Is it the end? Ronan O'Gara
Ronan O'Gara is the big name missing from Ireland's 32-man squad for the Six Nations match against France in Dublin.
The veteran fly-half has struggled to find his rhythm in recent months, with Paddy Jackson getting the nod ahead of him for the defeat by Scotland following Jonathan Sexton's withdrawal due to injury.
The omission may well signal the end for Ireland's most-capped player at international level, with the last of his 128 appearances coming as a substitute during the Scotland game.
Although Sexton has not yet fully recovered, he has not yet been ruled out of Saturday's game at the Aviva Stadium, but Jackson and Ian Madigan are both in the squad as cover.
Sexton is not the only one struggling with injury as locks Mike McCarthy and Donnacha Ryan as well as wing Craig Gilroy are also under a cloud despite being included in the squad.
Gordon D'Arcy is still struggling with a foot injury and is ruled out alongside fellow centre Darren Cave and utility player Robbie Henshaw.
However, Andrew Trimble is back in the squad having been overlooked since the autumn internationals, with Robbie Diack selected for a Six Nations squad for the first time.
Ireland squad: Rory Best, Sean Cronin, Robbie Diack, Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald, Declan Fitzpatrick, Craig Gilroy, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Iain Henderson, Paddy Jackson, Dave Kearney, Rob Kearney, David Kilcoyne, Ian Madigan, Luke Marshall, Mike McCarthy, Fergus McFadden, Conor Murray, Sean O'Brien, Donncha O'Callaghan, Tommy O'Donnell, Brian O'Driscoll, Peter O'Mahony, Eoin O'Malley, Eoin Reddan, Mike Ross, Donnacha Ryan, Jonathan Sexton, Andrew Trimble, Devin Toner Dan Tuohy.
Comments
blametheref says...
@99Call
Yes fair comment, but I'm not having a go at Jackson, but at the moment he's premature if anything but I just don't believe he'll ever be anything better than similar to a lot of Scottish 10's we've seen in recent years...
I think Kidney has proved my point about always dithering over his 10, he's even tinkering as I post this...a coach has to have 100% faith in his 10 of all players, Kidney has never shown this to Sexton and now 2 rookies waiting for their fate.
I Don't like McFadden on the wing either, yes he'll defend well but that's about it.
Can't see anything but a hammering on Saturday
Posted 17:07 05th March 2013
99call says...
blametheref
I think thats a pretty good summary of the current issues but you say Jackson is not the answer but what is the question?
Is it... will the introduction of Jackson change the issues you highlighted in your post? of course not neither would the intro of Madigan or playing ROG, that comes from a change of coaching team and culture so dont point the finger at Paddy as thats just not fair.
If you want to give Paddy a chance then pick the right combos, when ROG and Strings/ OLeary played week in week out the game plan as you rightly said worked but Murray has a habit of running across the line trying to draw defenders which can work but most of the time it just limits the space for the 10 so to me you start Reddan or Paul Marshall who will give the ball a bit of zip and give Jackson some space to work in.
I am sick of Paddy Jackson being held up as a scap goat because of the reasons you have rightly highlighted of the gameplan not adapting to the change in player skills, if you put Madigan in at 10 the fingers would just point at him instead which again would not be fair so all you Madigan fans be careful what you wish for.
Madigan is going to have to fight for his Leinster shirt next year as they have signed Jimmy Gopperth who is a very good 10 so the Leinster golden boy may not even be starting next season
Posted 11:56 05th March 2013
blametheref says...
Quite simply, Ireland, from the coach to the captain to the team lack cohesion. This just didn't happen overnight, it began to become terminal when the team was announced for the quarter finals of the World Cup against Wales. Ireland on that occasion, picked the wrong 10 and because of that choice completely employed the wrong tactical game plan. This lack of cohesion saw a win squandered in New Zealand against the All Blacks and then a resounding thumping from them and then a narrow loss to South Africa. On all these occasions, it was noticable that the Irish players' faith in their game plan (or onfield game-management) went out the window at crucial 'winning' junctures in most of those matches, as it did against England and Scotland recently...On nearly all these occasions it could be said that these failures have to do with Kidney's terrible treatment of the 10 position, and to an extent the 9 position. It seems evident, that Kidney, for a long time, had a game plan in his head that was best suited to O' Gara and Stringer at their best. When better choices came along with different skill sets, Kidney couldn't adjust to these better choices and because of this the team is where they have been led to right now, a dead-end! It is no surprise Ireland have underachieved significantly since Leinster owned the Heineken Cup. And they owned the Heineken Cup with a 10 called Sexton who is the best 10 in Europe. Any coach in their right mind would have built their team's tactical ethos around Sexton and the 9 he preferred, and this is Kidney's greatest 'oversight' and greatest legacy failure...he realized it all far too late! Both England and Scotland were beatable with Sexton on the field. Paddy Jackson is not the answer and he will very quickly pay the price for Kidney's failure to see the light and grasp the nettle...Ouch!!
