Summer tour of Dublin 2021

[Twist]

It's pretty shocking the Penny isn't there, imo

[sunshiner1]

No Marmion surprises me. Happy for Blade though.

[munster#1]

Very odd looking squad, with a mixture of current, potential international players along with a few that are very unlikely to ever feature in a meaningful international.

On a very selfish level, I am very disappointed not to see earls in the squad, I would have loved to see him run in a few tries, to secure himself as Ireland’s second highest try scorer, and close the gap on BOD. Saying that, it is right that he has not been selected.

The non selection of Wotton is an odd one for me, additionally I would have loved to see a few more outside bets like Ahern selected.

[mildlyinterested]

[Xanthippe]

I wonder if you were to ask for a list of those who are "very unlikely to ever feature in a meaningful international" would the answer look something like this!!!

Caolin Blade
Tom Daly
Paul Boyle
Peter Dooley
Ross Molony
Nick Timoney

[Xanthippe]

cr@p - Ringrose out of summer series and obviously no longer available for Lions if needed

[munster#1]

I wonder if you were to ask for a list of those who are "very unlikely to ever feature in a meaningful international" would the answer look something like this!!!

Caolin Blade
Tom Daly
Paul Boyle
Peter Dooley
Ross Molony
Nick Timoney

A couple of those would feature on my list, but for me the most blatant one is John Ryan, he has fallen out of favour, and at the wrong side of 30 is unlikely to ever be more than a tackle bag holder at international level.

Sorry if that was a comment that upset you.

[munster#1]

So cool.

[ronk]

I wonder if you were to ask for a list of those who are "very unlikely to ever feature in a meaningful international" would the answer look something like this!!!

Caolin Blade
Tom Daly
Paul Boyle
Peter Dooley
Ross Molony
Nick Timoney

A couple of those would feature on my list, but for me the most blatant one is John Ryan, he has fallen out of favour, and at the wrong side of 30 is unlikely to ever be more than a tackle bag holder at international level.

Sorry if that was a comment that upset you.

3 tightheads needed. Bealham and O'Toole check. 1 more, well the alternatives aren't much better in that context: Archer, Bent, Moore.

[wixfjord]

Ringer out is a bit of a blow. I really really hope we see Hume get at least one start. Farrell & McCloskey as a centre pairing just does not inspire.

Would be interesting to see a mix of JGP at 9, Joey at 10, Addison at 13 and Hugo at 15, some silky ballers in that lineup.

[sunshiner1]

by wixfjord

Ringer out is a bit of a blow. I really really hope we see Hume get at least one start.

As disappointed as I am about Ringrose missing out I am really excited about seeing Hume in green. There's real talent in that backline if they could get a good platform.

[cormac]

From a totally selfish Leinster perspective I'm glad he's getting the procedure done now rather than waiting until after the fairly meaningless games in July. Hopefully it won't hamper his pre-season too much.

[dropkick]

I wonder if you were to ask for a list of those who are "very unlikely to ever feature in a meaningful international" would the answer look something like this!!!

Caolin Blade
Tom Daly
Paul Boyle
Peter Dooley
Ross Molony
Nick Timoney

A couple of those would feature on my list, but for me the most blatant one is John Ryan, he has fallen out of favour, and at the wrong side of 30 is unlikely to ever be more than a tackle bag holder at international level.

Sorry if that was a comment that upset you.

John Ryan seems to be favoured by the national coaches while James Cronin is less favoured. Ryan slots in and does the job without too much fuss or fireworks. Cronin is the opposite with tries turnovers but always silly penalties given away. At that level discipline is valued very highly and while Cronin's is poor, Ryan's is excellent. He will do the job better than most and isn't that old for a prop with not too many mileage on the clock.. We're spoiled for choice at tight head now considering how Hayes and Mike Ross used to be holding it together for a long time.

[ronk]

Cronin was cut. I think awkward questions would be asked (in national media) if a guy gets cut from Munster but is picked for Ireland at the same time. All the more so when the IRFU held back Faz from the Lions because this tour is the most developmental tour in the 4 year cycle.

