Where do Ireland stand man for man - realistically measured.

Would you pick any irish players over their Welsh/English counterparts. (I'm using last weekends starting XVs but not necessarily asking for decisions based on last weekends performance).
   
 

Ireland	England	Wales
R. Kearney	Mike Brown	Leigh Halfpenny
Bowe	Chris Ashton	George North
O'Driscoll	Joel Tomkins	Cory Allen
Marshall	Billy Twelvetrees	Scott Williams
McFadden	Ben Foden	Liam Williams
Sexton	Owen Farrell	Dan Biggar
Reddan	Lee Dickson	Mike Phillips
Healy	Joe Marler	Gethin Jenkins
Best	Dylan Hartley	Richard Hibbard
Ross	Dan Cole	Rhodri Jones
Toner	Joe Launchbury	Bradley Davies
O'Connell	Courtney Lawes	Alun Wyn Jones
O'Mahony	Tom Wood	Sam Warburton
O'Brien	Chris Robshaw	Justin Tipuric
Heaslip.	Billy Vunipola.	Toby Faletau

 

Ireland	England	Wales
R. Kearney	Mike Brown	Leigh Halfpenny
Bowe	Chris Ashton	George North
O'Driscoll	Joel Tomkins	Cory Allen
Marshall	Billy Twelvetrees	Scott Williams
McFadden	Ben Foden	Liam Williams
Sexton	Owen Farrell	Dan Biggar
Reddan	Lee Dickson	Mike Phillips
Healy	Joe Marler	Gethin Jenkins
Best	Dylan Hartley	Richard Hibbard
Ross	Dan Cole	Rhodri Jones
Toner	Joe Launchbury	Bradley Davies
O'Connell	Courtney Lawes	Alun Wyn Jones
O'Mahony	Tom Wood	Sam Warburton
O'Brien	Chris Robshaw	Justin Tipuric
Heaslip.	Billy Vunipola.	Toby Faletau

There were a good number of Irish players who are the pick of the bunch, though a good number of those are positioned rivalling third or fourth choice selections by Wales or England.

Also I thought Connor Murray was great when he came on, better than Phillips for Wales.

Of the names you have listed, honestly I would only swap O'Driscoll and Sexton in the Welsh team. If the list was a full strength Wales - I would only pick Sexton, although I would probably take Bowe over Cuthbert on the other wing.

offload wrote:Of the names you have listed, honestly I would only swap O'Driscoll and Sexton in the Welsh team.  If the list was a full strength Wales - I would only pick Sexton, although I would probably take Bowe over Cuthbert on the other wing.

I still rate Bowe very highly and Healy is not at his best yet.

SOB vs Tipuric and Robshaw is a tough call too.

maestegmafia are you just picking 5 from each to be politically correct?

In terms of man for man does this take into account current form?

beshocked wrote:maestegmafia are you just picking 5 from each to be politically correct?

In terms of man for man does this take into account current form?

I'd say general form - since season began I guess. Its not about picking on reputation.

Ireland England Wales
R. Kearney Mike Brown Leigh Halfpenny
Bowe Chris Ashton George North - close between Bowe
O'Driscoll Joel Tomkins Cory Allen
Marshall Billy Twelvetrees Scott Williams
McFadden Ben Foden Liam Williams - Foden is a better player, just not a better wing
Sexton Owen Farrell Dan Biggar
Reddan Lee Dickson Mike Phillips - Don't rate any of them tbh
Healy Joe Marler Gethin Jenkins
Best Dylan Hartley Richard Hibbard
Ross Dan Cole Rhodri Jones
Toner Joe Launchbury Bradley Davies
O'Connell Courtney Lawes Alun Wyn Jones - Lawes on form but POC was still class for the Lions, can't explain last week
O'Mahony Tom Wood Sam Warburton
O'Brien Chris Robshaw Justin Tipuric - SOB on raw ability, but Robshaw on form
Heaslip. Billy Vunipola. Toby Faletau

Not sure how I managed to select 7 Irish players because it is undeniable Wales and England have superior squads.

offload wrote:Of the names you have listed, honestly I would only swap O'Driscoll and Sexton in the Welsh team.  If the list was a full strength Wales - I would only pick Sexton, although I would probably take Bowe over Cuthbert on the other wing.

I still rate Bowe very highly and Healy is not at his best yet.

SOB vs Tipuric and Robshaw is a tough call too.

You wouldn't pick any Irish player over their English or Welsh equivalent right now. But they still might win another HEC and they might even pull off a Six Nations Inconsistency is very inconsistent.............. and not to be trifled with.