The Official Irish Rugby Thread

Good to see Will Connors back and Kelliher fit again

Leinster Rugby team to face Zebre Parma (appearances in brackets):

15. Max O’Reilly (9)
14. Rob Russell (5)
13. Jamie Osborne (19)
12. Charlie Ngatai (0)
11. Dave Kearney (173)
10. Ross Byrne (128)
9. Luke McGrath (175)

1. Ed Byrne (85)
2. Rónan Kelleher (36)
3. Michael Ala’alatoa (25)
4. Ross Molony (139)
5. Jason Jenkins (0)
6. Rhys Ruddock CAPTAIN (210)
7. Scott Penny (41)
8. Max Deegan (84)

Replacements:

16. John McKee (3)
17. Michael Milne (17)
18. Vakhtang Abdaladze (17)
19. Brian Deeny (2)
20. Alex Soroka (5)
21. Nick McCarthy (46)
22. Ciarán Frawley (56)
23. Will Connors (25)
 
More forwards from Leinster than expected.

By my count:
Munster - 10
Ulster - 9
Connacht - 5
Leinster - 11


None of the Leinster guys are on the 1st team (although Frawley, Mccarthy, Deegan would be bench players), whereas quite a few of the players from the other provinces would be first choice. I'm sure Ulster are less than pleased about losing Doak and Munster could do without having the likes of Wycherley, Ahern, Hodnett, Kendellen and Salanoa taken away for 2+ weeks to play second rate South African club sides. Losing 2 props in particular is a fairly hard blow.
 
Not sure Balacoune has any business on that Tour, sticking Stockdale on it would have made more sense given his time out.

I feel like I say this every year but last season was a write off due to injury but Deegan needs a big year, he's put on some size over his lay off and from the pre season clips I've seen he's hit the ground running already,
 
Ulster side for this evening

Good to see Stockdale back

Ulster have a nice backline with plenty talent. Imagine if they had a decent 10 to pull the strings

(15-9): Stewart Moore, Rob Baloucoune, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak;

(1-8): Eric O’Sullivan, Tom Stewart, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor (Capt.), Sam Carter, Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, David McCann.

Replacements: John Andrew, Callum Reid, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Cormac Izuchukwu, Jordi Murphy, David Shanahan, Angus Curtis, and Aaron Sexton.
 
Connacht side

15. Tiernan O’Halloran (206)
14. Byron Ralston *
13. Tom Farrell (79)
12. Tom Daly (61)
11. John Porch (59)
10. Conor Fitzgerald (53)
9. Kieran Marmion (209)
1. Peter Dooley *
2. Dave Heffernan (165)
3. Jack Aungier (31)
4. Gavin Thornbury (63) (C)
5. Leva Fifita (15)
6. Josh Murphy *
7. Conor Oliver (41)
8. Paul Boyle (73)

16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (6)
17. Denis Buckley (208)
18. Sam Illo (2)
19. Niall Murray (35)
20. Shamus Hurley-Langton *
21. Caolin Blade (150)
22. David Hawkshaw *
23. Oran McNulty (9)
 
Interesting theory by Andy Dunne on OTB on this utterly ridiculous Emerging Ireland tour, that it's entirely about Ciaran Frawley, he's getting a scrappy side that he's going to have to lead in a difficult situation. Giving him 3 games in a row, as outhalf and leader, see how he copes.

I can't fathom why the hell they're wasting time and money on this tour, in a season when the 3rd/4th string players are going to get a lot of game time because of the world cup and ruining some provinces seasons before they've even started. That explanation actually sounds plausible to me
 
Strong Leinster side named for tomorrow nights game with Ulster

15. Jimmy O’Brien (54)
14. Jordan Larmour (75)
13. Garry Ringrose (103) CAPTAIN
12. Robbie Henshaw (69)
11. Dave Kearney (175)
10. Ross Byrne (130)
9. Luke McGrath (177)
1. Andrew Porter (92)
2. Dan Sheehan (30)
3. Michael Ala’alatoa (27)
4. Ross Molony (141)
5. Jason Jenkins (2)
6. Ryan Baird (39)
7. Josh van der Flier (115)
8. Jack Conan (117)

16. Rónan Kelleher (38)
17. Ed Byrne (87)
18. Vakhtang Abdaladze (18)
19. James Ryan (58)
20. Will Connors (27)
21. Nick McCarthy (47)
22. Johnny Sexton (184)
23. Charlie Ngatai (2)
 
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