Ireland Wolfhounds V England Saxons 25TH JANUARY

O2 Ireland Wolfhounds Squad (club/province/international caps)

Michael Bent (Dublin University/Leinster/2)
Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster/15)
Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster/3)
James Coughlan (Dolphin/Munster)*
Tom Court (Malone/Ulster/29)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster/23)
Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon /Ulster/2)
Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster/2)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)*
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster/2)
David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster/2)
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)*
Paul Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)*
Kevin McLaughlin (St.Mary’s College/Leinster/5)
Dave McSharry (UCD/Connacht/)*
Tommy O’Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)*
Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary’s College/Leinster/1)
Mike Sherry (Garryowen/Munster)*
Lewis Stevenson (Malone/Ulster)*
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster/3)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster/49)
Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster/2)

*denotes uncapped player

for me, taking into a/c where game is on, who started fot province last week and whos most likely to feature in 6 ntns nxt week(less likely to be risked) the following is my team.
1.court.
2.sherry.
3. bent.
4. henderson.
5. stevenson.
6. mclaughlin
7.o donnell.
8. coughlan.
9. marshall.
10. keatley.
11.trimble.
12. mcsharry.
13.cave.
14. fitzgerald.
15. madigan.

16. varley.
17. kilcoyne.
18. fitzpatrick.
19. toner.
20. ruddock.
21. boss
22. jackson.
23. henshaw.

I would be very disappointed if Robbie was not given a start, arguably the form 15 in Ireland at the moment and in front of his home crowd. He has to start doesn't he? Surely?

With three outhalves in the squad it seems likely either madigan or keatley will play 15 and the other two will have a half each. Or kidney could go mad altogether and play all three, jackson at 10, keatley 12 and madigan 15....

Reckon Jackson and Henshaw are nailed on as 10 & 15. Scrumhalf is a toss-up. If only Ireland's options at TH were remotely as good as Murray/Stringer/Boss/Reddan/Marshall/Marmion at scrumhalf.

Picked up my ticket today from the branch. Sounded pretty busy about the place with lots of phones ringing etc. Demand said to be strong for the game. Can't wait for it myself and I have a clan stand ticket so I can watch from my usual spot!!

If form is anything to go by , young Henshaw will have to start. Best young player I've seen since BOD...FACT!

Absolute star of a kid who has actually led Connacht in many of the games I have seen. It has been a rugby privilage for me to watch him blossom this year. Sport is a funny ol' game (cue the cliches) but Duffy was Connacht's stand-out player last season and when he got injured early this season I really thought we would struggle. It now looks like he will be warming the bench for young Henshaw!

If Robbie stays fit and well , he will be an Irish full team regular in 2 - 3 years. No doubt. Perfect temperment & no occasion phases him.

The only thing missing from Henshaws game is tries. Until that changes he won't be troubling Rob Kearney for the Irish 15 jersey. What on earth are we going to do when Duffy is fit again? Robbie looks comfortable but Gav knows where the try-line is...

Robbie is far from the finished article no doubt, but you can see the huge potential everytime this 19 year old kid steps out onto a rugby pitch.....

i dont know where the idea gav delivers tries came from either. he has over 110 appearances for connacht and 12 tries.
not necessarily all his fault or robbies for that matter. connacht havent been the best for running support lines this season and last. ironically robbie has been one of the better players at it.
this imo is what carr will improve in the team.

www.connachtrugby.ie/2013012383177/les-k...2-ireland-wolfhounds

A short mention for Henshaw from Kiss, at least he is on the Ireland management minds. I'd like to see Henshaw get a start because he deserves it on form, but I'd also like to see him have a go at 13 since that's his preferred position. But looking at it now there's no out and out fullback in that wolfhounds squad so it will either be Henshaw, Keatley or Madigan. I can't imagine Kidney wants either of the latter as a fullback after he put Zebo in there for the AI's, so is Henshaw now back up fullback for Ireland after Zebo?

Looks like it will be sold out by tomorrow by all acocunts....

England Saxons: Elliot Daly; Christian Wade, Joel Tomkins, Jordan Turner-Hall, Tom Biggs; George Ford, Richard Wigglesworth; Nick Wood, Joe Gray; Paul Doran-Jones; Graham Kitchener, George Robson; George Kruis, Will Fraser, Jordan Crane (C)

Replacements: Rob Buchanan, Matt Mullan, Shaun Knight, Ed Slater, Jamie Gibson, Joe Simpson, George Lowe, Kyle Eastmond.

James Coughlan will lead the O2 Ireland Wolfounds against the England Saxons as international rugby comes to The Sportsground on Friday night.
Ireland head coach Declan Kidney has named eight uncapped players in the starting XV including the captain.
Ulster duo Paddy Jackson and Paul Marshall form the half back partnership and are joined in the backline by local favourites Robbie Henshaw and David McSharry.

Up front Mike Sherry packs down between the recently capped Dave Kilcoyne and Michael Bent. Lewis Stevenson will pack down alongside Devin Toner while Kevin McLaughlin and the uncapped Tommy O'Donnell complete the backrow with Coughlan.

Tickets for the game are available on Ticketmaster and from the Connacht Branch office available up to 4pm on Friday and then from 4pm at the Ticket booth at the Main Stand gate of the stadium.

Tickets start at 20 Euro for adults and 5 Euro for children.

O2 Ireland Wolfhounds team to play England Saxons, Galway Sportsground, Friday, 25th January, Kick off 7.35pm(Player/club/province/international caps):

15 - Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)*
14 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster/49)
13 - Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster/3)
12 - Dave McSharry (UCD/Connacht/)*
11 - Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster/23)
10 - Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)*
9 - Paul Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster/)*
1 - David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster/2)
2 - Mike Sherry (Garryowen/Munster)*
3 - Michael Bent (Dublin University/Leinster/2)
4 - Lewis Stevenson (Malone/Ulster)*
5 - Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster/3)
6 - Kevin McLaughlin (St.Mary's College/Leinster/5)
7 - Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)*
8 - James Coughlin (Dolphin/Munster)* Captain

Replacements:

16 - Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster/2)
17 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster/29)
18 - Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon /Ulster/2)
19 - Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster/2)
20 - Rhys Ruddock (St. Mary's College/Leinster/1)
21 - Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster/15)
22 - Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)*
23 - Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster/2)

N.B. *denotes uncapped player

Good stuff, delighted the 2 lads got the start. Do they sing the National Anthems before these games? Will we have to sit through Ireland's Call yeah?