JJ Hanrahan

First topic message reminder :

Could he manage to oust Ronan O'Gara this season for Munster?

Highlights of him in action against SA in the JRWC - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvK57bRwA6g&feature=g-all-u

I dont understand how Munster have never played him.

I agree Sin... I think Ulster should have developed Paddy Jackson that way too, played him at 12 until he had sufficient experience of top level rugby.. then tried him at 10 sporadically to bed him in.

Jonny Wilkinson played 12 for a while too outside Paul Grayson if I remember correctly.....

Id be happy to see Hanrahan used in that way. I feel we missed a trick not doing it this year when we had no centres and bought that useless sack of shoite Save Tokula

I'm having a similar converation on another thread actually...Ulster seem to think they can bed Jackson in with playmakers either side but as I've said there ultimately the responsility to control and dictate the play falls on the 10 as at 1st reciever they are best placed to do so..... no matter how good or clever your 9 and 12 are they can be taken out of the equation and the 10 has to call the shots...

Thats why if you have guys like Jackson and Hanaran who have the physicality to play in midfield, centre is a much better place to bed them in....they can get used to the pace of the game, without the added pressure of having to control it.

If they have the skills, instinct and brain for fly-half it will become apparant and they will move in as part of a natural process anyways.

Just checked how Tom Taylor was used - same thing - Penney had him at 12 for all but one game for Canterbury. He played a couple at 12 for the Crusaders and then was moved to 10 with Carter at 12. Carter is back at 10 now.

Taylor made his debut for Canterbury last July. He is 22, so he has a few years on JJ who isn't 20 yet. He probably won't be rushed. I feel a bit sorry for Paddy Jackson - he has had a tough season - he must be mad he is missing the U20s world cup, particularly when it is going well.

He would be an alternative type of 12 to Downey and Dineen. I'd like to see Keatley there too. Himself and Keatley would be a handful to defend against.

There wasn't much opportunity to develop Jackson as a 12 because we wanted to develop Luke Marshall there. Injuries and poor selection have put an end to that for last season but there is no reason why Marshall can't get a few games next season albeit paddy Wallace will be there to help jackson. Hanrahan will be top class wherever he plays but he can be a good physical 10 or a slightly undersized 12. I think he could be a real option going forward and he certainly looks to have the top two inches.

Hanrahan just score Ireland first try vs England in the U20s

I was wondering who was going to turn to the dark side and dig this thread up...

AlynDavies wrote:I was wondering who was going to turn to the dark side and dig this thread up...

What do you mean?

Standulstermen wrote:There wasn't much opportunity to develop Jackson as a 12 because we wanted to develop Luke Marshall there. Injuries and poor selection have put an end to that for last season but there is no reason why Marshall can't get a few games next season albeit paddy Wallace will be there to help jackson. Hanrahan will be top class wherever he plays but he can be a good physical 10 or a slightly undersized 12. I think he could be a real option going forward and he certainly looks to have the top two inches.

but early to call him an undersized 12 considering he is only 19 years old...

At 19 he isnt going to get taller and you can only bulk up so much. I think he could be a very good 12 provincially and possibly internationally but when you consider the size of modern day centres he is tiny.

Dont get me wrong there may be a niche for him there as a ball playing 12 ala paddy wallace but looking at

Sonny-Bill Williams
Ma'a Nonu
JDV
Jamie Roberts
Graeme Morrison

there does seem to be a trend towards bigger centres. Thats not to say he lacks physicality either but he looks more a 10 than 12 to me and i am very excited about his potential there.

Morrison and De Villiers won't be around much longer, SBW and Nonu will be an either or situation and Roberts is one of a kind really. A modern crash ball centre. France are doing fine with a 5 foot 10, highly skilled 12 in Fofana. Australia like their playmaking 12s. I don't think his height or size would hinder him at all honestly. He would need a fairly big 13 outside him though.

I wouldnt cite australia rory as McCabe was cited as one of the main reasons Ireland duffed them at the RWC.

Fofana may make it at 12 and he may not. despite his impressive scoring he was also part of the worst french performance in a 6N i can recall.

bear in mind the other french centres Rougerie and Estebanez are massive.

I think JJ can make it wherever he plays but he looks physically like a 10 to me, not a 12.

Standulstermen wrote:I wouldnt cite australia rory as McCabe was cited as one of the main reasons Ireland duffed them at the RWC.

