Who will be there?

[damianmcr]

No Boss please.

[rumncoke]

Henry moves up to certainty if TOD is out

Trimble if fit is a certainty

Jackson is the big ? marK in the World Cup penalties are the difference between winning and losing he needs to be better than 75 -80 % in that department . Although it is worth noting he subbed as a 12 and not 10 yesterday which would appear to indicate that Joe is looking for mid fielders rather than out halfs and that D'Arcy may not make the cut

[Setanta]

T_U_O_H_Y!!!

[Shan]

T_U_O_H_Y!!!

Awesome. You can spell 5 letter words. What's next? World domination perhaps?

[Setanta]

Anyone can make a mistake onc but making the same mistake for the umpteenth time is irksome! Oh, and feck off smartass, pog ma hone.

[Shan]

Certainties.
Best,Henderson,Bowe,Payne.

Very probable.
Henry,Trimble, Jackson.

Possible.
Cave.

Not going.
Gilroy,Herring,Touhy.

I would add Trimble to your certainties. If he is ready to rock I think he is Joe's first name on the sheet in terms of wingers.

Henry will go if TOD is out. Otherwise it is a battle between them for the last spot, as I think Murphy is a cert, and there's not much in it. Different types of players and they both add to the party.

Jackson should get the nod unless Joe is planning to play Sexton in all the pool games.

I can't see how they will squeeze Cave in. Madigan will be going so it limits the options, unless he does a complete turn-around and leaves Felix Jones at home. Earls covers 11-15 so will surely be named.

Agree with yer "not going" selections.

[Shan]

No Boss please.

It's alright Damian. You are among friends here. Your boss can't get to you and you are safe.

[Snipe Watson]

Certainties.
Best,Henderson,Bowe,Payne.

Very probable.
Henry,Trimble, Jackson.

Possible.
Cave.

Not going.
Gilroy,Herring,Touhy.

I would add Trimble to your certainties. If he is ready to rock I think he is Joe's first name on the sheet in terms of wingers.

Henry will go if TOD is out. Otherwise it is a battle between them for the last spot, as I think Murphy is a cert, and there's not much in it. Different types of players and they both add to the party.

Jackson should get the nod unless Joe is planning to play Sexton in all the pool games.

I can't see how they will squeeze Cave in. Madigan will be going so it limits the options, unless he does a complete turn-around and leaves Felix Jones at home. Earls covers 11-15 so will surely be named.

Agree with yer "not going" selections.

Correct Shan. Your cup of wisdom floweth over. Only a blithering idiot would fail to realise that AAT is the best winger in Ireland, possibly the best outside back. He showed enough in half an hour yesterday, after a season out with a very very sore toe, to prove that he is a class act. Big, fast, strong and aggressive in both attack and defence. He scares the bejeepers out of opposition players. I like that.

[Shan]

Correct Shan. Your cup of wisdom floweth over. Only a blithering idiot would fail to realise that AAT is the best winger in Ireland, possibly the best outside back. He showed enough in half an hour yesterday, after a season out with a very very sore toe, to prove that he is a class act. Big, fast, strong and aggressive in both attack and defence. He scares the bejeepers out of opposition players. I like that.

The poor Welshman didn't know what hit him yesterday. Oh how I smiled and whispered "he's back".

Outside of that hit I would agree that he was having a fine game. I was delighted to see it because you can never be sure when someone is coming back. He is a breath of fresh air on this squad. Just what we need going into this RWC.

[Spiffsson]

I take it, "the probables" will be getting an outing next week.

I'm not so sure, I imagine there will be further tinkering. As I said previously with two relatively easy opening matches in the group the need to use the warm-ups for the 'probables' is reduced.

If I were Schmidt I would be using the Scotland match to test out any other players and combinations I had question marks over.

I could see something like-

1-Kilcoyne, 2-Cronin, 3-Bent, 4-Toner, 5-Touhy, 6-POM, 7-Henry, 8-Murphy, 9-Boss, 10-Madigan, 11-Daverage, 12-Dorse, 13-Cave/Earls, 14-Bowe, 15-Zebo

Best, McGrath, Moore, POC, O'Brien, Murray, Jackson, Jones

Given Cave's performance at the weekend Dorse would need a huge performance to remain in the reckoning. I expect Dave Kearney to be given an opportunity to underwhelm as he is a Joe favourite. Testing Zebo out at 15 might be worth a shot as well though I would be surprised if Felix Jones was to be omitted as Schmidt rates him.

Up front I expect Touhy to be given a run out to give the opportunity to decide between him and Donncha Ryan. Murphy could do with a run at No.8 as he seems to be he obvious choice should Heaslip get injured but has limited exposure here at this level.

You are probably right, but anothet possibility, and one I'd like to see, would be POM to 8 and Hendo in at 6.

[Shan]

You are probably right, but anothet possibility, and one I'd like to see, would be POM to 8 and Hendo in at 6.

What is the benefit of that, either for the RWC or longer term?

[BuckRogers]

It probably depends on how you rate Heaslip. There are no real alternatives to Jay-Me and POM could, I suppose, be that guy. However POM is likely to continue playing 6 for Munster with Stander is such good form so this is probably not going to happen.

I would also say there is a very real possibility that Henderson needs to be accommodated in an Irish starting XV and that would most likely be at blindside IMO possibly at POM's expense.

[Snipe Watson]

I would also say there is a very real possibility that Henderson needs to be accommodated in an Irish starting XV and that would most likely be at blindside IMO possibly at POM's expense.

That has been discussed by the press down south. But the consensus was that Hendo would continue in the 4,5,6 role. Hendo will be involved in the 23, but whether he starts at 6 is another question. POM despite what some say is a heck of a competitor.

[ruckover]

If Henderson starts at the World Cup it will be in the second row. That or he will be the benefactor of an injury to POM.

[Shan]

It probably depends on how you rate Heaslip. There are no real alternatives to Jay-Me and POM could, I suppose, be that guy. However POM is likely to continue playing 6 for Munster with Stander is such good form so this is probably not going to happen.

I would also say there is a very real possibility that Henderson needs to be accommodated in an Irish starting XV and that would most likely be at blindside IMO possibly at POM's expense.

I would rate Heaslip very highly. He is on 500k per year for the purpose of keeping him in Ireland and I believe he has 2 years left on that contract. He is so far clear of the any other 8's in Ireland I'd nearly select him to start even if he lost a leg.

Hendo's future is in the second row. It doesn't make sense to unnecessarily break up a high functioning back row to play a guy destined for a different role. It would make sense if he was better than our three first choice backrowers, or even one of them. He isn't.