In defence of Joe’s selection policy

[bazzaj]

I have defended Joes selection policy from the off.
Cant think of many new appointments who have initally cleared the decks without it being forced on them through injuries or retirements.
New coaches tend to stick with players who are familiar to each other to get some form of continuity.

From memory Gatland picked 13 Ospreys in his first game in charge of Wales in the 6n against England which turned into a slam year.
Also Lancaster did not really make wholesale squad changes after the world cup which would have been the temptation and kept the Haskells, Hartleys Ashtons and Tuilagis who had individually let the country down during the tournament.
They both appear to be the NH sides in the best shape at the minute in terms of depth
Squad evolution is a filtering process.
People need not agree with it but they should at least understand it

[Snipe Watson]

I for one have always recognised that Trimble has some things lacking in his game and the unfortunate thing is the best International teams would be aware of those weaknesses , that said there are areas of his game which are better than some who are being selected.

I am also certain that Trimble is aware of those ares of his game which are weakest and it has been obvious he has worked at them.

It's a bit ironic that Trimble managed to garner nearly 50 caps when those weaknesses were part and parcel of his game and he was still developing as a player.

Since he addressed them and became one of the most consistent performers in a successful Ulster team he's barely had a look in.

He has also been knocked back by the rise of younger options in Gilroy and Zebo. McFadden had been sniffing around too.

[Spiffsson]

I for one have always recognised that Trimble has some things lacking in his game and the unfortunate thing is the best International teams would be aware of those weaknesses , that said there are areas of his game which are better than some who are being selected.

I am also certain that Trimble is aware of those ares of his game which are weakest and it has been obvious he has worked at them.

I am unclear has to why Mccarty should be preferred to Touhy unless it is weight and role related because in some respects Touhy maybe considered a light second row in the modern game.

But watching the match on Sunday there were a number of occasions when Toner was lifting PoC thus it could be that Touhy may not be perceived as an alternative to either Toner or McCarty but to POC who in International terms may consider light for a second row, and if so it would explain his absence from the match day 23 as McCarty and Toner are being used as lifters rather than jumpers.What may add credence to this idea is that McCarty came on as a sub for Toner not PoC.

Players' stats are notoriously unreliable but if you browse the web you will find somrthing like these :

Tuohy 6'6" 17st 11lb
McCarthy 6'4" 18st 2lb
POC 6'6" 17 st 4 lb ( the new lean POC might even be less)

POC is def on the smallish side compared with many of his international counterparts, but he's one of the world's top locks (but not as a ball carrier), so am not sure how important is out and out weight compared to athleticism, strength and mental attitude.
The weight difference between Tuohy and McCarthy is negligible, thought "wee Mike" is 2" shorter. I do not think that matters so much in the line out. With good lifting and throwing a 6'4" lock should still be able to win his own ball. Anyway - nobody ever takes into consideration the major factor in all this i.e. length of arms (no - I am not joking). A 6'4" knuckle dragger with arms 2" longer than a 6'6" player, should be able to catch the ball at the same height (assuming equal lifting).
Lifting, weight and all aside - Tuohy should be in the squad ahead of McCarthy simply because he is an all-round better lock.

[dcpete]

Anyone agree with Denis Leamy now?

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Anyone agree with Denis Leamy now?

What has he said to agree or disagree with?

[dcpete]

Anyone agree with Denis Leamy now?

What has he said to agree or disagree with?

On the eve of the France game he said: "I think what rankles with Munster people – and I suspect some folk in Ulster – is that guys who aren't first choice in Leinster are still good enough for the national squad...The World Cup is just a year and a half away. The circle will need to be widened and not having done that in the Six Nations narrows the opportunities."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/d ... 91421.html

Having seen 3 Ulster players start on Saturday and 4 more feature in the 23 during the tournament I don't have any complaints (especially with Bowe and Ferris injured) though I think Jackson was unlucky not to be on the bench on Saturday but understand why.

In fact I wasn't too concerned to see Sexton come off injured on Saturday as his kicking had been woeful (something the media seem happy to gloss over) and I reckoned if it came down to a last minute kick the cocky little hairspray Madigan would have a better chance of slotting it.

[loosehead1984]

On the eve of the France game he said: "I think what rankles with Munster people – and I suspect some folk in Ulster – is that guys who aren't first choice in Leinster are still good enough for the national squad...The World Cup is just a year and a half away. The circle will need to be widened and not having done that in the Six Nations narrows the opportunities."

Actually, I think that statement has a lot of merit to it.

The France game was huge for Joe in order to justify his selection policy. Thankfully it all paid off in the end for him and Ireland.

What happens from now is important. We'll hopefully see a greater development of players in the National Squad. It does look like Joe wants to give players the guidance they need to break into the team. The real test will be when they deliver on what has been asked of them do they get to play?

Remember DC... Deccie started out even better than Joe and we all saw how that ended!

