Autumn Internationals 2013

There normally isn't a huge amount of conversation on here about the national team, but figured the upcoming internationals are worth a thread. Anyone else hopeful Robbie could feature, particularly against Samoa with Earls injured?

RonanL wrote: There normally isn't a huge amount of conversation on here about the national team, but figured the upcoming internationals are worth a thread. Anyone else hopeful Robbie could feature, particularly against Samoa with Earls injured?

Hopefully as will allow me to wear my Connacht jersey to the game!

On that note, some people have problems with people wearing province jerseys to Irish games. I can understand that in certain circumstances. Like wearing a munster jersey if playing wales etc. But the connacht one is green! What are peoples opinions on this? ( Apologies if this takes the thread off topic, I will move this post to a new topic if needed )

This probably doesent belong here but will Pat Lam be chatting with the Samoa squad and setting out his Connacht stall with an idea to attract 1 or 2 players next season??

If he is I hope we're sure about them. I don't know the issues surrounding So'oialo (I wish him well regardless) but we don't want to get burned for a 2nd time (3rd time if you think back to a similar situation during Bradley's time)

I have little expectations for Ireland for this season. Its a tough 6 nations. 3 wins would be a fairly good return. A win against Samoa is important to start though. Australia aren't hectic but still have enough out wide to see us off. I don't want to even think about the All-Black match. I just hope for O'Driscoll's sake we can put in some kind of respectable performance.

I can see why people object to the provincial jersey wearing at internationals, but I think the green connacht one is an exception.

Whether Robbie will make the squad will probably depened on the approach taken with BOD. Do they want to get him some game time so he's up to speed for the Aussies and the All Blacks, or do they let him skip the Samoa game for fear of injury. I'm just hopeful we see Robbie on the pitch at some stage ove the course of the three games.

I'm going to the Australia and All Blacks games. Hopeful of a win against the aussies but anything could happen against the all blacks. Fingers crossed.

The Ireland game is Samoa's only match this autumn against a top 10 test nation, i think Samoa could be really up for this game, Ireland will need to operating close to full strength and potential to bring this one in.......Where as Australia playing All six nation teams except France in their 5 weekends...Samoa are suffering from their commercial appeal i guess compared to their 7th place world ranking....


Australia's record for 2013 - 2 wins in 6 Rugby Championship games, 1 wins in 3 Lions test, down to England already last week........3 wins in 10 this calendar year so far, saw they got some hammering in the Aussie Media as well....McKenzie-Wallabies need more than Italy and Scotland wins to get some sense of respectability on 2013......Aussies could be problematic for Ireland with their backs against the wall looking for results when they come to Dublin

The Ireland game is important to the All Blacks...McCaw has mentioned in post match interviews in the past that New Zealand do be very aware that Ireland have never beaten them and everytime they go out against Ireland an added motivation to beat us is not to be a member of the first New Zealand team to lose to Ireland.

New Zealand could also have a historic 100% win record to achieve, for 2013 calendar year, with a win in the Ireland match if they remain unbeaten until then.

Yikes Ireland are up against it this Autumn International series (All 3 teams above them in world rankings, compared to there was always a Fiji or Argentina in other autumn series), but I trust Schmidt to bring an X factor to Irish play and-or team selection to get a few results from the series.

1. Mc grath.
2. Best.
3. Ross.
4. Toner.
5. McCarthy.
6. Pom.
7. Henry.
8. Heaslip.
9. Murray.
10. Jackson
11. Bows.
12. Darcy.
13. Bod.
14. McFadden.
15. R Kearney.

16. Cronin,
17. Healy.
18. Fitzpatrick.
19. Poc
20. Sob.
21. Redd in.
22. Madigan.
23. D Kearney.

Schmidt's first team. Poc is captain with heaslip vice captain and captain on pitch for Samoa.

I am more than a little peeved that Robbie was not released for the Glasgow match after the announcement for the Samoa game, he's now unlikely to make the team or the bench for any of the Autumn Internationals.

In fact it's unacceptable in my opinion.

Robbie wasn't fit anyway, he had a hip issue

Happy out with the team. Would have had Marshall at 12 though. Some bench!

What do people think of POC as Captain? Am I the only one who thinks it should have gone to someone else? He hasn't played for Ireland in 19 months and has serious fitness issues. Don't get me wrong I think he's a great player and leader but I question giving it to a man who will probably miss more games than he will play.

He is a massive figure in world rugby though and will be around until 2015 WC, if he is fit he is a definite starter anytime. He will be looking towards that WC, I also think that it breaks from the Leinster background that Joe would have. It looks good for him not to pick a Leinster man in terms of team unity.