Irish Squad Announced

[epaddy]

Ulster have been showing some very positive recent form, I think its fantastic. More Ulster players are now on the national radar then have been for a very long time. A reward for the recent form. A continuation of this recent form will most certainly see ore Ulster players in Ireland squads and teams. But as no doubt you will have seen I have been stressing the term recent. If Ulster can put a good show on in Paris next week and continue to improve in the ML I have no doubt they will get the recognition at national level. 3 strong provinces make a much stronger national team so god willing Ulsters contributions to Ireland will begin to make an impact.

On the Humps Sexton debate. Kidney has always preferred a Sexton type player over a Humpreys type. He backed ROG over Staunton and Holwell over Contepomi, pragmatism over flair. I believe he both sees something in Sexton and is sending a signal out to Cheika. I think Humphreys will opitimise Ulsters recognition with the Ireland squad. A prolonged bit of consistency and presence at the top will see more Ulster players and Humphreys in the Ireland 22.

Oh and those of you that tout the southern bias line, can stick it up your collective arses

[bags]

one thing that i noticed in the way the team was listed on the bbc website

Backs: Girvan Dempsey (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Ian Dowling (Munster), Shane Horgan (Leinster), Robert Kearney (Leinster), Darren Cave (Ulster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), Ronan O'Gara (Munster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Paddy Wallace (Ulster), Tomas O'Leary (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Wasps), Peter Stringer (Munster).

looks as though kidney still see kearney as a winger - kearney is lost on the wing - he should be no 1 fullback - whats the point in going for safe bets ala dempsey when we're 4 years away from a world cup....

[fuzzylogic]

With Paddy as a 10 and Trimble as a centre !

[darkside lightside]

Christ what a bunch of moaners. Ulster have been showing some very positive recent form, I think its fantastic. More Ulster players are now on the national radar then have been for a very long time. A reward for the recent form. A continuation of this recent form will most certainly see ore Ulster players in Ireland squads and teams. But as no doubt you will have seen I have been stressing the term recent. If Ulster can put a good show on in Paris next week and continue to improve in the ML I have no doubt they will get the recognition at national level. 3 strong provinces make a much stronger national team so god willing Ulsters contributions to Ireland will begin to make an impact.

On the Humps Sexton debate. Kidney has always preferred a Sexton type player over a Humpreys type. He backed ROG over Staunton and Holwell over Contepomi, pragmatism over flair. I believe he both sees something in Sexton and is sending a signal out to Cheika. I think Humphreys will opitimise Ulsters recognition with the Ireland squad. A prolonged bit of consistency and presence at the top will see more Ulster players and Humphreys in the Ireland 22.

Oh and those of you that tout the southern bias line, can stick it up your collective arses

eh???

where the feck did this come from?? a bit of perplexity (largely shared on lf.com as far as I can see) at exclusion of Pollock/Keatly from A squad, and Sexton being chosen ahead of IH does not a bunch of moaners make.. I think in fact that this is the first post explicitly talking about Ulster's contribution to the squad, and has anyone mentioned 'southern bias'???

As for Sexton I really liked the look of him last year, but with the best will in the world, he's been several shades of sh1te this year. sorry. I can't help but feel that on the bench I'd rather have a guy who's showed up well, albeit just for the last half dozen matches or so (IH), than a guy who hasn't played at 10 all year (PW) or a guy who's been gash all year (JS).

[pwrmoore]

i have to say we are just going to be as bad as ever. Humph not selected is a joke and how does D'arcy get in when hasn't played rugby for a year. this total southern bias makes me nearly want to cheer on England or anyone but Ireland

I guess it was this post that provoked it DL --- but it would be unusual for there not to be one.... and all the provinces will have a claim of bias in one direction or other. But it doesn't make it true, or the view of the majority.

[epaddy]

I shouldn't have included the "Christ what a bunch of moaners." line, apologies.

[darkside lightside]

i have to say we are just going to be as bad as ever. Humph not selected is a joke and how does D'arcy get in when hasn't played rugby for a year. this total southern bias makes me nearly want to cheer on England or anyone but Ireland

I guess it was this post that provoked it DL --- but it would be unusual for there not to be one.... and all the provinces will have a claim of bias in one direction or other. But it doesn't make it true, or the view of the majority.

ok fair enough i missed that..

[Rooster]

Two well reasoned and articulate responses from our Mexican cousins.

Oh and those of you that tout the southern bias line, can stick it up your collective arses

You know as well as most every forum has them!

A Mexican and a Turnip there RHH

[Shan]

Two well reasoned and articulate responses from our Mexican cousins.

