The UAFC

Addison is in for Saturday.

Interesting selection.
Front row with a chance to show they are at least the best second options for their positions.
Interesting to see how Ryan and Hendo perform together.
No open side v Wales is a strange one.

Marmion-Carty-Aki. Works for Connacht. Can it work for Ireland.

Farrell will need his wits about him defensively.

Hopefully Addison getting a start means he is still in with a chance for RWC selection. He could bring in what we badly need from full back.

The one Kearney rule remains in place with Dave on the bench...

Ireland don't have any opensides. Dan Leavy aside.

They might have enough breakdown ability to get by though. That's a beefy back five in the pack. Last weeks pack was bitchslapped by a heavy English engine room. The world cup will be a frog march to the firing squad without some fresh thinking.

The backs are hopeless. Stockdale aside.

It was an Irish win against a fringe Welsh team.
What was worrying that the introduction of one quality Welsh player and Ireland couldn't cope.
However it was a win and it will be spun into the usual rhetoric of building blocks in place, ideal preparation and never an easy place to come and win etc etc etc.

Our seconds are better than their seconds.

Dublin4 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 5:59 pm Our seconds are better than their seconds.

Frank wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 5:42 pm It was an Irish win against a fringe Welsh team.
What was worrying that the introduction of one quality Welsh player and Ireland couldn't cope.
However it was a win and it will be spun into the usual rhetoric of building blocks in place, ideal preparation and never an easy place to come and win etc etc etc.

A wheen of Joe's cabal still with little or no game time. Wonder how many half baked and half fit players will be in the squad?

Ideally next week should be a selection very close to that for the opening fixture.

Dublin4 wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 5:59 pm Our seconds are better than their seconds.

If Best Furlong Ryan Hendy Toner POM Ringrose and Stockdale all of whom were involved, are considered second team, I would agree.
I would call it an old school 1sr/2nds fixture v the 2nds/3rds of a superior outfit.
Certainly after the last competitive fixture between these teams season there's no qualms of who is the better.
Ireland after 4 phases look about as likely to score as Ian Dowies uglier ginger brother in a nunnery.

What a load of ballix that game was.

Shan wrote: ↑Sat Aug 31, 2019 8:56 pm What a load of ballix that game was.

World cup warm ups are all a load of ballix. Anybody that parts with hard earned to watch them is a mug.

It was a semi decent pack -- with 3rd rate half backs -- and 2nd rate centres

When Stockdale and Addison departed the pitch the backs with the exception of Conway started to lose interest because the scoreline allowed them . Ringrose pretended to tackle missing people more often than tackling them. At the same time the Welch became more focused after the penalty try because they had something to prove .

The cliches were thus possibly justified -- something recovered from the week before ( a little pride at the win in Cardiff ) -- some players had a work out to get to match ( mental ) fitness and bodies exposed to a little bit of opposition bite -- something that might be missing at the training ground.

And Joe might be a little closer in defining his 31 for the trip.

Worries -- the back row -- and half backs --- While Carty seems the best of the understudies to Sexton the difference is alarming ( based on the performances to date -- and hopefully the backrow are holding something in reserve see below )

Pre season games mean little on many occasions because the XV fielded for them seldom matches the team selected for the games that count and the players who have an awareness of that selection frequently fail to give the warm- ups a 100 % effort .

Addison in.
Farrell out.
Murphy out.
Rudduck in.
Toner out.
Kleyn in.
Marmion out.
Mcgrath in.

kingofthehill wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 9:40 am Addison in.
Farrell out.
Murphy out.
Rudduck in.
Toner out.
Kleyn in.
Marmion out.
Mcgrath in.

So for the start of the season Ulster have access to Jack McGrath, Herring, Murphy & Cooney.

That's luke McGrath

Could be wrong.

kUD wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 10:22 am

kingofthehill wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 9:40 am Addison in.
Farrell out.
Murphy out.
Rudduck in.
Toner out.
Kleyn in.
Marmion out.
Mcgrath in.

So for the start of the season Ulster have access to Jack McGrath, Herring, Murphy & Cooney.

I'd say that's a result.