Irish Summer Tests

[welshglory]

Step forward Tony Buckley

Funnily enough Ireland probably would have been better off having Buckely come on for Ross rather than Court in the 6 nations! I wonder if he'll get a call up in the November internationals when the 23 man bench is in force...

 

[Peat]

Probably not if this squad is ought to go by

Forwards (16):
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon /Ulster)*
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)
Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Mike Sherry (Garryowen/Munster)*
Dan Tuohy (Ballymena /Ulster)
A.N. Other
A.N. Other
A.N. Other

Backs (13):
Darren Cave ( Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
A.N. Other

 

[munstermuffin]

Spots reserved are for Boss, O'Connell, Henry and last spot is wildcard said to be Wilkinson.
All the same In 1 test we will give a respectable effort and in 2 of the 3 we'll have a new one ripped open for us

 

[mulldog]

Apparently Tom Court is out of the tour with a hand injury.

Could be a good chance to test out Wilkinson or maybe McAllister

 

[Mablung]

Darn, really hoped dare I say expected Gilroy to get called up. Zebo has been very good this season but a little gutted as it seems that it is at Gilroys' expense. Maybe it is because I didn't see enough Ulster matches but did Trimble impress more than Gilroy this season?

 

[big ginger 8]

Trimble was always going to get in because he's a proven international and probably will start. Gilroy should have been ahead of Zeb he's much more complete. Madigan also is incredibly unlucky I think Kidney really should have picked a bigger squad.

 

[Peat]

Trimble's been a bit up and down this season. Since the 6N, the direction's mainly been down. At the moment I'd say Gilroy's neck and neck with him for the spare Ulster wing slot, once you've factored in Trimble's experience. He's been the better player.

 

[SoRadical]

I think Kidney really should have picked a bigger squad.

Or just cut the crap and name a squad which takes form into account. They are only playing three tests though, there isn't much point in picking a big one.

 

[big ginger 8]

Or just cut the crap and name a squad which takes form into account. They are only playing three tests though, there isn't much point in picking a big one.

Three tests against the All Blacks needs a squad of at least 36. We don't want people playing every match this is the end of their season and they're ****ing wrecked. We usually have a large casualty list against N.Z. on tour remember last time we were down to about our 6th choice blindside?

Also while the squad is annoyingly conservative DO'C and Zebo are the only two I'd definitely don't deserve to be there. There are however a few more who deserve to be involved.

 

[ttankk]

The squad for new Zealand has been named and low and behold there are ….. few if no surprises. Declan kidney has played it safe in my opinion. I will say the inclusion of Darren Cave and Zebo in the backs and mike Sherry in the forwards is some good news to come out of it but the inclusion of Mike Sherry is really only there until Strauss is made available to Kidney. I understand Darcy has been in some good form this season but I would have rather seen Gilroy who is young and full of potential being taken and given a run of games and pitted against the world champions then a player not going to be at the next world cup. The fact then that he has also left four spots free for Boss, POC, Court and Henry is understandable in some ways but I would again prefer to see that last backs place go to Madigan and take him on tour and let him really experience top flight rugby. How an international manager can leave out an outhalf that's leads the charts for tries scored for his team and comes fourth overall with only one behind third and three behind second, both of whom are wingers is beyond me. It makes a very simple statement that he is an attacking number ten who always plays flat and fast. I know people may come back and say but he hasn't proven it with the boot, that's a fair statement but we have taken sexton and McFadden both proven goal kickers and likely starters so it shouldn't have been a worry. POG is apparently on the better side of 50/50 to make the tour, why we want to take one of the coutries greatest ever second rows and risk him is a joke. With all the recent retirements due to injuries from Wallace, Flannery and Leamy to name a few you would think he would be left at home to recover fully. We do have options in second row with the realistic choice being McCarthy so we can do without him. Ok that's my rant over you will be glad to hear.
Out

 

[osullie6]

I think Dave Kearney was very unlucky to miss out, especially as he was on the bench for the six nations. Zebo seems to have passed him in the pecking order without doing a whole lot to earn it. DK is, at this point in time, a more complete player.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

http://www.kidneyclock.net/

 

[Peat]

http://www.kidneyclock.net/

Don't know about you Olyy, but I kinda hope that they keep him, as this is hilarious. I'm beginning to think he's actually just trolling them. Doing it for the lulz.