[Xanthippe]

I appreciate this is a very strange thing to say but today’s injury update feels like the IRFU are ‘covering’ for Warren Gatland!!!

[CiaranIrl]

So what are people thinking? Something like this at a guess:

Kilcoyne, Herring, Bealham, Baird, Dillane, O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris, Gibson-Park, Carbery, Stockdale, McCloskey, Farrell, Larmour, Keenan
Replacements: Kelleher, Byrne, Tom O'Toole, Maloney, Coombes, Casey, Harry Byrne, Baloucoune.

[betty swallocks]

McCloskey and Farrell in the centre against Japan? I can't see it, one possibly, but surely not both. Wouldn't be surprised to see Daly at 12 or even Lowry at 13.

[hugonaut]

So what are people thinking? Something like this at a guess:

Kilcoyne, Herring, Bealham, Baird, Dillane, O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris, Gibson-Park, Carbery, Stockdale, McCloskey, Farrell, Larmour, Keenan
Replacements: Kelleher, Byrne, Tom O'Toole, Maloney, Coombes, Casey, Harry Byrne, Baloucoune.

Hopefully not McCloskey-Farrell as a centre combination. That has no future, in my opinion.

I wouldn't have even had Farrell in the squad. He's had a poor season in terms of the things he has done well in the past, and he has made no improvement on the gaps in his game [kicking of any kind and left-to-right passing on the run especially]. I think he takes too much out of the ball too often and leaves the back three feeding off scraps.

I would rather see literally anybody else in the squad who can play No13 selected ahead of him – Will Addison by preference [although he is probably still banned], then Tom Daly, then James Hume, then Shane Daly.

[CiaranIrl]

So what are people thinking? Something like this at a guess:

Kilcoyne, Herring, Bealham, Baird, Dillane, O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris, Gibson-Park, Carbery, Stockdale, McCloskey, Farrell, Larmour, Keenan
Replacements: Kelleher, Byrne, Tom O'Toole, Maloney, Coombes, Casey, Harry Byrne, Baloucoune.

Hopefully not McCloskey-Farrell as a centre combination. That has no future, in my opinion.

I wouldn't have even had Farrell in the squad. He's had a poor season in terms of the things he has done well in the past, and he has made no improvement on the gaps in his game [kicking of any kind and left-to-right passing on the run especially]. I think he takes too much out of the ball too often and leaves the back three feeding off scraps.

I would rather see literally anybody else in the squad who can play No13 selected ahead of him – Will Addison by preference [although he is probably still banned], then Tom Daly, then James Hume, then Shane Daly.

Just to be clear, I wouldn't pick either of them! I'd have both Daly and Hume. I'm just trying to guess what Farrell might pick. He seems like he tends to select new caps from the bench more than to start.

I wouldn't select O'Mahony either (I'd have Coombs at 6, VDF at 7 & Doris at 8 ). I wouldn't have Herring near the squad. I'd also stay away from Stockdale on the left and start Baloucoune. He could be humiliated by their 14 given his defensive positioning.

[the spoofer]

So what are people thinking? Something like this at a guess:

Kilcoyne, Herring, Bealham, Baird, Dillane, O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris, Gibson-Park, Carbery, Stockdale, McCloskey, Farrell, Larmour, Keenan
Replacements: Kelleher, Byrne, Tom O'Toole, Maloney, Coombes, Casey, Harry Byrne, Baloucoune.

Hopefully not McCloskey-Farrell as a centre combination. That has no future, in my opinion.

I wouldn't have even had Farrell in the squad. He's had a poor season in terms of the things he has done well in the past, and he has made no improvement on the gaps in his game [kicking of any kind and left-to-right passing on the run especially]. I think he takes too much out of the ball too often and leaves the back three feeding off scraps.

I would rather see literally anybody else in the squad who can play No13 selected ahead of him – Will Addison by preference [although he is probably still banned], then Tom Daly, then James Hume, then Shane Daly.

McCloskey Farrell is the combo that was leaked.