HARPIN' ON RUGBY: Kate McEvoy

Showing posts with label Kate McEvoy. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Let The Schmidt Hit The Fan - Rd 10 (MUN)

Since the start of the season four bloggers, one representing each province, have taken turns selecting their ideal Irish matchday 23 for a test match to take place the following weekend (so current injury status must be taken into account).

This week it is the turn of Munster blogger Kate McEvoy to give her final selection.

Click this link for her last selection and these for the latest from Connacht, Ulster & Leinster.

This is my last hurrah as supreme overlord of the Irish rugby team, or at least a hastily appointed substitute for whoever dropped out in the first place. So we'll look forward to the first test in the rather splendidly-named Resistancia on June 7th. This is actually one of the easier squads to pull together as I have a definite pool to draw from from. Bar the intense emotion of it all of course.

Jack McGrath
Rory Best
Marty Moore

I'm a bit baffled as to why Mike Ross is on the road again but I suppose he's like my friend's retro car, you have to turn the engine over on a regular basis or it won't start. He's probably bigger than Peanut but they're both distinctly limited on the speed front. I'm starting Rory Best as one would imagine he'll be fresher having recently returned from injury and alas, not to be taking to the field this weekend. Plus his leadership and level head will be important in between the young front row in the Estadio Centenario. Of course, this all depends on who comes through this weekend's clash with Glasgow unscathed.

Iain Henderson
Paul O'Connell

We're quite thin at lock, but one would imagine that's to fit in as many contenders for our competitive back row as possible. On the bench, my player of the season, Devin Toner, not a phrase I thought I'd use, despite not being quite as tough on him in the past as various denizens of the North Stand (you know who you are). I felt Henderson didn't kick on as much as I would like during the 6 Nations but was seldom less than competent and apparently put in a big shift in Ulster's semi final loss to Leinster. I say apparently not because I doubt the veracity of this, but because I was ploughing through prosecco at my school reunion at the time. He's paired with Paulie, who is no doubt looking forward to hunting some Pumas to take the frustration of two semi final losses out on.

Robbie Diack
Chris Henry
Jamie Heaslip

There will be ballads written about the durability of Jamie Heaslip – my love is as deep as the ocean, as strong as the foundations of the earth and as consistent as Jetboot's fitness levels. I've probably doomed him now to come a cropper in short order but it has to be said that it really is extraordinary. After an impressive 6 Nations campaign Henry's back in harness alongside Ulster compatriot Robbie Diack. Even with some high profile absences, O'Mahony, O'Brien and wee Stephen Ferris, it's still a mighty scrap in Ireland's backrow with Munster pair O'Donnell and Dougall unlucky to miss out, on past glories and recent form respectively.

Conor Murray
Jonny Sexton

Despite a long and punishing season Jonny Sexton boards the plane to Argentina. After dragging Racing into the semi finals of the Top 14 only to be bested by Toulon, he should fit right in with the majority of the squad who have come up against a similar road block this season. He and Conor Murray form their established axis and what is currently our starting World Cup pairing. Expect Sexton to boss it even more than usual in BOD's absence and put any young pretenders through their paces.

Simon Zebo
Luke Marshall
Darren Cave
Andrew Trimble
Robbie Henshaw

There will be tears of joy in the streets of Cork as Zebo dons the green once more. However all gazes will be centrewards as the auditions for a new centre pairing rapidly move towards opening night, with one of the more obvious choices first up. Payne has failed to convince at 13 and despite Cave's feeling his face doesn't fit in the Irish set up, a good tour could influence his subsequent season at Ulster as well as his national prospects. Henshaw and Trimble fill the remaining berths, bringing a plethora of seasonal decorations with them. Still would have gone for Jack McGrath for young player of the year but I can't be supreme overlord of everything.

Damien Varley
Dave Kilcoyne
Mike Ross
Devin Toner
Jordi Murphy
Kieran Marmion
Ian Madigan
Keith Earls

The bench consists of big boys in the forwards and hopefully a spark of magic in the backs. After a season of bad luck, some of his own making, Madigan shone in the last chance saloon and has been given another chance to show what he can do at test level. Much like Madigan, Resistancia is perched on the edge of the wilderness so hopefully it'll inspire something in him. Then onto the Argentinian rugby hotspot of Tucumán and hopefully further glory for all concerned.

Finally just a quick note to say thanks to Jeff for as ever being a gracious host and to everyone who read and commented on my flights of fancy across various portals, particularly to all my family members who stumbled across this by accident. Yes, this is what I do with my spare time. I doubt many of you were particularly surprised. It's been a pretty special season with this national side and it's been great to be a tiny part of all the chatter. Until next time, gracias pour todos. ¡Viva Resistancia!

Kate McEvoy : Munster fan in a sea of Leinster blue. Raised on a strict diet of Bective Rangers. Earliest childhood memory is stud marks in the muck. Former hooker for a father & a mother with an eye for a forward pass bordering on freakish . Best rugby memory, Toulouse main square, May 24, 2008. Epitaph will read “Knew a lot about rugby for a girl.” Can be found tweeting optimistically at @ImKateMc

MANY THANKS KATE! NEXT WEEK ON LET THE SCHMIDT HIT THE FAN…

THE SERIES COMES TO A CONCLUSION AS OUR ULSTER BLOGGER LAURA JOHNSTON GIVES HER OWN FINAL SELECTION

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Let The Schmidt Hit The Fan - Rd 9 (MUN)

This week it’s the turn of Munster fan Kate McEvoy to look ahead for the Six Nations champions.

Click this link for her last selection and these for the latest from Leinster, Connacht & Ulster.

So since we last spoke (if you're lucky) focus shifted away from the afterglow of our glorious 6 Nations triumph and back to the oft-described “business end” of Europe's last Heineken Cup. Ulster struggled manfully to almost overcome the most nightmarish of starts against Saracens but to no avail. Munster pulled together a strong team performance to put Toulouse to the sword as the competition's most decorated team also appeared to be on their last legs. Finally Leinster, despite an initial spirited scramble defense, were overwhelmed by a frankly scary looking Toulon, who now await the remaining Irish side in the competition in Sunday's Marseille semi final.

Given my nerves are going to steadily ratchet up to unbearable levels by this weekend, this is possibly the last possible moment I can focus on the bigger picture, which is still looking ahead to the summer tour. There's not a whole lot of movement from last month's selection. I still believe that, despite Cian Healy's protestations to the contrary, that this summer tour needs to be about taking youth on the road, both to make sure we've depth coming into the world cup year but also because it's been a very long season. In fact it's pretty much been two seasons run into one and senior players seem in need of a rest, particularly in within Leinster, who provided the bulk of the Irish squad

Having said that there were multiple reasons for that, not least the plethora of young talent on show in the RDS. Remember when we closed out a one score game in Paris to win the 6 Nations? With Leinster's second choice front row? Good times. Not nerve-racking in the slightest. Pack your bags lads, you're off to Argentina.

Jack McGrath
Sean Cronin
Marty Moore

I have concerns about the lineout permutations with this one but I'd be happy to bring to engine room animals with a point to prove and gas in the tank on tour. Toner's stock was at an all-time high post 6 Nations but he's looked a bit worn out since so he's dropped to the bench.

