Mr. Schmidt's Wild Ride - Ireland 2015 6 Nations

[Feicarsinn]

Discuss the team and all the goings along with it here. There were no incorrect details posted here whatsoever.

Hon the lads.

 

[big ginger 8]

Well there is a chance of Healy being back for the Wasps game so could be involved and apparently SO'B is only a week behind him. Ruddock is out until the Dragons game which is in April...and Tuohy is now out for possibly 8 weeks.

Also the opener is against Italy not France.

 

[Groundhog]

Confirming the obvious, Paulie said he was done Post World Cup, or might finish out the whole season. I imagine it will be the latter if he hasn't been reduced to a pile of dust. On positives, Earls played a game off the bench for us last weekend, and a few other guys are set to recover pre 6 Nations hopefully.
I reckon we might come into this 6 Nations a tad undercooked, or at least I can't see us performing to such a high standard as we did in Autumn continuously.

 

[big ginger 8]

Confirming the obvious, Paulie said he was done Post World Cup, or might finish out the whole season. I imagine it will be the latter if he hasn't been reduced to a pile of dust. On positives, Earls played a game off the bench for us last weekend, and a few other guys are set to recover pre 6 Nations hopefully.
I reckon we might come into this 6 Nations a tad undercooked, or at least I can't see us performing to such a high standard as we did in Autumn continuously.

Olyy will be devo.

 

[Peat]

and Tuohy is now out for possibly 8 weeks.

Oh for the love of f**king god.

Please don't select any Ulster players, I'm not sure I can cope with more injuries.

 

[munstermuffin]

This is the first time ever there's realistically up to 35 players seriously battling for spots.

 

[big ginger 8]

Anyone want to have a stab at the Wolfhounds team? Possiblity of:

1. Healy
2. Strauss
3. Moore
4. Foley
5. McCarthy
6. Diack
7. Murphy
8. Copeland
9. Marmion
10. Keatley
11. Kearney
12. Reid
13. Cave
14. Gilroy
15. Jones

16. Herring (seems to be preferred to Casey)
17. Buckley
18. Ah You
19. Kearney
20. Ryan/Conan
21. Reddan
22. Hanrahan (just to make sure England don't get him...)
23. Earls

Probably a rake of players I'm forgetting. Unsure on the status of Henderson.

 

[munstermuffin]

Anyone want to have a stab at the Wolfhounds team? Possiblity of:

1. Healy
2. Strauss
3. Moore
4. Foley
5. McCarthy
6. Diack
7. Murphy
8. Copeland
9. Marmion
10. Keatley
11. Kearney
12. Reid
13. Cave
14. Gilroy
15. Jones

16. Herring (seems to be preferred to Casey)
17. Buckley
18. Ah You
19. Kearney
20. Ryan/Conan
21. Reddan
22. Hanrahan (just to make sure England don't get him...)
23. Earls

Probably a rake of players I'm forgetting. Unsure on the status of Henderson.

Well I'm presuming Earls is in his plans as he was 1 Munster guy brought in to camps whenever etc so I can see him start. Keatley may be left out as well Sexton is out of 1st game so he might not want to chance being down to 1. Paddy Jackson may see time. I'd expect 1 of Ulster boys at 12 and would hope Conan is at 6. Tommy O'Donnell at 7. But it's very hard to say as guys like Healy and Sean O'Brien may use it as game time. Also can't see Reddan benching here. And very unlikely we will see JJ. I'd hope Conway involved too.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Paddy Jackson's fall from grace in the eyes of the coaching staff has been pretty sheer in the last 12 months. He looked like he'd have that bench slot locked down this time last year. I guess Keatley and Madigan in particular project a lot more confidence in their play.

 

[munstermuffin]

Paddy Jackson's fall from grace in the eyes of the coaching staff has been pretty sheer in the last 12 months. He looked like he'd have that bench slot locked down this time last year. I guess Keatley and Madigan in particular project a lot more confidence in their play.

True but he'd still be ahead of JJ simply because he's staying in Ireland and IRFU will want him ahead off JJ for this game.
But on Wolfhounds it's hard to predict as it'll depend on guys getting time etc and McFadden was left out and id have him probably in there ahead of Kearney or Reid

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

True but he'd still be ahead of JJ simply because he's staying in Ireland and IRFU will want him ahead off JJ for this game.
But on Wolfhounds it's hard to predict as it'll depend on guys getting time etc and McFadden was left out and id have him probably in there ahead of Kearney or Reid

Yeah, I'd have Ferg ahead of Kearney unless, like me, BG8 thinks Ferg will be in contention for the starting 23?
11: Trimble
12: Henshaw
13: Fitzgerald
14: Bowe
15: Kearney

23: McFadden

is what I'd pick with full fitness for these guys, tough on Payne though but at centre he's at about the level of Ferg but not as comfortable at 12.

