I notice the Kiwi pundits and yourself Mark hoping to catch Ireland in a rusty state speaks volumes for the confidence. I would not be too worried about the rust, the main pack has 5 weeks so far under their belt in the URC , while far from test standard, Ireland have been pretty good off the blocks in recent years. Andy Farrell loves giving the team hard tests. I would imagine your boys will pick up injuries in two tests, especially in England, that will be a full on test, England will be no pushover that is for sure. So pluses and negatives either way. Looking forward to hosting the AB's in a fortnight, should be a great test.
@@SmcdMcd-d2k This will be Irelands first game since July. The ABs will play twice before they play us not long after the rugby championship. Plus, it's the ABs.
I feel for Tom Ahern. But I’m glad to see Stockdale, I have been backing him for a while. I hope Jamie gets minutes at fullback. I feel more Emerging Ireland or younger players could be there, but it is what it is. Cathal Forde, Jude Postlethwaite, Evan O’ Connell… even as training panelists. That’d give some centres and hopefully a Tighthead Lock. Hopefully there’s a promising LH prop in Leinster. Other provinces are struggling there I think.
Quite happy with the squad, hopefully Prendergast gets a look in but i'm not confident in the AB's test, we could hit the ground running or have a stutter step, not sure which. Argies test is also a bit sketchy, they played well in the rugby championship. As for the AB's, i hope they don't overlook England, that could be a game that surprises them if the 6n is anything to go by, they've improved a lot since the world cup.
Yeah I feel like the ABs having two games prior (even if they're sending some guys to Europe early) will help the ABs - but man it should be a cracker either way!
@TwoCentsRugby you're spot on tho, this irish team seem to always turn up at home but I think the ABs seem to always turn up against Ireland so I reckon one team will win it comfortably in the end.
I suspect though is a very different Ireland team now ,there was always that inferiority complex when facing the Black Shirts that ended in 2022 in Dunedin and Durban in July.....after what happened to New Zealand in South Africa and what happened with Ireland in South Africa this past summer, there's a misplaced arrogance in the minds of people like Kirwin and Co don't think for one minute Andy Farrell ,the smiling killer, has not heard,yes it will be the All Blacks third game but you can expect injuries against Japan and that English pack aren't choir boys ....Ireland won't be cold most of the squad been playing in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bloemfontein, Durban and Cape Town in the last month or two...Ireland won't be cold for the All Blacks, only error here is those big games should be a Friday Night Lights in Croke Park with 82,000 atmosphere in the Aviva Stadium is not as good, just can't wait now
He will be called up can see Gibson Park, Craig Casey and Cathal Forde the No 9s for Six Nations, Connor Murray is closing in on retirement, the guy who really lost out was Nathan Doak here ,but that's solely Ulster's fault he could have been No 9 years ago but for the practice of bringing in Saffas ,yes they were good, but Doak never got a chance
Heard a few NZ pundits sau that AB'S game 3 vs Ireland in game 1 is an AB advantage, I would think the 6 day turnaround after England would work in Irelands favour. Opposite from the WC when NZ came in fresh aftet an easy pool run, when Ireland had a short turn round and lots of knocks and injuries from the Scotland game. Might depend on how England play?
The 6 day turn around is worth 20 points by itself. After 2 games one against a tough England, New Zealand will be running on fumes in the second half against Ireland. An Ireland team full of energy.
To be honest for some on this panel here it's the last round up at the OK Coral, good news here lots of guys not mentioned here to replace the older guys perhaps better fitter and stronger, Munster camp has a ton of injuries, some would be in this squad, one major bit of news not mentioned, probably didn't break in New Zealand yet ,one recall, Johnny Sexton on the coaching team , a job he has been doing for a couple of years at least he will be locked in a glass box away from referees 😂, but image how those backs will feel with Johnny Sexton barking like a Staffie at them on the touch line...this could be fun when Andy Farrell leaves for the other job 😂
Peter O'Mahony is VERY lucky to be included in the squad - he's played Zero minutes for Munster this season. Moreover, he's retiring at the end of the Season. Also, it's not as if Ireland lack depth at Back Row. I think if Conan had been fit, O'Mahony would have been spending November in Munster...
