Pick Your Ireland Squad for the Six Nations

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Pick your squad for Ireland in the Six Nations, and you could win the chance to be in a long, boring, meaningless argument with Sin E and/or rodders. Call now!

Here's my effort;

PROPS
Cian Healy, Mike Ross, Tom Court, Tony Buckley, Paddy McAllister
HOOKERS
Rory Best, Sean Cronin, Damien Varley
LOCKS
Paul O'Connell, Donnacha Ryan, Donncha O'Callaghan, Dan Tuohy, Devin Toner
BACKROW
Stephen Ferris, Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Peter O'Mahony, Chris Henry
SCRUM HALF
Eoin Reddan, Conor Murray, Isaac Boss
OUTHALF
Ronan O'Gara, Johnny Sexton
CENTRES
Gordon D'Arcy, Paddy Wallace, Fergus McFadden, Darren Cave, Keith Earls
BACK THREE
Luke Fitzgerald, Andrew Trimble, Tommy Bowe, Rob Kearney, Gavin Duffy

Captain; Paul O'Connell
Vice-Captains; Rory Best, Ronan O'Gara, Johnny Sexton, Jamie Heaslip

Additional Players to feature for Ireland A but not the squad for the tournament proper;

Stephen Archer, Mike Sherry, Shane Jennings, Mike McCarthy, Paul Marshall, Ian Madigan, Nevin Spence, Simon Zebo, Craig Gilroy

Cullen should be nowhere the 1st team squad and TOLshould not be in the Wolfhounds ahead of Marshall but other than that not bad.

Additional means tackle bag I assume

Only 25 players in with a chance of starting.

I'm assuming Luke Fitz isn't really behind Conway in the pecking order and he wants to give Conway experience with the first team squad and Fitz game time.

Cullen and Nagle being ahead of Toner and Tuohy seems very strange.

Not much to say other than that except we have no specialist TH cover.

Is that seriously the real squad? Nagle above Toner/Tuohy? Marshall not even in the wolfhounds? Fitzgerald not even in the main squad?? Does that mean O'Halloran, Conway and Zebo are ahead of him? Has Kidney been on holiday since the World cup or something and just picked names from a hat?

Kidney is an idiot.

Rodders, its all about building for RWC 2067

Those Additionals are NOT Above the Wolfhound players.

they are young lads going with the seniors to gain experience.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Is that seriously the real squad? Nagle above Toner/Tuohy? Marshall not even in the wolfhounds? Fitzgerald not even in the main squad?? Does that mean O'Halloran, Conway and Zebo are ahead of him? Has Kidney been on holiday since the World cup or something and just picked names from a hat?

Kidney is an idiot.

+ 100

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Is that seriously the real squad? Nagle above Toner/Tuohy? Marshall not even in the wolfhounds? Fitzgerald not even in the main squad?? Does that mean O'Halloran, Conway and Zebo are ahead of him? Has Kidney been on holiday since the World cup or something and just picked names from a hat?

Kidney is an idiot.

Sorry Rory he isn't you are miss reading the squad set ups
Ditto Rodders - see my post before yours

Hmmm,


Point 1. Drop TOL for P Marshall
2. Thought Cullen was injured
3. Fitzgerald will be moved to the senior squad after the wolfhound game
4. Id swap Jennings for Henry
5. Who is Ronan Loughney



That's all for now

geoff998rugby wrote:Those Additionals are NOT Above the Wolfhound players.

they are young lads going with the seniors to gain experience.

I think it would have been a lot more beneficial if the likes of Fitzgerald were actually brought with the main squad. Or our good second rows (Tuohy/Toner). I don't see what Conway or Zebo or O'Halloran have done over Gilroy either. TOL over Marshall. Just loads of rubbish decisions. Honestly of all these "Post your Ireland squad" teams people have been posting, Kidney's has been the worst.

red_stag wrote:Cullen got injured today for 8 weeks. However it seems Nagle is above Tuohy??

Didn't know that. So Nagle goes to the main squad? That doesn't seem right at all. Not ahead of Touhy.