Dan Tuohy
Donnacha Ryan

Tommy O'Donnell will have to play the game of his career so far to keep a lid on Toulon at the breakdown on Sunday but he currently starts at openside as I keep everything crossed. Jordi bagged the opening try in Good Friday's rout of Treviso and looks the the biggest challenge to Heaslip's dominance at number 8 in both the blue and green jersey thus far. Henderson was competent but not spectacular in his 6 Nations appearances but deserves a more prolonged period in the shirt in which to make an impact.

Iain Henderson
Tommy O'Donnell
Jordi Murphy

The great Madigan debate is not going anywhere but as it stands he remains on the bench with his Ulster counterpart starting. Besides, apparently Conor Murray is the great white hope at outhalf so sure, we might just leave him at home altogether.

Conor Murray
Paddy Jackson

I was very impressed with the workrate of the Munster wingers in the quarter final, particularly in regards to their defense and at rucktime. It looks like the gospel of Joe is spreading. Zebo keeps his starting place, partnered by the newly-engaged Tommy Bowe i(Mazel Tov!) in the other wing berth. Earls replaces Fitzgerald on the bench given, despite the constant reports he's training, another week went by without Luke gracing the pitch. Ulster's centre partnership is kept intact for the South America trip, with yet another 13 option, hot property Robbie Henshaw, at fullback. He's signed to Connacht till 2016 so if we could shelve the transfer talk that would be delightful

Simon Zebo
Luke Marshall
Darren Cave
Tommy Bowe
Robbie Henshaw

The bench is as discussed above plus medical miracle Richardt Strauss joins Munster's two members of the front row union, together with the dependable but still surprisingly young Ruddock and Connacht's needs to be capped petit général. And on that note, back to the march on Marseille…

Richardt Strauss
Stephen Archer
Dave Kilcoyne
Devin Toner
Rhys Ruddock
Kieran Marmion
Ian Madigan
Keith Earls

NEXT WEEK ON LET THE SCHMIDT HIT THE FAN…

OUR ULSTER BLOGGER LAURA JOHNSTON GIVES HER LATEST SELECTION

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Let The Schmidt Hit The Fan - Rd 8 (MUN)

Since the start of the season four bloggers, one representing each province, have taken turns selecting their ideal Irish matchday 23.

This week our Munster representative Kate McEvoy picks a side for the summer tour.

Click this link for her last selection and these for the latest from Ulster, Leinster & Connacht.

I hope we're all still feeling the warm, unifying glow that comes from basking in a 6 Nations victory. Probably not since the often less than illustrious airing of grievances that is a Leinster v Munster Rabo fixture is coming up unfortunately fast on the rails and is sure to dissipate any residual good vibes between the provinces. The process has already begun and lord, I hate this fixture so I'm going to move swiftly on, pray they don't meet at any stage in the Heineken Cup and concentrate on picking an as yet fairly abstract team for this summer's tour to Argentina.

As it stands, I'm focusing on developing younger players for contention in the RWC squad and experienced players returning from injury, while resting last year's Lions who, particularly as some will hopefully be involved in the business end of this season's European competitions, will have an extremely long, tough year. This almost goes without saying but this will change massively over the next 3 months. I may decide to slot in more senior players onto the bench, especially in the front row, depending how the season progresses. I'm fickle like that. Also, I'm still sticking to my policy of avoiding players with long term injury until they've returned to play (Sean O'Brien) for a decent amount of time (Stephen Ferris). Like I said, there'll be a lot of change. But sure, isn't it great to have options?

1. Jack McGrath – Probably the breakthrough of the season so far. Dynamic in the loose, strong in the ruck, dependable in the set piece, and still so young. Cian Healy is one of the world's best looseheads but his understudy ain't too shabby.

Sean Cronin – This could be a make or break tour to see if Cronin can finally make the transition from spectacular, try scoring impact sub to starting hooker. His throwing has improved but he still seems incapable of striking the ball in the scrum. Former cardiac patient Richardt Strauss takes the bench spot hoping to add to his international cap tally.

Marty Moore – I know Mike Ross is one of those players that needs a regular run around the park to keep the engine turning over but let's leave him at home this time out. Moore struggled in Paris, the first real set back we've seen but will hopefully be the stronger for the win under pressure and learned a lesson or two along the way.

Devin Toner – Devin “most improved” Toner, once seen as a soft pick, is going to be hard to dislodge from the starting Ireland team. The giant from the clearly magical village of Moynalvey (see Mary-Louise Reilly) is on the plane.

Donnacha Ryan – Often underrated, the Nenagh native seldom disappoints and is a competitive animal with a major point to prove. He's a great tourist & I'm looking forward to seeing him back in green. Dan Tuohy will be also be chomping at the bit after his latest international opportunity was cruelly cut short by a broken arm sustained on the pitch.

Iain Henderson – Solid first test start, but somewhat less spectacular than those who have followed his career to date had hoped for, with some good cameos off the bench across the tournament. There seems to be a good chance Henderson's future may be at second row, particularly with a plethora of options in the back row, but for now, particularly as it looks like O'Connell has the world cup in his sights, I'm starting him at blindside. Rhys Ruddock offers good cover and an experienced pair of hands from the bench.

Tommy O'Donnell – Somewhat unlucky not to feature more throughout the tournament, Tommy O'Donnell's season was a case of arrested development with a bad injury at the start of the season. Henry will prove difficult to dislodge after and excels as a jackal-type openside but O'Donnell is an exciting talent who offers something slightly different with more of an explosive edge.

Jordi Murphy – The medal-losing bequiffed former Blackrock sports personality of the year is certainly good value on the social media front. It'll be a tough act to dislodge the bionic man Jamie Heaslip but I'd like to see his young counterpart get a chance to put his own stamp on the number 8 jersey.

Conor Murray – Despite Eoin Reddan playing with a new lease of life this spring, Murray is Ireland's pre-eminent scrumhalf who's service seems to have improved after his Lions' tour under Rob Howley's tutelage. I think it's important for Murray to have a good working relationship with the young pretenders so J10's outhalf crown and there is certainly little point in bringing an overworked Jonny Sexton to sample the delights of South America. Also, this is a fairly callow squad at this point and Murray's leadership, particularly at provincial level has come on massively this season. Time to cap Marmion before the Welsh cast their eyes in his direction too.

Paddy Jackson – Madigan did manage to cooly close things out in Paris, to my utmost relief but Jackson looked assured during his appearances and deserves a chance to demonstrate his improved game management. For me, although Madigan is certainly the more exciting player, he hasn't kicked on this season as much as I would like and the Ulsterman has done a better job at addressing the deficiencies in his game.

Simon Zebo – Generating more ink than many players who actually featured in our tournament win, the Cork flyer has an abundance of natural talent but there are question marks over his work rate. This would be the ideal chance to address those worries. And, for the record, I don't think there's much wrong with his defence.

Luke Marshall – Although D'arcy has made no mention of following his centre partner off into the sunset, the the beard removal has shaved years of his age, Bamm-Bamm starts at 12. Mind your head, Luke.

Darren Cave – Time for Darren to put his money where his mouth is after his somewhat ill-advised pop at some of his potential Irish teammates. There seems to be a narrative than Henshaw is BOD's anointed successor but Cave is currently more the the finished article and forms a solid defensive pairing with his provincial counterpart. The first of 3 potential outside centres in the mix, and I'd certainly bring Keith Earls on tour too but I'm restricted numbers-wise here. Luke Fitzgerald, who scored two tries against Zebre without breaking anything or being struck by lightening offers cover from the bench and hopefully gets a chance to augment his outside centre autumn cameo.