I hope Ireland and NZ keep 15 on the pitch when they play each other. There's bound to be a bit of needle and obviously that will lead out to brutality. There's no other word for it. It will be horribly physical. I expect the Kiwis to weaken first. They play England 6 days previous and it's the end of their season but you never know. They're New Zealand. Really looking forward to it.
Couple of concerns. Only 2 loose heads and one is a grampa, we really are at risk in that position, especially when Porter gets his customery yellow. Alot of players named are, or coming back from long injures. 2 of the 3 hookers for example.
Porter doesn't get carded very often, he gives away a lot of penalties but almost never gets sent off. He's only received two yellow cards in his entire career, last one being in 2022/2023 season. He probably has the highest minutes on the pitch of any front row in the world, playing 70min+ every match.
I was gonna say I can't see New Zealand losing, having 2 games to warm up first is a huge advantage. However they only have 6 days between facing England and Ireland. 6 Days is simply not enough time to recover after a big test match. It's a factor no pundit ever mentions but its just as costly as a red card in the opening half. I predict Ireland to win by a big margin. It won't be deserved but it would take a very strong performance from New Zealand not to gas out to a fresh Ireland team.
@@straights Would be easy to say that the Autumn tests don't matter and that WC QF's do, but the Ireland v NZ game is the exact opposite of the QF, where NZ came in fresh and rested after an easy pool, motivated by the series loss, Ireland were battered and bruised after the Scotland game, a raft of injuries and no back line until the Thursday before the test, if NZ win on the 8th, then hats off to them.
Never mind the international, the big Q for NZ is can they beat the first Irish side they lost to, ie Munster! That game will have Thomond Park bouncing. Jack Crowley had a horrible finish to the Stormers game, hope there isn't something going wrong there-but Andy's got the right three 10s in the squad. Front row is the weakest area, how they do may decide the AB game.
A very Andy Farrell selection, I think the only player to really miss out is David McCann from Ulster! I’d rate him higher than Timoney but like you said, international back rows are hard to break into!! Very, VERY nervous for the test against the ABs! Think you boys could definitely get the jump on us, especially if you guys have an axe to grind after the England match.
Pretty experienced squad. Izzy is a man to watch, hes got potential about him and is a very fit player. Frawley challenge incoming. Id say theyll play crowley for the abs but id be surprised if they dont start frawley on one of the games, hes now - quite rightly - opening for leinster games so its just a matter of time. With prendergast poking his head over the hedge, i cant remember the last time we've looked so good for 10s coming up. Interested to see what wingers will be picked against nz, id say itll be lowe and nash but hope stockdale gets at least one game in. Its good to have hansen back but hes been gone for a whole year so will have to be on fire for training to get picked.
I think the reluctance to blood new players en masse is a hangover from the stupid Workd Cup draw we got. We had slipped down the rankings at the time the draw was made and so ended up in a group of death and on the wrong side of the draw. Our pool of world class talent (apart from the back row) is not actually that deep. I think the idea is to stay #1 or #2 in the world going into the next World Cup draw.
You'd wonder if the Lions tour might hurt some 6n teams, without it some of the 30 somethings might hang up their international boots after the World cup, but instead hang on for another 2 years, in the hopes of getting on the Lions, lessening opportunities; for younger players. Hooker will be interesting, with Kelleher and Herring not playing much if any due to injury and Sheehan missing, there isn't much international experience. Heffernan has been around/in and out of the squad for a while, but usually as a 3rd option with little game time, and Gus McCarthy is only just starting to play for Leinster.
I think the balance is right. It’s just a shame that Jimmy O’Brien is out injured and you’re right Hugo Keenan his place isn’t guaranteed after Osborne’s performance at fullback what does concern me is Centre. They’re playing great at the moment but we do need younger centres. Scrum time is also a bit of a concern Porter is very aggressive as a loose head and teams are working out ways to get penalties out if him. I think he needs to stop focusing so much on squats and deadlifts and really work on technique.
