2014 Autumn Internationals

[Cockatrice]

And we bring back an experienced back up OH to cover PJ when he was off for the AIs and the 6N. Wouldn't it be funny if Payne ended up getting a game at 15.. the man is undroppable.. The experiment continues ... I don't know why we can't see the greatest Irish 13 since BOD.

[thecrouch]

Jackson's played more minutes at 10 than Madigan at a guess, and is a flat out better 10 to boot. Fair enough if Schmidt wants to base things heavily on the form book - but gods knows how Strauss got ahead of Casey then - how anyone got ahead of McCloskey.

Suppose I should be happy we're sending off so few lads to get injured but it's just annoying. Makes contract renewals more difficult too.

edit: And if Jackson's not there due to not enough minutes, what in God's name is Olding doing there?

Strauss is the only hooker who is anywhere near Best. I suppose his inclusion does contradict Jackson's exclusion a bit but PJ is far better spending more time at Ulster getting sorted than wasting his time at Carton House.

Olding has been in almost all Ulster match day squads over the past while.

[MattMo]

Jackson's played more minutes at 10 than Madigan at a guess, and is a flat out better 10 to boot. Fair enough if Schmidt wants to base things heavily on the form book - but gods knows how Strauss got ahead of Casey then - how anyone got ahead of McCloskey.

Suppose I should be happy we're sending off so few lads to get injured but it's just annoying. Makes contract renewals more difficult too.

edit: And if Jackson's not there due to not enough minutes, what in God's name is Olding doing there?

Strauss is the only hooker who is anywhere near Best. I suppose his inclusion does contradict Jackson's exclusion a bit but PJ is far better spending more time at Ulster getting sorted than wasting his time at Carton House.

Olding has been in almost all Ulster match day squads over the past while.

And played 5-10 minutes of each, might as well have been Kidneys idea of replacing tightheads on 79 minutes.

[Russ]

Will be interesting to see the carnage

[Shan]

Primary job of a hooker is throwing ball to lineout, followed closely by or equally primary is scummaging(hooking under now proper scrum laws enforced). Duncan Casey is the best in Ireland at the first while he has no issues with the second and is ahead of all bar Best on that score.


Cronin cannot do either primary job and Strauss, while I think shouldn't be there at all, is reasonable at best.

Casey should be in that squad. Missed opportunity to see if we have a top class alternative for Best leading towards the 6N and later the RWC.


* That said I like Cronin for his carrying but that isn't much use if you can't win your own ball cleanly at lineout and scrum......


Mind you if he was selected Munster would be kind of ballixed without him. Maybe that was a factor?

[Shan]

Just 5 of the backs named are from Leinster. That is strange after the last 10-15 years of Leinster dominated squads in the backs.

That said all 5 of them will likely be in the 23 man matchday squads for the main 2 games.

[Russ]

Just 5 of the backs named are from Leinster. That is strange after the last 10-15 years of Leinster dominated squads in the backs.

That said all 5 of them will likely be in the 23 man matchday squads for the main 2 games.

Of those 5, only Rab has shown any form since the last 6N

[Dave]

It will still be weird seeing Jared playing in green. He will need a massive improvement because he will get roasted by the meedea, he's still an Ulsterman after all.

[rumncoke]

Of the faces missing Boss @34 is not surprising and personally I think D 'Arcy as an International is a non event . While BoD was playing it made sense not to sure that it adds up now .

Watched O Connell on Saturday unfortunately he is another who might now find the International game is beyond him the spirit is there but the body may not be up to the task . With so many missing through retirement age and injury Joe has to find the squad for the World Cup .


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[Spiffsson]

Of the faces missing Boss @34 is not surprising and personally I think D 'Arcy as an International is a non event . While BoD was playing it made sense not to sure that it adds up now .

Watched O Connell on Saturday unfortunately he is another who might now find the International game is beyond him the spirit is there but the body may not be up to the task . With so many missing through retirement age and injury Joe has to find the squad for the World Cup .


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D'Arcy had a pretty good game for Leinster against Wasps at 13. There are not many midfielders in Ireland setting the game alight. I read Henshaw's in good form at Connacht, but have not seem him so far this season.

POC is not quite the force he was, and starting to look a tad on the smallish side for a top international lock. Still, he's a good lineout operator and a natural leader and will go for a while yet. I'd like to see him pace himself more through a game by doing less of the energy-sapping ball carrying, especially since he's not that good at it and hardly ever makes any ground.

Pity Henderson and Tuohy are out at present - think they could have made a mark this year.

[Shan]

Just 5 of the backs named are from Leinster. That is strange after the last 10-15 years of Leinster dominated squads in the backs.

That said all 5 of them will likely be in the 23 man matchday squads for the main 2 games.

Of those 5, only Rab has shown any form since the last 6N

Madigan is the top goalkicker in the Pro12 with over 91% success rate along with having one man of the match performance and 3 tries scored.

Darcy also has a man of the match performance in the league.

Sexton(who I included) played well for Racing Metro when he hasn't been injured.

[Shan]

D'Arcy had a pretty good game for Leinster against Wasps at 13. There are not many midfielders in Ireland setting the game alight. I read Henshaw's in good form at Connacht, but have not seem him so far this season.

POC is not quite the force he was, and starting to look a tad on the smallish side for a top international lock. Still, he's a good lineout operator and a natural leader and will go for a while yet. I'd like to see him pace himself more through a game by doing less of the energy-sapping ball carrying, especially since he's not that good at it and hardly ever makes any ground.

Pity Henderson and Tuohy are out at present - think they could have made a mark this year.

Spot on. Unsurprisingly Darcy is the best 13 in Ireland currently. I really want Henshaw to come through though because at his age Darcy is a risk for pinning our hopes on of staying injury free right through the season. Probably the reason Joe is attempting to turn a 15 into a 13. Shocking that we have another 13 who still could potentially offer something at international level but has been thrown by the wayside.....

I'd really have loved to see Henderson getting his chance especially. But maybe it does demonstrate the dangers of overpushing guys before they are old enough, especially forwards. He will still get his chance to be an Ireland stalwart in the years ahead I hope.

POC is definitely in decline but he is still the best we have. That's not his fault.

Tuohy is a loss. Donncha Ryan is a loss. Both of these could reasonably have been expected to play a leading part in these games.

[Jackie Brown]

I hope Cave moves to France. Feck Joe

[Deraless]

How can they not pick PJ. Will we be able to do without those hiilllllarrrrrious lip-synching videos he does with Zebo?



(Yes)

[Russ]

How can they not pick PJ. Will we be able to do without those hiilllllarrrrrious lip-synching videos he does with Zebo?



(Yes)

You mean

Things anyone does that entertain themselves that Zebo has to show his face in?