World Cup Training Squad named

[Dave Cahill]

With apologies to Simon, but I thought this deserved a thread of its own...

The Ireland management team have named a 45-man training squad which will commence Rugby World Cup preparations at the end of June and will play in four Test matches across August and September. Paul O'Connell has been named captain of the squad.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt commented: "The squad selection has been a long process with some very tight decisions. Some injured players who are getting close to full fitness have been included, while others have missed out due to prolonged absence or lack of opportunity to demonstrate their full Test match readiness.

"Rhys Ruddock would have been selected but has been ruled him out after fracturing his arm against Uruguay in the Tbilisi Cup last week."

Ireland's schedule of Rugby World Cup warm-up matches will see them play Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, August 8 before hosting Scotland in the GUINNESS Summer Series a week later at the Aviva Stadium.

On Saturday, August 29, Wales come to the Aviva Stadium with the final game taking place at Twickenham against England on Saturday, September 5. Tickets for the two GUINNESS Summer Series home games against Scotland and Wales are available from www.ticketmaster.ie.

The Ireland squad will host three Open Training Sessions during their World Cup training schedule, the first will take place at the Sportsground, Galway on Tuesday, July 14, the second will be held in Cork on Wednesday, July 29 and the final open session is pencilled in for the RDS, Dublin on Tuesday, September 8. Details on how to access tickets for the open sessions will be published shortly.

IRELAND 2015 Rugby World Cup Training Squad:

Backs (22) -

Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)
Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster)
Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Noel Reid (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (Racing 92)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Forwards (23) -

Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Michael Bent (Dublin University/Leinster)
Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) *
Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) *
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster)
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster)
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (capt)
Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)

* Denotes uncapped player

[Dave Cahill]

I suppose the obvious absence is Ian Keatley

[Sionnach]

I suppose the obvious absence is Ian Keatley

Fair enough though. You're not going to take 4 out halves to the World Cup and out of Sexton, Madigan, Jackson and him he was always the most likely to be left behind. Unless one of those lads injures themselves he's out of the running.

[Dave Cahill]

I suppose the obvious absence is Ian Keatley

Fair enough though. You're not going to take 4 out halves to the World Cup and out of Sexton, Madigan, Jackson and him he was always the most likely to be left behind. Unless one of those lads injures themselves he's out of the running.

He played himself out of it alright over the last couple of months

[All Blacks nil]

I suppose the obvious absence is Ian Keatley

A poor finish to the season along with Paddy Jacksons return from injury and to decent form and Madigan's consistently high levels of performance have combined to cost him his place. Needs a solid start to next season but should hopefully prosper in the Pro12 during RWC15

[All Blacks nil]

I suppose the obvious absence is Ian Keatley

A poor finish to the season along with Paddy Jacksons return from injury and to decent form and Madigan's consistently high levels of performance have combined to cost him his place. Needs a solid start to next season but should hopefully prosper in the Pro12 during RWC15

[Ruckedtobits]

IMO surprise omission is McCloskey and surprise inclusion is Noel Reid. Doubtful about Cave but when you look at the list, you've got to assume he sees Luke Fitz or Earls as 2nd choice 13, unless he sees Ferg doing that job with bonus of being auxiliary kicker. Lots of back three options and also Front-row. Cut-out certain from those two roles.

2nd Row depth is limited. Mike McCarthy is unlucky and probably means Henderson is going to have to work that role rather than seeing him as predominantly a No 6. Conan 'earned' or cemented his place with performances for Emerging team.

Overall, nothing you could class as "bolter" in sight.

[simonokeeffe]

*angrily unfollows DC on twitter*

Positional breakdown

Forwards (23)
Best, Cronin, Strauss, Herring
Healy, McGrath, Killer, Bent
Ross, Moore, Furlong
POC, Toner, Henderson, Ryan, Tuohy
POM
SOB, Henry, TOD
Heaslip, Murphy, Conan

Backs (22)

Murray, Reddan, Boss, Marmion
Sexton, Madigan, Jackson
Henshaw, Darcy, Reid
Payne, Cave
Bowe, Luke, Trimble, Earls, Zebo, McFadden, DK, Gilroy
RK, Jones

James Cronin, Mike McCarthy, Nathan White, Ian Keatley probably the notable absentees, Ruddock has broken arm and is out, not sure on Copeland's fitness
Only variable in the forwards is how many props they take and if one is double sided, pecking orders in all positions look fairly set

23 Leinster, 11 Ulster, 9 Munster, 2 Connacht if anyone was wondering the provincial breakdown

[LeRouxIsPHat]

For such a large squad there are actually quite a few decisions that surprise me.

8 wingers named, very hard to see how someone like Gilroy will get enough game time to force his way in.

I'm a bit disappointed that neither Luke McGrath or Cooney were named, especially Cooney. It's not that they're amazing, but like I've said before I think that Murray should be the only certainty at scrumhalf.

