Humphreys for ireland

[promenade-lad]

Ulster coach Matt Williams has backed Ian Humphreys to be included in Ireland’s Six Nations squad which is announced on Wednesday.


Humphreys contributed 11 points with the boot in Ulster’s glorious Heineken Cup win over Harlequins in the driving wind and rain at Ravenhill and Williams believes his out half will be the prefect understudy to Ronan O’Gara.

“I think he is a real talent; he was much more composed this week than he was the week before, and the more starts he gets, then the better he’ll get,” insists Williams.

“What if Ronan gets hurt, it’s Paddy (Wallace) or Humphs for me.”

“Humphs defence has improved out of sight and he tackled very well against Quins.

“He is there or thereabouts and he’s giving Declan a very real option.

“He has kicked extraordinarily well and in the Heineken Cup he’d be very close to 90% and overall he’s about 78%.”

Williams also feels there were a number of other players who put their hands up against a Quins side that won Ulster’s pool with a match to spare.

“Stephen Ferris showed extraordinary power, his tackling in the first half lead to some turnovers and a penalty which Humps kicked and his running in the second half sparked us up.

“Darren Cave did well, Paddy’s done great and they are getting there.”

Williams has already started thinking about next year’s campaign and he believes beating Quins is another huge step forward the young squad which can only get better.

“If we’re going to get out of the group in Europe we have got tom learn how to beat big Premiership teams.”

“We have got to keep playing these sides and we have got to keep beating them.

“It was very important for our development as a team that we won.

“The guys deserve so much credit for the way they put it in and when we come into Europe next year and we pull a Wasps, Leicester or Saracens we can say we know we can beat them because we have beaten Quins with this great win.”

“That is why it is important to win in France and we’ll do it whether it’s on Saturday or not but we’ll do it.”

[Rooster]

That is why it is important to win in France and we’ll do it whether it’s on Saturday or not but we’ll do it.

Matt moves the goalposts yet again.

Keeping his ass covered and taking some pressure off is how I would describe it.
In his mind he will want them to win and hopefully also in their minds but at the same time with our growing injury list have we got the manpower to overcome Stade this Saturday, time and Stades attitude will determine that.

[Rob6]

talking of the ireland squad,when does Kidney name the squad for the 6 nations?

[scrum5]

Said this before and will say it again.. How brilliant would it be to see O'Gara replaced by a HUMPH

[Comberman]

Declan Kidney should grasp the nettle now. Ronan O'Gara will never lead Ireland to a championship or a good performance in the World Cup-Fact. He has done a great job for Munster but look at the pack he's playing infront of. Good enough for club/province, but struggles with the stepup.
Ian Humph has the ability to be a world class player and should be given the chance sooner rather than later.

[Comberman]

Declan Kidney should grasp the nettle now. Ronan O'Gara will never lead Ireland to a championship or a good performance in the World Cup-Fact. He has done a great job for Munster but look at the pack he's playing BEHIND. Good enough for club/province, but struggles with the stepup.
Ian Humph has the ability to be a world class player and should be given the chance sooner rather than later.

[King Ding]

ROG has been very poor this season and his kicking hasn't been great either, 2 out of 6 against sale, but Kidney wont drop him, he needs to some how lose a leg or possibly an arm if humphs hopes to start ahead of him.

[Bruce]

That's what's been going wrong - ROG playing in front of the pack! If we can just get Humph to play behind them he must have a massive chance.

Seriously though,well as he's playing he's still a way behind ROG in the pecking order but if ROG has a mare in the first couple of games who knows. Agree with MW that at least we now have viable alternatives - i would prefer Humph over Paddy as an outhalf but at least both are in form and confident.

[Snipe Watson]

Declan Kidney should grasp the nettle now. Ronan O'Gara will never lead Ireland to a championship or a good performance in the World Cup-Fact. He has done a great job for Munster but look at the pack he's playing infront of. Good enough for club/province, but struggles with the stepup.
Ian Humph has the ability to be a world class player and should be given the chance sooner rather than later.

As for ROG, I cannot stand the guy, but he is a fine player. As for this post... sorry, but it is total twaddle.

[Fly Half]

Earls is almost certainly going to be on the Ireland bench providing cover for the back five. Therefore I can't see Wallace on the bench - he may start at 12 though. Didn't Kidney look after the team that won the U19 world cup with BOD and Wallace in it?

Even if Wallace starts he isn't taking the place kicks at Ulster and therefore there has to be a good chance Humphreys gets the bench spot as replacement kicker.

[Setanta]

Spot on Analysis RHH.

[darkside lightside]

my money would be on IH benching, for no more reason than goal-kicking - going in with just paddy as cover at 10 was a) uncomfortable from the POV of place-kicking cover, and b) a waste of the best 12 in Ireland for the last couple of years. I'd play PW inside BOD, IH on the bench along with Earls to cover the back 3 (I'd see Bowe, Fitz and Kearney as starters there).

I don't see Cave getting a shot at this stage, because BOD won't be dropped and Earls is more versatile.

[LePaul]

How sweet a tatse that would be to see IH oust the ROBOT. The best way to serve this would be to have the useless clampit O'Gara sitting on the bench watching IH taking his shirt in exactly the same fashion as Dr David had to sit on the bench and watch a half baked inconsistent wingeing wingnut. Ah - man - I'd love it. Sorry but ROBOT, IMHO, has achieved nothing in a green shirt except the undying love of one Eddie O'Sullivan.

[mikerob]

Ah - man - I'd love it. Sorry but ROBOT, IMHO, has achieved nothing in a green shirt except the undying love of one Eddie O'Sullivan.

Rose tinted glasses LePaul... who capped ROG in the first place? One W Gatland. While ultimately Ireland have come up short, ROG does have achievements like beating England at Twickenham, wins against Australia and S Africa and Lions Tours - all twice. DH achieved none of these. You may not like ROG as a person, but IMO DH is a bigger underachiever in the green jersey.

[Ithryn]

any man with a facebook profile picture as crazy as humph deserves to play for ireland, ogara could never compare