Ireland's strongest World Cup backs.

Who do you think would feature in Ireland strongest backs team i.e. the team that should start against Australia and Italy.

oops, forgot to vote for a SH,

Put a +1 to the score for Reddan (who I think is a class player and should easily be 1st choice)

The only weakness in the Irish backs at the moment is FB,

Murphy, Kearney or shifting a winger - not much choice and none have really nailed down the shirt for any period of time.

wales606 wrote:oops, forgot to vote for a SH,

Put a +1 to the score for Reddan (who I think is a class player and should easily be 1st choice)

The only weakness in the Irish backs at the moment is FB,

Murphy, Kearney or shifting a winger - not much choice and none have really nailed down the shirt for any period of time.

I'm not sure I agree. Murphy is a class player, providing that he is fit. He's a very reliable player. He kicks well and is a solid tackler.

Kearney also has a lot of raw talent and was brilliant on the 2009 Lions tour. Sadly he's been injured for a long time. He's spending time in South Africa this summer trying to get fit with a South African rugby club (can't remember which one.)

It's perphaps need Ireland's strongest position, but it's a much better situation than scrum-half and centre.

ruggerbyplayer wrote:

wales606 wrote:oops, forgot to vote for a SH,

Put a +1 to the score for Reddan (who I think is a class player and should easily be 1st choice)

The only weakness in the Irish backs at the moment is FB,

Murphy, Kearney or shifting a winger - not much choice and none have really nailed down the shirt for any period of time.

I'm not sure I agree. Murphy is a class player, providing that he is fit. He's a very reliable player. He kicks well and is a solid tackler.

Kearney also has a lot of raw talent and was brilliant on the 2009 Lions tour. Sadly he's been injured for a long time. He's spending time in South Africa this summer trying to get fit with a South African rugby club (can't remember which one.)

It's perphaps need Ireland's strongest position, but it's a much better situation than scrum-half and centre.

Wrong again rugger- Kearney will be at Trinity College tomorrow evening (along with a few more Leinster players) welcoming all the cyclists who are doing the fund raising cycle for Paul Derbyshire (Munster's fitness coach who has got motor neurone disease).

Well, in a first choice Ireland backline I think that FB is the weakest position

I agree though in terms of depth, centre is a problem (Darcy and O'Driscoll just never give up - but when they do, you'll me in trouble), but I dont see the problem the Irish have in choosing a SH (probably because ive been stuck watching Mike Phillips :/) - Reddan is my favourite, but Stringer and O'Leary are more than capable and Murray looks like a great prospect (and doesnt Boss become Irish qualified soon? Or am I thinking of someone else?)

To face Australia;

Reddan Sexton
Trimble Wallace O'Driscoll Bowe
Earls

To face Italy;

Reddan Sexton
Earls D'Arcy O'Driscoll Bowe
Kearney

Check Wallace's performances against Australia in the past at 12. He's my wildcard to start at 12 in the big one. Gives us more options in attack.

wales606 wrote:Well, in a first choice Ireland backline I think that FB is the weakest position

I agree though in terms of depth, centre is a problem (Darcy and O'Driscoll just never give up - but when they do, you'll me in trouble), but I dont see the problem the Irish have in choosing a SH (probably because ive been stuck watching Mike Phillips :/) - Reddan is my favourite, but Stringer and O'Leary are more than capable and Murray looks like a great prospect (and doesnt Boss become Irish qualified soon? Or am I thinking of someone else?)

Boss already has 13 caps for Ireland.

^ im clearly thinking of someone else then.....my bad, I though he was South African.

Why hasnt he had more caps? Especially sine he seems to share 1st choice SH with Reddan at Leinster and they seem to complement each other well.

He went through an awful period of form for about 18 months when he was at Ulster, lost the form that got him into an Ireland jersey. Got dropped. In the past two seasons he's been back to his best but no recall as yet.

That's an interesting selection Notch. Earls at fullback against Australia makes sense. I can't see them kicking it to our back three much. And he'd be our best attacking fullback option. Wallace at 12 is interesting to. He hasn't really had many great games in the 6 Nations for Ireland. But he has performed very well for us in summer tours down south. Most people seem to forget that.

Rogue I think it's true that he's performed better against SH nations than in the Six Nations. I definitely believe the form he's shown when he's come up against Australia and New Zealand is a lot better than he's shown in the Six Nations. And that's disappointing that he never took his chance properly in that tournament but when we play the SH nations and move the ball he grows more and more into the game and shows what he can do.

He's very unpopular amongst some sectors of the Ireland support, and he has had an up and down season, but I would back him to show his value of he's called upon in the centre despite the detractors.

I'm a big fan of McFadden also, and after this World Cup I believe it's time to bring him through and Wallace will move into the background. But I might court controversy and say I believe Paddy Wallaces experience of lining up against the All Blacks and Aussies, and the Saffers despite his injury in the first half, makes him a better option for our squad even if he doesn't start. It's about experience and depth.