Fofana may make it at 12 and he may not. despite his impressive scoring he was also part of the worst french performance in a 6N i can recall.

bear in mind the other french centres Rougerie and Estebanez are massive.

I think JJ can make it wherever he plays but he looks physically like a 10 to me, not a 12.

McCabe isn't really their starting 12 though. It would be O'Connor or Barnes starting 12 IMO. O'Connor has already stated that he wishes to play 12, as it is his favourite position. He is 5 foot 11. McCabe isn't a small guy either, he is 6 foot 1 so doesn't really fit in to their playing style. I think you need a physical centre, but I don't think it has to be a 12. Nor do I like comparing builds and heights and weights etc for a position. If they are able to play well in that position, then it shouldn't really matter.

IT may be his favourite but he didnt start 12 at the RWC so insofar as we know McCabe is their starting 12 as he is starting tomorrow. McCabe was cited as a big reason as he got held up on numerous occasions in that game.

Height isnt a big thing but weight is and frame thus becomes important.
Im not suggesting JJ cant play 12 but rather he could be of more use at 10. Someone of that talent you also want on the ball as much as possible.

btw, if i coached Oz i would have JOC at 12 everytime also.

Well I think Wallace has been the top 12 in Ireland this season, despite being about 12 stone or something? Hanrahan I think is about 15 stone, according to his stats. But I agree, I think Hanrahan might be best developed as a 10. He and Murray could become an amazing combination for the future, both in Munster and Ireland.

What I can say is, the future is looking very bright for Ireland IMO. So much talent seems to be coming through.

Congrats to Hanrahan. JJ is one of 3 nominated for the junior JWC player of the year award.

It will be decided by a public vote.

Hanrahan nominated for player of the JRWC. Well deserved

Just because he's diminutive doesn't mean he can't be a good defensive 12. Allen at Tigers is pretty small for a centre and yet he gets through a lot of tackles in defence and organises the line pretty well (other than this season just gone he tends not to pick up injuries either because his technique has to be good).

Looking at Hanrahan I think Munster would be wasting him at 12, he's got good vision and fairly decent kicking game from hand. Most importantly he's good at controlling his teams attacking tempo from 10 and that level of maturity is a rare thing in a young player and worth nurturing.

Very well deserved hope he gets it.

Have to say a public vote is an awful way to decide these things,I haven't seen much of the tournament outside the Ireland games yet I'm qualified to vote on who the best player is,that makes no sense.

I'm not 100% sure it'll be decided by a public vote. I think there'll also be judges because public votes are not that reliable.

Yeah although if it is a public vote then Hanrahan is a lock,us Irish are notorious in the internet voting stakes.

Great achievement. If going on the highlights he has it won - he is all action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQIxpgjswdo

The shortlist was selected by team managers, match officials & media at tournament. The public vote will only be taken into consideration.

Previous winners include Gav the Chav, Kaino and Julian Savea!

Great achievement, delighted for him...can't wait to see him break through at senior level. Looks a real gem

Fantastic honour for JJ and well deserved, looking at the other guys I can see him winning this too.

With him, Jackson and Madigan about, the battle for the long term future of the Irish 10 shirt looks like an exciting one!

Well done JJ! A great performance at the JWC so far.

Great little thread this. Love talking about young talent and their progression. My persepective on all of this:

JJ:
Class lad and proving it with the U20's. I can see ROG calling it a day at the end of this season and being used less and less in the Pro12. Keatley and JJ will both get a lot of time and both can play 10/12 so we could see switching and swapping there. His kicking IMO is grade A, he keeps the ball on the deck as well or at least a low tragectory so it doesn't give the defence as much time to react. Defence was bad in the 6N but really good in the JWC.

Madigan:
One of the best backs in Ireland IMO this season. He has the best passing game in Ireland bar none and this allows him to sprint to the line (something no other 10 in Ireland does- I shall reiterate- sprint rather than run) this sucks in so many defenders and also means he goes through gaps for fun. Tackling is good and has a big boot. We need to see him control games though which he did do well against a full strength Montpellier side, want more of it though.

Jackson:
I'm not entirely sold on him I must admit. His range of kicking is really good and his defence as seen against SOB is top drawer. He passes well but seems to be lacking a bit of creativity/vision. Perhaps I haven't seen enough of him but to me he seems somewhat incomplete but then again he is very young and will have a damn good coach to go and bring the best out of him. Very good place kicker IMO.

