With Six Nations on the horizon, OvallyBalls operatives have been sharpening their pencils (and their rapier-like wits).
Enzo’s Ireland squad
I’ll make tough choices and keep it to a lean-ish 36/37. However, I will do honourable mentions. The players will be in order from best to rest, where applicable. I’ll explain otherwise.
LHP: Healy, Kilcoyne, McGrath – JMcG has found a bit of form although the first two are miles ahead. Nods to Buckley and Eric O’Sullivan.
HK: Kelleher, Herring, Scannell – fuck it, chuck the kid in, he looks fantastic. Failing that it has to be Herring over Scannell.
THP: Furlong, Porter, O’Toole – first two miles ahead, pick themselves. O’Toole is not the third best THP in Ireland, John Ryan and Marty Moore are both better and, if it comes to starting a big game, they should leapfrog TO’T. But he has huge potential and should be in the group.
SR: Ryan, Henderson, Beirne, Kleyn – first two a good bit ahead. Beirne’s form has dipped a bit. Big Dev and Dillane and Roux are all fine but none have form that’s compelling enough to get rid of Kleyn, who has been good and put in one awesome performance against Sarries, which is hard to ignore. Still shouldn’t necessarily play, however.
BR: van der Flier, Doris, Stander, Ruddock, Connors, Deegan, O’Donoghue – no POM, he’s been shit for a year, everyone talks about his leadership so it’s time to have a word with himself and find some form. No room for sentiment. He’s not even next man in, Sean Reidy is the unluckiest guy to not make Enzo’s definitive group. First three would be my starters. Doris has to play.
SH: Cooney, Murray, Blade – self explanatory.
OH: Sexton, Ross Byrne, Burns – JS is still our best ten by miles, until Harry Byrne takes the shirt off him. Carbery would be ahead of Burns (definitely) and Byrne (probably? maybe? maybe not, actually) if fit. I’m as surprised as anyone to be pencilling in Billy Burns and, if Carty wasn’t playing like shit and Hanrahan was a bit more fit, I’d probably not have him.
CT: Ringrose, McCloskey, Henshaw, Aki – Chris Farrell and Luke Marshall are the unluckiest, maybe Tom Farrell too (injuries took away any chance he had). Ringrose is our best centre and my issue with him is that someone needs to tell him the expectation is that he’ll be the best in the world, or thereabouts, for the next few years so time to start playing like it. Given his form since the WC, maybe that conversation took place. McCloskey has been awesome for Ulster and, given we lack a massive carrier in the pick, I think should take the shirt. Henshaw however has been playing well. Aki is Aki, nearly always fit (an underrated quality) and solid.
B3: Stockdale, Larmour, Conway, Lowe, Addison – no Earls is the big news but he’s 32 and even if he wasn’t I’d not have him ahead of these guys. They all play wing and at least four play full back but, IMO, it’s Larmour at 15 with Addison behind him, while Stockdale and Conway are on the wings, although Lowe has to get some time there too.
Chimpie’s Scotland squad
LH: Dell? Bhatti? Sutherland? Our options here are un-good, none of whom are really first picks anywhere. would include Reid but he’s languishing in super-6 land. Need Kebble to qualify pronto.
Hooker: Brown, McInally, Turner. In that order currently although Rambo & Brown are pretty much interchangeable.
TH: Z-Fags, Nel, Bergs. zander has been on good form of late. Wullie can still scrum but otherwise looks a little off the pace.
Lock: Gray (smaller), Cummins, Gilchrist & Toolis. Skinner may be back up to speed soon in which case I’d have him in, no real idea what larger Gray is up to. if on form I’d include him.
Back row: Bradbury, Ritchie, Watson, M-Fags, Thomson. I’m sure Toonie will add Wilson. I’d have Crosbie in there too.
SH: Price, Horne, errr….. Pyrgos? Not much else in the cupboard really. SHC is odd-jobbing in France. Shiel looks good but hasn’t had may pro starts. Glasgow appear to have unearthed a fetus of potentially great talent but bit early to tell.
FH: Finn, Hastings. Behind that the cupboard is somewhat bare. I’d give Weir a chance, but others seem to think Horne is a 10. Yes he can do a brief job there but he’s not an international 10.
Centre. Jones, Scott, Hutchinson, Taylor, Johnson, Bennett, Harris all in the mix, could be a contentious area. They’re all regular starters, difficult to know who to leave out. would personally cut to Jones, Scott, Hutch & Taylor but who knows. Horne will probably make it.
