Ireland 2014/15 season

First topic message reminder :

The season has just started and yet the autumn internationals are just around the corner. Time for a new Ireland thread.


This season in the Pro 12 the internationals look like they're coming back a few weeks earlier than usual. This should allow them to be more match sharpe when the november internationals against South Africa, Georgia and Australia come round.

Here are the fixtures during the season.

November 2014
Sat 8th Nov 14 17:30
GS Ireland  v   South Africa
AVIVA Stadium

Sun 16th Nov 14 14:30
GS Ireland  v   Georgia
AVIVA Stadium

Sat 22nd Nov 14 16:30
GS Ireland  v   Australia
AVIVA Stadium

February 2015
Sat 7th Feb 15 15:30
6N Italy  v   Ireland
Stadio Olimpico

Sat 14th Feb 15 17:00
6N Ireland  v   France
AVIVA Stadium

March 2015
Sun 1st Mar 15 15:00
6N Ireland  v   England
AVIVA Stadium

Sat 14th Mar 15 14:30
6N Wales  v   Ireland
Millennium Stadium

Sat 21st Mar 15 14:30
6N Scotland  v   Ireland
BT Murrayfield



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After the first weekend of the Pro 12 Stuart Olding was the stand out Irish player. Theres talk about himself and Payne being the Ireland centers but I'd love to see Olding and Henshaw. Henshaw returns for Conancht next weekend.
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Ireland Squad (Guinness Series 2014, South Africa, Georgia, Australia- Aviva Stadium)

Forwards (21)
Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster) 2
Rodney Ah You (Corinthians/Connacht) 1
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 77
James Cronin (Dolphin/Munster) 1
Sean Cronin (St Mary's College/Leinster) 35
Robbie Diack (Malone/Ulster) 1
Dave Foley (UL Bohemians/Munster) *
Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster) 16
Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster) 67
Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 10
Mike McCarthy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 15
Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster) 10
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) 94 CAPTAIN
Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster) 4
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 23
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 41
Rhys Ruddock (St Mary's College/Leinster) 3
Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster) *
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster) 4
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 17
Nathan White (Galwegians/Connacht)*

Backs (16)
Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 54
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 79
Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster) 5
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht) 3
Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster) 6
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster) 55
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster) 2
Darragh Leader (Galwegians/Connacht) *
Ian Madigan (Blackrock/Leinster) 10
Kieran Marmion (Galwegians/Connacht) 2
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 28
Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 1
Jared Payne (Ulster) *
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster) 55
Johnny Sexton (Racing Metro) 45
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 8

*Denotes uncapped player

The form of the provinces have little or no effect on Ireland. If anything its the opposite.

When Irish teams were dominant in Europe, Wales were winning more 6 nations despite their regions being weak.

Hope you're right Profitius.

Wales definitely don't have a link.
Ireland though, were fairly consistent in their second place in the 6Ns when the provinces were strong. They never peaked as often as Wales tended to. However they also didn't capitulate on random seasons either.

For what it's worth my 38 man squad would look like this

1: Healy-McGrath-Bent
2: Best-Cronin-Strauss
3: Ross-Moore-White
4: Toner-Foley
5: POC-McCarthy-Henderson
6: POM-Murphy
7: SOB-TOD-Ruddock
8: Heaslip-Conan

9: Murray-Marmion-Reddan
10: Sexton-Madigan-Keatley
11: Zebo-Earls-Kearney Jr
12: Darcy-Olding
13: Henshaw-Fitzgerald
14: Bowe-McFadden-Gilroy
15: Kearney-Jones

Starting team I could think of now:

Healy-Best-Moore
Toner-POC
POM-Heaslip-SOB
Murray-Madigan
Fitz-Henshaw
Zebo-Kearney-Bowe

Cronin-McGrath-White-McCarthy-TOD-Marmion-Olding-McFadden

Choosing a starting team is tricky

I assume that is for the 6N's not the WC

geoff998rugby wrote:I assume that is for the 6N's not the WC

Aye yeah

Good I thought you'd lost your mind with the people you had left out

Having said that going to be a stretch for SOB, and I cant see Henderson making it.
I can see Tuohy being up to speed for the later games before Henderson.

Henderson will probably play for Ulster in the Treviso/Edinburgh/Dragons games (first one as a sub)

Anyone have spare tickets for any of the home six nations games?

England tickets are like gold dust.

When we brought our - there were literally 20-30 left

Half of them with restricted view and half for 90 euros - we decided to splash out and enjoy the day

geoff998rugby wrote: Good I thought you'd lost your mind with the people you had left out

Having said that going to be a stretch for SOB, and I cant see Henderson making it.
I can see Tuohy being up to speed for the later games before Henderson.

Henderson will probably play for Ulster in the Treviso/Edinburgh/Dragons games (first one as a sub)

Is Tuohy not out for the next 6-8 weeks?
I suppose he could make the later rounds.

