RWC2019 31-man squad

[Dave Cahill]

Some figures on scrum half selections by Ireland at the Rugby World Cup. Appearances are in the form of start/used substitute/games - no non injury subs permitted before the 99 World Cup

1987 (27 man squad)
Michael Bradley (4/4)
Tony Doyle (0/4)

1991 (27 man max squad)
Rob Saunders (4/4)
Fergus Aherne (0/0)

1995 (27 man max squad)
Niall Hogan (3/4)
Michael Bradley (1/4)

1999 (30 man squad)
Brian O'Meara (0/2/4)
Tom Tierney (4/4)

2003 (31 man squad)
Neil Doak (0/0/5)
Guy Easterby (0/3/5)
Peter Stringer (5/5)

2007 (30 man squad)
Isaac Boss (0/2/4)
Eoin Reddan (2/4)
Peter Stringer (2/4)

2011 (30 man squad)
Isaac Boss (1/0/5)
Eoin Reddan (1/4/5)
Conor Murray (3/1/5)

2015 (31 man squad)
Eoin Reddan (1/3/5)
Conor Murray (4/1/5)

(Isaac Boss called up as an injury replacement for Jarod Payne (0/0/5))

[ronk]

Reddan and Boss with 3 RWCs each. Stringer only 2 in a long career.

From that it looks like we've mostly gone for 3 but never really needed 3.

Last time out Reddan or Murray would have done 80 minutes if the other was injured. A sub was break-glass.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Some figures on scrum half selections by Ireland at the Rugby World Cup. Appearances are in the form of start/used substitute/games - no non injury subs permitted before the 99 World Cup

1987 (27 man squad)
Michael Bradley (4/4)
Tony Doyle (0/4)

1991 (27 man max squad)
Rob Saunders (4/4)
Fergus Aherne (0/0)

1995 (27 man max squad)
Niall Hogan (3/4)
Michael Bradley (1/4)

1999 (30 man squad)
Brian O'Meara (0/2/4)
Tom Tierney (4/4)

2003 (31 man squad)
Neil Doak (0/0/5)
Guy Easterby (0/3/5)
Peter Stringer (5/5)

2007 (30 man squad)
Isaac Boss (0/2/4)
Eoin Reddan (2/4)
Peter Stringer (2/4)

2011 (30 man squad)
Isaac Boss (1/0/5)
Eoin Reddan (1/4/5)
Conor Murray (3/1/5)

2015 (31 man squad)
Eoin Reddan (1/3/5)
Conor Murray (4/1/5)

(Isaac Boss called up as an injury replacement for Jarod Payne (0/0/5))

Did Madigan not go as scrum half cover last time out??

[ribs]

Some figures on scrum half selections by Ireland at the Rugby World Cup. Appearances are in the form of start/used substitute/games - no non injury subs permitted before the 99 World Cup

(Isaac Boss called up as an injury replacement for Jarod Payne (0/0/5))

Gosh, 12 years since I was on here arguing that 3 scrum halves and 3 hookers were a mistake, when we needed the last spaces to be filled by the inform players who could ignite games if we were struggling. Nothing since then has changed my mind. We ended up well screwed before the match against Argentina (at last WC) in terms of injuries (particularly in the back line) and Boss was not the position we needed cover for.

[hugonaut]

Some figures on scrum half selections by Ireland at the Rugby World Cup. Appearances are in the form of start/used substitute/games - no non injury subs permitted before the 99 World Cup

(Isaac Boss called up as an injury replacement for Jarod Payne (0/0/5))

Gosh, 12 years since I was on here arguing that 3 scrum halves and 3 hookers were a mistake, when we needed the last spaces to be filled by the inform players who could ignite games if we were struggling. Nothing since then has changed my mind. We ended up well screwed before the match against Argentina (at last WC) in terms of injuries (particularly in the back line) and Boss was not the position we needed cover for.

I think you were half right and half wrong 12 years ago, Ribs.

Reddan won his fourth and fifth Irish caps in RWC07, starting the games against France and Argentina after Stringer had a meltdown against Georgia. Reddan hadn't been in either of the matchday squads for the first two games [against Namibia and Georgia]. Stringer started both, and just got worse and worse.

My recollection is that Bossy actually did well against Georgia when he came on for Strings, and that he and Girv were our two best performers that night. I was at that game in Bordeaux and don't remember a lot of plays from it, but do remember my impressions of how the game went.

Tomas O'Leary played himself off the plane in the warm-ups in 2011 and Conor Murray took the jersey off Reddan mid-tournament [Reddan started the big win against Australia in the group stages]. So third choice scrum-halves have had quite a big role in two of the last three tournaments.

With regards to Boss's call-up at the last RWC, it was curious alright, especially given that he was replacing Payne. I think that Joe made a poor selection in Darren Cave, who he wasn't particularly keen on. I could be waaaaay off on this, but I think that Joe dithered a little and reacted against Cave's "my face doesn't fit" comment by over-compensating and selecting a player who he didn't really rate. Cave is an out-and-out No13, but when the first choice No13 [Payne] got injured after two games, JS didn't select Cave in the matchday squad for the next three matches. He just didn't fancy his nominal back-up player.

It became obvious in the warm-ups that Darce's show was up and that there wasn't another test quality No12 in the country outside Henshaw [Luke Marshall played his last game that season in February]. So Henshaw had to play No12, because he was the only one we had. If you recall, he picked up a hamstring injury in training before the World Cup and sat out the first two group games. We ended up playing Luke Fitz [a classic utility back with 5 test starts in the centres, 5 at fullback and 14 on the wing] at No12 against Canada in the first game and Cave [an outside centre all his career] against Rumania in the second game. We simply didn't have another No12 in the squad. If Henshaw had been injured for the later matches, we would have been just as f*cked as we were with Payne being injured, maybe moreso.

