Ireland post Mortem/new coach/new team thread

[Standulstermen]

First topic message reminder :

May as well let the match thread die and have all our ramblings in one place.

Is kidney gone?
Who will be the new coach?
Will BOD, D'arcy, ROG retire?
Changes for France?


All in here guys.

My own selection for France would be

Kilcoyne (Healy if allowed)
Best
Ross
Ryan
Henderson (would be tempted by him at 6 but our tight 5 needs ball carriers)
POM
SOB
Heaslip
Murray
Jackson
Gilroy
Marshall
BOD
?
Kearney

Cronin, court, fitz, DOC, O'Donnell, Reddan, madigan, ?

Can't decide on who spdeserves the wing/outside back bench slot. Best, Kearney need good games.

[GunsGerms]

Look at the Australia team:

Beale, Barnes and O'Connor can all kick goals very well all playing in the same team.

Same with SA, Piennar, Lambie, Francois Steyn,

Wales, Biggar and 1/2

Why cant we do it? Its quite simple really.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

Excellent point above.

I think I'd more a less stick with that same team for France lads, who else do
We have really? I'd lose rog and earls for madigan/sexton and McFadden/Fitz.

Other than that keep it the same.

Coach wise?? Kidney must go and should have gone 2years ago if not more.

I would hate to see an Irish replacement. I want someone in who will shake it up a lot. I want us to reinvent ourselves and I don't think many Irish men are capable of doing that.

I'd like either deans or vern cotter. I'm sure there are some other kiwis/Aussies out there who I'm unaware of who would do excellently too.

For what it's worth, I thought jackson had an excellent game place kicking aside, looked the business with ball in hand. Also we have found our new 12. Thank god he was given a go!

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

Finally, I'd retain heaslip as captain.

[SecretFly]

Look at the Australia team:

Beale, Barnes and O'Connor can all kick goals very well all playing in the same team.

Same with SA, Piennar, Lambie, Francois Steyn,

Wales, Biggar and 1/2

Why cant we do it? Its quite simple really.

Too much bloody talk about it might be a partial reason.

Humphreys worries about O'Gara
O'Gara worries about Sexton
Sexton worries about O'Gara
O'Gara gets dumped for Jackson
Jackson worries about O'Gara
We all worry about O'Gara

For as long as the professional game has been happening in this country there has been steady chit chat in the media about bloody kicking...and the way you might do it when you're trying to get a footing in a game, and the way you might do it when you're trying to close a game out, and the way you might do it for perfect position, and the way you might do it at 39.999999999999 minutes on the clock, like O'Gara did in his prime.

Even last week...................... the media, and probably here, was full of in advance of the game. OH................ he's picked Jackson!!!! What we gonna do in the kicking sphere now??? That's a bad decision. And O'Gara being the bench man who was ignored? OH...that's bad etiquette...what we gonna do if O'Gara is forced to come on early?

We're gonna lose - whether he comes on early or late. Even in the studio at RTE before the game, Conor O'Shea - [most people discount the other two as important commentators. I don't but most do] - was muttering omenously about going over the head of the player who has been on the bench. Yeah??? That's the same player everybody didn't want near the bench in the weeks and months before the Scottish game, then he suddenly became the player who should have been picked?

Anything to engender controversy. This Ireland team were always going to lose if they played to the standards they've set themselves and Scotland played to their new standards. I said so before the game. The mystery is that we almost won, and had all the territory and possession (certainly in the 'almost winning' half!) and that Scotland were...well....... crap for most of the game. That's the mystery.

The expected was that our kickers would have tons of chattering pressure on their backs going into and throughout the game.... Kidney proved it yet again by dropping O'Gara in again and showing Jackson that he's not going to be given any opportunities to settle down in an International jersey....he either kicks perfectly and we win or O'Gara is going to be brought on and we lose.

That's the pressure. A greatly underperforming old great is brought on to kick 'perfect' even though the game is gone and it would be better to keep pushing the new hopes and to keep giving them the time needed to settle down.

[rodders]

I think the issue with Jackson is that Pienaar is primary kicker at Ulster, same with Madigan his kicking has improved a lot now he has been given more responsibility there.

Jacksons kicking was considerably better early in the season before Pienaar returned. If he isn't kicking week in, week out for his province then it is a lot to ask to just step up and do it at international level.

