Ireland Squad for Summer Tour

This summer, Ireland will be travelling to North America, which shall most likely be a two Test tour, with a match each against Canada and USA. I presume, there will be the Barbarians game beforehand as well. I have left out those likely to go on the Lions Tour and also left out some of the older players, who would most certainly benefit from a full summer off rugby. This is only a rough draft and would really appreciate opinions.

Dave Kilcoyne
Ruaidhrí Murphy
Michael Bent
Declan Fitzpatrick
Ronan Loughney

Sean Cronin
Mike Sherry
Damien Varley

Mike McCarthy
Dan Tuohy
Devin Toner
Ian Henderson

Chris Henry
Peter O'Mahoney
Dave O'Callaghan
Rhys Ruddock
Roger Wilson
A.N. Other

Conor Murray
Paul Marshall
Kieran Marmion

Paddy Jackson
Ian Madigan

JJ Hanrahan
Luke Marshall
Darren Cave
Keith Earls

Simon Zebo
Craig Gilroy
Andrew Conway
Tiernan O'Halloran
David Kearney

I think there's 4 or 5 guys there who could well get on the Lions tour:

Gilroy, Henry, O'Mahoney, Zebo... even a few others I wouldn't rule out.

This tour would be a good opportunity for Luke fitzgerald to get back into a green jersey I think.

I'd take the Connacht lad, is it Henshaw, as a back three player over Conway or Kearney.

Ruaidri murphy wants to play for Australia. Jack Mcgrath would be better to bring.

O'Gara and O'Callaghan? Are their contracts up at the end of the year?

D'arcy has another year to run for sure. Trimble and Court? McFadden?

I don't think any of the above will make the Lions tour.

Luke Fitz would probably travel too.

mcsharry

Reddan.

Ozzy3213 wrote:I'd take the Connacht lad, is it Henshaw, as a back three player over Conway or Kearney.

Henshaw looks a very good prospect but he's been at his best when i've seen him in the center.

You'd take Henderson as a lock rather than a back row or was that just because you had to put him in one list?

Firstly, what Irish players will make the Lions tour (if fit):

Probables - Sexton, Healy, O'Brien, Heaslip, Best, Kearney, POC, BOD, Bowe, Ferris,

Possibles - Ryan, Ross, Strauss, Earls, Gilroy, Zebo, Murray, POM

Feel free to add anyone i've left out...

Mickado wrote:Firstly, what Irish players will make the Lions tour (if fit):

Probables - Sexton, Healy, O'Brien, Heaslip, Best, Kearney, POC, BOD, Bowe, Ferris,

Possibles - Ryan, Ross, Strauss, Earls, Gilroy, Zebo, Murray, POM

Feel free to add anyone i've left out...

I'd push Ryan into the probables and Bent into the possibles.

Henry I think is a possible too on current form.

I’d like to see Bent play 80 minutes before I make a judgment on him. He’s look good when he’s come on so far against some good props (Hank the Tank is a quality scrummager) but I’m not convinced he’s going to be THAT good.

Fair enough on Henry.

So with those players gone I’d like to see this squad picked (again, if all are fit):

Kilcoyne, McGrath, Court, Bent, Fitzpatrick

Cronin, Sherry, Varley

McCarthy, Touhy, Toner, Stevenson

McLaughlin, Jennings, Henderson, Ruddock, Wilson, Muldoon

Murray, Marshall, Marmion

Jackson, Madigan

Marshall, Cave, McFadden, Henshaw

D.Kearney, Jones, O’Halloran, Fitzgerald, Trimble

Thats a decent looking squad mickado.

Sadly no room for Griffen.

But how the hell can anyone leave out Duffy

Henshaw will probably be playing the under 20s junior world championship, so I'd say he won't get picked

Gilroy hopefully has cemented his place in the Ireland team.

Will have a great 6N and will get a call up to the Lions.

Jesus wept.
"Ireland Squad for Summer Tour"

Why not a "Ireland Squad for 2015" post?

Golden wrote:Henshaw will probably be playing the under 20s junior world championship, so I'd say he won't get picked

Forgot about that, it's probably more use to him to be playing in that. Eoin O'Malley to make a successful return from injury and earn a spot in the squad.

greytiger wrote:Jesus wept.
"Ireland Squad for Summer Tour"

Why not a "Ireland Squad for 2015" post?

Because that would be stupid

greytiger wrote:Jesus wept.
"Ireland Squad for Summer Tour"

Why not a "Ireland Squad for 2015" post?

