Ireland v Fiji

[simonokeeffe]

Jordi Murphy has been called up with TOD and Leavy ruled out.

John Ryan is rehabbing a calf injury with Munster so young Mr Porter may well start

[ronk]

3 matches in a row isn’t too much for a lot of the guys, but it’s good to rotate squad. Porter may be a good bet with Furlong benching.

Can see Best playing again. Probably worth keeping the centres. Be a shame for Conan to miss out

[CiaranIrl]

3 matches in a row isn’t too much for a lot of the guys, but it’s good to rotate squad. Porter may be a good bet with Furlong benching.

Can see Best playing again. Probably worth keeping the centres. Be a shame for Conan to miss out

I kinda hate seeing mission critical players line up vs islander teams. You're liable to get a crunching, but legal hit where an injury is possibly on the cards. See Aki in the first minute of our last match by way of a reference point. For that reason, I hope Henshaw, Murray & Sexton get a pass.

[RoboProp]

Hopefully Jack and Luke will feature. Be nice if Adam "after" Byrne gets his first cap from the bench. I'd expect Ruddock to start

[neiliog93]

Joe said that he wanted the whole squad to get a game this Autumn. We could be seeing wholesale changes. Based on recent call-ups and injuries:

1.J.McGrath 2.Tracy 3.Porter

4.James Ryan 5.Dillane

6.Ruddock 8.Conan 7.Jordi

9.Marmion 10.Carbery 12.McCloskey 13.C.Farrell 14.A.Byrne

11.Sweetnam 15.D.Kearney

16.Best (needs more game time to sharpen up) 17.Kilcoyne 18.Furlong 19.Treadwell 20.SOB (only one of the full strength back row who might benefit from more game time, and there's no less experienced options in the wider squad) 21.L.McGrath 22.Keatley 23.O'Loughlin

[Ruckedtobits]

Joe said that he wanted the whole squad to get a game this Autumn. We could be seeing wholesale changes. Based on recent call-ups and injuries:

1.J.McGrath 2.Tracy 3.Porter

4.James Ryan 5.Dillane

6.Ruddock 8.Conan 7.Jordi

9.Marmion 10.Carbery 12.McCloskey 13.C.Farrell 14.A.Byrne

11.Sweetnam 15.D.Kearney

16.Best (needs more game time to sharpen up) 17.Kilcoyne 18.Furlong 19.Treadwell 20.SOB (only one of the full strength back row who might benefit from more game time, and there's no less experienced options in the wider squad) 21.L.McGrath 22.Keatley 23.O'Loughlin

Don't believe it will be that radical as Joe will want to give the new faces a chance to see how they fit alongside more senior players, e.g. McCloskey beside Henshaw, Sweetnam and Byrne alongside Rob Kearney, Dillane alongside Toner.

Best and SO'B will get a lot of work in camp but don't need a game against Fijians.

[sunshiner1]

I really wish Joe had called up someone else to replace John Ryan if he is out injured. Do we really need to risk Furlong against Fiji? Bealham has apparently gone to Oz for 2 weeks which is maybe why he isn't in the squad but Bent, Carey, Ah You and HerSt are all available and could do a job from the bench.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

With Connacht not in the Champions Cup and Ulster unlikely to get out of their group I'd be tempted to play their players where possible e.g. rest Henshaw but play Aki.

[Xanthippe]

I really wish Joe had called up someone else to replace John Ryan if he is out injured. Do we really need to risk Furlong against Fiji? Bealham has apparently gone to Oz for 2 weeks which is maybe why he isn't in the squad but Bent, Carey, Ah You and HerSt are all available and could do a job from the bench.

Ask and you shall receive!!!

[CiaranIrl]

1.J.McGrath 2.Herring 3.Porter 4. Henderson 5. Ryan 6.Ruddock 8.Conan 7. O'Mahony (captain) 9.Marmion 10.Carberry 12.McCloskey 13. Aki 14. Sweetnam 11. Stockdale 15. Conway

With Tracey, Kilcone, Bent, Dillane, Jordi, McGrath, Keatley, Adam Byrne on the bench

Might work.

[neiliog93]

Article on IT quoting Richie Murphy as saying John Ryan will be fit for the match and Bent is there for training purposes only. Also, James Ryan and Dave Kilcoyne will be fit after picking up minor knocks vs RSA.

We might also see Sean Reidy on the bench, with Jordi at 7.