Practice may well help but ultimately there is no substitute for kicking pressure goals in competitive matches. Same with his kicking from hand, which wasn't great either.

You can't expect a player, especially a young guy to just step up and perform a different role for his country than he does for his province.

For me Jacksons performance didn't surprise. He defended well, attacked the gainline and created breaks but he scuffed his kicks. This is what he's been doing for Ulster for the past couple of months.

[GunsGerms]

Dont think enough focus is put on kicking in the Ireland camp. Get Dave Alred in a lets do a couple of hours a day.

Jackson seemed to be overthing his kicks, trying to work out how he was going to do it as he was kicking.

It should be a completly automatic process. Just by looking at Jackson you can tell that he hasnt put the hours practice in re kicking. Thats all thats required.

[Glas a du]

So why have him as your sole goal kicker? Did Kidney want to beat Scotland? Does he want to be offered a golden handshake?

[Guest]

Dont think enough focus is put on kicking in the Ireland camp. Get Dave Alred in a lets do a couple of hours a day.

Jackson seemed to be overthing his kicks, trying to work out how he was going to do it as he was kicking.

It should be a completly automatic process. Just by looking at Jackson you can tell that he hasnt put the hours practice in re kicking. Thats all thats required.

It might look that way, but I would think he puts plenty of practice in, Guns. Looking at his kicking I would say he is feeling tremendous pressure. He seems to snatch at the kicks a bit sometimes, although he wasn't far off with a difficult kick on Sunday. Hit the post.
I read a comment from someone at the game, and they were saying that he was out practicing his kicks an hour before the game, missing only two efforts from the right side.
The thing is he can kick well. We know this. I believe he just need to get this part of his game right in his head, and he will return to form, and improve perhaps over time. As Rodders has mentioned; O'Gara, Sexton, Humph's have all had bad days with the boot. He will come good.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

It annoyed me that in the post match interview Kidney said: "There are two parts to the flyhalf's job, the general play and the goal kicking."

Like that is plain retarded! First of all there are many many more, defence, line kicking, distribution, decision making etc.

Secondly your 10 does not have to be your kicker!!!

Halfpenny at Wales!
Bergamasco at Italy sometimes!
Parra at France!
Laidlaw at Scotland!

RRRRRAAAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRRRRR

[Glas a du]

Sack him.

[SecretFly]

You're all forgetting the trick. The trick is that if you score enough tries you don't need a goal kicker.

The Irish team assumes it can score tries easily (and last year it proved it by topping the chart on that one/ AIs faired okay too)...BUT...that almost happens as a mistake in most games as this Irish side is in no way constructed robustly enough tactically to be a try scoring team.

So the players (and I assume the backroom boys) believe in the ability to score tries and yet nobody from within the Ireland camp questions the lack of a gameplan designed around try scoring. Against Scotland we suddenly realised we needed a kicker because the tries that should'a' been never got scored. Panic. How bizarre, how bizarre.

Ireland's kickers are always more important than they should be because the in-the-trenches gameplan usually requires it. But running in tandem with that idea is the one that states Ireland's kickers are not considered too important because well........... the players and management seem to think they have a try scoring gameplan.

They have schizophrenia, that's what they have

[MrsP]

Jackson has not been kicking for Ulster since his ankle injury. That seemed to me what has happened to his kicking at Ulster rather than Pienaar taking them.

I also can not believe that lack of practice could be a factor unless that too has been caused by injury.

I remember when Ruan came to Ulster at first Ian Humphreys remarked how he learned so much from how much Pienaar practiced his kicking. I hear that Jackson is a very dedicated young player and I would find it hard to believe he is not spending enough time practising unless that ankle injury was the problem.

Also worth noting that Pienaar was not kicking well for us on Friday night and I doubt if anyone would suggest it was because he didn't practice enough.

Kickers have bad days. Kickers who have been unable to practice because of injury should not be blamed if their kicking isn't perfect. Lets remember too, one of his misses hit the post so he wasn't too far away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bt_1DNDs0I

[GunsGerms]

Dont think enough focus is put on kicking in the Ireland camp. Get Dave Alred in a lets do a couple of hours a day.

Jackson seemed to be overthing his kicks, trying to work out how he was going to do it as he was kicking.

