THE CRUEL TRUTH is that injuries are part and parcel of a World Cup, even after squads have departed home soil.
Joe Schmidt will hope the 23 players he selects for Saturday’s final warm-up game against Wales in Dublin will come through unscathed, but the Ireland head coach is realistic about the dangers involved.
Even when Ireland arrive in Japan, there is a genuine possibility of World Cups being ended in the opening games against Scotland and Japan. As such, those players who narrowly missed out on making Schmidt’s final 31-man squad will be alert and ready.
Will Addison, Jordi Murphy, and Kieran Marmion have remained with Ireland this week to add extra bodies to training, having come out on the wrong side of very tight selection decisions. That trio will be at the top of Schmidt’s standby list in case of any emergencies.
The Ireland boss said those who don’t travel to Japan as part of the 31 next week will return to their provinces to begin preparations for the Pro14 season, ensuring they are ready if called upon.
Any players who are late call-ups to the World Cup will come from the 45-man extended training squad that did pre-season with Ireland this summer.
“It’s crystal clear that you can’t have them in the country [Japan], you cannot bring excess players into the country,” said Schmidt yesterday.
“Now, I know that in the past, players have been placed in a nearby country so they’re all set to go. We don’t have any intention of doing that.
“The players are best off to be comfortable, to be training, to be playing. If they’re playing Pro14, then they’re getting prepared and match fit, ready to fill in if the opportunity comes up.
“Kieran, Jordi, and Will, it would be the same for guys like Dev Toner, Ross Byrne, Tommy O’Donnell.
“Depending on who we lost, we’ll have someone ready to go, and we feel with the 14 guys who are not in this current 31 that we’ve got cover in every position and it would then be a decision.
“Obviously, the cover-all ability of a Will Addison out the back and Jordi Murphy across the back row, I think they do become pole position because they cover multiple positions.”
Addison, Murphy, Marmion, Toner, Byrne, O’Donnell, Jack McGrath, Finlay Bealham, Rob Herring, Ultan Dillane, John Cooney, Rory Scannell, Dave Kearney, and Mike Haley are the 14 players who will, therefore, make up the standy list for Schmidt.
The Ireland head coach confirmed that the exiled Simon Zebo, Donnacha Ryan and Ian Madigan will definitely not be providing any emergency back-up, adding that he wasn’t sure the rigours of the Top 14 would have Zebo and Ryan at peak fitness anyway.
“I’ve always tried to repeat the same message: that if we accept that in the pinnacle, the biggest tournament, if we do take players from outside of Ireland, then players are going to feel, ‘Well, I can go and play for more money somewhere else,’” said Schmidt.
“I coached in the Top 14. I don’t think that the Top 14 players are as fit as the Pro14 players. I believe that the players here are better conditioned, probably because they have to be because we don’t have the same size of squads or the same profile of player.
“So I think we’ve got to keep supporting the players who are on this island because that’s when our supporters get to see those players play, that’s when provinces can still supply the highest quality of rugby and stay competitive in Europe.
“Otherwise, if we start to dilute that player quality I think it’s a real risk for us because we don’t have the same scale of economy in Ireland as they do in the French competition and the same with the Premiership.
“So it’s admirable that players stay here for substantially less money so that they can pull on a green jersey. And when they pull it on, it’s very, very seldom that they don’t give it incredibly good service.”
The excitement is building nicely really looking forward to the WC. Whatever happens it should be the most competitive WC to date. As a result Schmidts comments ring true the guys coming over have to be match fit and ready to go rather than on a holiday in south east Asia
@Smiley: Foreign Irish players are banned (except Sexton) but non-irish players living here are fine. Makes sense.
The Toner omission has to be on fitness grounds.
The ankle issue has to be stopping him being where he needs to be.
It’s the only explantation.
Other guys in the squad are being allowed find fitness in the next few weeks: Sexton, Earls, Carbery, Healy etc.
I guess that the coaches would be uncomfortable taking too many guys who are not fully ready.
Looking back at Toners 20 mins in Cardiff on Saturday, he was on the periphery of a lot of things but never really got into the thick of it.
Looked like a guy who is struggling physically.
Marmion on the other hand….still completely baffled by that one.
Hopefully a good performance on Saturday, with no injuries and minutes for the guys who need them.
@Oran Burns: you’re right he does struggle physically, that’s why he didn’t travel .
@Oran Burns: I think there is other explanations for toner, we have relied heavily on him in the lineout, and relied heavily on the lineout over recent years. If we are moving away from that, then picking a more dynamic second row who adds scrum ballast too, makes sense. I think there is a sneak peek into the game plan, cause teams have figured out our lineout, both disrupting and not kicking the ball dead, so then we shift focus. Cant wait for the Scotland match
@Oran Burns: it’s what Joe said alright regarding Toner’s fitness.
The other players you mentioned though are world class players who would make many countries team, Toner isn’t one of them. No disrespect to him, he is a great player.
@Pilib:, And the silverware dripping off the man. Not word class, will you stop.
@David: He’s a great player but not world class. Ireland don’t have many World Class players. Ryan, Furlong and recently Murray and Sexton. That’s my opinion. I think Sexton and Murray with their injury problems and lack of form are gone off the boil
@Decko49: nah. Word class alright. In my opinion.
@Decko49: Here, maybe he will start on Saturday. Ha ha.
The world cup dictates you can only have 31 players in camp, it’s not the best 31 it’s the correct blend. If VdF were to get injured Murphy would go straight into the starting XV. Not sure were the public angst on selection is coming from but I would suspect the players have a different understanding of the situation.
Can see why Addison and Murphy are still in training. Only have 5 back rows and 5 back three players in the squad, so they’re needed to have 15 on 15 training. Marmion hanging around doesn’t make sense unless Murray isn’t for enough for full training, which is worrying.
Will be interesting to see whether any of the three get game time on Saturday.
Addison will definitely go as if a centre or back field player gets injured he’s there, Murphy will probably go aswell but I don’t think marmion will
@Bob Joe: or a citing
@Bob Joe: Worth remembering that Isaac Boss was called up in 2015 to replace Jared Payne.
@RabidHorizon: Can they replace a player who is suspended for the rest of the tournament ? I thought not but am not sure.
@Glenbower: Don’t think so. Suspension isn’t viewed the same way as injury.
@Glenbower: dont know, what happens it three props got cited/ red carded and banned in the same match, unlikely but not impossible. There must be an allowance. I can see the point of view that if a team could replace a banned player theres no real penalty. How closely are injuries monitored? Do you just get another squad member to play dead so you can call up a reserve prop? It would get farcical.
Maybe you can’t replace someone for a couple of games then you can ?? If we were playing France all the dropped boys would be coming over to join the rest :: No should not joke about it !!
No doubt it will all have been set up beforehand who would be staying fit and ready to come over !!