[Oldschool]

1.J.McGrath 2.Herring 3.Porter 4. Henderson 5. Ryan 6.Ruddock 8.Conan 7. O'Mahony (captain) 9.Marmion 10.Carberry 12.McCloskey 13. Aki 14. Sweetnam 11. Stockdale 15. Conway

With Tracey, Kilcone, Bent, Dillane, Jordi, McGrath, Keatley, Adam Byrne on the bench

Might work.

Joe won't pick POM as captain for fear of the bloodletting down the road when Best retires and he has to name his successor and doesn't give it to POM.
It's called avoiding hostages to fortune.

[blockhead]

1.J.McGrath 2.Herring 3.Porter 4. Henderson 5. Ryan 6.Ruddock 8.Conan 7. O'Mahony (captain) 9.Marmion 10.Carberry 12.McCloskey 13. Aki 14. Sweetnam 11. Stockdale 15. Conway

With Tracey, Kilcone, Bent, Dillane, Jordi, McGrath, Keatley, Adam Byrne on the bench

Might work.

Joe won't pick POM as captain for fear of the bloodletting down the road when Best returns to the captaincy for Argentina.
It's called avoiding hostages to fortune.

Fixed.

[Oldschool]

1.J.McGrath 2.Herring 3.Porter 4. Henderson 5. Ryan 6.Ruddock 8.Conan 7. O'Mahony (captain) 9.Marmion 10.Carberry 12.McCloskey 13. Aki 14. Sweetnam 11. Stockdale 15. Conway

With Tracey, Kilcone, Bent, Dillane, Jordi, McGrath, Keatley, Adam Byrne on the bench

Might work.

Joe won't pick POM as captain for fear of the bloodletting down the road when Best returns to the captaincy for Argentina.
It's called avoiding hostages to fortune.

Fixed.

Thanks.

[Ruckedtobits]

1.J.McGrath 2.Herring 3.Porter 4. Henderson 5. Ryan 6.Ruddock 8.Conan 7. O'Mahony (captain) 9.Marmion 10.Carberry 12.McCloskey 13. Aki 14. Sweetnam 11. Stockdale 15. Conway

With Tracey, Kilcone, Bent, Dillane, Jordi, McGrath, Keatley, Adam Byrne on the bench

Might work.

Joe won't pick POM as captain for fear of the bloodletting down the road when Best retires and he has to name his successor and doesn't give it to POM.
It's called avoiding hostages to fortune.

Prefer to see Adam Byrne instead of Stockdale. Could live with Conway at 15 but would prefer RK to educate his neophyte wingers as a back three. Conway doesn't talk enough, he just focuses on his game.

[wixfjord]

Some interesting comments from Jack Conan ahead of this game.

"I wouldn’t be a massive poach threat over the ball and that’s definitely something I’ve got to work on but that’s not something that is a massive part of my game. I’m not a full round player, I need to improve but my aspects that are good stand out."

At least he's aware of the areas he needs to improve on.

[artaneboy]

Some interesting comments from Jack Conan ahead of this game.

"I wouldn’t be a massive poach threat over the ball and that’s definitely something I’ve got to work on but that’s not something that is a massive part of my game. I’m not a full round player, I need to improve but my aspects that are good stand out."

At least he's aware of the areas he needs to improve on.

That sounds just like a ‘Joe feedback’ piece. Jack needn’t worry too much, after all this is the man in 2011 who told BOD when he dropped a poor low pass, that “world class players catch those...”


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[simonokeeffe]

Going by the reaction to Bent's callup on the social internet media Herbst has stayed fit for more than 6 minutes and not been outplayed by Ah Here, and Bealham swallowed Paul Wallace overnight and hasnt been accordioned in half the games this season

[Peg Leg]

I really wish Joe had called up someone else to replace John Ryan if he is out injured. Do we really need to risk Furlong against Fiji? Bealham has apparently gone to Oz for 2 weeks which is maybe why he isn't in the squad but Bent, Carey, Ah You and HerSt are all available and could do a job from the bench.

Ask and you shall receive!!!

Jamison Gibson Park would have been a much better background bystander

[paddyor]

Some interesting comments from Jack Conan ahead of this game.

"I wouldn’t be a massive poach threat over the ball and that’s definitely something I’ve got to work on but that’s not something that is a massive part of my game. I’m not a full round player, I need to improve but my aspects that are good stand out."

At least he's aware of the areas he needs to improve on.

I think it's been noticeable that we started using him more in the line-out at the tail end of last season and even on occasion getting up to challenge on opposite ball.

Hell probably never be great over the ball given the way the rules are now, but also I think that's about how you read the game and looking for turnovers was never part of his game.