[pythagoras]

On the eve of the France game he said: "I think what rankles with Munster people – and I suspect some folk in Ulster – is that guys who aren't first choice in Leinster are still good enough for the national squad...The World Cup is just a year and a half away. The circle will need to be widened and not having done that in the Six Nations narrows the opportunities."

Actually, I think that statement has a lot of merit to it.

I agree.
Ireland were a whisker away from finishing 3rd this season (I'm referring to Walsh's failure to give France a pen at the last scrum).
Joe is very good but also has been very lucky.

[Jackie Brown]

On the eve of the France game he said: "I think what rankles with Munster people – and I suspect some folk in Ulster – is that guys who aren't first choice in Leinster are still good enough for the national squad...The World Cup is just a year and a half away. The circle will need to be widened and not having done that in the Six Nations narrows the opportunities."

Actually, I think that statement has a lot of merit to it.

I agree.
Ireland were a whisker away from finishing 3rd this season (I'm referring to Walsh's failure to give France a pen at the last scrum).
Joe is very good but also has been very lucky.

Kidney was lucky in 2009.

You make your own luck.

[pythagoras]

On the eve of the France game he said: "I think what rankles with Munster people – and I suspect some folk in Ulster – is that guys who aren't first choice in Leinster are still good enough for the national squad...The World Cup is just a year and a half away. The circle will need to be widened and not having done that in the Six Nations narrows the opportunities."

Actually, I think that statement has a lot of merit to it.

I agree.
Ireland were a whisker away from finishing 3rd this season (I'm referring to Walsh's failure to give France a pen at the last scrum).
Joe is very good but also has been very lucky.

Kidney was lucky in 2009.

You make your own luck.

So they say.
But tell me, what had Schmidt to do with Walsh's failure to give a pen at that scrum?

[Snipe Watson]

On the eve of the France game he said: "I think what rankles with Munster people – and I suspect some folk in Ulster – is that guys who aren't first choice in Leinster are still good enough for the national squad...The World Cup is just a year and a half away. The circle will need to be widened and not having done that in the Six Nations narrows the opportunities."

Actually, I think that statement has a lot of merit to it.

I agree.
Ireland were a whisker away from finishing 3rd this season (I'm referring to Walsh's failure to give France a pen at the last scrum).

and we were within a TMO referral, on the try against the post, of being comfortable winners. So that reasoning is just kack.

[pythagoras]

On the eve of the France game he said: "I think what rankles with Munster people – and I suspect some folk in Ulster – is that guys who aren't first choice in Leinster are still good enough for the national squad...The World Cup is just a year and a half away. The circle will need to be widened and not having done that in the Six Nations narrows the opportunities."

Actually, I think that statement has a lot of merit to it.

I agree.
Ireland were a whisker away from finishing 3rd this season (I'm referring to Walsh's failure to give France a pen at the last scrum).

and we were within a TMO referral, on the try against the post, of being comfortable winners. So that reasoning is just kack.

Not really SW.
You'll doubtless be familiar with the disclaimer :
"Past Performance is not an Indicator of Future Results"

Well just because SW ( the other one) didn't call a knock on for the french try is no guarantee that he wouldn't thereafter call a pen for the irish collapse at the last scrum.

[bazzaj]

This luck theory annoys me.
Gatland is lucky, Man United were always lucky scoring in the last minute, the All Blacks are lucky that they do the same- absolute tosh.
As Gary Player said `the more I practised the luckier I get`.
In other words you make your own luck and any other cliche I can think of to dispel this foolhardy notion.

[Russ]

On the eve of the France game he said: "I think what rankles with Munster people – and I suspect some folk in Ulster – is that guys who aren't first choice in Leinster are still good enough for the national squad...The World Cup is just a year and a half away. The circle will need to be widened and not having done that in the Six Nations narrows the opportunities."

Actually, I think that statement has a lot of merit to it.

I agree.
Ireland were a whisker away from finishing 3rd this season (I'm referring to Walsh's failure to give France a pen at the last scrum).
Joe is very good but also has been very lucky.

Kidney was lucky in 2009.

You make your own luck.

So they say.
But tell me, what had Schmidt to do with Walsh's failure to give a pen at that scrum?

Just to clarify

1. You cannot push early at a scrum
2. You cannot bore in on the hooker at a scrum

Walsh bottled the penalty to Ireland

[BaggyTrousers]

This luck theory annoys me.
Gatland is lucky, Man United were always lucky scoring in the last minute, the All Blacks are lucky that they do the same- absolute tosh.
As Gary Player said `the more I practised the luckier I get`.
In other words you make your own luck and any other cliche I can think of to dispel this foolhardy notion.

You are right Jizzer but more accurately talk of luck is for arsehats and begrudgers. You don't always get what you deserve is another excuse often trotted out.

I've always found the best response to these wishywashy arsefoons is the age-old "read about it in the Ulster".