It should be a completly automatic process. Just by looking at Jackson you can tell that he hasnt put the hours practice in re kicking. Thats all thats required.

It might look that way, but I would think he puts plenty of practice in, Guns. Looking at his kicking I would say he is feeling tremendous pressure. He seems to snatch at the kicks a bit sometimes, although he wasn't far off with a difficult kick on Sunday. Hit the post.
I read a comment from someone at the game, and they were saying that he was out practicing his kicks an hour before the game, missing only two efforts from the right side.
The thing is he can kick well. We know this. I believe he just need to get this part of his game right in his head, and he will return to form, and improve perhaps over time. As Rodders has mentioned; O'Gara, Sexton, Humph's have all had bad days with the boot. He will come good.

Yes nerves are defo a factor. Im not concerned with him but I do think his technique was poor. Look at how Flood, Farrell and 1/2p kick. Its so mechanical. Jackson by contrast didnt seem to have a consistent technique that has been perfected through hours of practice.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

I'd want Paddy to start against France and take the kicks for the record.

I was just frustrated by our coaches mindset that A) 10's must be the kickers and B) that kicking was such a huge part of a 10's game.

[MrsP]

I'd want Paddy to start against France and take the kicks for the record.

I was just frustrated by our coaches mindset that A) 10's must be the kickers and B) that kicking was such a huge part of a 10's game.

That and,

We have a ten who is otherwise playing well and another kicker on the bench in the form of McFadden so lets take the 10 off and put on another 10 who can no longer kick or get the back line involved.

[RubyGuby]

We have a ten who is otherwise playing well and another kicker on the bench in the form of McFadden so lets take the 10 off and put on another 10 who can no longer kick or get the back line involved.[/quote]

If you want that just sack Deccie and put Sant Andre in charge

[Mickado]

You're all forgetting the trick. The trick is that if you score enough tries you don't need a goal kicker.

The Irish team assumes it can score tries easily (and last year it proved it by topping the chart on that one/ AIs faired okay too)...BUT...that almost happens as a mistake in most games as this Irish side is in no way constructed robustly enough tactically to be a try scoring team.

So the players (and I assume the backroom boys) believe in the ability to score tries and yet nobody from within the Ireland camp questions the lack of a gameplan designed around try scoring. Against Scotland we suddenly realised we needed a kicker because the tries that should'a' been never got scored. Panic. How bizarre, how bizarre.

Ireland's kickers are always more important than they should be because the in-the-trenches gameplan usually requires it. But running in tandem with that idea is the one that states Ireland's kickers are not considered too important because well........... the players and management seem to think they have a try scoring gameplan.

They have schizophrenia, that's what they have

You'd have to be a pretty dominant team at international level to need require a goal kicker to win.

Can anyone realisticallty see Kidney calling Madigan up to the 23 man squad? He can't ignore him forever like.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

Madigan really should be involved Mick. It's getting silly. I'd put him on the bench. Great impact lad to have.

[SecretFly]

Will Kidney put Madigan into the squad? He should but..................... who knows. The poor guy doesn't know which end of him is up (and that's not all his fault at this stage with players dropping like flies). He's trying to save his job and he's rushing downhill with his team and he has players who can't kick and players who can't always be heros, and players who are finding the leading job difficult, and players going AWOL (Kearney? - who eternally seems to be between two minds which way he's going to run - either into trouble or into trouble).

We can't blame Kidney for the complete meltdown (something very wrong in the player protecion programme and the conditioning fragility it seems to inflict on our 'protected' players). Who knows who he'll pick and would even Madigan look anything like Madigan in an Irish shirt? Do any of them look much like their Provinicial selves in an Irish shirt?

[Notch]

I wouldn't worry about Jackson goal kicking. It will come right with time, practice and experience doing it in pressure situations.

I thought it was bizarre we didn't have McFadden as back-up kicker though.

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

I wouldn't be adverse to having Madigan at 15 against France. Kearney has been dreadfully poor so far so why not bring Leinster fans' messiah into the team.

