Good post. Burns form has however taken a big dip so that's a problem.OTT wrote: ↑February 9th, 2021, 12:08 pmObviously people’s opinion differ but for my sins I watch way to much rugby I especially try and watch the other Provinces. On your list of form players I really couldn’t agree with Carty or Blade having any form at all. I think they are out of sight for the most part and play for a neutral team (as in most people like Connacht to some degree) which helps them a lot when it comes to people’s recollection. Carty has been a serious mixed bag for me he mixes good and bad practically every match without reaching his peak form from 2018-2019. Thought Blade was better than Marmion last season but this season I think Marmion has looked much better.enby wrote: ↑February 9th, 2021, 11:10 am Last week Virgin were playing reruns of old 6N games and I watched the 2015 Scotland match in Murrayfield. I know it should be bleeding obvious that players change over 6 years but I couldn't get over how much better both Murray and Sexton were then than they have been in the past couple of seasons. OK Jonny shanked a couple of place kicks ( as Madigan did with the last kick of the match, which I had forgotten) but his speed of pass and movement, his alignment, his choice of kick all seemed to be at an entirely different level to what he has been trying in recent times. I know that when I think of who should be selected I subconsciously take into account the high standards that established players achieved in the past and do not attach sufficient weight to current and indeed recent form. It seems that Farrell and Jones have done similarly. On the basis of recent form, the likes of Carty, Dave Kearney, Blade, Ruddock and Coombes should be on the pitch or bench
Lads like Coombes and Ruddock have been standouts practically every game I’ve seen them play so most people could agree on their form but a lot of the form talk about most other players is very subjective.
A really strange one for me is Billy Burns because Farrell has picked him on form (imo) he’s probably been the best of an average enough performing group of 10’s in Ireland but I don’t think he’s going to ever be good enough for us but he’s there on form, should form get overridden here because I want it to be so.
In Leinster Luke has been the form 9 (imo) but we still have a divide amongst Leinster fans who they think should be starting for Leinster, so in this instance again (imo) Farrell has gone with someone (JGP) who he sees as a finisher and a different player to Luke it’s not really a form call.
The less you play seems to help people’s opionion on you, Joey is basically going to be our saviour (From what I read and people say) when he comes back from 2ish years of injuries despite being only a young learning Incomplete 10 prior to his injury. Harry Byrne who looks the absolute business to be fair, was missing for a chunk of this season, hasn’t played much, when he does play he’s usually getting an armchair ride is the new answer to all that’s wrong.
Then you have the coaches who’s jobs are on the line so are trying to build a squad/build a style but ultimately win because they don’t want the sack and they also have to please us fans by winning playing nice rugby whilst picking the players we want picked and we don’t mind if we lose to do it because we don’t really mind about the 6 nations (do we f%~k ) you can see that to our reaction to losing a game with 14 men that we played really well in.
Anyway I’d be happy with a similar team to the one against Wales, a few players are going to be out but I liked what I saw on Sunday, hopefully we don’t do anything stupid again and give ourselves a chance.
Luke looks great playing against dross but once the pressure comes on and even when it doesn't his passing is poor and that's the reason he didn't make the Ireland squad. Everything else about his game is international quality but.......it's the pass, LUKE (To paraphrase Pres. Bush Snr.)
