NIQs/Projects?

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ColinM
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NIQs/Projects?

Post by ColinM »

Chat on the injury thread got me thinking about the constraints we are likely to face in terms of who/what can come in, I understand:
- Pienaar and likely FVDM to leave,
- Herbie & Lulu to become IQ'd.
- NIQs to drop from 4 to 3
- No scrumhalfs or locks can replace RP or FVDM
- Unlikely we could sign a back row with Coetzee on the books
- Unlikely we'd want to sign a front row given we seem to actually have unearthed some relatively useful looking prospects there
- Unlikely we'd want to sign a back who wears a number higher than 10 as we seem to have plenty of cover even with Tommy's demise.
- We wont want/need/be allowed to sign a fly half that could threaten Paddy's position given Sexton's health concerns.

The above constraints leave us with space for an NIQ and a project, with the inability/non desire to sign the NIQ anywhere but fly half and certainly not where we need it ie srumhalf, lock or back row.


So what gives? Do we use a precious NIQ spot on a Jimmy Gopperth type to back up PJ for a year or two? Not quite the box office we need to sell season tickets or fufill the promises of SL.

Do D4 let us sign a third lock on the trot? unlikely they'd bend the rules twice in a row (as demonstrated with Pienaar). or have they bent the rules already having let Touhy go?

Will they let us line up with two NIQ back rows, as a sweetener to get us to play Hendo as a lock?

Could we unearth a project scrumhalf of real potential or a tight forward on the same plain as CJ Stander?

It seems we have so much need for players but will struggle to fit them in. Its almost like we could do with a really good coaching ticket to help us get the best from what we have and bring through our next generation. Its almost like the most sensible thing to do would be to keep Pienaar, but that would hold back p.
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rorybestsbigbaldnoggin
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by rorybestsbigbaldnoggin »

Sign a decent 10 and a ball-carrying loosie.
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scrum5
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by scrum5 »

A Saffer project lock/backrow more in the Stander mould than the Diack one and efforts should be made to insure that Paddy McAlister & Chris Farrell return home, rather than when their best days have gone eg Wilson and Bowe
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pg106
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by pg106 »

Pretty sure Farrell has signed up for >TANGRY next year
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by Blow in »

Will Brexit affect the NIQ rule?
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scrum5
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by scrum5 »

I keep hoping that he hasn't but yeah that seems to be the talk from down South
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Dave
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by Dave »

A loosehead is needed in my opinion. Paddy Mac signed an extension with Dr Dave's outfit. We are well stocked at lock. I'd take a back up 10 too. Nuciwankface will crush all our dreams in all likelihood.
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Russ
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by Russ »

With Mexico signing a project 9 (a really shyt one) we cannot have a project 9

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thecrouch
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by thecrouch »

What we really need for next season:

1. A first choice 9
2. A second choice 9
3. Another back row

IMO, 1 and 3 will be IQ players and 2 will be project . I know Leinster have Gibson-Park but I think the IRFU will realise that there isn't exactly a glut of irish 9s out there lining up to join us and we'll have little choice but to go for the project route.
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by jean valjean »

Unless jannie keeps fit we are going to see even less of PJ in the coming seasons. A goperth type player would suit me fine, would mean we could take paddy off after 60 mins to keep his playing time down, as well as resting / benching him for some easier home games.
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Jackie Brown
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by Jackie Brown »

We need a 9 from somewhere, IQd or project. We need a back up 10, a journeyman like Gopparth. We need a backrow.

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thecrouch
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by thecrouch »

Jackie Brown wrote:We need a 9 from somewhere, IQd or project. We need a back up 10, a journeyman like Gopparth. We need a backrow.

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We need two 9s really Jackie.
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by therealspratt »

thecrouch wrote:
Jackie Brown wrote:We need a 9 from somewhere, IQd or project. We need a back up 10, a journeyman like Gopparth. We need a backrow.

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We need two 9s really Jackie.
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by jean valjean »

How many of the tigers pack are eligible for Ireland? Bryn should be all over them this week given the uncertainty at the club.
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Re: NIQs/Projects?

Post by ruckover »

Loosehead, tighthead, lock, blindside, scrum-half. We need one of each, and I predict the IRFU will deny us all five.
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