JOE SCHMIDT IS set to field a very strong Ireland team for Saturday’s final World Cup warm-up clash with Wales at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin [KO 2pm], with Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton guiding the side from the halfbacks.
Leinster out-half Sexton is set for his first appearance of the new season, while Murray’s opening outing against England two weeks ago only lasted 30 minutes, the Munster man having picked up a head knock in the opening half.
With Schmidt keen to get more match sharpness and cohesion into his front-liners before they fly to Japan next week, captain Rory Best is due to lead the team in a powerful front row that also looks likely to include Dave Kilcoyne and Tadhg Furlong.
James Ryan is set to continue in the second row after a dominant 51-minute outing on his first appearance of the season last weekend in Cardiff, and could partner Jean Kleyn in Ireland’s locking department this time around.
The back row is set to feature both CJ Stander and Jack Conan, as long as the latter comes through training this morning, having been carrying a foot issue in recent times. Josh van der Flier is likely to line out in the number seven shirt.
A powerful-looking centre pairing of Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw would provide plenty of go-forward for Ireland, while the back three is set to see Keith Earls make his first appearance of the season after overcoming a knee issue.
Rob Kearney is expected to return at fullback, with Jacob Stockdale possibly making a third consecutive start on the left wing.
Schmidt is due to officially announce his matchday 23 to face Wales at 1.45pm today.
Possible Ireland XV (v Wales):
15. Rob Kearney
14. Keith Earls
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray
1. Dave Kilcoyne
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. James Ryan
5. Jean Kleyn
6. CJ Stander
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan
No game time for Ruddock again??
@Nathan Fulham:
Maybe on the bench, we’ll find out later
@Nathan Fulham: Lets see if Cian Healy makes the bench?
Killer is in the form of his life, great to have two Lh’s that no team will want to be playing against. Be interesting to see Ryan playing at Lh lock and I would imagine he’ll be calling the lineouts too. Love the look of that br, if the lineout goes well without Pom against what I imagine will be a very strong welsh outfit it could give us even more options for combinations in the br. Some of the more experienced players need to step up and get up to speed as quickly as possible but for the love of god please no fecking injuries!!!
@Ian Verdon: love Ryan as loosehead lock but I’d be in dread of him getting injured. Like the back row, Conan is a good lineout forward but the Welsh will have shingler back there and he’s excellent. I’d say Ryan will be calling a lot to himself & him and alun wyn should have a right old battle. Looking forward to this game
@Ian Verdon: is this team not severely limited in terms of lineout options. Basically to ball is going to Ryan every time
@Tim Magner: Kleyn and cj also are decent options come lineout time too. If Conan’s foot isn’t right I would like Rhys to come in at 6 and cj stay at 8. Rhys is underrated when it comes to his lineout prowess imo. Ryan’s difference of impact playing at 4 over 5 will be one to keep an eye on too. Very excited for this one.
@Johnny 5: I would say kleyn, cj and Conan are all decent options. Conan is used often enough at Leinster as a lineout option. It’s more a test to see if pom is injured or not starting can the lineout function to an acceptable standard without him imo.
@Ian Verdon: Conan takes a load of ball for leinster, he’ll have no bother. I think the way we’re playing from what I’m seeing is that we’re not kicking for touch anymore much. This is a pack built for going hard at their scrum & carrying hard to force tipuric & navidi into tackling, with heavy duty ruck clearing to reduce their threat at the b/down
@Tim Magner: I agree 100%. Keep Navidi and Tipuric occupied and nullify their bd threat, punching holes both in around the ruck and in the 10/12 channel with quick recycling, keeping the ball live as much as possible is what I would like to see.
@Ian Verdon: that and no injuries!!!
@Kevin: I stated that rather forcefully in my op haha. Fingers, toes and if your very flexible anything else you can cross crossed!
@Johnny 5: Conan is an excellent lineout jumper. I’m sure he’ll be slotting in where POM normally does.
@Tim Magner: with the br the welsh have chosen I am a little more confident in our lineout operations. The br battle but especially Conan(If fit) vs moriarty will be a some clash.
@Ian Verdon: yep, I was worried with shingler they’d go after us there, he’s brilliant defensively. On paper now we look stronger there so hopefully best has his eye in! I’d take Conan over Moriarty any day of the week so hopefully he’s fit. I think himself & stander have played really well together in the b row the few times they’ve played, I thought they played great in aus
@Tim Magner: I would take Conan too I was more getting at them going full pelt at each other will be tasty. Yeah I really like the look of this br tbh.
@Ian Verdon: big worry about Moriarty is that he’s a master of the ‘slightly late’ marginal cheap shot late hit. Himself & Sexton have history too so hopefully he doesn’t take him out!
@Tim Magner: I’m sure there’s plans in place to restrict moriarty’s opportunities to get at Sexton, having said that Sexton has tried to be taken out by bigger lads than Ross and is a strong guy himself who loves the physicality. Would love him to put Ross on his ass!
Excited to see how the backrows goes, think it’s our best option. Hopefully Murray and Sexton hit the ground running, we need them to find some form. Nice to see Kilcoyne get another shot after his performance last week. Looking forward to it now
6 strong ball carriers in the pack, as long as we manage okay on the lineout and our discipline is solid I can imagine we will be fairly motoring for this game. Kleyn needs another game as does CJ.
@Seán O’Brien: another ? Wouldn’t agree Klein’s really had one to date.
Not that he will be dropped against Scotland but Rob Kearney really needs a big game. The fullback position is probably our biggest weakness after hooker.
Loving that back row
@Mark: me too, but I think I’d put beirnie in ahead of stander.
Some people are going to go mad if kleyn doesn’t play well this weekend. Cue the account #justicefordev …. No more in Joe we trust
@yoloboyz: give over
@yoloboyz: The last 3 games were his opportunity and he didn’t take it.
Big reminder to POM to perform better when he next gets a chance or you will lose your place in the first 15.
Sexton & Murray also need big games for the same reason
@Mark Smith: not sure they need a big game, particularly. I’d settle for them shaking off the cobwebs and getting back to test match intensity. The important one is in a fortnight. 50 mins of solid play and get back to the bench without any injuries.
@Mark Smith: Yep, can really see Schmidt dropping three of his key players right before the World Cup starts.
@Mark Smith: sexton and Murray don’t have the same competition as the backrow options.
We could even play
6. Henderson
7. Ruddock
8 Bierne
And still have a very good backrow.
At 9 and 10 we really don’t have that kind of versatility.
@Chris Mc:
They have to prove their worth and can’t keep living on past performances.
Sooner or later they have to justify their starting place
@Paddy O’Brien:
Really !!!!
Ask big Dev about that one
@Mark Smith: Dev is tall alright, but he isn’t three key players.
CJ is a one trick pony that was figured out two seasons ago…
@Gary Cosgrave: he carries, tackles, rucks and is good at the breakdown. How many more tricks does a back row forward need to have? In a lot of ways he’s the best 6 we have. I like Conan a lot, but at international level he hasn’t proved himself better than cj at 8 either
@Gary Cosgrave: I think the back row on sat could be our best available .
Jay’s lads I’d do some laughing if Toner is on the bench.
Still can’t believe toner and marmion are dropped, klein and McGrath better deliver now to prove joe made the correct decision
Don’t suppose I’ll be able to watch this one either. Presumably on Sky or some other pay per view shite
@Johnsinker: it’s on C4
Thought he would’ve gone Henshaw and Ringrose in midfield swing as a lot of people think they are first choice partnership, maybe he doesn’t need to try them or Aki and ringrose will be starting midfield