IRELAND Squad (North American Tour, 2009)

[Rooster]

IRELAND Squad (North American Tour, 2009)

Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) Captain

Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)

Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster)*

Bob Casey (London Irish)

Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*

Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)

Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)*

Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster)*

Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)

Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)*

Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)*

Ian Keatley (Galwegians/Connacht)*

Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Keith Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht)*

John Muldoon (Buccanneers/Connacht)*

Barry Murphy (U.L. Bohemians/Munster)

Niall O'Connor (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*

Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Eoin Reddan (London Wasps)

Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)*

Mike Ross (Harlequins)*

Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)

Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)

Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster)

A N Other**

N.B. *Denotes uncapped at full international level

** To be confirmed following medical reports following final round of Magners League.

Ireland Tour Schedule
Depart Sunday 17th May for Canada

Canada v Ireland, Saturday 23rd May, 14.00hrs (local time), Thunderbird Stadium, Vancouver

USA v Ireland, Sunday 31st May, 14.00hrs (local rime), Buckshaw Stadium, Santa Clara, California

[mikerob]

Players on BOTH tours:
Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster)
Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)*
Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
John Muldoon (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
Keith Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
Niall O'Connor (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)*
Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)

Players only on NA tour:
Barry Murphy (U.L. Bohemians/Munster)
Bob Casey (London Irish)
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Eoin Reddan (London Wasps)
Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)
Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster)*
Ian Keatley (Galwegians/Connacht)*
Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Mike Ross (Harlequins)*
Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)
Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) Captain
Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster)*
Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)

Players only on CC tour:
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Dennis Fogarty (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
Devon Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
Ed O'Donoghue (Instonians/Ulster)*
Felix Jones (Seapoint/Leinster)*
Fergus McFadden (UCD/Leinster)*
Fionn Carr (Galwegians/Connacht)*
Frank Murphy (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster)
James Downey (Northampton Saints) *
John Andress (Exeter Chiefs) *
Johne Murphy (Leicester Tigers)*
Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster)*
Neil Best (Northampton Saints)
Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Simon Keogh (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
Trevor Hogan (Blackrock College/Leinster)

[mikerob]

Thoughts regarding Ulster (ex)player perspective:

iHump doesn't make the tour so behind NOC, Keatley and Sexton in the pecking order for OHs

Frank Murphy over Willis or Marshall... Fair enough I suppose. Boss is there for experience, Murphy starts for his province while Willis/Marshall/Boss have been chopped/changed by MW.

N Best wouldn't have been available for NA tour anyway because of ECC final.

R Wilson off the radar

Caldwell vs Ryan to see who can get the bench spot second row for the AIs

[fuzzylogic]

Here you go RHH

[cables]

For the NA tour.

Positions are as listed by the IRFU and ordered by first named position except for Cronin and Murphy where I moved them to get 2 hookers and 2 wings based on the IRFU position information.

2009 North American Tour Squad.JPG (80.03 KiB) Viewed 1229 times

There is certainly going to be a lot of new caps.

[andy white]

Roger Wilson is not off the radar- torn Ankle ligaments - out for 3 months apparently

[fuzzylogic]

Your right andy but not for the reason you mentioned. Roger Wilson has never been on the radar. He got 1 shot against Canada and that was his lot! A dog of a player but gets shown up in GP for his lack of size!

[notj]

Quite a strong looking squad in all fairness, considering the absentees. Duffy's continued inclusion still frustrates me immensely, very mediocre player.

The alternative to start at fullback is Denis Hurley, who i really do not rate at all... not exactly a strong point for us on this tour.

[BR]

Here you go RHH

Got any of him since he hit puberty?

[fuzzylogic]

Geordan Murphy and Gordon Darcy have just been added today to the Barbairians squad to play England and Australia this summer!

[Shan]

Waste of time bringing Duffy and Casey.Both offer Ireland nothing either now or in the future.

Better off playing Hurley at full back.He looks dodgy at times and I am not his biggest fan but he has been improving lately and is still capable of improvement and is nowhere near his peak.

Mick O'Driscoll must start with either Ryan or Caldwell with the other on the bench.If Casey starts or is on the bench you can chalk off the whole tour as this should be a learning exercise and old slowcoaches who have never proven they are good enough should be nowhere near this team.

Interesting that Niall O'Connor and Ian Keatley have been selected and there is no sign of Ian Humphreys.This appears to be a statement from DK that he has no intention of considering Humph.I suppose DK must believe Humph will never offer any more than he is doing defensively and it is not worth persuing.Hard to blame him as Humph is not young.Both NOC and Keatley could end up being turned into solid players, along with Sexton, as they have time on their side.I wonder if Ulster will come under pressure to play NOC more next year if he has a decent time with Ireland.

No other big surprises there with the Leinster players not available for this tour.

[Rooster]

Waste of time bringing Duffy and Casey.Both offer Ireland nothing either now or in the future.

Better off playing Hurley at full back.He looks dodgy at times and I am not his biggest fan but he has been improving lately and is still capable of improvement and is nowhere near his peak.

Mick O'Driscoll must start with either Ryan or Caldwell with the other on the bench.If Casey starts or is on the bench you can chalk off the whole tour as this should be a learning exercise and old slowcoaches who have never proven they are good enough should be nowhere near this team.

I would have taken Ed O'Donaghue in place of Casey.

[Shan]

I would have taken Ed O'Donaghue in place of Casey.

I could live with that.It would be no harm to give him a chance to show if he's up to the mark.

[Freddie Benson]

Was Pollock not considered?

Has been playing more than Ronan/Ryan/O'Brien and is more impressive than any of them.

May reflect DK wanting ball carrier in back row rather than ball winner - that's what BO'D and D'Arce are for after all

[fuzzylogic]

Pollock would most likley have made the CC side but hes injured at the moment as far as im aware.

Both him and Trimble are left out because there having or have had operations quite recently!