Ireland 6N 33 man squad

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Michael Bent
Rory Best
Tom Court
Sean Cronin
Gordon D'Arcy
Keith Earls
Luke Fitzgerald
Declan Fitzpatrick
Craig Gilroy
Cian Healy
Jamie Heaslip
Iain Henderson
Chris Henry
Paddy Jackson
Rob Kearney
David Kilcoyne
Conor Murray
Mike McCarthy
Kevin McLaughlin
Fergus McFadden
Dave McSharry
Sean O'Brien
Donncha O'Callaghan
Brian O'Driscoll
Ronan O'Gara
Peter O'Mahony
Eoin Reddan
Mike Ross
Donnacha Ryan
Jonathan Sexton
Mike Sherry
Devin Toner
Simon Zebo


Notable inclusions - Jackson and McSharry

Notable Ommissions - Trimble and Marshall

The Great Aukster wrote:Every player on the pitch makes crucial errors! D'Arcy hasn't impressed since 2007, Earls is a poor distributor and Luke Fizgerald can't score tries etc. etc.

It is fair enough that Kidney drops Trimble but he should have had the nads to tell him straight rather than go through the farce of a Wolfhounds game. That game should have been used to build more depth of experience in the young ranks.

Gilroy will do a job at 14 for Ireland and also for Kidney's PR, and I suspect Anscombe will be delighted which winger he's getting back - so nearly everyone's a winner.

Coach gives player chance shock!!!

DOD wrote:

The Great Aukster wrote:Every player on the pitch makes crucial errors! D'Arcy hasn't impressed since 2007, Earls is a poor distributor and Luke Fizgerald can't score tries etc. etc.

It is fair enough that Kidney drops Trimble but he should have had the nads to tell him straight rather than go through the farce of a Wolfhounds game. That game should have been used to build more depth of experience in the young ranks.

Gilroy will do a job at 14 for Ireland and also for Kidney's PR, and I suspect Anscombe will be delighted which winger he's getting back - so nearly everyone's a winner.

Coach gives Ulster player chance shock!!!

+ 1 .....

DOD wrote:Coach gives player chance shock!!!

When Trimble was playing well before the last RWC for Ireland - some would say he was taking the chance offered to him. Yet Kidney chose to ignore this, so in fact the coach wasn't actually giving the player a chance at all. Not a shock since he often bases his selection on reputation rather than form.

Kidney obviously didn't have the guts to tell Trimble face to face that he was picking Gilroy on the strength of the AIs, even though Craig hasn't been as good at Ulster.

Having watched the Saxons game on Friday evening I'm very worried that the 'game plan' employed there is the same 'game plan' that Kidney is looking to employ against Wales. The reason I have game plan in quotes because it seems to be an abstract and intangible concept in the world of the current Ireland coaching setup.

I have a horrible feeling that no matter what teams line out against each other at the weekend it will ultimately result in a Wales win, orchestrated by Gatland.

On the Trimble omission, I feel sorry for him. Not just with regard to this game but seemingly in all of the games he's played under Kidney's tenure. As has been alluded to already elsewhere, he just doesn't seem to get the best out of him with the 'tactics' that Ireland use. (There are those quotes again).

I think that Court and Fitzpatrick have to be on the bench. The reason I wouldn't consider Kilcoyne (though he and Court aren't that far apart) is that if Ross is injured early on and Fitzpatrick comes on to replace him, if he tires we do have the option of playing Court at tighthead for the last part of the game. I can see all of your horrified faces reading this and just getting "play Court at tighthead". That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that I'd rather have a combination of an unfit (cardio-wise) Fitzpatrick and Court covering Ross than I would Bent.

If Kidney is seriously thinking about playing Earls in the centre with BOD then the Trimble omission is even more baffling given that we're guaranteed to need a hard running back coming into midfield on some attacking plays. This is where we're going to seriously miss having Bowe.

