Ireland 2021-22

[dropkick]

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.

It speaks volumes about Stockdales performances and to a lesser degree Irish squad depth. But the time off might be just what he needs to relaunch his career. He still has great potential.

[blockhead]

James Lowe not in 6N squad

[munster#1]

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/01/19/fa ... x-nations/

Joey Carberry in, no Zebo or Lowe

[LeinsterLeader]

JLowe is injured. Out for a few weeks!

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1 ... 9462526980

[ronk]

Bit surprised at Treadwell.

Larmour ahead of Lowe.

[ronk]

JLowe is injured. Out for a few weeks!

Makes more sense.

[munster#1]

The squad has a strange look to it.
Plenty of lads picked who have barely played or haven’t played at all since November.

[Morf]

Seems odd Carbery continues to improve in standings by not playing.

[blockhead]

The squad has a strange look to it.
Plenty of lads picked who have barely played or haven’t played at all since November.

What would your alternative 37 be?

[riocard911]

Seems odd Carbery continues to improve in standings by not playing.

Ouch!!!

[Ruckedtobits]

Inclusion of Carbery is amazing. Niall Murray unfortunate but glad to see Prendergast included.

[wixfjord]

Larmour inclusion is good to see. Strong vote of confidence in him and a good opportunity to get back to business for him.

[wixfjord]

Haley unlucky not to be included but Lowry is a more exciting choice.

[berliner]

Inclusion of Carbery is amazing. Niall Murray unfortunate but glad to see Prendergast included.

Agree, but would hope that Murray and Thornbury will be in squads later this year. I expect the latter to get his first cap, provided his surgery has done the trick.

[sunshiner1]

Would have actually have liked to have seen Kleyn picked. Henderson and Ryan are just back from injury and the rest are fairly light for second-rows. Having Kleyn's heft could have been an asset.

Niall Murray to could have been brought in as an development player.

[CiaranIrl]

I think it's absurd that Carbery has been included in this squad ahead of Ross Byrne. He is injured and would be far better served rehabilitating with Munster and getting URC minutes when he's fit. He is in cr@p form at every level he has played at.

Molony is very hard done by. In a way, it's irrelevant, given that the 5th choice lock isn't going to see play regardless, and it's far better from a Leinster perspective that Molony gets to play games, but I feel for him. He has been playing really well and deserves a look in.

[Ruckedtobits]

I think it's absurd that Carbery has been included in this squad ahead of Ross Byrne. He is injured and would be far better served rehabilitating with Munster and getting URC minutes when he's fit. He is in cr@p form at every level he has played at.

Molony is very hard done by. In a way, it's irrelevant, given that the 5th choice lock isn't going to see play regardless, and it's far better from a Leinster perspective that Molony gets to play games, but I feel for him. He has been playing really well and deserves a look in.

He would be worthy of selection for a Wolfhounds team (as would Treadwell) but in IMO, neither are Senior International locks because of size limitations. No reflection on their effort or skill development, my sole consideration is physique. Tadhg Beirne has played second-row for Ireland but is essentially a world-class No 6. I don't see Molony or Treadwell as a duplicate of Beirne.

[backrower8]

I think it's absurd that Carbery has been included in this squad ahead of Ross Byrne. He is injured and would be far better served rehabilitating with Munster and getting URC minutes when he's fit. He is in cr@p form at every level he has played at.

Molony is very hard done by. In a way, it's irrelevant, given that the 5th choice lock isn't going to see play regardless, and it's far better from a Leinster perspective that Molony gets to play games, but I feel for him. He has been playing really well and deserves a look in.

in a similar vein, how odd is it that post-op and otherwise infirmed players are named in the squad, yet J-Lo, a star-performeer in the AIs and especially versus New Zealand isn't seen to be necessary to have in attendance as we build towards RWC2023.

It is hard to assess wingers' form but it isn't eaxctly stellar, with some occasional goood performances interrupted by Covid and injury and just poor form.

Leinster have hardly played; Balacoune has only played one (excellent) match (in which he seemed to come of age...but just 1 really strong match); Hansen hasn't played in 3 weeks and has only played 3 matches in 14 weeks; Munster's wingers are purely ornamental under their playing strategy.

In the normal course of who is likely to be fit across the 6N, I would rank the wingers as follows:

1. Lowe (in form this season and especially for Ireland - looked sharp in his 1 half of play in quite a while)
2. Earls (stymied by Van Graan/Larkham - but a proven intenational winger)
3. Conway (stymied by Van Graan/Larkham - but a proven intenational winger)
4. Balacoune (maybe the Messiah, but just 1 try in 6 games this season - not yet a proven topflight player)
5. Larmour (showed signs of improvement last week but just 1 half - erratic at the top end)
6. Hansen (still unproven at Champions League level and if Dan Sheehan rounded Lowe like that there would have been uproar)

So hard to see how Lowe isn't worth even beinging included relative to the above and Carbery, Casey, Treadwell. He was training the day the squad was announced.

It also looks like we will be repeating our trick of bringing very old internationals to RWCs (for a range of reasons). It looks like 7 and 3 will be over 35 - Sexton (38 years old by RWC), Healy (36), Earls (36 yo winger), Murray (34), POM (34), Kilcoyne (34), Conway (32 yr old winger).

However it is possible that just 1 or 2 will be A-list starters (the 38 yo and Conway), with Healy, Murray and possibly POM in the 23.

[Degz]

Obsession with youth gets you nowhere. Their age doesn't matter if they're still performing. England won a world cup with Dad's Army.

[backrower8]

Obsession with youth gets you nowhere. Their age doesn't matter if they're still performing. England won a world cup with Dad's Army.

Observations on age, don't translate to obsession with youth old boy

Meanwhile in France, England, New Zealand....but we'll do what we do...it's such a winning formula!

So are you comfortable with possibly having 1 in 5 players aged 34+ and for 4 of the 7 to be backs, with 2 of the 7 our 'flying' wingers?

Of the 7 who will be mainly 34-38 in late 2023...who do you think are currently performing to international standard and do you see any potential for fall-off in the next 20 months?

Or is it all a case of "nothing to see here"?