JOE SCHMIDT HAS handed Ross Byrne his first Test start at out-half in the Ireland team to face England in a World Cup warm-up clash at Twickenham on Saturday [KO 3pm, Sky Sports Action].
The 24-year-old Leinster man has won just two caps before now but gets a prime opportunity to impress ahead of the World Cup in what is a very strong Ireland XV.
With Joey Carbery out injured and looking like a real doubt for the World Cup, a strong performance from Byrne – and replacement out-half Jack Carty – would be well-timed.
Schmidt has brought in big guns like Conor Murray, captain Rory Best and Rob Kearney for their first appearances of the new season as Ireland look to build momentum before their trip to Japan.
Kearney is at 15 in a back three that also includes Jacob Stockdale and Jordan Larmour, while Garry Ringrose and Bundee Aki pair up in the centres, and Byrne and Murray combine in the halfbacks.
Best is in the middle of a front row that sees Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong start as the props, while Jean Kleyn gets his second cap in the locking department alongside Iain Henderson.
Peter O’Mahony, CJ Stander and Josh van der Flier team up in the back row.
Ireland (v England):
15. Rob Kearney
14. Jordan Larmour
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Ross Byrne
9. Conor Murray
1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Iain Henderson
5. Jean Kleyn
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Josh van der Flier
8. CJ Stander
Replacements:
16. Sean Cronin
17. Jack McGrath
18. Andrew Porter
19. Devin Toner
20. Tadhg Beirne
21. Luke McGrath
22. Jack Carty
23. Andrew Conway
- This article was updated to correct the kick-off time of Saturday’s game from 2pm to 3pm.
Strong team
@Ger O’ Brien: given our options I still don’t like the picking of Aki, Kleyn or others of similar ilk
@Chicinho: Thanks Ger we really value sharing that negativity.
Happy enough with that team, Hendy and Kleyn certainly have the physicality to deal with the powerful English, great to see Ross start, hope to see Carty start one of the welsh games. I believe that Byrne is a more a like for like for Sexton than Carty. Interesting to see Jack ahead of killer on the bench, I thought he looked good against Italy and he may well be pulling up trees in training. Beirne as br cover again is telling. It’s clear now where Joe sees him best. He could well get in ahead of Jordi and Rhys which would be a big call. No Addison, it looks very unlikely now he’ll be on the plane. Hoping to see some inventive attacking plays and overall more cohesion and fluidity.
@Ian Verdon: I’m not sure McGrath looked that good v Italy ( saying that the scrum was good )
With TB as backrow cover and Klyne once again starting this could be very interesting as to who makes the plane. He may well bring 5 second rows with Henderson and TB covering the backrow.
As for Byrne at 10 he’s the type of player joe likes and while I’m not a massive fan of how deep he plays he certainly is in great form and will take this in his stride.
@Chris Mc: well he was apart of a scrum that won 3/4 scrum penalties now granted the Italian props were pretty poor in that department. He hit a considerable amount of rucks in his short stint. He didn’t have a world class performance but I thought it was an improved performance. Hard not to see killer not going on the plane tho he’s had a very strong season. Could be a case where Joe sees Beirne as a br that can cover Sr and two of Jordi/Rhys or Conan could miss out. Be interesting to see who he goes with in the br for the welsh game. Byrne is one of the calmest heads at 10 I’ve seen, doesn’t matter what game it is or which opposition he’s facing, he takes it all in his stride and rarely if ever in these big matches has he looked out of his depth.
@Chris Mc: the outhalf playing deeper is exactly what we needed to do in the 6nations against England, with Sexton caught to close to the gain line and no time to react other than shifting the ball on to a motionless forward who was hit as soon as he caught the ball. Against rush defences Playing a bit deeper allows you to kick and/or run before being tackled and allows you to pass to forwards on the move also
@BMJF: it also means all your forwards are off side if they make a tackle behind the gain line and their forwards can run on to the breakdown at full steam. The offside line not being marshalled is killing attacking rugby.
Both McGrath’s are being given every chance to make the squad, surprised not to see kilcoyne and Marmion not being given a run out. Beirne seems very much out of the running for lock but I wonder will we see him take over from van der flier at some stage in the 7 jersey. People keep saying 6 for him but his skill set would definitely make him a good 7 too. Addison I’d say is definitely out of the running too, needed to get a run this weekend to put him in the frame for a squad position. I’d like to see Conway get a run at 15 at some stage this weekend.
