The 2014 Six Nations Thread

[Tony Baloney]

An English fella in work was laughing about England smashing Italy +60 and Ireland beating France by a couple. Not worth thinking about 

[screenexile]

I see Ferris is starting on the bench for Ulster on Friday. . . We are going to have some serious strength in the back row for the World Cup! Jaysus what do you do when you have O'Mahony, Ferris, O'Brien, Henry, Heaslip, Henderson, Ruddock, O'Donnell, Murphy all fighting for 3 places!

Realistically you're looking at 3 from 5 in with a shout at that stage but you would think the others will be knocking at the door come September next year!

[NAG1]

I see Ferris is starting on the bench for Ulster on Friday. . . We are going to have some serious strength in the back row for the World Cup! Jaysus what do you do when you have O'Mahony, Ferris, O'Brien, Henry, Heaslip, Henderson, Ruddock, O'Donnell, Murphy all fighting for 3 places!

Realistically you're looking at 3 from 5 in with a shout at that stage but you would think the others will be knocking at the door come September next year!

Ferris well past it now at international level, be lucky to get back being a performer for Ulster.

[southdown]

Anyone suggest a few good bars in Paris for before the game?

[smort]

I know Ferris has been out for a long time but he is still on 27, hardly past it. Before his injury he was outstanding and had cemented his place in the backrow for Ireland. If he got back to near that level, which I'm guessing is what you are questioning NAGI, then I would have him starting.

[screenexile]

I see Ferris is starting on the bench for Ulster on Friday. . . We are going to have some serious strength in the back row for the World Cup! Jaysus what do you do when you have O'Mahony, Ferris, O'Brien, Henry, Heaslip, Henderson, Ruddock, O'Donnell, Murphy all fighting for 3 places!

Realistically you're looking at 3 from 5 in with a shout at that stage but you would think the others will be knocking at the door come September next year!

Ferris well past it now at international level, be lucky to get back being a performer for Ulster.

Jaysus. . . Way to write a man off for absolutely no reason!!

I hope he does get back to form he would be some asset to have if he was back on top form!

[seafoid]

Peter O'Mahony is back in the Ireland team for Saturday's crunch Six Nations game against France in Paris.

The flanker's return in place of Iain Henderson is the only change from the team that started against Italy.

With Henderson in the replacements, Rhys Ruddock drops out while Ian Madigan's versatility sees him edging out Paddy Jackson for a bench role.

Leinster utility back Madigan can play at full-back, centre and fly-half, and coach Joe Schmidt has opted to recall him to the squad while Jackson will play for Ulster against the Scarlets on Friday night.


Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster); A Trimble (Ulster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster), G D'Arcy (Leinster), D Kearney (Leinster); J Sexton (Racing Metro 92), C Murray (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster); D Toner (Leinster), P O'Connell (Munster); P O'Mahony (Munster), C Henry (Ulster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), J McGrath (Leinster), M Moore (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), J Murphy (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), I Madigan (Leinster), F McFadden (Leinster)

I know D'Arcy is Leinster and Schmidt trained them and they have all the moves etc but would Zebo not be a better pick for this match ?

[smort]

Zebo for D'Arcy?? 

France have been poor but they are still very powerful in midfield. We will need D'Arcy's defensive presence to have any chance of winning in Paris

[NAG1]

I see Ferris is starting on the bench for Ulster on Friday. . . We are going to have some serious strength in the back row for the World Cup! Jaysus what do you do when you have O'Mahony, Ferris, O'Brien, Henry, Heaslip, Henderson, Ruddock, O'Donnell, Murphy all fighting for 3 places!

Realistically you're looking at 3 from 5 in with a shout at that stage but you would think the others will be knocking at the door come September next year!

Ferris well past it now at international level, be lucky to get back being a performer for Ulster.

Jaysus. . . Way to write a man off for absolutely no reason!!

I hope he does get back to form he would be some asset to have if he was back on top form!

Injury Prone
Out since 2012
Lack of game time

not good enough reasons at international level?

[screenexile]

I see Ferris is starting on the bench for Ulster on Friday. . . We are going to have some serious strength in the back row for the World Cup! Jaysus what do you do when you have O'Mahony, Ferris, O'Brien, Henry, Heaslip, Henderson, Ruddock, O'Donnell, Murphy all fighting for 3 places!

