Ireland Autumn Internationals 2022

[neill_m]

Backs (16)

Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen) 2 caps
Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 35 caps
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 5 caps
Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/Skerries) uncapped
Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 20 caps
Mack Hansen (Connacht) 6 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 60 caps
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 23 caps
Michael Lowry (Ulster/Banbridge) 1 cap
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 99 caps
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 6 caps
Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster) uncapped
Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) uncapped
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 44 caps
Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 108 caps CAPTAIN
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 35 caps

Forwards (21)

Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 8 caps
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 25 caps
Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 33 caps
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 30 caps
Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 20 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 60 caps
Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 7 caps
Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 118 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 28 caps
Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped
Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin) uncapped
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 87 caps
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 3 caps
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps
Cian Prendergast (Connacht) uncapped
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps
Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 10 caps
Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) 2 caps
Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 8 caps
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps


Ireland ‘A’ Panel

Tom Ahern (Munster/Shannon)
Diarmuid Barron (Munster/Garryowen)
Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) 1 cap
Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)
Shane Daly (Munster/Cork Constitution) 2 caps
Max Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 1 cap
James Hume (Ulster/Banbridge) 3 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 48 caps
Marty Moore (Ulster) 10 caps
Jamie Osbourne (Leinster/Naas)
Scott Penny (Leinster/UCD)
Roman Salanoa (Munster/Shannon)

[johng]

Gonna be fun playing New zealand with 12 players.

[Ruckedtobits]

Enniskillen, Skerries, Lurgan, Naas & Banbridge are unusual Clubs for an international Squad. Great to see.

Dublin (Joe McCarthy) an even more unusual inclusion - hurlers or footballers?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

It seems a bit late to involve Marty in any way but I'm really happy to see it, hopefully he impresses and it can spur him on to be an important player for us. All we need is 12 good months from him until after the World Cup and the opportunity is definitely there for him.

Even allowing for the extra players it seems like quite a thin squad (not many difficult decisions to be made in terms of selection at hooker, second row, centre, and probably other areas too) and important players like JGP and Keenan will be undercooked, and a few others like Healy and Stockdale will be the same. I'm not bothered about any of that though, the more chaos and changes the better as far as I'm concerned for this window because I see it as a bit of a free hit after the NZ tour and before the World Cup year starts.

I haven't looked too closely at who has been left out so no major quibbles at first glance but I'm really struggling to see why Barron is ahead of Stewart. He had one nice pass for EI but his throwing is really poor and he makes tonnes of errors.

Edit: Nathan Doak is an odd omission now that I see it. He's a good player anyway but given he can slot in at ten if needed and is an excellent goal kicker it seems like a no brainer to have him in mind for a WC place.

[paddyor]

Will the EI players be available for rd 7 of the URC?

[Xanthippe]

Will the EI players be available for rd 7 of the URC?

The way its worded it suggests Joe McCarthy won't but Osborne, Deegan and Penny will

[Dave Cahill]

Edit: Nathan Doak is an odd omission now that I see it. He's a good player anyway but given he can slot in at ten if needed and is an excellent goal kicker it seems like a no brainer to have him in mind for a WC place.

Unless JGP is a placeholder until they see how his injury works out

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Edit: Nathan Doak is an odd omission now that I see it. He's a good player anyway but given he can slot in at ten if needed and is an excellent goal kicker it seems like a no brainer to have him in mind for a WC place.

Unless JGP is a placeholder until they see how his injury works out

Would be quite unusual for a Leinster player to be named in a selection and then have to pull out though wouldn't it?

[Dave Cahill]

Positively unheard of!

[riocard911]

Edit: Nathan Doak is an odd omission now that I see it. He's a good player anyway but given he can slot in at ten if needed and is an excellent goal kicker it seems like a no brainer to have him in mind for a WC place.

Unless JGP is a placeholder until they see how his injury works out

Now you're talking!

[Ruckedtobits]

In terms of the season thus far, setting aside RWC23 selection consideration, the two players most unfortunate to not see their names in the NZ A game add-ons are Niall Murray & Denis Buckley, both of whom produced stellar performances against Munster.