Marshall:
This lad excites me big time. Was gutted to hear he got injured as I think he could really make it big. I personally see him as a 12 rather than a 10 or 15. Hugely physical for a guy his size, great step and his vision/awareness is superb. He defends well and for his age never seemed to be out of place with the big boys. I really hope he gets to break through this season, I think Spence has nothing on this lad.


See people have noticed Madigan could well be Leinster 12 and JJ Munster 10. That complicates things IMO as I think it would be better the other way around, just my opinion.

Lots of rugby to be played can't wait to see these guys!

9. McGrath
10. Madigan
11. Zebo
12. Marshall
13. Spence/O'Malley
14. Gilroy
15. Kearney Jr

That is what I would put out if we are going for the young guns.

Two guys who hasn't been given many pages on these forums are Barnes of Munster and Griffin of Connaught, what do people think of these lads? I was very excited for Barnes a year or go when he was on a try scoring run but with Earls putting the foot down that kinda stopped him getting game time as he is a 13 with very little wing experience. Griffin looks good everytime I see him.

I think EOM may overtake McFadden this year also and we could see combinations of centre partnerships at Leinster

BOD/EOM
Madigan/BOD
McFadden/EOM
McFadden/BOD

we may even see Luke Fitzgerald in there contract going well that is.

How many more seasons to Ulster fans think Paddy will play for and who would you want in there afterwards? Spence, Marshall, Jackson? Is Jackson your no.1 flyhalf now though?

Munster lads what is your ideal HCup 10-12-13? If you guys were coach?

Personally I'd go ROG-Downey-Lualala with Earls, Zebo and Howlett in the back 3. Is Earls all out of luck at 13?

Pete I think this has the makings of a very good backline:

09 Conor Murray
10 Ronan O'Gara
11 Simon Zebo
12 James Downey
13 Casey Laulala
14 Doug Howlett
15 Keith Earls

21 Peter Stringer
22 JJ Hanrahan
23 Denis Hurley

However I think that an Earls-Laulala pairing could be excellent. My only concern is that we dont have enough go-forward ball in the pack and I think we need Downey for that.

I have a feeling this could be a good year for Munster. Stay injury free and we will do well. Injuries crippled our season this year. But a new coaching team, new ideas, new players and yet that same Munster spirit. Can't wait. I've my season tickets booked.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

See people have noticed Madigan could well be Leinster 12 and JJ Munster 10. That complicates things IMO as I think it would be better the other way around, just my opinion.

I think that one is a no brainer, Madigan doesn't look remotely like a center whereas JJ does.

It's a win/win though because we'll either have 3 fly halves fighting it out to start for the next decade....or if like me, believe that Jackson is really a 12 and Hanaran really a 13, we'll have a potential backine of:

10. Madigan
12. Jackson
13. Hanaran

......

Stag- I'd agree with you, with the lack of go forward men you have in the pack I think Downey is now pretty critical. Lualala is a pretty good guy for getting over the gainline too but not really off first phase. I'd agree with your Munster backs tbh. Interesting we'd both have JJ leap frog Keatley. Things go from bad to worse for young Ian. I can see he and JJ pairing up a lot in the Pro12.
I don't think it will be a great season for Munster this year coming due to the pack but I can see the 2013/14 season being a very, very good one for Munster.

Rodders:
yeah personally I think of JJ as more of a centre and Madigan as more of a 10 even if they may be playing in the opposite positions for their provinces. I think Madigan will be a considerably better 10 than JJ though once he gets regular game time there in the big games. I know he can kick but I'd like to see his kicking improve to the extent where he is moving up the pecking order in the Leinster kicking ranks. I don't mind anyone kicking ahead of him if they are better, but I want him to improve to the extent that he is moving up the rankings there

Vote for JJ everyone. The kid has got it. I always find it weird how when people are predicting Irish sides 2/3 years down the line, Sexton is not in them. Are we ditching him by the wayside or something? JJ will be a very good 10, probably a better 12. I could see him palyign one for Musnter and one for Ireland in a few years time.

Well deserved for Hanrahan to receive a nomination in the JWC - hope he wins it!

Rodders - Hanrahan has an inch and a few kilos over both Jackson and Madigan, but Jackson/Madigan are basically the same size. Both in height and weight. I think Madigan should play at 12 for Leinster because lets be honest, Sexton isn't moving, none of these guys are near him at this point. Madigan is super talented, and I believe he could offer something very unique at 12. It all depends on how he would deal with the physicality. O'Driscoll is super strong though IMO and he is the same height, though he has about a stone on Madigan I think.

