RWC Discussion thread: Ireland are bulbous and ready to dominate

[Kiwi_]

Ireland could win the WC without ever having beaten the All Blacks, now that would be a crazy statistic.

 

[bw245]

Can anyone see Schmidt staying on after next season?

 

[big ginger 8]

Emerging Ireland:

Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)
Denis Buckley (Corinthians/Connacht)
Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster)
John Cooney (Terenure/Connacht)
James Cronin (Dolphin/Munster)
Eoin Griffin (London Irish)
JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Matt Healy (Lansdowne/Connacht)
Dave Heffernan (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Billy Holland (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Cian Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster)
Ben Marshall (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Eoghan Masterson (Corinthians/Connacht)
Stuart McCloskey (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)
Eoin McKeon (Corinthians/Connacht)
Peter Nelson (Malone/Ulster)
Tiernan O'Halloran (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Noel Reid (Clontarf/Leinster)
Rhys Ruddock (St Mary's College/Leinster)
Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster)
Lewis Stevenson (Malone/Ulster)
Frank Taggart (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Andy Warwick (Ballymena/Ulster)

More developmental than last year, probably partly because of the extended World Cup squad and partly because of us dominating last year.

Hopefully Ruddock can get up some match fitness with these games.

 

[Canuck]

Emerging Ireland:

More developmental than last year, probably partly because of the extended World Cup squad and partly because of us dominating last year.

Hopefully Ruddock can get up some match fitness with these games.

What ever happened to Luke Marshall? I remember the hype surrounding him and a couple line breaks he had against Scotland in 6N in 2013. But he seems to be absent from International squads recently (not just Ireland but the Wolfhounds and Emerging Ireland).

 

[Peat]

What ever happened to Luke Marshall? I remember the hype surrounding him and a couple line breaks he had against Scotland in 6N in 2013. But he seems to be absent from International squads recently (not just Ireland but the Wolfhounds and Emerging Ireland).

Run of bad luck. First he got concussion issues, then he picked up some injuries. He also bulked up to a ridiculous degree which probably didn't help him when actually fit.

I have to say, I am idly wondering whether this means he'll be part of the training squad. I guess it depends slightly on how many centres they're including - but Henshaw, Payne, D'Arcy, Cave, ???. If they take five centres to camp, then that's either Marshall or Hurley.

 

[big ginger 8]

Jennings, Kirchner and Gopperth have joined the Baa-Baa's squad for the match against Leinster/Connacht.

 

[munstermuffin]

Jennings, Kirchner and Gopperth have joined the Baa-Baa's squad for the match against Leinster/Connacht.

Connacht win Sunday and it'll be a case of Leinster academy possibly as all 3 Irish provinces will hopefully be in action.
I'm delighted Jennings will get the send off he deserved in RDS 2 weeks ago.

Regards Marshall. He won't go RWC. He's too far down line and has problems with concussion still. Henshaw Payne Madigan Earls Fitzgearld Cave and D'Arcy will all be fighting for the centre spots (can play there). Bowie too.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

The outside backs are the only positions that will be controversial in the squad selection.
If we assume positions 1-10 will hold 22-23 squad places there'll be 8-9 spots for the last five positions on the pitch. A few pick themselves such as Kearney, Bowe, Henshaw and Payne so from the remaining 4-5 places you need at least two wingers, a twelve and a thirteen. Gilroy, Fitzgerald, Madigan and Earls would cover this for me, swap Fitz and Earls and Gilroy and Zebo as that's personal preference. Comes down to third hooker vs Zebo/Jones to me.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

I really hope Gilroy can make his way into the squad. Absolutely phenomenal this season.

 

[Peat]

The outside backs are the only positions that will be controversial in the squad selection.
If we assume positions 1-10 will hold 22-23 squad places there'll be 8-9 spots for the last five positions on the pitch. A few pick themselves such as Kearney, Bowe, Henshaw and Payne so from the remaining 4-5 places you need at least two wingers, a twelve and a thirteen. Gilroy, Fitzgerald, Madigan and Earls would cover this for me, swap Fitz and Earls and Gilroy and Zebo as that's personal preference. Comes down to third hooker vs Zebo/Jones to me.

Take the third hooker. Think Trimble might have something to say about that if he's fit in time for the training camp, the others may offer more sparkle at times but he was made for Schmidt's plan and has been very solid. Not sure Gilroy did himself too many favours on Friday. Didn't do badly, just maybe not enough.

If you were to ask me to pick an Ireland team right now, Jackson would be on the bench, there'd be an Ulster flanker on the field - and I'd be seriously half-thinking about Best's place in the team as I've got to admit an ugly pattern with his composure is showing.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Peter Stringer should travel to the WC. Discuss.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Peter Stringer should travel to the WC. Discuss.

Sale lad through and through.
I heard he's looking to qualify for England through the Olympic loophole to honour his pure blooded Lancashire lineage.

 

[Peat]

Sale lad through and through.
I heard he's looking to qualify for England through the Olympic loophole to honour his pure blooded Lancashire lineage.

This is what I admire about you Olyy. Most people would founder given such a marginal chance for good tempered wummery. You, however, crank up the ridiculousness until it works.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Peter Stinger > Ben "Literally Shιt" Youngs.

 

[munstermuffin]

The thing is Stringer is hitting some form. Certainly deserves a chance.

 

[big ginger 8]

Murray is out for 6 weeks with an MCL.

 

[bw245]

World cup training squad named by Schmidt today. No real surprises. D'Arcy included which some may not have expected. Good to see Trimble there, too.

Forwards (23)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Michael Bent (Dublin University/Leinster)
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster)
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster)
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)

Backs (22)
Isaac Boss (Terenure/Leinster)
Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Noel Reid (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster)

*Denotes uncapped player

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

No Keatley, big party

 

[bw245]

Has anyone heard anything from the Ireland camp? All very quiet. Live updates on walesonline from their training camp.

 

[bw245]

Zebo injured his knee in open training sesh apparently.