[munster#1]

Backs (16)

Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen) 2 caps
Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 35 caps
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 5 caps
Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/Skerries) uncapped
Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 20 caps
Mack Hansen (Connacht) 6 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 60 caps
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 23 caps
Michael Lowry (Ulster/Banbridge) 1 cap
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 99 caps
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 6 caps
Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster) uncapped
Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) uncapped
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 44 caps
Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 108 caps CAPTAIN
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 35 caps

Forwards (21)

Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 8 caps
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 25 caps
Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 33 caps
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 30 caps
Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 20 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 60 caps
Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 7 caps
Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 118 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 28 caps
Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped
Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin) uncapped
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 87 caps
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 3 caps
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps
Cian Prendergast (Connacht) uncapped
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps
Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 10 caps
Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) 2 caps
Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 8 caps
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps


Ireland ‘A’ Panel

Tom Ahern (Munster/Shannon)
Diarmuid Barron (Munster/Garryowen)
Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) 1 cap
Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)
Shane Daly (Munster/Cork Constitution) 2 caps
Max Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 1 cap
James Hume (Ulster/Banbridge) 3 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 48 caps
Marty Moore (Ulster) 10 caps
Jamie Osbourne (Leinster/Naas)
Scott Penny (Leinster/UCD)
Roman Salanoa (Munster/Shannon)

This squad shows the value in having other provinces assess players who are not provided with an academy slot or senior contract with their home province.

4 of the 21 forwards in the squad were seen as surplus to requirements at Leinster, but persisted with their dream of playing pro rugby elsewhere and are now seeing the fruition of that belief and drive.

I would love to see all 4 provinces looking far more proactively at the surplus from each other.
Given that we only have 4 pro clubs to select an international team from, Ireland can’t afford to lose too many talented players.

[ronk]

It seems a bit late to involve Marty in any way but I'm really happy to see it, hopefully he impresses and it can spur him on to be an important player for us. All we need is 12 good months from him until after the World Cup and the opportunity is definitely there for him.

Even allowing for the extra players it seems like quite a thin squad (not many difficult decisions to be made in terms of selection at hooker, second row, centre, and probably other areas too) and important players like JGP and Keenan will be undercooked, and a few others like Healy and Stockdale will be the same. I'm not bothered about any of that though, the more chaos and changes the better as far as I'm concerned for this window because I see it as a bit of a free hit after the NZ tour and before the World Cup year starts.

I haven't looked too closely at who has been left out so no major quibbles at first glance but I'm really struggling to see why Barron is ahead of Stewart. He had one nice pass for EI but his throwing is really poor and he makes tonnes of errors.

Edit: Nathan Doak is an odd omission now that I see it. He's a good player anyway but given he can slot in at ten if needed and is an excellent goal kicker it seems like a no brainer to have him in mind for a WC place.

With Ryan out of the picture and Salanoa named on the As it was basically a straight choice between Moore, Archer and Clarkson.

They already have Bealham, Furlong, O'Toole so it's a low risk time to get him back into the fold.

[ronk]

Nash is an interesting call.

He'd had a few years of injury hit slow development where he looked like unfulfilled potential. Then he going on the tour and suddenly he's the new guy in the squad. He's also there ahead of Daly.

In the other direction Loughman didn't tour but he's bypassed Josh Wycherley who did and is even ahead of Kilcoyne. But then Ed Byrne didn't make the squad either.

It'll be interesting to see where Baird fits in a stacked depth chart.

[sunshiner1]

An interesting selection. I'd have Gavin Thornbury in instead of McCarthy the Connacht line-out has been going well recently. Would also have Deegan instead of Prendergast but small quibbles.

Delighted for Loughman he's done well when given a chance so hope he makes the best of it.

[Laighin Break]

Nash is an interesting call.

He'd had a few years of injury hit slow development where he looked like unfulfilled potential. Then he going on the tour and suddenly he's the new guy in the squad. He's also there ahead of Daly.

In the other direction Loughman didn't tour but he's bypassed Josh Wycherley who did and is even ahead of Kilcoyne. But then Ed Byrne didn't make the squad either.

