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Squad Selections

Def not O'Leary, thought he had a dreadful game on Sat, lucky not to cost Ireland the game. Every single box kick he did (alot) were rubbish, presenting ball to the very good French back 3 to counter attack. Each box kick landed in no mans land (not far enough to push France back and give the chasers time to cut down the space, too far to give any hope of contesting). If France were more clinical, finishing off a couple more of their counter attacks, Ireland would have been dead and buried before half time!

An on form Peel or Blair would be my choice, but if Phillips is the one on form (was the only one this weekend to show anything, well other than Ellis, but please no!) then so be it. At least he adds physicallity, a great kicking game (probably the best of any scrum half) and guarantees possesion from rucks (even if it can be slow and messy).
 
that's nonsense to say O'Leary was dreadful, yes he kicked too deep at times but that was the only facet of his game you could criticise, nothing wrong with his defence or his distribution either. No way did he nearly cost Ireland the match, you're way off the mark there.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dullonien @ Feb 9 2009, 08:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Def not O'Leary, thought he had a dreadful game on Sat, lucky not to cost Ireland the game. Every single box kick he did (alot) were rubbish, presenting ball to the very good French back 3 to counter attack. Each box kick landed in no mans land (not far enough to push France back and give the chasers time to cut down the space, too far to give any hope of contesting). If France were more clinical, finishing off a couple more of their counter attacks, Ireland would have been dead and buried before half time!

An on form Peel or Blair would be my choice, but if Phillips is the one on form (was the only one this weekend to show anything, well other than Ellis, but please no!) then so be it. At least he adds physicallity, a great kicking game (probably the best of any scrum half) and guarantees possesion from rucks (even if it can be slow and messy).[/b]
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slow and messy and farting about at the base of rucks is not what you need against South Africa, you want quick ball do you don't give the defence extra time.
 
It's good to see that we not only have options at 9 but good options.

Personally I think an on form Peel is the best of them but I also feel that Phillips offers something different and that may be very useful against the Boks.
 
Poor George Hook seems to be losing the plot with how he thinks things stand with the Lions contenders. Seems to be taking the Woodturd approach on this one as well, 62 players picked.

His Definites:

O'Connell, D. Wallace, R. Jones, M. Rees, G. Jenkins, Powell, M. Williams, Barclay, Murray, Sheridan, Haskell, BOD, ROG, Kearney, S. Williams, L. Byrne, Hook, Peel, Blair, Sackey.

His Probables

O'Callaghan, Leamy, Heaslip, Flannery, Ferris, Horan, Wyn Jones, Thomas, Mears, Vickery, Jason White, Croft, Hogg, Taylor, D'Arcy, Fitzgerald, S Jones, Henson, Halfpenny, Cueto, Ellis

His possibles

Jennings, A. Jones, Hartley, Worsley, Moody, Lipman, Hall, Brown, Stringer, Reddan, P. Wallace, Earls, Roberts, M. Jones, Care, Tindall, Tait, Goode, Monye, Noon, Southwell.

Anyone picking Ellis over Care should be off in a nursing home, Wyn Jones is looking more and more like a test banker every time I see him play, Hook isn't living up to his hype so he cannot be a definite. Sackey hasn't shown much form either to have him as a definite, ROG has been too hit and miss but if he's on form then he will tour. The fact that he's left out Phillips but included Reddan and Stringer as possibles is ludicrous. Obvious Irish bias which is understandable but that even takes the **** for him. He picks someone like Southwell yet no sign of either of the Evans brothers and from this weekend Roberts looks like the one to partner O'Driscoll in Durban on June 20, so how he can only be a possible is beyond me. This is so far off the mark it's frightening.
 