Looking at the Cave selection with reference to the forthcoming RWC, I think there may be a related thread. JS mightn't be sold on Cooney, and instead of caving in to external pressures and bringing a player he doesn't have real confidence in, he might have decided that he'd be as well to be hung for a sheep as a lamb, and pick a squad who he has total faith in. So no Cooney, and very likely no Luke McGrath. Carbery's injury will very likely force his hand towards Jack Carthy at outhalf, because Carbery won't be able to train for weeks.

I think Kilcoyne vs Jack McGrath is very much a live contest. Kilcoyne is coming off his best season at test level, but he's only had one test-level season in six, and McGrath has had five in six. McGrath has toured with the Lions, won three Six Nations, beaten the All Blacks twice etc. He's bigger, stronger, a better scrummager and more experienced. So if Kilcoyne doesn't produce his very best stuff in his first outing – and not just running with the pill, but at the lineout, scrum and breakdown – I think it's back to even pegging.

[leinsterforever]

Have to say I really rated Fitzgerald as an inside centre.

[ronk]

The talent at centre had been there. Hanrahan, Macken and Olding all looked promising at different points.

[Pilotman123]

Devin Toner, Joey Carbery and Peter O Mahoney had an avocado on toast with eggs for their breakfast this morning, Earls, Carbery and Henshaw were doing prehab in the gym. Ross Byrne and Jack Carty had breakfast together then they practiced their kicking. The lads were also playing hurling and soccer it’s their rest day today. They’re on their way to the beach in half an hour. Looking forward to Saturday.

[cormac]

Devin Toner, Joey Carbery and Peter O Mahoney had an avocado on toast with eggs for their breakfast this morning, Earls, Carbery and Henshaw were doing prehab in the gym. Ross Byrne and Jack Carty had breakfast together then they practiced their kicking. The lads were also playing hurling and soccer it’s their rest day today. They’re on their way to the beach in half an hour. Looking forward to Saturday.

Some quality stalking there.

[wixfjord]

We need more of this!

What colour are Tadhg Furlong's swimming togs?
Is Will Addison a full fat or skinny latte man?
What length hurl does Devin Toner use?

The people need to know!

[wixfjord]

Looks like a huge opportunity for Ross to step up this weekend with a pretty full squad around him.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... u48RwqENc8

Would be brilliant to get Robbie running beside him at 12 too to give him a bit of continuity.

Hope he goes well and shows how much he has come on this season.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I really thought Joe would have had his mind made up about the squad ages ago but maybe not if Ross is starting this week, or maybe he did but Carty put his place in jeopardy with how he played last week.

Ross is the most underrated player in the country IMO. It bugs me when people say that he'll be overtaken quickly or focus on his lack of pace, he's a brilliant controlling outhalf who is well able to attack and is really solid, and he has an incredibly strong mentality that would make me very confident that he'd perform if he's needed to start a World Cup QF or come on and make an important kick. I feel like people are unsure of him because he's not Sexton or because Joey and the younger outhalves are more exciting, but he's a brilliant player in his own right, and IMO he's the best crossfield kicker and best at kicking penalties to touch in the country too.

I won't be up in arms if he doesn't go given that Carty is a fine player and the fact that he was around for the 6N would mean it makes sense, but I'm just saying that I really rate him. Cue a dreadful performance on Saturday

[Peg Leg]

We need more of this!

What colour are Tadhg Furlong's swimming togs?
Is Will Addison a full fat or skinny latte man?
What length hurl does Devin Toner use?

The people need to know!

He uses a mature Ash tree

[Oldschool]

The talent at centre had been there. Hanrahan, Macken and Olding all looked promising at different points.

I'll give you Olding.

[Pilotman123]

I was in the pool with the lads today and Jordan Larmour can hold his air breath for 140 seconds! Very impressive, I can only hold my air breath for 72 seconds, Luke McGrath was counting, today’s been a good day now time to see the lads in Izzy’s restaurant

[Xanthippe]

I was in the pool with the lads today and Jordan Larmour can hold his for 140 seconds!

Seriously - what a tease. Jordan can hold his WHAT for 140 seconds?

[Pilotman123]

I was in the pool with the lads today and Jordan Larmour can hold his for 140 seconds!

Seriously - what a tease. Jordan can hold his WHAT for 140 seconds?

Air breath

[jimbobjoe]

I was in the pool with the lads today and Jordan Larmour can hold his for 140 seconds!

Seriously - what a tease. Jordan can hold his WHAT for 140 seconds?

Air breath

As opposed to water breath? Oil breath? Plasma breath?

[Morf]

Air breath

As opposed to water breath? Oil breath? Plasma breath?

[Ruckedtobits]

The more I think about our hooker options, and the specific skills that we need for this position, the more I am inclined to think that the Irish Camp should consider recruiting Tom McCartney as a project Coach for Hookers. Connacht have two excellent hookers in Dave Heffernan and Shane Delahunt plus last year's recruit Johnny Murphy ex-Irish 18's and 20's player who came through Ulster Academy and played with Rotherham.

Connacht scrum, maul and line-out has been very competent with these guys involved, particularly when they have had Bealham and Buckley as their props.

Hooker is the ultimate specialist forward position. Given you must have two in every Squad and three on every Tour, it is a realistic investment to have a specialist Coach. The three Connacht players noted above all register as over 6' and around the the 105- 108kg mark. All are good carriers and Delahunt is a real dynamic carrier..

Kelleher, our latest Leinster hooker should also be included in this bracket and I believe he will surpass Treacy and possiblyeven Cronin by the end of this Season are our first-choice operator.

Too late for this RWC cycle but well worth an introduction to Irish Camp thereafter.