Tommy Bowe – Always considered a nailed on starter and certainly world class when in form but for me his international showings in autumn were below par, and, particularly given his injury struggles this season, needs game time to reassert his supremacy on the wing. Promising signs at provincial level bode well.

Robbie Henshaw – Another potential heir apparent, also adding depth to a somewhat shallow pool at full back until Jared Payne qualifies in September. Oodles of potential, and I for one am happy to see he'll be realizing in at Connacht until 2016 at least.

Jack McGrath
Sean Cronin
Marty Moore
Devin Toner
Donnacha Ryan
Iain Henderson
Tommy O'Donnell
Jordi Murphy
Conor Murray
Paddy Jackson
Simon Zebo
Luke Marshall
Darren Cave
Tommy Bowe
Robbie Henshaw

Richardt Strauss
Stephen Archer
Dave Kilcoyne
Dan Tuohy
Rhys Ruddock
Kieran Marmion
Ian Madigan
Luke Fitzgerald

NEXT WEEK ON LET THE SCHMIDT HIT THE FAN…

OUR ULSTER BLOGGER LAURA JOHNSTON GIVES HER POST-CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Let The Schmidt Hit The Fan - Rd 7 (MUN)

Since the start of the season four bloggers, one representing each province, have taken turns selecting their ideal Irish matchday 23.

This week our Munster blogger Kate McEvoy gives her thoughts on what Joe should do next…

Click this link for her last selection and these for the latest from Connacht, Ulster & Leinster.

Also click here if you haven’t read Kate’s excellent piece on the Neil Francis radio interview

Well that was a tough auld weekend wasn't it? After an across the board failure to derail the chariot, Monday's Against the Head certainly made for tough watching. However, there are positives.

Although the elusive Grand Slam dream has once again evaporated, there are still two championships to play for in both the men's and the women's competition. Strong performances and narrow losses keep both squads firmly in contention to bring home the silverwear, particularly with Joe Schmidt's team currently still top of the table in a wide open tournament.

The next task at hand is hosting the Azzuri the weekend after next, so that's what I'm keeping in mind for this selection, along with relative weaknesses in the performance against the English. We'll have further updates on injuries etc throughout the coming days so options may change.

1. Cian Healy – I'm keeping the front row unit that started against the English intact so it's Church, and his fashion forward Williams sister style ankle supports in at loosehead, with the ever more explosive McGrath on the bench. The scrum is fast becoming a much more consistent weapon in the Irish arsenal with Healy ever improving under the new laws. I reckon he's due a try too.

Rory Best – one of the sources of the most division in Saturday's post match analysis. Personally, I've been impressed with how he's attacked this tournament after a disappointing and uneven Lions tour which could have broken a lesser man, and his wayward throwing has levelled out. Although the throwing of his closest rival Sean Cronin has also reached a more consistent level, his inability to strike in the scrum, together with Best's leadership is holding him back from progressing beyond his impact sub role

Mike Ross – I thought Ross played one of his most dynamic games in green, with great physicality and dare I even say, a few darting runs, around the park. His scrummaging seems to have come back to an even keel after a slow start to the season. Moore's definitely the coming man in this position but perhaps it was that knowledge that's acted as a spur to Ireland's resident tech whizz.

Paul O'Connell (c)– A relatively quiet game for the big man by his high standards, his lineout face is still a work of art in itself. Particularly in those great slowmo close ups.

Devin Toner– So my front five is unchanged, altho I am anticipating liberal use of the bench. I'm not in favour of underestimating Italy with a championship on the line. There's scope for development but I'm not pushing development for the sake of it. Also, there are considerable changes in my slection behind the front five so some stability there would be beneficial.

Regarding Dev, I'm now chosing to think of him as the big engine who could as he continues to impress with solid performances and surely change the minds of those who still claim he's not an international standard player.

Iain Henderson – As it stands it looks like POM, Ireland's finest anthem singer, could well be fit to start as his hamstring injury isn't believed to be serious. However, as Schmidt eluded to earlier today, given the incredible physical toll placed oh his body, I'd consider resting him either way and would welcome an opportunity to see Henderson's power against the Italians, particularly given that was an element that was somewhat lacking for me at Twickenham

I've got Donnacha Ryan on the bench who I would love to see make a return to the national stage. He can also cover backrow as well as second row but if it came to that I would leave Henderson at 6 and have Ryan at lock.

Tommy O'Donnell – Similarly I would posit Henry could benefit from an extra rest week and would see this as a good opportunity for O'Donnell to show what he can do. Again, no reflection on Henry's performances so far but I would see O'Donnell as needing more test experience and also providing a good ball carrying option.

Jamie Heaslip – With the relative inexperience of his backrow colleagues, Ireland's most reliable machine retains his starting spot. After a patchy season as Ireland captain last year he very much put those demons to bed by stepping in to deputise for O'Connell for the Scotland game and the last half hour of the Welsh.

Eoin Reddan – After coming through Leinster's scrappy but lucrative bonus point win in Wales last week with a try to his name, Eoin Reddan starts to keep the Leinster half back partnership intact. Murray drops to the bench.

Ian Madigan – As with O'Mahony, it appears that Sexton's thumb injury is not serious, but again, he has all the hallmarks of a man who needs a rest. Although it could possibly be psychologically tough for Sexton to be dropped to the bench after one of his weaker performances, this for me is not that type of selection. I'm going with Madigan to start over Jackson as I'm not sure Schmidt trusts him to run a game, based on how slow he was to make the switch at Twickenham, and there are some lingering concerns over his kicking from the tee at this level. It's a risky call given I have not yet been overly impressed with Madigan this season but he's hungry to show what he can do. There's a slight hail Mary to this one but if I've horribly misjudged things, Sexton is on the bench to redeem himself.
Simon Zebo – There's a couple of reasons for this. The main one is entirely selfish, I'm bloody tired of hearing the arguments raging over his non-selection. He's been tapping away on the try front with Munster, time to see if he can once again deliver in green. It should go some way towards settlign the debate one way or another. I also think there are some red herrings doign the rounds about his defense and workrate that I'm yet to see anyone back up with stats. Trimble has had a fine tournament, particularly his overall defense and rucking but Zebo's ability to create something from nothing could be the shot in the arm our slightly lacklustre attack needs

Luke Marshall – I'd like to see Bamm-Bamm bring some of his hard running and line breaks to the cause, hopefully the go forward he can provide will be a good attacking platform

Brian O'Driscoll – For my pre-tournament selection I suggested O'Driscoll shouldn't play every game. However given the backline shakeup here, I'm still going with all his vast experience to start against the Italians and am hoping to see an improvement in communication between himself and Marshall.

Dave Kearney – Bowe is still not at 100% and is very short on game time and McFadden, who I personally would like to have seen on earlier against the English, is once again a victim of his versatility and is on the bench. Which is not to say, of course, that Kearney doesn't fully deserve his start.