Madigan looks a decent player with a bright future but the lauding of him has gone way past the point of hyperbole. Someone (I think it was Stand) described him as Ireland's Carlos Spenser. If that is the case then he will never be an international class out half. What is more I don't see him as being any more talented at this stage than Danny Cipriani and we all know how his career has nose dived. Why are we so obsessed with labelling young players as the new greatest thing since sliced bread? Hanrahan is another one. He looks like he could have a good future but he has started, what, two games and he's the next best 10 since Mike Gibson? Give me a break. Compare young talented 10s like Hanrahan, Madigan and Jackson with Farrell. No contest whatsoever.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

Does anyone agree with the Whiff of Cordite lads re: Peter O'Mahony?

They are getting fed up of him doing the handbag thing and looking like an absolute psycho (in a good way) pure manic aggression yada yada yada and then when it comes to actually playing not bring that aggression out in a productive way.

Anyone agree or disagree with that?

[SecretFly]

I wouldn't be adverse to having Madigan at 15 against France. Kearney has been dreadfully poor so far so why not bring Leinster fans' messiah into the team.

Madigan looks a decent player with a bright future but the lauding of him has gone way past the point of hyperbole. Someone (I think it was Stand) described him as Ireland's Carlos Spenser. If that is the case then he will never be an international class out half. What is more I don't see him as being any more talented at this stage than Danny Cipriani and we all know how his career has nose dived. Why are we so obsessed with labelling young players as the new greatest thing since sliced bread? Hanrahan is another one. He looks like he could have a good future but he has started, what, two games and he's the next best 10 since Mike Gibson? Give me a break. Compare young talented 10s like Hanrahan, Madigan and Jackson with Farrell. No contest whatsoever.

Exactly...give me a break...that's what Madigan keeps saying across the phone

Anyway, they never did prove that McFadden, the last wonderboy from Dublin 4, didn't have the lowest centre of gravity in the Galaxy. They never proved him oversold in that area. So sometimes the hyperbole can be hyperbolised..... ...and sometimes it can simply be solid FACT.

[Mcgavin Sean]

The captaincy is a difficult one. I never liked the idea of Heaslip as captain. Especially with O'Driscoll still there (and O'Connell hopefully recovering from injury). Either of those two should be captain as long as they're good enough to be starting.

After that there's Best. Mostly excellent but the lineout goes to pieces under pressure far to often for my liking and the captain has to lead by example. It's not good for team morale to see the captain struggling like that. And unfortunately it really does happen fairly regularly.

Sexton. Has hardly ever played well for Ireland and doesn't deserve to be captain until he does, and I don't like the idea of the flyhalf as captain anyway. Behind him, I think we've got some good players but backs are too far away from the action and the refs ear. Has to be a player from 1 to 9.

After Wood, O'Driscoll and O'Connell nobody really stacks up. We should stick with BOD or POC til they're gone.

WHAT??!!!
Jeezuz Feckless, are you on drugs or what man? I am. But you got ripped-off.

Sexton would have nailed that game by 20 pts plus. Everyone knows that. Silly.

Still love ya mind. Bless.

Ok he's been much better recently in green. I'm just in a very negative mood.

Do ye think we need an outsider to come in and avoid the provincial rubbish?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU06briKr6k

Mesavage used to live in Copenhagen in the nineties,he did a lot of street performances and was also an occassional visitor to Christiania and a big phiss head...good guy...I didnt realise he was on the box.Very good that..lol

[UlstermaninGlasgow]

Hook it was me. I didn't think he'd be wasted/dumped like Spencer, but more he was an attacking threat with boot and ball... Moreso than PJ.

Pete, I'd agree completely, but who comes in? I'd love Henderson to step up to 6, but my gut tells me that DOC isn't an international lock anymore, and we can't have Toner and Ryan packing down together, as it would crucify our scrum even more...

I'd much rather Ryan and Henderson at 4/5 and then bring O'Donnell in at 7, with SOB moving to 6 and O'Mahony on the bench. He's a damn good impact sub, but the "hard man" act is wearing thin...

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

Does anyone agree with the Whiff of Cordite lads re: Peter O'Mahony?

They are getting fed up of him doing the handbag thing and looking like an absolute psycho (in a good way) pure manic aggression yada yada yada and then when it comes to actually playing not bring that aggression out in a productive way.

Anyone agree or disagree with that?

