Rugby 2011

[Spudulika]

Decent squad and the matches with France at least show Ireland are competitive. I just hope they get it together and push for 2nd place.

[Real ale Madrid]

My test team for the Australia game as it stands would be:

Healy
Flannery
Ross

O'Callaghan
O'Connell

Ferris
Wallace
O'Brien

Murray
O'Gara

Trimble
McFadden
O'Driscoll
Bowe

Kearney

I'd currently start O'Brien at 8 instead of the under performing Heaslip. This gives us the best balanced backrow at the moment.

I'd be worried about our midfield defense, esp after saturday, so i'd be hoping McFadden has been brought to put pressure on Darcy for his place.

I'd start Trimble, who is in great form at 11, and along with Bowe and Kearney - if fit gives us the best back 3. We absolutely need Bowe and Kearney, fit and playing well if we are to have any chance in the big games.

Murray would be a gamble at this stage but - Reddan and Boss and not international quality scrum halves in my opinion, if he shapes on his potential then we could have the young star of the tournament.

Overall we should beat Italy , but its a huge ask against Australia and then probably South Africa. I can's see us winning either of those games, given our performance on saturday. Hope more than expectation.

[Charlie Darwin]

Don't agree Heaslip's been underperforming. With O'Brien in the team he has a more understated role but he carried well and made a couple of important steals in the second France game.

I would pick Trimble ahead of Earls but I have a feeling that if Bowe is fit Earls will get the nod on the left wing. Then again I underestimated Kidney with his squad selection so you never know.

[Real ale Madrid]

Don't agree Heaslip's been underperforming. With O'Brien in the team he has a more understated role but he carried well and made a couple of important steals in the second France game.

His stats don't back that up at all - he had 15 yards off 7 carries and Turned the ball over once. I'd have Sean O'Brien in at 8 to make the yards that Heaslip should be making for a player of his ability. And what does understated role mean anyway?

[Charlie Darwin]

My memory must be playing tricks on me then. Although I'm sure he stole the ball at least twice. Understated as in less visible - doing the grunt work rather than receiving the ball and hitting the line.

[Real ale Madrid]

Understated as in less visible - doing the grunt work rather than receiving the ball and hitting the line.

He is either No.8 or not. His role should not change regardless of who is around him.

[Charlie Darwin]

Not true. Before O'Brien came along, Heaslip was the man who would run from deep and take the ball at pace into the line. O'Brien is more effective so that's now his role. Heaslip still does great work at the back of the scrum which will be important as we'll probably be up against it with the English scrum on Saturday.

[Real ale Madrid]

Not true. Before O'Brien came along, Heaslip was the man who would run from deep and take the ball at pace into the line. .

I don't understand why our No.8 can't attack the opposition line just because O'Brien is in the team. This is one of the No.8's primary roles esp. from the back of the scrum.

O'Brien is more effective so that's now his role. .

Exactly the point I'm making, Drop Heaslip, bring in the more effective player, and play an effective openside and blindside with him,

Heaslip still does great work at the back of the scrum which will be important as we'll probably be up against it with the English scrum on Saturday.

Does he ? I didn't see much on Saturday - see stats above.

[Charlie Darwin]

I don't understand why our No.8 can't attack the opposition line just because O'Brien is in the team. This is one of the No.8's primary roles esp. from the back of the scrum.

He can - we just use O'Brien because he's more effective. Heaslip is still by far the best no. 8 in the country.

[Real ale Madrid]

He can - we just use O'Brien because he's more effective. Heaslip is still by far the best no. 8 in the country.

O'Brien more effective yet Heaslip by far the best No. 8 ? I'm lost. All I saw Saturday was an ineffective No.8 - Piccamoles had a field day - now there's a good back-up No.8.

[Charlie Darwin]

Well, playing as a no. 8 involves more than just running attacking lines...

[Real ale Madrid]

Well, playing as a no. 8 involves more than just running attacking lines...

Does it ? Well maybe you would like to point out some of the amazing specalized stuff he did on saturday to make him " by far the best no 8 in the country", instead of just waffling.

He had 3 takes at the back of the lineout.
He had 0 line breaks.
He turned over 0 balls at ruck time also.
Did he even run with the ball from the back of a scrum ?
Defensively I saw nothing special either - highlighed by Picamoles 106 yards with ball in hand . We were generally second best at the breakdown all game.

