Six Nations Final Week

[Russ]

South Africa will tear Leinstertainment apart

[Snipe Watson]

Chad is well down the pecking order in my opinion... hasn't been the same since the scare and not convinced a space on a summer tour will do him or Ulster any benefit.

4th choice on current form. He'll not be going to South Africa this summer.

[rumncoke]

While Henry is a solid performer for Ulster I have had doubts that he is really International standard .

Too much of what he does and can do is below the radar and unseen and unnoticed , sometimes that is sign of a good player and sometimes it is not being old fashioned I prefer back row forwards to be seen even if is for the wrong things like missing the tackle . Because it means they were there to miss it rather than being totally missing .

Basically I doubt if Henry is even 4 in the pecking order and each year and month his position will become weaker

Back row options TOD Heaslip SoB VdF PoM Ruddock Henderson Stander would all be ahead of him if one accepts that back row selection is a permutation rather than specific selection for a special place . That players can play across the back row than 6 only 7 only

And players such as Ruddock and Henderson can cover second row as well as back row .

The fact is that it is a growing trend that the only specialist forwards are in the front row .





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[Russ]

Versatility

[Spiffsson]

While Henry is a solid performer for Ulster I have had doubts that he is really International standard .

Too much of what he does and can do is below the radar and unseen and unnoticed , sometimes that is sign of a good player and sometimes it is not being old fashioned I prefer back row forwards to be seen even if is for the wrong things like missing the tackle . Because it means they were there to miss it rather than being totally missing .

Basically I doubt if Henry is even 4 in the pecking order and each year and month his position will become weaker

Back row options TOD Heaslip SoB VdF PoM Ruddock Henderson Stander would all be ahead of him if one accepts that back row selection is a permutation rather than specific selection for a special place . That players can play across the back row than 6 only 7 only

And players such as Ruddock and Henderson can cover second row as well as back row .

The fact is that it is a growing trend that the only specialist forwards are in the front row .





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I am tempted to say "total Bolllocks" but I am too polite. Chris Henry, at his best, is a very good backrow forward. There is no doubt that he is capable of playing international rugby. He has played some outstanding games for Ireland. He is going through a patch of poor form, which is quite understandable after his health concerns. He may be over his career peak, or he may get some form back and challenge for a squad place. Who knows. But whatever happens he can be proud of his career with Ireland and Ulster.

[Snipe Watson]

I fully expect Chris to come back to something near his best. Give him a summer's rest, a good pre season and he'll be good to go. I think his international days are behind him as O'Brien, O'Donnell and Van der Flier are all ahead of him, are young and their careers are on the up. If as I hope, our backrow is considerably strengthened and faster next season, I'd back him to have a couple or more good seasons.

[Russ]

OBrien needs to give the gym a rest

[fuzzylogic]

Unread postby rumncoke » Sun Mar 20, 2016 7:32 pm

Back row options TOD Heaslip SoB VdF PoM Ruddock Henderson Stander would all be ahead of him if one accepts that back row selection is a permutation rather than specific selection for a special place . That players can play across the back row than 6 only 7 only

And players such as Ruddock and Henderson can cover second row as well as back row .

I have my suspicions that Henderson is going to be the long term replacement for POC in the second row. Obviously I am no expert and I would love to see him as a 6, I dont believe the IRFU see him as such.

[Dave]

Nobody here likely to say it so I will.

Great to see Donncha Ryan back and looking like he's rediscovered his mojo. Even our resident Turnip was saying he was gone recently (unless my old age & flawed memory is doing him a disservice) but for not the biggest of 2nd rows he has more grunt in his left ball than Wee Mike McCarthy has in his entire frame. Always liked him as a player.

Ryan is a great option on the bench when all hands are fit.

Indeed if you took the contributions province by province, even allowing for the vicissitudes of a MexicanJoe selection and a merit based selection, Munster are probably leading the way given Stander, Murray & Earls have been consistently amongst the best players surrounded by dodgy Mexicans and the odd half-decent Ulsterman & Westie.

I should probably state for the record that I have done significant penance for doubting Stander, what he lacks in subtlety he more than compensates for with priceless ability to make yards, he's a great addition to the back-row options and I'd say Chad's day may well have gone, amongst a fully fit squad. Then again, as my old friend Deccie often said, "one man's injury is another man's opportunity" so Chad's chance may come again.

Stander has been a real find for Ireland and had an excellent debut 6 nations. Henderson and POM will add badly needed beef to the pack next season but Stander has been a go to player for us. Delighted also with Ryan as the 2nd row options were looking bad.

[Dublin4]

Ireland were extremely well organised yesterday and fully deserved to win against an improving Scotland.
Joe has a host of players to return and has also found some great young talent since Rwc.

Among the former, let's see, is one Luke Fitz who seems to cause irritable bowel syndrome here.

[Shan]

Great to see Donncha Ryan back and looking like he's rediscovered his mojo. Even our resident Turnip was saying he was gone recently (unless my old age & flawed memory is doing him a disservice) but for not the biggest of 2nd rows he has more grunt in his left ball than Wee Mike McCarthy has in his entire frame. Always liked him as a player.

I think I said he was 30% the player he once was. That was based on his performances for Munster and I had no idea he was going to blast back into form with Ireland. I did say that even at 30% he was at least twice the player Dave Foley was so if he is nearly at peak he is six times at least the player Foley is. McCarthy is better than Foley but not by an awful lot. There is little doubt that at his best Ryan has a lot to offer Ireland. Indeed if we can get everyone fit at one time we'd have a fair good second row - Hendo, Ryan, Toner, Dillane and would not require 3rd raters, at best, like McCarthy and Foley polluting the camp with their mediocrity and in Foley's case delusions of grandeur.

[Shan]

I have my suspicions that Henderson is going to be the long term replacement for POC in the second row. Obviously I am no expert and I would love to see him as a 6, I dont believe the IRFU see him as such.

It would be quite insane if the IRFU or a national head coach saw Hendo as anything but a second row. It's OK for fans to howl out things which are not sensible or helpful but I'd hope the IRFU, despite some of their own fecking eejitry, would take a sober view based on need and resource allocation and strategic planning.

[Shan]

Stander has been a real find for Ireland and had an excellent debut 6 nations. Henderson and POM will add badly needed beef to the pack next season but Stander has been a go to player for us. Delighted also with Ryan as the 2nd row options were looking bad.

Stander has done well in his debut season but he needs to add more to his game. He carried well mostly but I still can't forget him losing ball in contact or drifting out of games. A bit like Hendo last year and just like him there is nothing wrong with having more improvement to come.

[Neill_M]

Short list for player of the tournament is out. Have they got it right - thoughts?

[ruckover]

The only Ireland player who should even be considered for that list is CJ Stander, if even.