Ireland V Italy 24th October

[odyboody]

I know I'm jumping ahead of myself here, But.
If (when) Leinster make it to the HC final the week before this match on the 17th October.
I would hope that there will be none of the squad called up for Ireland camp.

Anyone have any insight.?

Same could be true for Ulster, potentially Ireland squad drawn from just Munster and Connacht???

[Oldschool]

Assuming a Leinster v Ulster final (Where would that be played you'd wonder assuming the draw allows for it)
Or no players from either Leinster of Ulster considered.
Ireland team v Italy.
1. Kilcoyne
2. Scannell
3. Bealham
4. Roux
5. Dillane
6. Beirne
7. O'Donnell
8. Stander (C)
9. Marmion
10. Carty
11. Earls
12. Aki
13. Farrell
14. Conway
15. Daly

Bench

Buckley
Ryan
Holland
Boyle
Blade
JJ
Sweetnam.
Think that squad could beat the Italians.
Jarrod Butler at 7 if he was Ireland qualified and TOD to drop out.

[Oldschool]

Scrap the above selection.
When does Farrell select his extended squad.
It's going to be one of the most eagerly awaited squad announcements in a long time.

[Aird]

If RoI go to level 5 what happens to this game do they move to another jurisdiction in order to safeguard the IRFU’s ailing finances ?

[neiliog93]

If RoI go to level 5 what happens to this game do they move to another jurisdiction in order to safeguard the IRFU’s ailing finances ?

IRFU and other sporting organisations seeking exemptions under level 5 for elite level games. Considering schools stay open under level 5 there is no feasible justification for banning elite sports under public health safety grounds. It would be pointless and a disgrace if they did.

[wixfjord]

WIll be interesting to see how they manage the national squad 'bubble' and also release guys. There was a good bit of talk in the papers over the weekend about how restrictive it is in Carton House. How are they going to release guys back to the provinces (and presumably their own houses) then bring them back in I wonder?

[dropkick]

There's been a bit of talk from within the squad about playing heads up rugby. It's good to hear that.


Farrell commented last week about the players needing to take more responsibility. I wonder are they trying to stop the over reliance on Sexton running the show.


I'm hoping to see a more fluid attack with more unpredictability.

[Laighin Break]

[Paraphrased from a comment on The42]
It will be heads up rugby as they are constantly looking up in the air at Murray's box kicks!

[dropkick]

[Paraphrased from a comment on The42]
It will be heads up rugby as they are constantly looking up in the air at Murray's box kicks!

That's probably true.


I don't mind kicking but like everything else, it needs some variety instead of just box kicks.

[Twist]

So - as of now (1101hrs on Tuesday) its going ahead. When do Italy arrive into the country?

[MylesNaGapoleen]

in case anyone else, like me, was wondering if the lockdown in ireland will affect the game..this is from gov.ie today

in line with current NPHET advice in respect of Level 5, professional, elite sports and inter-county Gaelic games, horse-racing and greyhound racing can continue behind closed doors

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/662 ... ith-covid/

[chrismcc]

15. Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan) 28 caps
14. Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen) 21 caps
13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD) 29 caps
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians) 26 caps
11. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD) uncapped
10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College) 91 caps Captain
9. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen) 81 caps
1. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf) 98 caps
2. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch) 11 caps
3. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD) 26 caps
4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne) 13 caps
5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD) 26 caps
6. Caelan Doris (Leinster/UCD) 2 caps
7. Will Connors (Leinster/UCD) uncapped
8. CJ Stander (Munster/Shannon) 41 caps

Replacements

16. Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers) 1 cap
17. Ed Byrne (Leinster/UCD) uncapped
18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Corinthians) 9 caps
19. Ultan Dillane (Connacht/Corinthians) 15 caps
20. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution) 67 caps
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster) uncapped
22. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD) 6 caps
23. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers) 43 caps

[wixfjord]

Incredible rise for Keenan! Fair play!

Great to see Byrne, JGP and Connors getting their shot too.

JGP straight in ahead of Marmion means Faz clearly rates him.

[chrismcc]

Incredible rise for Keenan! Fair play!

Great to see Byrne, JGP and Connors getting their shot too.

JGP straight in ahead of Marmion means Faz clearly rates him.

Would you swap Stockdale and Keenan positionally?

[wixfjord]

Incredible rise for Keenan! Fair play!

Great to see Byrne, JGP and Connors getting their shot too.

JGP straight in ahead of Marmion means Faz clearly rates him.

Would you swap Stockdale and Keenan positionally?

Yeah definitely think they're better the other way around, but I'd imagine the idea is get Stockdale time at 15 as that's where he's more likely to be going forward and JL/Earls will come on at 11?

Has Keenan ever played at 11 for us?

[chrismcc]

Incredible rise for Keenan! Fair play!

Great to see Byrne, JGP and Connors getting their shot too.

JGP straight in ahead of Marmion means Faz clearly rates him.

Would you swap Stockdale and Keenan positionally?

Yeah definitely think they're better the other way around, but I'd imagine the idea is get Stockdale time at 15 as that's where he's more likely to be going forward and JL/Earls will come on at 11?

Has Keenan ever played at 11 for us?

Makes sense, despite his rise as you mentioned he probably won't usurp Stockdale with everyone fit. I just think they both are at their strongest the other way around! Still can't wait at this stage reasonably exciting team. I'm not sure on Keenan at 11, possibly when playing in the weaker tes with no Lowe.

[blockhead]

waz the story with earlsy?

[OTT]

Backs
Murray & Sexton: 172 caps
The other 5 backs: 104 caps

Forwards
Healy & Stander: 139 caps
The other 6 forwards: 78 caps

Bench
POM & Robbie: 110 caps
The other 6 subs: 31 caps


Lots of players with a few caps getting a shot supported by a very experienced fulcrum. Decent looking team.

[sunshiner1]

Some interesting selections. I like the look of the backrow it looks well balanced with the three guys complimenting each others play.

[hugonaut]

Irish team announced:

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2020/10/21/fo ... and-squad/

1. All four debutants are Leinster players - Connors, Keenan, Ed Byrne and JGP.

2. Of the nine starting players in their 20s [Porter, Ryan, Beirne, Doris, Connors, Keenan, Ringrose, Conway, Stockdale], eight of them came through the Leinster Academy.

3. It's a credit to the work done at the Connacht Academy to see Heffernan [29], Bealham [29], Dillane [26] and Henshaw [27] all selected in a Six Nations matchday squad. Aki also got the nod, and Marmion and Jack Carty must have been in contention for selection given their form. Five Connacht players in total speaks well of the work that Pat Lam and Andy Friend did/have done.

4. Conor Murray [31] made his test debut in 2011, Peter O'Mahony [31] in 2012. The other three Munster-contracted players in the squad were produced by Leinster and Northern Transvaal. Munster's development of local talent over the last four/five years has been useless.

5. Ulster were Pro14 finalists and European Cup quarter-finalists and have only had two players selected - Herring [30] and Stockdale [24]. Obviously Iain Henderson's suspension has affected that, and injuries to Will Addison and Tom O'Toole haven't helped. But it was curious to see only two looseheads picked in the training squad and Jack McGrath completely omitted, and obviously Cooney was dropped at his first wobble in form over three seasons while others have been treated much more indulgently.