Wolfhounds vs Saxons

[Duckdee]

15 Nick Abendanon (Bath Rugby)
14 James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester Rugby)
13 Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
12 Billy Twelvetrees (Leicester Tigers)
11 Ugo Monye (Harlequins)
10 Stephen Myler (Northampton Saints)
9 Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
1 Alex Corbisiero (London Irish)
2 Lee Mears (Bath Rugby)
3 Paul Doran-Jones (Gloucester Rugby)
4 Graham Kitchener (Worcester warriors)
5 Christian Day (Northampton Saints)
6 James Gaskell (Sale Sharks)
7 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain)
8 Luke Narraway (Gloucester Rugby)

Replacements
16 James Buckland (London Irish)
17 Joe Marler (Harlequins)
18 George Robson (Harlequins)
19 Andrew Saull (Saracens)
20 Paul Hodgson (London Irish)
21 Brad Barritt (Saracens)
22 Mike Brown (Harlequins)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Should be a goodun
Fairly unchanged team so they'll gel more than they did against Italy

 

[munstermuffin]

Well Ireland resting Stringer while Duffy and Toner are travelling to Rome as cover. Buckley is injured and I think Ian Keatley and Paul Marshall are in 22 announced later

 

[Peat]

They've announced the 22 you muffin!

Well. The squad. Close enough...

Backs (10) -
Isaac Boss (Terenure College - Leinster)
Fionn Carr (Galwegians- Connacht)
Ian Humphreys (Ballymena - Ulster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne - Leinster)
Ian Keatley (Galwegians- Connacht)
Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution - Munster)
Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins - Ulster)
Johne Murphy (Young Munster - Munster)
Eoin O'Malley (Old Belvedere - Leinster)
Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch - Ulster)

Forwards (12) -
Nigel Brady (Dungannon - Ulster)
Willie Faloon (Ballynahinch - Ulster)
Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon - Ulster)
Jamie Hagan (Corinthians - Connacht)
Chris Henry (Ballymena - Ulster)
Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers - Connacht)
Ian Nagle (Cork Constitution - Munster)
Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution - Munster)
Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne - Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon - Munster)
Damien Varley (Garryowen - Munster)
Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians - Connacht)

This Saxons team could be improved by

Swapping Lee Mears for Buckland
Swapping Gaskell for... well, Saull from what's there, but I'd have taken Guest or Fearns.
Swapping out 12T and Manu for Allen and Clarke

The Wolfhounds team could be improved by

More Nordies
Less Mick O'Driscoll

Both teams could be improved by

Having a better name

 

[munstermuffin]

Meant starting team and bench Peat

 

[Teh Mite]

Yet the 1st team have Hape and Tindall. Madness I tell you. MADNESS!

 

[Peat]

Meant starting team and bench Peat

15. Johne Murphy
14. Denis Hurley
13. Eoin O'Malley
12. Nevin Spence
11. Fionn Carr
10. Ian Humphreys
9. Isaac Boss

1. Brett Wilkinson
2. Damien Varley
3. Jamie Hagan
4. Donnacha Ryan
5. Mick O'Driscoll
6. Dominic Ryan
7. Willie Faloon
8. Chris Henry (c)

16. Nigel Brady
17. Declan Fitzpatrick
18. Ian Nagle
19. Mike McCarthy
20. Paul Marshall
21. Ian Keatley
22. Dave Kearney

Thats where my money is. The locks and Keatley/Humphreys is the only area where this might be wrong. It does look quite predictable...

Faloon and Ryan is a back row combo I like. They're both homicidal loons where you wind them up and then watch them run around trying to kill everything. Beautiful. I might find the odds on them accidentally tackling each other.

 

[munstermuffin]

I know he is a bit young yet but could Tuilagi be the answer to 13 for Eng. It seems like a position that England can't find a settled guy in and well he has impressed me

 

[Peat]

I know he is a bit young yet but could Tuilagi be the answer to 13 for Eng. It seems like a position that England can't find a settled guy in and well he has impressed me

Yes. Needs to sort out his defensive alignment although I'd still be tempted to have him ahead of Tindall already.

Mindyou, I'd already have Jon Clarke, Dom Waldouck and George Lowe ahead of Tindall so...

