Ireland 2021-22

[hugonaut]

We are in serious danger of being undercooked going into the Six Nations. We're quite lucky that we have Wales at home first, because their teams have suffered almost as many postponements as ours have.

The French and the English leagues on the other hand have gone though far less cancellations.

Our schedule is
Wales [H]
France [A]
Italy [H]
England [A]
Scotland [H]

[dropkick]

We are in serious danger of being undercooked going into the Six Nations. We're quite lucky that we have Wales at home first, because their teams have suffered almost as many postponements as ours have.

The French and the English leagues on the other hand have gone though far less cancellations.

Our schedule is
Wales [H]
France [A]
Italy [H]
England [A]
Scotland [H]

If they (Leinster) can get the next 2 weeks' fixtures from bring cancelled they should be OK I think. I'd agree that Wales being first is good.


On the positive side they should be relatively fresh for the tournament which could be of benefit in the final weeks.

[wixfjord]

Interesting to see how provincial form plays into Faz mind over next week.

Lots of competition in backline. Hume, Balacoune, Lowry are all in great form. Larmour was very good today.

Conway hasn't played well for a while besides with Ireland and Earls has been quiet too.

How much of that is based on the style of play for their provinces is hard to say.

Haley deserves to be selected based on his solidity and form too.

Second row selection will be interesting too. Hendo & Ryan will hopefully be back up to speed, but there are potential open slots there. Baird will want a game next week to try cement his spot.

[hugonaut]

Interesting to see how provincial form plays into Faz mind over next week.

Lots of competition in backline. Hume, Balacoune, Lowry are all in great form. Larmour was very good today.

Conway hasn't played well for a while besides with Ireland and Earls has been quiet too.

How much of that is based on the style of play for their provinces is hard to say.

Haley deserves to be selected based on his solidity and form too.

Second row selection will be interesting too. Hendo & Ryan will hopefully be back up to speed, but there are potential open slots there. Baird will want a game next week to try cement his spot.

Conway plays in a team who play sh*t rugby and never give him any ball [see below]:
@ Castres: 4 runs, 1 pass
vs Connacht: 3 runs, 1 pass
vs Castres: 2 runs, 0 passes

Baloucoune had more possessions [12 carries, 3 passes] in today's game than Conway has had in his last three. Baloucoune looked exceptionally good in everything he did this afternoon and he is drenched in confidence. On the other hand, Conway did very well for Ireland throughout the Autumn Series. His problem is the system he plays in at provincial level.

I would like to see Keith Earls get 100 caps and I think his experience and versatility [he has started games for Ireland @ 11, 12, 13 ,14 & 15 over the course of his test career] make him a good choice for No23, where he was selected for the Autumn Series.

Hume has been playing great and should make the gang of three at centre [Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose] a gang of four. In fairness to Lowry, I might have to eat my words about him. Another stellar performance at fullback. Haley has been very good for Munster too. Keenan was a top five player for Ireland last year so he's in great shape, but it's good to build genuine competition for him.

I thought Marty Moore had a big game at tighthead today and should be brought back into the mix. I was impressed with young McIlroy too.

[riocard911]

Interesting to see how provincial form plays into Faz mind over next week.

Lots of competition in backline. Hume, Balacoune, Lowry are all in great form. Larmour was very good today.

Conway hasn't played well for a while besides with Ireland and Earls has been quiet too.

How much of that is based on the style of play for their provinces is hard to say.

Haley deserves to be selected based on his solidity and form too.

Second row selection will be interesting too. Hendo & Ryan will hopefully be back up to speed, but there are potential open slots there. Baird will want a game next week to try cement his spot.

Conway plays in a team who play sh*t rugby and never give him any ball [see below]:
@ Castres: 4 runs, 1 pass
vs Connacht: 3 runs, 1 pass
vs Castres: 2 runs, 0 passes

Baloucoune had more possessions [12 carries, 3 passes] in today's game than Conway has had in his last three. Baloucoune looked exceptionally good in everything he did this afternoon and he is drenched in confidence. On the other hand, Conway did very well for Ireland throughout the Autumn Series. His problem is the system he plays in at provincial level.

