You're right, I contradicted myself when I mentioned the bolters but I just meant that most of the squad should have been involved over the last while. My exceptions to that would be Furlong, McCloskey, and probably Cooney, any more than that would be overkill. You seem to think (understandably in fairness) that I'm saying that we shouldn't bring anyone who isn't experienced, when I'm actually saying its ridiculous to have an issue with a player like DK being picked ahead of someone who isn't even capped.Golf Man wrote:
Bit of a contradiction in what you are saying
Madness to think of Healy ahead of D Kearney when you would presumably have McCloskey ahead of Reid (and possibly Cave and Darcy?)
On the two cases that you mention in particular
Casey - my issue here is that Casey has been given no chance by the management team at all. Strauss in reality has little or no form in two years, and Herring is a back up (albeit a good one) to Best at Ulster. I would probably go for Strauss as 3rd hooker, but I do think Casey should have been included in extended squads over the last 12/18 months and given a fair chance - his form warranted it
Healy - D Kearney got into the 2014 6N team as a result of injuries and did pretty well, without excelling at any point. He has done little or nothing in the 18 months since then. Healy had an excellent season for Connacht meanwhile. Its no big issue - if either of them get into the WC squad we are screwed anyway because of so many injuries, but I do think that there has to be an avenue for form leading to recognition. This is particularly at the "lower" reaches of the squad - the kind of guys who don't have the big credit built up
We're on the eve of the World Cup and a lot has gone in to preparing for it, hopefully more of those uncapped guys will get a chance in the 6N and beyond but wherever possible I don't think now is the time for that.