Nice week break Rory

Thomond wrote:Vote for JJ everyone. The kid has got it. I always find it weird how when people are predicting Irish sides 2/3 years down the line, Sexton is not in them. Are we ditching him by the wayside or something? JJ will be a very good 10, probably a better 12. I could see him palyign one for Musnter and one for Ireland in a few years time.

Yeah this is what I mean, I think Sexton is vital to this Ireland team. I think he will hold onto his shirt for a very long time. The other guys just aren't as good yet IMO. Sexton even outplayed Carter over the weekend, which is huge.

Thomond wrote:Nice week break Rory

What can I say, you guys talk so much it is hard to avoid this place.

I am only chipping in for a bit though, then back to my break.

Rory I just don't think Madigan has the physicality to play centre and to be honest it would be a waste, his descision making is so good.

I think he is a controller, orchestrator more than the others.

JJ is the most exciting talent I've seen in Ireland since O'Driscoll but to me he's match winner rather than a controller. Having him bogged down at 10 would be a waste of his attacking ability.

Jackson too I think is more suited to 2nd 5/8th but time will tell.

Either way 3 exciting talents regardless of what positions they end up in.

JJ reminds me of Contempomi (except JJ won't be as winduppable as Conters so won't lose the plot)!

He seems to be a bit of a character as well, what with putting down his occupation as 'Business Man' rather than student and taking on Jerry Flannery in twitter and holding his own.

I think it should at least be tested, so that a) we potentially have another option at 12 and b) Madigan gets the game time he needs. Like I said, are any of these guys going to replace Sexton? It is hard to say how things will look 4 or 5 years down the line, and there might even be new competitors, but as things stand, nobody is going to be replacing Sexton for club or country.

Also I'm not sure about that, Hanrahan has proven to be a fantastic 10 during the JWC. I hadn't really noticed just how good he is at controlling a game before this. I had only ever seen him play at 12. He might well be best at 10.

Sin é wrote:JJ reminds me of Contempomi (except JJ won't be as winduppable as Conters so won't lose the plot)!

He seems to be a bit of a character as well, what with putting down his occupation as 'Business Man' rather than student and taking on Jerry Flannery in twitter and holding his own.

Pretty massive compliment to be compared to Contepomi. I hope you are right!

I think he's potentially better than Contepomi. Seriously.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

Sin é wrote:JJ reminds me of Contempomi (except JJ won't be as winduppable as Conters so won't lose the plot)!

He seems to be a bit of a character as well, what with putting down his occupation as 'Business Man' rather than student and taking on Jerry Flannery in twitter and holding his own.

Pretty massive compliment to be compared to Contepomi. I hope you are right!

Style wise, yes. Unpredictable and lots of strings to his bow. Contempomi's temprement let him down which is why he was better off at 12.

(For the record, they likened the Saffer centre to Brian O'Driscoll in their write up of him!).

Thomond wrote:Vote for JJ everyone. The kid has got it. I always find it weird how when people are predicting Irish sides 2/3 years down the line, Sexton is not in them. Are we ditching him by the wayside or something? JJ will be a very good 10, probably a better 12. I could see him palyign one for Musnter and one for Ireland in a few years time.

Thomond,

Will do the voting mais bien sur! just on the other point the team I scribbled out was just from the young "unkown" guys my future backline would read

Murray-Sexton
Marshall-Spence
Earls-Kearney-Gilroy

McGrath-Madigan-Kearney Jr

Munster Rugby;

Give this guy gametime! If we get to the big games with Munster running a 10-12 axis of O'Gara and Downey with Keatley on the bench, I'm gonna go down to Limerick and knock some heads together.

Love, Notch

Would people mind scribbling a few words on the following lads? Try some up your opinion in a paragraph or what not. Just a bit about their overall traits and whether you think they will make it or not.

