It’s not often you will read these columns congratulating a Munster man but congrats to John Hayes on his 100th Cap. A remarkable milestone in a remarkable, and trophy laden, career.
Sort of puts things in perspective when milestones like this are achieved. What are my wittering’s stacked up against such a wealth of experience? But what the hell, caps weren’t given out so easily in my day and for every international “The Bull” has a cap for, I must have watched at least five!
Aside from The Bull’s milestone the latest Ireland selection is a bit of a curate’s egg, good in parts.
Ireland: G Murphy (Leicester), T Bowe (Ospreys), B O’Driscoll (Leinster) capt, G D’Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster), J Sexton (Leinster), T O’Leary (Munster), C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), J Hayes (Munster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster). Replacements: S Cronin (Connacht), T Buckley (Munster), L Cullen (Leinster), S Jennings (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), R O’Gara (Munster), A Trimble (Ulster)
It’s pleasing to see Sexton on at out half, but the inclusion of O’Gara on the bench, at the expense of the more versatile Wallace, is a sop to the players ego rather than a tactical decision.
However, unless Ireland get a plentiful supply of go forward ball, any out half is going to struggle with the service from an obviously out of form Thomas O’Leary. I would have Reddan starting with Boss to come off the bench giving both these players some meaningful game time before next years World Cup and probably more importantly giving O’Leary time to re-discover his form.
Jennings on the bench is another conundrum. Surely he’s not part of Ireland’s plans for next year whereas the likes of Henry is, and on recent performances the young Ulster captain more than warrants a look.
The continued inclusion of Buckley in any Ireland squad must completely mystify all other Irish props who are continually overlooked. Picked solely on his physical bulk, I have never seen a lazier International player since Neil Francis. How many chances is he going to get? My greatest fear is that he does come on and actually puts in a shift allowing him to coast through to the World Cup on the strength of it!
And so to full back. Sublimely gifted player that he is, Goeordan Murphy’s time has come and gone and his selection after only one game this year shows how limited Ireland are in this position. Surely the better option would have been to try out Bowe or Earls as long term cover for full back.
Such is the level of expectation on International managers these days that the fear of losing outweighs development for the future.
In theory Ireland should win this match at a breeze (well comparatively speaking), so out of form are England. However, every dog has his day, and even the over pumped and overhyped England side are capable of one big performance. I really am in two minds, a defeat for Ireland could be the best thing for their World Cup preparations, but I suspect Ireland will have enough in the tank to beat even the strongest performance from this limited England side.
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4 Responses to “Ireland team for England”
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AS predicted Decky the gnome from Turnipstan has continued with his” anyone but an Ulsterman unless there is no one else” selection. Firstly fullback – the obvious selection was Earls with Trimble returned to the wing. Instead Decky returns to type and picks a player who has played one match since September, Murphy, and Trimble is consigned to the bin. The British Lions selectors considered Earls a better fullback than Murphy and so do I.
Bench – Henry can cover every position in the back row has been turning in man of the match performances but old turniphead picks a player who can only cover 7 and spent all of Autumn suspended. We all know the only back row forward that will be replaced on Saturday is Ferris so again a poor bench selection. But Decky kept the best for last … O’Gara .. what positions is he going to cover? We all saw his exploits when he was in this position on the Lions tour so god help us. Decky showed he is not big enough to make the decision and drop O’Gara from the 22. Wallace should have been a shoe in.
I agree with your comments on O’Leary typical Turnipstan basis.
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Experienced a new emotion with this selection – feeling genuinely sorry for Paddy Wallace. If that wasn’t bad enough, I’d actually have brought Stringer back as he does provide quick ball. Almost find myself agreeing with RR: I’d have Trimble in place of Earls but agree with Murphy at full back given his experience at the home of the butcher’s apron.
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I’d assumed Court was injured when I wrote the above. But Kidney’s credibility has taken a serious dive choosing that lazy lump Buckley in front of a fit Court.
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Agreed Dewi….Declan ABU Kidney strikes again (that’s Anyone But Ulster”!!)
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