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Comments
blametheref says...
@Crunchfit
Yea, thought Fitz was terrible at 12 didn't bring anything to the game, probably wasn't helped by Berquist who was terrible
Posted 13:04 07th September 2011
crunchfit says...
@blametheref
What? Fitzgerald played well. He was one of the few Leinster players who actually had a good game. You sure you were watching the Ospreys match?
Posted 18:35 03rd September 2011
staph_glorious says...
lol wut a redonculus per4mantz frm de heino champs i tink vern cotr mst hav got a new sim coz king schmidt got it all rong lolz still it shoze dat HAGAN IZ IRLADNS BEST PROP!!11 nd buckley shud wrk for cinewrld rofl. carrr for ireland he can play wing fullbak an we can go vrrrrroooooooooommmm wen he scorz againts the rooskeez hahaa!!
de future 15 pick-a-karney 14 Beezo (he plays for munster!!) 13macken 12captain downeyyy11 Carr (vroom, heh) 10 madgers 9 ooh-ahh Luke mcgrath...............idk forwrds obrein i spose lol
Posted 18:14 03rd September 2011
melkdave says...
I think Ireland will start blooding the likes of F.Carr ect after the RWC After all the BOD genaration of players wont be around to much longer age im afraid catches up with us all lol ireland are quite lucky in that they have some good players comming thru ie J.Downey F.Carr D.Cave D.Tone ect .Kidney this year has gone for experiance hence Darcy who hasnt shown any notable form in the last 2 yrs or so.Bit like Engalnd atm really its not all doom and gloom for Irish rugby you know lol
Posted 13:24 03rd September 2011
blametheref says...
Real bad display by Leinster V Ospreys. Proved one thing, Fitzgerald's definitely not a 12 and in no way was hard done by not going to the WC. He seems to get worse by the game and was at sea. Berquist should go back to NZ, he was terrible and doesn't like tackling. Ian Madigan was way better when he came on and should be tried at 13 because of his distribution, jinxy line breaking and all round game, he caused problems for Ospreys evey time he touched the ball but most around him were asleep. Down the line he could be the answer for Ireland at 13 if he was eased into the position...some might slate me for this but I'm deadly serious! Jamie Hagan played most of the game with a closed black eye and no doubt about it he should be in New Zealand with Ireland, he was against Duncan Jones, a good International scrummager, and Hagan had few problems, he gets around the field too. Fionn Carr showed that he is unlucky not to be in the Irish set up and was dangerous with the few scraps he got, even had what would have been a good try only to be called back for a slightly forward pass. He is a true winger, who poses threat, and if Fitzgerald was in the reckoning for going to NZ Carr is a player Kidney has completely overlooked as he's way better than Fitz and I'd go to say he's better than Trimble and Earls in his current bad form. But all round Leinster need a kick up the ass as they were playing an Ospreys team that also had numerous players on International duty. Well done Ospreys!
Posted 11:10 03rd September 2011
staph_glorious says...
blametheref,
I have already engaged with you on the Downey debate, and have nothing further to add. The Duffy remark is fatuous.
Brendan Macken arrives at Leinster with the repuation of Kohoutek. He could not even guarantee himself a place on the Irish U20 team. Man, his top achievement to date is playing a total of 24 minutes of (then) Magners League rugby spanning two seasons. What on His green earth entitles Macken to an Ireland trial?!
Of those three names you tout for the #12 jersey, only one has earned serious game time there, he being Nevin Spence. Even in his case was he shoe-horned in from outside centre, a position to which he is far more suited. At the same time, Ulster's backplay suffered for lack of a playmaker in midfield. Figures.
If Ireland were Australia, McFadden and Earls (and perhaps even Cave) would have more Test caps in at centre. Australia still operate a meritocracy in their team selections.
Posted 12:26 02nd September 2011
melkdave says...
@blamethebeef
Totally agree about Downey i said in earlier post id have prefered him in the squad instead of Darcy but Kidneys gone for experiance at 12 and we have to work with whos in the squad lol I think after the RWC you will see some of thoses players you listed given a runout after all Ireland need replacments for so many players post RWC BOD-DARCY-O.CONNEL.O.CALLAGHAN ect ect .Given the squad ive gone for Trimble at 12 might be wrong about it but think he has shown a hell of alot more than Darcy ect with McFacden on the bench for impact on 60 mins
Posted 12:17 02nd September 2011
blametheref says...
@ Staphglorius
Totally disagree with you about Downey who has improved immensely and found his confidence at Saints after being bandied around like confetti while in Ireland etc. A crunch tackler, if I'm correct he didn't miss a game or was dropped for Northampton all last season which proves any player's worth in a leading team. And if you think he can't distribute, think again. How could players like Ashton, Foden and Diggin score the amount of tries they do if Downey was some "weak link"? Downey ain't flashy but at this stage of his career he's a highly competent 12 and he could bring to Ireland what they need as an alternative at 12, a big tackler who can draw players in hold the ball up in the tackle or punch holes over the gain line. Imagine Sean O' Brien on his shoulder...Even as a sub, he'd be a great option to have on the bench for Ireland. Who else in the Irish set up can bring these qualities on to the pitch? More importantly he's a proper 12, not some makeshift. You must agree that he deserved a run since before the autumn at least?? Even Gavin Duffy is a better option for you know who, and we're not talking Voldermort!