 

[Peat]

is what I'd pick with full fitness for these guys, tough on Payne though but at centre he's at about the level of Ferg but not as comfortable at 12.

Bit harsh on Ferg that.

 

[psychic duck]

Paddy Jackson's fall from grace in the eyes of the coaching staff has been pretty sheer in the last 12 months. He looked like he'd have that bench slot locked down this time last year. I guess Keatley and Madigan in particular project a lot more confidence in their play.

Madigan may find his niche as a bench option. Covers 3 positions well and has a spark about him to make an impact, same can't be said of Jackson. Just must be slightly disappointing for him that he's 25 now and didn't really kick on and nail down the Leinster 10 shirt in Sexton's absence.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Madigan may find his niche as a bench option. Covers 3 positions well and has a spark about him to make an impact, same can't be said of Jackson. Just must be slightly disappointing for him that he's 25 now and didn't really kick on and nail down the Leinster 10 shirt in Sexton's absence.

Madigan's style is pretty much uniquely unsuited to what MOC is trying to do. But the main problem for Madigan at 10 for Leinster has been the fact that (at least in my opinion) he needs a 12 who can get over the gain line, which he hasn't had. He's looked reasonably good at 12 however, so I can see him retaining that role when Sexton returns.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Madigan's style is pretty much uniquely unsuited to what MOC is trying to do. But the main problem for Madigan at 10 for Leinster has been the fact that (at least in my opinion) he needs a 12 who can get over the gain line, which he hasn't had. He's looked reasonably good at 12 however, so I can see him retaining that role when Sexton returns.

I think Madigan 10 with Reid at 12 is the way to go for the rest of the season, we'd miss Te'o who looked handy last week which is a negative but Reid brings a lot to the fluidity of the backline in my opinion. Alternatively he could try Fitz and Te'o in the centre but then Gopperth would probably be the better fit at 10 and the tactical kicking side of Leinster's game would take a big hit. It would never happen and I wouldn't want it to but Madigan moving to Connacht would work wonders for Ireland, he'd be better suited to Lam's game and Connacht are the only province that don't have an international 10. Obviously Mads is far too valuable to Leinster though.

 

[lynam1104]

IMO a Leinster backline with Mads at 10 and Te'o and Fitzy in the centres would function well, provides a good balance of physicality and guile.

Back to Ireland and specifically Madigan, I think the issue that he faces when playing top level rugby as a 10 is inconsistency in tactical kicking game, certainly with how Ireland have played recently that being a heavy feature I think he might not be best suited. However if Payne and Henshaw are fit that issue is alleviated a little. Having said that going on form I think the centre partnership should be Henshaw and Fitzy. This and next weekend will be huge in determining who gets the nod, currently I reckon Joe will go with the familiarity of Madigan.

 

[big ginger 8]

Madigan is Leinster's Zebo really. I do think he's overrated as a 10, fantastic individual talent but he can't get the backline going especially when his pack isn't dominating. Anyway I left him and Jackson out of the Wolfhounds because they'll be the 10s for the Italy 23 and as cmac said McFadden will also likely be in there as well.

The JJ thing is a bit of a joke.

 

[Feicarsinn]

I reckon Keats may be ahead of Jackson at the moment.

 

[munstermuffin]

I reckon Keats may be ahead of Jackson at the moment.

I think that's well established from most recent camp.
Regards our backs. Zebo Bowe Kearney and Trimble (if fit) will all expect to be in 1st 15/23. It's no secret Schmidt is massive fan of Felix too so like it'll be very interesting. Add in Fitzgearld, D'Arcy, Payne and Henshaw. Only 2 will be in 23 as centres. Competition is hot.

BG8 had long day lol so not catching which of JJ bit is joke?

 

[Feicarsinn]

If McFadden had had more rugby under his belt I'd imagine that he'd be in the mix too, a firm Schmidt favourite. And with good reason.

Reasilitically the back three is Bowe, Kearney + an other. I'd imagine it may come down to opposition, or whoever is going well in camp.