On the subject of Earls, I think there's some seriously blinkered views on him here lately. He's been the reason the likes of Zebo have looked good. Yes his distribution still needs to be improved, and by that I mean his vision - his actual passing is excellent IMO. I won't deny that he butchered 2 clearcut try scoring chances against Racing by not choosing to pass, but so did Zebo and for every missed chance Earls was responsible for, he created 3 or 4 more. As soon as he went off Munster's attack looked impotent. Anyway, the fact is I'd still start BOD over him with Earls on the bench for the Wales game.

The halfbacks pick themselves really and I've said enough about the outside backs.

On to the pack, the front five is a no-brainer so the backrow is the last selection question. Heaslip will rightly start at 8, regardless of the captaincy. I see POM as 6 moreso than 7 or 8 - at least for the time being.

Henry should be nailed down for the 7 jersey but Kidney will probably go for SOB there (with POM at 6) with Henry on the bench. The fight for the 6 jersey should be between POM and SOB and I'm not too bothered who gets it, both are excellent options and both cover multiple positions from the bench.

So to sum it up, the team I'd pick if I were coach is:

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. McCarthy
6. SOB
7. Henry
8. Heaslip (c)
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. D'Arcy
13. BOD
14. Gilroy or Earls (would've been Trimble)
15. Kearney

16. Sherry
17. Court
18. Fitzpatrick
19. DOC (gasp!)
20. POM
21. Reddan
22. ROG (another gasp!)
23. Earls or Gilroy


The team I think Kidney will pick:
1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. McCarthy
6. POM
7. SOB
8. Heaslip (c)
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. D'Arcy
13. BOD
14. Earls
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Court
18. Bent
19. Henderson
20. Henry
21. Reddan
22. ROG
23. Gilroy

Interesting reading that Andy Trimble has made eight tunrovers in the HEC this season, more than any other players bar three - Rory Best, Justin Tipuric and Chris Henry.

Ulster use him in a completely different way, in which he is ferociously effective. Ireland's gameplan just doesn't get the same quality out of him.

I don't know that I would start Gilroy, but Fitzgerald's return has (imho) been substantially overhyped, and Earls has been playing centre, so who else?

Great post MMC.

I think you are wrong though. Kidney will for sure pick Henry and Gilroy to start.

The Ulster quota is 3-4. Henry starts for Ferris and Gilroy for Bowe.

Henderson gets the 4th spot on the bench.

....and yes I am being serious .....

Don Alfonso wrote:Interesting reading that Andy Trimble has made eight tunrovers in the HEC this season, more than any other players bar three - Rory Best, Justin Tipuric and Chris Henry.

Ulster use him in a completely different way, in which he is ferociously effective. Ireland's gameplan just doesn't get the same quality out of him.

I don't know that I would start Gilroy, but Fitzgerald's return has (imho) been substantially overhyped, and Earls has been playing centre, so who else?

As well as scoring more trys than other other Irish winger this season. What could he possibly offer. If O'Driscoll or D'arcy had those stats we wouldn't hear the end of it from chief cheerleader thornley.

Rodders,
Just looking back on the team I suggested that Kidney would pick, I honestly didn't even realize that it contained only one Ulster player. I should've remembered about the Ulster quota! In that case then maybe Kidney will actually be closer to picking the correct (in my eyes at least) team than I'm giving him credit for.

Is it tomorrow that the team is being named?

Apparently earls has been lining up in the back three and POM at 7 in the training drills. I think you may be spot on MMC

To be honest while I'm raging Trimble hasn't made the squad, (never mind team, which I though he had done enough to be starting).

I wouldn't pick Gilroy (see Trimble thing isn't ulster biais), I don't think Gilroy and Zebo should start together, as they are both the same kind of player, so if its a toss up between them which one starts out of the two I'd go with Zebo as he is the one in form. Also Gilroy's tackling can be a bit ropey (sometime that will improve in time), and with Wales having big wingers, I'd select someone who is a bit better defensivly (like Trimble), in this case I think DK will pick Earls, but Fitz could equally do this role.

