Ireland & England v Barbarians, 28 and 31 May

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Game 1

             
21 Ireland XV v Barbarians 22
28 May 2015
KO: 19:45
Thomond Park, Limerick

Ireland XV Team

15. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14. Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
13. Colm O'Shea (Clontarf/Leinster)
12. Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)
11. Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)
10. Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
9. Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne Leinster)

1. Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster)
2. Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
4. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
5. Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)
6. Robbie Diack (Malone/Ulster)
7. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) captain

16. Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
17. Michael Bent (Dublin University/Leinster)
18. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
19. Ben Marshall (Old Belvedere/Connacht)
20. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21. Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)
22. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
23. Cian Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Barbarians Team:

15. Zane Kirchner (Leinster & South Africa)
14. Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues & Wales)
13. Joe Rokocoko (Bayonne & New Zealand)
12. Wynand Olivier (Montpellier & South Africa)
11. David Smith (Toulon)
10. James Gopperth (Leinster)
9. Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa)

1. Roberto Tejerizo (Tucuman & Argentina)
2. Deon Fourie (Lyon)
3. Adam Jones(Cardiff Blues & Wales)
4. Rodrigo Capo Ortega (Castres & Uruguay)
5. Konstantin Mikautadze (Toulon & Georgia)
6. Shane Jennings (Leinster & Ireland, capt)
7. Gerhard Vosloo (Toulon)
8. Ryu Koliniasi Holani (Panasonic Wild Knights & Japan).

16. David Ward (Harlequins)
17. Saimone Taumoepeau (Castres & New Zealand)
18. Matias Diaz (Pampas & Argentina)
19. Nathan Hines (Sale Sharks & Scotland)
20. George Smith (Lyon & Australia)
21. Tomas Cubelli (Belgrano Ath & Argentina)
22. Tusi Pisi (Suntory Sungoliath & Samoa)
23. Gio Aplon (Grenoble & South Africa).

Game 2

  
England v Barbarians
31 May 2015
KO:15:00
Twickenham, London

England XV Team:
Tait (Leicester Tigers); Wade (Wasps), Daly (Wasps), Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Yarde (Harlequins); Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Dickson (Northampton Saints, capt); Mullan (Wasps), Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Brookes (Newcastle Falcons); Slater (Leicester Tigers), Launchbury (Wasps); Wilson (Newcastle Falcons), Clifford (Harlequins), Beaumont (Sale Sharks).

Replacements: Taylor (Sale Sharks), Waller (Northampton Saints), Denman (Northampton Saints), Gaskell (Wasps), Fisher (Northampton Saints), Chudley (Exeter Chiefs), Geraghty (London Irish), Lewington (London Irish)

Barbarians Team:
Aplon (Grenoble & South Africa); Smith (Toulon), Rokocoko (Bayonne & New Zealand), Olivier (Montpellier & South Africa), Monye (Harlequins & England); Pisi (Suntory Sungoliath & Samoa); Cubelli (Belgrano Ath & Argentina); Taumoepeau (Castres & New Zealand), Ward (Harlequins), Diaz (Pampas & Argentina); Manoa (Northampton Saints and USA), Thorn (Leicester Tigers & New Zealand, capt); Whitelock (Panasonic Wild Knights & New Zealand), Smith (Lyon & Australia), Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs & England).

Replacements: Fourie (Lyon), Tejerizo (Tucuman & Argentina), Jones (Cardiff Blues & Wales), Hines (Sale Sharks & Scotland), Matera (Pampas & Argentina), Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa), Brett (Lyon), Fujita (Panasonic Wild Knights & Japan)

GunsGerms wrote:Ireland is in the British Isles Dod.

Munster fans just dont like Ireland much especially when their favorite players arent playing.

Not at all guns. The crowd were well up for it. It was a bit of a damp squib to be honest. And there weren't lots of red jerseys to be seen.

I see the Jesuits have failed in educating you properly. All that money

ME-109 wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Ireland is in the British Isles Dod.

Munster fans just dont like Ireland much especially when their favorite players arent playing.

