RWC 2019

[Dave Cahill]

Last november I posted the following guess at what squad Schmidt would take to world cup

Presuming Schmidt uses a similar positional selection pattern to the 2015 RWC (even accepting that load of bollix about Madigan playing scrumhalf at face value - at least this year he has an outhalf who played scrum half after his voice broke in the squad) injuries permitting and no-ones form falling off a cliff, I don't see too many changes from...

Rory Best
Sean Cronin
Niall Scannell
Tadhg Furlong
Cian Healy
Jack McGrath
Andrew Porter
Finlay Bealham
Iain Henderson
James Ryan
Tadhg Beirne
Devin Toner
CJ Stander
Dan Leavy
Seán O'Brien
Peter O'Mahony
Josh vd Flier
Conor Murray
Kieran Marmion
Ross Beirne
Joey Carbery
Jonathan Sexton
Gary Ringrose
Bundee Aki
Robbie Henshaw
Will Addison
Jacob Stockdale
Keith Earls
Andrew Conway
Jordan Larmour
Rob Kearney

He may decide to take a third scrum half, in which case I'd imagine one of the wingers will lose out as he has Addison - so McGrath in for either Conway or Larmour and I'd go out on a limb and say if he had to make that choice, Larmour would lose out.

Obviously Leavy and O'Brien won't be going and it would appear that Addison is injured too, so they'll be replaced by Conan, Ruddock and Chris Farrell and with Schmidt showing himself to be a lot fonder of the taste of his own nose than I thought - Carty may go instead of Byrne. I also think that if he goes with a third scrumhalf, Conway is now on the danger seat

[johng]

Be mad to leave out Cooney as he can play 9 AND 10

[Dave Cahill]

Be mad to leave out Cooney as he can play 9 AND 10

Completely irrelevant. We will have three specialist 10s in the squad and you can call up injury replacements. There is as much chance of Cooney playing 10 as there was of Madigan playing 9.

[johng]

And this gives Joe the option of doing a reverse Madigan and bringing 2 x 10s 2 x 9s and Cooney.

[Oldschool]

And this gives Joe the option of doing a reverse Madigan and bringing 2 x 10s 2 x 9s and Cooney.

It all depends on how Joe sees it.
Which HB position is he most worried about.
Sexton or Murray.
If he had to pull the trigger in an emergency.
I agree with you, I'd be more worried about Murray because of his age. He's not in age decline so what is his issue.
With Sexton it's most likely age related decline and can he learn a few new tricks.
Cooney would me starting SH so I'd definitely want him there.

[neiliog93]

And this gives Joe the option of doing a reverse Madigan and bringing 2 x 10s 2 x 9s and Cooney.

That's what I think he'll do.

Murray, Marmion
Sexton, Carbery

+ Cooney.

4 centres (Henshaw, Ringrose, Aki, C.Farrell)

5 Outside Backs (R.Kearney, Earls, Stockdale, Larmour, Conway)

[ronk]

And this gives Joe the option of doing a reverse Madigan and bringing 2 x 10s 2 x 9s and Cooney.

It all depends on how Joe sees it.
Which HB position is he most worried about.
Sexton or Murray.
If he had to pull the trigger in an emergency.
I agree with you, I'd be more worried about Murray because of his age. He's not in age decline so what is his issue.
With Sexton it's most likely age related decline and can he learn a few new tricks.
Cooney would me starting SH so I'd definitely want him there.

Carbery’s injury record is the decisive factor. There needs to be 3 out halves.

[Oldschool]

And this gives Joe the option of doing a reverse Madigan and bringing 2 x 10s 2 x 9s and Cooney.

It all depends on how Joe sees it.
Which HB position is he most worried about.
Sexton or Murray.
If he had to pull the trigger in an emergency.
I agree with you, I'd be more worried about Murray because of his age. He's not in age decline so what is his issue.
With Sexton it's most likely age related decline and can he learn a few new tricks.
Cooney would me starting SH so I'd definitely want him there.

Carbery’s injury record is the decisive factor. There needs to be 3 out halves.

Implicit in that is that Murray shouldn't be in the squad.

[Dave Cahill]

Peter Nelson has been included in Canada's extended RWC/PNC squad. Didn't see that one coming!

[Ruckedtobits]

Argentina (in the guise of Super Rugby franchise Jaguares) announced their challenge for RWC 2019 in their second half defeat of Chiefs in Buenos Aires last night. Coming from an 8-10 deficit, they won by 21-16 to advance in the knock-out stages of the competition for the first time, against the winners of the quarter-final encounter between Brumbies and Sharks

Coupled with the players from Europe they will add to their Squad, the Jaguares have built a very competitive pack coupled with real depth throughout this team.

For years, the prospect of developing the playing experience of a "CLUB" team into a full international team has seemed to be an option for some nation like Romania or Georgia, but the prospect of seeing an international team of the stature of Argentina, fully prepared by a competition like Super Rugby, will be closely examined by many Tier 2 rugby nations as a possibly route to advancement in world rugby rankings.

Make no mistake, this 'experiment' could be part of the solution for the future development of international rugby.

[cormac]

Have Argentina started selecting players playing in Europe again? Thought they stopped doing that after the last RWC?

