Deserved it after the work he put in during pre-season. He looked decent from what I saw of him.Dave Cahill wrote:I heard his efforts won him some class of contract
McGrath was without doubt the better of the 2 scrum-halves on Saturday for me. He should remain first choice until/unless JGP shows he's more deserving.Ruckedtobits wrote:M Kearney ahead of McCarthy both in capacity and potential. Personally would see Rhys in competition with SO'B and JVdF in competition with Leavy but very happy to go with two out and opensides until SO'B does more than come through a Training Session.
JGP ahead of Luke for me and fancy O'Loughlin getting a run outside Henshaw with Ringrose on the wing instead of Dave K.
Wouldn't mind seeing O'Loughlin on the wing for a bit early on this season, similar to the way we started Ringrose off there last season. He really looks like a guy with potential and should be getting game time as a result. However not in the first choice 23 just yet. Mine would be:
McGrath Strauss Ross
Toner McCarthy
Ruddock Heaslip SOB
McGrath Sexton
Henshaw Ringrose
Dave Rob Isa
Cronin, Healy, Furlong, Kearney, Murphy, JGP, Carbery, Kirchner
In reality the front row is pretty much locked down for now. At lock Molony is one of my favourite players in the squad at the moment. I just think his work rate and all round skill set are really strong and he has matured nicely. Would like to see him as part of a first choice 23 at some stage. But our replacement lock will generally need to be a TH lock which he isn't. In the back row we're rarely going to have the 4 lads above fit and available at the same time. VDF and Leavy should be getting a lot of time in a full strength squad. Our depth there is downright ludicrous at this stage.
At 10 I see a horses for courses option on the bench between Carbery and Byrne. I'd like to see Byrne get some time over the next 2 months because we needed someone to play a bit of territory on Saturday and he's far more suited to that than Carbery is. But having a guy on the bench that can come on and give us what Carbery can give us would be great. The 23 shirt is a tough one. Kirchner has been good over the last month or so. Not great, but good. And he covers 13, wing and FB. Ferg looked to be in decent form against Treviso and O'Loughlin at this stage should be looking to push for that jersey as well. Hopefully Morris can throw his name into the mix as well there.
It's actually a pretty strong and competitive squad, especially when you factor in the talent that I haven't mentioned.