Looking forward to the Irish all black test, and on that point of not straying away from veterans is on point but I also feel both side are going thru their Richie McCaw era type era or golden if you will, and for the All Blacks to be going thru a rebuilding ish phase and still there or there abouts is really exciting for the this cycle
TwoCents and EggChasers with coffee for the morning fix. ☕🇿🇦
I notice the Kiwi pundits and yourself Mark hoping to catch Ireland in a rusty state speaks volumes for the confidence. I would not be too worried about the rust, the main pack has 5 weeks so far under their belt in the URC , while far from test standard, Ireland have been pretty good off the blocks in recent years. Andy Farrell loves giving the team hard tests. I would imagine your boys will pick up injuries in two tests, especially in England, that will be a full on test, England will be no pushover that is for sure. So pluses and negatives either way. Looking forward to hosting the AB's in a fortnight, should be a great test.
I've tickets to the last 3 games, absolutely buzzing never been to a rugby match before so hoping we go well.
Hard to imagine Ireland losing any of their tests, how times have changed
First game against New Zealand will be the most likely defeat. It would've been ideal if we played a game or two before them.
@@justRedDevilwhy the most likely
@@SmcdMcd-d2kit’s the first game, and the ABs are a tougher match than Pumas, Fiji or Aus.
@@SmcdMcd-d2kboth starting hookers injured,joe mc carthy only back ftom injury,no larmour,conan or jimmy o brien
@@SmcdMcd-d2k
This will be Irelands first game since July. The ABs will play twice before they play us not long after the rugby championship. Plus, it's the ABs.
Ireland have lost 2 Nov tests since 2014. Some stat and win percentage!
Wow, thats amazing.
I was in primary school when Cian Healy made his debut for Ireland and I remember it😂😂, how time flies
I feel for Tom Ahern.
But I’m glad to see Stockdale, I have been backing him for a while.
I hope Jamie gets minutes at fullback.
I feel more Emerging Ireland or younger players could be there, but it is what it is. Cathal Forde, Jude Postlethwaite, Evan O’ Connell… even as training panelists. That’d give some centres and hopefully a Tighthead Lock.
Hopefully there’s a promising LH prop in Leinster. Other provinces are struggling there I think.
Think the ABs might catch us on the hop too. Good luck to all teams & looking forward to some good rugby this november. Thanks Mark, as always.
Quite happy with the squad, hopefully Prendergast gets a look in but i'm not confident in the AB's test, we could hit the ground running or have a stutter step, not sure which. Argies test is also a bit sketchy, they played well in the rugby championship. As for the AB's, i hope they don't overlook England, that could be a game that surprises them if the 6n is anything to go by, they've improved a lot since the world cup.
Yeah I feel like the ABs having two games prior (even if they're sending some guys to Europe early) will help the ABs - but man it should be a cracker either way!
@TwoCentsRugby you're spot on tho, this irish team seem to always turn up at home but I think the ABs seem to always turn up against Ireland so I reckon one team will win it comfortably in the end.
I suspect though is a very different Ireland team now ,there was always that inferiority complex when facing the Black Shirts that ended in 2022 in Dunedin and Durban in July.....after what happened to New Zealand in South Africa and what happened with Ireland in South Africa this past summer, there's a misplaced arrogance in the minds of people like Kirwin and Co don't think for one minute Andy Farrell ,the smiling killer, has not heard,yes it will be the All Blacks third game but you can expect injuries against Japan and that English pack aren't choir boys ....Ireland won't be cold most of the squad been playing in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bloemfontein, Durban and Cape Town in the last month or two...Ireland won't be cold for the All Blacks, only error here is those big games should be a Friday Night Lights in Croke Park with 82,000 atmosphere in the Aviva Stadium is not as good, just can't wait now
Ireland have lost 2 november internationals since 2014. Ireland ard the most consisent and why they ard n0.1.
@@johncahalane7327 I actually find the atmosphere in the aviva better as the noise echoes more
Cathal Forde needs a call up as development. Most exciting young player imo.