For me backs are DK will pick are

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. D'Arcy
13. BOD
14. Earls (should've been Trimble)
15. Kearney

21. Reddan
22. ROG
23. Fitz

At first glance I was also outraged when Trimble was omitted, it was a harsh call but I can see why Deccie made it.

Gilroy, Zebo and Fitzgerald are more exciting attacking threats imo and are more likely to be involved in RWC 2015.

Earls perhaps is fortunate but tbf he is proven with Ireland, at least on the wing, and can play across the backline. He is also more likely to be around in two years time as well.

Again, McFadden is younger, can play across the backline and can even kick if Sexton is injured.

Trimble is very unlucky but I think there would have been similar outrage for any of the other five wingers.

Trimble will be 30 at RWC 2015 as far as I can see. Bit early to be righting him off although I would concede that others will have hopefully developed.

Earls hasn't played wing this season. He has no form in the position. The reality is that there is no consistency in selection or rather in what players have to do to earn selection.

For some it seems that they can't do enough. For others it seems it doesn't matter, they will be selected regardless. That's not a provincial dig, that's the reality

If building up to the world cup 2015 is the reason, and people think Trimble will be to old, he's 28 now same age as T Bowe, both will be 30 for the 2015 world cup, surly Trimble can't be considered to old and Bowe just hitting prime for it?

It would be a bit early righting of Trimble now, I'm going to drop it now, as not matter what we say, it won't bring him into the squad.

Gutted for the player, thought he had played himself into the 14 shirt, and to not even make the squad is amazing.

Looking forward to team selection, and sat game, a win and it will all be forgotten.

Standulstermen wrote:Apparently earls has been lining up in the back three and POM at 7 in the training drills. I think you may be spot on MMC

If Henry isn't at 7 and O'Mahony is, the pro-Munster conspiracy theories I've given little credence to over the years will be increasingly hard to laugh off!

It seems provincial form must be irrelevant if thats the case... But then you have Gilroy ahead of Trimble despite being a poorer defender, poorer kicker from hand, poorer in the air and more suspect positionally based on this season with Ulster. Gilroy has that pace, elusiveness and step Trimble lacks in attack of course, but the selection criteria are becoming bafflingly random at this point. It's reminiscent of O'Sullivan in 2008. The wheels are coming off.

Notch wrote:

Standulstermen wrote:Apparently earls has been lining up in the back three and POM at 7 in the training drills. I think you may be spot on MMC

If Henry isn't at 7 and O'Mahony is, the pro-Munster conspiracy theories I've given little credence to over the years will be increasingly hard to laugh off!

It seems provincial form must be irrelevant if thats the case... But then you have Gilroy ahead of Trimble despite being a poorer defender, poorer kicker from hand, poorer in the air and more suspect positionally based on this season with Ulster. Gilroy has that pace, elusiveness and step Trimble lacks in attack of course, but the selection criteria are becoming bafflingly random at this point. It's reminiscent of O'Sullivan in 2008. The wheels are coming off.

Simply not true, Notch. They came off a good few miles back.

Too much Hyperbole here..... and thats without hookie .......

Tis what it tis .... some guys are hard done by and others can count their lucky stars (again)....

...at the end of the day thats the squad, Deccies the boss (still) and if we win another slam I won't be complaining.......

THats true rodders. I shall desist


















Until tomorrow.......

Does anybody else think POM arguably deserves to start at 6 more than SOB?

And I'm a massive fan of SOB.

How exactly is the uncapped Paul Marshall who is a clear second choice for his province a "noticeable ommission"?

Personally I think Trimble had something to offer and to me the Zebo - Trimble pairing was a bit of a no brainer.

Don Alfonso wrote:Interesting reading that Andy Trimble has made eight tunrovers in the HEC this season, more than any other players bar three - Rory Best, Justin Tipuric and Chris Henry.

Ulster use him in a completely different way, in which he is ferociously effective. Ireland's gameplan just doesn't get the same quality out of him.