I said exactly the same sort of thing in the autumn internationals. POM does not work hard enough, he does little at the breakdown and when the going gets tough he is nowhere to be found. He got taken off against Wales after hiding out on the wing and being run over (by Falateau I think). He was utterly anonymous against England and the entire game passed him by against Scotland. With all the ball we had he hardly touched it and was totally ineffective when he did. I'm totally with WoC on it- Munster fans have been dying to see the next great Munster forward and decided to anoint POM. Tommy O'Donnell could be a really good player for Munster and Ireland. Likewise Dougall. But POM? The guy sat down one day and watch a 2 minute video called 'the best of Tom Croft' and thought 'bejeezus, I could do that'. He's a show pony like Croft, only not even as good. I want players like Ryan or O'Brien- even if they aren't playing well or at their best they are right down there in the trenches giving it their all. POM isn't that player.

[Standulstermen]

I wouldn't be adverse to having Madigan at 15 against France. Kearney has been dreadfully poor so far so why not bring Leinster fans' messiah into the team.

Madigan looks a decent player with a bright future but the lauding of him has gone way past the point of hyperbole. Someone (I think it was Stand) described him as Ireland's Carlos Spenser. If that is the case then he will never be an international class out half. What is more I don't see him as being any more talented at this stage than Danny Cipriani and we all know how his career has nose dived. Why are we so obsessed with labelling young players as the new greatest thing since sliced bread? Hanrahan is another one. He looks like he could have a good future but he has started, what, two games and he's the next best 10 since Mike Gibson? Give me a break. Compare young talented 10s like Hanrahan, Madigan and Jackson with Farrell. No contest whatsoever.

I can safely say, hand on heart that I have never used the expression 'Ireland's Carlos Spencer'
Reading through the indo the last couple of days and its rugby columns really are a joke

- hook criticising Gilroy for aimless kicking when he didn't kick (incidentally this was repeated on 2 other places)
- Conor george now saying the media was/is out to get kidney in a way that they never were with O'Sullivan
- Tony ward being critical of sites like this and their 'appalling' treatment of ROG. Then he calls for ROG to quit, thus backing up what 90% of people on these sites have been saying for a while

The quality of comment in rugby circles in this country is dire

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

I thought he had a good game (compared to others) against England. he does seem massively underpowered though. He is a very good lineout man

[Standulstermen]

I'm not certain POM is the answer long term and if the call for France is between him and henderson for backrow (ie Henderson won't be considered at lock) then Henderson should get the nod

[gleesonisgod]

I'd bring in Trimble ahead of Gilroy, who really hasn't done much, adn has kicked very poorly. I'd bring in Fitz for Earls and possibly switch Earls to fullback.

Also, Madigan has to be given a run, at least on the bench.

I would say start Henderson at 6 but i think POM offers more than DOC so Henderson to 5, which I really can't see happening.

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

He (POM) does seem like the kind who'd be a good impact sub

[Standulstermen]

I'd bring in Trimble ahead of Gilroy, who really hasn't done much, adn has kicked very poorly. I'd bring in Fitz for Earls and possibly switch Earls to fullback.

Also, Madigan has to be given a run, at least on the bench.

I would say start Henderson at 6 but i think POM offers more than DOC so Henderson to 5, which I really can't see happening.

One kick on Sunday which was a shot to nothing as we had (and subsequently got) the penalty adv. I was all for Trimble being in but I don't see what Gilroy did on Sunday to be dropped. Took his try well. Was solid as a rock when targeted under the high ball.

[UlstermaninGlasgow]

Gilly looks like a doubt for France, so expect Earls to retain his spot at 11... Fitz to come in and McF to bench. Whereas I'd bring Ferg in at 11 and Fitz at 14. Kearney lucky to stay but needs a good game.

Henderson is a good lineout operator as well (he is a lock by trade) and wouldn't be meerkatting at the scrum so we might actually get a decent hit...

Seriously does no one else thing O'Callaghan is done at this level? He looked off the pace, and for all his bulk in the scrum, it didn't seem to have an effect... I'd almost be tempted by Stevenson and put DOC back on the bench... Toner is not an international level lock. Heard Mike McCarthy is back running, anyone think he's likely to be fit for France?

[Standulstermen]

Gilroy will be fine for France.

