Ireland team

[Article]

Tight call was Cullen versus DOC (even though DOC had the spot), can only imgaine Cullen stuill carrying some niggle, but he will feature. TOL most physical SH we have, and against English he will do OK - different game plan where quick pass less of an issue than Brute Force - Buckly on Bench says an awful lot about the devlopment of an INternational class TH (unfortunate and unluckly Court injured as he was really establishing himself expect to see him back).

[ColinM]

Interesting to hear Court's interview recently he said he still prefers TH and finds it easier to scrummage there.

[Snipe Watson]

Danny care will show O'Leary a thing or two.

He may do, but Jonny will be lying that deep that his backline will be neutered.
Given that England selection I’m glad to see Murphy at 15.

[for dog and ulcer]

Geordan Murphy? Reminds me of Tony O'Reilly's last cap!! Is DK suffering from Jonno's class of 2003 syndrome? And I am surprised that Leo Cullen isn't starting- has played well.

[bigchiefally]

Disappointed for Boss, Court and Wallace not being in the squad. Trimble is a much better option in my view than Earls at wing but my biggest surprise is DOC back instead of Cullen. I thought Cullen has been pretty good.

[againstthehead]

Disappointed for Boss, Court and Wallace not being in the squad. Trimble is a much better option in my view than Earls at wing but my biggest surprise is DOC back instead of Cullen. I thought Cullen has been pretty good.

aye, but cullen and trimble arn't from Munster!

[bogboy]

DoC for Cullen was always on the cards cullen is a light weight in everything but the lineout .

Fast ball is always an issue but it was not just that O'leary's pass was slow it was everywhere but where it should have been the best scrum half in Ireland -- Boss ( as stated somewhere else on the board in the opinion of D H -- because he makes decisions ) is omitted for the very reason he makes decisions Dk like EoS before him degrees that the only decision maker shall be the O/H

Playing Sexton RoG was bound for the bench and is a better option than Paddy

I agree with the opinion of most on the board that Earls is over hyped light and very inexperienced to be on the wing instead of Trimble the only reason he could be prefered is attitude -- which he has in spades --if only he had eyes as well in my opinion he at times becomes unaware of the presences of team mates and miss times passes to frequently to be an International first choice selection on the wing--- his versatility makes him an obvious bench. Trimble is less versatile but is more of an out and out winger.

[Bart S]

Disappointed for Trimble that he is benched so that Earls can stay on the wing.

Earls was the man in possesion going into the 6 N's and has done nothing wrong on the wing, so I'd say that's a fair call by DK.

Trimble did fine in his game, but not enough to displace the man previously in possession (ie Earls).

Sorry we must be watching different games. Earls was knocked about like a wee school girl against france. We will see how he gets on against the English but my thoughts are that he is out of his depth at 6N level.

Not when he was playing on the wing. He also didn't look out of place against the Boks, known as the msot physical team around. Trimble looked competent against Italy but no better than that. For an international winger he still seems to have a tendency to look to pass, perhaps lacking a bit of self confidence at this level.

It's a close call and who knows which one will come out on top eventually, but all I'm saying is that I understand why DK made that call, given Earls was the man in possession pre tournament and Trimble did not do anything against Italy (and bear in mind the opposition here) to justify being ahead of him.

[Shan]

Disappointed for Boss, Court and Wallace not being in the squad. Trimble is a much better option in my view than Earls at wing but my biggest surprise is DOC back instead of Cullen. I thought Cullen has been pretty good.

Cullen did play reasonably but why deny yourself a better player.I don't agree with this "in possession of the shirt" cobblers at all I have to say.DOC is a better player than Cullen could ever dream of being and POC & DOC together is by far our best second row combo.

As for Earls/Trimble I possibly would have gone with Earls on the bench because of his ability to cover across the backline.However Trimble has played at proper international level in the centre and therefore could be the better bench option if there is even a possibility of BOD not being 100%.

Scrum half is an interesting one as TOL was so fecking slow to do anything against France but DK is probably thinking about his physicality.That is all well and good of course but TOL needs to start showing he is not just an extra back rower.

Are we limiting our options too much by having a specialist 10 on the bench? The only thing I'd say is we need a goalkicker there just in case.

Buckley FFS. Court should not be allowed to get injured.At least we know who to blame if our scrums are in trouble.

[Neil F]

Is it just me, or has Cullen only looked good because of his performances in the lineout?

Okay, okay, pinching the opposition ball in the way Cullen has is important in the modern game but have his all-round performances really been as good as what one would expect from O'Callaghan? Cullen hasn't been noticeable to me and has faded badly as games have gone on. Personally, not surprised to see O'Callaghan back in.