I don't know that I would start Gilroy, but Fitzgerald's return has (imho) been substantially overhyped, and Earls has been playing centre, so who else?

Has Luke's return from injury been overhyped? If anything I think it has been quite a quiet return by the player. The only two things of note I've spotted is that he hasn't overrun plays in eagerness that much since his return, and he hasn't had a howler of significant note. He's been steady. That's all. I think it was between him and Trimble to hold the tackle bags in practice and Luke has won that 'honour'. Won't be starting, and won't be on the bench either as Earls will probably serve as the utility back option from 13 to 15 (anything happens to darcy and Sexton shifts out one position for ROG to come in). Don't really agree with that kind of approach but I reckon that will be Kidney's approach for the game (just to point out, I'd prefer BOD to take the 12 position, Sexton stay on, ROG/reserve outhalf stays on the bench and Earls to take to the field at 13 if the Darcy sub was required).

If anything I'm shocked that the IRFU and Kidney refuse to renew Luke's central contract while he was injured (obviously believing that they have plenty of options elsewhere for wingers) yet no sooner as he puts a jersey back on, he is called into the 6N squad. If the Kidney stones can take the first step, then he should have the same stones to leave him out the Irish squad altogether.

I'd have loved to see something similar Bandwagon:

09 Murray
10 Sexton
11 Zebo
12 O'Driscoll
13 Earls
14 Trimble
15 Kearney

21 Reddan
22 Madigan (covers flyhalf and fullback)
23 McFadden (covers wing and centre)

theslosty wrote:Does anybody else think POM arguably deserves to start at 6 more than SOB?

And I'm a massive fan of SOB.

No.

Yes Fitzgerald has been overhyped since his return. He had an ordinary game last Friday kicking far too much possession away, and still managed to overrun a pass.

However at his best he had a serious amount of talent, but ever since his first major injury it looks like he has lost both pace and confidence. Hence the kick when he should run, and the eagerness to pinch a yard when running onto a pass. He needs to seriously evaluate whether his future is as a winger, because he looks far more suited to moving inside into the 13 role.

I think sob has been pretty damn good.

Feel bad for Trimble but he just doesn't suit this Ireland I guess.

The Great Aukster wrote:Yes Fitzgerald has been overhyped since his return. He had an ordinary game last Friday kicking far too much possession away, and still managed to overrun a pass.

However at his best he had a serious amount of talent, but ever since his first major injury it looks like he has lost both pace and confidence. Hence the kick when he should run, and the eagerness to pinch a yard when running onto a pass. He needs to seriously evaluate whether his future is as a winger, because he looks far more suited to moving inside into the 13 role.

Don't agree with any of that,he was in the form of his life before this latest injury and has cut out overrunning passes almost completely.He is playing far better than I could have hoped for a guy who has missed the guts of 2 years and while he doesn't deserve to be in the matchday squad yet imo he's way ahead of schedule to even be in the training squad.

The Great Aukster wrote:Yes Fitzgerald has been overhyped since his return. He had an ordinary game last Friday kicking far too much possession away, and still managed to overrun a pass.

However at his best he had a serious amount of talent, but ever since his first major injury it looks like he has lost both pace and confidence. Hence the kick when he should run, and the eagerness to pinch a yard when running onto a pass. He needs to seriously evaluate whether his future is as a winger, because he looks far more suited to moving inside into the 13 role.

I'd agree the return is a little hyped but

Disagree with everything else.
He was our best back last fri and kicked when deep in his own half and with the wind at his back. He kicked well also. He ran more effectively than any of the other backs and offloaded nicely twice.


He's also looked good for Leinster in his 3 games back running well, has scored once in 3 games and made a few linebreaks.

Wouldn't disagree about the 13 thing tho

They're chatting on the UAFC about an Ulster player being asked to be part of a training camp to play the Welsh defender and him turning it down to return to his province. Now thats a terrible forum and it's most likely B.S. But if it's not?