Really feel for Rhys but think he'd have been relying on injuries anyway. To be only missing him isn't bad at this stage, long may it continue.

[hugonaut]

Mike McCarthy unlucky to miss out. Donnacha Ryan hasn't played a test match in 27 months – his last game was the loss against Italy in the 2013 Six Nations – and has been a massive injury worry since then, basically. He hasn't had time to put together a run of good form and frankly I'm wary of his ability to train and play and train again with his current injury. I think that it's the sort of thing that is managed rather than fixed

At the top of their respective games, I'd definitely give Ryan the edge on McCarthy, but Ryan's nowhere near the top of his game and McCarthy is quite close to his. The latter's second season here was way better than his first and he was able to keep Kane Douglas out of the starting lineup, which is a feather in his cap. Over the last couple of seasons, McCarthy has put together 41+10 games for Leinster, while Ryan has put in 15+2 for Munster. It seems to me to be a big gamble on Ryan.

[hugonaut]

Also very surprised that Reid is in ahead of McCloskey. I think McCloskey is a much more similar player to Henshaw than Reid is, and thus a more suitable substitute if the Westmeath man gets injured. Henshaw is bolted in, so I think it's very much a case of looking for an injury replacement rather than to look for another option.

I also think Mccluskey has had a better season than Reid, and is more suited to the massive physical challenge of test rugby in the No12 jersey. In short, I can't [and wouldn't] make an argument for Reid ahead of him.

[All Blacks nil]

Mike McCarthy unlucky to miss out. Donnacha Ryan hasn't played a test match in 27 months – his last game was the loss against Italy in the 2013 Six Nations – and has been a massive injury worry since then, basically. He hasn't had time to put together a run of good form and frankly I'm wary of his ability to train and play and train again with his current injury. I think that it's the sort of thing that is managed rather than fixed

At the top of their respective games, I'd definitely give Ryan the edge on McCarthy, but Ryan's nowhere near the top of his game and McCarthy is quite close to his. The latter's second season here was way better than his first and he was able to keep Kane Douglas out of the starting lineup, which is a feather in his cap. Over the last couple of seasons, McCarthy has put together 41+10 games for Leinster, while Ryan has put in 15+2 for Munster. It seems to me to be a big gamble on Ryan.

I guess you wouldn't be picking Luke either

[janeymac08]

Mike McCarthy unlucky to miss out. Donnacha Ryan hasn't played a test match in 27 months – his last game was the loss against Italy in the 2013 Six Nations – and has been a massive injury worry since then, basically. He hasn't had time to put together a run of good form and frankly I'm wary of his ability to train and play and train again with his current injury. I think that it's the sort of thing that is managed rather than fixed

At the top of their respective games, I'd definitely give Ryan the edge on McCarthy, but Ryan's nowhere near the top of his game and McCarthy is quite close to his. The latter's second season here was way better than his first and he was able to keep Kane Douglas out of the starting lineup, which is a feather in his cap. Over the last couple of seasons, McCarthy has put together 41+10 games for Leinster, while Ryan has put in 15+2 for Munster. It seems to me to be a big gamble on Ryan.

Ryan was carrying an injury for the last 6Ns he was playing. He hasn't been a massive injury worry since, he has just played 8 straight games at the end of the season for Munster without any injury concerns.

As to performance, it might surprise you to know he was one of only 3 Munster players that made the Top 10 performers in the final v Glasgow (Andrew Smith & Keith Earls were the other two).

http://www.rugby.net/s/o4pLJeLoYl6#Tx:c ... 3020928&g=

You must be very concerned about the inclusion in the training squad of Luke Fitz then with his inability to stay fit over the last 6 years.

[janeymac08]

Also very surprised that Reid is in ahead of McCloskey. I think McCloskey is a much more similar player to Henshaw than Reid is, and thus a more suitable substitute if the Westmeath man gets injured. Henshaw is bolted in, so I think it's very much a case of looking for an injury replacement rather than to look for another option.

I also think Mccluskey has had a better season than Reid, and is more suited to the massive physical challenge of test rugby in the No12 jersey. In short, I can't [and wouldn't] make an argument for Reid ahead of him.

Could have been Kiss who said a few weeks back that they wanted to see players perform under pressure. McCloskey hasn't really had that opportunity with Ulster and why Paddy Jackson made it and Ian Keatley didn't.

They need a load of tacklebag holders like Reid. Considering the coaching situation in Leinster, it seems sensible that Leinster players are seconded to Ireland to take the pressure off the fledgling Leinster coaching team who won't have a backs coach for another couple of weeks as Dempsey was with Emerging Ireland.

