Ireland: what next?

[RoboProp]

He's already in the promised land.

He is one of the chosen ones after all.

Heaslip is a false prophet

Stander is the messiah

The Kerry players all forsaking the (brave &) faithful are heretics

He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy

[flustered]

So Ruddock in the 2nd for Leinster, Fitzgerald at 13. No McCloskey for Ulster - Payne at 15, Henshaw at 13 for Connacht......are these orders from Schmidt?

[simonokeeffe]

So Ruddock in the 2nd for Leinster, Fitzgerald at 13. No McCloskey for Ulster - Payne at 15, Henshaw at 13 for Connacht......are these orders from Schmidt?

add in Zebo at 15 and Earls on the wing, and no Madigan anywhere

Payne/RK, Trimble, Henshaw, McCloskey, Zebo/Earls, Sexton, Murray
Reddan, Jackson, Luke

[Oldschool]

So Ruddock in the 2nd for Leinster, Fitzgerald at 13. No McCloskey for Ulster - Payne at 15, Henshaw at 13 for Connacht......are these orders from Schmidt?

The Leinster game is a dead rubber so perhaps some input there from Joe but with QF places up for grabs for Connacht and Ulster probably not.

[erskinechilders]

Watching the first 30 minutes of the Ulster game, Payne offers about twice as much from FB as Kearney. Unless RK has the game of his life against Wasps Payne has to start.

[enby]

Watching the first 30 minutes of the Ulster game, Payne offers about twice as much from FB as Kearney. Unless RK has the game of his life against Wasps Payne has to start.

Totally agree with that opinion. The choice at 15 will tell us a lot about how much Joe has learned from WC

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Watching the first 30 minutes of the Ulster game, Payne offers about twice as much from FB as Kearney. Unless RK has the game of his life against Wasps Payne has to start.

Totally agree with that opinion. The choice at 15 will tell us a lot about how much Joe has learned from WC

That could work both ways, you could say we learned that we need Payne for his defence at 13.

I want Payne at 15, but don't think it's quite the no brainer people are making it out to be.

[fourthirtythree]

We were undone in defence rather than attack.

Not that I wouldn't select Payne , but Schmidt will have been hurt more by our poor defence than our unimaginative attack.

[Dave Cahill]

Jarod would play fundamentally in an identical way to Rob for Ireland at Full Back because thats how Joe wants his full back to play

[simonokeeffe]

Jarod would play fundamentally in an identical way to Rob for Ireland at Full Back because thats how Joe wants his full back to play

with the ball under one arm?

[Dave Cahill]

Jarod would play fundamentally in an identical way to Rob for Ireland at Full Back because thats how Joe wants his full back to play

with the ball under one arm?

Yep, because he isn't going to do anything with it except set up the next phase of play by finding a situation where there is a minimum chance of turning over the ball. Joe Schmidt's full back's first job is to find a pod and head for it.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I've mentioned that before that people shouldn't expect the Payne of Ulster to play the same as he does for Ireland, but that's way too simplistic an argument. We've seen Zebo act as a playmaker for Ireland so don't see why Payne wouldn't.

[Dave Cahill]

I've mentioned that before that people shouldn't expect the Payne of Ulster to play the same as he does for Ireland, but that's way too simplistic an argument. We've seen Zebo act as a playmaker for Ireland so don't see why Payne wouldn't.

Against Romania, but as soon as the big games rolled around Zebo was dropped from the matchday squad for players who will follow their coaches instructions. So perhaps thats why.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Or perhaps he was dropped for the first choice guy when he returned from injury and because Zebo isn't a regular fullback. Lots of potential reasons, stupid to focus on that one to suit your point.

It's not like we see Rob passing much for Leinster either and then suddenly tightens up for Ireland.

[Dave Cahill]

Or perhaps he was dropped for the first choice guy when he returned from injury and because Zebo isn't a regular fullback. Lots of potential reasons, stupid to focus on that one to suit your point..

Equally stupid to ignore the one that makes a mockery of yours.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Well, no. We all know Rob was first choice and would have been back in regardless of how well Zebo played, so to suggest he was dropped at all is nonsense.

Plus I've actually agreed that Payne won't be able to play as freely as he does for Ulster, but you're being OTT about the extent that that would be the case in order to defend a Leinster player...who may not have actually touched the ball yet in the game he's currently playing btw.

[Dave Cahill]

Well yes, because he was in the team, then he wasn't in the 23, so that is, by anyones definition, being dropped.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Well yes, because he was in the team, then he wasn't in the 23, so that is, by anyones definition, being dropped.

So would you say Tracey, McCarthy, Luke McGrath, and Ringrose were all dropped for the Wasps game today? Presumably they didn't do what the coach wanted either.

[Dave Cahill]

Well yes, because he was in the team, then he wasn't in the 23, so that is, by anyones definition, being dropped.

So would you say Tracey, McCarthy, Luke McGrath, and Ringrose were all dropped for the Wasps game today? Presumably they didn't do what the coach wanted either.

Well apart from the fact that they are different teams, with different squads, coached by different people, in different competitions at different levels thats the same thing alright.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

What I've said about those players fits your very own definition perfectly. Literally perfectly.