Not at all guns. The crowd were well up for it. It was a bit of a damp squib to be honest. And there weren't lots of red jerseys to be seen.

There were plenty of red seats though ...

What was the crowd anyhow

Bored?

Didn't expect a big crowed with it being a Thursday game, Munster playing the final on Saturday, and it being a big golf weekend.

Schmidt was impressed with McCloskey even though he didn't play:

"We got together for a couple of hours on Thursday and couldn't make our minds up," said Schmidt.

"Some of what we decided was 'let's have a look at the Barbarians game, and let's get across the Emerging Ireland tour and have a look at another couple of guys over there'.

"That's partly why Stuart McCloskey and Noel Reid didn't play (against the Barbarians), and Rhys Ruddock didn't play. They're on the Emerging tour and we'll get a look at them then.

"But it was even good to have them in the environment to see them train and to see how well they've fitted in.

"Noel has obviously been with us before when we went to Argentina.

"Rhys has played a lot of games with us but to get Stuart McCloskey in was really good value and he has slotted in with ease.



So it will be Payne partnered with McCloskey for the World Cup. It only makes sense

Well Henshaw and Payne are nailed on - I think Cave is penciled in ahead of D'arcy and probably Earls/Madigan/Bowe will provide cover.

I'd say McCloskey and Reid are only an injury away from going if they play well on the emerging tour.

Munchkin wrote:Didn't expect a big crowed with it being a Thursday game, Munster playing the final on Saturday, and it being a big golf weekend.

Schmidt was impressed with McCloskey even though he didn't play:

"We got together for a couple of hours on Thursday and couldn't make our minds up," said Schmidt.

"Some of what we decided was 'let's have a look at the Barbarians game, and let's get across the Emerging Ireland tour and have a look at another couple of guys over there'.

"That's partly why Stuart McCloskey and Noel Reid didn't play (against the Barbarians), and Rhys Ruddock didn't play. They're on the Emerging tour and we'll get a look at them then.

"But it was even good to have them in the environment to see them train and to see how well they've fitted in.

"Noel has obviously been with us before when we went to Argentina.

"Rhys has played a lot of games with us but to get Stuart McCloskey in was really good value and he has slotted in with ease.

I like the way Joe Highlighted the McCloskey bit as he spoke.  He really is multi-talented that Kiwi

Well we all know Schmidt is mad about the detail, and the bold is very important for him in helping ensure that others can be in no doubt that he holds McCloskey head and shoulders above the rest

BamBam wrote:England side for Barbarians game


15 Mathew Tait (Leicester Tigers)
14 Christian Wade (Wasps)
13 Elliot Daly (Wasps) *
12 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs) *
11 Marland Yarde Harlequins)
10 Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
9 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints, captain)

1 Matt Mullan (Wasps)
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs) *
3 Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)
5 Joe Launchbury (Wasps) *
6 Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
7 Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
8 Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks)

It's currently forecast to rain. Hopefully it will hold off as it would be great to see this team on hard ground.

How the hell did Jon Fisher get on the bench, he rarely gets that far for Saints, having said that with Manoa, Dowson and Dickinson ahead of him, he does have a lot of class ahead of him.

He might get more game time next year with Manoa and Dowson going.

This is the sort of England team I would have begged for in previous years when we were putting steady Eddies like Myler out. Hope I am not disappointed!

Given the nature of the fixture you would hope Clancy could be a little less pedantic about quick-tap penalties not quite from the mark... or is that just me?

Good try, Slade has looked good so far.

Followed by very poor defence.

By Slade?

Nice try by Heaslip

Just in general, not Slade in particular.

SecretFly wrote:Nice try by Heaslip

Haha if you didn't know! Great lookalike

Jheeez this is a bit of a walkover

What would I have given to see Wade and Yarde line up for us 2 years ago in the Autumn Internationals

Brookes having a great game

Would have been interesting to see how the scrum went but we've only seen one!

BamBam wrote:Would have been interesting to see how the scrum went but we've only seen one!

Two.

England 45 Baa Baa's 5 at half time. never thought i would see that to day.