 

[Peat]

Ok, I got that one slightly wrong. I should have remembered Ireland will do anything to avoid giving Carr gametime, but really did not foresee leaving Ryan on the bench or starting Deccie Fitz.

O2 Ireland Wolfhounds team v England Saxons, (Friday, February 4th, Ravenhill, 19:30)

15 - David Kearney (Lansdowne - Leinster)
14 - Johne Murphy (Young Munster - Munster)
13 - Eoin O'Malley (Old Belvedere - Leinster)
12 - Nevin Spence (Ballynahinch - Ulster)
11 - Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution - Munster)
10 - Ian Humphreys (Ballymena - Ulster)
9 - Isaac Boss (Terenure College - Leinster)
1 - Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians - Connacht)
2 - Damien Varley (Garryowen - Munster)
3 - Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon - Ulster)
4 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon - Munster)
5 - Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution - Munster)
6 - Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers - Connacht)
7 - Willie Faloon (Ballynahinch - Ulster)
8 - Chris Henry (Ballymena - Ulster) Captain

Replacements:
16 - Nigel Brady (Dungannon - Ulster)
17 - Jamie Hagan (Corinthians - Connacht)
18 - Ian Nagle (Cork Constitution - Munster)
19 - Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne - Leinster)
20 - Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins - Ulster)
21 - Ian Keatley (Galwegians- Connacht)
22 - Fionn Carr (Galwegians- Connacht)

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Looks like an average Magners League team. England should win comfortably.

 

[coonor]

Jamie Hagan should be in for Fitzpatrick who is over rated in my opinion. Disappointed for Dominic Ryan who defiantly deserves a start. I think England should win easily but it's nice to see some young talent get game time.

 

[Feicarsinn]

What's the purpose of playing O'Driscoll? Can he just **** off please?

 

[gingergenius]

Looking at those teams, England should smash them.

Nonetheless, what the **** is going on with English backrow selections? We've got Haskell (a blindside) playing 7 for the firsts, and Wood (an openside) at 6. And for the second week running, James Gaskell (a lock) plays blindside and Robshaw (a blindside) plays openside.

With this Saxons side, surely it would be better to either have 4. Kitchener, 5. Day, 6. Robshaw, 7. Saull on the basis that Gaskell did **** all against Italy; or 4. Kitchener, 5. Gaskell, 6. Robshaw, 7. Saull on the basis that Day also did **** all???

 

[Peat]

Ginge, you seem quite angry at the moment.

Also Gaskell played his last club match for Sale at 6 (I think) and has played plenty there; Robshaw's played plenty this season at 7. Gaskel''s due to injuries elsewhere I believe but in Robshaw's case its very deliberate in an attempt to shoehorn Croft and Robshaw into the same back-row by having Robshaw at 7.

I mean, based on your logic, Wood at 6 is dead on as thats where he's spent most of his career.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Gaskells always switched between 6 and 4, but recently he's played more 6 because of injuries in the backrow/players coming back from injury in the second row
He said he enjoys 6 more atm, but feels his future is at lock

 

[eot345]

Looking at those teams, England should smash them.

Nonetheless, what the **** is going on with English backrow selections? We've got Haskell (a blindside) playing 7 for the firsts, and Wood (an openside) at 6. And for the second week running, James Gaskell (a lock) plays blindside and Robshaw (a blindside) plays openside.

With this Saxons side, surely it would be better to either have 4. Kitchener, 5. Day, 6. Robshaw, 7. Saull on the basis that Gaskell did **** all against Italy; or 4. Kitchener, 5. Gaskell, 6. Robshaw, 7. Saull on the basis that Day also did **** all???

were we watching the same game? Gaskell scored a try

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Apart from that he was anonymous
Didn't screw up, but compare him to Robshaw or Kitchener, they were a step above,

and I'm a massive Gaskell fan




Is this on tomorrow?
Odd choice if so, what with England v Wales being on
Anyone know kickoff time/if it's televised?

 

[Peat]

were we watching the same game? Gaskell scored a try

He's a blindside fooking flanker, not some mincing wuss of a winger!

edit: Got confused there... no, its not being televisd.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wolfhounds 20 - 11 Saxons
In what sounds sounds like atrocious conditions (rain and tons of wind)
Match report:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/uk...AsoH9doNBNtnVn4WQ?docId=N0561271296854836385A