When are the tour squads to be named?

[bootlaced]

Well what an emptying of the basket,Lions call ups,tour to North America,Emerging Ireland and the under 20s,not counting the injuries, maybe even retirements.Who is going to be left? Surely Schimdt should consider those over in that there England.You would like to think he is going to have an input in all these areas.You would like to think that this is a great time to pick a squad for the next two seasons.Start afresh,baggage left behind,new broom and all that. But the burning question will surely be what about BOD.Schimdt has hinted that BOD may very well make a decision before the Lions tour.That one call could well define him.So will BOD be around for the world cup,or more importantly should he be around for the world cup?Now is the most obvious time to see who can fill that jersey,there won't be a better chance. Maybe a player/coach role for BOD is the solution.

[Russ]

Where is Schmidt going to watch?

[rumncoke]

Could see a centre partnership of Madigan and McFadden if PJ played at 10 .

This Friday night could be a preview if BoD is rested and D'Arcy injured again.

[Russ]

Earls rule would surely come into effect?

[jamjams]

Could see a centre partnership of Madigan and McFadden if PJ played at 10 .

This Friday night could be a preview if BoD is rested and D'Arcy injured again.

Struggling to see the sense in that though. That's a makeshift Leinster centre partnership, not a budding one for Ireland.

[Mac]

Wednesday 15th May 2013

Whiff

Say it is so Joe

The first order of business for Joe Schmidt’s new job as The Messiah is to consult with Les Kiss to pick a squad for the tour of North America. Kiss will be taking the tour, but expect Schmidt’s stamp to be on the squad. He’ll be without his nine Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiions, all of whom would be guaranteed starters in a first-choice Ireland team. Co-incidentally, Ireland toured North America four years ago when the Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiions were in South Africa – they took a backline full of Ians, none of whom knew all the four verses of Ireland’s Call that were rolled out in Thunderbird Stadium – the Canadian announcers were mystified, eh, when the small band of travelling support didn’t join in the anthem.

In terms of squad development, the tour was pretty pointless – Micko and Biiiiiiig Bob Casey kept Ryan Caldwell on the bench, and only Darren Cave of the backs is even close to pushing for international selection four years on. Rory Best captained the tour, in which Mike Ross made his debut, but Ross was famously not seen again until all other props were deemed useless.

This time out, we expect St. Joe and Les ‘Last Chance’ Kiss to be a little more progressive than that – Ireland have had conservative selectors for over a decade, and we fully expect greater variety in selection for the next 2.5 years (and more hopefully). There’s also a touring group, described variously as emerging, or developmental, heading to a quadrangular tournament in Georgia (the other competing nations are Uruguay and the Emerging Springboks). Here are a few thing we want to see from Joseph and his Technicolour Backline Playbook:

Leave Mike Ross at home: Rosser is Ireland’s best prop by a million miles, but he’s also big and has played lots of rugby over the last 24 months, most famously having to prove himself in a gunfight against Fiji in November. Ireland know exactly what Ross brings, and, in the long run, would fare better letting him rest. Stephen Archer, while not even close to the level required for a test prop, should get a chance, and if Declan Fitzpatrick can stand without the aid of a lean-to, he should also tour. Off to Georgia goes Ricky Lutton, who has impressed in the last few months and see how he swims against the Georgian brutes. On the bench, why not throw one of the Leinster tyros, Martin Mooreadze or Tadgh Furlong.

I’ve seen the future and it’s NWJMB: Iain Henderson will be in this Ireland team for a very very long time. At Ulster, he has been used on the blindside, where they need him, but ultimately he seems destined to be win many test caps as a second row, but his carrying and ball skills look like they could add a new dimension to a line where Ireland have historically looked to (unseen) work horses. Despite Hendo’s inability to get Johann Muller out of the Ulster side, Schmidt should play him in his long-term position and see how he goes.

Rory Best gets a rest: Besty is another who should get the summer off to put his feet up and look after his prize cow. It’s been a long season for him, and there are no less than three high quality players in the queue who would benefit from the experience: Richardt Strauss, Sean Cronin and Mike Sherry. Heck, there might not even be room for all three in the touring party.