Rob Kearney – With a really well taken try to his name at Twickenham and no real competition to match him, Kearney's tenure at fullback continues

Cian Healy
Rory Best
Mike Ross
Paul O'Connell
Devin Toner
Iain Henderson
Tommy O'Donnell
Jamie Heaslip
Eoin Reddan
Ian Madigan
Simon Zebo
Luke Marshall
Brian O'Driscoll
Dave Kearney
Rob Kearney

Sean Cronin
Marty Moore
Jack McGrath
Donnacha Ryan
Jordi Murphy
Conor Murray
Johnny Sexton
Fergus McFadden

NEXT WEEK WE’LL HEAR FROM OUR ULSTER BLOGGER LAURA JOHNSTON

Friday, February 21, 2014

Check your privilege

We can’t merely accept Franno’s apology and continue to ignore the underlying problems, writes Kate McEvoy

A recent “Google doodle” as Sochi 2014 got underway

I'm a big believer in apologies.

When you mess up, acknowledge it quickly and sincerely and learn from it. Worst case scenario, if you've honestly hurt someone else through a mistake or ignorance, the least you can do is offer a heart-felt mea culpa. Similarly I believe if someone offers you an honest apology, within reason it's important to accept it and move on, as much for your sake as anything else.

To recap on #Frannogate for anyone who has successfully avoided it so far: Neil Francis, the noted rugby columnist made a few comments on Sunday's edition of Off The Ball on Newstalk that were, to put in mildly, problematic. The one that has garnered the most attention in the understandable furore that followed was purporting that gay men, and gay people in general, had very little interest in sport.

As is the case with the majority of sweeping generalizations, most people were quick to call foul on this, either due to personal experience, which conflicts with that of Francis, of knowing gay people who do indeed have an interest in sport but more importantly, the knowledge that gay people, much like heterosexuals, are not a hive mind or a monolith. Some people have no interest in sport. Some people do. Some are very interested. Some play, at various levels with varying amounts of skill. But that's people across the board, regardless of gender.

Unfortunately the view expressed by Francis has wider repercussions because it does feed into a stereotypical perception of gay people, in particular gay men. If you are a media figure who publicly expresses a view that can be considered harmful, saying it's based on your own experience isn't good enough. As the inimitable Nigel Owens pointed out on the subsequent edition of The Last Word :

“When you have people of Neil’s stature coming out and saying what he did yesterday I don’t think people realize the influence they have. There are a lot of young people out there who are finding it difficult to deal with issues, are finding it hard to come to terms with who they are. It has a huge influence.”

In short, these statements very much matter. They matter to a teenager who loves the sport they play but feel like they're hiding a part of who they are, who are too scared to be be themselves, even while doing something that makes them happy. And that's not right.

Personally, I found two other remarks Francis made even more troubling and they haven't garnered the same level of scrutiny. Firstly, when discussing the coming out of NFL draft prospect Michael Sam, he quoted Jimmy Hendrix's comment on Janis Joplin's death as “a great career move” and implied Sam was being open about his sexuality was financially motivated. Given many in NFL, who, unlike Francis, are expert enough to know that the draft hasn't actually occurred yet, are speculating that the announcement will negatively affect his prospects and his future earnings, and there's already been a backlash against the talented college player, attracting quotes such as “It'd chemically imbalance an NFL locker room and meeting room.”

It's hard to believe that Michael Sam made the courageous step of being the first (potential) NFL player to publicly come out based on financial motivations and to suggest otherwise is both factually inaccurate and extremely mean-spirited. Frankly, if you don't consider Sam a brave man as well as one hell of a player, I don't know what to say to you. Other than I believe you're very wrong.

However, for me the nadir of the interview for me was Francis's dismissal for the appalling situation currently facing gay men and women in Russia.

“To be honest I’m sick and tired of picking up angles on whether the Russians have an anti-gay policy or not. It’s about the Olympics. And the side issue has just put me off watching the Winter Olympics.”

I am deeply sorry that Neil has been prevented from enjoying some curling by people having issues with LGTB people being beaten in the streets. No, wait, I'm not. Not even a little bit.

This attitude has started to creep into various parts of Irish society, particularly given the current debate raging on homophobia and marriage equality. Commenters bemoan the air time it's given, the articles devoted to it. If you are lucky enough that the biggest inconvenience in your life is that you're fed up hearing about the problems gay people face then I encourage you to, as the saying goes, check your privilege. For me, the best definition of privilege is thinking something is not a problem because it's not a problem for you. What's happening in Russia is, to put it mildly, a problem. And if gay men and women say Francis's remarks are problematic, then they are. If you've grown tired of listening, the least you can do is not begrudge them their space to speak. You have the luxury of tuning out from the debate. Other people have to live it.

Before moving onto looking at Part II of Frannogate, I'd like to acknowledge that Joe Molloy, who hosted the discussion on Newstalk, handled Francis's input extremely well, pointing out his generalizations and how problematic they were, while continuing to facilitate discussion. Matt Cooper took up the gauntlet on The Last Word. Before putting the ball back in Francis's court he strongly condemned the original comments and also took the opportunity to play Dale Hansen's wonderful piece on Michael Sam, which I encourage you to check out here if you haven't already.

As I mentioned, I'm a believer in apologies. Neil Francis apologized “profusely and unreservedly” for his previous comments. Fair play to him. Along with Nigel Owens I also hope it was “genuine and are from the heart and not something that he’s been pressurized into with all the outpouring that has come from all walks of life”. However an apology is not an automatic free pass and there were a few aspects of what he said that are worth looking at before moving on.

Claiming “it didn’t sound at all like me” and blaming clumsy analogies distances yourself from your own words and the harm they can do. Authenticating your apology by saying “I mean people know who I am, I say what I mean. I wouldn’t say this unless I meant it” leads me to ask, if you say what you mean, did you not mean your original comments? Stating “it was a poor interview” is untrue and is an attempt to pass the buck. The attack on social media allegedly taking license with what he had said and hasn't said is similarly problematic, particularly given every online source I read on the subject featured either transcripted direct quotes or a link to the audio piece so readers could hear for themselves.

Nigel Owens neatly brings things to a close by saying:

“Apologizing afterwards is fine but it puts a lot of people in a very tough situation when they hear these negative comments.”

What Francis said was unacceptable. It is both right and important that there was a backlash and that he apologized, even if the apology in itself was not without issues. Moving forward, hopefully Francis has learned a genuine lesson, but either way will think twice about saying such potentially hurtful things in a public forum again.

On a wider note, I think it continues to be important to challenge problematic comments like these, even in the face of fatigue from some. This needs to come both from public figures like Joe Molloy, Matt Cooper and Nigel Owens but also from individuals. I want to be part of a society that acknowledges the diversity of people regardless of sexuality, that facilitates participation for all in sport and other activities and provides a space for LGBT people to be themselves and have their voices heard. This doesn't happen a vacuum. Bigotry doesn't go away if we ignore it. I hope this vocal calling out continues until equality means we've nothing to talk about anymore. Can't wait.

Monday, February 03, 2014

A view from the Aviva Fan Studio

The Ireland v Scotland match was enjoyed by Kate McEvoy from the comfort of the Aviva Fan Studio, here is her account…

It's been an up and down few weeks but the call I got last Wednesday would be a highlight at the best of times. I was lucky enough to be invited to the Aviva Fan Studio to watch Ireland 6 Nations opener in the company of Paddy Barnes, Dan Parks and David Wallace. Never one to pass up the opportunity to make a fool of myself in front of one of my all-time sporting heroes and somewhat concerned they would soon recognize their mistake in inviting me, I said yes with alacrity.

