Flash Gordon wrote:I wonder are Jordi and Jack McGrath reflecting on their Ulster decision? Leave because they want to improve his chances of getting in the Ireland squad and the kids behind them are now in the Ireland squad!
I have a theory that Jack knew he was in decline so got a nice big contract to move to Ulster. He would still have been under contract now and would have been in a very poor negotiating position, whereas now he presumably is on the same money (or more) for at least an extra year, and will probably be more important to Ulster at that stage than he would have been to Leinster right now.
I don't mean to have a go at him when I say that. If I'm right then it's smart.
LeRouxIsPHat wrote:Looking at the squad makes me think that Porter will be considered at LH because the only LHs are Healy and Kilcoyne, whereas there's Furlong, Porter, O'Toole, and Marty and on the TH side.
First thing I noticed. 45 players is 3 teams or a player short of 2 matchday squads. 2 LHs in that lot A/ Doesn't say a lot for Jack Mc/cronin/everyone else and B/ must point to Porter covering LH
limecat wrote:Interesting to see 5 Leinster back-row players in there (Connors, Deegan, Doris, Ruddock and van der Flier), considering that Conan and Leavy are out injured.
Really says something about our depth in that area.
Mental. Considering also the Retirement of Heaslip and SOB to LI both of whom could have made the WC in other circumstances. And Jordi to Ulster.
If you really want to push it Dominic Ryan is still in his 20s and Kevin McLaughlin is younger than Jamie.
Connacht: 5 players including Blade & Heffernan, but no Carty or Marmion
Leinster: 19 players incl. Connors, JGP, R. Kelleher & Deegan, but no RK or Nugget
Munster: 12 players including Haley & Scannell (x2), but no J Ryan
Ulster: 9 players including O'Toole and Burns, but no Jack Mc, Jordi or O'Sullivan
Absolutely delighted that Devin Toner is included
Listing the squad by provinces: what a terrible idea. Makes it harder to read and starts off by emphasising that they represent 4 different teams not 1.
It's almost like they're promoting Interprovincial rivalries (just before a load of interpros).
LeRouxIsPHat wrote:Looking at the squad makes me think that Porter will be considered at LH because the only LHs are Healy and Kilcoyne, whereas there's Furlong, Porter, O'Toole, and Marty and on the TH side.
First thing I noticed. 45 players is 3 teams or a player short of 2 matchday squads. 2 LHs in that lot A/ Doesn't say a lot for Jack Mc/cronin/everyone else and B/ must point to Porter covering LH
Or else........ Maybe it wasn't just blockhead who mixed up O'Toole and O'Sullivan
Flash Gordon wrote:I wonder are Jordi and Jack McGrath reflecting on their Ulster decision? Leave because they want to improve his chances of getting in the Ireland squad and the kids behind them are now in the Ireland squad!
McGrath's injured no?
Ruddock's tackle stats consistently too low for me to be taken seriously as a Six Nations blindside..... Ruddock's defensive stats don't stack up. - All Blacks Nil, Jan 15th, 2014
England A 8 - 14 Ireland A, 25th Jan 2014 Ruddock(c) 19/2 Tackles
Ruckedtobits wrote:My first shot at Farrell's first Irish Squad 'get together' for Christmas week. My two criteria for selection are:
a) Other than announced retirements, he won't want the headlines to be about who has been ommited ;
b) Anybody who has given even one performance which suggests he could have international potential will be included, so that they all feel that Farrell sees form as key, rather than reputation
Flash Gordon wrote:I wonder are Jordi and Jack McGrath reflecting on their Ulster decision? Leave because they want to improve his chances of getting in the Ireland squad and the kids behind them are now in the Ireland squad!
McGrath's injured no?
Yeah, but other injured players like Carbery are included
Flash Gordon wrote:I wonder are Jordi and Jack McGrath reflecting on their Ulster decision? Leave because they want to improve his chances of getting in the Ireland squad and the kids behind them are now in the Ireland squad!
McGrath's injured no?
Yeah, but other injured players like Carbery are included
So it seems that all the lads that participated in the IRFU orchestrated Joe Schmidt pile-on were rewarded yesterday with a cosy sit down with Andy Farrell.
There's still a long way to go before the 6N but I think the selection is really up in the air now.
Kelleher would probably be the form choice at hooker but he's still injured and obviously hasn't even made his debut yet so hard to see him starting even if he's back next week. Scannell is playing okay but that's about the height of it.
I think Furlong is probably just ahead at tighthead but that could go either way with Porter.
Henderson and Ryan are probably still way ahead in the second row but for some reason I'm not sold on them as a partnership and we lack depth. Dev is playing well again and so is Dillane but I think we've regressed there in the last year.
POM and CJ both out of form in the back row and there's no Tadgh Beirne as an option at 6. I'd be reluctant to start Kelleher at 2 but for some reason I think I'd back Doris at 8 right now.
I think Cooney has now done enough to deserve to start at scrumhalf and Murray is nowhere near his best, but it might depend on if Johnny is at ten and how Farrell thinks Cooney can replicate the control he has for Ulster at international level.
Aki isn't in great form so think he'll go with Henshaw and Ringrose.
Stockdale is playing well again so that helps the back three situation. For me it would be Larmour, Conway, and Stockdale. I'm still not sold on Addison, heaps of mistakes last night to go with the good stuff but I'd be happy to have him in the 23 jersey. We're a bit short on outside backs though.
Plus there's still the captain situation to sort out.