We are kinda light on good locks all of a sudden again aren't we?

Well Tuohy seems to be one of those quick healer types so I would expect him back for games at the end of February

The difference between him and Henderson is he is match fit whereas Henderson is going to need some time to get back up to speed.

If I was Schmidt I would not be relying on either

If Keatley or Madigan got injured this weekend who would cover fly half?

JJ, Humphreys or ???

I'd say it will be JJ alright. Bad news about Olding as well. Likely to be out for 10 - 12 weeks. Henshaw struggling with a sprained ankle, Luke Fitz could come back into the frame. Neither Healy nor O'Brien in the Leinster squad for Wasps game. Would not expect either to be involved until at least the latter stages of the 6N if at all.
On the plus side Marty Moore offers a lot more than Ross around the park so really hope he gets the nod to start. With Jack McGrath being out for the last three weeks I would not be too keen on him going straight in to a test match. What are the chances of Michael Bent being named in the 6N squad? I think he has done very well this season at LH.
Mike McCarthy has really upped his game in the last month or so. Would expect him to tbe the back up to Toner and O'Connell.
Back row of Heaslip, O'Mahoney and O'Donnell or Murphy at 7. Would be interesting to see the backrow if Heaslip were to be injured. POM to 8 where he did well at the weekend, with the otheer two filling in on the flanks and Conan on the bench.

Love this time of year. Can't wait for it all to kick off.

Squad supposed to be announced this week. Thursday I think.

Yup it's Thursday.

This makes for some pretty grim reading.

http://www.sportsjoe.ie/rugby/ireland-six-nations-2015-squad-injuries/9748?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Promoted+Post&utm_campaign=SportsJOE_Jan15

Happy to say I got Henderson wrong he will be playing this weekend so maybe not for the early games but after that perhaps

So essentially this is ireland's current injured XV

1. Healy
2. Sherry
3. White
4. D Ryan
5. Henderson
6. SOB
7. Henry
8. Ruddock
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Bowe
12. Olding
13. Henshaw
14. Trimble
15. Zebo

16. Varley
17. Kilcoyne
18.
19. Touhy
20. Copeland
21. Jackson
22. Marshall
23.

Wow!

It seems POC was carrying a shoulder injury picked up against Connacht. It will be interesting to see if he is rested this weekend (though maybe not as it could be his last game in European Rugby). Hopefully it hasn't gotten worse and he will be fit for 6Ns.

Bowe and Henderson are no longer injured

I hope POC is rested Sin.

Last game or not, it is a dead rubber and even without POC Munster should be putting Sale to the sword.

Great news about Henderson
POC should 100% be rested, to hell with a dead rubber with the 6N around the corner!

the-goon wrote:I hope POC is rested Sin.

Last game or not, it is a dead rubber and even without POC Munster should be putting Sale to the sword.

In fairnesss to POC and his contribution to Munster, if its his last game in Europe, I think most supporters would like him to go out on a win and not on that horrible loss (and poor personal performance) to Saracens.

Heres hoping he doesn't play against Sale and gets another go at Europe next season.

So if henshaw isn't fit for Italy will he go for Darcy Payne or a Darcey Firz combo?

Submachine wrote:Heres hoping he doesn't play against Sale and gets another go at Europe next season.

Yea, I think if he plays in the World Cup he will finish the season out with Munster. For one thing I can't see the IRFU letting him off the hook of a 6Ns and the commercial draw of a goodbye tour (a la BOD).

Sin é wrote:

Submachine wrote:Heres hoping he doesn't play against Sale and gets another go at Europe next season.

Yea, I think if he plays in the World Cup he will finish the season out with Munster. For one thing I can't see the IRFU letting him off the hook of a 6Ns and the commercial draw of a goodbye tour (a la BOD).

I took it as a given that he will go to the WC. Is that in doubt?

Submachine wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Submachine wrote:Heres hoping he doesn't play against Sale and gets another go at Europe next season.

Yea, I think if he plays in the World Cup he will finish the season out with Munster. For one thing I can't see the IRFU letting him off the hook of a 6Ns and the commercial draw of a goodbye tour (a la BOD).

I took it as a given that he will go to the WC. Is that in doubt?

Only in the way that injury can strike at any time and is probably a bit more likely the older a player gets.

Any thoughts on who should make the squad? Jack Conan and Tadhg Furlong will be in the mix. Denis Buckley might make it. How about Connacht flyer Matt Healy? JJ Hanrahan will probably make the squad.

There probably won't be too many new faces.

Should Sexton play at all in the 6Ns? I know the concussion break only rules him out of the first couple of games, but he will have had no match practice before th eEngland game and could not be expected to be anywhere near ready.

but he will have had no match practice before th eEngland game and could not be expected to be anywhere near ready.