As an Englishman looking in I thought about it from who I'd least like England to face. In the end went with Reddin, Sexton, Trimble, D'Arcy, BOD, Bowe and Earls. Found it straight forward until I got to FB, think it's a lot for Kearney to regain both form and fitness and I'm not convinced it's Earls best position (although he always seem to play well against us). Anyway, I liked what I saw of Jones at Munster towards the end of the season. I usually don't advocate new players for World Cups (such as Murray at Munster) as it's a lot to ask them to learn the patterns and style of play during a tournament but a place in the back three can work and Jones looks class, a true fullback and not just a converted winger / centre. If this was the case I would then have Earls on the bench as he covers OC, wing & fullback and think he has the kind of elusive running skills that would make him a very handy impact sub when opposition teams are tiring.

Why is Felix Jones not an option here? I like the Paddy Wallace idea I have to say but Darcy has found some good form too. I voted Murphy of the two fullbacks

I agree Felix Jones should be on the list.

Wallace to play in the center vs Oz?

This will not happen. Ever. More chance of me being called up....

Strongest back line:

9.Reddan 10.Sexton 11.Trimble 12.D'Arcy 13.BOD 14.Bowe 15.Earls

Rugger,
Why do keep posting comments and articles about Irish rugby when you are an Englishman?

By the way if Kearney does end up going to SA I hope he likes the place so much that he stays there.

Tayto wrote:Rugger,
Why do keep posting comments and articles about Irish rugby when you are an Englishman?

By the way if Kearney does end up going to SA I hope he likes the place so much that he stays there.

To that end, Tayto, I really hope you are getting on well in London.

Boyne wrote:Wallace to play in the center vs Oz?

This will not happen. Ever. More chance of me being called up....

It happened the last time we toured Oz and Paddy put in a good perfomance too

..yes Geoff, with 50% of the team missing. Sorry, but, come on....

Typical Irish attitude... he put in a good performance... but lost.

We will win nothing with him playing center. I do not rate him 1 bit outside club rugby. He has nothing to offer at this level.

He was one of the better players in the team and showed he can play at this level.
Us losing the match doesn't change that - on that basis Dan Carter is rudey poo because they lost to France in the WC QF.

A quality performance is a quality performance and that is what Wallace delivered on that tour.

Boyne

Have you watch all of our summer tours in recent years? He's been good in all of them, not just the last one when a fair amount of the squad was injured. Now, I don't want to overstate the contribution of Wallace in this try but just look at it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMSn2hwC7Mg - it won try of the year and was in 2008 by the way.

D'arcy and McFadden are never going to be able to give that pass all they'd do, and especially D'arcy, is run straight. Again, don't want to overstate it but Paddy Wallace's distribution is far better than either of them so he does give us another dimension and the argument for him playing against Australia is a valid one. He's never going to be a world class inside centre but he does have something to offer at this level, contrary to what you've just said.

wallace doesn't deserve all the bad press he gets.

However he should not be in the number 23 shirt.
He should own 22 or 12 or nothing at all

Felix Jones on the list please!

I'd have to have Rory Mcilroy in there somewhere!!

Boyne,

Thanks very much for your best wishes.
All is well here in sunny London and things seem to be picking up.
Can think of worse places I could be.

Good. Stay there. We have enough boo boys over here already.

Hi folks, just a reminder about playing nice, attack the argument not the poster

Some pretty good debate so far, let's keep it that way

And what about that rain on Friday eh!!!! :run1:

RubyGuby wrote:And what about that rain on Friday eh!!!! :run1:

Miserable wasn't it

Sorry to seem a party-pooper all. I'd just rather chuck in a comment if I think a debate's got potential to degenerate into personal attacks rather than have to chase around deleting stuff and sending personal messages afterwards. The Beeb mods got paid to work the other way ...

Boyne,

You should not be so upset because I slated your beloved Mr Kearney.
A very ordinary player and certainly not worth taking to the WC.

Then again that's only my opinion,so chillax.

geoff998rugby wrote:

Boyne wrote:Wallace to play in the center vs Oz?

This will not happen. Ever. More chance of me being called up....

It happened the last time we toured Oz and Paddy put in a good perfomance too

Last three times Ireland have played Australia, Paddy Wallace has been named in the centre. One of those occasions D'Arcy was unavailable, but the two most recent Wallace started ahead of him. Horses for courses?

Paddy Wallace just hasn't lived up to his billing in the last 2 years. I'm sure he has what it takes and think on occasion he's been trying to force things too much or trying too hard. This happens when you get limited oportunities - Don't rule him out altogether - he's a talented player. However, for me that young blonde monster of a centre is ready now so get him in ASAP