Joe Schmidt

[Logorrhea]

Zebo is not Carlos Spencer ffs.

Surely this is the philosophy of the team. The whole team has agreed to it.

If Zebo has a problem (which I don't actually believe he does) he has a problem with the team, not the coach.

Finally, I'd leave the drama until a fully fit and in form Zebo has been left out of the squad, and the current wingers (who have both actually been playing pretty well) deserve to be dropped.

[Edna Kenny]

amen

[leinster4life13]

The Spencer issue shall be a blot on Joes record forever, basically ruined the Blues as a franchise(they are only now getting back together), picking Lavea over Spencer, its laughable now, but its the equivalent of dropping Sexton in 11/12/13 form for Jonny Hepworth. Why do you think Joe ended up ended up at Clermont, he utterly sh!t the bed with the Blues. Actually thinking about is annoying tbh, such a waste. If MOC does this to Madigan(while at the opposite end of the spectrum to Spencer) I will lose the plot.

Stupid comparison though, Zebo is far far far from Spencers level. Zebo isnt picked because of form/fitness, end of story.

[Kinger83]

There's alot of surmising going on about Zebo but really, on current form, should he be in the starting team anyway? If his form demands it he'll be selected. Schmidt will have told him what he needs to work on to get selected, so the ball is in Zebo's court.

Trimble and Dave Kearney were both very good against Wales, and worked hard for the team.

[All Blacks nil]

There's alot of surmising going on about Zebo but really, on current form, should he be in the starting team anyway? If his form demands it he'll be selected. Schmidt will have told him what he needs to work on to get selected, so the ball is in Zebo's court.

Trimble and Dave Kearney were both very good against Wales, and worked hard for the team.

Both last week wingers played well, with Trimble in particular having a super game. Certainly both players would deserve their place on form.
However on form surely McFadden is hanging on by a thread. Hasn't shone in either of his Six Nations appearances. Last night he knocked on three times, slipped up in backfield, sliced a kick under no pressure which was wrongly adjudged to have gone straight into touch but the kick was still sliced.
Zebo's form seems a lot better. He had a very effective and dynamic outing when sub for the Wolfhounds. Has scored tries in both his Munster matches made clean breaks, made offloads and assists and like McFadden has been solid defensively. If form is considered the dominant criteria surely Ferg has to sharpen up
If not celebrating a score is the major criteria Ferg should be in the squad.

[janeymac08]

Zebo is not Carlos Spencer ffs.

Surely this is the philosophy of the team. The whole team has agreed to it.

If Zebo has a problem (which I don't actually believe he does) he has a problem with the team, not the coach.

Finally, I'd leave the drama until a fully fit and in form Zebo has been left out of the squad, and the current wingers (who have both actually been playing pretty well) deserve to be dropped.

He doesn't need to be Carlos Spencer. There is something wrong with the team if that is its philosophy - Zebo seems to fit in well with his Munster team mates and his Munster coach is singing his praises on his form, fitness and value to the team.

Form has nothing got to do with whether Schmidt selects him now - he name checked Luke, Donnacha Ryan and Eoin Reddan as being in the running at the weekend. Surprising considering everyone has been talking about the famed Schmidt 'rotation' policy and you would think that he would be looking for more options to rotate.

[Kinger83]

Form has nothing got to do with whether Schmidt selects him now - he name checked Luke, Donnacha Ryan and Eoin Reddan as being in the running at the weekend. Surprising considering everyone has been talking about the famed Schmidt 'rotation' policy and you would think that he would be looking for more options to rotate.

Of course form has to do with it. If Schmidt deems his form to be good enough, he'll be selected.

There will probably be some rotation during the 6 nations, but it has to be balanced with getting a strong enough team to win the game on the pitch. There's no point rotating for the sake of it when you're trying to win a championship and every game needs to be won.

[The Doc]

I said somewhere else... As I see it Zebo and Earls will be sprung for the summer tour. I doubt off field activities or swan dives have any bearing. But core skills such as accurate passing off both hands do. The two of them have huge long term prospects but wouldn't surprise me if they have been asked to work core skills with a view to being core to summer tour... You would think a number will be rested and experienced players who are fresh will be needed.

There are options available at the moment but I expect them to be really hitting the team come AI's and then into the following year for 6N and world cup.

Got to look beyond the next game with JS

[janeymac08]

Form has nothing got to do with whether Schmidt selects him now - he name checked Luke, Donnacha Ryan and Eoin Reddan as being in the running at the weekend. Surprising considering everyone has been talking about the famed Schmidt 'rotation' policy and you would think that he would be looking for more options to rotate.

Of course form has to do with it. If Schmidt deems his form to be good enough, he'll be selected.

There will probably be some rotation during the 6 nations, but it has to be balanced with getting a strong enough team to win the game on the pitch. There's no point rotating for the sake of it when you're trying to win a championship and every game needs to be won.

May point is that Schmidt name checked everyone except Zebo which would suggest that he isn't in the frame no matter how fit he is. Not sure McFadden's form warrants a bench spot.

Not sure Zebo is such a drop off in quality from Dave Kearney.

[janeymac08]

I said somewhere else... As I see it Zebo and Earls will be sprung for the summer tour. I doubt off field activities or swan dives have any bearing. But core skills such as accurate passing off both hands do. The two of them have huge long term prospects but wouldn't surprise me if they have been asked to work core skills with a view to being core to summer tour... You would think a number will be rested and experienced players who are fresh will be needed.

There are options available at the moment but I expect them to be really hitting the team come AI's and then into the following year for 6N and world cup.

Got to look beyond the next game with JS

Earls is injured. He isn't out of favour and has recently signed a new central contract. Both Earls and Zebo have good core skills (including passing) and both are superb finishers and both have good boots which should certainly suit Schmidt's recent gameplan. The only reason why either of those two players should be missing would be if they are injured.

