Ireland

melkdave says...

Again id prefer Gilroy to be called up myself ,and Trimble to move to 13,but DK likes Wallace ,even though he just doesent / hasnt performed for Ireland,so thats 2 lost oppotunities imo to call,one of Irelands most exciting young players into the elite squad .The big question is can Ireland raise their game again ??Or is this just a one off good performance ,as has been Irelands pattern recently ie one good match to deny England a slam 2011,and one good match against Australia at the RWC.Hopefully Ireland will give New Zealand annother hard match this comming weekend,and just maybe nick it

Posted 12:51 18th June 2012

davodiablo says...

Ireland lose Heaslip and Abs look like they might lose Read . Still game on .

Posted 20:35 17th June 2012

J_HDK says...

Bringing in Paddy Wallace is a classic Kidney. No logical sense whatsoever.

A specialist at wing... if there are any left uninjured is the only thing that would make any sense. Wallace won't be named in the 22 considering the positions that are already covered.

1 Healy

2 Best

3 Ross

4 Touhy

5 Ryan

6 McLaughlin

7 O'Mahony

8 O'Brien

9 Reddan

10 Sexton

11 Zebo

12 McFadden

13 O'Driscoll

14 Trimble

15 Kearney

Cave, Marshal, O'Gara, Fitzpatrick, O'Callaghan, Cronin, Henry,

Ideally I would prefer to see Trimble at 11 and some other winger at 14 and Zebo not in the starting 15 (sorry) but with Bowe, Fitzgerald, and Murphy injured... Maybe bring in Gilroy or D Kearney but whhyyyyyyyy Wallace?

Posted 18:04 17th June 2012

blametheref says...

ROG at 10 with Sexton at 12 for the next one with Wallace on the bench as a replacement centre/out half. With D'Arcy and Heaslip out, we are not going to see the team with Reddan at 9 that should, on yesterdays evidence, have started in Christchurch and that could have won that game, a game we could have won with the right selections I believe...With so many key injuries to Irish frontline players now in, O' Connell, Ferris, Bowe, Earls, Heaslip, D'Arcy and with Sexton never playing a full game at 12 that I can remember, it is really a bridge too far for the players that are left to put in a winning performance against the best in the world. Ireland just lack the strength in depth to lose 6 key players at this level and hope to win...It's a real pity really as we could make the 3rd test another real contest if we weren't so decimated at 12 and on the wings with no finishers like Earls and Bowe. Irish supporters should realize how effective the D'Arcy/BOD partnership is for Ireland and was in the game against NZ in the 2nd test and how the absence of them in the 1st test was so telling...I fear a big rout now because of this crucial loss in test 3 as ROG could be a defensive liability, who most certainly will be targeted. The one positive, if there is one, is that Ireland will put in the best they can muster next Saturday...it's a real shame we have so many key injuries as without 50% of them we could have had a decent chance of winning our first test against the AB's...The loss of the D'Arcy/BOD partnership cannot be understated, it is huge, as it would have been for Leinster in the closing stages of the Heineken Cup...The luck of the Irish???

Posted 12:08 17th June 2012