No place for Geordie? - There is now!!! (Updated)

[Jay C]

Ireland team v Scotland on Saturday :

R Kearney (Leinster); A Trimble (Ulster), F McFadden (Leinster), P Wallace (Ulster), L Fitzgerald (Leinster); J Sexton (Leinster), T O'Leary (Munster); T Court (Ulster), S Cronin (Leinster), T Buckley (Sale), D Ryan (Munster), L Cullen (Leinster, capt), M McCarthy (Connacht), N Ronan (Munster), D Leamy (Munster).
Replacements: J Flannery (Munster), M Horan (Munster), J Hayes (Munster), M O'Driscoll (Munster), K McLaughlin (Leinster), I Boss (Leinster), F Jones (Munster).

Kearney starts with Felix Jones on the bench - both Kearney & Geordie need game time to make the Ireland squad & Jones is a rookie, so Ireland are struggling a bit at full back (Fitzgerald didn't look comfortable when he filled in there).

Congratulations to Leo Cullen on captaining the side

[bluntiger]

I know there is some youth in there but the Ireland side is starting too look like an aging squad with O'Gara, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Hayes, D'Arcy, Boss, O'Driscoll, Flannery, Leamy, Horan and co.

This must be their swan song and then they will need to quickly rebuild the squad (and particularly the pack) around Sexton, Heaslip, Bowe, Ferris etc but the tight 5 seems to lack star factor once the retirements kick in.

[Jay C]

I know there is some youth in there but the Ireland side is starting too look like an aging squad with O'Gara, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Hayes, D'Arcy, Boss, O'Driscoll, Flannery, Leamy, Horan and co.

This must be their swan song and then they will need to quickly rebuild the squad (and particularly the pack) around Sexton, Heaslip, Bowe, Ferris etc but the tight 5 seems to lack star factor once the retirements kick in.

I agree - they will have a very different team in 12-18 months time. The four you mention are world class players to have in the side - plus Johnne Murphy, O'Leary, Trimble & Fitzgerald in the backs, but they do need some more (young) talent up front.

[sam16111986]

Reports are that Geordie is flying out with Tigers and will play in the first friendly. Great that he will back in Tigers colours again.

On the topic of aging Irish tight five, aren't the Leinster props going to be good for another RWC after this? There's a second rower Nagle (sp?) at Munster who is supposed to be the long term replacement for POC. The Irish golden generation have certainly done their time though.

[fatprop]

Geordie needs game time to make the Irish squad, will be good to see how fit he is in France on Monday Night.
Also good to see another ex tiger is to captain Ireland

[mightymouse]

nice to see we have steve Mafi back also ..... although I find it suprising that Tonga have better back five players than him!

[Smudge]

Any one know what has happened to Shane Jennings?

[bluntiger]

Any one know what has happened to Shane Jennings?

Is he still not with Leinster? Why do you ask? He played most of the second half for Leinster in the HC final last season against Northampton.

[Tigerbeat]

I believe that he is still with Leinster.

Did he get a ban last season and also suffer from injury?

[JohnB]

He broke his left forearm in the Magners League Final. He's out of plaster now and is back in training. I'm not aware of any ban last season?

[JohnB]

Given that Rob Kearney played for Ireland against Scotland and France and Felix Jones came on as replacement against France and is named at FB for the return fixture this weekend in LR, Geordan Murphy's selection at FB for an Ireland XV against Connacht on Thursday doesn't bode well for his chances of being selected for the RWC squad.

[GT1]

There's plenty of players who will be going to RWC in that team, good old Tigers lads in there!!
Ireland Select XV (v Connacht, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin, Thursday, August 18th, kick-off 6.30pm)
15 Geordan Murphy (Leicester)
14 Johne Murphy (Munster)
13 Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
12 Ian Keatley (Munster)
11 Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
10 Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)
9 Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster)
1 Tony Buckley (Sale)
2 Sean Cronin (Leinster)
3 John Hayes (Bruff/Munster)
4 Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster)
6 Kevin McLaughlin (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
7 Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster)
8 Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Leinster)

Replacements
16 Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster)
17 Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)
18 Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
19 Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)
20 Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
21 Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 Ian Whitten (Ballymena/Ulster)

[tb1]

That is a genuinely awful Ireland XV.

Buckley at loosehead .

[Darc Tiger]

Lifeline for Murphy, as Jones is carried off against France with what looks like a pretty nasty ankle injury. Landed badly from a high ball.

Edited.

[scrum1/2]

Geordie was in the 1880 area today and stated he has been released from the Irish team for the World Cup - bad news for him (and Ireland!) but great news for Tigers. Welcome home Geordie!