I would like to see Keith Earls get 100 caps and I think his experience and versatility [he has started games for Ireland @ 11, 12, 13 ,14 & 15 over the course of his test career] make him a good choice for No23, where he was selected for the Autumn Series.

Hume has been playing great and should make the gang of three at centre [Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose] a gang of four. In fairness to Lowry, I might have to eat my words about him. Another stellar performance at fullback. Haley has been very good for Munster too. Keenan was a top five player for Ireland last year so he's in great shape, but it's good to build genuine competition for him.

I thought Marty Moore had a big game at tighthead today and should be brought back into the mix. I was impressed with young McIlroy too.

Agree about Marty, particularly if Tadhg is a doubt. That was the best performance by MM in an Ulster jersey I've seen: he won scrum penos, carried well, got over the gainline pretty much every time and his passing - even from the base of the ruck! - was good too.

[Dave Cahill]

I'd say Andy Farrell is sitting down to dinner tonight a very happy man.

[Oldschool]

Farrell could do worse than give Michael Lowry the 23 jersey for the 6Ns

[ronk]

3 players put their name forward for backup fullback for Ireland. Haley, Lowry and Jimmy O'Brien. All good options and very different players.

At this stage I think Faz needs to know where he stands with Lowry and he has the highest medium term upside. But Haley is probably the guy you'd call first if Keenan went down.

[leinsterforever]

Interesting to see how provincial form plays into Faz mind over next week.

Lots of competition in backline. Hume, Balacoune, Lowry are all in great form. Larmour was very good today.

Conway hasn't played well for a while besides with Ireland and Earls has been quiet too.

How much of that is based on the style of play for their provinces is hard to say.

Haley deserves to be selected based on his solidity and form too.

Second row selection will be interesting too. Hendo & Ryan will hopefully be back up to speed, but there are potential open slots there. Baird will want a game next week to try cement his spot.

Conway plays in a team who play sh*t rugby and never give him any ball [see below]:
@ Castres: 4 runs, 1 pass
vs Connacht: 3 runs, 1 pass
vs Castres: 2 runs, 0 passes

Baloucoune had more possessions [12 carries, 3 passes] in today's game than Conway has had in his last three. Baloucoune looked exceptionally good in everything he did this afternoon and he is drenched in confidence. On the other hand, Conway did very well for Ireland throughout the Autumn Series. His problem is the system he plays in at provincial level.

I would like to see Keith Earls get 100 caps and I think his experience and versatility [he has started games for Ireland @ 11, 12, 13 ,14 & 15 over the course of his test career] make him a good choice for No23, where he was selected for the Autumn Series.

Hume has been playing great and should make the gang of three at centre [Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose] a gang of four. In fairness to Lowry, I might have to eat my words about him. Another stellar performance at fullback. Haley has been very good for Munster too. Keenan was a top five player for Ireland last year so he's in great shape, but it's good to build genuine competition for him.

I thought Marty Moore had a big game at tighthead today and should be brought back into the mix. I was impressed with young McIlroy too.

You are thinking of the first Test down in New Zealand in 2012 when you say Earls has started for Ireland at 12? I believe he was playing outside centre in that, despite the fact that he was wearing 12. O'Driscoll wanted to retain his 13 shirt number, iirc. I can't find the reference now, but I think that's the case.

I think Earls did play a game or two at 12 for Munster in '08/'09. I seem to remember some commentator (perhaps Stuart Barnes) suggesting it was because the Lions 12 jersey was up for grabs, and Munster were trying to put Earls forward as a candidate, so to speak.

Poorly referenced anecdotes, I know.

[Dave Cahill]

FRANCE’S PARLIAMENT HAS approved a law that will exclude unvaccinated people from all restaurants, sports arenas and other venues as the central measure of government efforts to protect hospitals amid record numbers of Covid-19 infections driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant.

This includes players and coaches

[ronk]

Take that Novak.

