Irl v Sco 6Ns 2020

[Oldschool]

The 23 that Farrell should peak but will he? Be brave enough that is?
Larmour
Conway
Ringrose
McCloskey
Stockdale (If he picks Daverage, fair enough)
Byrne
Cooney
Healy
Tracy
Furlong
Toner
Ryan
CJ
Deegan
VDF
Bench
Kilcoyne
Herring
Porter
Henderson
Ruddock or Doris
JGP
Carty (Farrell should be open to suggestions, Burns perhaps)
Addison
Considered.
Henshaw, Burns, All the Leinser squad, a lot of the Ulster squad and a few of the Munster and Connacht squads.
The Leinster or Ulster got the nod purely because of better form, confidence, higher ceiling etc etc
Not considered due to injury.
Sexton, even if he was fit we don't need to rush him back, a bench spot v Wales would be the ideal timing.
Carberry, Beirne, Leavy etc.
Any bias in the above selection is purely accidental and is not based on any perceived or genuine bias on the poster's part.

[ronk]

That’s a fairly brutal cull of experience with Toner getting off the hook.

Rob Kearney, Earls, Henshaw, O’Mahony, Cronin, Murray. Rest Sexton too. Changing half the starting XV is a lot.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

That’s a fairly brutal cull of experience with Toner getting off the hook.

Rob Kearney, Earls, Henshaw, O’Mahony, Cronin, Murray. Rest Sexton too. Changing half the starting XV is a lot.

They were experienced at the World Cup too and lost to Japan and were dumped out in embarrassing fashion. Time for change.

My own 23 right now would be...

Healy, Scannell, Porter
Henderson, Ryan
Ruddock, Josh, Doris

Cooney, Byrne

Henshaw, Ringrose

Stockdale, Conway, Larmour

Kelleher, Kilcoyne, Furlong, Dev, Deegan, Murray, Sexton, Addison

[ronk]

And the big mistake that was critical in starting our prep going off the rails was dropping Kearney for Henshaw at 15.

They got out of their group. There was good and bad.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

And the big mistake that was critical in starting our prep going off the rails was dropping Kearney for Henshaw at 15.

They got out of their group. There was good and bad.

There is literally no positive to take from the World Cup IMO, not one single thing. Beating a shite Scotland team, making very hard work of Russia, and playing okay against a Samoa side wrecked at the end of the group face is nothing to be proud of. Burn it and move on.

Dropping some of the experienced players for people fit and in form is in no way comparable to parachuting Henshaw in to play out of position after a long lay off. If players have been stinking out the place for 12 months or aren't fit then they shouldn't be playing.

[Experimental]

Ive been watching very closely and our best 23 is:

Kilcoyne
Cronin
Porter
Toner
Ryan
VDF
Doris
Stander
Cooney
Burns
McCloskey
Ringrose
Conway
Larmour
D Kearney

Healy
Tracy
Furlong
Henderson
Deegan
McGrath
R Byrne
Earls

[Ruckedtobits]

Sorry to interrupt the 'pure rugby' discussion but couldn't pass up this 'Delaney-like' behaviour and hope that Scottish rugby players and supporters go ballistic about this piece of Executive largesse.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/51109389

Whatever set of Blazers authorised this remuneration deserve to be immediately deselected and Scottish Clubs should dismiss their entire Committee.

[paddyor]

Sorry to interrupt the 'pure rugby' discussion but couldn't pass up this 'Delaney-like' behaviour and hope that Scottish rugby players and supporters go ballistic about this piece of Executive largesse.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/51109389

Whatever set of Blazers authorised this remuneration deserve to be immediately deselected and Scottish Clubs should dismiss their entire Committee.

That apparently is a 3 year bonus paid at once. And it's related to the financial and organisational performance of the SRU rather than strictly on field. It is a lot of money but, he has
Doubled turnover
Got their debt under control and on trajectory to clear it(thank you BT)
Finagled in ventrue capitalist to fund the Super 6 (bridge between amatuer and Pro14 sides)
Over seen both Scottish Pro teams becoming competitive and developing players for Scotland

It's not Delaney like behaviour at all really. He's invested wisely in all levels of the sport and left them in solid financial position.

[Twist]

I’d start with;

Healy Herring Porter
Toner Ryan
Stander Deegan VDF

Cooney
Sexton

Stockdale
Aki
Ringrose
Conway
Larmour

Replacements;

Kilcoyne
Heffernan
Furlong
Henderson
Doris
Murray
Byrne
Addison

But we’ve no idea what kind of gameplan Farrell will have at this stage

[Pilotman123]

I’d start with;

Healy Herring Porter
Toner Ryan
Stander Deegan VDF

Cooney
Sexton

Stockdale
Aki
Ringrose
Conway
Larmour

Replacements;

Kilcoyne
Heffernan
Furlong
Henderson
Doris
Murray
Byrne
Addison

But we’ve no idea what kind of gameplan Farrell will have at this stage

Why would you put Herring ahead of Kelleher?

[Oldschool]

I’d start with;

Healy Herring Porter
Toner Ryan
Stander Deegan VDF

Cooney
Sexton

Stockdale
Aki
Ringrose
Conway
Larmour

Replacements;

Kilcoyne
Heffernan
Furlong
Henderson
Doris
Murray
Byrne
Addison

But we’ve no idea what kind of gameplan Farrell will have at this stage

Why would you put Herring ahead of Kelleher?

Because it's the logical, sensible, experienced thing to do for the hooker's position at international level.
No problem giving him 20mins off the bench.

[Pilotman123]

Do you think experience is more important than form?

[Oldschool]

Do you think experience is more important than form?

In this situation the experience of the coach.
The player had form before he got injured and looks like he might have the highest ceiling of the contenders.
Even had he not been injured he should only be considered for the bench.
Because of the injury he might not even make the bench.

[ronk]

Or start Kelleher and if he's struggling at this level then pull him aside early.

If a sub goes wrong you're stuck unless he gets injured (for front rows).

[dropkick]

Kelleher has been the best hooker in the country by far. The rest are all 7/10 type players.

I think they should start him. It's a big ask but we have 2 home games and if he is regarded as first choice then he needs to start sometime.

Give him 50 min against the Scots.

[ronk]

Kelleher has been the best hooker in the country by far. The rest are all 7/10 type players.

I think they should start him. It's a big ask but we have 2 home games and if he is regarded as first choice then he needs to start sometime.

Give him 50 min against the Scots.

Best owned the position for too long. Cronin might only be a temporary option. Scannell probably has already hit his ceiling.

It's a good time to change and Kelleher could be valuable as a more experienced player.

[sunshiner1]

Doubt Kelleher will start. Farrell needs to win this game to get the good feeling back for the casual fans. Kelleher will be bedded in, will start learning the procedures and has a good chance to start against Italy.

[neill_m]

Finn Russell not playing v Ireland. Has left the Scottish camp due to a breach of discipline.

[Twist]

Finn Russell not playing v Ireland. Has left the Scottish camp due to a breach of discipline.

I bet Zebo put him up to it

This might not be to our advantage. I think Adam Hastings is more in tune with how Townsend wants them to play

[Logorrhea]

xfactors of the world unite