Some young guns that were options worth trying: Darren Cave, Nevin Spence, Eoin O' Malley, Brendan Macken, and Danny Barnes. With Danny Barnes, Nevin Spence and O' Malley being the ones I would take from these to try at 12, all could play there in my opinion and if Ireland were Australia they'd have been tried there and brought on into the position much the same way as D'arcy (a winger/full back) was tried at 12 for Leinster and then Ireland with success
Posted 09:54 02nd September 2011
staph_glorious says...
melkdave,
There's a difference between a renowned distributor and a competent one. Tindall would be perfectly competent, and his 72 caps at centre are indicative of that. Nonu's reputation as simply a crashball merchant has expired; he supplemented his game with some very fine passing skills, and was the stand-out inside centre of Test rubgy in 2010 for his variety.
Trimble has shown no evidence of having a #12's distribution. The majority of caps he has earned in midfield have been at outside centre, and I believe the only reason he ever wore the #12 jersey was for O'Driscoll's contracted(?) ownership over that iconic shirt. If Trimble's enterprises were quashed by Australian defense, Ireland would have effectively a dead player at inside centre. This is much the same reason as to explaining Downey's absence - a limited player who may ultimately only serve a defensive purpose in the Test arena.
Truly, there are few #12s worldwide who excel at their game. For Irish faults in their backplay, look only to Gaffney and his limitations as a coach. (Unless he's holding back on us).
Posted 19:47 01st September 2011
melkdave says...
Well i still think Trimble at 12 is a viable option espically against Australia where he will be against Cooper / McCabe most proberly and if lucky Barnes.We all know Cooper couldnt tackle a paper bag and Barnes isnt much better McCabe now can tackle and Trimble is the only Irish back to have shown he can get across the gain line consistantly and make clean/ semi breaks . also Tindal isnt renowned as a distributor either but it seems to work same for Nonu for the AbsThe australia group game is important as im sure Ireland would rather face Wales /Samoa than SA in the QFs as SA are expected to top their group not a given mind you lol.
Posted 18:12 01st September 2011
staph_glorious says...
blametheref,
Fair point on Trimble's positional play, but it's worth mentioning he has improved on it over the years. Horgan would set a bar in his defensive duties, one that young Earls could struggle to match. (As I forgot to mention yesterday; Horgan's involvement in the preliminary squad would have been huge, and he may well have pushed for a specialist wing berth).
Trimble is in fine form, both comparatively and in isolation. He's a strong runner who revels in open space. He's a must if the Irish midfield is accused of lacking penetration, but not as a centre himself. He has not played there for years, and for good reason. He would not have the distribution for inside centre. I'd fear to watch that match. It's D'Arcy and O'Driscoll and a good bit of faith for the major Tests.
Who are the 'numerous' young centres you think merit a 'look in'?
Try Scoring stats: n tries in ('Start' + 'Sub') matches
Trimble, Andrew: 8 tries in (29 + 7) matches; *
Earls, Keith: 6 tries in (15 + 6) matches;
Fitzgerald, Luke: 2 tries in (20 + 4) matches;
Bowe, Tommy: 17 tries in (43 + 0) matches; **
Horgan, Shane: 21 tries in (62 + 7) matches; **
* Includes 1 try against each of New Zealand, South Africa and France.
** Have scored against Tri-Nations sides, including Australia.
Posted 15:20 01st September 2011
blametheref says...
Can't understand why some rate Trimble so highly. Ok, he gets 10/10 for effort, he tries. He has two big chinks in his armour from an International perspective. His positional play is sub-standard, just compare it to Shane Horgan's positional play for example. Trimple tends to get foxed by oppoition too easily. His other chink is that as a winger he doesn't score enough tries. Ok, he may score against teams like the USA but against teams like Australia I'm not so sure about him...He has played at 12 but if we are going to see him at 12 against the likes of Australia, Kidney hasn't done his homework...but then again, he may in the wind up be our only option, as Mc Fadden is not a 12 in my thinking.
We are going to a WC with only one true 12 who is carrying an injury and recovering from another. We are going to a WC with only one true and tried 13 who is close to the end of his career. Yet we have numerous mostly young 12's (and one older one) and 13's playing for their provinces who haven't been given a look in. The 12+13 axis is looking like serious problem for this WC
Posted 08:17 01st September 2011
blametheref says...
We're going to a WC and we have too many players being juggled around positionally, playing out of position. Against Australia this will be exploited by Robbie Deans to the full if players are in positions as Gaffer Tape
Posted 07:43 01st September 2011
melkdave says...
@POG_MAHONE
Yes Trimble has test experiance as a center started his test carreer as a 12 when he 1st broke in2 the national team and BLACK47 if you play Trimble on the wing with Earls .I think your limiting Bowe his much more dangerous cutting the line from wing where he dose his best damage When he dose play center his marked out the game his best atribute is his pace and from center he hasnt the space to rack it up ,just my opinion mind you lol
Posted 21:25 31st August 2011
pog_mahone says...
I agree with papachinzo, I was at the England match too and he was anonymous. I didn't realize he was on the pitch against France until nearly half time. I like the suggestion to play Trimble at 12 but has he any experience there at a high level? A WC pool match is not the place to start experimenting.
Posted 08:32 31st August 2011
melkdave says...
@black47
I agree Darcy hasnt really shown any notable form for about 2 yrs may be 3.The problem for Ireland is atm you are short on centers i would have liked to have seen J.Downey in the squad instead of Darcy but i expect Kidney has gone more for experiance here than potential ,Bit like Tindal for England .who had his best game for years in a white shirt against Ireland lets hope Darcy can do the same .Personnally id like to see Trinble start at 12 as he consiistantly broke the gain line (the only back i think) and have McFaden on the bench as an impact on 60 mins
Posted 01:13 31st August 2011
papachinzo says...
@black47. You might want to watch the match again so...
Posted 19:04 30th August 2011
Theshaw says...
Things seem to be going from bad to worse.....I hope he and Healy make it out to NZ soon
Posted 15:58 30th August 2011