Oh and those of you that tout the southern bias line, can stick it up your collective arses

You know as well as most every forum has them!

A Mexican and a Turnip there RHH

Que tal estas El Rooster.Tu eres un hombre comico.

Surely it's better to be a Mexican than a Turnip.Maybe not though?

[fuzzylogic]

Another slightly disappointing prediction from the BT today!

With regard to the out-half spot, O'Gara is still streets of the posse and Paddy Wallace is favourite for the bench as he provides superb cover in midfield and an 'in case of emergency break glass' option should O'Gara encounter on-pitch mishap.

[Ardglass2]

In the new light of day it, possibly, is not as bad as I first thought, there are some glaring errors - Sexton obviously; I don't mind Humphries getting game time for the 'A''s but effectively having Paddy as cover for O'Gara sends the wrong signal to O'Gara - you are not replaceable) - if Humph is in the 'A''s Keatley should be in the full squad not Sexton.
I am ok with Pollock not being in the full squad but not putting him in the 'A''s is a disgrace - Jennings and Trimble do not justify selection.


However some good points - no Buckley which means at least one of Court, Healy and Ross will be in the 22.
The inclusion of Cave and Caldwell is excellent

It really depends on two crucial decisions for me:
What he does with the old guard MOK, MOD, Dempsey, Horgan - fine if they are there to provide experience in the training camp but they should be no where near the 22.
The selection at centre - only BOD, Wallace and Cave should be considered. Fitzgerald was a failure at 12 and Darcy has yet to start a game in the centre - neither should be in the frame.

[mikerob]

Thornley's headline in the Irish Times sums it up for me: "Tough Decisions Are Left For Another Day"

[ColinM]

In the new light of day it, possibly, is not as bad as I first thought, there are some glaring errors - Sexton obviously; I don't mind Humphries getting game time for the 'A''s but effectively having Paddy as cover for O'Gara sends the wrong signal to O'Gara - you are not replaceable) - if Humph is in the 'A''s Keatley should be in the full squad not Sexton.
I am ok with Pollock not being in the full squad but not putting him in the 'A''s is a disgrace - Jennings and Trimble do not justify selection.


However some good points - no Buckley which means at least one of Court, Healy and Ross will be in the 22.
The inclusion of Cave and Caldwell is excellent

It really depends on two crucial decisions for me:
What he does with the old guard MOK, MOD, Dempsey, Horgan - fine if they are there to provide experience in the training camp but they should be no where near the 22.
The selection at centre - only BOD, Wallace and Cave should be considered. Fitzgerald was a failure at 12 and Darcy has yet to start a game in the centre - neither should be in the frame.

I think i share similar sentiments this morning AG2. However i would go as far as to say that if Humph is to be in the A squad, then only ROG and Paddy should be in the main squad. Keatly and Sexton should be fighting for a spot on the A's bench.

As for the treatment of the old timers, there is a very real job for them to do assiting the youngsters v the Saxons and preventing the hammerings of last year. Humph 10; D'Arce 12; Cave 13 sounds good to me. That could be the combination we build to in midfield for the full team in the RWC. (which scarily enough is only 2 1/2 yrs away!)

I think Kidney will persist with BOD & Fitz in the centre. But hey, if that doesnt come off, and the D'Arce/Cave combo is working well in the A's they could be in there later in the 6N

[Jackie Brown]

Captain hasn't been named either. Rumour is it's going to be Paul O'Connell although the RBS six nations site has it as Ronan (please god no).

The question is, if BOD isn't captain, is his position as secure? He has been pretty poor this season (and for the last few seasons).

If Kidney makes one hard choice, be that dropping BOD, starting Wallace at 12, playing a new prop. I'll be content. I don't think it'll happen though. Expect to see BOD in 13 lining up at 12, Fitzgerald outside him, Kearney on the wing, Dempsey at fullback, MOD/MOK on the bench with Quinlan and possibly Flinger.

[fuzzylogic]

I suspect it will be POC who takes the captaincy, DK will know all about his leasership qualities from his tenure at Munster and he has been talismanic again for them this season!

The question is, if BOD isn't captain, is his position as secure?

Im guessing yes, for the first 2/3 games at least purly because of the fact of who he is and the potential he has to change a game in seconds and then if the tournament is going down the sh1tter he will be removed, provideing it is him who isnt performing! You never know we might get luck and see him play like the BOD of 3/4 seasons ago with the weight of captaincy removed!

Im only hoping that Sexton is in the full squad so that in training drills when O'Gara runs into him holding the tackle bag he wont get knocked over and face possiblilty of injury! After all Sexton the beanpole is on of the skinniest rugby professional players ive ever seen!