Ireland team for 2015

[Neil F]

Best will be 32 at the next world cup; Heaslip 31. In the case of Best, he will most definitely be in his prime. At the moment, he is untouchable as Ireland's hooker and unless there is a big shift in the way Strauss plays the game, I can see Best remaining the preferred choice. The balance of the Irish backrow demands as such and, in the absence of any "proper" opensides coming through, the work Best does will remain hugely important. 31 isn't young but it's not beyond it for a backrow; David Wallace played all of his best rugby for Ireland post-30, for example. I think people have been harsh on Heaslip's performances in the last few seasons, as they were on Wallace before his retirement because he wasn't out-pacing his man on the outside anymore; I think people expect similar carrying from Heaslip but that space was afforded by what Wallace did in the tight. Heaslip will be around longer than you think, of that I'm sure. Ferris is more difficult; I'd say it's a wait and see thing but if they can sort Ferris out, he'd walk into any team in the world. For now, I'm not going to write him off.

Bowe in the centre is a bizarre one; I don't see a situation where he plays 13, regularly, for Ulster yet can easily see how he would for Ireland because of the lack of outside centres ready to take up O'Driscoll's mantle. I can see the argument for Cave and, if someone would select him in a strong Ireland team, we could judge him but I get the feeling that an Irish three-quarter line with Gilroy, Zebo and Bowe in it would be stronger than one with Cave, Bowe and A.N. Other. I don't like playing anyone out of their preferred position but I don't think there is an outstanding enough candidate for 13 in Ireland, whereas there are a number of already very good, and some seriously exciting, options on the wings.

[Jackie Brown]

It's hard to predict, I hope the new guy sees fit to build a squad rather than a team. Competition for places at international level is very important. If we keep on the Cooder and Kidder path of fav 16 or 17 players come hell or high water, well, we won't be going anywhere and can look forward to many more years of mediocrity.

[mea97mb]

I suspect Kidney will be retained until the RWC 2015 and hopefully replaced after no matter how the tournament goes!

[bazzaj]

Heaslip is a good player but that SOB, Heaslip, Ferris axis you speak of Neil was not good enough when those players where in their prime as they were ruthlessly exposed by the Welsh, so it will not be good enough in 2 years.
It reminds me of the Lampard, Gerrard midfield that England used to perservere with to no end, selected soley because they were the best players.
There are enough alternatives around to look at other options but those players still will have a role to play and should not be discarded.

I agree that certainly early 30s is not necessarily the end of a line for a player but you would not want too many of them in your side.
I could be wrong about Best though he needs more consistancy in his lineout throwing.

JB is entirely right though it is an entire squad that needs building like the English are doing rather than just 15 players.
We want at least 2 alternatives for every position due to impact subs and injury.
At the minute we lack props, 2nd rows and 9s.
We need to start blooding some guys in these areas and exposing them to international rugby on the coaches terms or we are back to the DK throw them in at the deep end approach as dictated by injury.

[Russ]

Milk Tray may go on a fitness and conditioning course

[Setanta]

They were bemoaning the fact that thirty players have played for Ireland this six nations rather than the usual twenty-three. In my opinion this should always be the case. When a few players come back from injury we'll actually have a squad to pick from. The mind-set of the Irish media and powers that be still needs changing!

[ruckover]

15. Kearney, 14. Zebo, 13. Cave/Farrell, 12. Marshall, 11. Gilroy, 10. Sexton, 9. Murray; 1. Healy, 2. Strauss, 3. McAllister*, 4. Henderson, 5. Tuohy, 6. O'Mahony, 7. Jennings, 8. O'Brien.

16. Herring/Cronin, 17. Kilcoyne, 18. Bent, 19. Denton, 20. O'Donnell, 21. Heaney, 22. Madigan, 23. Olding.

*If he makes a successful transition

We're very short at lock.

[Gary]

13 Jared Payne

[ruckover]

13 Jared Payne

Oh yeah, forgot about him. Definitely him.

[breakdown]

Cant see Payne playing 13 for Ireland if he is playing 15 regularly for Ulster.