@Jim Demps: I would read too much into the McGrath’s getting game time, there’s 2 more game to go so I’d hold off until next week for that. TB as a 7 is interesting, he is the turnover master, not sure if he’s quick enough to bring the line speed need ( I’m not saying he’s not quick enough just saying I don’t know if he is).
Not many transition from secondrow to openside.
@Chris Mc: He’s not a 7 he’s a replacement back row. Most likely O’Mahony or Stander will move to 7 JVDF has to come off.
@Darren Byrne: why isn’t he a 7?
@Chris Mc: I wouldn’t be too worried about his pace, he’s probably not as quick as VDF off the line but no one really is in the Irish squad. Has the ball carrying and ground work to do a job there although I don’t agree with playing guys out of position. You pick your best players in their best positions if you want to get the best out of them.
@Jim Demps: Because ChrisMc has made the assumption that he’ll come in at openside if he comes on. As I said he’s a replacement back row and possibly replacement lock.
@Darren Byrne: i think that’s because I mooted him as a 7 in the post before.
@Darren Byrne: it was Jim’s idea not mine.
@Jim Demps: is he quick enough? Has he ever played there? If not why not and if not why now?
@Jim Demps: I agree that his skill set, certainly over the ball, makes him a potential openside (and I want to see him on the plane) but so little experience in that position would be a worry. Am warming to him as the loose forward reserve if it’s the only way he’s on the plane though.
@Jim Demps: You were strongly against playing O’Brien at 8 and Henshaw at 15 as they hadn’t played enough times there/weren’t naturally suited. Pretty sure you even pointed to the fact Schmidt tends not to shoehorn players in. So why do you think we should play Beirne, an excellent second row/ blindsided flanker in a position he has never played before?
@Ruckin’ Hell: I’ve always been against moving guys out of where they play for club. I think I said it somewhere yesterday as well, you play the best players in their best positions to get the best from them. I’m not advocating for Beirne to play at 7 at all, merely saying his skill set would lend itself to that position. I’d play him at lock, where he excels, all day long. For me I’d start Henderson and Ryan and have Beirne coming off the bench at 55 mins.
That’s a strong Irish side. I’d take a 3-0 win and zero injuries!
@Thomas Patton: i’d just take zero injuries and run tbh.
@Elma Phudd: That’d do!
To me that’s Joe’s first XV with the exception of James Ryan and Johnny Sexton who sat out training on Monday .. it’s a very strong team . Fingers crossed injuries wise . And hopefully guys like Carty get a good 25 minutes too . Ross Byrne is deceptive as a player , he looks like he has plenty of time on the ball , buy isn’t slow at all . Let’s not forget he has pushed Carbery into moving position, moving club (UCD to Clontarf) and province (Leinster to Munster) . That’s some achievement .And I’m saying this as a massive fan of Carbery.
@Limón Madrugada: earls doesn’t make your first team?
@Limón Madrugada: I think you right on , with the exception of Earls will be in the starting 15 on wing.
I agree with you on Byrne @10. I think he could be great in green.
@Jim Demps: Earls healthy starts every time.
@Fitz Mac: of course he does. Might not be the best winger but he’s the best No.14 in world rugby unless Ben Smith is playing there.
@Limón Madrugada: Robbie H starts 12 ahead of Aki. Earls starts too.
@Jim Demps: I have to agree with you Jim. He is a winner, makes the rest of the team better.Always in the right space on the pitch, rare to see him make a mistake or be out of position.
@Fitz Mac: in American football terms he’d be described as a clutch player. You only have to look at any of the stuff the other players say about him to realise how important he is. If I was picking a world 15 back 3 I’d have him at 14, smith at 15 and you could put any old Schmuck at 11 alongside those two. I’d probably lob in George north though.
@Limón Madrugada:
Do you really think Joe is going to start his big games without Toner ??
@Martin Quinn: It’s very possible if he’s worried about power at scrum time. Toner’s injury record lately hasn’t been great either.
@Limón Madrugada: Earls is a deffo starter And henshaw is also a first team player
@Jim Demps: He is so clutch, great team leader.Seems all the younger team members, have nothing but good things to say about him, especially the backs.I believe he is going to have a great WC tournament.Eire Abu !!