I genuinely didn't I could get annoyed at this but Deccie does it every time. No Gilroy at all or Marshall. Jennings and Cullen in the main squad over Henry/O'Mahoney and Tuohy/Toner. No Fitzgerald in the main squad. The additional players is a good idea as they are all young and can drop to the wolfhounds but Gilroy is a glaring omission in that regard. he is well ahead in terms of development of Zebo and O'Halloran

Geoff, I get it now, and I still don't see the sense in it. Even apart from that, there are some stupid decisions.

MMC wrote:

red_stag wrote:Cullen got injured today for 8 weeks. However it seems Nagle is above Tuohy??

Didn't know that. So Nagle goes to the main squad? That doesn't seem right at all. Not ahead of Touhy.

Nah, doubt it to be honest. Think the players in the Wolfhounds are ahead of the extra lads who are training with the seniors.

The senior squad is just the squad that will be in camp the week of the Wolfhounds game. After that, some players who play for the Wolfhounds will be called up.

After that, the squad will changed again. Calling this the 6N squad is a typical bit of kidology.

I don't see any sense in that whatsoever.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Is that seriously the real squad? Nagle above Toner/Tuohy? Marshall not even in the wolfhounds? Fitzgerald not even in the main squad?? Does that mean O'Halloran, Conway and Zebo are ahead of him? Has Kidney been on holiday since the World cup or something and just picked names from a hat?

Kidney is an idiot.

I don't agree with the last statement but Im not certain he should be the man to take us forward after such a selection. now that I have said that I expect us to do the Slam. g'wan Deccie!

I need time to come to terms with that squad announcement before making comment!!!

I will stand by this Ireland team of course, but I won't retract my comment about Kidney being an idiot because I don't think he has learnt a thing looking at that squad. I sincerely hope he proves me wrong.

He has picked young players whats the problem. Everyone wants building for future amd they crib then when Nagle and O'Halloran are picked,

red_stag wrote:He has picked young players whats the problem. Everyone wants building for future amd they crib then when Nagle and O'Halloran are picked,

Except he has picked the completely wrong young players.. nor do I think anyone has talked about "building for the future" in this thread except you stag.

is this a pisstake. its absolutely crazy, certainly not predictable though. i have only taken half of it in yet. need a list of ommissions

Luke Fitz not being in there is the only seriously bad move. Cullen being there is questionable but I wouldn't ahve many other complaints besides that

Not perfect but to be honest not bad in my opinion.

Marshall behind TOL is my biggest beef.
With Cullen injured I doubt he will be repalced in the senior squad.

There is absolutely no point the more senior Wolfhounds players being tackle bags for the seniors. It makes far more sense to give youngsters a sense of the set up.

I have to say I think Kidney has got this right and most posters here have got it wrong

As Fitzgerald - he has decided that his wingers are Trimble and Bowe. Now you may disagree but this is hardly a terrible decision and a perfectly logical case can be made for picking our most experienced winger with our (according to Neil Francis) our number one on form winger.

Little disappointed for Gilroy, but his time will come, and it is possible the Ulster managment requested he stayed

Here’s my take on it,

Cullen announced that he’s have 2 operations because he figured he wouldn’t be in the Irish squads, he is, so he can delay the operations, he’s not “injured” as such, just having some preventative maintenance done. Fitz is in the Wolfhounds squad because he hasn’t played since December so he’ll get an extra game before the 6nations.

O’Callaghan in the main squad, with Touhy and Toner in the wolfhounds squad, Marshall not in any squad, now that’s a headscratcher.

Trust me Geoff, I hope I have got it wrong come the 6 nations.

If what Geoff says is true about the Wolfies and Additional Players being equal I don't see the problem whatsoever*

*except for Marshal.

I agree with Geoff that Kidney has made the right calls in most areas.

I suspect the "additionals" are just there to get wider squad experience, and are not in fact ahead of those in the Wolfhounds squad. Youngsters earmarked for special attention.

I'm sure Luke Fitzgerald will be raging. No Wolfhounds for Marshall or Gilroy? And Darren Cave's njury is a real shame for both him and the Ireland team.