The Aviva Fan Studio is an all day experience. After meeting with my fellow few fortunate fans, we were treated to a tour of the stadium and a trip pitchside to watch the team warm-up, including an extremely bronzed Jonny Sexton's kicking practice. The main difficulty is keeping a straight face when you bump into ROG by the lift or standing beside Keith Wood while waiting for the team bus to arrive. Everyone was just going about their typical match-day business, whether they be retired rugby superstars or one of the army of various employees that makes the Aviva tick on match day. However the combination of star spotting and a backstage pass to the heart of the Palindrome certainly makes a unique experience for any mere mortal. I was just trying not to stare.

Watching the match in the Aviva Fan Studio is like being inside a bubble with the best view in the house. You've an unimpeded aspect but the sound-proofing means only the crowd's most vocal moments can be heard. Getting a blow-by-blow commentary in your ear from Dan Parks aka the only one in the studio who was rooting for Scotland makes up for it though!

Despite being in the company of two highly decorated rugby players, it quickly became clear that the toughest man in the room was the one attending his first match, Paddy Barnes. We all know boxers are tough, but talking to Paddy and hearing his insights on the panel makes you realise that what you see in the ring is only a fraction of what you face. He had half a stone to shed to make weight before an upcoming fight in Germany on Friday where there wasn't a pick to lose, fights 4 bouts in 4 days instead of two matches in 6 during his tournaments and does it all on his own. It was an interesting to have an outsider's insights in a rugby-mad room and ironically, the test debutant's match prediction of 30-16 to Ireland was by far the closest on the panel!

Clinically unable to keep my mouth shut when the opportunity to talk about rugby presents itself, I soon managed to mark myself out as “the girl who knows things”, which is probably the closest I'll ever come to having a superpower so I might as well run with it. As part of an audience of 8 there's plenty of opportunity to ask questions both a part of the panel discussions, pre and post match, as well as at half time and in a more impromptu manner during the game itself, as well as hearing observations from the expert panel and fellow fans via social media.

I consider every international I get to go to a lucky break. I know that it's a privilege that not every rugby fan gets to experience. For a truly unique perspective, as well as a great day out, I'd recommend keeping an eye on the Aviva Stadium Facebook page here, so you too can have the opportunity to drop a clanger in front of David Wallace, which maintains my 100% record on that front. Hopefully both Ireland and I can kick on from there and remain undefeated in our chosen fields, or in my case, the field that has chosen me. Sigh. I think on balance I prefer being “the girl who knows things”.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Let The Schmidt Hit The Fan - Rd 6 (MUN)

No pressure on our Munster blogger Kate McEvoy picking her Irish team this week…just one to win a Grand Slam please! Simples!

Click this link for her last selection and these for the latest from Leinster, Connacht & Ulster.

Remember…the general rule is to select a team based on current fitness for a test match to be played the following weekend. The contributors are allowed some leeway however, since it’s all to get debate going. Once it’s friendly debate of course! JLP

It's a funny fixture to open with in a lot of ways. Despite our loss against the doughty Scots in Murrayfield last year, this would be viewed as one of our more winnable encounters, at home against a team ranked below us, who have not exactly set any competition alight at club level so far this season. So you could view it as a time to give some less experienced players playing time.

On the other, it's Schmidt's first ever 6 Nations game, it's in front of a home crowd hungry to build on the All-Blacks performance with some thus far elusive consistency and it would be a shame to cut a title challenge of an the ankles on the opening weekend. So, I've attempted to combine youth with experience for the start of our title challenge. At least for this selection I have a definite team and up to date injury list to work off so hopefully my third pick for Harpin On Rugby will be the charm!

Cian Healy – Both Ireland and Leinster were lesser teams without Church on the pitch. Given we are shorn of our best ball-carrying option with Sean O'Brien missing for the tournament, the dynamic prop is key to a successful Ireland performance. He also appears to be thriving under the new scrum laws so he combines a steady set piece with an all action display around the park. Always good for a cheeky anytime try scorer bet, Healy is the number 1 choice for the number 1 jersey, with his Leinster colleague Jack McGrath claiming the bench spot.
Rory Best – After leading the charge for a strong Ulster performance which bested the Tigers in their Welford Road den, Rory Best starts with Sean Cronin on the bench. Although Cronin's darts have improved this season, he still has trouble striking the ball even in a dominant scrum, which has become even more key with the aforementioned changes to the scrum. Cronin is also a great impact sub to spring from the bench.
Marty Moore – With the experience of Best and Healy at his side, combined with the fact he's arguably outplaying the veteran Ross this season, I've plumping for Moore to start at tighthead, with Ross's experience available to draw on to steady the ship or close out the game as required.
Paul O'Connell (c) – The right man at the right time for the role of captaincy and in a fine purple patch of form with a renewed commitment to Irish rugby until 2016. After an impressive all-action display for the Wolfhounds, Ulster's Iain Henderson takes his place on the bench as second row cover with added backrow depth. His ferocious tackle technique and rucking efforts could certainly bring the hurt to the Scots in the second half.
Dan Tuohy – Dan has been depreciating about his chances at more caps this spring but he makes my starting squad ahead of McCarthy and Toner, even if Schmidt may not agree. The beauty of this exercise is it's not about trying to second guess the official squad, it's getting to chose mine. So long the nearly man, and well aware of the threat of Henderson to his international ambitions, his ferocity would be an immense boon.
Peter O'Mahony – Led by example for Munster against Gloucester and crossed the whitewash, his wiley footballing brain is a great addition to the squad.
Chris Henry – An incredible tackle count of 23 for his last Ulster outing coupled with his breakdown skills as Ireland's leading traditional openside earns him a place in the starting line up, despite the host of young jacklers snapping at his heels. Prominent in that pack is Tommy O'Donnell, who I've gone with on the bench. The backrow cover was the hardest position in this selection to nail down as we are blessed with options in this area. There is little to chose from O'Donnell's Wolfhounds cohorts Ruddock, Copeland and Murphy in the mix as well as Dougall, Coughlan and McLaughlin to name just a few at provincial level. However given Henderson also offers backrow options I've gone for O'Donnell on the bench for more specialist cover.
Jamie Heaslip – The dog and pony show is over and Heaslip stays. He has done well to get a three year central contact and, from what I understand, an excellent remuneration package, Both seem to be earning him heaps of abuse, which I do find baffling. He's the prominent 8 in the country. It will be interesting to see how he responds to the challenge of Murphy, Copeland et all over the coming months.
Conor Murray – Murray is the best scrum half in the country and was an easy enough pick to start. Again the more difficult decision was who provides his cover, but that decision was made by the recent cull in the squad. I'm still keen to see Marmion capped in this tournament but felt he wavered under pressure during his Wolfhounds cameo, perhaps contributing to him being dropped. Despite a man of the match display from Boss he's gone too so it's Eoin Reddan on the bench.
Jonny Sexton – After playing his best game in some time to steer Racing to victory over Toulouse, Sexton has by all accounts suffered no ill effects from the cheap shot that led to him being subbed off before the game's conclusion. Irish rugby's most high profile export is in fine fettle to steer the ship. Paddy Jackson has had an extremely progressive season for Ulster, as his game management continues to improve. He leads the pack of young outhalfs in the country and take the spot on the bench over the more versatile but still inconsistent Madigan.
Luke Fitzgerald – Wings are also in decent supply leading into the Six Nations. I do think the Simon Zebo effect sometimes means the Cork man receives more of the spotlight than he deserves, most recently at the expense of Johne Murphy in Munster's last pool game. However there's no denying he's an exciting player who can create an attacking threat out of nothing. So I'm surprised at him being cut from the squad, and in an ideal world I'd have him on the wing with Fitzgerald's versatility on the bench. I would also like to see more of Fitzgerald at centre as his autumn cameo there was really quite intriguing. However Fitzgerald is certainly the in-form wing in the country, and was the brightest spot in Leinster's uneven victory over the Ospreys. However I wouldn't be surprised to see Zebo return to the squad before the tournament's end.
Luke Marshall – I'm slightly worried that Gordon D'Arcy's beard is going to come and get me but the midfield torch is in transition and that needs to continue.
Brian O'Driscoll – His form has not been of his uniquely high standard this season (heresy I know) but I would look to start O'Driscoll in this fixture, albeit not for every game in this transitional tournament.
Dave Kearney – With Bowe still not at full fitness, for me Kearney's form and endeavour has him starting ahead of Gilroy, McFadden and Trimble et al. I would go for McFadden on the bench. He was the standout back for me in the opening half against the Saxons and his versatility is a good foil to Paddy Jackson's lack thereof.
Rob Kearney – Still the locked-on started at full back for me. As it stands, the need for Payne at 13 upon Irish qualification seems to be the greatest but fullback is undoubtedly his better position. He seems to be the greatest challenge to Kearney's continuing reign in Ireland's backfield as it seems unlikely Jones will unseat him in the meantime, barring injury.

