RWC 2019

[Lar]

Stockdale playing 15 again. I wonder is it to late to try him at the Irish 15 shirt before the RWC? He could be our version of Folau at the back. If not I'd love to see it next year. With him at 15 and Earls and Lowe on either wing that's an exciting back three.

I'd say it's more about covering Kearney and/or options for rotating.

RWC squads are tight for specialists in the outside backs.

Do we bring a fullback like Addison or a winger like Conway.

I was tempted to correct your last few words "or a whinger like Conway" after last Saturday; but in all seriousness I do think he deserves a chance in the RWC Squad more than Addison because from what I have seen he can cover full back as well as wing better than Addison can double up.

[sunshiner1]

SOB is out of the world cup. Shame I think this obviously nails down JVDF as the started 7 with maybe Jordi as the second choice.

[ronk]

SOB is out of the world cup. Shame I think this obviously nails down JVDF as the started 7 with maybe Jordi as the second choice.

Who's 3rd choice? Ruddock? O'Donnell, is he fit?

[Oldschool]

SOB is out of the world cup. Shame I think this obviously nails down JVDF as the started 7 with maybe Jordi as the second choice.

Who's 3rd choice? Ruddock? O'Donnell, is he fit?

Stander, Conan, VDF, Jordi, Ruddock and POM.
Deegan probably the next car off the rank.
Stander has played 7 recently
Personally I would have Deegan ahead of POM, his lineout work has really improved and he offers so much more around the park.
Won't happen unfortunately.

[sunshiner1]

Ruddock has played 7 once or twice internationall I could see him doing it again push comes to shove.

[fourthirtythree]

Sooner have O'Mahony at 7 and Ruddock at 6 than move Ruddock to 7.

[matt]

Back row is really key for us if we are to have any chance of progressing pasts the quarter finals and also to provide more unpredictability after difficulties of the 6 nations.

Like everyone I think JS is great but if Conan has not proved to him by now how much he can add to the back row then I would not be too hopeful of our prospects. Conan, Stander, O'Mahony & VDF likely to be in the matchday backrow squad with Jordi & Ruddock potentially getting in also. Will be interesting to see if Deegan in 45 announced this week. If he is and shows up well in training which he is capable of doing he has a chance too.

[ronk]

Sooner have O'Mahony at 7 and Ruddock at 6 than move Ruddock to 7.

POM will not move in any scenario unless there is a drastic change. Beirne and Stander are more than capable 6s but werent even played there in the league when POM wasnt around.

POM's special role in the system can only be accommodated at 6 and everyone else will move around to suit him.

[Oldschool]

Sooner have O'Mahony at 7 and Ruddock at 6 than move Ruddock to 7.

POM will not move in any scenario unless there is a drastic change. Beirne and Stander are more than capable 6s but werent even played there in the league when POM wasnt around.

POM's special role in the system can only be accommodated at 6 and everyone else will move around to suit him.

Well that's a mouth full and you slipped it in very neatly.
Let's just examine this "special role" to which you refer.
The first thing to be deduced is that no other player could perform this role.
The second thing to be deduced is that the role is vital that it overrides anything else that any other BR players could bring to the table.
The third thing to be deduced is that the role can't be broken down and divvied out to other players.
Having had a good look at POM in our most recent counter what I can add is that POM isn't performing the "special role" to which you refer.
The same can be said of his performances for Ireland.

[Oldschool]

Sooner have O'Mahony at 7 and Ruddock at 6 than move Ruddock to 7.

I'd personally sooner have POM out the RWC squad.
He's a passenger.

[Dave Cahill]

POM will not move in any scenario

his ball carrying is pretty poor alright

[sunshiner1]

POM is in to win line-outs. You wonder if Beirne could not do the same role and give more of a ground hog at 6.

[ronk]

POM is in to win line-outs. You wonder if Beirne could not do the same role and give more of a ground hog at 6.

Beirne has declined slowly, it's too easy to smash just one player if they enter a ruck and they have a target on their back.

[Oldschool]

If POM starts as first choice in our big RWC games then we are goosed.
We might get to the QFs but that will he that.
He isn't our biggest problem though.
Best at 35 is already a problem.
Sexton at 34 is on his way to becoming a problem.
Murray has age on his side but he is a problem as of now.
Stop worrying, there's plenty of time between now and the RWC.
Now where have we heard that before.

[Oldschool]

POM is in to win line-outs. You wonder if Beirne could not do the same role and give more of a ground hog at 6.

Beirne has declined slowly, it's too easy to smash just one player if they enter a ruck and they have a target on their back.

Beirne has shown no signs if decline, Munster have and that has a lot to do with Murray's decline.

[Oldschool]

POM is in to win line-outs. You wonder if Beirne could not do the same role and give more of a ground hog at 6.

And funnily enough Leinster's lineout managed fine at the weekend without POM and the previous weekend against POM.
One or two lineout steals a game isn't enough.
Beirne is very good in the lineout and is a bit more energetic around the park than POM.
It's likely than teams have sussed out POM's role and the game is simply passing him by.

[blockhead]

Callum Sheedy.
Dads from Kildare, played for us at U-19, turned down offer to play for Wales at U20, playing for England in BaaBaas game which does not tie him to England. I wonder could a chat from Andy Farrell get him in green?

[Dave Cahill]

Callum Sheedy.
Dads from Kildare, played for us at U-19, turned down offer to play for Wales at U20, playing for England in BaaBaas game which does not tie him to England. I wonder could a chat from Andy Farrell get him in green?

Like a lot of younger welsh players who refused to turn out for the u20s when it was the welsh next national XV against another u20 side that were that country's next national XV in order to keep their options open. Sheedy's ambitions have always been eastward rather than westward.

Though he could be the next England's Mike Haley I guess.

[wixfjord]

One of the other stumbling blocks with Sheedy is what province would take him? We wouldn't, Munster are stacked up and Connacht/Ulster both have fairly solid IQ starters. He's a cracking player though. Keeping Madser our of 10.

[Xanthippe]

Callum Sheedy.
Dads from Kildare, played for us at U-19, turned down offer to play for Wales at U20, playing for England in BaaBaas game which does not tie him to England. I wonder could a chat from Andy Farrell get him in green?

Lovely touch at their awards night where Sheedy was presented with the 'Back of the Year' award - he accepted on behalf of all the backs but singled out Mads saying 'you are a legend and everything I do is what you teach me during the week'