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Seems that a lot of the criticism of O'Sullivan for not picking players based abroad, ( weekly on Newstalk 106 Off the Ball show) has been listened to, he even included David Wallace in the squad.
In spite of his blind spot about Trevor Brennan it is given the injury situation as near as the best 22 available as possible!
Well I think Hickie is a better winger than Bowe
Trevor Brennan should not be ahead of any of those back rows, we cant afford to have him in as a second row.
I'd have him ahead of most of the back row in a heartbeat. Also I completely agree that Bowe is inferior to Hickie but given how rarely we've seen O'Sullivan experiment with youth at least it's a step in the right direction (albeit in an area where we need it the least).
Brennan ahead of Simon Easterby, Denis Leamy, Johnny O'Connor or David Wallace? Why exactly?
It is pretty common knowledge that Trevor Brennan played by far his best rugby 7 or 8 years ago as a blind side flanker for St Marys (when the AIL was strong), Leinster and in a few caps for Ireland. Murray Kidds reluctance to acknowledge him back then and subsequently Warren Gatlands was largely determined by the fact that even though Brennan played great, aggressive rugby back then, he was surplus to requirements mostly because of his appalling disciplinary record, and the fact that Ireland's number 6 at the time was David Corkery, probably the best six we have had since Fergus Slattery, whose career was cut short by injury.
Brennans move to Toulouse has improved him as a player, albeit as a second row where the pace required is not as much as that of a back row. His quality of life has no doubt improved and he is happy to play every second game, as a second row.
To say he could handle the sheer pace of International rugby today is a complete joke. To consider him as a second row ahead of O'Connell, O'Callaghan, O'Driscoll or O'Kelly is laughable. To say he could displace any of Leamy, Wallace, Foley, Easterby, O'Connor, Quinlan, Shane Jennings, Roger Wilson or even Stephen Keogh is even more laughable.
Because he has won two Heineken Cups and is in the media spotlight because of the club he plays for is not a selection criteria for Ireland. My advice for' Trevor for Ireland' fans is to get ye're heads out of ye're arses, wake up to real rugby, and keep reading his column in the Irish Times.
I'd go:
15 Murphy
14 S.Horgan
13 O'Driscoll
12 D'Arcy
11 Bowe
10 O'Gara
9 Stringer
8 Foley
7 Wallace
6 Leamy
5 O'Connell
4 Kelly
3 Hayes
2 Flannery
1 Horan
Quote:
Originally Posted by joeSoap
Spot on bar the Keogh part. He's tripe.
Team for Italy game:
G Murphy (Leicester); S Horgan (Leinster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, captain), G D'Arcy (Leinster), T Bowe (Ulster); R O'Gara (Munster), P Stringer (Munster); M Horan (Munster), J Flannery (Munster), J Hayes (Munster), M O'Kelly (Leinster), P O'Connell (Munster), S Easterby (Llanelli), D Wallace (Munster), D Leamy (Munster).
Replacements: R Best (Ulster), S Best (Ulster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), J O'Connor (Wasps), E Reddan (Wasps), D Humphreys (Ulster), A Trimble (Ulster).
Personally I think Bowe is the weak link - he was very poor in the Autumn internationals. its a pity Ian Dowling hasn't played more games for Munster - he'll definitely make the cut. He's a brilliant defender and attacker.
Wallace is the big call, fair play to Edddie for that.
Dowling too inexperienced yet but will have advantage playing for Munster as gets more big games than Ulster lads in Europe.Quote:
Originally Posted by finlma
Disappointed to see O'Kelly picked as i think O'Callaghan has matured & improved a lot in the last year & offers everything O'Kelly does in the lineout & more around the pitch.
Yeah but O'Kelly is still doing the business for Leinster and his experience should help Flannery and Leamy. Its close though
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodge
Leamy will be helping O' Kelly not the other way round. Mal is well past it at this stage.
I agree - time for Mal to move aside and let O'Callaghan in. I'd have Mick O'Driscoll as a sub before Mal too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Soko
Rob Kearney would be ahead of Dowling anyway I'd imagine.Quote:
Originally Posted by finlma
I'd have O'Callaghan ahead of O'Kelly. However, Mick O'Driscoll is cack. I'd much prefer to see Bob Casey in there than O'Driscoll.Quote:
Originally Posted by finlma
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheJamaicanP.M.
Watching a bit too much of the rugby club I see. I agree that Casey should get a look in but they're all better than O' Kelly. If O' Driscoll moved in instead of O' Callaghan Munster wouldn't miss a beat Oh wait he's cack :rolleyes:
I see enough games across the water to know that Bob Casey is an excellent second row forward. He should be fourth in the pecking order behind the three O'Connell, O'Callaghan and O'Kelly. O'Driscoll is not international class. That is borne out by his acceptance with being a squad player with Munster.Quote:
Originally Posted by Soko
I'm going for:
Ireland 39-12 Italy
England 19-15 Wales
Scotland 13-30 France.
Jerry Flannery and Denis Leamy are the ones I backed for first tryscorer...
I'm going for the following:
Ireland 35 v Italy 13
England 32 v Wales 9
Scotland 18 v France 27
My tip for the Championship is Wales to win only 1 game.