He'll be totally fresh then!

Scared?

There will be a lot of familiar faces missing this 6N, mostly for the wrong reasons. Could make the championship a lot less predictable.

rapidsnowman wrote:

but he will have had no match practice before th eEngland game and could not be expected to be anywhere near ready.

He'll be totally fresh then!

Scared?

Only that a player could have their career ruined if handled poorly.

Forwards (25)
Michael Bent (Leinster)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
James Cronin (Dolphin/Munster)
Robbie Diack (Malone/Ulster)
Dave Foley (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster)
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Mike McCarthy (Leinster)
Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)
Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Rhys Ruddock (St Mary's College/Leinster)
Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Nathan White (Galwegians/Connacht)*

Backs (21)
Isaac Boss (Terenure/Leinster)
Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Noel Reid (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92)
Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster)

seems like almost every fit professional has been included.

Can't think of any omissions, I guess some will be cut after the wolfhounds.

the-goon wrote:seems like almost every fit professional has been included.

Can't think of any omissions, I guess some will be cut after the wolfhounds.

Here are some- Rodney Ah You, Tadhg Furlong, Luke McGrath, JJ Hanrahan, Darragh Leader

The last of those is listed as remaining with his province for rehab and game time but might feature later in the tournament; same thing for Luke Marshall, Andrew Trimble, Dave Kilcoyne and Donnacha Ryan. All may be involved as and when they return to fitness as the tournament goes on.

Strange on JJ, we are very short of outhalf cover with Olding also injured... The two Ian's a half each for the wolfhounds??

Have to say Boss is damn lucky aswell..

wolfball wrote:Strange on JJ, we are very short of outhalf cover with Olding also injured... The two Ian's a half each for the wolfhounds??

Think Keatley & Madigan will need the gametime. Pointless bringing him in.
Munster will need him as well if Keatley is out of the picture.

As for Boss - experienced player with rookie outhalfs against the Saxons (though you would think that now that Tomas O'Leary is coming back and will be available for the next couple of year, he might have been a better shout than Boss).

No Ballymena players? We're doomed.

Hardly worth turning up with a squad like that.

rodders wrote:Hardly worth turning up with a squad like that.

I noted you made a similar remark prior to the November clean sweep.
Cheer up Marvin it aint that bad.

rodders wrote:1) Jack McGrath
2) Rory Best
3) Mike Ross
4) Devin Toner
5) Paul O'Connell (c)
6) Peter O'Mahony
7) Chris Henry
8) Jamie Heaslip
9) Conor Murray
10) Johnny Sexton
11) Tommy Bowe
12) Stuart McCloskey
13) Robbie Henshaw
14) Andrew Trimble
15) Rob Kearney

16) Sean Cronin 17) Andrew Warwick 18) Stephen Archer 19) Mike McCarthy 20) Rhys Ruddock 21) Kieron Marmion 22) Paddy Jackson 23) Jared Payne

Gawd we are so fooked this season..... Ulster and Connacht apart the country is in dire straights... if this keeps up might have to start watching soccerball or that bouncy ball sport the culchies play on a sunday...

[/quote]

All's well that ends well I suppose....

....and before the six nations too.

Any news on Eoin Reddan and Dave Kearney? The main injury worries after yesterday.

Not being too harsh but we can cope without them

Marmion on the bench and I would not have picked Kearney anyway

Bowe, Zebo, Gilroy, McFadden all ahead of him

Will spend the next 80 minutes wincing every time POC and POM go into tackles

Dave Foley off injured- may need to call-up an additional lock for the Wolfhounds game. Hope it's Alan O'Connor.

With the injuries, I'd go for this team for Italy;

1. Jack McGrath
2. Rory Best
3. Martin Moore
4. Devin Toner
5. Paul O'Connell (c)
6. Peter O'Mahony
7. Jordi Murphy
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Conor Murray
10. Ian Madigan
11. Simon Zebo
12. Robbie Henshaw
13. Jared Payne
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Rob Kearney

16. Sean Cronin 17. Cian Healy 18. Mike Ross 19. Iain Henderson 20.Tommy O'Donnell 21. Kieran Marmion 22. Ian Keatley 23. Fergus McFadden

I'd say that would be accurate, notch. Might be too early for Healy though.

Henderson looked very good for Ulster especially considering it was his first game back. Massive boost for Ireland to get him back.

Jordi Murphy has been very good in the last few weeks. He has excellent handling ability along with Pom and Heaslip. Taking that into account I'd like to see Ireland take more risks with offloads instead of rucks all the time.

Notch wrote:Dave Foley off injured- may need to call-up an additional lock for the Wolfhounds game. Hope it's Alan O'Connor.

Should be

I think we will see McCarthy and Henderson starting in the 2nd row next week

Madigan badly off form with the boot on Saturday!