Team for Romania

[Neill_M]

Team announced

15. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)
14. Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
13. Jared Payne (Ulster)
12. Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
11. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10. Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
9. Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster)

1. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
3. Nathan White (Connacht)
4. Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
6. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
7. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) captain

Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
17. Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster)
18. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
19. Paul O'Connell (Young Munster)
20. Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
22. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon)
23. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

[Dublin4]

Joe must be listening to this Forum. No Luke.
Not even a sub.
interesting that he has picked Madigan at 10.

[BaggyTrousers]

Nordie voice at press conference asking utterly dumb questions. Asswipe asked Reddan which Engish footballers has he above his bed Christ Almighty.

[Neill_M]

Madigan to get 15 mins at the end at 9, if the game is done and dusted according to Mr Schimdt.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Joe must be listening to this Forum. No Luke.
Not even a sub.
interesting that he has picked Madigan at 10.

I wonder if (assuming it's all done and dusted and no significant injuries) late in the match he might consider leaving Murray on the pine and bring Paddy on at 10 and move Wee Mads to 9 just for the experience in an actual match - just in case?

EDIT: - Already answered above before I posted!

[BaggyTrousers]

Joe must be listening to this Forum. No Luke.
Not even a sub.
interesting that he has picked Madigan at 10.

Not the word I'd have used D4, I'd have used "unsurprising the Mexican ballix" but your economy of effort in shoehorning one word in rather than the more descriptive four may be seen as commendable in some quarters.

[BaggyTrousers]

Madigan to get 15 mins at the end at 9, if the game is done and dusted according to Mr Schimdt.

Joe must be listening to this Forum. No Luke.
Not even a sub.
interesting that he has picked Madigan at 10.

I wonder if (assuming it's all done and dusted and no significant injuries) late in the match he might consider leaving Murray on the pine and bring Paddy on at 10 and move Wee Mads to 9 just for the experience in an actual match - just in case?

Probably not!

Neither 100% accurate gentlemen however a skillful interpreter of the written word could find the truth from amongst your combined words.

[BaggyTrousers]

Happy for Chad, Darren, Tommy & to an extent Jihad, most unhappy for Paddy who is instantly tagged as "the most bit part of the bit part players" for the RWC.

Maybe Fibber will send him home for game time next weekend as he clearly won't figure against Italy, given yet another Mexican is this week's MVP.

Then again, Oirland would probably be the new Wales, as I assume that would contravene the stupider of the RWC rules.

[thecrouch]

The quiff at 10. Sigh...

[BaggyTrousers]

The major talking point of course should not be all about Quiff but the continued absence of Henshaw. According to Fibber Robbie is now up to full pace.......... the again, I don't trust a word that man says.

There will doubtless be some tension in the Cave, Fitzgerald & Earls families and wondering do they need tickets for next week but I'd say Fibber's love child is slight favourite due only to favouritism with Earls a strong 2nd favourite & Cave resigned to the usual platitudes about how great he is......................... but no cigar.

[thecrouch]

I am happy that Henderson doesn't have to play this week as well. That to me suggests he has proven his point already.

[Bart S]

For me the gap between Sexton and any other contenders for the 10 jersey right now is huge. whilst I would pick PJ ahead of Madigan in a straight contest for the 10 jersey, It makes sense for him to get more gametime at 10 if he is the bench option, rather than PJ.

From what I've read Henshaw should be fit for the Italy game and he and Jared will be the starting combination as expected. Cave and Fitzgerald are fighting it out to be the back up centre, particularly covering the 12 position, in case either Henshaw or Payne can't start one of the remaining games. Cave gets his chance to impress this week.

Realistically Luke Fitz has a better chance of making the matchday squad than Darren due to his versatility, but Darren should still be looking to put in a big display on sunday to make him 1st choice back up, if either Henshaw or Payne can't start.

[Bart S]

I am happy that Henderson doesn't have to play this week as well. That to me suggests he has proven his point already.

Thought he may have got a run at 6, to give Joe some flexibility if he wants to include Toner for his lineout presence against France for example. The fact he has not got a run out there suggests he will be packing down alongside Paulie against Italy.

[thecrouch]

Surely Payne can't play against Italy as he'll surely play against France. Don't think we'd want any player playing in all 4 group games.

[Bart S]

Surely Payne can't play against Italy as he'll surely play against France. Don't think we'd want any player playing in all 4 group games.

Fair point, although the Henshaw injury and numbers not quite matching up to allow full rotation always meant that a small number of first teamers could end up starting all 4 games.

I think Heaslip and Payne will come off around half time if things are going to plan, with SOB replacing Heaslip and Cave or Earls moving to 13 to replace Payne (likely to be Earls, with Kearney playing wing or swapping with Zebo). I say that, as Cave could only be replaced at 12 by Mads (whom we understand may get a run at 9), Sexton (who will want to be off the park by then) or PJ (who is way down the pecking order at 12). If only Luke Fitz was on the bench......