He will be called up can see Gibson Park, Craig Casey and Cathal Forde the No 9s for Six Nations, Connor Murray is closing in on retirement, the guy who really lost out was Nathan Doak here ,but that's solely Ulster's fault he could have been No 9 years ago but for the practice of bringing in Saffas ,yes they were good, but Doak never got a chance
@@johncahalane7327 Cathal Forde plays 12 and 10 for connacht. You might be mixed up.
@@markmacken1yeah Ben Murphy he's thinking about...who's looking great also
Brian Gleeson is probably the one I'm most excited about. He'll be a star.
I'd even say full call up and Gavin in as a training panellist, the two lads are tearing up trees.
Heard a few NZ pundits sau that AB'S game 3 vs Ireland in game 1 is an AB advantage, I would think the 6 day turnaround after England would work in Irelands favour. Opposite from the WC when NZ came in fresh aftet an easy pool run, when Ireland had a short turn round and lots of knocks and injuries from the Scotland game. Might depend on how England play?
Ireland haven’t lost a home game since there wasn’t fans in the stadium, NZ pundits are still stuck in the 2000’s when Ireland were shit
The 6 day turn around is worth 20 points by itself. After 2 games one against a tough England, New Zealand will be running on fumes in the second half against Ireland. An Ireland team full of energy.
To be honest for some on this panel here it's the last round up at the OK Coral, good news here lots of guys not mentioned here to replace the older guys perhaps better fitter and stronger, Munster camp has a ton of injuries, some would be in this squad, one major bit of news not mentioned, probably didn't break in New Zealand yet ,one recall, Johnny Sexton on the coaching team , a job he has been doing for a couple of years at least he will be locked in a glass box away from referees 😂, but image how those backs will feel with Johnny Sexton barking like a Staffie at them on the touch line...this could be fun when Andy Farrell leaves for the other job 😂
Peter O'Mahony is VERY lucky to be included in the squad - he's played Zero minutes for Munster this season. Moreover, he's retiring at the end of the Season. Also, it's not as if Ireland lack depth at Back Row.
I think if Conan had been fit, O'Mahony would have been spending November in Munster...
I hope Ireland and NZ keep 15 on the pitch when they play each other. There's bound to be a bit of needle and obviously that will lead out to brutality. There's no other word for it. It will be horribly physical.
I expect the Kiwis to weaken first. They play England 6 days previous and it's the end of their season but you never know. They're New Zealand. Really looking forward to it.
Thanks Mark
Couple of concerns.
Only 2 loose heads and one is a grampa, we really are at risk in that position, especially when Porter gets his customery yellow.
Alot of players named are, or coming back from long injures. 2 of the 3 hookers for example.
Porter doesn't get carded very often, he gives away a lot of penalties but almost never gets sent off. He's only received two yellow cards in his entire career, last one being in 2022/2023 season. He probably has the highest minutes on the pitch of any front row in the world, playing 70min+ every match.
@@cillianduffy9708 Porter is a f-ing machine, I don't know how he does those minutes in his position.
I was gonna say I can't see New Zealand losing, having 2 games to warm up first is a huge advantage. However they only have 6 days between facing England and Ireland. 6 Days is simply not enough time to recover after a big test match. It's a factor no pundit ever mentions but its just as costly as a red card in the opening half. I predict Ireland to win by a big margin. It won't be deserved but it would take a very strong performance from New Zealand not to gas out to a fresh Ireland team.
@@straights Would be easy to say that the Autumn tests don't matter and that WC QF's do, but the Ireland v NZ game is the exact opposite of the QF, where NZ came in fresh and rested after an easy pool, motivated by the series loss, Ireland were battered and bruised after the Scotland game, a raft of injuries and no back line until the Thursday before the test, if NZ win on the 8th, then hats off to them.
Let’s go Ireland!
Never mind the international, the big Q for NZ is can they beat the first Irish side they lost to, ie Munster! That game will have Thomond Park bouncing.
Jack Crowley had a horrible finish to the Stormers game, hope there isn't something going wrong there-but Andy's got the right three 10s in the squad.
Front row is the weakest area, how they do may decide the AB game.
A very Andy Farrell selection, I think the only player to really miss out is David McCann from Ulster! I’d rate him higher than Timoney but like you said, international back rows are hard to break into!!
