EVER THE PRO, Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling rarely misses a trick.
BT Sport are set to establish a rival show to Soccer Saturday, which has been a staple of many football fans’ weekend viewing for several years now.
Yet BT have already made their first faux-pas, neglecting to cover the opening weekend of the Football League season, and Stelling wasn’t prepared to let this slip go unnoticed, as you’ll see in the video above.
No need to risk Furlong this Sat, hamstring injures are volatile. Bealham and Healy (for his cap record), then Clarkson and O’Toole on the bench (time to properly test the TOT at LHP idea, + Porter really needs a rest). Poor Baird, last season was fantastic but he cannot get going this season.
@Andrew Slazenger: if you don’t test it this Saturday no point in starting him against Australia next week either
@Andrew Slazenger: i would go Boyle at LH back up – hes quality
How about Tom Aherne on a like for like basis for Baird ? Wild card, I admit ….
@Laup Ekrub: he’s not in the squad and if not baird it’s pendergast or izzy both in the camp and both in great form. Aherne has injured and needs a run of quality games before he makes the Irish squad.
@Laup Ekrub: Has he being called up
@Laup Ekrub: he’s been poor so far this season
@Laup Ekrub: It has to be Izzuchukwu on a like for like basis, Paul Burke (or is it Pual). Ahern is not in the squad so he would not have been part of the meetings or training sessions so far this autumn. He will get his chance
@Paul , you nailed it in one !
@Max: it’s a bit of wishful thinking although I see similarities between both players – time will tell
@anthony davoren: Really? Do expand, with detailed evidence.
Frawley to start and SP to get 30mins
Izzy Ur time is now
That is good news and for Leinster too – they will need Clarkson back for that tricky interpro on the Australia weekend. But I still have memories of an under-developed wonderkid Joey Carbery being smashed by Fiji in a corresponding fixture and the career setback that was for him, and wonder if this is the right game for Sam to start, given his as yet slender(ish) physique?
@John Morris: Should probably give Frawley a chance to redeem himself with Crowley on the bench. Prendergast has plenty of time on his side. Another year’s S and C will hopefully have him physically ready for top class rugby.
@John Morris: the setback for carberry was being persistently injured and not even recurring ones. He just wasn’t durable enough in general. Di t think it was one game that ruined him
@TL55: I agree I’d like Fawley to get a start to rebuild his confidence, otherwise a bit harsh given that he had one bad day at the office
@Ronnie C: wouldn’t be surprised if Frawley starts with Casey and Crowley is on the bench with JGP. Sam has nothing to prove in terms of skill set and probably match temperament- but he needs protection as he grows into that 6’4” height- which is VERY tall for an outhalf in the modern game and making him an upright target. Most of the other out halves lighting up the game at the moment are about 10cm shorter- which is a lot. Jim Hamilton is suggesting he needs another 5-6kg for his height and that seems sensible.
@John Morris: rugby pod
@Gary Galligan: pod pod pod
@John Morris: I still remember that tackle , he was never the same after ! Probably why I’d go Frawley over SP
@John Morris: Barrett is hardly that much shorter. Sexton wasn’t, Healy isn’t, frawley isn’t. Most kids that that are backs that look like they’ll end up tall get moved to back 3. Yes, he’s an upright target but he’s always been. And most 21 year olds naturally have a bit to fill out.
@Ciaran Kennedy: .. only Barrett and Sexton from your list proven at elite level and Sam has 2-3 inches on them. And Frawley lost a lot of his mobility and skill bulking up. All the greats have been 6’ or less – Dan Carter, Jonny W etc and now all 3 French 10s, Marcus Smith, Caleb Muntz , Damian McKenzie, Richie Mo’unga .. surely there is a pattern there regarding the needs of the position?
Keep furlong ready for the aussies
@Shawn: probably needs some game time. In the bench?
@PatN: Agreed. 20-25 minutes off the bench. To facilitate that we need Bealham to start imo as we don’t want to have to bring him on early if one of the less experienced players are being taken to the cleaners
@PatN: if fit for sure just listening to rugby weekly extra bernard jackman has me worrired why do all countriies now hate ireland must be jealousy
@Shawn: Jealousy is a horrible trait Shawn.
@Shawn: a lot NZ’ers are total A wholes in my experience
@Shawn: it is because many have become haughty overbearing pri@ks. Witness the reaction to the last 2 Irish performances in this platform. Beat Arg and lose narrowly to AB yet scathing posts . Read G Thornley in Irish Times today- he wonders where all this entitlement came from, remarking that it doesn’t suit us. I agree wholeheartedly.
@Michael Corkery: the scrum halve did u hear what he said about crowley
@JJB: Yes but we are winning side now lots want us to lose now they can all f.. o.. sorry my spainsh
@Ray Ridge: To be sure
@Shawn: it’s just saffas and kiwis not liking any other nation being talked about as a top side. Some of the irish media love to talk it up, then ireland failing at rwc means we’re gonna get hammered by other fans.
@Patrick O’Sullivan: I shout for england now over SA cant stand their fans not all off course but most
Clarkson has risen in the pecking order
Hoping the average age of the match day squad is a good bit below 30 this weekend!!
Even as a Munster fan I’m hoping Crowley sits this one out. Start one of the others as it will put pressure on Cullen to play him more.
Carberry scored an early cheeky try
thereby making himself target for the day — SP is not that sort of outhalf
I would change the back 3 front row and back row
The mid field centres have yet to show a positive contribution in attack and therefore need game time .
The normal XV lads can sit on the bench for impact (?)
If Ireland woundn’t use C.Prendergast this week, it should make him to go back Galway at once, and he should prepare against Bulls game.