The standard isn't going to be as high as they'd get playing in the URC, so the real benefit here is to give touring experience to players and let the coaches see who flourishes in that environment.ronk wrote: ↑August 31st, 2022, 3:14 pmI'd really only see a place for number 3. Aside from giving someone time at being captain. If they want to work on specific players and give some potential bolters a chance then you mostly go there.hugonaut wrote: ↑August 30th, 2022, 8:47 pm Obviously I could be completely wrong about the above. It's a weird situation. They're supposed to be playing in a month, and the IRFU haven't even officially announced that there's a tour [as far as I know].
But I have no idea why they're having this tour if it's not preparing specifically for the World Cup in a year's time. So from my perspective the idea should be to select the current/recent test players:
1] who missed out on the tour through injury [Kelleher, Stockdale, Conway, Kilcoyne, Farrell and Baloucoune]; or
2] who got injured early on tour [Henderson, Hume and Harry Byrne]; or
3] who must have been very close to selection [O'Donoghue and Doak, in my opinion]
Then there are some positional things that I'm sure Farrell will want to see, like Baird play at No6. He was announced in the backrow for the NZ tour [source: https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/06/14/an ... land-tour/ ] but ended up playing both matches off the bench as a lock when Hendo went home and wasn't replaced. Potentially he might want to see Mack Hansen at fullback, which only just struck me a minute ago.
I think after thaat you get down to what I would view as a more typical 'emerging' coterie, the guys who were off-the-charts U20s like Ahern, Penny, Kendellen, Crowley, Osborne, Boyle [all very much 'maybes' in my mind, bar Ahern].
From my perspective, a lot of this is about getting guys who are likely to be in the RWC squad, or who might get called into the RWC squad, to a] experience a tour environment, and then b] to spend time immersed in the systems that are set out by the Irish coaches. Otherwise it's a f*cking terrible idea.
Someone like Jeremy Loughman makes a lot of sense.
There was a lesson learnt between the first and 2nd Maori tests and the team played as more of a team. I think players sometimes expect other people to lead and a tour can let other leaders emerge. For that reason I think they'll avoid bringing leaders like Ruddock, Molony, JOD.
Outhalf is possibly the most interesting position because it will give someone a chance to establish themselves. It could as easily be Harry Byrne as Leinster will have Sexton and Ross Byrne (and maybe Frawley).
I'd be surprised if it was used to give guys like Stockdale or Balacoune game time - they'd be tested more heavily staying at home.
OH is an interesting one. With Ross probably leading the way in the URC and Ngatai in to bolster the midfield, it wouldn't surprise me to see Frawley go as the exception that proves.the rule.