It'll be interesting to see where Baird fits in a stacked depth chart.

Loughman was on the NZ tour though, so he was already ahead of Wycherley & Byrne. I don't think the EI tour made any difference to that selection, unless either of them missed out on the NZ your due to injury(?)

[ronk]

There are 9 uncapped players across the squad, 7 went on the EI tour.

I think it would be strange to have Smith ahead of O'Brien. I thought there was more debate between Josh Wycherley and Loughman.

[D4surfer]

There are 9 uncapped players across the squad, 7 went on the EI tour.

I think it would be strange to have Smith ahead of O'Brien. I thought there was more debate between Josh Wycherley and Loughman.

Andrew Smith? Who's suggesting that?

[ronk]

There are 9 uncapped players across the squad, 7 went on the EI tour.

I think it would be strange to have Smith ahead of O'Brien. I thought there was more debate between Josh Wycherley and Loughman.

Andrew Smith? Who's suggesting that?

No one said that explicitly, obviously. The point is that selection on the EI tour was an indicator in some cases of pecking order, but not always.

Nash was getting limited game time for Munster in recent seasons and hadn't suddenly hit form before the EI tour. Now he's the only new name in the AI squad.

I thought it made sense to draw attention to that. I also thought it worth drawing attention to the fact that Wycherley was picked for the EI squad to get time in the setup and it looks like they weren't impressed sufficiently to want to bring him back for the AIs.

[Flash Gordon]

Backs (16)

Robert Baloucoune (Ulster/Enniskillen) 2 caps
Joey Carbery (Munster/Clontarf) 35 caps
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon) 5 caps
Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/Skerries) uncapped
Jamison Gibson Park (Leinster) 20 caps
Mack Hansen (Connacht) 6 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 60 caps
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) 23 caps
Michael Lowry (Ulster/Banbridge) 1 cap
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 99 caps
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor) 6 caps
Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster) uncapped
Jimmy O’Brien (Leinster/Naas) uncapped
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 44 caps
Johnny Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 108 caps CAPTAIN
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 35 caps

Forwards (21)

Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University) 8 caps
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers) 25 caps
Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 33 caps
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere) 30 caps
Gavin Coombes (Munster/Young Munster) 2 caps
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 20 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf) 60 caps
Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 7 caps
Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 118 caps
Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 28 caps
Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen) uncapped
Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin) uncapped
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 87 caps
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 3 caps
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps
Cian Prendergast (Connacht) uncapped
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 46 caps
Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 10 caps
Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge) 2 caps
Kieran Treadwell (Ulster/Ballymena) 8 caps
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD) 43 caps


Ireland ‘A’ Panel

Tom Ahern (Munster/Shannon)
Diarmuid Barron (Munster/Garryowen)
Caolin Blade (Connacht/Galwegians) 1 cap
Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)
Shane Daly (Munster/Cork Constitution) 2 caps
Max Deegan (Leinster/Lansdowne) 1 cap
James Hume (Ulster/Banbridge) 3 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (Munster/UL Bohemians) 48 caps
Marty Moore (Ulster) 10 caps
Jamie Osbourne (Leinster/Naas)
Scott Penny (Leinster/UCD)
Roman Salanoa (Munster/Shannon)

This squad shows the value in having other provinces assess players who are not provided with an academy slot or senior contract with their home province.

4 of the 21 forwards in the squad were seen as surplus to requirements at Leinster, but persisted with their dream of playing pro rugby elsewhere and are now seeing the fruition of that belief and drive.

I would love to see all 4 provinces looking far more proactively at the surplus from each other.
Given that we only have 4 pro clubs to select an international team from, Ireland can’t afford to lose too many talented players.

The trade off is culture. I think that's been a problem for Munster and Ulster. Their successful European cup winning teams had a very very local culture. Munster played the gritty underdog connected to community card through the 2000's very successfully. It's harder to do that when the changing room is full of lads with South Dublin or South African accents.

At Leinster we've had a a few successful provinicial imports, Cronin and Henshaw obviously but the club's culture is very much the From the Ground Up approach they talk about. It's what makes the club different to the Franchises you see in England and France.