offshorerules wrote: ↑April 11th, 2023, 12:52 pm
If I were selecting an Irish squad and everyone's available this is what I'd go for...
Loose head 1 Porter
2 Healy
3 Kilcoyne
Hooker 1 Sheahan
2 Kellegher
3 Herring
Tight Head 1 Furlong
2 Bealham
3 O'Toole
Lock 1 Ryan
2 Beirne
3 Henderson
4 Treadwell
Back Row 1 Dorris
2 Van der Flier
3 O'Mahony
4 Conan
5 Baird
Scrum Half 1 Gibson Park
2 Casey
3 Murray
Out Half 1 Sexton
2 Byrne
3 Crowley
Centre 1 Henshaw
2 Ringrose
3 Aki
4 McCloskey
Back 3 1 Lowe
2 Hansen
3 Keenan
4 O'Brien
5 Earls
33 total
Likely to be 19 forwards - agree with 9 front row, think Molony or McCarthy (assuming Ahern not back in time) may go instead of Threadwell, and Penny obvious choice for vdf cover in back row although Timoney also has a chance and Hodnett a bit unlucky not to have been involved with Irish squads to date.
In the backs we know our starting 7 with Murray, Ross Byrne and either Jimmy O’Brien or Aki for the no 23 jersey. That’s 11 backs fairly certain leaving only 3 places. Casey likely to be 12th back. Then comes the big choice for 3rd out half between Crowley and Frawley. The last place likely between McCluskey and Larmour(again assuming Conway not back in time). Hopefully no key players ruled out with injuries.
offshorerules wrote: ↑April 11th, 2023, 12:52 pm
If I were selecting an Irish squad and everyone's available this is what I'd go for...
Loose head 1 Porter
2 Healy
3 Kilcoyne
Hooker 1 Sheahan
2 Kellegher
3 Herring
Tight Head 1 Furlong
2 Bealham
3 O'Toole
Lock 1 Ryan
2 Beirne
3 Henderson
4 Treadwell
Back Row 1 Dorris
2 Van der Flier
3 O'Mahony
4 Conan
5 Baird
Scrum Half 1 Gibson Park
2 Casey
3 Murray
Out Half 1 Sexton
2 Byrne
3 Crowley
Centre 1 Henshaw
2 Ringrose
3 Aki
4 McCloskey
Back 3 1 Lowe
2 Hansen
3 Keenan
4 O'Brien
5 Earls
33 total
Likely to be 19 forwards - agree with 9 front row, think Molony or McCarthy (assuming Ahern not back in time) may go instead of Threadwell, and Penny obvious choice for vdf cover in back row although Timoney also has a chance and Hodnett a bit unlucky not to have been involved with Irish squads to date.
In the backs we know our starting 7 with Murray, Ross Byrne and either Jimmy O’Brien or Aki for the no 23 jersey. That’s 11 backs fairly certain leaving only 3 places. Casey likely to be 12th back. Then comes the big choice for 3rd out half between Crowley and Frawley. The last place likely between McCluskey and Larmour(again assuming Conway not back in time). Hopefully no key players ruled out with injuries.
Certainly can't see Kilcoyne making this Squad on recent form and he's running out of opportunities to make a big play in red to redeem himself.
CiaranIrl wrote: ↑April 13th, 2023, 10:11 pm
I don't think it makes sense to bring 9 outside backs and just 5 back rows. Back 3 isn't very attritional either, other than needing to manage Lowe's game time & fitness. One of the reasons to bring Crowley is because he covers multiple positions. I wouldn't bring either of McCloskey or Earls. I'd bring Larmour and an extra back row. One of Penny (my preference), Coombes, Prendergast or Connors.
Center has been the most attritional position for Ireland this season. In fact even back to last season iirc. And there’s a big danger of a cobbled together partnership as we saw with the Italy game.
Ruddock's tackle stats consistently too low for me to be taken seriously as a Six Nations blindside..... Ruddock's defensive stats don't stack up. - All Blacks Nil, Jan 15th, 2014
England A 8 - 14 Ireland A, 25th Jan 2014 Ruddock(c) 19/2 Tackles
offshorerules wrote: ↑April 11th, 2023, 12:52 pm
If I were selecting an Irish squad and everyone's available this is what I'd go for...
Loose head 1 Porter
2 Healy
3 Kilcoyne
Hooker 1 Sheahan
2 Kellegher
3 Herring
Tight Head 1 Furlong
2 Bealham
3 O'Toole
Lock 1 Ryan
2 Beirne
3 Henderson
4 Treadwell
Back Row 1 Dorris
2 Van der Flier
3 O'Mahony
4 Conan
5 Baird
Scrum Half 1 Gibson Park
2 Casey
3 Murray
Out Half 1 Sexton
2 Byrne
3 Crowley
Centre 1 Henshaw
2 Ringrose
3 Aki
4 McCloskey
Back 3 1 Lowe
2 Hansen
3 Keenan
4 O'Brien
5 Earls
33 total
Likely to be 19 forwards - agree with 9 front row, think Molony or McCarthy (assuming Ahern not back in time) may go instead of Threadwell, and Penny obvious choice for vdf cover in back row although Timoney also has a chance and Hodnett a bit unlucky not to have been involved with Irish squads to date.