[neill_m]

Have Argentina started selecting players playing in Europe again? Thought they stopped doing that after the last RWC?

I believe they started picking European players again 2 years ago, may be wrong.

[neill_m]

Peter Nelson has been included in Canada's extended RWC/PNC squad. Didn't see that one coming!

No one did to be fair. Straight out of left field.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Argentina (in the guise of Super Rugby franchise Jaguares) announced their challenge for RWC 2019 in their second half defeat of Chiefs in Buenos Aires last night. Coming from an 8-10 deficit, they won by 21-16 to advance in the knock-out stages of the competition for the first time, against the winners of the quarter-final encounter between Brumbies and Sharks

Coupled with the players from Europe they will add to their Squad, the Jaguares have built a very competitive pack coupled with real depth throughout this team.

For years, the prospect of developing the playing experience of a "CLUB" team into a full international team has seemed to be an option for some nation like Romania or Georgia, but the prospect of seeing an international team of the stature of Argentina, fully prepared by a competition like Super Rugby, will be closely examined by many Tier 2 rugby nations as a possibly route to advancement in world rugby rankings.

Make no mistake, this 'experiment' could be part of the solution for the future development of international rugby.

I didn't think they were that good. Their defence was great at times but the Chiefs made heaps of stupid errors and Jackson helped them big time by totally ignoring offences at the breakdown. Somehow he missed one clearout where a Chiefs player had gone a metre past the ruck and then hit it from the Jaguares side AND it was also from the side.

[Ruckedtobits]

Argentina (in the guise of Super Rugby franchise Jaguares) announced their challenge for RWC 2019 in their second half defeat of Chiefs in Buenos Aires last night. Coming from an 8-10 deficit, they won by 21-16 to advance in the knock-out stages of the competition for the first time, against the winners of the quarter-final encounter between Brumbies and Sharks

Coupled with the players from Europe they will add to their Squad, the Jaguares have built a very competitive pack coupled with real depth throughout this team.

For years, the prospect of developing the playing experience of a "CLUB" team into a full international team has seemed to be an option for some nation like Romania or Georgia, but the prospect of seeing an international team of the stature of Argentina, fully prepared by a competition like Super Rugby, will be closely examined by many Tier 2 rugby nations as a possibly route to advancement in world rugby rankings.

Make no mistake, this 'experiment' could be part of the solution for the future development of international rugby.

I didn't think they were that good. Their defence was great at times but the Chiefs made heaps of stupid errors and Jackson helped them big time by totally ignoring offences at the breakdown. Somehow he missed one clearout where a Chiefs player had gone a metre past the ruck and then hit it from the Jaguares side AND it was also from the side.

Jackson's selection as Ref for the game was utterly bizarre and the subject of real controversy in both NZ & Arg. There were S.A. and Aus refs who could have been selected which would have the most logical decision.

Overall, although they were not as good as some previous performances this season, they were playing against a team which expected to win and contains some very good players and generally have been successful in knock-out games. This is broadly a young Jaguares team, albeit with hard-core experience dotted through it. They kept their discipline and their Game Plan and beating a NZ team in the knock-out stages of Super Rugby is a fairly rare event, other than for the top SA franchises.

Nothing on the sideboard yet, but, if they can continue to produce the performance in the s/f, the opportunity to pit themselves against Crusaders, or their conquerors, will sent shockwaves through Sanzar rugby, particularly in Australia who have complained about the composition of the Jaguares Squad over the past three months.

[ronk]

Peter Nelson has been included in Canada's extended RWC/PNC squad. Didn't see that one coming!

No one did to be fair. Straight out of left field.

Makes sense though. Now that he's been cut he doesnt really have to worry about being NIQ and it puts him in the shop window for a contract elsewhere.

Worst case his career is over and he goes out with international caps.

[Dave Cahill]

Peter Nelson has been included in Canada's extended RWC/PNC squad. Didn't see that one coming!

No one did to be fair. Straight out of left field.

Makes sense though. Now that he's been cut he doesnt really have to worry about being NIQ and it puts him in the shop window for a contract elsewhere.

Worst case his career is over and he goes out with international caps.

Yep, fair play to him, hope he really enjoys it - he has been a stalwart for Ulster and the Irish game

[Ruckedtobits]

Coetzee included in back-row of S. African Squad for forthcoming internationals. Surprising what exposure to a different league can do to a Coach's perception as to how well players overseas are playing. He has performed very well for Ulster this year and is an important man in their team.

Ulster could lose two back-rows to World Cup duty and that will have a big impact.

[Ruckedtobits]

After less than 20 mins, Jaguares, in front of an almost full stadium in Buenos Aires, lead Brumbies by 20-0 in the first Super Rugby semi-final. The performance of their pack is superb, but the player who has really impressed is their scrum-half. I'll have his name befire the end of the Sky( Ch 4p8) broadcast, (Cubelli, I think) but he is a revelation and the next Argentinian super-star.

[Ruckedtobits]

It finished at 39-7 for the Argentinians, in front of 31, 000 very enthusiastic fans. A very comptrehensive display which augurs well for the Super Rugby final. Without doubt, this team will make an impact at the World Cup and can play the game at great pace with real intensity.