Very, VERY nervous for the test against the ABs! Think you boys could definitely get the jump on us, especially if you guys have an axe to grind after the England match.
Looking forward to that one after their series loss in NZ.So close in Dunedin. AB's will be battle Hardened vs home advantage. No idea who will win.
Pretty experienced squad. Izzy is a man to watch, hes got potential about him and is a very fit player.
Frawley challenge incoming. Id say theyll play crowley for the abs but id be surprised if they dont start frawley on one of the games, hes now - quite rightly - opening for leinster games so its just a matter of time.
With prendergast poking his head over the hedge, i cant remember the last time we've looked so good for 10s coming up.
Interested to see what wingers will be picked against nz, id say itll be lowe and nash but hope stockdale gets at least one game in. Its good to have hansen back but hes been gone for a whole year so will have to be on fire for training to get picked.
Definitely the kind of squad Andy would pick and he's done so.
I think the reluctance to blood new players en masse is a hangover from the stupid Workd Cup draw we got. We had slipped down the rankings at the time the draw was made and so ended up in a group of death and on the wrong side of the draw. Our pool of world class talent (apart from the back row) is not actually that deep. I think the idea is to stay #1 or #2 in the world going into the next World Cup draw.
Yes, the World Cup draw is probably the main reason. It really cost us last time. I think next year there will be more changes.
You'd wonder if the Lions tour might hurt some 6n teams, without it some of the 30 somethings might hang up their international boots after the World cup, but instead hang on for another 2 years, in the hopes of getting on the Lions, lessening opportunities; for younger players. Hooker will be interesting, with Kelleher and Herring not playing much if any due to injury and Sheehan missing, there isn't much international experience. Heffernan has been around/in and out of the squad for a while, but usually as a 3rd option with little game time, and Gus McCarthy is only just starting to play for Leinster.
Mark, been wanting to ask, are you in a new room recording? And you no longer sitting down in front of whiteboard but standing?
And presenting from the right side of our screens instead of left
Yeah man I had to move my ass outta the living room and into the bedroom - was getting a bit awkward 😅
@@TwoCentsRugbysounds like rooster9809's been wanting you in the bedroom for a while now...😂
Do the scotland and france teams please
Ireland and Fiji will be a good game
I think the balance is right. It’s just a shame that Jimmy O’Brien is out injured and you’re right Hugo Keenan his place isn’t guaranteed after Osborne’s performance at fullback what does concern me is Centre. They’re playing great at the moment but we do need younger centres. Scrum time is also a bit of a concern Porter is very aggressive as a loose head and teams are working out ways to get penalties out if him. I think he needs to stop focusing so much on squats and deadlifts and really work on technique.
Not having Sheehan is so bad. Front rows win games and he's our diamond. I'm gonna stick my neck out and predict the ABs will roll over our scrum
He's injured, and it'll be the 6Ns for him at the earliest. We didn't have him for the 2nd test win against Sth Africa in the summer either.
Yeah he's a big loss, he's one of the best players on the team and has serious game-breaking qualities.
Can't wait for Ireland v all blacks game going to be feisty especially over Johnny sexton 😅
Are fiji gonna have their top players?
Conor Murray still living on his reputation from "In Bruges".
What ?
Looking forward to the Irish all black test, and on that point of not straying away from veterans is on point but I also feel both side are going thru their Richie McCaw era type era or golden if you will, and for the All Blacks to be going thru a rebuilding ish phase and still there or there abouts is really exciting for the this cycle
Yeah I remember when we were building into the 2015 RWC people were calling the sports radio station to say McCaw and Carter were past it!
So Sexton is into the management team and there's no place for Cooney in the squad. There's a surprise 😄. Not.
Cooney is brilliant. Something going on behind the scenes there as he’s a clear pick behind JGP for me
Forget the tests. The most important thing is that Munster beat the ABs.
Jack Conan?
Pulled his hamstring in Croker
Got injured against Munster
Yeah sorry forgot to mention his injury
@@TwoCentsRugby saw it on your board behind you...
Thanks Mark