What is your Ireland XV for the 6 Nations

**joeSoap** · 24/01/2006, 8:43 AM

Based on recent Heineken Cup form, what would your team for the 6 nations be at the moment;

Mine would be: Girvan Dempsey; Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Geordan Murphy; Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer; Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes; Donncha O'Callaghan Paul O'Connell; Denis Leamy, David Wallace, Anthony Foley.

Yeah yeah I'm picking the entire Munster pack blah blah bias blah blah. With Horan, Hayes, O'Connell and Leamy there are no better alternatives. Flannery ahead of Byrne cos the mullett isn't getting a game with Saracens and Flannery's been superb to date. O'Callaghan is more aggressive than O'Kelly, and Wallace is in the form of his life and imo a better option to Johnny O'Connor who i feel is rather overrated. Foley brings it all together and even though he might be getting on..32

he commands the respect of the rest of them and they work their asses off for him.

And they're a unit that know each other inside out, and that counts for a lot.

Of course, he's probably going to play Byrne, O'Kelly, Easterby and O'Connor. But what can you do ??

**pete** · 24/01/2006, 9:41 AM

Geordan Murphy at fullback.
Probably Easterby for Foley in the pack.

**joeSoap** · 24/01/2006, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Geordan Murphy at fullback.
Probably Easterby for Foley in the pack.

Murphy has played all his recent games on the left wing for the Tigers...and quite well too. Dempsey has been a revelation for Leinster.

Easterby for Foley...tougher call. I went for Foley cos of the Munster factor..

**Schumi** · 24/01/2006, 12:17 PM

I'd go with most of the team above but with O'Kelly in ahead of O'Callaghan and Easterby ahead of Leamy. I'm not sure on hooker tbh but Flannery has done well from the little I've seen and there's not much competition either. I'd have Gleeson at 7 too but that's obviously impossible.

**finlma** · 24/01/2006, 12:25 PM

The only change to your team Joe Soap would be Easterby for Foley.

It was a great weekend for rugby.

**pete** · 24/01/2006, 12:29 PM

What team will O'Sullivan pick though?

I'm sure he will go with Shane Byrne at hooker, O'Kellys best days are behind him but O'Sullivan is very cautious...?

Given i think Wallace was ignored for the Autumn internationals would be some turn around if he picked for 6 Nations.

3 wins would seem like success not as expectations are very low.

**ThatGuy** · 24/01/2006, 11:06 PM

When you consider that Trevor Brennan isn't in consideration for a spot in the squad let alone being guaranteed a starting place (which he should be) it goes to show how much politics is involved in the selection.

**joeSoap** · 25/01/2006, 8:55 AM

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

When you consider that Trevor Brennan isn't in consideration for a spot in the squad let alone being guaranteed a starting place (which he should be) it goes to show how much politics is involved in the selection.

Absolute sh1te...a place in the squad maybe, but not in the final 22 let alone a guaranteed starting place. Brennan's a good, aggressive converted second row, who got a new lease of life when he moved to France. He should have gotten a lot more caps, but many years ago and as a blind side flanker. He's getting great press at the moment, and being on a mega-successful Toulouse side greatly enhances his profile.

To say he's on a par with any of the three O's is very wide of the mark.

Originally Posted by schumi

Easterby ahead of Leamy.

**Dodge** · 25/01/2006, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by Schumi

I'd go with most of the team above but with O'Kelly in ahead of O'Callaghan and Easterby ahead of Leamy. I'm not sure on hooker tbh but Flannery has done well from the little I've seen and there's not much competition either. I'd have Gleeson at 7 too but that's obviously impossible.

I'd have O'callaghan ahead of o'kelly (close though) but agree with your other changes

**joeSoap** · 25/01/2006, 11:40 AM

Easterby ahead of Leamy??? Come on lads...seriously!

**Aberdonian Stu** · 25/01/2006, 11:44 AM

I'm not a big fan of either but there's not much other option so you'd have to back Easterby.

**Dodge** · 25/01/2006, 11:47 AM

Might ahve Leamy at no 8 ahead of Wallace but Easterby would be the only definite in my back row

**Schumi** · 25/01/2006, 2:20 PM

No Foley, Hickie, Mullet or Dempsey (injured)

Marcus Horan
John Hayes
Simon Best
Rory Best
Jerry Flannery
Donncha O'Callaghan
Paul O'Connell
Malcolm O'Kelly
Simon Easterby
Denis Leamy
Johnny O'Connor
David Wallace

Eoin Reddan
Peter Stringer
Ronan O'Gara
David Humphreys
Gordon D'Arcy
Brian O'Driscoll
Andrew Trimble
Tommy Bowe
Shane Horgan
Geordan Murphy

**Dodge** · 25/01/2006, 2:52 PM

From that squad

Geordan Murphy
Tommy Bowe
Gordon D'Arcy
Brian O'Driscoll
Shane Horgan
Ronan O'Gara
Peter Stringer

Marcus Horan
Jerry Flannery
John Hayes
Donncha O'Callaghan
Paul O'Connell
Simon Easterby
David Wallace
Denis Leamy

Simon Best
Rory Best
Malcolm O'Kelly
Johnny O'Connor
Eoin Reddan
David Humphreys
Andrew Trimble

**joeSoap** · 25/01/2006, 3:13 PM

Exactly how I'd pick it too from that squad...

**Soko** · 26/01/2006, 11:58 AM

Watch Leamy closer, he's our best back row forward.

**joeSoap** · 26/01/2006, 1:23 PM

Originally Posted by Soko

Watch Leamy closer, he's our best back row forward.

The man's a pure savage on the rugby pitch. An extremely aggressive ball carrier and tackler, and a good line-out option too. And, he's just a kid....wait till he gets another year or two's experience....

**Soko** · 26/01/2006, 6:14 PM

Leamy went down under with the Irish Schools team and was man of the series going directly opposite George Smith. He was offered countless contracts to stay in Australia and NZ but came home. He then became a victim of Munsters success with the outstanding backrows and tore his cruciate a couple of years ago as he was just about to make the break through. This just delayed the inevitable a year and now we can all see how good he is.

Once again Eddie O' Sullivan put him out to the slaughter by playing him 7 against Italy. He played there for Munster because everyone else was injured, he's a natural 6 but can play 8, he could have been a lion but for the injury. Warren Gatland had him as an outsider to go to NZ when no one knew his. Leamy is and will be our best back row forward for the next 8 years.

**pete** · 27/01/2006, 12:48 PM

Bold squad selection by O'Sullivans standards.

**tipp man** · 27/01/2006, 3:18 PM

Originally Posted by Soko

Leamy went down under with the Irish Schools team and was man of the series going directly opposite George Smith. He was offered countless contracts to stay in Australia and NZ but came home. He then became a victim of Munsters success with the outstanding backrows and tore his cruciate a couple of years ago as he was just about to make the break through. This just delayed the inevitable a year and now we can all see how good he is.

Once again Eddie O' Sullivan put him out to the slaughter by playing him 7 against Italy. He played there for Munster because everyone else was injured, he's a natural 6 but can play 8, he could have been a lion but for the injury. Warren Gatland had him as an outsider to go to NZ when no one knew his. Leamy is and will be our best back row forward for the next 8 years.

I know I'm from Tipperary but this post is spot on. I have been watching Leamy since he was playing junior rugby at school. He is a top class player and a top class guy. You couldn't meet nicer. He is a shoe in for our world cup squad so with that in mind he should be a regular for all of this year.