Ireland v Australia

[Observingprop123]

Ireland (v Australia):
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(41)
14. Mack Hansen (Corinthians/Connacht)(24)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(76)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(59)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(35)
10. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)(2)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(37)

1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(69)
2. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(36)
3. Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)(45)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(15)
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(66)
6. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(55)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(67)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(46)(captain)

Replacements:

16. Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(1)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(133)
18. Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(15)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(83)
20. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(109)
21. Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(17)
22. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(18)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(62).

No Ulster or Munster produced players in the first 15 and one from the Connacht system

Connacht, a team with less than half Munster's funding have 3 times more players on the starting 15 and there are none from Ulster. The IRFU funds Munster and Ulster (and pays for the Munster stadium) so they like all the other provinces can develop players for the international team, if a province is not delivering on that, they aren't doing their job.

There are real questions to be asked and accountability to be called out for that fundamental failure of a province's purpose but undoubtedly this selection will be portrayed as unfair, an injustice and biased.

On a plus point, great to see Sam starting. I still very much see Crowley as our starting 10 but good to see a bit of experimentation in our last game before the 6 Nations. Massive pressure starting this game not least from Irish rugby "supporters" who fundamentally believe he shouldn't be there and will look for reasons to demonstrate that.

Would have gone for Ringrose at 13 with one of Aki or Henshaw at 12 but when you've 3 centers of this quality, it's hard to chose.

At the other end of the spectrum, the age of that bench is a bit disappointing in certain positions.

Ulster really didnt manage Baloucoune’s development well. That lad was destined for Ireland and then just never happened. I know he had a few injuries but ulster haven’t developed his skills at all. Similar thing happened with James Hume and Michael Lowry; ultimately a result of many years of ugly, our-dated coaching philosophies which played negative, forward-focused rugby.

Michael Lowry was never big enough to be a consistent international.

[Logorrhea]

Michael Lowry was never big enough to be a consistent international.

Not as a full back, but hes playing really well on the wing for the last year or two.

[Galicia celt]

Which of the Connacht players are we claiming as being produced there?

I didn't see the original comment, but they definitely deserve credit for the production of Bealham and Henshaw.

Aki and Hansen were more finished products when they arrived, but Bealham was a callow 18-year old when he moved here. I remember reading a post about him around 2015 which suggested he had put on 14kg of muscle (an incredible feat tbh) during his time in Connacht's academy.

Imagine Connacht had got Sam this summer lol you would of had 4 in the backline with time out west. Would have been easier select him as Munster fans could not complain.

[AILtragic]

Surely Munster has a good level of qualified coaches and programs. What seems difficult to reconcile with these numbers is that you would have expected a large influx of talent coming through in the last 5 years as a legacy of the euphoria around Munster Rugby in the 2000s. Even if coaching has not improved, you would at a minimum expect a comparable level of talent to come through based on numbers alone.

I would speculate that maybe the issue in Munster is not related to coaching etc. The GAA has strategically been heavily investing in grassroots in Munster in the last 15 years, and continues to do so, probably seeing the way the wind was blowing after the Declan Kidney. Are the most talented kids being attracted to different sports? GAA attendances have been growing at inter-county level in the period that Munster’s appears to have dropped, if that is any indication.

[AILtragic]

Which of the Connacht players are we claiming as being produced there?

I didn't see the original comment, but they definitely deserve credit for the production of Bealham and Henshaw.

Aki and Hansen were more finished products when they arrived, but Bealham was a callow 18-year old when he moved here. I remember reading a post about him around 2015 which suggested he had put on 14kg of muscle (an incredible feat tbh) during his time in Connacht's academy.

Imagine Connacht had got Sam this summer lol you would of had 4 in the backline with time out west. Would have been easier select him as Munster fans could not complain.

As Sam is there anyway, the question for me is whether Harry would be in the squad if he went.

[MylesNaGapoleen]

sending Jack out to face the media on tuesday struck me as odd. the guys brought up the media meet on the indo podcast (which has some fascinating insights from madigan) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmtlCyrDDXA

[Neilmd11]

I look forward to seeing Gillian Anderson and David duchovny in Thomond Park at xmas. Some serious conspiracy theories on munsterfans which need their expertise.

[sunshiner1]

People who are bemoaning POM and Henderson there need to look at Murray who is not. There's been a sea-change at Scrumhalf with Casey now considered to be the no. 2 scrumhalf. Farrell will remove the other two when he is ready to do so, it's up to the players in their positions to convince him.

