6 Nations 2023 - Ireland

[FLIP]

Byrne is injured for a while now. Dooley wasn't last I looked, but he's also only started half his games this season.

I'd say Faz wants a new face so they get something out of camp.

The two boys are there to provide scrum opposition for the 4 guys they are looking at seriously & who are going to be picked for the weekend (Porter, Killer, Bad Barnet and TOT). Don't think either Milne or Salanoa within an asses roar of being picked, there to soak up the experience and show how they operate in that kind of environment. With Marty Moore banjaxed, on current form the IRFU should be talking to John Ryan about what he is up to in the autumn. A short term deal for the RWC squad if Ryan is fit post the SRP season wouldn't be out of order. You would hope they are at least exploring the option with him.

This is true up until one of the four guys picks up an injury during the week, in which case Milne or Salanoa would likely bench (unless someone else is parachuted into the squad ahead of them)

Salanoa was 100% with the squad in Cardiff, I saw him warming down with the other spare players before the match.

[TMC]

The two boys are there to provide scrum opposition for the 4 guys they are looking at seriously & who are going to be picked for the weekend (Porter, Killer, Bad Barnet and TOT). Don't think either Milne or Salanoa within an asses roar of being picked, there to soak up the experience and show how they operate in that kind of environment. With Marty Moore banjaxed, on current form the IRFU should be talking to John Ryan about what he is up to in the autumn. A short term deal for the RWC squad if Ryan is fit post the SRP season wouldn't be out of order. You would hope they are at least exploring the option with him.

This is true up until one of the four guys picks up an injury during the week, in which case Milne or Salanoa would likely bench (unless someone else is parachuted into the squad ahead of them)

Salanoa was 100% with the squad in Cardiff, I saw him warming down with the other spare players before the match.

If' there is an injury at 1 or 3 during this week then we are in trouble. Salanoa one for the future but if he was thrown in this weekend would be bringing a cushion to Lansdowne road with me to hide behind. Propping all about experience and he doesn't have much. Milne a leftfield call up for me, wouldn't have totally convinced in terms of his scrummaging in his appearances so far. Personally don't really care if a prop can do a reverse blind pass and a reasonable Usain Bolt impression if he cant scrummage properly.

[Laighin Break]

Murray Kinsella now reporting that Conor Murray and Dan Sheehan are doubts for the weekend

[berliner]

This is true up until one of the four guys picks up an injury during the week, in which case Milne or Salanoa would likely bench (unless someone else is parachuted into the squad ahead of them)

Salanoa was 100% with the squad in Cardiff, I saw him warming down with the other spare players before the match.

If' there is an injury at 1 or 3 during this week then we are in trouble. Salanoa one for the future but if he was thrown in this weekend would be bringing a cushion to Lansdowne road with me to hide behind. Propping all about experience and he doesn't have much. Milne a leftfield call up for me, wouldn't have totally convinced in terms of his scrummaging in his appearances so far. Personally don't really care if a prop can do a reverse blind pass and a reasonable Usain Bolt impression if he cant scrummage properly.

The Milne call up is weird, surely you'd bring in Denis Buckley? And what's up with Eric O'Sullivan? Odd.

[JohnB]

Murray Kinsella now reporting that Conor Murray and Dan Sheehan are doubts for the weekend

They would be a huge loss in terms of experience and dynamism. Really hope that does not come to pass. I presume Blade would join the squad for SH cover and Tom Stewart for Hooker cover.

[JohnB]

Murray Kinsella now reporting that Conor Murray and Dan Sheehan are doubts for the weekend

They would be a huge loss in terms of experience and dynamism. Really hope that does not come to pass. I presume Blade would join the squad for SH cover and Tom Stewart for Hooker cover.

[ronk]

Both are already with the squad.

We have good depth at hooker but that only carries us so far if we are missing our top 2 options.

We also have depth at scrumhalf. Calling up Cooney would have been weird.

[sunshiner1]

by TMC

The two boys are there to provide scrum opposition for the 4 guys they are looking at seriously & who are going to be picked for the weekend (Porter, Killer, Bad Barnet and TOT). Don't think either Milne or Salanoa within an asses roar of being picked, there to soak up the experience and show how they operate in that kind of environment. With Marty Moore banjaxed, on current form the IRFU should be talking to John Ryan about what he is up to in the autumn. A short term deal for the RWC squad if Ryan is fit post the SRP season wouldn't be out of order. You would hope they are at least exploring the option with him.

The problem with that is they could be playing if someone gets injured. It will be a but hard to parachute someone in if it's on the day of the game which is what happened to Healy. They could have brought in Milne as a development option like he did before and have someone with experience in the squad also. Farrell is taking an unnecessary risk.

[suisse]

Saying 'you can't bench larmour because then you've no centre cover in the subs' doesn't make any sense. Aki was the 23 at the weekend and we had no winger cover in the subs.

It makes perfect sense? There was wing cover against Wales. Ringrose to wing and aki to 13 was the plan if there was a wing injury. You need centre cover so can't have larmour on the bench. What's the plan if you get an injured centre? Byrne or larmour to 12? Aki is a good bench option because he covers 12 and 13 meaning ringrose can cover 11 and 14.