Posted 09:46 05th March 2013
LIONSMAN says...
Gleek agree with you about Rog but would pick a few different players for Ireland.
I would be tempted to put Henderson into second row if either Mccarthy or Ryan are not fit.I think Heaslips form has dropped but still is the best we have and it would be unfair to drop him being captain also.O Donnell is playing well but maybe not at that level yet but will be next year if he keeps improving .I think Conor Murray is the future and even though was not great against Scotland is again the best we have,Eoin Reddan is inconsistent but good to bring on as sub if he can increase tempo but he doesn't always do that.I think Earls is being hard done by ok he failed to link with O Driscoll but he did make a magnificent break against Scotland and was solid in defence.I think Earls has more football than Trimble who can be a poor defender and be caught out of position at times.
Posted 18:06 04th March 2013
gleek says...
I feel O'Gara is being very harshly criticised here for answering his country's call. Whilst I do agree that he stayed on past his best - it is very difficult to imagine any player who has spent 15 years aspiring to so much having the wherewithal to stand down and let the next guy have a chance.
It is an incredible honour to represent your country and if you are asked to do it and told you are the man for the job by the coach - then you'd jump at it. I'm a openside flanker playing at the most amatuerish level imaginable, but if Deccie came calling I'd jump at the opportunity to play for Ireland. I'm sure O'Gara still thinks he could do a job for Ireland and good on him, it has been that swagger and confidence that allowed him to become the player he was in the first place. In fact I can't image there is any player who starts at provincial level whom wouldn't accept a call up. O'Driscoll recently said that he doesn't think he could retire internationally but continue on at Leinster because he would miss the international scene too much.
Responsibility for the team lies solely at Kidney's door. It is his role to manage the team and to pick the side. He has failed dismally in this regard and should be admonished for it - not O'Gara.
My side against France would be:
1. Healy
2. Best
3. Ross
4. McCarthy (if fit - Toner if not)
5. Ryan
6. O'Mahoney
7. O'Donnell
8. O'Brien
9. Redan
10. Sexton (if fit - otherwise Madigan)
11. Gilroy
12. Marshall
13 O'Driscol (C)
14 Trimble (felt we lacked a physical presence in the backline against Scot and Eng)
15. Kearney
16. Cronin
17. Kilcoyne
18. Fitzpatrick
19 Touhey (too soon to start but a few mins against France and start against Italy)
20. Henderson
21. Murray
22. Jackson/Madigan
23. McFadden
Posted 16:54 04th March 2013
LIONSMAN says...
Well maybe Jakie Kyle was the best as I won't disagree having not seen him not being that old,lets say Rog was the best of the television age.One remarkable thing about Rog is he hardly ever got injured which is a credit to the shape he kept himself in.
Posted 16:34 04th March 2013
99call says...
irishzimbabwean, there are enough players to make a good side for a new coach to take on a summer tour which will develop the next generation but we need DK to step aside inorder for that to happen
If you look at that squad I put forward earlier then add Sexton, SOB ,Fitzy, Kearney, Zebo, Bowe, Healy, Best, Strauss, Heaslip, OMahoney, Ryan not to mention the likes of Ferris and Jared Payne who qualifies for Ireland next year we've got a good crop of players who just need someone to take them forward
We just need to move forward and dropping ROG may be the start of it.
By the way my dad watched Jack Kyle and he still reckons hes the best irish 10 ever
Posted 15:42 04th March 2013
irishzimbabwean says...
99call - would agree with 14/15. Luke Fitzgerald to play on the Left Wing. Just not sure that Trimble has the pace for wing at this level anymore.
Posted 15:27 04th March 2013
irishzimbabwean says...
LIONSMAN - you probably didn't see Jack Kyle play though?
Posted 15:25 04th March 2013
LIONSMAN says...
99call I would agree O Gara stayed on a year too long.
I still think he had more impact that Ollie and Wardy who were also great players but if you consider the length of time Rog has played for Ireland and what he has achieved in my opinion he was the best.Unfortunately I am old enough to have seen the others play aswell!
Posted 14:48 04th March 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
@99call agree completely but isn't the time to do this when you announce your squad for the tournament not the squad for a specific match?
Compare the way that Lancaster handled Wilkinson, Mears and Hodgson.
