Fan with smartphone wrote:What are we looking at now?
1. Kilcoyne, Cronin, Buckley/Porter/Bent. Give Healy a pre-season.
2. Scannell, Tracy, Cronin
3. Ryan, Bealham.
4. Treadwell, Molony
5. Roux, probably Toner (though I'd like him rested).
6. Leavy, O'Brien/Ruddock.
7. JVDF, O'Donnell.
8. Conan, O'Donoghue.
9. Marmion, McGrath.
10. Jackson, Byrne/Carbery. Would like to see all 3, especially given Carbery can slot in 15 and at a push 9
11. Zebo, Gilroy. Let Earls get his groin in good order for next season. Might not take Stockdale after a dodgy display v Munster.
12. McCloskey, Scannell. Olding's form is really not good either, is exciting at times playing 10 for Ulster, but dropping easy ball and easily blocked
13. Marshall, Ringrose.
14. Byrne, Sweetnam.
15. O'Halloran, Conway.
My thoughts:
loosehead prop:
Healy plus one of Kilcoyne, Cronin, Buckley and Dooley. Personally, I'd prefer to see Buckley or Dooley get the second spot, but maybe Kilcoyne is the most likely
hooker:
Scannell, Cronin and Tracy would be my guess based on selections since last Autumn. Strauss might be able to muscle his way past Tracy by performing well for Leinster
tighthead prop:
With Ross seemingly having been phased out, it looks as if it'll be Ryan, Bealham and Bent. Maybe Conor Carey can challenge.
second row:
If they take four, it could be Toner, Holland, Roux and Treadwell. Ryan would probably bump somebody out if it turns out he'll be staying with Munster. James Cannon and Andrew Browne look like interesting options, but might not get a chance
blindside:
Rhys Ruddock seems the obvious pick, although he misses quite a lot of time with injury. If Ruddock is unavailable, it might open the door for McKeon, O'Brien or O'Callaghan, or Dan Leavy might be played at 6
openside:
Leavy and van der Flier look like the best options here to me. Reidy and O'Donnell would also be in the frame, although I don't rate O'Donnell particularly highly myself
no. 8:
Heaslip, Conan. Given the 'dry run for World Cup' nature of this tour, I think Heaslip will and should go if he recovers in time. If he doesn't make it back in time, Jack O'Donoghue is probably best-placed to benefit
scrumhalf:
Marmion, McGrath, Cooney/Blade
outhalf:
Jackson, Carbery. Ross Byrne, Jack Carty, Ian Keatley and JJ Hanrahan are other options if one of Jackson or Carbery gets injured or called away
inside centre:
I'd say it'll be two from McCloskey, Olding and Scannell. Schmidt seems to have a few reservations about McCloskey, so he could be the one to miss out, although I think I prefer him as a 12 option to Olding. Reid and Ronaldson have had good seasons, but it's possibly unlikely that they'd get a look-in
outside centre:
Ringrose plus either Luke Marshall or Rory O'Loughlin. Think I prefer what ROL brings, but Marshall's greater international involvement to date might see him get the nod
wing:
If Trimble, Earls, McFadden and Gilroy are available, there might not be a whole lot of space to include the likes of Byrne, Sweetnam and Stockdale. I'd like to see Trimble, Stockdale and Sweetnam go, but the chances of a fit Earls not travelling are probably slim.
fullback:
O'Halloran, Zebo. A return for Kearney might complicate things, but he might be better of trying to get himself fully right over the Summer
Overall, Id say that nearly all the available front-liners will go because the experience will be valuable come World Cup time