TOMMY O’DONNELL, IAN Madigan and Robin Copeland have all been selected to start for the Ireland Wolfhounds against the England Saxons on Saturday in Gloucester [5.00pm].
The Munster openside’s inclusion in this team would suggest that Chris Henry has been earmarked for the number seven shirt in Joe Schmidt’s XV to take on Scotland in Ireland’s Six Nations opener on the 2nd of February, although a dominant performance from O’Donnell could sway the Kiwi coach’s thinking.
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Leinster teammates Isaac Boss and Madigan make up the halfback pairing, with the latter’s game management set to be of particular interest this weekend. Boss has struggled for starts under Matt O’Connor at his province recently, so will relish this opportunity.
Fergus McFadden, back from a hand injury, makes up an exciting-looking back three with Munster’s Felix Jones and Ulster’s Craig Gilroy, while a centre partnership of Robbie Henshaw and Darren Cave offer us the chance to judge two potential candidates to replace Brian O’Driscoll at senior level in the future.
There are three powerful ball carriers in the back row with Munster-bound No. 8 Copeland flanked by O’Donnell and Leinster man Rhys Ruddock, who captains the side. Just in front of that trio, Iain Henderson and Dan Tuohy are equally physical options.
The front row will see Dave Kilcoyne attempt to demonstrate to Schmidt that he deserves to come back into the picture for the Six Nations, while Rob Herring and Martin Moore are rewarded for their ever-improving provincial form.
On the bench, Jack McGrath, Jordi Murphy, Ian Keatley, and Simon Zebo all offer impact in the second half. McGrath has been blitzing scrummaging sessions this week by all accounts, meaning his involvement in the Six Nations looks a strong possibility.
Kieran Marmion escaped a ban at his ERC disciplinary hearing in Dublin this morning and takes a bench spot, while the stunning return to action of Leinster hooker Richardt Strauss continues with his inclusion on the bench.
There is quality all over the pitch for this Ireland Wolfhounds side, meaning coaches Anthony Foley and Neil Doak have plenty of firepower at their disposal.
Ireland Wolfhounds (v England Saxons): F Jones; F McFadden, R Henshaw, D Cave, C Gilroy; I Madigan, I Boss; D Kilcoyne, R Herring, M Moore; I Henderson, D Tuohy; R Ruddock (c), T O’Donnell, R Copeland.
Replacements: R Strauss, J McGrath, S Archer, R Diack, J Murphy, K Marmion, I Keatley, S Zebo.
Don’t really see the benefit of starting Boss, he’s been tried and tested at international level, Marmion needs game time to show what he can do. I wonder how many 40-40 splits there’ll be with this bench, looking forward to this game, will it be on tv?
Boss is there to add experience to the side. With so many young or returning players, it’s crucial that communication works down the 9 10 channel. The whole game will hinge on it. Remember the main goal is to win, not just blood young players. Marmion has all the hallmarks of a future great however he’s still behind Murray, Reddan & Boss in the pecking order. There’s no point in putting pressure on him just yet, he’s only 21.
Joe has said that any marginal calls between players outside of Ireland vs players at Provinces will always go the way of the provinces. It hasn’t totally shut the door on any expats, but they need to play out of their skins to make the squad. Hart could probably have pushed for a spot, but I can’t see Morris getting past all of Fitz, Zebo, Gilroy, Kearney, McFadden, Earls or Bowe.
Would be good to have a back up fullback to Rob Kearney, I feel Felix Jones still has to prove himself at international level and the more options we have in this position the better.
Interesting selection, for some players like McFadden and Gilroy it’s an opportunity to get some game time. For others, most notably Kilcoyne in my view it looks like they’ve currently lost out on a place in the 23 man match day squads. Undoubtedly the player most in need of impressing though I believe is Madigan. He needs some game time at 10 and I would see this as his audition for a place on the bench. If he can show to manage a game similarly to how Paddy Jackson has for Ulster then he should get on the bench give his versatility.
He’s only around because Earls got injured. We are told it’s about hid lack of game time and recent return from injury but Strauss was brought straight back in after his return. He is the most exciting young player we have. Surely the point is to put out your best available team.
Strauss is on the bench and is a top class player who before his injury was picked as first choice by DK and is now rated 4th inline to compare him with Zebo is just silly. Would you say the same thing if it was Bowe just back from injury or when Paulie came back would you whing then if he got a place on the wolfhounds bench?
Zebo is in with a large group of players fighting for the wing position and gets a chance to impress just like a number of players.
Lads can we keep local bull out of this for two months and just support Ireland.
