Horgan, Dempsey and Mal have no place in the squad although better here than in the A squad taking valuable gametime away from youngsters (which is probably why Reddan is not included, give him 80 minutes to try and find some form). Bad news is it looks like Paddy will be wearing #21.

1. Horan
2. Best
3. Hayes
4. DOC
5. POC
6. Ferris
7. Wally
8. Leamy
9. TOL
10. ROG
11. Earls
12. Fitzgerald
13. BOD ©
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

Although I wouldn't be surprised to see Kearney play left wing, with either Earls/Murphy/Dempsey at full back.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jan 30 2009, 05:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Mick'O. Horgan, Dempsey and Mal have no place in the squad although better here than in the A squad taking valuable gametime away from youngsters (which is probably why Reddan is not included, give him 80 minutes to try and find some form). Bad news is it looks like Paddy will be wearing #21.

1. Horan
2. Best
3. Hayes
4. DOC
5. POC
6. Ferris
7. Wally
8. Leamy
9. TOL
10. ROG
11. Earls
12. Fitzgerald
13. BOD ©
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

Although I wouldn't be surprised to see Kearney play left wing, with either Earls/Murphy/Dempsey at full back.[/b]

I'd like to see Earls lining up outside O'Driscoll with Fitzgerald on the wing but I don't see Kidney trying that for the first time at home to the French.