RWC 2023: Ireland

[Flash Gordon]

Some slightly strange calls in that training squad IMO...

Kleyn should be ahead of Treadwell

Loughman should be ahead of Kilcoyne

Stewart should be (is?) ahead of Herring (i.e. Farrell could have limited himself to 3 hookers at this stage, thereby freeing up a place for someone else - e.g. a backup no. 7 like Hodnett/Connors/Penny for instance)

Balacoune or Larmour should be ahead of Earls (theres no way Earls is a better out-and-out winger than either of them right now, and we also don't need him as utility back cover, given that the squad also features Frawley, JOB and Osborne)

Haley should be ahead of Stockdale

Our much vaunted depth is a mirage when it comes to the 1 and 7 jerseys. I personally would have had Loughman and one of Penny/Hodnett/Connors in that training squad, to assess if they could provide viable backup solutions (which they can) ..... in place of one of the Hookers and one of Earls/Stockdale/Osbourne

I'm actually arguing for a net increase in Munster players which is a weird feeling

Stockdale and Earls may be lucky, Stockdale in particular. The narrative about Kleyn, who has been in form for Munster is all focused on the fact he's playing well within the Munster game plan. Ryan, Beirne and Henderson do different things to him. Leinster's fast moving game plan didn't work so well in the final for many reasons - mostly decision making reasons but Jenkins really didn't do what he was signed to do i.e. match La Rochelle physically. Kleyn is a physical unit that kind of does what the Springbok locks do but not really as well. Do you immediately concede an advantage there? Ireland's game plan is based upon pace and space, not sure Kleyn is best placed to deliver that!

[sunshiner1]

by Xanthippe


I'm really surprised by the numbers. It's only a training squad so why not pick three full teams - he could have included Connors, Deegan and Penny in the forwards and Larmour and Haley in the backs

Agreed. Bring people in and get them familiar in the system in case you need to use them later. Really don't understand his reticence in not picking another 7.

[Leinsterimp]

Is Timoney injured/out of form? Did well with his chances for Ireland before I thought. Not sure who is likely to play 7 in the group games against Tonga and Romania if Josh is being rested for one or both

[jezzer]

I tell ya, the way Tonga are assembling talent by bringing their wild geese back to the fold, someone in our pool is going to be in a world of trouble.

Piutau, Folau, Fekitoa among the threequarters, plus a bunch of ex Aussies and NZers to add to their usual smorgasbord of mercurial talents and nutjobs.

What a pool. World Rugby screwed the pooch royally and thank god the seedings are being addressed for the future.

[sunshiner1]

by jezzer

I tell ya, the way Tonga are assembling talent by bringing their wild geese back to the fold, someone in our pool is going to be in a world of trouble.

Piutau, Folau, Fekitoa among the threequarters, plus a bunch of ex Aussies and NZers to add to their usual smorgasbord of mercurial talents and nutjobs.

What a pool. World Rugby screwed the pooch royally and thank god the seedings are being addressed for the future.

Definitely a dark horse which is always a good thing to have in a tournament.

[ronk]

by jezzer

I tell ya, the way Tonga are assembling talent by bringing their wild geese back to the fold, someone in our pool is going to be in a world of trouble.

Piutau, Folau, Fekitoa among the threequarters, plus a bunch of ex Aussies and NZers to add to their usual smorgasbord of mercurial talents and nutjobs.

What a pool. World Rugby screwed the pooch royally and thank god the seedings are being addressed for the future.

Definitely a dark horse which is always a good thing to have in a tournament.

In someone else's group.

[jezzer]

by jezzer

I tell ya, the way Tonga are assembling talent by bringing their wild geese back to the fold, someone in our pool is going to be in a world of trouble.

Piutau, Folau, Fekitoa among the threequarters, plus a bunch of ex Aussies and NZers to add to their usual smorgasbord of mercurial talents and nutjobs.

What a pool. World Rugby screwed the pooch royally and thank god the seedings are being addressed for the future.

Definitely a dark horse which is always a good thing to have in a tournament.

In someone else's group.

