D’Arcy is the single biggest selection problem with the Irish team at the moment. He’s crippling the backline and has lost all his power, all his pace (a long time ago) and any semblance of a threat to the opposition defence.
is mcfadden an able inside center?
Bowe has played inside center for ospreys?
They’re both capable there - just haven’t played there for Ireland. If Bowe was to feature in the centre then it’s more likely O’Driscoll would move inside but two positions are relatively interchangeable anyway.
just put in mcfadden.
he should already be there for club and country if right was right.
I agree rocko. Just don’t think he has it anymore unfortunately. We need to find a replacement for USA really.
Paddy Wallace’s time has come again. To be fair to the lad, he has good previous in the Southern Hemisphere. Sexton, Wallace. BOD. Done. Wouldnt fear Tommy there either for what its worth though.
I really like Wallace but I think with BO’D losing bit of pace you probably need running threat from 12 so as to allow outside backs a bit more room. I’d go for McFadden as we probably need Bowe on the wing. Otherwise Earls would have to be brought in and he is only one in squad to have played worse than D’arcy.
I think Earls will and has done alright on the wing, but understand the point about Paddy. Just think it dangerous to land McFadden into Intl centre, to the best of my knowledge I cant recall him playing a game of note there at this level?
You certainly can’t be accused of Ulster bias by Kevin in this instance, larry.
So despite being cleared you are making F. Sheehan guilty?
We may be on about different french players, as the guy i remember was definitely taking pills and coke.
Different guy so. This was only in the past couple of weeks. He was in the World Cup squad and everything. Barely got a mention.
http://www.rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=31599
Sheehan took a substance that was prohibited. He served a 3 month ban. That’s not being cleared. He had his ban reduced by the ERC. I’m arguing that rugby doesn’t have the right attitude to cutting out drugs in the sport and citing the example of someone who got their punishment reduced doesn’t go anyway to proving the contrary. It just adds weight to my argument.
What would we think of Murphy on the wing?
Our backs should be:
- Kearney; 14. Bowe; 13. O’Driscoll; 12. D’Arcy; 11. Trimble; 10. Sexton.
The comments about D’Arcy tonight have been disgraceful.
sheehan was found with high levels of salbutamol in his system.
the source of the salbutamol was an asthma inhaler.
of course, there’s an abnormally high number of asthmatics in pro rugby, perhaps a cynic would suggest that an inhaler is an ideal (and perfectly legal) steroid delivery system.
I’d certainly go for him if Bowe is picked at centre. Mbb is an informed poster but to say Earls has been all right is very much stretching it.
Earls has suffered from being fucked around from 15 14 13 11. Stick him on the wing, tell him thats his position. That would free up Bowe to move inside.
Its all pretty irrelevant though cos DK will go with Darce and BOD and we will have to pray for a miracle that everything will be alright on the night.
did he not subsequently get his name cleared completely? And that was 6-7 years ago also, doesn’t really deal with the now.
I would fully be willing to believe that a number of Irish players and former Irish players may have dabbled in the late 90’s when everything was a bit wishy washy, i know people close to the game who believed that. I also believe that players subsequently have “probably” taken PED’s but before they were on contracts and/or playing at School/Youths/u-21 or AIL level. Once your in the system now though you won’t get away with it, and the testing is moving out through the levels now as development players are being identified earlier.
Anyway, i really doubt there is a problem in Ireland at pro level. They are tested and regularly enough (four a year i think is minimum).
I’d be far more willing to believe the schools stuff though because of the source i got it from. Not sure about this now, but is there some regulations about testing under 18’s?
No point in going around in circles in this. That level of testing is ridiculously low compared to cycling. Now rugby doesn’t have the same history of doping as cycling did but sports that fall behiind in anti-doping take an awful long time to catch up again.
+1. Kev, you might want to wake up and smell the coffee on this one. Frankie cleared so he was fine? Me bollix, it was only my asthma inhaler.
Interesting comments here. Haven’t seen last two games as iv been away but seems to have been dire anyone iv spoken to
would think at this stage waiting on darcy to come over late and prove his fitness is pure folly, especially considering his form has been stink. Mcfadden is more than capable 12 and he will likely play there against US and hopefully doesn’t balls it up he should start against Oz. He’s quick and a strong defender and a good kicking option. From what wer picking from him and PW are only options. Bringing a winger into the centres against Oz would be madness. Bowe doesn’t play in centre for Os when they have a choice in the matter and anyways he’s our best winger and him and Trimble will fill those spots. Surprised at Rockos comments that the centre positions are largely intercgangable, would say at the top level they are definitely not. 13 is hardest position on pitch to defend from with centres wing and FB all attacking you and that’s why we have left our best defender there and can’t see logic to putting him in 12 at all. Robbing peter etc. I’d let darcy go now and bring in a specialised centre like spence, or even Downey who isn’t the standard IMO but who has a game that could be easily slotted into the team