[arsebiscuits1]

Which of the Connacht players are we claiming as being produced there?

I didn't see the original comment, but they definitely deserve credit for the production of Bealham and Henshaw.

Aki and Hansen were more finished products when they arrived, but Bealham was a callow 18-year old when he moved here. I remember reading a post about him around 2015 which suggested he had put on 14kg of muscle (an incredible feat tbh) during his time in Connacht's academy.

Connacht deserve credit indeed for how they developed him.

And it's a blot on the copybook of Ulster. He came over and played with Belfast Harlequins and his ties to Ireland are up North.

He did come through the Exiles system and Ulster would absolutely have been aware of him. Crazy in hindsight.

[limecat]

Match Preview

Last week was a lot more like it.

A well stocked Fiji team was beaten comprehensively by Ireland as they finally put together an eighty-minute performance. The team was freshened up by the new caps and played some nice rugby to score four tries in each half. Fiji's discipline was hopeless of course and their desire to physically smash Ireland players was exploited as they were all over the place defensively.

Read more...

[riocard911]

Of the four prop lineups - Andrew Porter vs Taniela Tupou, Finlay Bealham vs James Slipper, Cian Healy vs Allan Alaalatoa and Tom O'Toole vs Angus Bell - it's the last one I'd be most apprehensive about.

[Ruckedtobits]

Of the four prop lineups - Andrew Porter vs Taniela Tupou, Finlay Bealham vs James Slipper, Cian Healy vs Allan Alaalatoa and Tom O'Toole vs Angus Bell - it's the last one I'd be most apprehensive about.

Don't worry about it. Bell is an excellent forward but an average scrumagger - ask the Welsh props. Tupou is the only top-class operator of the four Aussies. Alaalatoa is an excellent leader but an illegal scrum operator.

[ronk]

Of the four prop lineups - Andrew Porter vs Taniela Tupou, Finlay Bealham vs James Slipper, Cian Healy vs Allan Alaalatoa and Tom O'Toole vs Angus Bell - it's the last one I'd be most apprehensive about.

Don't worry about it. Bell is an excellent forward but an average scrumagger - ask the Welsh props. Tupou is the only top-class operator of the four Aussies. Alaalatoa is an excellent leader but an illegal scrum operator.

We could have the Aussis and Irish caps records on the pitch. And the 2 most capped props.

[riocard911]

Of the four prop lineups - Andrew Porter vs Taniela Tupou, Finlay Bealham vs James Slipper, Cian Healy vs Allan Alaalatoa and Tom O'Toole vs Angus Bell - it's the last one I'd be most apprehensive about.

Don't worry about it. Bell is an excellent forward but an average scrumagger - ask the Welsh props. Tupou is the only top-class operator of the four Aussies. Alaalatoa is an excellent leader but an illegal scrum operator.

I'll sleep better tonight, after that contribution. Grma, RTB!

[pangurban1]

Which of the Connacht players are we claiming as being produced there?

Henshaw. I know it's borderline in terms of Athlone but he's a Connacht product!

Think he played GAA in Westmeath, still a Connacht produced player though.

[pangurban1]

I look forward to seeing Gillian Anderson and David duchovny in Thomond Park at xmas. Some serious conspiracy theories on munsterfans which need their expertise.

No mention of their debt or getting players from Leinster and Connacht.

[desperado]

Which of the Connacht players are we claiming as being produced there?

Henshaw. I know it's borderline in terms of Athlone but he's a Connacht product!

Think he played GAA in Westmeath, still a Connacht produced player though.

He actually played for Westmeath at Minor level; also plays a mean squeezebox..

[pangurban1]

Henshaw. I know it's borderline in terms of Athlone but he's a Connacht product!

Think he played GAA in Westmeath, still a Connacht produced player though.

He actually played for Westmeath at Minor level; also plays a mean squeezebox..

Definitely 100% blue Magoo so.
Do Munsters really believe Leinster have the biggest budget in Europe?

[MylesNaGapoleen]

I look forward to seeing Gillian Anderson and David duchovny in Thomond Park at xmas. Some serious conspiracy theories on munsterfans which need their expertise.

Not Anderson. She stayed in Dublin for a while, recently, when filming The Fall, so she is clearly not to be trusted.

[propertymad]

Christ I hope to god Sam shoots the lights out ..... the vitriol coming from Shelbyville is genuinely unhinged