We can then compare and contrast what people think of them. We'll keep it in the 3/4's sure. Cheers

JJ Hanarahan:
Madigan:
Jackson:
Marshall:
McGrath:
O'Malley:
Barnes:
Keatley:
Spence:

JJ Hanarahan: Looks like a 12, developing a good reputation. Need to let him develop and not drown him with hype.
Madigan: The kid is a '10'. Shouldn't be taking on '12' position unless injury requires it. He will kick on another bit this coming season. If both he and Sexton stay fit it will create some tasty dilemmas come contract renewal as he is a starting '10' grade under a backup '10's salary.
Jackson: Already ahead of iHumph half way through last season, I wonder how much further he can develop
Marshall: Haven't seen much of the centre kid
McGrath: Still early days, I'd have the Marshall kid in Ulster in front of him until he develops.
O'Malley: Only a 13, and needs a physical 12 as a foil. Will get more starts at 13 this season as BOD gets more and more limited gametime through player management
Barnes: A bit anomynous in the last season, never kicked on from the previous season which he shone in.
Keatley: Munsters next 10, but fans seem to have written the fella off.
Spence: To me looks like a player that could make the move in to 12, become the crash ball merchant and line runner.
Macken: Does okay, solid Pro12 grade player, wonder if he can kick on.
Reid: Could be something special, has had a couple of appearances, good pass, good awareness for the gap, decent pace.
Sheridan: ? didn't feature last season after going down in the pre-season but was primed with Macken to make a step up. Wonder will he come back as he is a big physical centre who provides something the rest of a small backline doesn't have.

No problem Pete, I shall have it done in the following post.

Obviously I will know more about some players than others, but I will try and give my honest opinions on each.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Would people mind scribbling a few words on the following lads? Try some up your opinion in a paragraph or what not. Just a bit about their overall traits and whether you think they will make it or not.

We can then compare and contrast what people think of them. We'll keep it in the 3/4's sure. Cheers

JJ Hanarahan:
Madigan:
Jackson:
Marshall:
McGrath:
O'Malley:
Barnes:
Keatley:
Spence:

I'll give my opinion on them.

All the young players are a bit raw yet. A year playing Rabo/HEC would really bring them on.

Hanrahan can run, kick, pass, kick for goal and even dropkick the ball well. He also can spot a gap and has good awareness. Physically he is about the same size as Gordon D'Arcy. It looks like he is comfortable playing a more expansive game and conservative game.

Madigan is similar to Hanrahan. He reminds me of an Australian type of player. He has a great pass and is fast. Running rugby is what he is good at and gives Leinster and Ireland an alternative option. At the very least he would be great to have on the bench. He is still developing but would be ahead in development of Hanrahan and Jackson. Madigan is not a bad kicker also. He has a long kick

Jackson is another with big potential. He has a good long kick and is a good passer and can also spot a gap. He can play 10 or 12, is a solid defender and has a good brain. I think Ireland would have beaten England in their second JWC match if they had Jackson there to compliment Hanrahan. It just goes to show the value of players who can play 10 or 12.

Marshall could be Irelands future 12. He'll get capped, its a matter of how many. He is a 12 who has the physicality for international rugby but he also has a rugby brian as seen last years JWC with him linking up well with Jackson. Another player who can play 10 but is probably more suited to 12.

McGrath looks to be a pain in the arse for opposition. Small but dangerous. Can take kicks and has a decent try scoring record. Its important he works hard on his passing as its vital for a scrum-half and his isn't great yet.

O'Malley, Barnes, Keatley, Spense. I can't see many of these 4 playing for Ireland. O'Malley is too small basically. Barnes is average in size and skills. I think he will have more to offer Munster but is well short of international rugby from what I've seen. Keatley is too inconsistent. With a run in the team he can improve. He didn't get a decent run with Munster yet but I think Ireland will have better options unless we see a massive improvement in Keatley. Spense is physical but has't the skills for international rugby. He's about D'Arcys (2012 version) level. I think Ulster and Ireland will have better options but Spense might win a few caps.

I'll add Eoin Griffin to your list. He had a good season and outplayed Spense and Brendan Macken for the Ireland U20s a few years back. Chris Farrell is another who can have a great career. Almost 17st centers always come in handy.

Band and Profitus-

Thanks for throwing your opinions out there. Interesting to see you both agree that Madigan is a 10 and not a 12 by definition. i'd agree I have to say. Serious bench option due to the speed and width he can put on the play.

Profitus- I'd agree that I think Spence, EOM, Keatley and Barnes will all probably come up short of International stuff. They seem to have too much of a mountain to climb if any were to make it I would say it would be Spence. Not sure I agree that he could make a good 12. he was there with Cave for some of this year when Wallace was injured and it was a poor match, Spence just ran hard and straight there was no subtlty or invention and his distribution game is poor. I think he will end up at 13 if he makes the Irish grade (I think Bowe will end up being Ireland's 13 come 2015) and we will have a second playmaker type at 12 be it Hanarahan/Jackson/Madigan whoever.