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

Henderson could come into the secondrow but I'd worry about his scrummaging there. The Ulster scrum was noticeably weaker when he played in that position. Someone also needs to send a rocket up SOB and POM's jackseys about their pushing and binding. SOB in particular gave his side of the scrum absolute no pushing support and kept falling off his man.

[UlstermaninGlasgow]

If so then Ferg in at 11, with Gilly staying at 14. As much as I trust PJ to have another shot, I'd rather the safety of a backup if he needs it. McFadden will do no wrong and rather funnily for a centre who was converted to wing, he's got a decent rugby brain and looks for the support......

[Standulstermen]

Henderson could come into the secondrow but I'd worry about his scrummaging there. The Ulster scrum was noticeably weaker when he played in that position. Someone also needs to send a rocket up SOB and POM's jackseys about their pushing and binding. SOB in particular gave his side of the scrum absolute not pushing support and kept falling off his man.

I agree as regards our flankers. Is Henderson weak at the scrum. We absolutely butchered Leinsters scrum with him in the row. I'm not sure, I just haven't seen enough yet

[pete (buachaill on eirne)]

I think Gilroy had a pretty good game. His defence has come on in leaps and bounds over the last three weeks I think. He does need to start looking for the ball more often. Start running those lines off our centres

[SecretFly]

Reading through the indo the last couple of days and its rugby columns really are a joke

- hook criticising Gilroy for aimless kicking when he didn't kick (incidentally this was repeated on 2 other places)
- Conor george now saying the media was/is out to get kidney in a way that they never were with O'Sullivan
- Tony ward being critical of sites like this and their 'appalling' treatment of ROG. Then he calls for ROG to quit, thus backing up what 90% of people on these sites have been saying for a while

The quality of comment in rugby circles in this country is dire

I thought I read Tony but I must have only scanned him...didn't recall the bit about 'us'...must go back over him in a while.

But I did read this...and was actually going to make a comment on it too to symbolise the confusion in all quarters, not just amongst players and coaches:

Tony says this about Heaslip:

"I supported the passing of the armband from Brian O'Driscoll to Jamie Heaslip, but I fear it is not working..... Perhaps he will grow into the role but right now, a captaincy rethink is required - in the best interest of the team and individual"

? I like Tony Ward as a person. A decent man with a love of the sport deeply ingrained. But talk about rats leaving sinking ships. It's become a plague as people who were onboard in decisions made now grab at lifejackets and make to jump, pretending they woz never on that boat.

How can you have a 're-think' about a Captaincy as you relieve the man you're having a re-think about? How can whipping the just stamped Captaincy off a pressurised player in an underperforming team be good for the individual? How can a player 'grow into the role' if it's taken off him after virtually a few days of gameplay? Where the hell will he grow into the role? In practice at home alone? Using a DVD How to Do it Programme?

Logic wilts when the pressure is on...and it seems the pressure is on journalists too as they have to backtrack on ideas they've published as good ones which are turning out bad.

I have been a strong critic of Heaslip and his playful Twitterish attitude to getting involved in social networking rubbish, and I also thought he was carrying a foul, aggressive mood with him in games a while back that wasn't helping his teammates. But I didn't say boo when he became Captain (I personally don't think the team needs O'Driscoll as Captain and I don't think he needs it, however much he might want it)

So it was much of a muchness for me that Heaslip is Captain. Our losses are not down to his [lack of] leadership..and to blame him is being evasive and shooting the wrong duck yet again. He probably has a lot to learn, but allow him the time..and allow him the time to do so in a confident side. He isn't bringing about the lack of confidence, he's a victim of it, like all the players are.

Plus, I didn't think he did a thing wrong in choosing not to go for points. I personally love an abrasive attitude like that in a team. They got into punishing distance and if you're going to take 3 points (or not take them as the case turned out often enough with the kicking that did happen) and be satisfied with that then you're not really showing much confidence, or building any. It's lovely to be wise after the event, as all commentators are on the fact that Heaslip should have taken the points. A try from a lineout and he'd have been lauded as a confident captain, believing in his team.

[JmD]

Henderson definitely deserves a shot somewhere, be it in at 6 or second row. He is a powerful ball carrier who makes far more yards than he has any right to. He throws people around in the tackle area even though he looks like he has the frame of an overgrown child. The only criticism I have for him is that it sometimes seems like his hands are made of stone. I think he looks better on the flank than in the second row, plus he offers a great lineout option from 6. The only times I've seen O'Mahony are when he's either standing out on the wing or grabbing someone's collar.