Cian Healy
Rory Best
Marty Moore
Paul O'Connell
Dan Tuohy
Peter O'Mahony
Chris Henry
Jamie Heaslip
Conor Murray
Jonny Sexton
Luke Fitzgerald
Luke Marshall
Brian O'Driscoll
Dave Kearney
Rob Kearney

Sean Cronin
Mike Ross
Jack McGrath
Iain Henderson
Tommy O'Donnell
Eoin Reddan
Paddy Jackson
Fergus McFadden

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Let The Schmidt Hit The Fan - Rd 5 (MUN)

Last for 2013, but certainly not least, the latest selection in our Irish team project from our Munster contributor Kate McEvoy…

Click this link for her last selection and these for the latest from Ulster, Leinster & Connacht.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL HARPINONRUGBY READERS!

The last time I had to do this was in the aftermath of the “Fixture That Will Not Be Named”. Even though it was still some time away I decided to pick the starting team for our opening 6 Nations fixture against the Scots. I'm sticking with that plan, leaving out players that are currently injured. I'm not going to hypothetically assume an injured player will be recovered, fit enough and in form to warrant selection. You know what they say about assuming. Plus it feels oddly like tempting fate.

However, I'm confident the Young Turks will be impressive in the next two rounds of the Heineken Cup and force some revisions on both my and Joe Schmidt's part come the time for the squad announcement.

Jack McGrath – Over the Christmas break I watched the Lions Raw documentary on this summer's antipodean adventures. On the whole I found it largely disappointing as, although well shot with great game footage, it was largely shorn of personality and intimate moments that make something a documentary rather than a highlight real. One of the few exceptions to this was Cian Healy's soliloquy into the camera as he lay injured on his hotel bed, waiting to fly home. As someone who could have been a star of the tour it was both heart-breaking and heartening to see his chin up attitude and desire for his teammates to triumph in his absence. With O'Brien now ruled out for 6 to 8 weeks, it's a race against time to have Ireland's other key ball carrier return from ankle surgery carried out earlier in December. HOWEVER (as you'll see I wrote that in big letters), not willing to break my injury criteria at the first hurdle, I'm going to go for Leinster's bright young thing to start, pending on Proper Church's recovery. Either way, McGrath is more than capable as his provincial performances and blooding at international level this autumn show. With McGrath to start in this scenario, I've gone for Fitzpatrick ahead of young James Cronin on the bench, who has impressively pulled ahead of Kilcoyne at Munster this season.
Sean Cronin – Although heartening to see he's committed to Ulster until 2016, Rory Best is another who's in a race against the clock to be available for selection in February. Even fully fit he'd have a serious fight on his hands to wrench the green jersey back from Leinster's dynamo. Although we're a bit thin on the ground with Richardt Strauss and Mike Sherry on the long term injured list, Cronin's performances in 2013 have been a serious bright spot. However, he can fall down on his darts and the ever-increasingly important striking against the head so the perhaps more traditional aspects of his game do need work to complement his industry around the park and great lines he runs.
Mike Ross – Marty Moore has arguably out performed Ross this season but the big man seems to have turned a corner form wise and offers a wealth of experience to balance to still green McGrath. There's still plenty of time in January for Moore to further stake his claim to start but the baby calf could have one hell of an impact off the bench.
Paul O'Connell – Would like to see Henderson in the mix here and certainly in the training squad but not at O'Connell's expense. And now to explain why O'Connell should be start... actually no. You know this already. Moving on
Dan Tuohy– As is so frequently the case, it's harsh on Toner after a great season so far and also on the Ulsterman himself who's left out in the cold so much he must come to Ireland squad sessions with Arctic training gear. The reason for this is although I've left him in at 5, it's only due to recently emerged concerns about Donnacha Ryan's swollen knee. Currently unavailable for Ulster and possibly not fit for the trip to Gloucester, this is a real blow for Ryan's recovery. However, I'm a big fan of the Nenagh man's work rate and attitude and of course, his angry face, which is without peer. So Tuohy for now but Ryan moving fast/limping slowly up the inside.
Peter O'Mahony – Jamie Heaslip has heroically taken up the mantle as the Irish back row everyone has an opinion on this week but fear not O'Mahony will no doubt start so we can all fall out over whether he is actually any good and whether he should be going around smashing people over the head with a crowbar or whatever it is a “real” hardman is supposed to do. Meanwhile POM will go about his business and use his athleticism and great footballing brain to full effect. He may not deserve every man on the match he gets from Frankie but that doesn't mean he hasn't fully earned his spot.
Sean Dougall – The undoubted low-light in a pretty grotty Leinster/Ulster encounter at the RDS was Sean O'Brien dislocating his shoulder. As the main source of go-forward ball with his province and country this is a huge blow. I have to stop talking about it now because I'm too upset. I've gone for Munster's MVP of the season so far (yes, including JJ) but with Chris Henry due to return for Ulster to challenge the men in red this week, as well as last season's favourite Tommy O'Donnell returning from concussion,and Rhys Ruddock performing solidly at Leinster to earn a spot on the bench, this is currently a hot potato position. O'Brien as an individual is irreplaceable. That's not to say there aren't other options with their own qualities to bring to the openside slot.
Jamie Heaslip – Courtesy of Heaslip, I have now engaged in one of these illustrious “Twitter spats” (TM Daily Mail) with George Hook. It's a proud moment for my parents I assure you. As I've previously stated to my increasing bafflement, Heaslip for all his achievements is largely underrated and much maligned. It also seems to have escaped notice that he is largely indestructible, like Bruce Willis in Unbreakable. Whether he stays or goes, which is the subject for a different article, he's still my starting number 8. And, sorry Darren Cave, but he's better than Roger Wilson. He just is. Praise where it's due, his young provincial understudy Jordi Murphy is well on his way to big things
Kieran Marmion – With Conor Murray, still the best scrum half in Ireland by some distance, definitely ruled out for this week's provincial derby and in doubt for the next Heineken Cup clash, it's time to cap Connacht's impressive half-Welsh wizard, with the increasingly high-profile James Hart at Grenoble not far behind. However I would opt for experience on the bench with Eoin Reddan ahead of Paul Marshall. Should Murray be proven fit he starts with Marmion on the bench
Jonny Sexton Although still in it's first act, the Johnny Sexton to Racing Metro could certainly not yet be considered a roaring success. In fact it's being somewhat prematurely heralded as a cautionary tale as Heaslip et al consider a move abroad. The complete capitulation to Harlequins in the Heineken Cup was symptomatic of an attitude problem that seems to exist within the squad. The same could not be said of Sexton himself but his kicking game has come under scrutiny in the French press. However, with all the eager young kickers nipping at his heels, Sexton is still the best outhalf we have and his selection should reflect that. Once he doesn't collapse from overwork of course. The bench spot is hotly contested but for me, Jackson's consistency this season shades it over his provincial rivals
Keith Earls – Wings remain a tough call. With Simon Zebo due back shortly and McFadden hopefully recovered from his hand injury, as well as Gilroy, Trimble, Luke Fitzgerald and Bowe all in the mix, there's a lot to chose from. As it stands I've gone for the pace and finishing of Earls with the on-form Dave Kearney at 14. This was a tricky one and I'm sure there are people who will be surprised I didn't chose Bowe to start but I honestly feel that he's become somewhat of an automatic selection despite the fact he has not been playing to the best of his not-inconsiderable talents for quite some time. More on Luke Fitzgerald in our centre category.
Gordon Darcy – This is a tough call for me as I would plump for Ulster's Luke Marshall ahead of the sometimes startling but often inconsistent D'arcy but Marshall was once again helped from the pitch with a concussion in Ulster's clash with Leinster. As per reports today, he's due to be eligible for selection for Ulster's next game with Munster but this is in many ways has been the rugby story of 2013. How seriously do we take concussion? The answer still seems to be not serious enough. Ideally I want to see Luke Marshall start in this Six Nations but not at the expense of his long term health
Brian O'Driscoll – Another man to have taken more blows to the head (and everywhere else) than is healthy. This is to be BOD's final 6 Nations and there's no one who has given more. In terms of the always vexing question of succession to the king, Fitzgerald has edged ahead of Henshaw and onto the bench for me. He could of course also start at wing but his ability to cover multiple positions has him as our backline cover in my selection. It's great to see his return to form and long may he stay injury free. Payne will also be in the mix both here and at full back when he's Irish qualified later this year
Dave Kearney
Rob Kearney – Here's hoping his renaissance season in green will continue. His leadership is increasingly impressive and in keeping with his fine form, he's the main man at fullback. Henshaw and Payne are the closest challengers.

