The UAFC

Given the latest injuries announced tonight what team will DK put out now against Italy?

15. Duffy (if fit) or Earls
14. Bowe (if fit) or McFadden
13. BOD
12. Darc
11. Earls
10. Sexton
9. Reddan

1. Healy
2. Best (if fit) or Cronin
3. Buckley
4. POC
5. DOC
6. 1F
7. Wallace
8. SOB

16. Cronin or Varley
17. Court
18. Ross
19. Cullen
20. Leamy
21. Strimger
22. ROG
23. Wallace

22 man match day squad for the 6N shirley?

Healy, Ross starting and Buckle on the bench as he "covers both sides of the front row"

Buckley is not in the squad.
The three props will be Court, Healy and Ross

Ardglass2 wrote:Buckley is not in the squad.
The three props will be Court, Healy and Ross

Buckley is not in the squad yet

interesting that they called up Deccie Fitz rather than Buckley.. (although perhaps as a tackle-bag holder, with Buckley getting a run-out for the Wolfhounds)

darkside lightside wrote:interesting that they called up Deccie Fitz rather than Buckley.. (although perhaps as a tackle-bag holder, with Buckley getting a run-out for the Wolfhounds)

Deccy put up a good show against Aironi in the scrums hence he got rewarded, if I'm not mistaken Gert Smal was at the match.

He was and you are not.

15 - fitzgerald
14 - bowe if fit, if not, mcfadden
13 - drico
12 - darcy
11 - earls
10 - sexton
9 - reddan

8 - sob
7 - wallace
6 - 1f
5 - doc
4 - poc
3 - court
2 - best if fit, cronin if not
1 - healy

16 best/cronin
17 - ross
18 - cullen
19 - leamy
20 - stringer
21 - rog
22 - mcfadden/duffy

personally i would like to see cullen and jennings ahead of doc and wally as their form has been better. and i'd hope deccy would start the likes of earls/fitzgerald ahead of duffy for italy as they are both much more dangerous with ball in hand.

I find it all a bit strange; for years and years, Ulster fans spent many an hour berating first O'Sullivan and, latterly, Kidney to select on form and now people are calling for Earls and Fitzgerald over Duffy and McFadden, or even Horgan? On this form, Fitzgerald wouldn't be near the Wolfhounds if everyone was fit - he's been utterly pants in the last couple of outings for Leinster. Earls, similarly, hasn't looked good - seems that his ability to see what's around him has massively deteriorated, which is extremely worrying. Duffy has been injured recently but has played some very good rugby this season and is the only player to have played fullback recently. I was all for Fitzgerald at fullback until this week - on current form, he shouldn't be near the Leinster side, let alone the Ireland side.

Earls is explosive and covers a lot of positions, so I can understand why he'd be the bench choice but his form isn't good enough to start for Ireland just now.

Given the injuries, I'd go for:

15. Duffy / Bowe
14. Bowe / Horgan
13. O'Driscoll
12. D'Arcy
11. McFadden
10. Sexton
9. Stringer

1. Court
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Cullen
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris / Leamy
7. Wallace
8. O'Brien

16. Cronin
17. Healy
18. O'Callaghan
19. Leamy / Jennings
20. Reddan
21. O'Gara
22. Earls

mcfadden is a centre.
wasted on the wing, and detrimental to his development.

THERE HAS TO BE AN EYE ON THE FUTURE!!!

the likes of mcfadden cave earls spence will be occupying the 12 and 13 shirts in the not too distant future. paddy, BOD and Darcy arent going to be around forever.

earls has probably been lined up in every position bar tight-head prop for munster and it has held him back. he burst onto the scene a few years ago but is still no closer to nailing down a start for ireland. farting around, and giving players a game in a position that's no theirs, just to make up numbers, isnt right.

If you're going to do anything at least stick darcy onto the wing and put mcfadden in at 12 - at least then you have his club colleague and mentor assisting him through the game

I'd certainly have McFadden ahead of Earls, who was completely toss against LI, but as Horgan definitely won't be available and Bowe is unlikely to be available Earls and Fitz (didn't think he was too bad for Leinster - although I only caught the second half) will both likely start..

WhiteKnightoftheWeld wrote:mcfadden is a centre.
wasted on the wing, and detrimental to his development.

to be fair, he's looked pretty useful on the wing, pretty fast feet and a good finisher, I'd certainly rather see him on the wing and D'Arcy at 12 than the other way round

Bloody hell, had forgotten Horgan was also on that injury list!

ur gaping black hole of an avatar clearly reflects your brain, in that case.

WhiteKnightoftheWeld wrote:mcfadden is a centre.
wasted on the wing, and detrimental to his development.

THERE HAS TO BE AN EYE ON THE FUTURE!!!

the likes of mcfadden cave earls spence will be occupying the 12 and 13 shirts in the not too distant future. paddy, BOD and Darcy arent going to be around forever.

earls has probably been lined up in every position bar tight-head prop for munster and it has held him back. he burst onto the scene a few years ago but is still no closer to nailing down a start for ireland. farting around, and giving players a game in a position that's no theirs, just to make up numbers, isnt right. If you're going to do anything at least stick darcy onto the wing and put mcfadden in at 12 - at least then you have his club colleague and mentor assisting him through the game

?????? - Didn't know Darcy was a winger!!!