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RWC: IRL v ROM (Wembley): POOL D

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the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
My understanding is that Romania have their stronger selection out against France today, Wednesday. I am hoping that Best, Ross, POC, POM, SOB, Heaslip, Murray, Sexton, Payne and R Kearney are rested or bench at most. Healy to start, Viscount Wonderhair to hopefully see some game time at 9.
 

Cardiffblue

Jim Lenehan (48)
My understanding is that Romania have their stronger selection out against France today, Wednesday. I am hoping that Best, Ross, POC, POM, SOB, Heaslip, Murray, Sexton, Payne and R Kearney are rested or bench at most. Healy to start, Viscount Wonderhair to hopefully see some game time at 9.
Think you'd be chancing your arm resting all that lot! Think you might need a few on the bench just in case the b team are in the shit.
 

Cardiffblue

Jim Lenehan (48)
2 of them have to be on the bench anyway. Leave Murray on the bench behind break in emergency glass.

Having seen Romania now they shouldn't trouble the Irish backline. Forwards might be different issue. I'd keep first string locks and backrow is gonna have to be quick
 

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
Having seen Romania now they shouldn't trouble the Irish backline. Forwards might be different issue. I'd keep first string locks and backrow is gonna have to be quick
As we saw with the Japanese blowing out of their holes after 50 minutes against a, quite frankly, average Scotland, these quick turnarounds are very tough on the weaker nations. The Ireland second team is quite strong, many of them such as Toner, Ryan, Henry, Murphy, Bowe, Zebo etc have been heavily involved at first team level.
 

Cardiffblue

Jim Lenehan (48)
As we saw with the Japanese blowing out of their holes after 50 minutes against a, quite frankly, average Scotland, these quick turnarounds are very tough on the weaker nations. The Ireland second team is quite strong, many of them such as Toner, Ryan, Henry, Murphy, Bowe, Zebo etc have been heavily involved at first team level.
I agree. Ireland imho won 6n cos of their bench. But who do you play at half back. Surely time to rest Murray and sexton.
 

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
I agree. Ireland imho won 6n cos of their bench. But who do you play at half back. Surely time to rest Murray and sexton.
I think Reddan and Wee Paddy should be good enough. The likes of Shane Horgan have only just stopped their ridiculous campaign to have Reddan start ahead of Murray so he should be OK!?!? I have a lot of time for Jackson and feel that he is unfortunate in that he is judged on his performances outside Reddan relative to Sexton's outside Murray. Here is my team

1 Healy, 2 Cronin, 3 White, 4 Toner, 5 Ryan, 6 Henderson, 7 Henry, 8 Murphy, 9 Reddan(c), 10 Jackson, 11 Earls, 12 Cave, 13 Fitzgerald, 14 Bowe, 15 Zebo.

16 Strauss, 17 McGrath, 18 Furlong, 19 POC (emergency glass only), 20 SOB, 21 Murray (emergency), 22 Madigan, 23 Dave Kearney.
 

mxyzptlk

Colin Windon (37)
Here is my team

1 Healy, 2 Cronin, 3 White, 4 Toner, 5 Ryan, 6 Henderson, 7 Henry, 8 Murphy, 9 Reddan(c), 10 Jackson, 11 Earls, 12 Cave, 13 Fitzgerald, 14 Bowe, 15 Zebo.

16 Strauss, 17 McGrath, 18 Furlong, 19 POC (emergency glass only), 20 SOB, 21 Murray (emergency), 22 Madigan, 23 Dave Kearney.

If that's the side, it's amazing that's a second team. Formidable.
 

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
If that's the side, it's amazing that's a second team. Formidable.
Pom is carrying a bit of a knock hence Hendo at six, but the first choice back five we saw against Canada has a great balance to it IMHO. But, apart from Hendo, Healy and Earls/ Fitz, that team is made up of second choice. Personally I would have Zebo on the left wing and Earls on the right in the first team because they are the two quickest lads in the squad but Daverage has looked sharp even if he doesn't have their top end gas. When you think there are lads like Denis Buckley, Killer, James Cronin, Herring, Dave Foley, Tuohy, McCarthy, Conan, TOD(injured admittedly), Diack, Trimble, McCloskey etc who can't even make the squad and CJ Stander becomes IQed in a couple of weeks, the strength in depth of Irish rugby is unbelievable really.
 

Cardiffblue

Jim Lenehan (48)
I'd go for speed outside too. France did show is that the Romanians are gonna be strong in the middle of the park and the space is out wide. Glad to see Redden getting another gig. with only two 9s in the squad Murray needs time off. Might be good idea to have a third choice non-squad 9 breeze by the training 'by accident' with a pair of boots in car and join in
 

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
I'd go for speed outside too. France did show is that the Romanians are gonna be strong in the middle of the park and the space is out wide. Glad to see Redden getting another gig. with only two 9s in the squad Murray needs time off. Might be good idea to have a third choice non-squad 9 breeze by the training 'by accident' with a pair of boots in car and join in

That would be against the rules and St Joe does not have a neck like a jockey's scrotum, unlike his compatriot.

Here is the official team anyway

Team announced

15. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster)
14. Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
13. Jared Payne (Ulster)
12. Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
11. Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
10. Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
9. Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster)

1. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
3. Nathan White (Connacht)
4. Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
6. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
7. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) captain

Replacements
16. Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
17. Jack McGrath (St Mary's College/Leinster)
18. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
19. Paul O'Connell (Young Munster)
20. Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
22. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon)
23. Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
 

mxyzptlk

Colin Windon (37)
Did not expect to see Madigan getting the 10 jersey; thought he'd be in at 22 and would get a sting at scrum half.
 

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
Did not expect to see Madigan getting the 10 jersey; thought he'd be in at 22 and would get a sting at scrum half.
Still might with poor Wee Paddy judged, forever and a day, by his efforts outside him. I would love to see the Viscount really stamp his authority on a game from the outset, however. He doesn't exactly appear to be lacking in confidence so you'd hope he can make a good impression against Romania.
 

mxyzptlk

Colin Windon (37)
Still might with poor Wee Paddy judged, forever and a day, by his efforts outside him. I would love to see the Viscount really stamp his authority on a game from the outset, however. He doesn't exactly appear to be lacking in confidence so you'd hope he can make a good impression against Romania.

Who has a harder pass? Both Madigan and Jackson spin bullets -- which might serve Madigan well if he ends up at scrum half -- but I think Jackson has developed just a bit more of a forgiving touch on his throws.
 
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