SEXTON IS OUT.

If someone other than toner got his spot you wud say fair enough its for experience in prep for next world cup but everyone knows toner isnt the answer to that question even at leinster.

I wonder why he dropped DOC? He wasn't injured afaik and Toner isn't playing much better than him at the moment.

The Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS 6 Nations Championship this Saturday has been named.



Mike McCarthy will start in the second row along side Donnacha Ryan. 'Macca' is set to earn his tenth international cap this weekend when he lines out for Ireland.

The side shows two changes to the starting fifteen from the last outing, with both changes being made to the backline. Craig Gilroy, who missed the game against France with a groin strain, returns on the right wing in place of Fergus McFadden who is unavailable due to a rib injury.

Jonathan Sexton also returns to the team to start at outhalf after missing the past three games due to a hamstring injury, with Paddy Jackson moving to the replacements in place of Ian Madigan.

There is also a further change among the replacements with Devin Toner coming into the match squad in place of Donncha O’Callaghan.

The Ireland Team to play Italy on Saturday 16th March 2013 in Stadio Olimpico, Rome in the RBS 6 Nations Championship, K.O. 2.30pm (local time), is:

(Player/club/province/international caps):
15 - Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster/45)
14 - Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster/4)
13 - Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster/124)
12 - Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster/2)
11 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster/38)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary’s College/Leinster/36)
9 - Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster/18)

1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster/38)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster/66)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster/28)
4 - Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht/9)
5 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster/27)
6 - Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster/13)
7 - Sean O’Brien (UCD/Leinster/26)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster/56) Captain

Replacements:
16 - Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster/25)
17 - David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster/6)
18 - Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution/Munster)* :sick: :sick: :sick:
19 - Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster/4) :sick: :sick: :sick:
20 - Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster/4)
21 - Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
22 - Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster/2)
23 - Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College /Leinster/25)

*Denotes uncapped player

columoc wrote: I note that in another thread, the European Nations Cup uses the same bonus points structure as WC, HC and Rabo.

I'm not sure why the 6 Nations has not developed likewise.

If the bonus point structure was used, the current table would be as follows
England 17
Wales 12
Scotland. 9
Ireland. 8
Italy 5
France 3

So standings remain the same, but with probably more interesting permutations for the last round. Wales would need bonus point win to pass England, and we could end up second if we beat Italy with a bonus :lol: if England win and Scotland lose.

Would it be better? It would force teams to open up and go for more tries. I'd like to see the same points structure as WC.

Ireland? Second? Should be argument enough to keep bonus points out of it. Wins should trump bonus points which in your scenario would give Wales second even with a loss of more than 7 points. Bonus points might increase tries marginally, but it's no guarantee it will improve the quality of rugby.

Afaik its on the cards for the next rule change meeting whenever it happens. The big drawback or the knockers main point against was the possibility of a grandslam team finishing 2nd under the standsrd system. Most people now recognise that a simple points bonus for grandslam gets around that possibility. Id expect it to be adapted whenever that meeting is held.

I note that in another thread, the European Nations Cup uses the same bonus points structure as WC, HC and Rabo.

I'm not sure why the 6 Nations has not developed likewise.

If the bonus point structure was used, the current table would be as follows
England 17
Wales 12
Scotland. 9
Ireland. 8
Italy 5
France 3

So standings remain the same, but with probably more interesting permutations for the last round. Wales would need bonus point win to pass England, and we could end up second if we beat Italy with a bonus :lol: if England win and Scotland lose.

Would it be better? It would force teams to open up and go for more tries. I'd like to see the same points structure as WC.

Not delighted to see Paul Marshall in. He's been great as an impact replacement against tired defences but when he's started in the HEC, and for the Wolfhounds against the Saxons, I've been seriously unimpressed. I very much doubt he has the ability to nail down the starting position at Ulster when Pienaar leaves, much less that he's international class.

phatguerilla wrote: Agree on the lineout think they said early in the game that ryan has taken more lineout balls than anyone in the tournament, Ireland got around that a bit with a lot of running loops and not getting into the line out until the last moment but surely a simpler way of keeping the opposition guessing would be to use all your options? Ireland have four and a half jumping options (the half is sob being lifted at the front lol) but have mainly only used ryan with pom being the most visible second option then heaslip and mccarthy, even though we know him as an excellent line out option at connacht. He's also a dynamic ball carrier but we've seen none of that this six nations (perhaps his knock ons aren't helping there).

We lack a bit of height compared our opponents even Ryan at 6'6" (according to the IRFU tape) is not massive especially compared alongside the Welsh/Scots/English or French pairings. But there are ways to counteract that and that is variation and movement, to not utilise a second primary like Macca is madness, absolute madness..

