Picking the Ireland teams for the midweek Māori game and first Test

@Paddy Waggon: Ryan 100% is good enough at this level. Henderson is 30 and has 68 caps for Ireland. Ryan is 5 years younger and is only 25 caps behind him. Ryan will have a longer lasting legacy than Henderson will. Ryan also plays for a better team, and has already won a lot more than Henderson & Beirne for that matter.

@Locojoe: Agree

@Harry O’Callaghan: weird logic?

@Harry O’Callaghan: geez man, you like ryan we get it. On current form however he is a shell of himself a few years back. Honestly looks like he needs 6 months off

@Harry O’Callaghan: You forgot his Lions Tours which is the highest honour an Irish player can aspire to. Oh sorry! He has never been selected!

@Trevor Johnston: so using the lions logic aki and henshaw play 12 and 13 with Conan at 8. Just because Warren gatland selected them a year ago?

@Liam O’Flaherty: @Harry O’Callaghan: So the fact that Ryan has won more trophy’s and is at a better stage in his career than when Henderson was at his age is weird logic? Ok…it’s called perspective buddy. Anyway Ryan isn’t playing as badly as people are saying. He’s been very consistent throughout the years and his task isn’t to run with the ball the same way Doris or VDF do. I think that’s what people want from him but that’s not what he’s been asked to do as a second row. He’s also had a lot of concussions so that’s why he’s been out but to say Henderson is playing better is complete nonsense. What exactly does Henderson do that’s so much better? Henderson has had quite a good few question marks over his playing ability throughout his career too. A lot more than Ryan ever has.

@Dara: Geez Louise maynn

@Locojoe: He has been consistently better than Ryan for some time now.

@Chris Mc: Using logic would be a new skill for many posters on this page. Harry took a pop at Henderson just because someone else criticised Ryan. Read Harry’s post. Extremely juvenile.

@Trevor Johnston: Someone mentioned He Derain before I ever did.just stating facts my man. Extremely juvenile haha not my fault you people can’t hear the truth. At the end of the day Ryan has been the most consistent second row for Ireland for the past 5 years now. He took a few months out because of his head knocks but before that when’s the last time he was ever out injured? Never. Henderson has been injured most of his career and rarely performs well on the big stage. At least Ryan gets in other peoples faces. He also plays for the best team in Ireland so that’s a motivating factor in itself.

@Harry O’Callaghan: I am not your man. Please do not try to patronise me.
I have no wish to run down 2 fine players such as Ryan and Henderson.
Try and respond in a constructive basis rather than belitting other players.
And I hope both players along with Beirne make the next Lions tour.

@Trevor Johnston: hold on, someone mentioned that Henderson was definitely good enough at this level and someone else mentioned that it was Ryan that wasn’t. So I left my opinion and gave reasons why I think Ryan is better. That’s all. If you don’t like my opinion then that’s cool thats not my problem. I think Ryan 100% is better than Henderson.

@Trevor Johnston: And just to clarify, my man, I don’t think Henderson is a bad player. He’s very good but I just think Ryan is better. He has more potential and is already one of the first names on the team sheet. You’d be daft to leave him out of your team.

@Harry O’Callaghan: why was it necessary to belittle another player? And please do not use the term my man again. Condescending and arrogant.

@Trevor Johnston: I’m not belittling him. I’m saying Ryan is better than him. What don’t you understand about that?

@Trevor Johnston: I try not to read Harrys posts. I don’t mind a bit of bias but the blind stuff is silly. I’ll call out a if a leinster is not good enough or not playing well when I see it and in a 50 50 call I’ll pick blue but I’m not going to say dave Kearney should be ahead of balacone.
As for the Ryan thing his form is not as bad as people are making out. He’s had some pretty big games in the last few months.

@Harry O’Callaghan: I think they’ve had very different careers so far. Ryan exploded onto the scene as a young guy and was an automatic starter for Ireland. He was excellent in his first few seasons but has probably failed to continue that trajectory for various reasons – form and injury. Hendy was similarly identified as a talent early and capped as a 21 year old but his career has probably been more of a slow burner. Had to bide his time behind great locks such as O’Connell, D. Ryan and Toner but he’s been there for a decade now and has only gotten better. He has had dips in form and injury issues but he’s been playing consistently well when fit for several seasons now. Like many second rows he’s peaking later in his career.

@Jack McCartie: I don’t think you can say Ryan will have a “greater legacy”. Not yet. He has more caps earlier but whose to say he’ll ever reach 68 caps like Hendy? Hopefully he does but as Dan Leavy knows only too well you can’t take that for granted.
They’re both great players who do different things well and we’re lucky to have them. No harm on debating whose better. For my money it’s Hendo. Heavier, more powerful/ explosive, better over the ball. Better leader/ more talismamic for me often in an Ulster team often going backwards over the years. Easier to “get in people’s face” like you say Ryan does when In a bullying Leinster team – although havnt seen him do that in a while especially for Ireland. More likely to be seen getting his arse handed to him by Itoje or Skeleton lately.

@Chris Mc: that’s a fair comment.I don’t mind constructive criticism but have no time for other petty nonsense. Two good second rows who will both have good days and the odd off day. Nothing wrong with Dave Kearney either. He never let the side down.
I think there is something wrong with posters whose names start with O’ . Munster has a prat too who starts with O’.

@Trevor Johnston: Proper Irish names unlike yours mate.

@Justin Flynn: Yet Heffernan has been capped by the Barbarians & Ireland 6 times. Delahunt 0 times.

@Harry O’Callaghan: yet Connacht fans would say there is very little between them and Delahunt has delivered better performances this season, and is unlucky to be out injured or may have got the nod ahead of his clubmate, so go figure.

@Barra Mac An Bhaird: harsh maybe but can you name a worse front row that even took to a pitch for Ireland?

@Chris Mc: ever selected? No idea. Don’t have the years or the knowledge. I just think the OP was overly harsh on the lads.

@Barra Mac An Bhaird: I suppose that’s opinion and I welcome your rebuttal, but when two of the starting front row are from the weakest province and the third is a journey man I think it’s fair. Based upon this season Marty Moore and Eric O’Sullivan should be there but like always it’s harder to get into an Irish squad then get fooked out. What are we realistically going to learn from that front row starting, we have back up players in their mid 20’s to early 30’s that are not good enough to play a tier one nation. Surely if Moore was not selected and the Maori games are developmental it would of served us better to throw in younger props/hookers and see how they fair.

@Chris Mc: it’s effectively a third choice front row, and it’s Murray’s team not Farrell’s selection. It doesn’t disguise the fact that we’re struggling in that department.

@Peter Dunne: for all you know, ya don’t know Moore is injured. Front row is an area of weakness at the minute for Ireland for sure, but given injuries we don’t have any better options, O’Sullivan has been behind Warwick for the second half of this season, and has gone backwards, Wycherly should have made the cut ahead of Loughman probably, but we’ve limited options at loosehead.

@Patrick Breen: He hasn’t been better than Heffernan. I’ve watched them both play. Very similar players but there’s no way Delahunt splayed better than him. Go figure

@Barra Mac An Bhaird: yeah maybe harsh but as a trio I can’t recall an irish side with a 1 2 3 as weak. I’m sure each could hold their own with 2 better players alongside them but as a frontrow it’s not test standard.

@Chris Mc: my point being if the Māori games are being used to experiment ahead of a World Cup and that’s the front row that is selected it’s not promising

@Michael McGrath: maybe we should just play the full munster 15.