It’s Maddog Time: Refusing to pick Ian Madigan was the last great folly of the previous regime, it’s hard to see Joe Schmidt doing anything other than selecting the Leinster player of the year at 10. High on confidence and full of running, his graduation to international rugby begins properly here. Pairing him with Ulster’s Paul Marshall would be exciting and plenty of fun to watch. Paddy Jackon can start the other game – the audition for the role of understudying Sexton starts here.

Ulster centres get their moment. With D’arcy injured and Luke Marshall being allowed to rest his weary head, it might be worth a look at the Olding-Cave partnership in the centres. Stuart Olding is barely established, but looks set to start in a final next weekend, and is clearly in it for the long haul. In the back three, the Munster-via-Leinsters Andrew Conway and Felix Jones have finished the season strongly and are worth bringing alongside semi-established fastmen Simon Zebo and Craig Gilroy. If nothing else, the back three would be lethally quick.

So that’s what a Genuine Openside (TM) looks like. We’ve heard about them, we’ve seen old black and white pictures of them, now we might be about to see one in the flesh. Yes, hopefully George Hook will be able to contain hmself, because Ireland should be starting these games with a Genuine Openside. Neither of the previous two coaches had much interest in a linking player / breakdown specialist in the team, relying on the likes of Brian O’Driscoll, Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Mahony and Jamie Heaslip to perform the role between them. But Tommy O’Donnell was the surprise package of the season, at times sensational for Munster, and his integration to test rugby should begin here. The last few weeks have shown that Jamie Heaslip still has the ball-carrying ballast when he plays in a more conventionally structured backrow. Ireland haven’t gotten far with their confusing mix of 6.5s and an 8 playing like a 6.67 (or something), so at least investigating how we can utilise a linking player in the backrow should be top of Joe’s to-do list. Perhaps this will be the start of something wonderful.

Donnacha Ryan as Tour Captain

With most of the leadership corp on Lions duty, the opportunity is available to give Donnacha Ryan a shot at leading the troops. By all accounts he’s well regarded by his team-mates and should settle comfortably into the role.

http://whiffofcordite.com/

[rumncoke]

Madigan /McFadden is as you rightly point out a Leinster second string centre partnership but consider

Olding could well be in the emerging squad being U20 qualified

d'Arcy is injured BoD is with the Lions and L Marshall is under doctor's orders,

Madigan has played 12 several times for Leinster and subbed at 12 for Ireland

13 could be a perm of either McSherry ,Cave and Mcfadden or as a last resort Earls ( please only as a last resort )

wings could well be Earls Trimble Gilroy Zebo maybe D Kearney thus Mcfadden is not really required as a wing but there is a shortage of players for 13

The Madigan/ Mcfadden would have the advantage of having been tested and allows Ireland to benefit from Jackson's superior passing at out half and it takes the pressure off Jackson on the kicks for goal.

[ruckover]

Genuine Openside - have they been watching Chris Henry this season?

Also, Hendo will be better at lock? Based on what? So far this season he's been much better at blindside than lock.

[jamjams]

Rum, I know Madigan filled in there in the Italy match, he did make a nice linebreak but I have to say I've watched him a few times in the centre for Leinster recently and he hasn't really impressed me, sort of went missing. He's a much better 10 and should be used there imo. Olding not only has much more potential to be developed at 12 for Ireland (considering Madigan will presumably be playing all of his rugby at 10 next season), but on recent showings he is currently the better 12.

He will never get a better chance than this with D'arcy, McSharry, Wallace and Marshall injured and any evil plan to partner BOD and Earls in the centre thwarted by BOD's Lions duty, he is definitely our best option, and even without my unavoidable Ulster bias, Cave is our best option partner him. They're a tried and tested partnership too? Well, perfect then!

The coaches might want to try different combinations for the two games but I know who I'd rather have playing.

By the way I really hope Olding isn't going with the 'emerging squad' with the fringe players. I would guess he would more likely be playing in the JWC than going to Georgia, and rightly so. If he doesn't make the senior squad (which would be a humongous oversight by the coaches), it would also be a good experience for him.

[rumncoke]

Jimjam

This is a fill in tour 9 irish players missing the selection has little bearing on who is best or who should or who will in the future.

Most would agree that L Marshall would appear to be the future 12 with Olding at the moment his most likely understudy ?

Marshall won't be on tour and Olding is young and maybe included in another squad.