After all, in the Heineken Cup you have Trimble, one of the form wingers, Court the form loosehead in Europe and Chris Henry the form openside. It wouldn't be a surprise if Henry was the only one to make the 23 and even then only on the bench. I imagine if thats the case, Ulster players will be just as disillusioned as the vast majority of Ulster fans seem to be with Ireland.

I would just like to be reassured that the coaches are the ones making the selection decisions and not people in administrative roles above their heads, but don't see how that can happen. Either way, I can't see Kidney being one to command much respect in the dressing room right now all thing considered.

Notch wrote:They're chatting on the UAFC about an Ulster player being asked to be part of a training camp to play the Welsh defender and him turning it down to return to his province. Now thats a terrible forum and it's most likely B.S. But if it's not?

After all, in the Heineken Cup you have Trimble, one of the form wingers, Court the form loosehead in Europe and Chris Henry the form openside. It wouldn't be a surprise if Henry was the only one to make the 23 and even then only on the bench. I imagine if thats the case, Ulster players will be just as disillusioned as the vast majority of Ulster fans seem to be with Ireland.

I would just like to be reassured that the coaches are the ones making the selection decisions and not people in administrative roles above their heads, but don't see how that can happen. Either way, I can't see Kidney being one to command much respect in the dressing room right now all thing considered.

The administrative roles have known for a long time that the support from the North is a valuable thing to have, they always buy up a good number of tickets for games, I wouldn't be surprised if they have more than their fair share of 10 year tickets for lansdowne rd (plenty of northie accents any time I've managed to get into that level).

It was between Trimble/Luke/Gilroy for the final two winger spots in the squad. Luke has effectively won the task of being one of these 'welsh defenders' in training. Gilroy has taken Trimble's starting position.
I'd be hard pressed to have Court starting in front of Healy (who I think has been the form loosehead in Europe). He should have the bench spot for sure, Kilcoyne was in that scrum that went so badly that Bent was written off, the loosehead side was going backwards almost faster than the tighthead side at times).
Henry should have a starting jersey. At least the bench spot. The backrows must come from Heaslip, Henry, SOB, POM and Henderson.

red_stag wrote:I'd have loved to see something similar Bandwagon:

09 Murray
10 Sexton
11 Zebo
12 O'Driscoll
13 Earls
14 Trimble
15 Kearney

21 Reddan
22 Madigan (covers flyhalf and fullback)
23 McFadden (covers wing and centre)

Just to point out, my switching into 12 for BOD would be an in-play substitution should something happen to Darcy but your selection has a nice mix.

It will interesting to see how things progress. 6-8 months ago I would be agreeing with the above. But then Darcy got his form back and has been looking well. Now in the next year we will have Marshall back fit and a nice bit of experience and McSharry getting recognition from his play in Connacht. Do you convert BOD to 12 to get another year out of him? Or do you look at the kids coming through? Maybe we should just do the switch that would balance our backrow with a groundhog from the first whistle and put a flanker jersey on BOD!

MMC i reckon has deccie's team spot on. Team is announced tomorrow. Usually around 1ishthough they're nearly always late. I have promised myself i won't be on here shouting at half past. Im still horse from the autumm selections. Given their injury problems we really should be beating Wales, but we've played as a team like once in the last 10 tests so i won't hold my breath.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:

Notch wrote:They're chatting on the UAFC about an Ulster player being asked to be part of a training camp to play the Welsh defender and him turning it down to return to his province. Now thats a terrible forum and it's most likely B.S. But if it's not?

After all, in the Heineken Cup you have Trimble, one of the form wingers, Court the form loosehead in Europe and Chris Henry the form openside. It wouldn't be a surprise if Henry was the only one to make the 23 and even then only on the bench. I imagine if thats the case, Ulster players will be just as disillusioned as the vast majority of Ulster fans seem to be with Ireland.