Jack McGrath
Sean Cronin
Mike Ross
Paul O'Connell
Dan Tuohy
Peter O'Mahony
Sean Dougall
Jamie Heaslip
Kieran Marmion
Johnny Sexton
Keith Earls
Gordon Darcy
Brian O'Driscoll
Dave Kearney
Rob Kearney
Damien Varley
Martin Moore
Declan Fitzpatrick
Devin Toner
Rhys Ruddock
Eoin Reddan
Paddy Jackson
Luke Fitzgerald

Kate McEvoy : Munster fan in a sea of Leinster blue. Raised on a strict diet of Bective Rangers. Earliest childhood memory is stud marks in the muck. Former hooker for a father & a mother with an eye for a forward pass bordering on freakish . Best rugby memory, Toulouse main square, May 24^th2008. Epitaph will read “Knew a lot about rugby for a girl.” Can be found tweeting optimistically at @ImKateMc

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Let The Schmidt Hit The Fan - Rd 4 (MUN)

We are extremely grateful to Kate McEvoy for bravely taking up the reins for Munster on this project at probably the last time any Irish fan would want to pick a team…

Click these links for the most recent selections from Connacht, Ulster & Leinster.

So this is an unexpectedly painful exercise to undertake. That and I don't actually have a fixture to pick for. The next one up is Scotland on February 2in our 6 Nations opener but there's a lot of rugby to be played twixt this and then. I have no idea what the form and injury list for our potential squad will be, ditto the opposition.

In my fragile mental state, do I pick the best Ireland team in recent memory in its entirety, while weeping copiously? Do I put together something that's a bit abstract, with players we all think are great but haven't darkened a rugby pitch for quite some time – Stephen Ferris, saviour of the Irish back row for instance?

Do I throw together a squad composed entirely of callow youths to try and mutter something about building for 2015? I think I'm just going to attempt to out together a starting squad for the 6 Nations. If someone has a long term injury they're out. Other than that it's a bit of a lottery really. Please don't yell at me. I, and the rest of the rugby-loving nation are fragile right now. So let's bond together and get through this difficult time.

