Emerging Ireland v Emerging Italy - Georgia Saturday 13th Ju

[Ruckedtobits]

Rugby doesn't take the summer off anymore.

On Saturday, in Tblisi Georgia, probably in temperatures topping 30C with high humidity to boot, the opening shots will be fired in Season 2016-17 for some of the players competing in the Emerging Ireland v Emerging Italy teams in the World Rugby Tbilisi Trophy.

Honouring an IRFU commitment to play three seasons in this competition, targeted at the development of competitive international rugby for teams like Georgia, Romania, Uruguay and Russia in particular, the Irish Squad may be denuded of some possible selections through injury and other possible selections through Under 20 commitments or European Sevens competition. Notwithstanding such calls, the Irish Squad still contains a few players who may seek to catch the eye of Joe Schmidt before he finalises his National Squad for RWC 2015.

Ireland could field a team such as:

15. Cian Kelleher
14. Andrew Conway
13. Eoin Griffin
12. Noel Reid (or Stuart McCloskey)
11. Matt Healy
10 JJ Hanrahan
9. Luke McGrath
8. Eoin McKeon
7. Dan Leavy
6. Rhys Ruddock
5. Lewis Stevenson
4. Billy Holland
3. Stephen Archer
2. Rob Herring
1. James Cronin

Subs could include:

16 Dave Heffernan
17. Denis Buckley
18. Finley Bealham
19 Ben Marshall
20. Frank Taggart
21. John Cooney
22. Stuart McCloskey (or Noel Reid)
23. Peter Nelson (or Tiernan O'Halloran)

Although its not lightly, there could be a couple of names from this group who might make the initial 40+ Squad for RWC2015. Ruddock is an obvious candidate, and he could be joined by Rob Herring or Luke McGrath or John Cooney and Stuart McCluskey or possibly Matt Healy. James Cronin might even be a springer from this group.

All in all an intriguing prospect for these guys but also a very serious 2 weeks of work ahead when they might be on a beach somewhere.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Intrigued to see how the back row, halfbacks, Kelleher, and Healy go. Anyone know if this will be streamed like last year?

I've no doubt Joe isn't thinking this way (certainly not for both of them) but if I was him I'd be keeping an open mind about every Irish scrum half bar Murray right now.

[simonokeeffe]

am going to be a grouch and point out those emerging locks will be 30 and 31 start of next season

[Ruckedtobits]

simonokeeffe wrote:

am going to be a grouch and point out those emerging locks will be 30 and 31 start of next season.

Touché.

But on the other hand, Irish front-five players are late developers and if he has a career like Willie John or Paul O'Connell or the English / Toulon second row Simon Shaw, that means they only have between 6 and 10 Seasons left in their careers!

[simonokeeffe]

simonokeeffe wrote:

am going to be a grouch and point out those emerging locks will be 30 and 31 start of next season.

Touché.

But on the other hand, Irish front-five players are late developers and if he has a career like Willie John or Paul O'Connell or the English / Toulon second row Simon Shaw, that means they only have between 6 and 10 Seasons left in their careers!

its thrown by injuries to likes of Kearney, Foley and Roux not qualifying til August

TBH most of the lock stocks especially reserves are quite old, other than that looking at Molony, Qualter, Alan O'Connor

[cormac]

Here's the actual team;

Emerging Ireland squad to play Emerging Italy at
Avchala Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia, Saturday, 13 June, kick-off 14:00 GMT.

Tiernan O'Halloran (Buccaneers/Connacht), Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster), Eoin Griffin (London Irish), Stuart McCloskey (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Matt Healy (Lansdowne/Connacht), JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster), Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster); Denis Buckley (Corinthians/Connacht), Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster), Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster), Ben Marshall (Old Belvedere/Connacht), Billy Holland (Cork Constitution/Munster), Rhys Ruddock (St Mary's College/Leinster) captain, Dan Leavy (UCD/Leinster), Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster).

Replacements: Dave Heffernan (Buccaneers/Connacht), Andy Warwick (Ballymena/Ulster), Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht), Andrew Browne (Galwegians /Connacht), Eoghan Masterson (Corinthians/Connacht), John Cooney (Terenure/Connacht), Rory Scannell (Dolphin/Munster), Peter Nelson (Malone/Ulster).

[waterboy]

Thats a tasty back row

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Oh I didn't realise that was RTB's team. They obviously listened to Simon's concerns about the second row. Hope Andrew Browne stays fit, always a talent and has been excellent for Connacht recently.

[Donny B.]

Any coverage of this?

[Dave Cahill]

Any coverage of this?

Live streaming on the Georgian RFUs site

[Donny B.]

Any coverage of this?

Live streaming on the Georgian RFUs site

Cheers.

[offshorerules]

A nice honour for Rhys. Good luck lads.

[simonokeeffe]

Oh I didn't realise that was RTB's team. They obviously listened to Simon's concerns about the second row. Hope Andrew Browne stays fit, always a talent and has been excellent for Connacht recently.

nah there were injuries and Browne has been around for years

[nelly the elephant]

Thats a tasty back row

Is fíor sin..... can't wait to see them in action.

[jezzer]

Suppose there's no way someone can record the stream? I won't be around a telly at that time...

[simonokeeffe]

http://rugbyge.tulix.tv/

is the stream

[Donny B.]

Great. Feed went down just long enough to completely miss the try!

[Dave Cahill]

Axel Foley - the Decca Records of rugby coaches

[Donny B.]

Nice bit of toe from JJ there

The graphic has revealed his real name to be John. I did not know that

[Dave Cahill]

Great. Feed went down just long enough to completely miss the try!

Scrum, McGrath to JJ, cross kick to Conway, one step inside the fullback and one step to dot down