The IRISH RUGBY thread

[screenexile]

Ireland squad for tour of South Africa selected. No Zebo, Tommy O'Donnell, Madigan or McCloskey.

Forwards (18)
Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (c)
Sean Cronin (St Marys/Leinster)
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht)
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) (vc)
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Jack McGrath (St Marys/Leinster)
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Sean Reidy (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht)
Rhys Ruddock (St Marys/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
CJ Stander (Munster)
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Backs (14)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock/Leinster)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (St Marys/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

Or Ringrose or Luke McGrath . . .

[Hound]

Reidy ahead of O'Donnell and Henry a surprise to me.
Hadn't realised Roux was a contender.
2 more non-Irish, we're nearly as bad an England, although Reidy has a Kerry grandparent apparently.
Dave Kearney lucky to hold on based on what I've seen of him this season. Would have preferred to see Healy get a chance, or Gilroy. Presumably they're not happy Zebo would be fully fit, even though he's been back training this week.

Leinster 14
Ulster 8
Connacht 5
Munster 5

[Walter Cronc]

Ireland squad for tour of South Africa selected. No Zebo, Tommy O'Donnell, Madigan or McCloskey.

Forwards (18)
Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (c)
Sean Cronin (St Marys/Leinster)
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht)
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) (vc)
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Jack McGrath (St Marys/Leinster)
Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Sean Reidy (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
Quinn Roux (Galwegians/Connacht)
Rhys Ruddock (St Marys/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
CJ Stander (Munster)
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Backs (14)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock/Leinster)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Eoin Reddan (Old Crescent/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (St Marys/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

Or Ringrose or Luke McGrath . . .

South Africa maybe not the best place to blood a cub like Ringrose. I just don't see why you wouldn't bring McCloskey. His physicality will be sorely missed in the 2nd/3rd matches when conceivably we could be short of ball carriers!

[seafoid]

Huge match for Connacht today, not unlike  the challenge Atleti have later in the evening

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro12/west-s-awake-to-opportunity-to-make-rugby-history-1.2663711
And the goodwill has overwhelmed John Muldoon. "A lot of people are going to think I have got too big for my boots because I gave up replying yesterday, it was just too much," said the Connacht captain at yesterday's eve-of-match press conference.
"The support from people, neighbours, friends, people I went to school with, haven't seen in a while, people I don't know – I even got cards today off people I don't know. I managed to get some 'luck money' as well . . . I would say there is a lot of novenas and candles going to be burnt throughout the night and we will take all of the help that we can get."
Pat Lam has been able to name an unchanged side for the first time this season, while Leinster have lost Devin Toner and Isa Nacewa. "We're fortunate that we've got two very able replacements," said Leo Cullen of Rob Kearney and Ross Molony.
"Isa and Dev are two guys who would prefer to have in your team, but things have happened and they're not," said Jamie Heaslip. "But we have always gone on about the strength of the collective of the squad, and how we have different leaders peppered throughout the squad. That's where our true strength is."
Far from encountering Leinster at the wrong time Pat Lam believes: "We have got them at the right time . . . If we are going to go and win this thing I want to win it against the best possible team."

[seafoid]

Try for Connacht

[Milltown Row2]

Try for Connacht

Seriously great pace by this Connacht team.... Great to see

[Walter Cronc]

Jesus super rugby. The irfu need to get Lam tied down. Maybe even as a future successor to Schmidt. Christ how is Healy and O'Halloran not on the Ireland squad.

[seafoid]

15 Nil

Walter Liam Toland wrote in the IT about the national team adopting Connacht rugby to replace Jakeball or whatever the current system is.

[seafoid]

Another try for Connacht. Missed conversion so 20 - 3.
The Old Firm are having a bad year.

Great to see Henshaw doing the biz.

[seafoid]

Connacht 20 Hell 10
O Halloran off

[Syferus]

Connacht 20 Hell 10
O Halloran off

At least Galway finally have a winning team, Sea.

[Hardy]

Magic!

[seafoid]

Jesus, Leinster are shite

[muppet]

Amazing achievement.

[seafoid]

Connacht 20 Hell 10
O Halloran off

At least Galway finally have a winning team, Sea.

Syf I have lost count of the all Irelands from the county between Portumna, Corofin,  u21s , minors etc. But this win is special.