This is the fourth attempt at writing this post. So far it’s ranged from righteous indignation at the non inclusion of some of Ulster’s stars to an appreciation of Declan Kidney as Ireland’s most successful Provincial and International coach of any era and then back to a player by player analysis of the Ulster players that missed out, favourably comparing them to the Ladyboy or Bogger or indeed Westie incumbent!
With six Ulster players and two Ulster exiles in the squad it is a step in the right direction and hopefully come February there will be a few more. Congratulations to Chris Henry and Darren Cave in particular and well done to Neil Best for forcing his way back into the reckoning.
There is no point in arguing the pros and cons of various players as, it can’t be denied, Kidney knows what he is doing. However those Ulster players not included this time round can look at the current squad with a great deal of encouragement as they are currently playing better than many who were included. If they maintain the same level of performance at the business end of the season they’ll be in.
Hopefully the Ulster players not involved will be able to channel their disappointment towards this Saturday’s game. I’d said yesterday that I was worried about this weekend’s game as Munster need a win more than Ulster. Now, however, our front row, second row and halfbacks have a real point to prove and the scales are tipped back firmly in Ulster’s favour.
Leaving aside the disappointed Ulster players there still are some names that I am surprised to see in Kidney’s selection as he rebuilds for 2011. Buckley has been tried and tested and found wanting on so many occasions that it is difficult to justify his inclusion on any basis. Horgan, Stringer and Hayes all have their best days behind them and I hope are only included to bring a bit of experience to the A team.
Ireland squad: Tommy Bowe (Ospreys); Neil Best (Northampton Saints); Tony Buckley (Munster); Darren Cave (Ulster), Tom Court (Ulster), Sean Cronin (Connacht)*, Leo Cullen (Leinster), Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster), Gavin Duffy (Connacht), Keith Earls (Munster), Stephen Ferris (Ulster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Jerry Flannery (Munster), John Fogarty (Leinster), John Hayes (Munster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Chris Henry (Ulster)*, Marcus Horan (Munster), Shane Horgan (Leinster), Robert Kearney (Leinster), Denis Leamy (Munster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster), Paul O’Connell (Munster), Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster), Ronan O’Gara (Munster), Tomas O’Leary (Munster), Sean O’Brien (Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Munster), Jonathan Sexton (Leinster), Peter Stringer (Munster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ulster), David Wallace (Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ulster), Brett Wilkinson (Connacht
Fixtures
Friday, 13 Nov: Ireland A v Tonga, Ravenhill, 1930 GMT kick-off.
Sunday, 15 Nov: Ireland v Australia, Croke Park, 1500
Saturday, 21 Nov: Ireland v Fiji, RDS, Dublin, 1715
Friday, 27 Nov: Ireland A v Argentina Jaguars, Tallagh, TBC
Saturday, 28 Nov: Ireland v South Africa, Croke Park, 1430.
More like this:
5 Responses to “Ireland Squad for Autumn Internationals”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Gawd only knows what you drafted in the first 3 effortsbut the 4th is very concillatory.
Difficult to see how Connaught have 3 represented to Ulster’s 6 when one team is bottom of the League and the other at the top. It is a squad however and by the time the permutations are assessed and the squad pruned you’ll probably see the usual suspects in the 22 including Ferris & Wallace. This is much in line with last years AI’s which was turned around in terms of selection come the 6N, by Kidney.
Early days, early days!
Rate this comment. Like or dislike?
0 
0
I was beside myself with rage when I saw the Ireland squad for the Autumn internationals as Catherine Tate would say ” What a F’ ing liberty!” We all know there are some members in the IRFU who will not be happy until there are no Ulster players in the Irish team but this is a joke. Ulster players already have to be twice as good as an opponent from another provence to get into the squad and give a man of the match performance to stay in it.
Kidney has been at Ulster’s home matches against Bath and Leinster and reportedly in Galway yet has picked players from Leinster and Connacht who were clearly second best on a head to head with their Ulster opponent. Lets start with the front row Brady and Kyriacou have been in outstanding form, Kyriacou demolishing Sean Cronin in Galway and Brady likewise with Fogarty yet the two southern hookers are in. Second row – How Denver Toner is in ahead of Caldwell , O ‘Donoghue is unbelievable he was so poor against Ulster Leinster subsituted him TWICE! Back row – Willie Faloon has been the stand out backrow player in Ireland this season yet Kindney has selected Donnacha Ryan and Sean O’Brien as two of five players competing for the blindside spot and no one to challenge Wallace at open side. Scrum half – Isaac Boss – What more can Isaac do to get back into the squad he has been the model of consistency this season played Eoin Reddan of the park and yet Reddan and Stringer are picked ahead of him. Out half – Ian Humphreys – The form number 10 in Ireland not even worth a place in the squad -what more does he have to do? (I still blame Matt Williams)
I could rant even more on Buckley , Duffy, Healy, Horgan(why not Whitten) and Wilkinson but we all know the score ABAU! Anyone but an Ulsterman.
The A Squad is due to be announced shortly and I expect Boss, Whitten Humpherys,Brady, Young, Kyriacou, O’Donoghue Caldwell and Faloon to be added. But if the rummers are to be believed Humpherys and Kyriacou have been left out …………. “What a F’ing liberty!”
Rate this comment. Like or dislike?
0 
0
Now Parky, I’m surprised after your words of caution about Ulster’s current performances that you are pushing for more in the Ireland squad?
If we’re still top of the league and progressing in any European competition come January I’d say we’ll see a few more for the six nations.
Rate this comment. Like or dislike?
0 
0
“If we’re still top of the league and progressing in any European competition come January I’d say we’ll see a few more for the six nations.”
If you can read between my many lines that is what I am saying. – Early days, early days!
Rate this comment. Like or dislike?
0 
0
Wow ! The raven is really raging. He has a point. ABAU has obviously been the policy for a long long time, and even with the change of management in the Ireland set-up the ‘back bench old tie brigade’ still rule and obviously pull the strings.
Rate this comment. Like or dislike?
0 
0