1. Healy
2. Cronin
3. Bent
4. Tuohy
5. Ryan
6. POM
7. Henry
8. SOB

9. Murray
10. Jackson
11. Gilroy
12. Marshall
13. Bowe
14. Zebo
15. Payne

Bent at tighthead. Pains me to include him there, but so far Macklin has proved nothing other than he could be the next Fitz, and Fitz isnt getting any younger. Dont know enough about players from other provinces.

Ryan will be just over 30 in 2015 so he has still got plenty to give.

Bowe at 13, cant see him staying on the wing past his 30's, and he has said he feels at home at 13 so stick him there, and gives Zebo and Gilroy both a spot who in time will be better finishers than Bowe.

[breakdown]

Ulster goggles on there Ruck I see. players like Hanrahan, O'Malley comming through in other teams that could displace players on that team.

Also by Jennings, do you mean Shane Jennings? If so, seems a strange decision. Cant start for Ireland as it is, never mind when he is 33/34.

[ruckover]

Care to explain who should replace them? Until Hanrahan begins starting for Munster he won't become all he's hyped up to be and EOM hasn't impressed me at all and can't even get into a Leinster 2nds team.

Jennings was a mistake, I thought he was younger than that.

[breakdown]

Bowe for Cave at 13.

Ryan for Henderson

McGrath for Heaney (not convinced Heaney is international standard)

Sherry/Varley for bench hooker, Cronin to start

D.Kearney to displace Olding, and on that note, people ought not to get carried away. Olding has been very good but to tout him for an international place only being 20 and no one has even figured where he is best used is a bit premature. If he gets tossed about a la Paddy Wallace, chances are he won't be international standard. Let him develop in one position, be it 10/12/13/15 and see how he does before anything else may be said of him, there could be players coming in that are better than him in that position for a start, meaning he won't get near the 23

[ruckover]

Bowe for Cave at 13.

Ryan for Henderson

McGrath for Heaney (not convinced Heaney is international standard)

Sherry/Varley for bench hooker, Cronin to start

D.Kearney to displace Olding, and on that note, people ought not to get carried away. Olding has been very good but to tout him for an international place only being 20 and no one has even figured where he is best used is a bit premature. If he gets tossed about a la Paddy Wallace, chances are he won't be international standard. Let him develop in one position, be it 10/12/13/15 and see how he does before anything else may be said of him, there could be players coming in that are better than him in that position for a start, meaning he won't get near the 23

Bowe is not 13 he is a winger and always will be.

Ryan will be 32 at the World Cup. By then I expect Henderson and Tuohy to be better.

Who is McGrath?

Why not Strauss? He's far better than Cronin, Sherry and Varley put together and will only be 30.

Olding can cover 10-15. Very useful player to have on the bench. Kearney is just a winger.

[Hans Indaruck]

Bowe for Cave at 13.

Ryan for Henderson

McGrath for Heaney (not convinced Heaney is international standard)

Sherry/Varley for bench hooker, Cronin to start

D.Kearney to displace Olding, and on that note, people ought not to get carried away. Olding has been very good but to tout him for an international place only being 20 and no one has even figured where he is best used is a bit premature. If he gets tossed about a la Paddy Wallace, chances are he won't be international standard. Let him develop in one position, be it 10/12/13/15 and see how he does before anything else may be said of him, there could be players coming in that are better than him in that position for a start, meaning he won't get near the 23

Bowe is not 13 he is a winger and always will be.

Ryan will be 32 at the World Cup. By then I expect Henderson and Tuohy to be better.

Who is McGrath?

Why not Strauss? He's far better than Cronin, Sherry and Varley put together and will only be 30.

Olding can cover 10-15. Very useful player to have on the bench. Kearney is just a winger.

Luke McGrath - from the Leinster Academy - he has shown great potential in the U20s - I agree he will be up there come 2015. Other U20s show some good promise too not least our own Conor Joyce in the back row and Stuart Olding (once he settles his position (which should be 12!) - Tom Daly has looked a useful kicker (but not overly impressive in the centre). However, some of these guys coming through the U20s etc. will be at at a standard in 2015 to at least be warming the international benches.