[Glas a du]

Henderson definitely deserves a shot somewhere...

That reminds me if the old greyhound racing joke:

"How did he go?"

"He needs some lead administered, just between the eyes..."

[Notch]

O'Mahony is having a pretty average season in green so far. I'm not castigating him, it's just that he's become the kind of player you shrug your shoulders about if he can't play not fret over his absence. He should play 7 if he plays. He's not quite physical enough for 6 or 8 at this level. Our backrow lacking physicality is a problem and it's because POM and Heaslip are relative lightweights. Used correctly he could be good. Getting stuck into the breakdown is his thing.

Couldn't hurt to give Henderson a run. But definitely, definitely as a flanker at this point. Thats where he'll be until he fills out. The baby-faced giant hasn't finished growing. And he's already 18 stone. He'll spend a couple of seasons at blindside and then move to lock.

Stand; most bizarre thing with Hook is Kilcoyne vs Court. Said the game proved Kilcoyne should be starting ahead of TC even though what little scrum parity we had evaporated when Kilcoyne came on

And then as you say castigating Gilroy for aimless kicking when Kearney and Murray were the more guilty. Sometimes Hooks columns are just weird.

[gleesonisgod]

I'd bring in Trimble ahead of Gilroy, who really hasn't done much, adn has kicked very poorly. I'd bring in Fitz for Earls and possibly switch Earls to fullback.

Also, Madigan has to be given a run, at least on the bench.

I would say start Henderson at 6 but i think POM offers more than DOC so Henderson to 5, which I really can't see happening.

One kick on Sunday which was a shot to nothing as we had (and subsequently got) the penalty adv. I was all for Trimble being in but I don't see what Gilroy did on Sunday to be dropped. Took his try well. Was solid as a rock when targeted under the high ball.

I was referring to Gilroy's kicking vs Wales and England. Also there is the fact that Trimble starts ahead of him and is in fine form. All the high balls he took were relatively easy.

Maybe you're right and Gilroy just hasn't got the space or enough ball for him to show his stuff. But in my opinion if Trimble had been playing this six nations, he would have made a bigger impact.

[Notch]

Maybe so Gleeson, but that was probably Gilroys best game for Ireland so far. He didn't really put a foot wrong, if you were being hypercritical you could say he knocked on the pass from Marshall but that was miles ahead of him.

Why drop a player who is playing very well for one who hasn't played in three, four tests? Seems like change for the sake of change.

[ChequeredJersey]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/feb/25/conor-oshea-ireland-declan-kidney

No! Bad Ireland! Keep your hands off our manager!

[GunsGerms]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/feb/25/conor-oshea-ireland-declan-kidney

No! Bad Ireland! Keep your hands off our manager!

You can have him. What we need is a coach with ideas like Gatland or Schmidt. O'Shea would be too much of a sideways step for me.

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

Don't understand the O'Shea bashing in truth. He has done a superb job with Quins and they play a pretty good brand of rugby- good in attack and pragmatic tactically when they need to be. Anyway, O'Shea is a manager not a coach and if given the free reign to appoint his coaching ticket he could be a success. Still would rather have Vern Cotter as head coach but O'Shea could also be a good appointment. He gives the only decent analysis on RTE and has often suggested options that at least imply he can think outside the box. Bowe at 13 and Ferris to second row as examples. They might not work but at least he is thinking differently about the resources we have.

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

Its all moot anyway- in the past hour he has ruled himself out of contention.

[Glas a du]

That's just to up his price tag.

[Sin é]

It annoyed me that in the post match interview Kidney said: "There are two parts to the flyhalf's job, the general play and the goal kicking."

Like that is plain retarded! First of all there are many many more, defence, line kicking, distribution, decision making etc.

Secondly your 10 does not have to be your kicker!!!

Halfpenny at Wales!
Bergamasco at Italy sometimes!
Parra at France!
Laidlaw at Scotland!

RRRRRAAAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRRRRRR

I think General Play would cover defence, line kicking etc.

Secondly, your 10 has to be your kicker if he is the only kicker in the team.

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