@Limón Madrugada: Earls??
@ScewMadd:
But most pundits have stated that is one of Toners pluses::: his weight and scrummage powers:: His line out :: his calling the Line outs and his Mauling setup :: Still am sure he and Ryan will be the starting S R !
@Martin Quinn: Henderson tends to start more often than not when both him and toner are fit. Ryan starts every time.
@Martin Quinn: Yes I do if Ryan is fit . Ireland need to be as mobile as possible in this RWC , Toner will play his part for sure all the same but is no longer a guaranteed pick
@Jim Demps: nah Earls over Larmour is probably right too , if he’s fit .
Lads, it’s on rte, I don’t know why the42 wouldn’t promote the free option. Anyway, it’s a baptism of fire for Byrne and Klein in a game we need to win to shut up the media. Is the backrow good enough, I’m not sure.
@Oliver Cromwell: Only the home warm ups are on RTE, this one is only on Sky unfortunately.
@Rochelle: according to BBC web site k.o. is at 3 p.m. Needs confirming.
@Tom McHugh: Checked on IRFU web site too. 1500 hours k.o.
@Tom McHugh: coverage starts @ 2, match is at 3.
@Rochelle: it’s on Channel 4
@Behold! The Mongoose: It’s on Sky, channel 4 don’t have it either.
Huge , massive game for Ross Byrne, a real chance to put down a marker. I like the way he plays , and hope he has a chance to show what a great 10 he can be.Eire Abu !!!
Huge opportunity for him.
Both McGraths are gonna be axed from the squad
@David Connolly: hmmn don’t reckon they are
@David Connolly: fully agree, this is last chance saloon for byrne and the two mcgraths as well as kleyne probably
Very worrying if Schmidt sees that as our first choice backrow.
Will be interesting to get a look at this Kearney lad and see what he’s all about…sigh
@KH: these games are key for getting players up to speed for world cup, so all players will be getting gametime. Unless you think Kearney shouldn’t be going despite being our best 15?
@Ethan Lennon: and what’s worrying about a back row that beat New Zealand?
@KH: What is wrong with this pick for the back row?
@Ethan Lennon: comment of the day :-) thumbs up!
@KH: it looks pretty first choice to me ? O’Mahony, Stander and VDF – who would you play instead??
@KH: or did you mean backs?
@BMJF: I think that Conan was the form backrower in the country last season. Pom and CJ didn’t really have a great season. Maybe that’s the issue.
@Ethan Lennon: because when they actually had to play a competitive match they were eaten alive by England, and then 2/3′s of the same backrow were destroyed by Wales. VDF and POM aren’t big enough, can’t carry and get blown away at rucks, and POM in particular is in poor form. As for Stander, his carrying yardage has got awful and he asks absolutely nothing of defences. Great work rate but he’s much better suited to a 6.
@BMJF My backrow would probably be Beirne, VDF and Conan (who would be the first name on my backrow).
@Chris Mc: last season was last season , there is no form … that’s the problem for NH teams , they go from preseason to a World Cup semi final in 6 weeks .
It isn’t Ireland’s best 15, allowing for Sexton and Ryan not being there, Conan will be in the team, ahead of Stander, he is the form #8 in the country, has increased his work around the pitch to the same level as Stander so at this stage he brings more to the party. Toner is also key given Ireland’s reliance on set piece ball and style of playing.
I think Joe will have a horses for course approach to team selection, should we get to play SA in the QF will we go out and try and bash them? I think and hope not, hence his team selection will be based on who we’re playing and how he wants to address the game.
In Summary, his best 15 will in my opinion be based on who were playing.
@evun wyer: Conan ahead of Stander ? You have not been watching many Ireland games have you. I like Jack, think he is a good 8, but no way overall better than C.J. .By the way Joe selects Irish teams, it looks as if he thinks the same.Conan will be lucky IMO to be on the flight to Japan barring any injuries.No room for a backup player who only plays one position and is number two in pecking order at that.
@evun wyer: Not a chance Conan gets picked ahead of Stander, and not because I think he’s a bad player. Stander is the epitome of a Joe Schmidt player in the best and worst ways. He’s going to start.
@ScewMadd: couldn’t say not a chance but agree CJ still holds the jersey but just about
@Fitz Mac: I take it you didn’t watch any rugby last season
@ScewMadd:
I think he could cause upset as he is the best Back Row playing at present, had a great season and could cause Joe to look again :: Can we have both in B R ??