O get over it Emmet you idiot. He has had off the field discipline problems and has missed a lot of rugby over the past few months. I don’t find it one bit surprising the situation he’s in
Zeebs is only back from injury mark, so is strauss. They both get a spot on the bench. Both are exciting players, whats you point? Your point is is that you have no point.
Welcome back to the green shirt Ricard Strauss. Amazing recovery.
Like the look of the team even if I would have given Marmion the starting jersey. Don’t agree Boss needs any more game time than any of the others – he will be 3rd choice at best for Scotland.
McFadden will be getting game time and he, Luke Fitz and Kearney jnr. will be the three wingers in the 23 for Scotland barring injury. Zebo and Gilly in a shootout for the fourth winger berth (extended squad).
Every team particularly representative teams need an old geezer on the park. Plus it has to be the right old geezer. Boss is there to provide clarity and assurance if things start to go wrong. Its like having a coach on the pitch. Most of that team are below 25 sure they don’t know their arse from their elbows yet. If things are ok and the team is ok then the young 9 will get a lash.
It’s a handy team, injured returning and well mixed up between the provinces.
Very good team and plenty of players get a chance to prove they should be in the squad for the 6nations. Some players need game time as mentioned and some have players in front of them who they ( or supporters from their Provence believe they should be ahead of) other are young and this is a step up for them and will show if they are ready for the bigger step to the full test international.
I see lots of “he’s left out he must not rate him or he’s in the team he must not rate him” this is guff. The biggest one seems to be at 9. Boss had been a big player for joe over the years and none more so than the season just gone eps when redden got injured, Boss hasn’t had much game time recently so to expect him to pass him over for Marrmion at this stage ( who hasn’t proven anything yet even though he’s certainly on the right track) is silly, half time will be enough time for Marrmion to prove his worth.
Don’t forget some players are getting a chance to step up and play for joe for the first time also so lads let’s forget the local bull and get behind the Irish squad who ever joe picks for at least the next two months.
It’s got nothing to do with “local stuff”. Marmion is for the future whereas Boss, with all due respect to him, isn’t. People are entitled to express their opinion and we will all I’m sure support the team. I read plenty of comments where people were very critical of Declan Kidney, Ireland’s most successful coach and they seem to be the people saying now that no questioning of “Joe” will be allowed.
I agree with some of what you say, but Joe knows what Boss is capable of, and him not getting game time at Leinster (although he still does get some) speaks a good bit about where he is. Marmion has been playing constantly and superbly at Connacht and deserves the opportunity to show if he can step up from HEC to ‘A’-level well.
This is also a competitive game, you can’t just start every new lad who has arrived on to the scene. Boss starts because of his experience with Madigan. The game will hinge on the communication between 9 & 10 so it is crucial we get the right from the outset. Marmion is a young lad with a lot of potential but at the moment we have a lads ahead of him in the pecking order. He’ll no doubt get game time but lets not expect too much from him just yet.
Maybe you could enlighten us all as to what off field problems he has had. If its the pics in the paper etc then the great brian o driscoll should have been dropped years ago because until declan kidney set him straight he was more preoccupied with getting his photo take than playing rugby
I presume you are referring to Zebo? You may recall certain incident over the summer involving Conor Murray and his reaction to the phone from the IRFU re: said event.
At the moment Madigan is second only to Sexton in Ireland, save your trolling for another news article.
If I was coach I’d be playing younger unproven new talent coming through on the wolfhounds team! Playing boss at 9 at 30 something years of age is ridiculous and most certainly marmion should be there! Rest of the team looks good
By playing all the young you take a chance that they get a hiding and we learn nothing about any of them. They’ve picked an 8 who hasn’t played with these before so asking 8, 9, and 10 who have never played together to play v the English and expect to find out if any can step up is silly.
No it’s not! That’s exactly what u want! I for one think marmion is getting an awful raw deal! He’s been playing very well this season, starts regularly for connacht unlike boss at Leinster and deserves the number 9 for the wolfhounds! I guarantee the English wouldn’t adopt that attitude! 8,9,10 are not like 3 players coming in who only played a handful of games for club/Provence! There is a big chance boss won’t even be around come 2015 World Cup! Let’s face it that’s the aim! I would be trying to push marmion to be our third option for that World Cup
I would imagine many of the players playing this weekend will be in contention for game 2 against Wales as there is only a 6 day turnaround. Schmidt is renowned for rotating teams of course and what better way of doing so than with 4 games in 5 weeks.
Anyway the team has been picked hopefully a win and some of the players will prive me wrong and a grand slam in the six nations proper would do nicely after
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Don’t really see the benefit of starting Boss, he’s been tried and tested at international level, Marmion needs game time to show what he can do. I wonder how many 40-40 splits there’ll be with this bench, looking forward to this game, will it be on tv?