About to run out of quota time in work on the internet but will check your replies when I get home, this subject of successorship is a golden nugget!

LOVE IT

JJ Hanarahan: I mostly had seen him play at 12 until the latest JWC, where he displayed fantastic distribution skills, and a real eye for the gap. He also shown that he is fairly physical, and he is very good at creating space. On top of that he has real pace. However, recently at 10 he has shown just how good he is at controlling a game, with his clever tactical kicking, and ability to see space. His kicking is very good. I am not sure if he is better at 10 or 12, but the guy is a real talent. I hope he gets game time sooner rather than later.

Madigan: I am not sure where Madigan is going to end up in the future. A really talented player, but he is going to have a hard time displacing the fantastic Sexton. Madigan has a lightning pass, offers real pace, and he is fantastic at spotting a gap or creating one. It is going to be some battle between him and Hanrahan, unless one plays at 12. Madigan needs game time ASAP but he will find it harder than Hanrahan to get it IMO. ROG will be gone soon enough, but Sexton is in his prime. I don't think he is as good a kicker as Hanrahan, from what I have seen.

Jackson: Jackson can be pretty erratic. He can do some really amazing things, and control a game wonderfully, but at the same time he can just completely melt away. I think it is too early to say much about him, but one thing he will have over any other option is game time. He will have a lot more experience than the likes of Hanrahan and Madigan over the next few seasons, as he will be the first choice 10 for Ulster. With that said, I don't think he is just as talented as the other two.

Marshall: I think Marshall is a similar player to Hanrahan, or I used to think that, until Hanrahan shown how good he is at controlling the game at 10. I think Marshall is definitely a 12, as he can really create space for his outside men, not to mention exploit any gaps himself. He looks like he has the physicality required, and offers a very handy kicking option too. I think his partnership with Spence looked like the future for both Ulster and Ireland, but they both had pretty rubbish seasons there. Both have incredible potential though.

McGrath: He looks like he has a lot of talent, but I have to wonder why he was second choice in the JWC? Marmion was preferred, apparently due to his physicality (something McGrath lacks) but McGrath is the one who has the more talent from what I have seen. He is a small but very fast 9, walking amongst the giant 9s preferred nowadays. He seems very nippy around the fringes, and scored an absolutely wonderful individual try at the JWC. I will need to see more from him in terms of quick service. Does he have more talent than Murray? I am not so sure.

O'Malley: The thing that sticks out for me when watching O'Malley, is his clever footwork. He may not have the size, but he can step in and out of his opposite man and run circles round him. He seems to have pretty good pace to back him up too, and his distribution looks pretty good. However, his lack of physicality has been exploited at times, and I have to wonder if Ireland really need another small nippy back in their ranks. He has potential, but I don't think he is the answer at 13.

Barnes: I think he is fairly average. Nothing has suggested to me that he is a better option than anyone else. Good in support.

Keatley: At the beginning of the season I thought Keatley looked like someone who could be a fantastic prospect, but unfortunately his confidence just seems to have taken a hit. He is actually very creative in attack, and at the beginning of the season he was very accurate with his kicking, but he seems to have faded recently. There are better options available for the future.

Spence: Honestly, I think people have forgotten just how good Spence was in the 2010/2011 season. The guy is monstrous in defence, something that he has been very consistent in ever since his emergence. Unfortunately he has picked up a habit of going straight for contact in attack recently, possibly due to the bad call of playing him at 12 most of the season, but Spence actually has fantastic foot work, almost up there with O'Malley. He has a ton of pace, and is easily the most physical option available to us in the centres. He is my pick of the bunch to see develop his full potential. His distribution needs work, but as we have seen with Earls, this can be improved with game time and experience. He is the future at 13.

Wow - biggest post I've ever written.

Just to add I think the options will be like this in a few years:

9) Murray/McGrath
10) Sexton/Madigan/Hanrahan
11) Zebo/Earls/Fitzgerald/Gilroy/Kearney Jr
12) Hanrahan/Marshall/Madigan (possibly)
13) O'Driscoll/Earls/Spence
14) Bowe/Gilroy/Kearney Jr/Zebo
15) Kearney Sr/Kearney Jr/Nelson (huge talent IMO)

I only included the guys who I think can make the step up, or have shown real potential that stands out. The likes of Jones I think will potentially miss out due to injuries. O'Malley will find it hard to step up for a while yet due to O'Driscoll in front. Laulala will likely be the first option at 13 for Munster. So I think the 13 will most likely come from Ulster.