Ireland v Australia

[johng]

Sh1tload of 2nd rows.... Mumm at 6. I can see where this is going.

[johng]

Never knew there was a third Timani Brother. This guy is the small one "only" 6'4" and 124kg. Owtsch!

Between him and Sean McMahon for the last place.

[Dexter]

Gerry predicting the team thusly

IRELAND (possible): Kearney or Payne; Trimble, Payne or Ringrose, Olding, Zebo; Jackson, Murray; McGrath, Best (capt), Furlong, Ryan, Toner, Stander, O’Brien, Heaslip. Replacements: Cronin, Healy, Bealham, Dillane, van der Flier, Marmion, Carbery, Ringrose.

Olding the big surprise

ROC
Kearney/Zebo, Trimble, Payne/Ringrose, Marshall, Zebo/Earls, Jackson, Murray, Healy, Best, Furlong, Henderson, Toner, Stander, SOB, Heaslip
Cronin, McGrath, Bealham, Dillane, JVDF, Carberry, Ringrose/TOH

Marshall in the Ulster team.

[johng]

Gerry the closest as usual then

[neill_m]

Surely Ringrose at 12 with maybe Earls no 23?

Reports on Ulster Forum that Olding picked up an injury in camp.

[johng]

Surely Ringrose at 12 with maybe Earls no 23?

Reports on Ulster Forum that Olding picked up an injury in camp.

Jaysus we are really in a pickle at centre then.

Ulster got Gilroy too. Hmmmm.

[Peg Leg]

Lads & Lass's, what's Hodge like in the centre for Ozland? Never (knowingly) saw him play.

[simonokeeffe]

Lads & Lass's, what's Hodge like in the centre for Ozland? Never (knowingly) saw him play.

pretty good from what Ive seen in AIs, can kick 60m penalties too

Reckon we blitz their linout like crazy, if they use their subs before us their scrum can definitely be got at too

[simonokeeffe]

well no journos saw it coming
Harsh on Ryan but gives us more carrying options, thats some high tempo set of sub forwards for us

"Schmidt says Zebo has another 48 hours to prove fitness to take his place on the bench."
Ryan fatigued apparently

15. Rob Kearney
14. Andrew Trimble
13. Jared Payne
12. Garry Ringrose
11. Keith Earls
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Conor Murray

1. Jack McGrath
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Iain Henderson
5. Devin Toner
6. CJ Stander
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip

Replacements:

16. Sean Cronin
17. Cian Healy
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Josh van der Flier
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Joey Carbery
23. Simon Zebo

[Dave Cahill]

Zebo Crampy, Ryan fatigued and Marshall on the naughty step I reckon

[CiaranIrl]

Zebo Crampy, Ryan fatigued and Marshall on the naughty step I reckon

I saw Ryan in Monkstown on Sunday. Was turning his whole body to look sideways as if his neck was in absolute agony. Looked like he was in bits.

[domhnallj]

(15-1): Israel Folau, Dane Haylett-Petty, Tevita Kuridrani, Reece Hodge, Henry Speight, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, David Pocock, Michael Hooper, Dean Mumm, Rob Simmons, Rory Arnold, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore (capt), Scott Sio.

Res: Tolu Latu, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Kane Douglas, Lopeti Timani, Sean McMahon, Nick Phipps, Quade Cooper, Sefanaia Naivalu (one to be omitted)

I've been calling Simmons "Rod" for years, why didn't anyone tell me?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Who would come in for Zebo then?

[Raydollard]

Paddy effing Jackson - a massive blister on the arse of progress

[Fan with smartphone]

Who would come in for Zebo then?

Maybe Scannell or olding? Is everyone else back at les provences?

[jezzer]

As much as I have a lot of respect for Jackson as a player (and he's a reliable goalkicker) I really think we need to challenge the gainline more if we want to win and Jackson just hasn't been doing that lately. It was always an issue of his and he seemed to iron it out, to take and give the ball flatter. Last year in the RWC warmups he was excellent at getting the backline on the front foot.

But for Ulster and Ireland he's back to being deep and lateral. It's a phase-killer, especially with a non-12 at 12 in Ringrose.

Carbery is young and he's not a reliable goalkicker. Kind of a big deal, I know. But we saw in the first NZ test that he's a bit special and his absolute forte is getting the backline up to the gainline and putting guys into holes instead of turning them into targets.

Hopefully, Paddy can refind that form, but I think it'll be a challenge for us. Against NZ, a few dinks might at least have checked the defence and let him sit in the armchair a bit more, but he didn't ask that question and we were very lateral as a backline. At least with Earls back in, we have some pace to go around the long way on the outside, but as a backline we can't expect to get around teams if we don't force them narrow - we just don't have the pace in this team for that.

Happy with the pack. Disappointed for Ryan.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Who would come in for Zebo then?

Maybe Scannell or olding? Is everyone else back at les provences?

I was assuming Olding was injured based on the comment above.

Think I said about a week ago that Scannell probably won't get capped any time soon purely because of the queue in front of him...what queue?

[cormac]

I would assume O'Halloran is lined up as replacement for Zebo. Much more like for like.

[wixfjord]

I'm slightly worried about that 10/12 combo I must say. Foley isn't exactly Johnny Wilkinson defensively, but we were really lacking options at times last Sat. Jackson was playing very deep and neither Ringrose or Payne has the bulk that Henshaw brings to get you those 1-2 yard carries that are so important.

The onus is really on SOB, CJ and Hendo to carry big in that sort of 15.

[Ruckedtobits]

Cheika, in picking Mumm on the flank, is going to attack our line-out. With 'Two-storey Rory' and Simmons he has enough ammunition to use three defensive pods (albeit one with only a rear lift).

On the other hand, Ireland will have four Ulster boys Payne, Trimble,Jackson, and Henderson, each breaking their hearts and emptying their lungs to give Captain Rory a glorious 100th Cap. The rest of the Squad will follow that example and also want to give Mick Kearney a nice walk-away gift after 5 years organising everything.

There's great motivation throughout this group. Competition to get and hold their places, pride in what they've accomplished, gratitude to those who have helped make it happen, but above all, determination that the effort and discipline won't be wasted. These guys are looking forward to going back to the well together, for another go, determined to wash away last week's disappointment.

The pace and intensity that the Squad played with against New Zealand, twice, has been exemplary and their Coaches will have stressed to them that it is that intensity and discipline, allied to accuracy, which makes them a team in the top four in the world.

Bring it on. This is another game I'm really looking forward too.