Sky sports 1
Boss is there to add experience to the side. With so many young or returning players, it’s crucial that communication works down the 9 10 channel. The whole game will hinge on it. Remember the main goal is to win, not just blood young players. Marmion has all the hallmarks of a future great however he’s still behind Murray, Reddan & Boss in the pecking order. There’s no point in putting pressure on him just yet, he’s only 21.
Marmion should be starting instead of Boss.
I wonder had they decided to start Boss in case Marmion was handed a suspension this morning.
Yes Rosie bang on there. So who do you like, Niall Horan, Colin Farrell, Mickey Mouse? Reckon Joe Schmit is waiting for your expert analysis.
Disappointed Niall Morris of Leicester Tigers and James Hart of FC Grenoble weren’t included, exciting prospects!
Joe has said that any marginal calls between players outside of Ireland vs players at Provinces will always go the way of the provinces. It hasn’t totally shut the door on any expats, but they need to play out of their skins to make the squad. Hart could probably have pushed for a spot, but I can’t see Morris getting past all of Fitz, Zebo, Gilroy, Kearney, McFadden, Earls or Bowe.
Would be good to have a back up fullback to Rob Kearney, I feel Felix Jones still has to prove himself at international level and the more options we have in this position the better.
Now that Earls is out of the 6N too
Interesting selection, for some players like McFadden and Gilroy it’s an opportunity to get some game time. For others, most notably Kilcoyne in my view it looks like they’ve currently lost out on a place in the 23 man match day squads. Undoubtedly the player most in need of impressing though I believe is Madigan. He needs some game time at 10 and I would see this as his audition for a place on the bench. If he can show to manage a game similarly to how Paddy Jackson has for Ulster then he should get on the bench give his versatility.
I think Jackson will be on the bench as long as Sexton is fit to start.
Good team only change I would make would be Marmion instead of Boss
Woul have hoped that zebo and marmion would have started and that varley would have made the bench.
For some reason it looks like Zebo is being treated really shabbily
to be fair, he’s only had about 60mins game time since october, i’d wager he gets 40 mins on saturday and makes the bench for scotland
He’s only around because Earls got injured. We are told it’s about hid lack of game time and recent return from injury but Strauss was brought straight back in after his return. He is the most exciting young player we have. Surely the point is to put out your best available team.
Could it be got to do with his indiscipline off the pitch?
Strauss is on the bench and is a top class player who before his injury was picked as first choice by DK and is now rated 4th inline to compare him with Zebo is just silly. Would you say the same thing if it was Bowe just back from injury or when Paulie came back would you whing then if he got a place on the wolfhounds bench?
Zebo is in with a large group of players fighting for the wing position and gets a chance to impress just like a number of players.
Lads can we keep local bull out of this for two months and just support Ireland.
Could be due to the fact that he wears red instead of blue every week
O get over it Emmet you idiot. He has had off the field discipline problems and has missed a lot of rugby over the past few months. I don’t find it one bit surprising the situation he’s in
Strauss deserves it.
Zeebs is only back from injury mark, so is strauss. They both get a spot on the bench. Both are exciting players, whats you point? Your point is is that you have no point.
Red instead of blue, Ha ha…..Anthony foley is a bloody munster coach! Some people see a conspiracy everywhere
Couldn’t agree more with ya Chris!!
Come on Ireland
Welcome back to the green shirt Ricard Strauss. Amazing recovery.
Like the look of the team even if I would have given Marmion the starting jersey. Don’t agree Boss needs any more game time than any of the others – he will be 3rd choice at best for Scotland.
McFadden will be getting game time and he, Luke Fitz and Kearney jnr. will be the three wingers in the 23 for Scotland barring injury. Zebo and Gilly in a shootout for the fourth winger berth (extended squad).
Every team particularly representative teams need an old geezer on the park. Plus it has to be the right old geezer. Boss is there to provide clarity and assurance if things start to go wrong. Its like having a coach on the pitch. Most of that team are below 25 sure they don’t know their arse from their elbows yet. If things are ok and the team is ok then the young 9 will get a lash.
It’s a handy team, injured returning and well mixed up between the provinces.
Anyone know if it’s on the box?
according to ultimate rugby it will be on sky sports 1
Sky Sports 1 on Sat at 5pm
http://www1.skysports.com/watch/rugby-union-on-sky
It’s live on Sky Sports 1.
Apologies for duplication!
From Lion to Wolfhound. Ouchies.
Big improvement on some previous wolfhound teams.
Personally would have liked to have seen McGrath, Foley, Zebo or any of Marmion/Hart/Marshall start.