I have to reiterate, Heaslip does nothing that O'Brien can't do better at the moment, thus giving us the option to play Ferris at 6 and Wallace - our only openside in the squad, at 7.Hopefully Heaslip has a big game on Saturday against England to give Kidney a big selection headache

[Mr A]

Seems like O'Brien may be injured anyway.. http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugb...p-2857248.html

Team to play England:

15 – Geordan Murphy (Leicester)

14 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

13 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)

12 – Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)

11 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

10 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)

9 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)

1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)

2 - Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)

3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)

4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)

5 – Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster) Captain

6 – Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)

7 – David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)

8 – Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)

17 – Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)

18 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)

19 – Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)

20 - Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)

21 – Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)

22 – Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)

[Charlie Darwin]

Does it ? Well maybe you would like to point out some of the amazing specalized stuff he did on saturday to make him " by far the best no 8 in the country", instead of just waffling.

He had 3 takes at the back of the lineout.
He had 0 line breaks.
He turned over 0 balls at ruck time also.
Did he even run with the ball from the back of a scrum ?
Defensively I saw nothing special either - highlighed by Picamoles 106 yards with ball in hand . We were generally second best at the breakdown all game.

I have to reiterate, Heaslip does nothing that O'Brien can't do better at the moment, thus giving us the option to play Ferris at 6 and Wallace - our only openside in the squad, at 7.Hopefully Heaslip has a big game on Saturday against England to give Kidney a big selection headache

There are his stats:

O'Brien made 1 line break to Heaslip's 0.
O'Brien made 8 tackles but missed 2, while Heaslip made all of his 6 tackles.
O'Brien received the ball 18 times and chose to run 15 times, as you'd expect from the main strike runner.
Heaslip received the ball 15 times, passing 8 times and running 7 times, which you'd expect from a player receiving the ball in the line.

The stats indicate that neither had a particularly great game but they were clearly performing two different roles in the team.

[Real ale Madrid]

There are his stats:

O'Brien made 1 line break to Heaslip's 0.
O'Brien made 8 tackles but missed 2, while Heaslip made all of his 6 tackles.
O'Brien received the ball 18 times and chose to run 15 times, as you'd expect from the main strike runner.
Heaslip received the ball 15 times, passing 8 times and running 7 times, which you'd expect from a player receiving the ball in the line.

The stats indicate that neither had a particularly great game but they were clearly performing two different roles in the team.

Your stats do nothing for your argument that Heaslip is by far a better No.8. If you argue that his role involves less carrying, even then, his 15 yards from 7 carries is less than impressive. I would argue if O'Brien plays No. 8 he gets even more opportunites to run from set play and he gets even more yards.Heaslip hasn't been dynamic enough for me regardless of who is the main strike runner. He must do more from the base of the scrum where a good number 8 demands the ball. I hope he plays well on saturday and I think he needs to .

[SwanVsDalton]

You guys appear to be basing an argument off one game. Heaslip, even in tandem with O'Brien, has proved to my mind to be a fantastic no.8. What's wrong with giving him the benefit of the doubt? Last week wasn't many player's finest hour. Though as you say Real ale, he could use a big game on Saturday (along with a few others).

[shakermaker1982]

WC is nearly upon us and there isn't any posts?

How will Ireland fare? Q Final defeat to the Boks or could they shock the Aussies in the group stages and get to a semi final?

[BonnieShels]

It's been a busy week.

Now, can I justify breakfast beer on Sunday?

[Real ale Madrid]

Think we have more of a chance of beating the boks than the Aussies as it stands. I'd be happy if we just beat Italy at this stage. If we hit form anything can happen, and no doubt we are overdue a good run in the tournament. But realisitically we are looking to beat a Southern Hempishpere team in the Southern Hemisphere for the first time in 32 years. Hope more than any expectation.

I'd definitely Draft Richard Dunne up to the rugby squad, he could do a job in the back-row

[BonnieShels]

Ah yes. So that's that.

Kiwis win but it was delightful to see them up against it in the second half. George Clancy reffed it very well. It was a delight to see a contest at the breakdown. Shocked the Kiwis and as a result McCaw got away with nothing (ie had to stay onside) and was practically anonymous.

Delighted so far.