Also, I wonder whether DK would have made this decision if they'd won the Scotland game or whether ROG has made himself unavailable by decision or act.
This all feels a little like the towell getting thrown in and using the remaining matches as a blooding sessions.
Posted 14:30 04th March 2013
99call says...
LIONSMAN we all appreciated what ROG did for irish rugby but when its time to go then youve got to go, the point here is that all he did for the last year or so was come on for 10 minutes at the end of a game and now were in the situation were the back ups are not ready to move up and are being dropped in it.
You could very easily argue that there wasnt anyone to replace him up until this year and you wouldnt be wrong Ian Humphreys wasnt up to it and the Madigans, Jacksons and Keatleys of this world werent ready but unless he goes they will never get a chance.
So we all appreciate him and understand what hes achieved but he should have retired after the last RWC and that would have pushed DKs hand hench the fans frustration.
And for your statement of best irish outhalf ever I can only assume you are too young to have seen Olly Campbell and Tony Ward, ROG has been a great servant to us but hes not quite up there with those 2 and we're not going to compare points scored etc as on that basis you could say that Neil Jenkins was better than Barry John or Phil Bennett which no offence to Neil isnt true.
Posted 13:50 04th March 2013
Trader2 says...
Thanks J_HDK but still don't follow, seems like a 32 man squad for 1 game is a bit of overkill. Lets just hope they "kill" the French.
Posted 13:11 04th March 2013
LIONSMAN says...
O Gara the Irish legend.The best Irish outhalf of all time.
All genuine Irish fans will miss you!
Posted 13:04 04th March 2013
dass80 says...
fair enough his last season or two have been bad with munster but that has to be expected with the team dissolving around him[ how many players retired in last 2 years] not making excuses for him but i loved watchin him over last ten years. how many times has he saved ireland and munster over the years fair enough he couldnt tackle but he always tried.and what about his heineken cup record his points tally and wasnt he voted the most important heineken cup player of the last decade a few years ago. so before you lads go judging him on his last season or two think about all them times he saved our asses..... from a leinster fan and a rugby fan. great player in his day
Posted 12:02 04th March 2013
JamieTheProp says...
I never rated him (apart from his boot) and he lost us a Lions game (and tour) when he was still playing 'well' according to most - so have never understood why he was so highly rated!
Sexton is so much better it is scary.
Goodbye and good riddance!
Posted 11:26 04th March 2013
99call says...
melkdave
I can see logic in your reasons for the IRFU keeping DK but I hope youre wrong, I hope DK does the honourable thing and stand down after the 6n, especially if we only end up woth 2 wins which looks very likely, so we can get a new coach to take a bunch of the kids on a summer tour with the top guys out in Aus with the Lions
Theres enough young talent around that is knocking on the door but obviously wont be considered for the Lions to make a decent team and start the building process for the RWC,
Heres a team with some options in different positions that could go on the summer tour assuming none of them are bolters for the Lions
1 Dave Kilcoyne/ Paddy McAllister (if fit)
2 Sean Cronin/ Rob Herring
3 Steve Archer/ Michael Bent
4 Ian Nagle/ Lewis Stevenson
5 Dan Tuohy/ Devon Toner
6 Ian Henderson/ Paddy Butler
7 Tommy ODonnell/ Chris Henry
8 Robbie Diack
9 Paul Marshall
10 Paddy Jackson/ Ian Madigan
11 Graig Gilroy
12 Luke Marshall/ Stuart Olding
13 Eoin OMalley/ Dave McSharry
14 Andrew Trimble/ Dave Kearney
15 Robbie Henshaw
Obviously you can mix and match some of the backs and I know McSharry's a 12 rather than 13 but there are alot of young guys there who will play for Ireland in the furture but current Lions aside this will be the basis of the irish sqaud for the next few years
Posted 11:19 04th March 2013
paddy91317 says...
My team for the future... healy1 cronin/sherry2 ross/hagan3 henderson4 toner5 o brien6 ryan7 o mahoney8 marshal9 madigan10 gilroy/11 marshal12 bowe13 zebo14 henshaw15.....
Posted 10:44 04th March 2013
J_HDK says...
Also in fairness to Rog. He wanted to retire from international rugby at the end of the last RWC.... but was put under strong pressure to stay on.
Posted 10:10 04th March 2013
melkdave says...
@Irishzimbabwean
Yes Kidneys contract is up after the summer tour this year,,but i just dont think the IRFU will not renew / extend it till 2015.For the reasons ive given.Theres just not enough games /time left imo,for another coach,to rebuild the team,and introduce his style of gameplay / tatics.before the 2015 RWC.
Posted 10:10 04th March 2013