I would just like to be reassured that the coaches are the ones making the selection decisions and not people in administrative roles above their heads, but don't see how that can happen. Either way, I can't see Kidney being one to command much respect in the dressing room right now all thing considered.

The administrative roles have known for a long time that the support from the North is a valuable thing to have, they always buy up a good number of tickets for games, I wouldn't be surprised if they have more than their fair share of 10 year tickets for lansdowne rd (plenty of northie accents any time I've managed to get into that level).

It was between Trimble/Luke/Gilroy for the final two winger spots in the squad. Luke has effectively won the task of being one of these 'welsh defenders' in training. Gilroy has taken Trimble's starting position.
I'd be hard pressed to have Court starting in front of Healy (who I think has been the form loosehead in Europe). He should have the bench spot for sure, Kilcoyne was in that scrum that went so badly that Bent was written off, the loosehead side was going backwards almost faster than the tighthead side at times).
Henry should have a starting jersey. At least the bench spot. The backrows must come from Heaslip, Henry, SOB, POM and Henderson.

You would have Court ahead of Healy.. really??

L4L - I read that as him saying the exact opposite?

1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. McCarthy
5. Ryan
6. SOB
7. Henry
8. Heaslip
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. D'arcy
13. BOD
14. Fitz
15. Kearney

POM, Court and Trimble are the form players but are unlucky to miss out, would like to see Fitz in the centre in the future but that would be a bridge too far right now.

Unleash Gilroy against those tiring Welsh monsters with 30 minutes to go - Fitz probably isn't worth playing 80 yet anyway.

I would seriously consider it up against Adam Jones though, especially if they bring in the massive Olly Kohn to scrummage behind him! Thats a very formidable scrummaging unit we'd be faced with. Healy is better player all round than Court, but Court is scrummaging better than him. At the very least Court needs to be on the bench and be used early if they get us into trouble on the loosehead side.

Notch wrote:I would seriously consider it up against Adam Jones though, especially if they bring in the massive Olly Kohn to scrummage behind him! Thats a very formidable scrummaging unit we'd be faced with. Healy is better player all round than Court, but Court is scrummaging better than him. At the very least Court needs to be on the bench and be used early if they get us into trouble on the loosehead side.

I agree that Court should be on the bench against Wales and maybe England too.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Notch wrote:I would seriously consider it up against Adam Jones though, especially if they bring in the massive Olly Kohn to scrummage behind him! Thats a very formidable scrummaging unit we'd be faced with. Healy is better player all round than Court, but Court is scrummaging better than him. At the very least Court needs to be on the bench and be used early if they get us into trouble on the loosehead side.

I agree that Court should be on the bench against Wales and maybe England too.

And France. Scotland and Italy would be relatively good games to give Kilcoyne some gametime, probably should start Court in one of those if Healy starts the other four.

Kilcoyne will be on the bench.

Kidney is driven by the media and they are calling for Kilcoyne, so can't see Court being involved unless Healy gets injured.
Sadly the same probably applies to Chris Henry, Kidney knows his only chance of getting an extension is keeping the Dublin Journos on his side. In ATH tonight Thornley was calling for a backrow of SOB, POM and Heaslip so that has to be a real possibility. They also reckoned three wins would be enough to re-hire Kidney.

The Great Aukster wrote:Kilcoyne will be on the bench.

Kidney is driven by the media and they are calling for Kilcoyne, so can't see Court being involved unless Healy gets injured.
Sadly the same probably applies to Chris Henry, Kidney knows his only chance of getting an extension is keeping the Dublin Journos on his side. In ATH tonight Thornley was calling for a backrow of SOB, POM and Heaslip so that has to be a real possibility. They also reckoned three wins would be enough to re-hire Kidney.

All of this is true. Kidney is in a weak position and will have to dance to the tune others are calling if he wants to keep his job. The fact that him keeping his job will be a long-term disaster really does leave the supporter in an awkward position

The Great Aukster wrote:Kilcoyne will be on the bench.

