AFTER ALTON TOWERS left some players emotionally scarred two weeks ago, Joe Schmidt’s side had a more relaxing down-day this afternoon.
With the squad based for the week at Celtic Manor in Newport, the players were able to avail of their spectacular golf course which hosted the Ryder Cup in 2010.
And the Inpho team were following the players around the fairways, picking up some great shots along the way.
This one for example, is pretty spectacular.
Dave Kearney did his best impression of the guy from the PGA Tour logo while out on the practice range.
Before taking a fine divot once he hit the course.
As did Ian Madigan, who was diligent enough to replace his divot.
But the Leinster man seems to have had a decent day out on the course.
He seemed pretty pleased with himself…
Before he and Simon Zebo went for a pretty badass looking spin.
Head down, follow through.
Cian Healy was one of the few with actual golf shoes. He probably murdered this ball.
The endless wait for a putt to drop…
And then it does.
Meanwhile, Rory Best may still be out on the course. So determined.
As a Leinster fan, Cooney is better then both of them
Anyone who watched McGrath in the two games this season will see he’s auditioning for joe. Slowing down the game and taking little or no chances. Oh and the constant box kicks.
In form it’s Cooney, Marmion and then McGrath but joe likes Marmion so maybe swap the first two.
@Chris Mc: He came on with 20 to play against Scarles and sped the attack up…as all sub scrum halves do
I find Cooney a lot more dynamic than McGrath and Marmion, I’d love to see him paired with Carbery this Autumn against the USA.
@Philip Farrell: USA is just a run out. I’d much rather see Cooney (or whoever) starting the Argentina game. That’s the caliber of team we can expect to cause us problems/knock us out of the RWC. Keep the front liners for NZ and possibly Italy in Chicago (there might be contractual demands by sponsors to start the best players there).
@grandslamkbo: I wouldn’t be dragging Conor to Chicago, you’re right with the powers that be wanting a certain amount of “Star” players but I still would imagine the IRFU and Joe have the final say on who goes and doesn’t go. I can see the team that go to Italy being a mix of regulars with lads on the fringes especially in the positions that we still need to develop depth in. Argentina are playing some exquisite rugby and I feel we need to play our first team against them. If we put them to the sword with our first team it would give everyone a lot of confidence. I feel if we made too many changes with the way they’re playing now they would beat us. Most important thing for me against Argentina and the all blacks is getting the W.
@Ian Verdon: I wouldn’t bring him either. It is a glorified exhibition game. But it is part of a big weekend giving rugby some exposure. Hands could be tied. I’d be shocked if the front liners aren’t there as per some agreement.
Cooney is riding on the crest of a wave at the minute. Can’t see him not start in a couple of the November games.
Great to have 4 class scrum halfs in each of the four proud provinces of Ireland..
I think Cooney and Marmion will feature in the big games in November if Murray is injured. Unsure who would start and who would bench though. McGrath should expect a run out in the USA game.
@Martin Quinn: It wasn’t just his kicking that got him coverage. His general play was fantastic and he was rightly named in the Pro14 team of the year. His goal kicking is rightly lauded but in terms of general play for his club he performed the best of the three players you listed last year.
Damn straight he knows he hasn’t secured the back up spot. He’s laying in 4th place on current form. A long season ahead for him to try and find some form tho. We know Joe loves him for his makeshift wing stint vs the Aussies but we need to see him shine like he did a few years back.
@Patrick Doherty: Current form doesn’t always count for much with Schmidt. We know there are certain players he trusts over others, regardless of form. Until the squad is announced, we won’t know for sure if he’s been pushed down the order. In Schmidt’s eyes, I believe, the ranking remains Marmion with McGrath or Cooney behind.
@grandslamkbo: i’d agree with you if Murray was fit but we have had similar scenarios before at OH. When Sexton, Madigan and Jackson were in the squad, Schmidt made it clear that if Sexton was fit, he started at 10 with Madigan on the bench. But if Sexton was injured, Jackson was next in line at 10 and Madigan stayed on the bench. We’ve also seen similar scenarios at Hooker. Marmion may well be the first choice reserve through versatility but that doesn’t mean natural migration to the 9 jersey. It will be interesting to see what happens.
@Andrew Adams: Right. But we haven’t been told Murray if fit or absent yet. The point I was trying to make was nothing has happened in the last few months that would lead me to believe Marmion has been demoted because form doesn’t always come into consideration. We’ll know more when Murray’s return date is announced. Until then, I still believe Marmion is back up. I would have Cooney next in Schmidt’s eyes.
@Andrew Adams: Yeah I think you’re spot on with that assessment. Schmidt has always liked a change of pace 9 off the bench. With Leinster it was Boss and Reddan, then Murray and Reddan for Ireland and now Marmion. If Murray was out and he needed a starter I could see him going with Cooney or McGrath but I can see Marmion holding his spot on the bench.
@Patrick Doherty: current form? The season just started and he’s only back in the team as a result of the player welfare.
@Anthony Davoren: Exactly. I love how people say ‘on current form’, when Marmion hasn’t even played forty minutes of rugby this season. Judging on his form at the end of last season, he was pretty good – he should have had a try to his name against Australia except for the TMO for some reason disallowing it, and in the last two games of the pro14 last season he was on the score-sheet as well and really dictated the game. And anyone who was following Connacht prior to last year would have known that Cooney was an excellent scrumhalf even prior to heading to Ulster, so it’s not like he has suddenly found form…what he has found is regular game time to display it. He didn’t start for Connacht because a) many injuries and b) Marmion was (and I would argue still is) considered better than him. Cooney was got his first cap before he even played for Ulster, lest we forget.
McGrath is the best box-kicker of the three, and we know that Schmidt’s gameplan revolves around contestables, and he is also a good leader for Leinster, and could be for Ireland. But I would argue his passing isn’t the best (many passes seem to go to ground or behind players from what I’ve seen), and that what makes him look better is that he has either Sexton/Byrne and up to last season Carberry outside him, the top three outhalf options in Ireland. From my recollection, Marmion has only played one game with Sexton him outside him, that being the victory over England last year, which I actually think was one of the best Irish performances we have seen (he also played the latter part of the defeat to Wales where Murray played injured for a while). Would love to see him get another run out with the best outhalf in Ireland, with Cooney also getting plenty of time off the bench to keep the pace up.
@Joe Vlogs: Spot on Joe.
@Joe Vlogs: couldn’t agree more, particularly on the Cooney point – in his final season at Connacht he played more than Marmion due to the latter’s involvement with Ireland, so he was very much a well known quantity to any Irish fan who follows more than their own province before he went to Ulster.
To my mind Marmion and Cooney are ahead of McGrath currently due to their versatility, but as was pointed out elsewhere with Murray potentially out I don’t think that order will necessarily be maintained – hopefully we will see time for all three in November.