@Chris Mc: Just like all your posts, take off the blue tinted glasses….Stander will be without a doubt the 8 on the Irish team .I like Conan , but he will be lucky to be on the plane.
Surprised to see cronin in before Scanell. Cronins best days are long past. Good to see Byrne get a run at 10. Some tough xalls in the back row ahead
@Sean Barry: what???
@Sean Barry: sure thing buddy! You might remember Cronin is a limerick man if that helps your Munster understanding of a game. Almost as much nonsense as saying a first five plays too flat like others. The problem with rugby is everyone knows best, even me!
@Sean Barry: I feel as though Cronin will be on the bench in the WC regardless, if best doesn’t play then Scannell will start with Cronin still on the bench
@Chicinho: For the record not Munster
@Sean Barry:
Must be popular with all the other students at the University College Cork
Joe really doesn’t like Jack Carty…
Sexton died on his arse during 6 nations and Jack got less than 10 mins…
I doubt he would have got much last week except for injury…
Now he is starting Ross who Carty destroyed this season in head to head games..
@Cowboy Paddy: Except, didn’t Leinster win both games? And Byrne only came on in the 75th in Galway. Not fair to use those as head to heads really…
@Cowboy Paddy: I don’t think he trusts either considering they have 2 and 3 caps, he’d probably still select Madigan instead if he could.
@Cowboy Paddy:
Cowboy get your facts right “Ross who Carty destroyed this season” you must have seen a different game then I did and as Rob Morgan pointed out Ross came on in Galway for a few mins :: I think Carty will get another chance before the squad is selected!!
@Cowboy Paddy: how’d you make that out? I must be getting old cause don’t remember Connacht beating Leinster ??
@Cowboy Paddy: there’s a bang of Donald trump about your post.
@BMJF: He probably made that out from Carty getting MOTM in the RDS against Byrne in their last game against one another. The one that Joe mentioned influenced his inclusion of Carty ahead of Byrne in the Six Nations.
@Havid Dickey: ouch hahahahaha love it !!
Who is playing quarterback?
Toner as an impact sub?
@Tom McHugh: not all subs have to be ball carrying, tackle breakers, a mix of those and lads that sure up scrums, lineouts, kick offs and do the dirty work is ideal in the forward options. Cronin, Beirne and porter are “impactful” enough in the way you want.
@Ian Verdon: I hear you, but I am not convinced. He is proably keeping Ryan until later in the campaign. That said, Beirne and another back-rower to stretch the big English lads at the end of the game would be my preference. Just sayin’…
@Tom McHugh: Sometime in the last year (or so) many of us were sceptical when Toner was listed on the bench for a serious fixture but he came on and I think we all agreed that he had an excellent impact. Sorry to be so vague about the fixture !
@Glenbower: argentina a week before the all blacks win
@Tom McHugh: Ryan had a knock and didn’t train fully. Also toner completely resurrected our line out when he came on against Argentina last November and swung the momentum. That for me is a major impact.
@Tom McHugh: Selection in these games isn’t just about the opposition. They’re building the whole squad for the world cup.
One thing’s for sure, R Byrne and Carty are both better than G Ford.
Luke McGrath has a lot to prove as does R Byrne. Hon Carty!
I’d say that is a telling sign for Marmion and Carty.
@Havid Dickey: A telling sign they’ll both be playing against Wales next weekend?
@Rochelle: Ah ya, maybe. I think I forgot the word could from my comment.
I know Aki does a job and is solid but he is a class behind Henshaw and Farrell , he would be a liability in the WC and compared to 12s from other countries he is not international standard.
@Bob Joe:
He has played some big games for Ireland and never let us down :P::
Is Sexton injured or just being minded?
@Thefallguy: nursing a thumb strain apparently
That’s a great selection. Looks like he is putting it out there for the win. Can’t wait to see the impact the bench are gonna have. Cmon IRELAND.
Porter getting another chance. Gauntlet for Klien and Byrnes big moment. Should be a great game, cant see us touching them in Twickenham with this selection tho.
@thesaltyurchin: porters last chance saloon too
….interesting to see who will call the lineouts…….Unibet offering Ireland currently @ 26/11. Think I’ll have a piece of that.