[OTT]

Mike McCarthy unlucky to miss out. Donnacha Ryan hasn't played a test match in 27 months – his last game was the loss against Italy in the 2013 Six Nations – and has been a massive injury worry since then, basically. He hasn't had time to put together a run of good form and frankly I'm wary of his ability to train and play and train again with his current injury. I think that it's the sort of thing that is managed rather than fixed

At the top of their respective games, I'd definitely give Ryan the edge on McCarthy, but Ryan's nowhere near the top of his game and McCarthy is quite close to his. The latter's second season here was way better than his first and he was able to keep Kane Douglas out of the starting lineup, which is a feather in his cap. Over the last couple of seasons, McCarthy has put together 41+10 games for Leinster, while Ryan has put in 15+2 for Munster. It seems to me to be a big gamble on Ryan.

I guess you wouldn't be picking Luke either

Luke can cover back row as well though

[All Blacks nil]

Mike McCarthy unlucky to miss out. Donnacha Ryan hasn't played a test match in 27 months – his last game was the loss against Italy in the 2013 Six Nations – and has been a massive injury worry since then, basically. He hasn't had time to put together a run of good form and frankly I'm wary of his ability to train and play and train again with his current injury. I think that it's the sort of thing that is managed rather than fixed

At the top of their respective games, I'd definitely give Ryan the edge on McCarthy, but Ryan's nowhere near the top of his game and McCarthy is quite close to his. The latter's second season here was way better than his first and he was able to keep Kane Douglas out of the starting lineup, which is a feather in his cap. Over the last couple of seasons, McCarthy has put together 41+10 games for Leinster, while Ryan has put in 15+2 for Munster. It seems to me to be a big gamble on Ryan.

I guess you wouldn't be picking Luke either

On your criteria SOB and Daverage shouldn't be in the squad either.
Like Luke and SOB, Donnacha Ryan deserves his place. He is a proven international class 2nd row who had had a strong finish to the season after a long layoff.
Once a player is fit to play he can and should be considered. Sure a long run of and form games strictly managed by the IRFU is the ideal situation but case your mind back to this years Six Natikns and 2 notable Irish exceptions to that"rule" immediately spring to mind.
As I say if a guy is fit enough to do himself justice,you pick the best available.

[OTT]

I would really like to voice my concern about hugo having an opinion that McCarthy was unlucky to miss out on the squad based on his opinion that McCarthy had an excellent season for Leinster and Ryan missed the whole of 2014 bar 4 games at the start of that year and has only made 5 starts in 2015. Since when are people entitled to have an opinion around here and then the audacity to back it up with sound reasoning. Disgraceful. Ryan played a few games therefore he starts ahead of Dev, end of story!


Personally I think Ryan ahead of McCarthy is the right call because if he kicks on over the next few months he has the potential to be back challenging for the match day 23 and if he does not then he is still a decent 4th choice lock. But jumping on people with an alternative opinion is at best pathetic.

[ChrisUppy]

I don't contest Ryan's place in the squad but comparing him to SOB - I mean come on. The reason SOB gets parachuted back in the team is because he's one of the best players of his position in the world. Ireland have very few of those.

Donnacha Ryan is the 4th best lock in Ireland...

Also, the comparison with Luke holds no water. Luke is a test Lion, has also played a lot of rugby this season and has been in great form. Some people let their Zebo and Earls fanboyism get in the way of recognising this.

[ChrisUppy]

Also, I'd add that I wouldn't have D. Kearney or McFadden in that squad.

[All Blacks nil]

I would really like to voice my concern about hugo having an opinion that McCarthy was unlucky to miss out on the squad based on his opinion that McCarthy had an excellent season for Leinster and Ryan missed the whole of 2014 bar 4 games at the start of that year and has only made 5 starts in 2015. Since when are people entitled to have an opinion around here and then the audacity to back it up with sound reasoning. Disgraceful. Ryan played a few games therefore he starts ahead of Dev, end of story!


Personally I think Ryan ahead of McCarthy is the right call because if he kicks on over the next few months he has the potential to be back challenging for the match day 23 and if he does not then he is still a decent 4th choice lock.

But jumping on people with an alternative opinion is at best pathetic

.

HMMMMMMM

that's your opinion

The "sound reasoning" that formed Hugo's ( whom, i'm sure is grateful for you standing up for his right to have an opinion while at the same time trying to argue against my right to form an alternative opinion) opinion seems to be that Mick Mc played 50 odd games in two seasons and displaced Douglas, whereas a long term injured Ryan only played 15 games and hasn't played international rugby in 27 months. Was McCarthy"s second season "way better* than his first season. Not sure myself but would not disagree with sound reasoning.

I think you will find on discussion forums (I know that is the wrong plural) that people make their opinion known and that some people will agree and incredible as it sounds some people will disagree with their opinion.
So just as Hugo is allowed to have his opinion and indeed back it up with "sound reasoning", I too, am allowed an opinion and indeed question the sound reasoning that formed his opinion if in my opinion his opinion is wrong.