Very good team and plenty of players get a chance to prove they should be in the squad for the 6nations. Some players need game time as mentioned and some have players in front of them who they ( or supporters from their Provence believe they should be ahead of) other are young and this is a step up for them and will show if they are ready for the bigger step to the full test international.
I see lots of “he’s left out he must not rate him or he’s in the team he must not rate him” this is guff. The biggest one seems to be at 9. Boss had been a big player for joe over the years and none more so than the season just gone eps when redden got injured, Boss hasn’t had much game time recently so to expect him to pass him over for Marrmion at this stage ( who hasn’t proven anything yet even though he’s certainly on the right track) is silly, half time will be enough time for Marrmion to prove his worth.
Don’t forget some players are getting a chance to step up and play for joe for the first time also so lads let’s forget the local bull and get behind the Irish squad who ever joe picks for at least the next two months.
It’s got nothing to do with “local stuff”. Marmion is for the future whereas Boss, with all due respect to him, isn’t. People are entitled to express their opinion and we will all I’m sure support the team. I read plenty of comments where people were very critical of Declan Kidney, Ireland’s most successful coach and they seem to be the people saying now that no questioning of “Joe” will be allowed.
Joe is untouchable until he messes up, learns nothing from his mess ups, and keeps messing up just like Deccie did when he was in charge
Deccie causes himself all his problems
I agree with some of what you say, but Joe knows what Boss is capable of, and him not getting game time at Leinster (although he still does get some) speaks a good bit about where he is. Marmion has been playing constantly and superbly at Connacht and deserves the opportunity to show if he can step up from HEC to ‘A’-level well.
Then its true you are a ballbag
Boss is there for his experience. He also plays with Madigan at Leinster level. Marmion will get his chance.
Could you say that in English,Billy?
This is also a competitive game, you can’t just start every new lad who has arrived on to the scene. Boss starts because of his experience with Madigan. The game will hinge on the communication between 9 & 10 so it is crucial we get the right from the outset. Marmion is a young lad with a lot of potential but at the moment we have a lads ahead of him in the pecking order. He’ll no doubt get game time but lets not expect too much from him just yet.
Versatility is only an advantage if Madigan can adequately cover the positions and he hasn’t shown yet that he can. I think the match is on Sky.
Which positions has he shown that he cannot cover?
Fly half
He has adequately covered fly half, full back and wing. What position are you talking about Mark?
So who do you suggest covers 10,12 and 15? On the bench for the 6n’s
Paddy Wallace?
Didn’t know McFadden has moved to Munster to be Felix jones teammate
Lion to wolf’s just like game if thrones!!
Maybe you could enlighten us all as to what off field problems he has had. If its the pics in the paper etc then the great brian o driscoll should have been dropped years ago because until declan kidney set him straight he was more preoccupied with getting his photo take than playing rugby
Also wouldn’t have madigan anywhere near the team the only reason he is there is because he was joes pet project at leinster
I presume you are referring to Zebo? You may recall certain incident over the summer involving Conor Murray and his reaction to the phone from the IRFU re: said event.
At the moment Madigan is second only to Sexton in Ireland, save your trolling for another news article.
As trolls go lad your pretty poor, got to work harder horse. Try adding some humor, shake things up a bit
If I was coach I’d be playing younger unproven new talent coming through on the wolfhounds team! Playing boss at 9 at 30 something years of age is ridiculous and most certainly marmion should be there! Rest of the team looks good
By playing all the young you take a chance that they get a hiding and we learn nothing about any of them. They’ve picked an 8 who hasn’t played with these before so asking 8, 9, and 10 who have never played together to play v the English and expect to find out if any can step up is silly.
No it’s not! That’s exactly what u want! I for one think marmion is getting an awful raw deal! He’s been playing very well this season, starts regularly for connacht unlike boss at Leinster and deserves the number 9 for the wolfhounds! I guarantee the English wouldn’t adopt that attitude! 8,9,10 are not like 3 players coming in who only played a handful of games for club/Provence! There is a big chance boss won’t even be around come 2015 World Cup! Let’s face it that’s the aim! I would be trying to push marmion to be our third option for that World Cup
I would imagine many of the players playing this weekend will be in contention for game 2 against Wales as there is only a 6 day turnaround. Schmidt is renowned for rotating teams of course and what better way of doing so than with 4 games in 5 weeks.
Great looking J1 team
Anyway the team has been picked hopefully a win and some of the players will prive me wrong and a grand slam in the six nations proper would do nicely after
Is it being televised?
Sorry comments weren’t loading earlier, Sky 1 it seems is showing it