In the backs we know our starting 7 with Murray, Ross Byrne and either Jimmy O’Brien or Aki for the no 23 jersey. That’s 11 backs fairly certain leaving only 3 places. Casey likely to be 12th back. Then comes the big choice for 3rd out half between Crowley and Frawley. The last place likely between McCluskey and Larmour(again assuming Conway not back in time). Hopefully no key players ruled out with injuries.
Farrell likes Frawley, fits nicely into the style that Ireland play. Plus, he can cover 10 , 12 & 15.
John Ryan was used by the Chiefs today as a "finisher" against the Hurricanes in Super Rugby. Came on in the 63'rd minute. The NZ Herald report said that the Chiefs bench was the key factor in a game in which the Hurricanes had the better of the first half by didn't put enough points on the Board. Ryan scrummed as well as ever but it was in line-outs & mauls where his expert lifting and smart positioning made the biggest impact. Chiefs won by 17-33 but no bonus point.
How Munster must wish he was with them in S Africa today.
John Ryan better in set pieces than Tom O’Toole but TOT better in open play. Ryan can also play both sides of scrum so that position is still a live debate.
Sorry one afterthought. If only bringing 14 backs including 6 half backs then maybe Osborne not out of the picture and Tom Stewart May be putting pressure on 3 very good hookers for squad place. This is what Farrell wants people challenging for last few places.
Ruckedtobits wrote: ↑April 15th, 2023, 9:21 am
John Ryan was used by the Chiefs today as a "finisher" against the Hurricanes in Super Rugby. Came on in the 63'rd minute. The NZ Herald report said that the Chiefs bench was the key factor in a game in which the Hurricanes had the better of the first half by didn't put enough points on the Board. Ryan scrummed as well as ever but it was in line-outs & mauls where his expert lifting and smart positioning made the biggest impact. Chiefs won by 17-33 but no bonus point.
How Munster must wish he was with them in S Africa today.
"expert lifting"
Something tells me you're trying hard to give him more credit than he deserves.
Whilst it won't be on the minds of Leinster players, Faz may well be thinking that next Saturday may be somewhat of a rehearsal for a possible RWC q/f, with home venue the biggest difference. I reckon that there could be up to 25 -27 players, between the two Squads involved next time Ireland meet France. Interesting viewing for the Irish Management.
Ruckedtobits wrote: ↑April 27th, 2023, 7:05 pm
Whilst it won't be on the minds of Leinster players, Faz may well be thinking that next Saturday may be somewhat of a rehearsal for a possible RWC q/f, with home venue the biggest difference. I reckon that there could be up to 25 -27 players, between the two Squads involved next time Ireland meet France. Interesting viewing for the Irish Management.
Word is, Galthié et al regard this Heino semi as the most important prep match between now and the RWC.
Just watched Chiefs beat Crusaders. John Ryan came off bench and won a scrum penalty with 2 mins to go. Would be ideal as 3rd choice tight head prop for Ireland in the World Cup. Tom O'Toole better in loose but Ryan a better scrummager which might be important if Furlong or Bealham get injured.
I'm a fan of Finlay Bealham and believe that he has progressed as a THP over the past 18 months to now be a recognised international standard Prop. However, John Ryan today produced the sort of 15 minute cameo that every THP dreams about, when playing for the Chiefs at home against the all-conquering Crusaders in Waikato in a key game in the Super Rugby Championship.
Ryan came on with his team down by 19-21 on 65 minutes. Almost instantly he got a scrum penalty against the Crusaders No 17. 22-21 Chiefs. Crusaders got a penalty within minutes of the restart, 22-24 for Crusaders. Then Damien McKensie set up a stunning try for full-back Stevenson, the Maori full-back / winger who tormented Ireland in the first Maori test match last summer. The convert was missed and we entered the 73rd minute 27-24 Chiefs. Enter John Ryan.
Munster's Ryan won a turnover penalty 5 mtrs from the Crusaders line. The Chiefs went to touch, but knocked-on the transfer to the flanker moving towards the front roll. Scrum Crusaders. Low hard, slow scrum until Ryan drove his opponent back and up. Penalty Chiefs. A slowly assembled tap penalty for the Chiefs with Ryan clearing out over the first carry and the Chiefs had scored in the 79th minute. McKensie kicked the convert as the clock ticked into Red. Cue, team-mates mob John Ryan. Chiefs win 34-24 and stay top of the log, unchallenged with Brumbies now 8 points behind.
BTW, Jager came on as No 18 for the Crusaders at the same time as Ryan entered the fray on 63 minutes. Only one of these looks remotely like a potential RWC Squad member and it isn't the Crusaders player.
John Fogarty must surely give Ryan consideration for the RWC Squad and include him in the summer training camp and, possible, warm-up internationals against Italy, England.