Quite a few looking good now.Lancaster must be thinking how he managed to accidentally miss Wades name off his squad list.

This is getting embarrassing. Lots of good things for England. Only potential black spot is LCD's lineout throwing. He is starting to remind me of Banjo Thompson, great around the field, suspect in the set piece.

Slade and Daly are both class and lovely to watch. They seem to glide across the pitch

Why are our hookers so poor at throwing?

Today we see LCD and Ward struggling, Webber yesterday was poor.

LondonTiger wrote:Why are our hookers so poor at throwing?

Today we see LCD and Ward struggling, Webber yesterday was poor.

I think i might come down to the fact that they are trying to hard.

Trying to impress the England coach and loosing a bit of concentration.

Also, so many are converting from other positions.

Hartley and Webber used to be back rowers, LCD a prop and Youngs a centre. Jamie George only one who has always been a hooker.

Idiot.

Silly from Wade

Jeez that boy is fast.

But clumsy too

LondonTiger wrote:Also, so many are converting from other positions.

Hartley and Webber used to be back rowers, LCD a prop and Youngs a centre. Jamie George only one who has always been a hooker.

Read he used to be a fly half and centre when he was young and slim!

LondonTiger wrote:Jeez that boy is fast.

But clumsy too

Shame - he did all of the hard work!!

LT didn't Hartley used to be a prop as well?

Slater and Launchbury made a fantastic pairing in the engine room. Talk about an embarrassment of riches in the second row though it's criminal that Gaskell made the bench ahead of Kitchener.

Lots of bright young talent looking good. Cips making Lancaster's choice for the back up 10 slot difficult with a good covering tackle after 50 odd minutes of accomplished fly half play.

What this is shown me (as someone who doesn't get a chance to watch many Premiership games) is the amazing depth in the centres you have now. Skillful players coming out of your ears.

Our only problem seems to be keeping them all fit Notch. Helps the England age grades are churning out midfield options. Slade was under 20 last season. Young Joe Marchant is one to watch at Quins. Similar to Joseph but a stronger runner.

Wow - 73-12, pretty good that!

Fair to say England just shaded that one.

Launchbury and Slater looked very good as a paring. We've got some very good options at second row at the moment.

I was pleased by Beaumont's performance at number 8 too. Given the situation we were in a few years ago in both second row and at no 8, I feel that we could never have too many options!

I did think Slade should concentrate on becoming a contender at fly half, but I am beginning to think that he really could become the long term answer at inside centre. 2015 is probably too soon though. Think of the backline could put out in 2019... That is worth getting excited about.

Pretty much exactly the same was said in 2007 (when Flood and Geraghty broke). Poopie happens

I suppose, but just because it went jubblies up once doesn't mean it definitely will again. We are talking about different players and different circumstances. Slade could come into a more settled (and indeed it has to be said, better) team. Lightning doesn't always strike twice and I will remain optimistic.

Didn't see any of the game but judging by some reports the BaaBaas weren't the best so will Lancaster have learnt anything he didn't know before hand about players?

Difficult to say, Barbarians weren't good but you can only beat what is put in front of you and England did with aplomb. I suppose it is the manner of the victory that is pleasing, the backs clicked without just throwing the ball about and the forwards dominated.

Does anyone know if there are any repeats of this shown?

bedfordwelsh wrote:Didn't see any of the game but judging by some reports the BaaBaas weren't the best so will Lancaster have learnt anything he didn't know before hand about players?

He'll probably have learnt more from the week's prep than the game itself - how players like Clifford and Beaumont did in an international environment, and how Cipriani, Slade etc reacted to haing more responsibility than they have done under Lancaster before now. I doubt the game itself will have much impact on WC selection beyond perhaps whether they trust Cipriani (switched to 15 after 55 minutes) or Slade to cover other positions than 10.

Nathan, Midnight tonight, 8.30am & 1.45pm tomorrow on Sky Sports 3

Cheers broadland

How did Bills boy go anyway?

He did all right.

Scored one of the many tries that England scored today.