Thomond wrote:Luke Fitz not being in there is the only seriously bad move. Cullen being there is questionable but I wouldn't ahve many other complaints besides that

He wants to give Luke game time and has decided Trimble and Bowe are his first choice wingers - makes perfect sense to me

Vice captain - Johnny Sexton!

red_stag wrote:He has picked young players whats the problem. Everyone wants building for future amd they crib then when Nagle and O'Halloran are picked,

He's picked the wrong youngsters. Its about picking the best players today and building for the future and he's done neither.

I've no problem with Nagle and O'Hallaran, I've a problem with the likes of TOL, O'Callaghan etc. getting picked ahead of prime talented players in top form like Fitzgerald, Toner, Paul Marshall and Tuohy.

We're looking at 4th place if we are lucky.

Mickado wrote:Vice captain - Johnny Sexton!

I actually like the idea of Sexton as a potential captain. He has stood up on a number of big occasions both on and off the field and I'm convinced he is capable of handling the pressure. I think he'd be a good captain.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Trust me Geoff, I hope I have got it wrong come the 6 nations.

Rory think of the squad in the following hierachical order and it then makes sense

1 - First XV squad
2 - Wolfhounds squad
3 - Additionals

Viewed in that light, which is how it has been selected I beleive there are only a couple of serious mistakes; as I said TOL and Cullen and Cullen is out anyway

munster 4th choice over ulster and leinster first choice 2nd rows.

fitzgerald in form winger in the wolfhouds.

odd beyond belief. we could see paddy wallace covering full back off the bench again.

Rodders, Geoff is explaining it well. Kidney has picked 50+ players here. He has about 2 of them wrong. Everyone was going to have their own take on it anway.

A lot of very over the top knee jerk reactions.

geoff998rugby wrote:Rory think of the squad in the following hierachical order and it then makes sense

1 - First XV squad
2 - Wolfhounds squad
3 - Additionals

This is what everyone needs to read before they jump to conclusions. (I include myself in this).

I think that Marshall is very unlucky but TOL does have international experience so Kidney is covering himself in case of injury. You can be guaranteed that Marshall will be next in line should an injury occur.

As for Gilroy being unlucky, I would agree but there's a lot of depth in the wing position right now. I'd have selected him for the additionals personally but he's hardly a glaring omission either. I'm sure Carr and Hagan are disappointed not to feature either but them's the breaks.

Given all the injured players it's not a bad squad by any stretch of the imagination. People need to

Yeah Cullen is the stand out,he hasn't done enough to deserve a place imo but since he's not going to make the bench anyway it's not as horrible as it appears.

At least a lot of our younger players will be getting good experience with the Wolfhounds,it will also benefit those youngsters to have the likes of Luke FItz alongside them.

Geoff

The vast majority of the squad picks itself but where he had a choice he has IMO made the wrong call. The retention of DOC or Cullen when Toner, McCarthy and Tuohy are all playing better is ridiculous. TOL and Boss both ahead of Marshall. Denis Hurley ahead of Gilroy or Gavin Duffy ahead of him for that matter. We need experience in the wolfhounds but we need to bring youngsters who are playing well in too.

One thing I will say is that with that wolfhounds selection it looks like spence is being lined up to play 12 again. As has been mentioned though at least he has POM, paddy Mac, Nagle training with the main squad. that's a very good idea.

MMC wrote:

geoff998rugby wrote:Rory think of the squad in the following hierachical order and it then makes sense

1 - First XV squad
2 - Wolfhounds squad
3 - Additionals

This is what everyone needs to read before they jump to conclusions.

Ok...ok....I'll back up the truck.. ...Geoff, Stag I hope your are right.....

geoff998rugby wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Trust me Geoff, I hope I have got it wrong come the 6 nations.

Rory think of the squad in the following hierachical order and it then makes sense

1 - First XV squad
2 - Wolfhounds squad
3 - Additionals

Viewed in that light, which is how it has been selected I beleive there are only a couple of serious mistakes; as I said TOL and Cullen and Cullen is out anyway

Here are my problems with it looking at that:

1 - No Fitz, though you have said why he isn't picked which does make some sense, but he still should be picked (nor should he have been dropped for the RWC imo). But other problems I see is Cullen over Toner/Tuohy, Jennings over O'Mahoney (so POM is an additional? Not even wolfhounds?) no real tighthead cover.