Realistically you're looking at 3 from 5 in with a shout at that stage but you would think the others will be knocking at the door come September next year!

Ferris well past it now at international level, be lucky to get back being a performer for Ulster.

Jaysus. . . Way to write a man off for absolutely no reason!!

I hope he does get back to form he would be some asset to have if he was back on top form!

Injury Prone
Out since 2012
Lack of game time

not good enough reasons at international level?

The World Cup is not for another 18 months!

[thewobbler]

Ferris well past it now at international level, be lucky to get back being a performer for Ulster.

You might be right. But if any back row forward in Ireland could afford to lose half a yard of pace through injury, and still be international standard, it's Ferris. I's be confident he'll be blindside again by the November series.

[J OGorman]

Peter O'Mahony is back in the Ireland team for Saturday's crunch Six Nations game against France in Paris.

The flanker's return in place of Iain Henderson is the only change from the team that started against Italy.

With Henderson in the replacements, Rhys Ruddock drops out while Ian Madigan's versatility sees him edging out Paddy Jackson for a bench role.

Leinster utility back Madigan can play at full-back, centre and fly-half, and coach Joe Schmidt has opted to recall him to the squad while Jackson will play for Ulster against the Scarlets on Friday night.


Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster); A Trimble (Ulster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster), G D'Arcy (Leinster), D Kearney (Leinster); J Sexton (Racing Metro 92), C Murray (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster); D Toner (Leinster), P O'Connell (Munster); P O'Mahony (Munster), C Henry (Ulster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), J McGrath (Leinster), M Moore (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), J Murphy (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), I Madigan (Leinster), F McFadden (Leinster)

I know D'Arcy is Leinster and Schmidt trained them and they have all the moves etc but would Zebo not be a better pick for this match ?

D'Arcy is not in because he is a Leinster / Schmidt man, he is the best in the country in his position and is having a super championship. Bringing Zebo in for him in Paris would be a a crazy call imo. Keep the defence solid and win it ugly up front

[Mayo4Sam]

Zebo cannot defend, like Earls its a huge gap, pun intended, in his game

[screenexile]

Peter O'Mahony is back in the Ireland team for Saturday's crunch Six Nations game against France in Paris.

The flanker's return in place of Iain Henderson is the only change from the team that started against Italy.

With Henderson in the replacements, Rhys Ruddock drops out while Ian Madigan's versatility sees him edging out Paddy Jackson for a bench role.

Leinster utility back Madigan can play at full-back, centre and fly-half, and coach Joe Schmidt has opted to recall him to the squad while Jackson will play for Ulster against the Scarlets on Friday night.


Ireland: R Kearney (Leinster); A Trimble (Ulster), B O'Driscoll (Leinster), G D'Arcy (Leinster), D Kearney (Leinster); J Sexton (Racing Metro 92), C Murray (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster); D Toner (Leinster), P O'Connell (Munster); P O'Mahony (Munster), C Henry (Ulster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), J McGrath (Leinster), M Moore (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), J Murphy (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), I Madigan (Leinster), F McFadden (Leinster)

I know D'Arcy is Leinster and Schmidt trained them and they have all the moves etc but would Zebo not be a better pick for this match ?

D'Arcy is not in because he is a Leinster / Schmidt man, he is the best in the country in his position and is having a super championship. Bringing Zebo in for him in Paris would be a a crazy call imo. Keep the defence solid and win it ugly up front

I think he was terrible that last match... every time we had momentum and he got the ball he was stopped in his tracks!!

Time to build for next year maybe Tommy Bowe? I imagine Payne will come in also when he's eligible. He's a serious player!

[Walter Cronc]

Ferris well past it now at international level, be lucky to get back being a performer for Ulster.

You might be right. But if any back row forward in Ireland could afford to lose half a yard of pace through injury, and still be international standard, it's Ferris. I's be confident he'll be blindside again by the November series.

I can't see it. A back row of say SOB, Ferris and Heaslip wouldn't have the right ball carrying/winning turnover balance. POM has been excellent thus far.