O'Leary was poor against France but I don't agree with the suggestion that one game is enough to see a player ditched; two poor games in a row, fair enough but I think a player needs to know that if he has one bad day at the office, or makes one mistake, that he's not going to be ditched for the next game. For me, O'Leary was probably the best option coming into the 6 Nations and that performance against France doesn't change that - a poor performance against England will. Competition is good but the threat of an immediate axe isn't.

Disappointed that Earls is in at 11 again, though. He went looking for the ball against France but really didn't do much when he had it. Think Trimble would be the better option, personally but we'll see on that front.

I think the bench is strange - always alarmed to see Buckley anywhere near an Ireland squad. We're looking at a guy who isn't, really, that hampered by what is in front of him at Munster; he wouldn't start at Leinster or Ulster, either - in fact, I'd imagine that, should Ulster lose Botha, Court would be preferred at 3 and Young at 1 to Buckley. Would sooner have had Ross than Buckley, to be honest. Ditto Jennings - Jennings, for me, is a starter or a not-at-all sort of player - don't really see what he'll add from the bench?

All of that said, I think the big calls are right - I never thought I'd say it but Murphy at 15 is the best call. I wouldn't have been happy to see Earls there again, that's for sure. Murphy may not be fully fit and always represents a gamble anyway but I still think it was the right move. Same at 10; Ireland are at a stage where I think they need to move beyond O'Gara. I think Sexton brings a little more creativity and given the way D'Arcy has been playing recently, having a 10 that will really put him in space could lead to all kinds of things.

Really looking forward to this game. The other half is English and we're visiting her parents place this weekend. Think I'll affix a four provinces fleg to a tree in their garden should Ireland leave Twickers with the spoils!

[Ulster throw in]

Sorry Bart S

But Earls did not stand up to the French on the wing or anywhere else. Fact. He was on more than one occasion picked off his feet and carried back 20 yards.

[againstthehead]

not much on the ireland bench to get too excited about. So far, the irish scrum has held up very well but this will be another stern test. If Ireland can dominate the lineout then it could be a very close game. Very difficult to know which English side will turn up. A litmus test for both sides methinks...
But who cares, it's Wales V France that has my juices flowing this weekend...

[Bart S]

Sorry Bart S

But Earls did not stand up to the French on the wing or anywhere else. Fact. He was on more than one occasion picked off his feet and carried back 20 yards.

I'd rather have a winger who will actually try and attack than one who's main strength at international level appears to be his much improved tackling. With Trimble's selection I could just see Jonny Wilko, Flutey and co popping balls in behind him all day all long, knowing that all he's going to do is pass pass pass to the full back, for fear of running it back or kicking.

If you want to highlight some areas of Earls performance against a French team who hammered us (and Earls was by no means the worst player), then only fair to also look at the glaring deficiencies in Trimble's wing play against vastly inferior opposition.

Earls is far from the finished article, but Trimble's international performance against Italy hardly set the world alight. As an Ulsterman I'd love to see Trimble start, but Earls deserves his chance to start - no question for me. Up to Trimble to show what he can do if he gets on, which I'm sure he will.

As for DOC, from memory he oftens reserves some of his best performances for England, so as long as he's fit, then fair play. My concern is that he's rushed back when only half fit, which looked to be the case with Ferris, given his very subdued performance against France.

[Ithryn]

Not too sure about this. The bench does not offer much impact except for Trimble.

Cullen is great at the lineout and niggle perfect for playing the english. O Callaghan would provide more impact from the bench.

Buckley is a waste of space, If the bull gets tired we are screwed.

[bogboy]

"If" the Bull gets tired read when at best he is a 60 min player at Ml level and other than standing at the side of the maul offers nothing in attack.

2bh I have not seen O'leary add much in defence other than the odd assist in the tackle if you want a defensive scrum half the first choice would be Boss in my book -- at the moment my s/h would be Redden to start esp if you have Sexton @o/h
with Boss on the bench.

watch O'Leary the slowness is in his method of pass and therefore a fundamental weakness - pick -up --step--- arms back --arms forward -release the slowest part being arms back which is why he was passing to RoG's head and what makes you think it was just one bad game he's had the Irish backs didn't function against Italy either with alot of possession being kicked -- was that due to tactics or slow service from the base ??

Of course Wilkinson will be kicking at the back 3 but exactly what is wrong with a pass in field to a player who has a better angle and as to running the ball back of the two Trimble and Earls I think Trimble would be the more successful against the English because while Earls may beat players he frequently becomes isolated.

My recollection of Earls playing for the Lions was that he looked inexperienced and out of his depth which is why d'Arcy was called up when Flutey got injured because he was being played as a centre in SA not as a wing because the Lions had better options available on the wing.