Kidney is driven by the media and they are calling for Kilcoyne, so can't see Court being involved unless Healy gets injured.
Sadly the same probably applies to Chris Henry, Kidney knows his only chance of getting an extension is keeping the Dublin Journos on his side. In ATH tonight Thornley was calling for a backrow of SOB, POM and Heaslip so that has to be a real possibility. They also reckoned three wins would be enough to re-hire Kidney.

He did sound like he was certain that POM would start. We need Henry there to balance the backrow and give SOB the freedom to just carry ball for us.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

The Great Aukster wrote:Kilcoyne will be on the bench.

Kidney is driven by the media and they are calling for Kilcoyne, so can't see Court being involved unless Healy gets injured.
Sadly the same probably applies to Chris Henry, Kidney knows his only chance of getting an extension is keeping the Dublin Journos on his side. In ATH tonight Thornley was calling for a backrow of SOB, POM and Heaslip so that has to be a real possibility. They also reckoned three wins would be enough to re-hire Kidney.

He did sound like he was certain that POM would start. We need Henry there to balance the backrow and give SOB the freedom to just carry ball for us.

I could understand the POM selection, if not agree with it, if POM is selected at 6. SOB was excellent at 7 in New Zealand and has been good there since coming back. If POM starts at 6, then I can see the reasoning behind that being we are going after the Welsh lineout, which is a good idea, as they are struggling with injuries in the second row, and have never been that good there anyways. It is a understandable selection, even if a poor decision based on Henry's season.

valjester wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

The Great Aukster wrote:Kilcoyne will be on the bench.

Kidney is driven by the media and they are calling for Kilcoyne, so can't see Court being involved unless Healy gets injured.
Sadly the same probably applies to Chris Henry, Kidney knows his only chance of getting an extension is keeping the Dublin Journos on his side. In ATH tonight Thornley was calling for a backrow of SOB, POM and Heaslip so that has to be a real possibility. They also reckoned three wins would be enough to re-hire Kidney.

He did sound like he was certain that POM would start. We need Henry there to balance the backrow and give SOB the freedom to just carry ball for us.

I could understand the POM selection, if not agree with it, if POM is selected at 6. SOB was excellent at 7 in New Zealand and has been good there since coming back. If POM starts at 6, then I can see the reasoning behind that being we are going after the Welsh lineout, which is a good idea, as they are struggling with injuries in the second row, and have never been that good there anyways. It is a understandable selection, even if a poor decision based on Henry's season.

SOB is wasted at 7 imo. The reason why he was good there last year is that he was playing with an injury so he couldn't carry all that well. He's our best ball carrier we need him at 6.

Ireland need a balanced back row - You've often picked 3 superstars but the balance has been wrong

rodders wrote:Too much Hyperbole here..... and thats without hookie .......

Tis what it tis .... some guys are hard done by and others can count their lucky stars (again)....

...at the end of the day thats the squad, Deccies the boss (still) and if we win another slam I won't be complaining.......

You rang?

Listen, lets be real about this whole selection of the squad. If I was Trimble I would be disappointed for sure. He is Ireland's form winger. Not Zebo, not Gilroy, not Fitzgerald and certainly not Earls. All this talk of his 'never performing' for Ireland is absolute nonsense. When he does perform such as the '11 summer tour when he was Ireland's best player, or in the run up to the World Cup when even George Hook said he should be in the Ireland side, he still gets dropped. Sure it's the systems fault that Ireland can't use him correctly. How on earth can that be acceptable to any fan that a form Irish player doesn't make the squad because the coaching staff are too incompetent to know how to use an affective weapon for the side? Now personally I don't think he has done very much in green over the past season to really merit a place in the squad. Here is a list of people who also haven't done very much in a green shirt in the past season. Murray, D'Arcy, Earls, Ross, O'Callaghan. But sure D'Arcy is 'in great form' if you believe what some people are saying in the thread. But sure, if he comes from your province the rules are different. Kidney is incompetent. Except if you are a handful of Leinster fans in here when anyone dares to make an argument that maybe, just maybe, the underperforming Jamie Heaslip shouldn't have been made captain. Since the last Lions tour I can count on one hand (which consists of thumb and pinky) the number of good games he has had for Ireland in three seasons. Of course he has been good for Leinster in that time. I thought he was outstanding in the knockout phases last season. For Ireland though? Meh. How has he shown leadership material? Not once. Here is a very short list of players who have stood up and shown backs to the wall pure beligerence in the face of mediocrity in the past season or so- Healy, Best, Ryan, Ferris, O'Brien. Possibly Sexton though that is questionable. Yet we will be captained by Heaslip. Nonsense. So it seems if you don't perform in green but do from time to time in blue then you can keep your place. Play for Ulster and the rules change. There's something not right about that.