Just my view on O'Leary's kicking, probably being a bit harsh, but to kick badly like that once and have their back 3 slice through like butter is one thing, but he did it time, after time, after time, that's dreadful in my books. Looking back through the Ireland-France thread shows how under the cosh Ireland were in the first half, well untill O'Driscoll scored really, and this was partly down to some appalling kicking just handing back 'dream ball' to France! Imo, it doesn't matter how good his passing and tackling was, to do basic errors like that so often is unforgivable, and yes it could have cost Ireland the game if they were 10+ down at h/t!

Phillips' distibution isn't the best, but I also think he offers something different and can be a great way to change a game coming on for a classic scrum half like Peel/Blair, or starting the game with the quicker s/h coming on when there are tired legs on the pitch. He makes some excellent breaks (though he's selfish and needs to give the offload sooner when he does), his passing can be quick and accurate when needed (though it's often poor and slow). I'm glad we have the option of Phillips or Peel/Cooper for Wales, it's similar to having Hook or Jones, both offer completely different things.

After the first round of 6nations matches my centre partnership would also be Roberts 12-13 O'Driscoll (O'Driscoll showing some of his old form against France, with a well taken try (though terrible tackling from Bauxis) and a superb defensive game. They could create some havok with Roberts line breaking abilities (through players) and O'Driscoll's finishing! Don't see anyone getting past them either. Good to have him back playing well, the Lions needed him.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dullonien @ Feb 9 2009, 09:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Just my view on O'Leary's kicking, probably being a bit harsh, but to kick badly like that once and have their back 3 slice through like butter is one thing, but he did it time, after time, after time, that's dreadful in my books. Looking back through the Ireland-France thread shows how under the cosh Ireland were in the first half, well untill O'Driscoll scored really, and this was partly down to some appalling kicking just handing back 'dream ball' to France! Imo, it doesn't matter how good his passing and tackling was, to do basic errors like that so often is unforgivable, and yes it could have cost Ireland the game if they were 10+ down at h/t!

Phillips' distibution isn't the best, but I also think he offers something different and can be a great way to change a game coming on for a classic scrum half like Peel/Blair, or starting the game with the quicker s/h coming on when there are tired legs on the pitch. He makes some excellent breaks (though he's selfish and needs to give the offload sooner when he does), his passing can be quick and accurate when needed (though it's often poor and slow). I'm glad we have the option of Phillips or Peel/Cooper for Wales, it's similar to having Hook or Jones, both offer completely different things.

After the first round of 6nations matches my centre partnership would also be Roberts 12-13 O'Driscoll (O'Driscoll showing some of his old form against France, with a well taken try (though terrible tackling from Bauxis) and a superb defensive game. They could create some havok with Roberts line breaking abilities (through players) and O'Driscoll's finishing! Good to have him back playing well, the Lions needed him.[/b]
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given the line he took I think he would have beaten any fly half.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 9 2009, 09:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
given the line he took I think he would have beaten any fly half.[/b]
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Possibly, looked to me like Beauxis just drifted to slow. It was only first faze possesion with a simple pass from O'Gara in the end, nothing complicated or hard to read, no dummy runners to hold the defense, so I thought Beauxis should have tackled him. Though it was a good finish after that, stepping the covering Malzieu, looked like the kinda try he scored for fun 5 years ago.
 
Can't really disagree with any of those.
Thought Matthew Rees was good against Scotland, lineouts aside...
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Feb 11 2009, 03:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Can't really disagree with any of those.
Thought Matthew Rees was good against Scotland, lineouts aside...[/b]
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Yea he was to be fair, Im not Rees's biggest fan and I think thats what affected my decision at the end, however I do expect Ross Ford / Dylan Hartley to kick on!
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Feb 11 2009, 05:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Feb 11 2009, 03:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
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Can't really disagree with any of those.
Thought Matthew Rees was good against Scotland, lineouts aside...[/b]
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Yea he was to be fair, Im not Rees's biggest fan and I think thats what affected my decision at the end, however I do expect Ross Ford / Dylan Hartley to kick on!
[/b][/quote]

well not a huge chance of that happening with Hartley warming the bench.
 

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