fourthirtythree wrote:He was dropped from the first 15 because he was playing badly by Leinster and only got that third game because of injury in the warmup. He was awful against Saracens on a day when we hammered them he gifted them with three tries. As far as I know he got the game at FB in that three games at the request of the Ireland management (it was a league game at home and he was, IIRC, awful). So yes, you can indeed criticise the Irish management for selecting a player not ready to play for his club, out of position, at international level. That's not exciting, daring, far seeing, etc. etc. it's simply the wrong pick. Duffy was playing fine. He should have been picked. Maybe Luke would have come back into the reckoning after a few games for Leinster with the international contingent away, or maybe not. We can't tell that but we can tell that he was career threateningly awful that 6N and the management got it wrong. Very wrong. And it was pretty obvious they were going to get it wrong and that they persisted with a wrong decision. Once he picks you, he picks you until he hopes it gets right (see Buckley).Golf Man wrote:
You don't have your facts completely right
From looking at the records in 2010 Fitz played in 7 Leinster games excluding friendlies (including 2 at full back), then got injured and missed 9 games, came back and played 3 (including 1 at full back) before being selected at full back for the 6N. He had admittedly missed a large proprtion of the season before
In 2011 Earls played in the WC (all at wing), then played 2 games for Munster (on the wing) before getting injured, before coming back to play 5 games at centre, prior to being selected for the 6N
The two are far closer than you make out
Fair enough point on the Fitz/Earls injury absences
I appreciate that McF had been playing well and was picked ahead of Fitz, who was ,maybe not in top form
That said Fitz had bene a fixture in the Ireland team since he was initially selcted and was test Lion - he was one of our front line players and whether people like it or not front line players will and should be treated differently, you can never select purely on "form"
More worrying though is your selection of Duffy. In the Irish set up for about 7 years up to that point and if had 7 caps that would be about that (and I'm pretty sure that half of them would be during Lions years). He would have been a dull unimaginative pick, Fitz was a far bolder call. Duffy is a fine player, a model professional, huge player for his club and all that, safe pair of hands but never going to be good enough for the elite level - kind of a John Kelly/Shane Jennings type player
If Kidney had picked him it would have been a terrible selection - he maybe should have picked Earls there and left Fitz on the wing - but Duffy - no way
Deco - thanks for the insightful contribution - do you have that comment set up for every Munster fan? this discussion is about how I agreed with Fitz being selected at full back for Leinster, and how OTT didn't - it has nothing to do with Munster
Have you actually read this thread or just the odd post