While Madigan is the better place kicker ball in hand Jackson is the best option at out-half and both are at this time really understudies to Sexton who is on tour with the lions.

My feel would be that Schmidt would want to see and assess the Irish bench i.e. can Madigan cover both 10 and 12

In the absence of the great BoD ( who maybe available one more season) but I'm not convinced that this is in the best interests of Ireland heading into a World Cup . My own gut instinct would say if BoD plays next year it will be from the bench rather than starting.

While we in Ulster recognise the merits of Cave that recognition seems to absent in the Irish Management

Most supporters outside of Munster agree Earls is not a 13 and his ability in that position is a figment of his imagination based on school boy rugby.

Mcfadden is rated by many but personally I have not been impressed by him as a wing and Ireland are not short of wings
thus if he is to continue to play for Ireland it will be in the midfield but we appear to have the future 12 filled and covered thus 13 would seem the obvious position plus the players looking like future 12 s have both played 10 at school level this experience could be missing from Mc fadden's CV .

McFaddens one weakness could be his pass to the left which in my opinion is why he has been played on the wing.

[Scranner]

Jimjam

Most would agree that L Marshall would appear to be the future 12 with Olding at the moment his most likely understudy?
I wonder if that is still true. Olding seems to have more to his game that Luke and, IMO, will develop into a more rounded player.

While Madigan is the better place kicker ball in hand Jackson is the best option at out-half and both are at this time really understudies to Sexton who is on tour with the lions. My feel would be that Schmidt would want to see and assess the Irish bench i.e. can Madigan cover both 10 and 12.

Again I'm not sure that it will be seen that way. General opinion seems to be that Madigan has overtaken Paddy in the race to be Sexton'sw understudy. Whether you agree or not, is not likely that Schmidt will see it that way?


While we in Ulster recognise the merits of Cave that recognition seems to absent in the Irish Management

Sadly, this appears to be true. But hopefully the American trip will give Darren an opportunity to shine because I can't see them going without him.

[ruckover]

The thing with Madigan and Jackson is that PJ hasn't been given the chance to shine in an Ireland shirt yet. For us he has played well playing flat and attacking the line, but for Ireland he has been forced by Kidney into the unfamiliar role of playing deep which has hindered his game.

On the other hand, Madigan can do both and is more adaptable. He can switch his game to suit playing deep and attack the line and is the more all-rounded player.

For that reason it is natural for people to assume that Madigan is better. His good kicking record would also lead people to believe he is the superior 10. But I think if Schmidt gives Jackson a chance in an attacking role, playing flat and up at the line then we'll really see who is the better fly-half.

[Scranner]

Until he starts taking the kicks for Ulster, I fear that young Jackson will probably make way for Madigan.

[Mr Frosty]

Unlike most here i would let the under 20's go away with the u20 team and enjoy the experience of playing in an international competition. So here's my take on what id would like to see (haven't checked spelling's of names etc). I would take two relativity small squads as there is no point people going away to hold bags - if injuries happen call people out. I think the emerging Ireland team should not just be young players but those who havent had much experience in an Ireland set up with a few more experienced thrown in. I see no point in sending out a young inexperienced team especially in the front row - pointless game time for others if the scrum is getting mullered by Georgians and saffa's.

America

1. Kilcoyne, McGrath
2. Strauss, Sherry
3. Fitz, Archer
4. Ryan, Touhy
5. McCarthy
6. Henderson, McLoughlin
7. Henry, O’Donnell
8. O’Mahoney
9. Marmimon, Marshall
10. Madigan, Jackson
11. Gilroy
12. McFadden
13. Cave
14. Trimble, Earls
15. Zebo, Felix Jones

Emerging Ireland

1. Black, McCall or Jack O'Connell?
2. Cronin, ??
3. Lutton, Loughney
4. Toner, Stevenson
5. B. Holland
6. Diack, Dom Ryan
7. Faloon, Jordi Murphy
8. Ruddock,
9. Cooney, Sheridan
10. Keatley, McKinney
11. D.Kearney
12. JJ
13. Griffen, O’Malley
14. Conway, Allen
15. Nelson

You could if you want throw in guys like Anderson, Caldwell, Morris from over in england

[ruckover]

Where are Olding and Diack? Those are two players I would have on the Americas squad in a heartbeat.