Cian Healy – Jack McGrath is at the head of the pack of hungry even-younger props snapping at Healy's heels. Kilcoyne's progress seems to have slowed somewhat and James Cronin is another hugely exciting prospect who looks set to overhaul him at provincial level. However Church is a nailed on starter for me if fit. Solid in the scrum and fantastic in the loose this weekend, he's one of the premier looseheads out there right now and he's still only 26 so will hopefully be around for a long time to come, certainly still for the next World Cup. To be honest, I'd put him in there for this alone. Poetry.
Sean Cronin – Rory Best was desperately unfortunate on Saturday. After a strong start including bagging a try against the Kiwis for the scrapbook he was forced off with a broken arm. It remains to be seen whether he'll be fit for the 6 Nations, and if so, how much rugby he'll have played up until that point. So best wishes for a speedy recovery but it's Nugget who starts at hooker. The front row who thinks he's a centre brings great lines and pace in the loose but his throwing is often his achilles heel. He was solid with the darts on Saturday but if I had my way he and every hooker in Ireland would be relentlessly drilled until February because it's unacceptable that the key skill in a hooker's arsenal is often shaky from Irish proponents of the position. I'm enjoying the return of hooking under the new scrum laws and hope to see more of it as the season continues.
Marty Moore – This is a tough call on Ross as he was as good as I've seen him in years. However I'm dying to see Moore get tested at this level and despite a fantastic day at the office, Ross seems to have struggled under the new scrum laws and has frankly, been ploughing a playing trough this season, up until this weekend. Declan Fitzpatrick kept the ship steady on his introduction but he's injury prone and not a selection with future building in mind. Plus if I'm totally wrong and it all goes tits up Mike Ross is on the bench to steady the ship. Hopefully this weekend was a sign he's cracked these new scrum laws!
Paul O'Connell – I think he can call too much ball on himself for a relatively poor return but he is, quite simply, a test-match animal. His work rate and leadership are peerless and those Pinergy ads are hilarious. Word on the street is he was an absolute beast in training this week and we saw the results on the pitch. He dominated the set pieces and showed utter commitment. Henderson is the up and comer for this position and will have a long and hopefully fruitful career with Ireland, if he can remain injury free after tweaking a hamstring on his return from injury for Ulster over the weekend. However I'm not ready for the king to leave the building just yet.
Dan Tuohy – Toner certainly left Lansdowne Road with his reputation greatly enhanced and I'm delighted for him and I think he's a player who's often judging with unnecessary harshness. However he did fumble one or two restarts and I still do find his carrying occasionally unconvincing for a man of his size, even for taking account his unusual proportions, which must be a nightmare to shop for. This is a bit of a selfish selection to be honest but I really want to see Tuohy get a crack. He's played out of his skin in the past without selection and I admire his ferocity and his carrying. McCarthy has looked unfit for Leinster, like he's carrying a few extra kilos that don't suit him. That will hopefully change by February, and Donnacha Ryan will hopefully be back in the mix as he is due to return from his knee injury by Christmas but as I am not in possession of a crystal ball this is what I'm going with.
Peter O'Mahony – For a man who keeps a regularly low personal media profile he's all anyone ever seems to talk about. The main complaint is that he's a faux-hardman with puzzles me a bit. Last time I checked it's not ideal to have a player in your squad who goes around throwing haymakers and getting sent off. So do we want him decking people? The world has enough Jamie Cudmores (one is plenty). He's a tough player who gets in his opponents' faces, largely without getting penalized. How is this not a good thing? He evidently has leadership qualities which are needed among the new generation and he's a quality footballer. I dislike Frankie “my client” Sheahan's attitude to pushing his players as much as the next guy but he's good and he's staying. Moving on
Sean O'Brien – There are not enough superlatives for how good he was against New Zealand. The IRFU should move heaven and earth to keep him in the country. I will start a fund if people are willing to chip in. I'd be open to moving O'Brien to 6 with Henry starting at 7. However, there's Henry's hamstring injury to consider as well as my own personal views on backrow selection, which I had a minor raw with my father about during a prematch brunch. I don't think a traditional back row selection is automatically the best option for any team. It depends on the options you have. O'Brien may have not started out as your typical ground hog style 7 but his jackling and breakdown work is superb. He dominated one of the best opensides of all time at the weekend. Some call our backrow unbalanced. I'd rather go for nontraditional. That doesn't make it bad or wrong it just means using the resources you have to best effect rather than moaning about genuine opensides, which is a phrase that I would happily never hear again. Looking forward to Tommy O'Donnell returning from injury and in the mix too. But O'Brien for president
Jamie Heaslip – Heaslip is another player who gets a lot of flak – particularly from supporters in red – which is to say Munster, to my chagrin, and the Welsh. Unlike O'Mahony, he does have a high media profile and this seems to rub people up the wrong way. Which is frankly ridiculous because he consistently performs to a high level, is remarkably durable on the injury front and Bear does delicious steaks. He also donated €50 to Daddy's Mc's Movember effort last year which doesn't seem like the actions of “an absolute knob” (© Conor George) to me. To sum up, he gets a great deal of unfair character assassination and is often surprisingly underrated as a player with such a huge list of achievements. He's my number 8
Conor Murray – In the heat of the moment, I did threaten to leave the upper east stand and go pitchside to break Murray's ankle if he box kicked the ball again. However, on mature reflection, the tactic was largely successful, albeit frustrating for the spectator and was clearly part of Schmidt's game-plan. I'm not interested in giving out to a player for doing what he was told. That aside, Murray had a great game and Reddan, previously his closest competitor for the spot, didn't do himself any favours against the Wallabies. Then again, who did? Hard to believe it was a mere 8 days before the performance that followed. I'm sure Reddan would have upped his game and he and Boss have an incredible degree of experience but I'd like to see the administration looking at Marmion for the bench spot, who urgently needs to be capped lest the Welsh swoop in. Paul Marshall is of course also in the mix.
Jonny Sexton Overworked, overpaid and over there? Only two out of those three are true. His body has been put through the mill in a high impact season with Racing where he's already played an awful lot of rugby. I've seen an awful lot of Sexton-bashing since the match and his missed kick but that is incredibly unfair. Of any player out there, Sexton will be harder on himself than anyone could imagine and he is our best outhalf. It remains to be seen how he'll come back from this both physically and psychologically. I would have Paddy Jackson as my reserve. Madigan didn't do a lot wrong when he came on, even though he did miss a tackle against Crotty for that decisive try, but Jackson has been the form of the two so far this season and has certainly proven the naysayers wrong both against Samoa and with Ulster.
Craig Gilroy – Wings are tricky. With Keith Earls and Simon Zebo both due back by Christmas and McFadden hopefully recovered from his hand injury, I hope to have a competitive pool of fit and in form wingers to chose from come February. Gilroy is still somewhat short on game time but with two tries on his debut and a lack of fit competitors I've slotted him in. I would very much like to see more of the Belfast-born speedster in green.
Luke Marshall – Darcy was immense at the weekend but it did have the feel of a one off performance and I find him frustratingly inconsistent for a player of his experience. Marshall still has a long way to go in my opinion but deserves the slot. Although he was the main source of line breaks against the Wallabies he seems a little short on ideas when he makes a break and more often than not runs into the man in front of him rather than looking to pass or step. Partially inexperience, partially due to lack of support. He's currently the the frame at 12 but I'd like to see more of Munster's Ivan Dineen at Heineken Cup level as I think he's one to consider for the future of the position. Extremely tough on Stuart Olding to be ruled out with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament as he would have certainly challenged among the the young guns.
Brian O'Driscoll – Part of me would love to drop O'Driscoll for his own personal safety. How many knocks to the head can one man take without serious long term medical consequences? I also feel slightly less anxious about the future of 13 after Luke Fitzgerald's strong display, but of course, that would depend on him being injury free for more than one game at a time! My understanding is that Jared Payne will be Irish qualified in 2014 but not until alter in the year. Robbie Henshaw is undoubtedly a real talent but has looked somewhat out of his depth at this level so far. Brian's still the man to don the jersey he's made his own, despite not having been as his sparkling best this season but no one could accuse him of not putting his body as well as his heart and soul on the line for Ireland.
Dave Kearney – Again, he'll certainly be challenged by the Munster duo upon their return to fitness but Kearney the younger has done more than enough to oust Bowe from his starting spot at this point. It may seem like sacrilege to drop the Monaghan man, one of Ireland's greatest ever finishers but he was anonymous against both Samoa and Australia and hasn't convinced me he deserves to stay as the nailed on starter he's been for so long. Kearney bragged a brace on his debut and has played out of his skin to deserve his place in the squad on his own merits. Tiernan O'Halloran also worth keeping an eye on.
Rob Kearney – Utterly majestic this weekend, looking like he's stepped straight out of 2009. Madigan or Henshaw could certainly challenge him but right now it looks like boys against the main man. Hoping this is the start of a renaissance for the IRUPA chairman. His communication with the players around him was excellent and he really stepped forward to take on media duties at what must have surely been a low ebb. A real leader on the team

Cian Healy
Sean Cronin
Martin Moore
Paul O'Connell
Dan Tuohy
Peter O'Mahony
Sean O'Brien
Jamie Heaslip
Conor Murray
Johnny Sexton
Craig Gilroy
Luke Marshall
Brian O'Driscoll
Dave Kearney
Rob Kearney

16. Mike Sherry
17. Mike Ross
18. Jack McGrath
19. Devin Toner
20. Kevin McLaughlin
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Paddy Jackson
23. Luke Fitzgerald

So that's it. If one thing comes out of this weekend I hope it's that we build towards the 6 Nations and are no longer a team of glorious, backs-against-the-wall once-offs and aim for a consistent future.