8 Nations 2020

[wixfjord]

Eligible in Early November. Nothing stopping him training with Ireland before that. I believe Kleyn did and bleyendaal.

They can't name him in the 6N squad though as he's not eligible.

[johng]

That's true. I was thinking of the 8 nations rather than the 6

[Laighin Break]

LHP: Cian Healy, Ed Byrne

Hooker: Rob Herring, Rónan Kelleher, Dave Heffernan

THP: Andrew Porter, John Ryan, Finlay Bealham

Lock: Iain Henderson, James Ryan, Quinn Roux, Tadhg Beirne, Ryan Baird

Back row: CJ Stander, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan, Caelan Doris, Will Connors

SH: Conor Murray, Kieran Marmion, Jamison Gibson-Park

OH: Johnny Sexton, Ross Byrne, Jack Carty

Centre: Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Chris Farrell, Stuart McCloskey

Back three: Andrew Conway, Jacob Stockdale, Jordan Larmour, Shane Daly, Hugo Keenan

Additional training players: Craig Casey, Harry Byrne, James Lowe, James Tracy, Fineen Wycherley.

[Laighin Break]

So Ed Byrne to get capped.
5 centres and 5 back three seems a strange mix, especially when two of the back three are uncapped. Might Henshaw be #23?

Compared to GT's predicted squad - Jack Mc misses out, Roux in for Dillane, Conan in for O'Donoghue (What was GT thinking with that call?!), McCloskey in

[Flash Gordon]

Interesting to see JGP in there tough on Cooney who has been the form Irish scrum half over the course of the season albeit with a bit of a drop in form after lockdown. JGP adds clear pace of distribution, probably the best of the Irish SH's in that area.

Is Lowe qualified or is that November?

On another note, how meteoric has Keenan's emergence been???!!

[outcast eddie]

Is THP our Achilles heel?

[Twist]

LHP: Cian Healy, Ed Byrne

Hooker: Rob Herring, Rónan Kelleher, Dave Heffernan

THP: Andrew Porter, John Ryan, Finlay Bealham

Lock: Iain Henderson, James Ryan, Quinn Roux, Tadhg Beirne, Ryan Baird

Back row: CJ Stander, Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan, Caelan Doris, Will Connors

SH: Conor Murray, Kieran Marmion, Jamison Gibson-Park

OH: Johnny Sexton, Ross Byrne, Jack Carty

Centre: Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Chris Farrell, Stuart McCloskey

Back three: Andrew Conway, Jacob Stockdale, Jordan Larmour, Shane Daly, Hugo Keenan

Additional training players: Craig Casey, Harry Byrne, James Lowe, James Tracy, Fineen Wycherley.

I'm glad to see Quinn Roux back. Our second rows are otherwise quite athletic but I think you need a diesel-engined bruiser in there sometimes.

RPG is a good call too, and a sign that form is a major factor in getting called up - finally. Same goes for Marmion.

I don't quite understand the balance between centres and back three. 5 of each seems out of kilter. Still, Keenan's rise continues. I hope he's seen primarily as a fullback.

Still no sign of Furlong. Hopefully that means he's going to play his way back to match fitness in the Pro14.

[Twist]

Is THP our Achilles heel?

I think the front row in general is turning into one, and pretty quickly too.

[D4surfer]

I make it

17 Leinster
8 Munster
6 Connacht
4 Ulster

Plus also training 3 Leinster and 2 Munster

[enby]

Farrell must be one of the few remaining Murray fans, selecting him ahead of Cooney and even Luke is a puzzling call. JGP a merited pick.

I'm glad to see Carty back. Stockdale is steeped.

Worried about Furlong now. Delighted for Ed

[sunshiner1]

Some interesting selections. I'd rather have Dillane for Henderson and pleasantly surprised that Baird got a call up. POM and Murray must have pictures of Farrell doing something to get into that squad. I think not calling up another LH is a mistake, bring the likes of Eric O'Sullivan into the squad even if it is to hold tackle bags.

[Dave Cahill]

I think it's inaccurate to say that Murray isn't in form. He has, over the last 18+ months, carried out the various game plans of assorted coaches to perfection.

[Ruckedtobits]

Surprised that Ed Byrne named ahead of Jack McG and Eric O'S or even Denis Buckley. Baird is an optimistic selection ahead of Toner & Dillane. O'Mahony & Murray fortunate to be included.

Make up of centres & back three will make for interesting training.

[Oldschool]

I think it's inaccurate to say that Murray isn't in form. He has, over the last 18+ months, carried out the various game plans of assorted coaches to perfection.

Hack Alert.
Looks like M1 has hacked DC's account.

[neiliog93]

Yes, Quinn Roux definitely deserves the call-up. Might end up being the international level tight-head second-row Schmidt was looking for in Jean Kleyn. It's an interesting squad, Ed Byrne beat Denis Buckley in the battle of the little chunksters, and great to see Keenan and Shane Daly make it. I think they're our long-term solution at fullback.

[munster#1]

I think it's inaccurate to say that Murray isn't in form. He has, over the last 18+ months, carried out the various game plans of assorted coaches to perfection.

Hack Alert.
Looks like M1 has hacked DC's account.

sh!t, I logged in with the wrong account

[nc6000]

Yes, Quinn Roux definitely deserves the call-up. Might end up being the international level tight-head second-row Schmidt was looking for in Jean Kleyn. It's an interesting squad, Ed Byrne beat Denis Buckley in the battle of the little chunksters, and great to see Keenan and Shane Daly make it. I think they're our long-term solution at fullback.

I thought Quinn Roux was our original tight-head second row and that's why Schmidt brought him to SA in 2016, he's been in and out of squads ever since but never really had a run of games.

[ronk]

Faz is lettong some positions be heavy and some light, apparently based on form.

So no extra looseheads but 5 locks and 6 backrows. With a short preseason its been a narrow window to establish form so hard for guys like Ruddock to make a case.

It's a risk not to have Toner in the squad, but that seems to be the plan. We're starting to see a pattern of players coming in and out of the squad in some positions, noteably the rotating cast at halfback. Nice to see Connors appear to be an automatic selection.

Back 3 could be interesting with Daly and Keenan in the mix and none of the exiles making the cut (Addidon still injured though).

[OTT]

The big issue in the second row (imo) is Henderson. One week he will be absolutely brilliant, man of the match, the next he will be anonymous (a bit like McCloskey for Ulster actually although he tends to go from one extreme to the other within the same game). Henderson at his best would make the Lions test team, on another day he would not come close to making the squad (again imo). You just never know what you will get. Infuriating to watch as a fan because you know how devastating he can be and I am sure even more so for the coaches.

[Barry]

Touch wood, Church will get his 100th cap in Paris on the 31st. Pity his family and friends won't be there to see him lead the team out.

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