Originally Posted by Kierenj:
“That's a shame about Heaslip, love watching him play. At his best he reminds me of Spies or Read... Still, with Billy in for Morgan it isn't too big.
Agree on the rest, would like to see Lawes on the bench perhaps, Easter isn't really filling me with confidence there if we had an injury in the first half to 4 or 5.
Please let's see Corbs on the bench at least...”
Yeah Heaslip is an outstanding, consistent player alright and I cannot believe Lancaster for one second when he claims this doesn't give England a huge boost. Heaslip after Sexton and along with Murray may well just be Ireland's most irreplacable player at the moment.
Credit to Heaslip for showing such class too in accepting Pape's apology on Twitter. The cynics will no doubt claim Pape's tweet is more a PR driven apology and one to hopefully reduce his ban, but I do believe it was sincere and that he didn't genuinely want to hurt him. Appalling act but players can do daft things in the heat of the moment and he has a good disciplinary record in general. Sit out the rest of the tournament is enough punishment I think
Yeah, I think Corbs is certainly the better option than Mako though Stuart is renowned for rigidly keeping faith with a winning team/bench from game to game (even if he rings the changes from campaign to campaign!!). I see only the one change with Lawes benching for Croft, although Tom Wood might make the bench also. Of course this is depending on Brown's injury
Brown hasn't lived up to the heights of last year's tournament since but seems to be finding top form again, so he'd be a huge blow. I've watched a lot of Goode this season though and he may well be playing his very best Rugby. Only for MB was player of tournament last year, Goode may well have forced his way in to the 15 for the Wales match based on club form and the fact Brown had quite an iffy Autumn. however seeing Brown in the Welsh match just re-emphasises his importance and when he's on top form there's few full backs as good in the world
A lot are calling for Ashton or Wade to be drafted straight in on the wing though I can't see Lancaster deserting May now. May right now is what Ashton was two years ago, in that is almost seems fashionable to criticise him ad nauseum. He's incredibly dangerous though and as an Irish man I just get this awful feeling a fired up May (in a bid to shut up the doubters) will come out all guns blazing and run riot in Dublin, it very often happens when a guy is written off
For Ireland as I say Murphy should come straight in at 8, with Schmidt facing a tough call between McGrath and Healy. Besides that, it's as you were really
A week and a half is way too bloody long!!