His hands were alright on Saturday, but Macca was absolutely battered by the French defence any time he tried to carry the ball up, he was getting two and three defenders every single time. As a consequence he had six runs and made one yard.

Overall I don't think he'll be massively happy with his match stats:

Tackles: 6/2 Missed
Carries: 6/1 Metres Made
Lineouts: 1/0 Lost
Turnovers: 2

If Ryan is out for next week though I can see Macca taking on the leadership role and Henderson sliding in beside him and would expect to see him taking it to the Italians in a serious way...

Hes more like murray than reddin in style though. Marshall offers potential temp and style change from bench similar to reddin. Weaker on defence tho.

paul marshall brought into the squad for reddan, disappointed KM isnt ahead of him as he was training with the team in the first few games and has played alot more then paul.

km, 1121 mins in pro12, starting all 17 games. played all 6 in heineken cup including 2full matchs.

pm, 705 mins in pro12, started 8 came on 6 times. played 5 heineken games, starting 2, and coming on as a sub 3 times

Tbh i havent paid much attention to where macca stands in lineout but afair ryan is at 4, pom at 6 and heaslip at 8 so can only assume he is at 5. After the scotland we adapted a low risk approach and went to ryan. That tactic secures ball for most teams. Connacht use macca in this position most of the time also. He has dropped balls at crucial times for connacht thouhh under no real pressure. Unforced errors if you like. The game that comes immediately to mind is v gloucester at home last season where we kicked pens to touch in their 22 on clan side at bohermore end. Our maul was going well and we were in game. Throw went to macca at 4 in air unchallenged and he inexplicably dropped ball on both occasions. It happened a few other games aswll. Its overlooked at connacht becase he does so much more.

Agree on the lineout think they said early in the game that ryan has taken more lineout balls than anyone in the tournament, Ireland got around that a bit with a lot of running loops and not getting into the line out until the last moment but surely a simpler way of keeping the opposition guessing would be to use all your options? Ireland have four and a half jumping options (the half is sob being lifted at the front lol) but have mainly only used ryan with pom being the most visible second option then heaslip and mccarthy, even though we know him as an excellent line out option at connacht. He's also a dynamic ball carrier but we've seen none of that this six nations (perhaps his knock ons aren't helping there).

SP-100% on the penalty .I fail to see how it wasn't given.

Rossie-Agreed re gameplan but I can't understand how we haven't been found out with the lineout's.In the O'Connell/O'Callaghan Days it was pretty similar to now, in that the majority of throws went to 4 (But a lot more did go to O'Callaghan at 2).Ryan took the majority of throws at somewhere between 3 and 4.This baffles me as to why why the opposite number isn't always contesting.Percentage wise you'd imagine this would result in a few steals.Keith Woods was saying Friday that there are more than 100 lineout options ??!! Agreed about the gameplan.

Very puzzled about McCarthy not being utilsed in the Lineout.Think he got 1 bad throw to his chest(which was robbed)after Ryan went off.

It's a tough tournament with 100% concentration required for each game.Somewhat like Ireland in 2009 ,England could win Grand Slam without being anyway dominant, but just doing enough each time to get the win.

SP - the lineout worked fine throughout so i dont see the problem there. The talent you refer to is either injured or not as good as whats selected. Unless you refer to henderson ahead of mccarthy and i dont think hes ready yet.

The gameplan for the last 2 games has been fine. Against scotland it delivered 80% territory and possession so clearly worked. Execution at lineout, scrum, pens and some poor decision making cost us the win.
On saturday the gameplan was working in that it kept the french in their half, delivered a try anda few pens and suited the conditions. In the 2nd half those pens didnt come when we needed them and the one that missed. This imo led to the ill advised dg attempt.
The changing of sh on 62, while i dont agree with decision, was imo done to reinforce a deteriorating kicking game through tiredness and add energy to the team. Of the 8 subs available only fitzgerald, doc and reddin represently potential positive impact with no real risk . The 1st choice front row were under pressure all day so the 2nd and third at th were always a risk. The lineout was vital to our gp so cronin was a risk. The backrow was going well so henderson held. Injuries to mcfadden and the 2 centres scuppered any chance of madigan being used at 10. The backline was in dissarray for last 8-10 min and did well to hold out for draw imo.

I think Debaty used his elbow and forearm to get Earls out of the way. I've seen them given, but equally I've seen them not given. A little surprised that Whitehouse saw nothing in there, but them's the knocks.

More concerning is the fact that we seem to be completely directionless the longer a game goes on and the more phases we work through. It's infuriating, to be honest, and it was one of the biggest signs of a lack of planning on Kidney's part when the problems which were apparent in the QF v Wales reared their head again for the subsequent 6N match against the same opposition. Maddening.