Ireland Back 3 options

by pete (buachaill on eirne) Thu Jan 03, 2013 5:50 pm

First topic message reminder :

So this is a conversation that was started on an Ulster thread about who will end up in the back 3 during the 6N for Ireland.
Presuming that Kidney choses Darcy-BOD or Marshall-BOD as his centre partnership with Murray and Sexton as halfbacks what should his back 3 be?

There are so many options and it is one of the areas where Ireland look ok depth wise with the emergence of some really good young guys.

Kearney: One of the best 15's in the world and favourite for the Lions shirt. Great aerial skills and great kicker. Over the last few years he has started entering the line intelligently and has made a lot of line breaks.

McFadden: Huge work ethic, most of his game time this year despite BOD's injury has been on the wing. Very strong in contact and good under the high ball. Quick without being lightening as NZ demonstrated during the Summer but people have questions about his defence.

Zebo: One of Ireland's best players IMO. Has improved no end since last season marrying an instinctive running game with a more balanced decision making quality and more practiced basics. Huge boot and very quick. Confident which is arguably the most important factor. Could play 15 or wing.

Earls: Will be competing with BOD, Darcy and Marshall for a centre position where he has played nearly all his rugby this year but could fill in at wing or 15 where personally I feel he is better. Very quick and elusive with a very good strike rate.

Trimble: Very good for Ulster currently but was dropped by Kidney in the AI's for Gilroy. Trimble doesn't have a great try scoring rate and isn't the most incisive winger but his basics are rock solid and he is very strong defensively. Could be used as a target for the backs due to his physicality.

Gilroy: Mister Flair. Exceptionally quick. Exceptionally illusive. Deceptively strong. He is by far the best attacker in Ireland however there are questions regarding his defence.

So what do people think, place your votes and then give us your reasoning maybe throw in a bench option too!

by **profitius** Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:44 am

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:
Notch wrote:As an Ulster fan my thoughts on Gilroy versus Trimble..

Trimble has outscored Gilroy 7 tries to 2 this year, but the way we attack under Anscombe hasn't suited Gilroy as much. He's a fantastic player but he doesn't get the amount of ball in his hands he needs to really hurt teams in broken field.

Our backline stands very flat on the gainline, we go through multi-phase attacks and vary it a lot between our forwards and backs. This suits Trimbles skill set, he can come off his wing and run hard, he can link play up. Trimble is more valuable to Ulster than Gilroy, he's been a better player for us this season. Bowe hasn't played much for us but it would be hard for him to touch Trimble when we're playing this brand of rugby.

Ireland don't play smart rugby like that. We play stupid, basic rugby. No forwards and backs interlinking bar the odd burst from a backrow. No support lines like Ulster and Leinster run. Backline stands deep and we ship it on. Our wingers stay on the wing. They stand deep and static on their wing and wait for the ball. They don't even chase kicks down the way Ulster do- the way Trimble has done so well for Ulster this season- because our kicking game isn't as good.

So they are out there on the wing, having very little impact on the game, and hopefully when they do get the ball, they do something special with it. Thats our gameplan for our wingers.

I honestly believe that right now- Andrew Trimble is a better all round rugby player than Craig Gilroy. But Gilroy has got something Trimble doesn't, a certain X-factor. And Trimble can't play his natural game for Ireland, he's a square peg in a round hole. We aren't well coached in the backs. We want players who can come onto the ball from deep and create something from nothing. For Ireland, that means Gilroy and Zebo.

For Ulster? Trimble is ahead of Gilroy in the pecking order all season long. No worries there. The right call was made when he started ahead of him at Franklins Gardens and I would have Trimble higher up the queue for a Lions place too. But I feel like the way we play the game negates his strengths. Gilroy for Ireland.

Fully agree with all of this. Gilroy has looked pretty mediocre for Ulster since his wonder game versus the Pumas and I would support your statement that it is a gameplan issue. We never really have utilised Trimble as well as possible and that is Kidney's fault I believe as with Sexton standing flat like he is capable of, Trimble would be a huge asset coming off inside shoulders or behind the centres.

Now that Marshall is effectively out of the 6N ( ) I think Gilroy and Zebo should definitely start as Darcy and BOD will play for Ireland and then we need guys in the back3 who can use a bit of stardust because they won't get any help from the guys inside them in terms of creating chances.

Darcy has looked good over the last few games however though so that is something.

I'd go for McFadden over Earls on the bench in terms of form.

Watching the Ulster game last night I remember thinking that Gilroy wasn't very effective. To me it was clear to see why.

Gilroy's great strength is the ability to step, spin, accelerate and decelerate at speed. He couldn't do that last night because the ground was muddy, therefore theres a big lack of grip. In fact its usually muddy this time of year and suits the bigger, straight running players like Trimble.

by **profitius** Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:49 am

Btw, the Ireland squads (Wolfhound too) will be announced on wednesday.

The internet is now on meltdown alert.

by LeinsterFan4life Sun Jan 13, 2013 12:53 am

profitius wrote:Btw, the Ireland squads (Wolfhound too) will be announced on wednesday.

The internet is now on meltdown alert.

Do you know when they are playing the Saxons?

by **profitius** Mon Jan 14, 2013 1:45 am

LeinsterFan4life wrote:
profitius wrote:Btw, the Ireland squads (Wolfhound too) will be announced on wednesday.

The internet is now on meltdown alert.
Do you know when they are playing the Saxons?

Don't know any dates.

by pete (buachaill on eirne) Mon Jan 14, 2013 8:26 pm

profitius wrote:Btw, the Ireland squads (Wolfhound too) will be announced on wednesday.

The internet is now on meltdown alert.

How many are likely to be in the training squad you reackon Pro?

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