The leak means you are getting nothing more out of this Ireland camp until it’s over. That’s maybe the way he wanted it anyway.johng wrote:Big Misserouters in order
Toner
Marmion
Murphy
Addisson
McGrath
Byrne
Toner is a huge surprise. Even the maul defence alone, but Kleyn is no slouch there either and Joe must see more in Kleyn’s all round game. It’s a ruthless, ruthless call to a trusted player, but if that’s what he sees, he’s got to to do it. No wonder Joe was agonising about this. Can’t have been an easy conversation for either of them.
Marmion is really unlucky. I’ve always thought McGrath was the better of the two in a technical sense, but Marmion has a great game intelligence. He just knows how to win wee battles over and over and has a tendency to find a way to get something done over and above his technical skill set. I thought he would have swung it to be honest, but then again if you want to play more through your 10...I can understand why the technically better 9 gets the nod if you are only taking two of them.
Murphy is probably next cab off the rank for the inevitable backrow injury. I imagine he will continue to train with the squad and they won’t send him home until they absolutely have to. But it’s the correct call for me to take Ruddock if he is healthy and fit. He has managed to play well when neither at times and with luck could have a great World Cup.
Addison is, for me, the right call. Just had too much to do and Farrell gives us physicality in midfield that allows others to play. Big in the centres for some games perhaps? Joe has done it before.
McGrath I would’ve liked to see going but he hasn’t been at himself for a while, while Kilcoyne has. I understand it, but is an awful pity to leave a player with that quality in him behind. Had to be another brutally hard talk.
Byrne had a very difficult task v England and Carty an easier one v Wales. They had to take 3 with Carbery and Sexton carrying niggles and Carty just about won out. In the long run Byrne has higher ceiling, but it’s all about next 2 months, so I think that’s fair enough.
Can understand them all, but Joe has made the ruthless and brutal calls here. He has form for calling these things right.