Zackly.

[sunshiner1]

HAHAHAHA very true

[Ruckedtobits]

A bit surprising not to include Loughman alright who is clearly ahead of Kilcoyne for Munster.

I've kept my comments to the facts but can't avoid commenting on this selection. IMO, and notwithstanding Dev's comment that everyone named has done his bit this season to warrant selection, I cannot figure on what basis Killer got the call ahead of Loughman, who has improved throughout the season and competed head to head against some of the best THPs in World rugby.

Killer's selection is a mystery and certainly not a justified one on the evidence of what's been visible on the pitch, as opposed to training Camps.

[riocard911]

A bit surprising not to include Loughman alright who is clearly ahead of Kilcoyne for Munster.

I've kept my comments to the facts but can't avoid commenting on this selection. IMO, and notwithstanding Dev's comment that everyone named has done his bit this season to warrant selection, I cannot figure on what basis Killer got the call ahead of Loughman, who has improved throughout the season and competed head to head against some of the best THPs in World rugby.

Killer's selection is a mystery and certainly not a justified one on the evidence of what's been visible on the pitch, as opposed to training Camps.

+1

[the spoofer]

.

[neill_m]

Seems the kick off times have been confirmed for the 3 warm up games.

v Italy 5th 8pm
v England 19th 5:30pm
v Samoa (in Bayonne) 8pm (9pm local time)

All 3 on Amazon Prime.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Anyone one else worried about Tonga?

"We can't play footy with them; they'll beat us every day of the week.

"So we need to come up with a bit of a plan and I think we've got one ... it's going to be good."

https://www.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/3 ... -cup-squad

[The Doc]

Anyone one else worried about Tonga?

"We can't play footy with them; they'll beat us every day of the week.

"So we need to come up with a bit of a plan and I think we've got one ... it's going to be good."

https://www.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/3 ... -cup-squad

So far all of the commentators are talking about how we plan for the SA game and having our full team for that.

But I sort of think that SA game is pretty much irrelevant out of all the games (ignoring Romania). And in particular Tonga is the game we need to target. It will be their first game and they will absolutely go for us. They'll fancy beating Romania and Scotland which makes their game against us as their key game

The result against SA doesn't really matter unless we lose to Tonga or Scotland


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[Ruckedtobits]

Anyone one else worried about Tonga?

"We can't play footy with them; they'll beat us every day of the week.

"So we need to come up with a bit of a plan and I think we've got one ... it's going to be good."

https://www.espn.com/rugby/story/_/id/3 ... -cup-squad

So far all of the commentators are talking about how we plan for the SA game and having our full team for that.

But I sort of think that SA game is pretty much irrelevant out of all the games (ignoring Romania). And in particular Tonga is the game we need to target. It will be their first game and they will absolutely go for us. They'll fancy beating Romania and Scotland which makes their game against us as their key game

The result against SA doesn't really matter unless we lose to Tonga or Scotland


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The importance of the SA game is the objective to avoid France in the Q/F. Playing the home team in their own Stadium with a crowd currently reckoned to be 90% French is not a recipe for further progress.

France play NZ on opening day and Italy on 6th Oct, the day before we play our last Pool game against Scotland. Playing NZ, rather than France, will probably be a more attractive prospect. Beating SA, may give us the option of "choosing" whether to play NZ or France, by judiciously selecting an appropriate team against Scotland or resting players likely to be needed for a tough Q/F.

[RavenhillRaider]

Anyone know why tickbastard are charging 171 for the 2 match pack when its 50 and 110 for each of the warmup games respectively?

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[Dave Cahill]

because they're different seats?

[ronk]

I remember going to hotels in India and every item had a price (sausage, rasher, egg), then there was the American breakfast which was the items added up and 10 rupees added.

Maybe the seats are a different price too. But they certainly don't want to make it easy.

[ronk]

Oh and anyone know how tickets for the Bayonne game are going to be sold.

[RavenhillRaider]

because they're different seats?

Yeah, fair enough comment.

I thought they were in the same bracket though as in cheapest tier available.

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