Then again, my Irish friends do deserve to see something better than this...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm considering it a "Countdown till Declan Kidney's contract gets renewed" clock :lol:

 

[lynam1104]

Thats a depressingly long time.

 

[Feicarsinn]

http://www.kidneyclock.net/

That's ****ing fantastic.


Soo anyway, I was having a bit of a ponder of what kind of squad Kidney's successor will have when he comes into office (who doesn't love a bit of idle speculation, eh?). I'd imagine that we'll be living in a world without ROG, DOC, Dorce and Drico, while POC will still probably be banging around with any luck. So I did some depth charts:

Loosehead Prop
Cian Healy
Tom Court
Paddy McAllister
Jack McGrath

We're pretty well set here. The first two guys are both very good operators and Cian Healy never seems to be injured in any case. I have no major complaints

Hooker:
Rory Best
Richardt Strauss
Sean Cronin
Mike Sherry

Solid position. 4 good operators, all of whom I wouldn't have much hesitation throwing into international action (perhaps Sherry, but no doubt another year will have brought him on a bit)

Tighthead Prop
Mike Ross
Declan Fitzpatrick
Jamie Hagan
Ronan Loughney
Tony Buckley

Obviously this is an area of major concern. I don't think any of the guys mentioned are fit to take over from Ross as an international quality 3. Fortunately there is some decent talent emerging that may be fast tracked into the squad by the next world cup

Second Row
Paul O'Connell
Donnacha Ryan
Dan Tuohy
Devin Toner

Happy here. Not as good as the Mal, POC & DOC days, but plenty of talent. Hopefully Ryan Caldwell's impressive form with Bath will get a look in too

Tighthead Flanker
Stephen Ferris
Sean O'Brien
Rhys Ruddock
Peter O'Mahony

Jizzworthy.

Loosehead flanker
Sean O'Brien
Peter O'Mahony
Chris Henry
Dominic Ryan

Once again, not bad at all.

Number 8
Jamie Heaslip
Sean O'Brien
Paddy Butler
Roger Wilson

The back row by will be in good shape next year, and 8 is no exception. It's all about getting the balance right.

Scrum Half
Eoin Reddan
Conor Murray
Paul Marshall
Isaac Boss

A waiting game if I ever saw one. Soon the chosen one will sweep all of these mortals aside, but they'll do for now

Out half
Johnny Sexton
Ian Madigan
Ian Keatley
Paddy Jackson
Sexton is obviously leagues out in front, but you couldn't ask for a better game changer to be able to bring on than Madigan. I imagine that we'll see a serious improvement in Keatley once he's given the Munster 10 shirt for a whole season

Inside Centre
Fergus McFadden
Luke Fitzgerald
Paddy Wallace
Gordon D'arcy

A position in which we're going to have to put up with a few old lads for a while I feel. JJ Hanrahan may get more game time than I'm anticipating, but I reckon it'll be 2 years before he's ready to be included.

Outside Centre
Darren Cave
Eoin O'Malley
Eoin Griffin
Keith Earls

Happy enough here, lot's of proper 13's. Good stuff.

Wings
Tommy Bowe
Luke Fitzgerald
Keith Earls
Andrew Trimble
Craig Gilroy
Simon Zebo
Dave Kearney
Tiernan O'Halloran

Not a problem area in any way, shape or form.

Fullback
Rob Kearney
Felix Jones
Dave Kearney
Keith Earls

Rob obviously can't be replaced, but Jones could make do in a pinch. I'm not unhappy here.


So, lots for the incoming coach to work with. Once this Kidney ******* fecks off we can get back down to work I guess.

 

[psychic duck]

will have any more of your "project players" qualified by then?

also didn't Kidney once coach Leinster?

 

[Feicarsinn]

He did, and was quite unpopular if memory serves.

Jared Payne is the only other player who I think is being looked at as a project player at the moment, and he's years away. Don't be getting all high and mighty, it's not like everyone who plays for Wales is 100% Welsh.

 

[psychic duck]

He did, and was quite unpopular if memory serves.

doesn't surprise me

Jared Payne is the only other player who I think is being looked at as a project player at the moment, and he's years away.

... and there is that Hurricanes prop Leinster have signed

 

[Feicarsinn]

Oh yeah, Michael Bent. Slipped my mind. He's qualified now and by all accounts is a decent scrummager, but I'll reserve judgement on him until I see him.