Ireland vs Barbarians, 29th May 2012

Tough game yesterday. Has left the Irish blazers, coaches, fans and players contemplating some very unpleasant truths about where we are in the rugby world and where we like to think we are. We need to change a lot of things to be successful again. The people who matter have three months to contemplate this. We can do so ourselves and hope they make the right calls.

Ireland vs Barbarians, 29th May 2012, Kingsholm.

Well, this is where our rise to world domination begins eh lads?

This thread is to discuss who needs to come in, who drops out, how the team plays the game, how the coaches approach it.

I'll start the ball rolling with a team I'd like to see. I'd like to see a younger team playing an expansive brand of rugby without guys like ROG, DOC, D'Arcy, BOD and POC who we've held onto like safety blankets in the 22, even if some will be needed for the All Blacks tour. Time to get a generation reared on waiting for BOD, POC or ROG to do something to win games for us to learn to stand on their own two feet.

1. Paddy McAllister
2. Rory Best (c)
3. Jamie Hagan
4. Dan Tuohy
5. Donnacha Ryan
6. Stephen Ferris
7. Peter O'Mahony
8. Sean O'Brien
9. Conor Murray
10. Jonathon Sexton
11. Simon Zebo
12. Fergus McFadden
13. Darren Cave
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Rob Kearney

16. Sean Cronin 17. Mike Ross 18. Mike McCarthy 19. Jamie Heaslip 20. Paul Marshall 21. Ian Madigan 22. Keith Earls

Some guys like Andrew Trimble and Cian Healy are not there. I still think they have massive roles to play. I just think we need to try something new in Zebo and widen the pool of available prop forwards who can step up for Ireland. Ditto O'Connell, O'Driscoll and possibly O'Gara. This Barbarians game is just a chance to play some flowing rugby and let a new generation that places are theirs for the taking... and the older generation that meritocracy is coming back.

It won't fix much though. We still have few ball carriers in the backline and no scrum, but you have to start from somewhere. And where we need to start from is speeding up our game and using players with pace across the pitch.

Good post notch and a good team. Wont happen

Feic, don't I know it mate. Don't I know it!

We are Irish. Our greatest obstacle to success is our own mentality.

Thats the sort of team that should start but will it.
I'd actually put Kearney Jr on the wing instead of Bowe, Spence on the bench instead of Earls and Stevenson the bench instead of MCarthy and Andress on the bench instead of Ross but they are minor details.

The thrust of your arguement I agree with.