Of course many of us thing ROG has nothing more to give for Ireland at 10. If you are a certain number of posters from Munster it seems to be the case that none of the pretenders will learn much from the bench with a ten minute run out. Perfectly reasonable assertion. So by this logic Kilcoyne has no place on the bench then either I take it? Healy isn't the form LH in Ireland. Tom Court is. Court is arguably the form LH in Europe presently. Not the best player, just in the best form. Healy is still playing very well and I don't think Court has done enough to dislodge him. But at the very least it merits a discussion. That seems to be beyond too many supporters and the Irish media who forget that there is life outside Leinster and Munster.

And so the the likely backrow- POM, O'Brien and Heaslip. We have been beaten three times on the trot by Wales and bested at the breakdown because (in part) we lack a balanced backrow to compete with them. So naturally we will drop the form Irish 7 who excels in this role in favour of POM who doesn't. So let's get it straight here- Wales may very well pick Warburton and Tipuric, two out and out 7s and two bloody good ones. We will answer with SOB and POM. Awk but sure, if at first, second and third you don't succeed Deccie jus try it again.

It is likely that out of the best Irish province one player will be in the side come Saturday. You know, that would be fair enough if it was on merit or form. But it isn't. I genuinely despair.

For full disclosure this would be my side:
1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. McCarthy
6. SOB
7. Henry
8. Heaslip (c)
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Zebo
12. McSharry
13. BOD
14. Gilroy
15. Kearney

16. Sherry
17. Court
18. Fitzpatrick
19. Henderson
20. POM
21. Reddan
22. Jackson
23. Earls

So you don't think Heaslip should be captain, but you name him captain of your side

Glas a du wrote:So you don't think Heaslip should be captain, but you name him captain of your side

I'm picking from what Kidney has made available. Heaslip is captain like it (some do) or not (I'm not convinced). My captain would be Best, but long term they should be looking for a proper leader on the pitch like Healy for example. I would make a case for Heaslip not being in the side at all.

Hookie, I agree with you one hundred percent. And that team would really be one that could take the game to Wales. A hard running 12 who can set it up for his outside backs to attack the gainline at speed, an out and out 7 in the best form of his life, a good prospect at 10 given the opportunity from the bench and the best utility back we have on the bench. If Kidney picks that one, I'd probably buy the guy a pint for having the balls to do it...

Glas, he's the captain now. No point wishing otherwise. To tell the truth I think he might rise to the occasion during this 6N, and there will be a committee to make the big choices anyway. Sexton will have his say, as will O'Driscoll and Best...

I don't understand hook. A lot of Leinster and Munster fans on here have said that Trimble, Court and Henry should be on the team but yet you still think we have something against Ulster players??? If you look up a couple of post I mention how I want Henry to start at 7 and to see Court on the bench against Wales.

Whats all this talk of Trimble? He is a solid player, nothing more. He isn't highly talented and makes mistakes. He is not a giant or not lightening quick. Just because hes playing well in the HEC. I like Trimble, he has a good attitude and always gives 100% but I think he is short of international class.

Siege mentality has set in among many ulster fans. You'll have to shout louder lf4l so I can hear you over the barakades