[leinster.not.D4]

FRANCE’S PARLIAMENT HAS approved a law that will exclude unvaccinated people from all restaurants, sports arenas and other venues as the central measure of government efforts to protect hospitals amid record numbers of Covid-19 infections driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant.

This includes players and coaches

I see this as a positive

[TMC]

I'd say Andy Farrell is sitting down to dinner tonight a very happy man.

Don’t know if I’d agree, apart from guys being undercooked/not having much game time he has significant injury concerns around his tight 5. Second row is a major concern with injuries to Ryan and Henderson. Dillane’s move will see him being excluded from squads in favour of developing others, so you’re losing that experience. Kleyn while he has strengths in the tight has never demonstrated that he has good enough hands for the style of play Ireland are looking to implement. Will be interesting to see who gets the nod at second row. At the moment only fully fit option is Beirne – who thankfully is playing out of his skin. Furlong is a big injury concern too at TH as the step down from him now Porter moved across pretty significant. Healy has maybe 20 minutes in him and Marty Moore’s fitness nowhere near the level it needs to be at for the international game imho. The back up to Sexton will be interesting with JC injured. Carty fluffed his lines a bit by failing to convert / control a winning position at the weekend, Burns is just a bit meh, nothing special, Ross B arguably still playing the best of them but he won’t get picked if the autumn anything to go by. Harry B has had no game time.

Everywhere else there are options and some good form which are nice headaches but with issues in the tight 5 and backup 10, given Johnny's injury profile, I don’t think Andy Farrell would be sitting back and popping the champers.

[Ruckedtobits]

My Squad selection given a free hand:

Back Three: Keenan, Lowry, Baloucoune, Lowe, Hanson, Earls
Midfield: Bundee, Henshaw, Ringrose, Hume
Half-backs: JGP, Murray, Sexton, Carty, Marmion
Front-rows: Furlong, Kelleher, Porter, Healy, Herring, Bealham, Sheehan
Second-row: Henderson, Beirne, Ryan, Baird, Murray
Back-row: JVdF, Doris, Conan, PO'M, Coombes, Timoney

That's a total of 33 and maybe a few too many. However, it is fair evidence of the depth available to Farrell as I believe everyone named has shown excellent form over the past 2/3 months (although you'd like to have seen more of Henderson & Sexton). I could also name another half dozen who have played well enough to deserve a call up but won't make it because of the quality and form of those ahead of them.

IMO, the only positions I am concerned about depth is the Second-row

[Laighin Break]

I'd say you're a prop or two short there as there'll be four in the matchday squad. Would need at least one additional travelling in case of a late withdrawal. Similar situation with outhalf.
Is Mack Hansen fit? He's been missing from Connacht's last couple of games

[sunshiner1]

by Laighin Break

Is Mack Hansen fit? He's been missing from Connacht's last couple of games

Leg injury not sure how serious though.

[Ruckedtobits]

I'd say you're a prop or two short there as there'll be four in the matchday squad. Would need at least one additional travelling in case of a late withdrawal. Similar situation with outhalf.
Is Mack Hansen fit? He's been missing from Connacht's last couple of games

I'd add Marty Moore and Dooley or Byrne (if I had to). Ross Byrne if another out-half needed.

[ronk]

I'd say you're a prop or two short there as there'll be four in the matchday squad. Would need at least one additional travelling in case of a late withdrawal. Similar situation with outhalf.
Is Mack Hansen fit? He's been missing from Connacht's last couple of games

I'd add Marty Moore and Dooley or Byrne (if I had to). Ross Byrne if another out-half needed.

It'll be O'Toole.

[paddyor]

Stockdale gone for the season and not much chatter about it for Ireland or Ulster. Speaks vloumes for the form of the Ulster back 3.

[neill_m]

Six Nations - TV Split between RTE & Virgin Media

Sat Feb 5 2:15pm Ireland v Wales RTE
Sat Feb 12 4:45pm France v Ireland Virgin Media
Sun Feb 27 3pm Ireland v Italy Virgin Media
Sat Mar 12 4:45pm England v Ireland RTE
Sat Mar 19 4:45pm Ireland v Scotland Virgin Media