So now we know the travelling party

So all the speculation,column inches and tweets have been answered.A 16-14 split of forwards and backs will depart for NZ next week.
At the end of it all most of the positions filled themselves.And of course thereare the usual talking points.
Tony Buckley at prop -was always going to be as we didn't have much by way of alternatives in the time left.I still expect Jamie Hagan to feature at some point in case of emergency.

Le Cullen.Should never have been a doubt but given his bad luck in the past you just never knew what might have happened at last minute.

Donnacha Ryan- probably picked for his ability to cover second row.

David Wallace.Must play v England to stand any realistic chance of being match fit for Australian game.Othewise would have plumped for a specialist 7 like Shane Jennings.

Conor Murray seems to be quite the talking point.He finished #1 in Munster last season.
So why not bring him?If he's good enough why not pick him.Harsh as it may sound Tomas O'Leary played himself out of the team against France and would have been a liability.

Fergus McFadden.Happy to see him included.Solid contributor to date.

Paddy Wallace.He will be another talking point for some time.A Kidney favourite but there on his ability  to cover out half only.Only hope he doesn't generate an error at the wrong time.

Geordan Murphy.Seems he had already been told he wasn't going until the unfortunate Jones got injured.A seasoned campaigner.Has a good oportunity to cap a mixed international career with some inspired performances.

So there we have it the final 30! Let's wish them all the success in NZ at #RWC2011.

Next up Martin Johnson and his merry men.Backs to the wall stuff beckons! Roll on Sauturday !

Ireland Rugby World Cup Squad 2011

Ireland Rugby World Cup Squad 2011




Tony Buckley (Sale Sharks)*
Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)*
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)*

Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
Sean Cronin (Leinster)*
Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)

Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)*
Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster)

Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)*
David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)

Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)*
Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)*
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)

Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)*

Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)*
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)*
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) Captain
Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)*
Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers)

Possible Irish World cup squad

So no doubt the players will all know by now who is on their way to New Zealand for #RWC2011.

So I guess the squad will be fairly predicatble at this point but here's my take on it -


Forwards:  
Cian Healy, Mike Ross, Tom Court, Tony Buckley,
Rory Best, Jerry Flannery, Sean Cronin,  
Paul O’Connell, Donncha O’Callaghan, Leo Cullen, Donncha Ryan, 
Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip, David Wallace,Stephen Ferris,Shane Jennings.

Backs: 
Tomas O’Leary, Eoin Reddan, Isaac Boss, 
Jonathan Sexton, Ronan O’Gara, 
Gordon D’Arcy, Brian O’Driscoll, Paddy Wallace, Fergus McFadden
Keith Earls, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, 
Rob Kearney, Geordan Murphy.

What do you think ?

So who goes? You decide

So having attended Ireland v France today, I left wondering who exactly will make the final cut let alone a starting 15. Here's a few thoughts on who I think is in the running.

1. Ciaran Healy. Worrying that he left the field injured.He tried to hide it but think something more serious there.If he can't travel we haven't many options left at loose head.Would have to be Tom Court as I can't see Buckley managing loose head.
2. Jerry Flannery.If he can get match fit could be a contender.Offers more ariund the oitch than Best.
3. Mike Ross. Only one option here.Don't see any other back up which is a concern.Maybe the management should have looked at more options in pre season.Jamie Hagan?
4. O'Callaghan will get the nod here even though he only plays best with O'Connell beside him.
5. O'Connell.No debate.
6. O'Brien.
7. AN Other.I think Wallace is carrying more than a tight hamstring.Could be an exposure here as Jennings hasn't had time to get back to his best.
8. Heaslip.Heaven forbid he gets injured!
9. Reddan on basis that O'Leary is a liability after today's showing.Shame Sweeney wasn't discovered sooner.
10. Sexton.The great out-half debate of this decade carries on.Interesting that Sexton moved to 12 when Darcy went off.
11. AN Other.Maybe the next game will see someone put their hand up for this position.Earls and Fitzgerald just not inspring confidence here.
12. Darcy to get the nod but McFadden to be given a chance in midfield.
13. O'Driscoll.
14. Trimble will selected here but did spend a lot of time going sideways today.
15. Kearney depending on groin injury.Jones did well to a point but injury means he could miss the flight.Opportunity here for Geordan Murphy maybe?