Aki on the bench with Ross Byrne means means no outside 3 cover. Ringrose isn't a viable option as we've almost no evidence he's a winger at this level. Larmour is more of a viable option at 13 than ringrose 11 n 14

[wixfjord]

If Murray doesn't make it, I struggle to see us winning with Casey at 9 personally.

Thought his cameo the other day against Wales actually showed why Murray is picked ahead of him in green and starting against France is a much bigger challenge than 15 minutes against a beaten Wales.

[Dave Cahill]

Aki on the bench with Ross Byrne means means no outside 3 cover. Ringrose isn't a viable option as we've almost no evidence he's a winger at this level. Larmour is more of a viable option at 13 than ringrose 11 n 14

And the evidence for Larmour (who has never started a professional game of rugby at centre) is what?

[fourthirtythree]

If Murray doesn't make it, I struggle to see us winning with Casey at 9 personally.

Thought his cameo the other day against Wales actually showed why Murray is picked ahead of him in green and starting against France is a much bigger challenge than 15 minutes against a beaten Wales.

Thought Murray had a fine all round game at the weekend, even kept the defence honest with some snipes, but some of his defence was immense. We'll miss that against France. Casey was playing when we picked up again so he has that in his credit. And I imagine his own team will kick his arse so very, very hard if he fannies about at the back of a scrum again, like he did twice in a row against Wales, that Blade will have to be subbed on straight away.

[wixfjord]

If Murray doesn't make it, I struggle to see us winning with Casey at 9 personally.

Thought his cameo the other day against Wales actually showed why Murray is picked ahead of him in green and starting against France is a much bigger challenge than 15 minutes against a beaten Wales.

Thought Murray had a fine all round game at the weekend, even kept the defence honest with some snipes, but some of his defence was immense. We'll miss that against France. Casey was playing when we picked up again so he has that in his credit. And I imagine his own team will kick his arse so very, very hard if he fannies about at the back of a scrum again, like he did twice in a row against Wales, that Blade will have to be subbed on straight away.

To me Casey should be told to focus more on being the facilitator that he's good at rather than trying to run the ball or make breaks. At test level if he gets caught it's a very likely turnover.

His decision near the end to run into two Welsh players on their line instead of popping to a forward was crazy.

[Dave Cahill]

If Murray doesn't make it, I struggle to see us winning with Casey at 9 personally.

Thought his cameo the other day against Wales actually showed why Murray is picked ahead of him in green and starting against France is a much bigger challenge than 15 minutes against a beaten Wales.

Murray has generally done very well against Dupont so his loss would be significant. I wouldn't quite write off Casey entirely though, he will put a lot of pace on the game which is something the French won't want. Italy really stressed them with the pace they played at, but they didn't have the precision - we'll be a lot more precise than Italy (and the Italian scrum half had a Bergamasco)

[fourthirtythree]

He's not Dupont. If he tries to be we will lose.

I really enjoyed a ruck of Wales's that he made a right mess of though.

[Flash Gordon]

Aki on the bench with Ross Byrne means means no outside 3 cover. Ringrose isn't a viable option as we've almost no evidence he's a winger at this level. Larmour is more of a viable option at 13 than ringrose 11 n 14

And the evidence for Larmour (who has never started a professional game of rugby at centre) is what?

Andrew's SCT I think! Would have no issue with him playing as an attacking 13, his ability to create space when there is none is unparalleled. He's been a back 3 player since the U20's moved him there. The issue for him at centre is size, I still remember him jumping on Nemani Nadolo's back to stop him. Ultimately if a 125kg Cenre runs at a 90kg defender that's probably not going to end well for the defender.

Wing is the position where an all round game is least exposed. Furthermore, Ringrose can play wing, we've seen him do that.

[wixfjord]

If Murray doesn't make it, I struggle to see us winning with Casey at 9 personally.

Thought his cameo the other day against Wales actually showed why Murray is picked ahead of him in green and starting against France is a much bigger challenge than 15 minutes against a beaten Wales.

Murray has generally done very well against Dupont so his loss would be significant. I wouldn't quite write off Casey entirely though, he will put a lot of pace on the game which is something the French won't want. Italy really stressed them with the pace they played at, but they didn't have the precision - we'll be a lot more precise than Italy (and the Italian scrum half had a Bergamasco)

If he just focuses on putting pace on the game then that would be good. My issue with him is he sometimes tries to do too much and he hasn't the size or defensive ability of Murray and hasn't the playmaking ability of JGP (yet).

We can't afford a performance in which he get scragged continuously and tries to take on too much ball himself, particularly close to the line.

[Dave Cahill]

Andrew's SCT I think!

Not exactly the '27 Yankees now in fairness!

[wixfjord]

Aki on the bench with Ross Byrne means means no outside 3 cover. Ringrose isn't a viable option as we've almost no evidence he's a winger at this level. Larmour is more of a viable option at 13 than ringrose 11 n 14

And the evidence for Larmour (who has never started a professional game of rugby at centre) is what?

He has played the majority of a 6N decider in Twickenham at 13.

I'm not saying it's a good option, but having neither Aki or Larmour at 23 provides you with good options for full backline cover.

[TMC]

Murray Kinsella now reporting that Conor Murray and Dan Sheehan are doubts for the weekend

They would be a huge loss in terms of experience and dynamism. Really hope that does not come to pass. I presume Blade would join the squad for SH cover and Tom Stewart for Hooker cover.

Kelleher back training, albeit heavily strapped, in the published photos.