Off The Ball’s Neil Treacy, Ger Gilroy and Eoin Sheahan discussed the possible starting XV for Ireland ahead of their upcoming Six Nations matches on Wednesday’s OTB AM.
Ireland want to maintain their place as fourth on the world rugby rankings, to receive a favourable draw for the 2023 World Cup.
The draw for the next World Cup will take place in Paris on November 30th, meaning these matches before then could be crucial to Ireland’s 2023 World Cup hopes.
“This Autumn Nations League as well would be a prime territory to experiment and throw in some new players and try out some combinations,” Treacy said.
“But I think the fact that the World Cup draw is coming up in November and the fact that there is a Six Nations title to go for, with the financial situation the way that it is, it is tough to justify experimentation.”
Gilroy's two teams
Gilroy selected two different teams, one for each of the upcoming matches against Italy and France respectively.
“Cian Healy is on 98 caps, and [when he] got injured in the Six Nations I wondered how bad that injury was going to be, [and] is he going to get the opportunity to get to 100,” Gilroy said.
“I think over these two games he’s going to get to a hundred, assuming he’s fit.
“There are some assumptions around fitness here, I think we’ve heard Furlong is close to fitness, I don’t know what the [Dave] Kilcoyne situation is.
“If Kilcoyne is fit, he’s definitely going to start one of these two games.”
The omission of Robbie Henshaw from both teams was a surprise, however, Gilroy suggested that his impact will be felt more from the bench.
“For the France game you could have a 6-2 split, in which case Robbie Henshaw 100% is on the bench,” Gilroy said.
“He’s so versatile and can play basically anywhere across the backline apart from 10 and 9.
“If physicality is an issue for the Ireland team at the moment, let’s put [Bundee Aki and Chris Farrell] in and see what they can do; let’s keep everybody on their toes.
“There is an absolute case that nobody should feel that they’re nailed on in this team at the moment.”
Back row surplus
The country has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to loose forwards and centres.
Players such as Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Will Connors, Jack Conan, Peter O’Mahony and CJ Stander wouldn't look out of place in the starting back row.
Similarly, with Chris Farrell, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw all playing good rugby, there seems to be a case to mix and match for each game.
“Ireland are in a position specifically [around] centre and openside flanker where they can actually have a horses for courses selection, rather than: this is our first choice centre partnership, this is our first choice openside flanker,” Treacy said.
“There are so many options not just in the back row but specifically at openside flanker as well.
“Personally, I would be going CJ Stander at eight and Caelan Doris at number six.
“I’ve been really impressed with Doris playing at six over the last few weeks and I think CJ Stander is more natural in himself at eight.”
Gilroy disagreed, saying that he believes Stander might not make the Lions number eight jersey, while Doris has a chance.
“CJ at eight though actually hasn’t had the ball-playing skills that we’ve seen that you need to have to be [a top-class eight],” Gilroy said.
“Is CJ Stander going to make it at eight for the Lions? I don’t think so, but Caelan Doris might be that player.
“[Selecting Conan at eight for France] is a team pick to win that game.
“Caelan Doris at eight for the Italy game is like: ‘Ok let’s see what you can do there’.”
The positive headache at centre
The most contentious selections are those of the centres. It has rarely been the case where three of the top four centres in the country have all been available at the same time.
“The Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose dilemma over the last few years has actually been something we haven’t had to discuss too much,” Treacy said.
“By pure fluke and pure chance over the last three years that Bundee Aki has been qualified for Ireland it has always seemed that one of the three of them has been either injured, suspended or unavailable in some way.”
Treacy believes that only Ringrose is secure in his place in the starting line-up.
“I think it is such a tough one at the moment, I think Ringrose is the only absolute lock that you can pick out of those three.
“I think he offers the thing that the other two don’t necessarily offer. He is a little bit more elusive and he’s a brilliant defender as well.
“I just think he offers the little bit of creativity that maybe Aki and Henshaw don’t."
Catch the full podcast here.
Ger’s Ireland team vs Italy
- Cian Healy
- Ronan Kelleher
- Tadgh Furlong
- Ryan Baird
- James Ryan
- CJ Stander
- Peter O’Mahony / Josh van der Flier / Will Connors
- Caelan Doris
- John Cooney
- Johnny Sexton
- Andrew Conway
- Bundee Aki
- Garry Ringrose
- Keith Earls
- Jacob Stockdale
Ger’s Ireland team vs France
- Cian Healy / Dave Kilcoyne
- Rob Herring
- Tadgh Furlong
- Ian Henderson
- James Ryan
- Caelan Doris
- Peter O’Mahony
- Jack Conan
- Conor Murray
- Johnny Sexton
- Jordan Larmour
- Bundee Aki
- Chris Farrell
- Keith Earls
- Andrew Conway
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