2 - So wolfhounds are above additionals, meaning that POM is behind all those backrowers? That can't be right. I am not entirely sure about this additionals thing at all or if they are behind the Wolfhounds. Has he said this himself? No Gilroy in the wolfhounds never mind the additionals. No Marshall.

3 - A bizarre selection of youngsters. Zebo probably would have been better in the wolfhounds however.

I just think it is a very disjointed and bizarre looking squad.

The additonals are there to gain some experience. I can't believe people thought they were close to the senior side!

when i was sent team first i did not see * beside ohalloran etc. so on second reading its actually pretty munch as expected.

Biggest bone is also 2nd row and omission of fitzgerald but hopefully he features in six nations.

Cave injured for how long lads?

red_stag wrote:Rodders, Geoff is explaining it well. Kidney has picked 50+ players here. He has about 2 of them wrong. Everyone was going to have their own take on it anway.

A lot of very over the top knee jerk reactions.

Nope, I don't think so. Like I said, of all the "pick your squads" I've seen, Kidney's is the worst. It certainly won't be over the top if he plays the same rubbish game-plan against Wales. So like I said, I sincerely hope I am wrong about Kidney.

geoff998rugby wrote:Marshall behind TOL is my biggest beef.

...

Little disappointed for Gilroy, but his time will come, and it is possible the Ulster managment requested he stayed

Apparently McLaughlin was saying at the press conference for Clermont he's very disappointed Marshall and Gilroy didn't get a Wolfhounds call.

Certainly when you consider the presence of O'Leary, Hurley and Kearney Jnr. in the Wolfhounds it becomes even more confusing that these two players have missed out despite accomplished Heineken Cup campaigns.

But as promising as Gilroy is he still has lots to learn and having to work all the harder for that senior recognition will make him a better player. It's the O'Leary over marshall call which baffles me. Not angry just... baffled. One player in the form of his life, one who can't get into his team and is completely peripheral.

Maybe the IRFU want to make a political point about Pienaar. No doubt Paul Marshall is a key player for Ulster right now though.

dublin_dave wrote:when i was sent team first i did not see * beside ohalloran etc. so on second reading its actually pretty munch as expected.

Biggest bone is also 2nd row and omission of fitzgerald but hopefully he features in six nations.

Cave injured for how long lads?

6 weeks apparently which is another thing I don't get. He could have still played the majority of games no?

Hysteria rules -- calm down dears.

Sorry for me he has it 90% right

Other than 2nd row and TOL over Marshall I am fine with the selection

I remember the furore on the old 606 when the 2009 was picked. Jus' sayin'

We're a contrary bunch us Irish, we're happiest while complaining. One thing we can be absolutely certain of is that there will be changes to this squad as weeks go on due to injury. Also, the likes of Luke Fitzgerald are just being given an extra bit of gametime before being drafted into the main squad.

It's all good.

I hope he has got it 90% right, and we will see soon enough I guess.

Rodders

Things aren't that bad. We still have the pack that minced Australia don't forget. Centres will be a worry as they always will be without BOD but the back three could potentially be better and we may get to see better halfbacks.

Rory

I think the wolfhounds are level with the additionals. my only issue would be that I would rather see them get some game time in green which I can't se happening if (as I believe) there is only 1 'A' game

Rory, he would miss 3/5 of Ireland's matches. No player as inexperienced as he is going to be parachuted in for the final two matches after 6 weeks of injury.

geoff998rugby wrote:Hysteria rules -- calm down dears.

Sorry for me he has it 90% right

Other than 2nd row and TOL over Marshall I am fine with the selection

Exactly, simples!!

The team is likely to be Healy, Best, Ross, POC, Ryan, Ferris, Heaslip, SOB, Reddan/Murray, Sexton, Wallace/D'Arcy, Earls/McFadden, Trimble, Bowe, Kearney

Subs: 3 from above, Court, POC, Jennings, ROG