[suisse]

There is something wrong with the team

You mean the one that is top of the table with a coach who jas won leagues in Ireland and France plus European trophies?

The Spencer issue shall be a blot on Joes record forever

As if anyone here gives a sh!t.....

[JB1973]

Both Ireland's wingers have played well and don't deserve to be dropped. I would however say I don't think either are the best wingers Ireland have and for that matter neither are earls or zebo.

Bowe and fitzgerald are your best wingers and subject to fitness they will be first choice by the world cup

Earls is a terrifice bench option with his versatility but there are still huge question marks about his defense against some of the giants in test match rugby and the wider our he plays the more chance of being isolated one on one with a north or savea type winger

As for Zebo, he is fast,strong and scores trys pretty good basis for a winger, it;s good to have a joker in the camp off the field especially when your away touring so I wouldn't be too harsh on him for that and I doubt Schmidt would either. One down point for zebo is unlike so many other Irish backs(mcfaddden,fitzy,earls etc) he only covers wing so he either starts or doesn't make the 23. My guess is as long as he leaves acting the clown off the field and keeps on scoring trys I';m sure hell be back in the mix soon enough.


Must be a nice position to be in when you have so many options for two positions

[Hippo]

Can people please stop quoting JM08 in their posts? Cheers.

[janeymac08]

Both Ireland's wingers have played well and don't deserve to be dropped. I would however say I don't think either are the best wingers Ireland have and for that matter neither are earls or zebo.

Bowe and fitzgerald are your best wingers and subject to fitness they will be first choice by the world cup

Earls is a terrifice bench option with his versatility but there are still huge question marks about his defense against some of the giants in test match rugby and the wider our he plays the more chance of being isolated one on one with a north or savea type winger

As for Zebo, he is fast,strong and scores trys pretty good basis for a winger, it;s good to have a joker in the camp off the field especially when your away touring so I wouldn't be too harsh on him for that and I doubt Schmidt would either. One down point for zebo is unlike so many other Irish backs(mcfaddden,fitzy,earls etc) he only covers wing so he either starts or doesn't make the 23. My guess is as long as he leaves acting the clown off the field and keeps on scoring trys I';m sure hell be back in the mix soon enough.


Must be a nice position to be in when you have so many options for two positions

Both wingers have been solid.
Since when have Leinster fans become so obsessed with defence? The only question marks over Earls are his ability to stay fit. Surely linebreaking and finishing ability should be as important as defence?

Apart from Luke Fitz inability to stay fit, he is saying he wants to move into the centre.
Tommy Bowe is also struggling to stay fit and his form has dropped a lot over the last 18 months or so. All those games for the Ospreys are now catching up on him.

Finally, one thing that none of the other wingers has that Zebo has is a great left boot. He has also played full back internationally against South Africa and Argentina and lined out there against Cardiff as recently as last weekend scoring a try LOL!

[JB1973]

btw I'm not an Leinster fan but you can't afford to ignore defence at this level.
As for zebo yes he can kick and that's certainly a string to his bow worth mentioning I would put him 3rd in the Irish wing list .
TBH you or I could have played 15 vs cardiff last week, they were that bad!

I rate Zebo and unlike some on here I find him quite a likable character but regardless of errors made in previous Irish selections I don't see him as a 15. For me your 15 along with your 8 9 and 10 has to be the brain of the team, he has the whole field ahead of him and has to look up scan and pass on orders to the rest of the side.
I just don't see Zebo having that type of rugby intelligence at the highest level and I wouldn't trust his focus and concentration in that position for the full 80, certainly at this stage of his career.

You think Munster will start with him there in your HC quarter final?
.

Bowe still picks the best running lines and is the best try finisher of any of the Irish wings and unlike Earls there are no question marks over his defence , I would still rate him as the best of the bunch.

[janeymac08]

I think Munster & Ireland would be foolish to move him from the left wing considering he has a left boot. Munster have 2 fullbacks, so why would they want to play him there particularly when he has a left boot. What I dispute with your post is that he wouldn't be able to cover fullback from the bench. I don't every recall seeing Fergus McFadden playing fullback and he makes the 23.

Bowe has hardly played in the last year to know what his form is.

[JB1973]

I think Munster & Ireland would be foolish to move him from the left wing considering he has a left boot. Munster have 2 fullbacks, so why would they want to play him there particularly when he has a left boot. What I dispute with your post is that he wouldn't be able to cover fullback from the bench. I don't every recall seeing Fergus McFadden playing fullback and he makes the 23.

Bowe has hardly played in the last year to know what his form is.

i was referring more to mcafdden covering the centre slots, earls is of course the ideal bench option he covers 11-15

[Kinger83]

Having Rob and Dave Kearney in the match day 23 means there's already two guys who can play full-back. So McFadden makes more sense as a bench option in that regard as he cover's centre and wing.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I love the idea of Ferg taking on Nowell. Nowell is a good player in fairness but still inexperienced and have a feeling Ferg would give him a very tough time. Not sure he did enough on Friday to warrant selection though. Not poor but a mixed bag.

[Fireworks]

I think Munster & Ireland would be foolish to move him from the left wing considering he has a left boot. Munster have 2 fullbacks, so why would they want to play him there particularly when he has a left boot. What I dispute with your post is that he wouldn't be able to cover fullback from the bench. I don't every recall seeing Fergus McFadden playing fullback and he makes the 23.

Bowe has hardly played in the last year to know what his form is.

Left wing - Left boot? Maybe I am wrong here but back in the day I played 6 but ended up due to speed and injuries being a right wing because I had a left boot. Does it not make sense from the shape of the kick and the angle you need. In my case it was also because I could only really pass from right to left.