Grey........................ the Lion's Squad treatises have already gone bluemouldy after a half year of: "If Lion's were playing this week.........................." I think 6 or 7 months in advance is longwinded, true - but not as longwinded as them spiderweb encrusted Lions ones

Every match from now until 2015 should have the RWC in mind.

There simply aren't enough games to keep bringing in an endless stream of new players and still have enough experience in depth.

Ireland should be looking at say 31 core players and supplement them depending on absentees and tour requirements.

A typical RWC squad will have 17 forwards and 14 backs, so this will be made up of:
3 LH Props
3 TH Props
3 Hookers
3 Locks
1 Lock/backrow
4 Backrows
3 SH
2 FH
4 Centres
5 Back 3

31 players is enough to take for two Tests to the USA.

This would be my squad (quite big) MBT. Thanks for putting this up, really like talking about the young lads.

MBTGOG wrote:

Dave Kilcoyne
Ruaidhrí Murphy Jack McGrath
Tom Court
Michael Bent
Declan Fitzpatrick
Ronan Loughney

Sean Cronin
Mike Sherry
Damien Varley

Mike McCarthy
Dan Tuohy
Devin Toner
Ian Henderson

Chris Henry (Captain)
Peter O'Mahoney
Dave O'Callaghan
Rhys Ruddock
Roger Wilson
A.N. Other Dominic Ryan/Sean Doughall

Conor Murray
Paul Marshall
Kieran Marmion

Paddy Jackson
Ian Madigan

JJ Hanrahan Dave McSharry
Luke Marshall
Darren Cave
Keith Earls Eoin Griffin

Simon Zebo
Craig Gilroy
Andrew Conway Luke O'Dea
Tiernan O'Halloran
David Kearney

Added another prop so you can have 3 full front rows.
Think Dominic Ryan or Sean Doughall could be included (one or the other depending on form I guess)
I think one of Earls/Zebo/Gilroy will go on the Lions tour, not sure which one but I'd guess Gilroy based on the kind of guy Gatland likes. Earls has "versatility" on his side some will say and some will believe he will get in for that.
I would take Griffin ahead of O'Malley as he starts more games and has looked really really good. Hanrahan I think will get much less gametime than McSharry as he has to get ahead of Downey/Earls and also Keatley if ROG continues to start). JJ will get time though but maybe not until ROG is gone gone.

I'd put O'Dea in ahead of Conway as I think Conway hasn't taken many opportunities and also O'Dea may get more starts if Earls is in the centre

Hello Irish fans.

I was just wondering what's happened to Rhys Ruddock? I played a bit of rugby with his brother Ciaran at university, and cracking player though he was, everyone would always talk about his brother. I remember him being included in the Irish squad a few seasons ago, but he seems to have fallen off the radar. Can anyone fill me in? Injury?

On a side note to contribute to this article, I reckon Chris Henry could be in with a chance of touring Australia next year. He's been superb these AIs and i've been very impressed. Nice to see him get some consistent starts.

As for JJ, he lad has talent but he's only got 1 start for Munster, albeit a MOTM, but if we're including him we might as well throw Jordi Murphy in there.

Mickado wrote:As for JJ, he lad has talent but he's only got 1 start for Munster, albeit a MOTM, but if we're including him we might as well throw Jordi Murphy in there.

Will JJ and Jordi be with the U20 or are they beyond that now?
I don't understand how some young guns who are talented but getting so little game time can replace others who are also talented but getting regular game time.

For instance McSharry and Griffin are getting relatively large amounts of gametime and with Parks guiding them are doing really well every time I watch them. If Marshall can overtake Wallace then Marshall-Cave would be best but I wouldn't chose either JJ or O'Malley ahead of guys who are starting every week (or so) and playing really well

Anyone think anything has changed due to the last round of the HCup?

Yes Pete. Paddy Wallace played poorly and Tommy Bowe got injured and Dan Tuohy got injured.

Therefore we can expect Iain Henderson, Craig Gilroy and Luke Marshall to get gametime in their preferred positions of lock, wing and centre. Had those three more senior guys played well and stayed injury free we may well have stuck with the same team. Now, circumstances are likely to propel them into the team. Just in time for Leinster.

I wish all 3 the best, I think all of them could be in the Irish team come 2015 for world cup duty.

Anyone else you think of?

POM had a very good pair of games and SOB looked pretty good too possibly throw in McFadden and Zebo in to that pot too.

McSharry I thought was good over the 2 legs and Marmion also