Back 3: Hogg, Graham, Maitland, Kinghorn, McGuigan
Yosoy’s Wales squad
LH: Wyn Jones, Carré, Evans – Smith sucks so doesn’t make the cut, Carré can’t get a game, Evans is miles off last year’s form and Wyn Jones is serviceable. Overall rating: weak
Hooker: Ken, Dee, Elias – fine. Overall rating: tidy
TH: Dillz, Brown, WillGriff John – Guess work here as WG John is getting talked up and I only remember him as a powder puff scrummager that was Scott Andrews-lite. Dillz has played once since the RWC, Fatty Francis is too fat to play (injured, truthfully) and Brown is an awful technician in the tight. Overall rating: piss weak
Locks: President Jones, Beard, Ball, BAILLCH (British and Irish Lions Legend Cory Hill) – fine, same bunch as last year. Overall rating: half-tidy
Back row: Taulupe, Wainwright, Tipuric, Navidi, Shingler, Moriarty, Griffiths – Pivac is picking Shingler whether Iksy likes it or not. The starters should be Taulupe, Wainwright + 1. If they’re going to pick an 8th ‘rower, then pick Basham who’s a proper hard twonk. Griffiths makes Warburton look durable but Pivac was talking him up so…. overall rating: better than 10 Superbowls. Better than 19 Superbowls if Ellis comes back okay next season
SH: Tomos, Davies, G & whoever. Don’t care. Pick Tomos and sit back. overall rating: tidy
The Tenz: Everyone loves Dan Biggar, Jarrod, Sam Davies – not great. Can’t really play Turkball with Biggar, can’t trust Jarrod. overall rating: worrying
Centrez: Parkesy and whoever else is standing. Probably Scott Williams, Watkin will make some of the 6N. Too early for Benny T. Tyler Morgan looks done, wouldn’t surprise me to see Adams play 13 v Italy. overall rating: let’s not talk about it
Wingz: Adams, North, Lane Train, McTurkle, Amos Exprezz – overall rating: choo choo
FB: Halfpenny, Liam might be fit? – overall rating: good to tidy
MisterIks begs to differ in some respects.
Further reading
Chimpie’s synopsis of the Pro-Woo standings
Yosoy on Alun Wyn Jones and the woeful state of the Ospreys
Tichtheid on the Scottish looseheid predicament
On the telly this week
Friday 10th January
| Bath 19 – 25 Harlequins | 19:45 | BT Sport 2 |
| La Rochelle 30 – 23 Sale | 19:45 | BT Sport 3 |
Saturday 11th January
| Bordeaux 32 – 17 Edinburgh | 12:45 | epcrugby.com |
| Ospreys 15 – 22 Saracens | 13:00 | Channel 4 / BT Sport 2 |
| Clermont 29 – 13 Ulster | 13:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Calvisano 19 – 47 Pau | 13:30 | epcrugby.com |
| Castres 42 – 14 Dragons | 14:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Agen 24 – 52 Wasps | 14:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Stade Français-24 – 29 Zebre | 14:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Worcester 66 – 10 Enisei-STM | 15:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Bristol 52 – 3 Brive | 15:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Glasgow 31 – 31 Exeter | 15:15 | BT Sport 2 |
| Connacht 7 – 21 Toulouse | 15:15 | BT Sport 3 |
| Bayonne 27 – 10 London Irish | 16:00 | epcrugby.com |
| Gloucester 29 – 6 Montpellier | 17:30 | BT Sport 2 |
| Scarlets 15 – 27 Toulon | 20:00 | S4C / BT Sport 2 |
Sunday 12th January
| Northampton 33 – 20 Treviso | 13:00 | BT Sport 2 |
| Leinster 42 – 14 Lyon | 13:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Racing 92 39 – 22 Munster | 15:15 | BT Sport 2 |
| Leicester 30 – 20 Cardiff | 15:15 | epcrugby.com |
Ovally Balls 
No Gav.
LikeLike
Worst Welsh squad since 1988.
LikeLike
Crazy to pick Gav in the backrow.
LikeLike
1998 rather.
LikeLike
Will now-a-legend Boyde
Josh McCloud
Adam Warren
Surprised at no Basham
LikeLike
Pivac’s worst. No, second worst.
LikeLike
Anyone know what a toenailed hamstring injury is?
It sounds awful from the name – James Lang has this, apparently
LikeLike
Something to do with this?
https://www.fl-exercise.com/stretching-hamstrings-and-painting-toenails/
LikeLike
Ha!
It was a typo – it should have been torn hamstring.
Thank dog for that, I had all sorts of horrific images in my head there
LikeLike
M-fags fractured rib apparently. gray the larger, Thomson & Lang (?) also missing out on consideration through injury
LikeLike
torn hamstring. Ouch
LikeLike
Shameful Turk bias.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yos, if Hoggy keeps the shades on no one will know who he is
LikeLiked by 1 person
I just want Ireland to hurry up and announce Dave Kearney in their squad.
God, just give me a sign!
LikeLike
@Yosoy – your prayers are answered
Forwards (19):
Max Deegan (Lansdowne/Leinster) 0 caps
Caelan Doris (UCD/Leinster) 0 caps
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht) 14 caps
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster) 41 caps
Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster) 95 caps
Dave Heffernan (Buccaneers/Connacht) 1 cap
Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster) 53 caps
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 8 caps
Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster) 0 caps
Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 36 caps
Jack McGrath (St Mary’s College/Ulster) 56 caps
Jack O’Donoghue (UL Bohemians/Munster) 2 caps
Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) 64 caps
Tom O’Toole (Banbridge/Ulster) 0 caps
Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster) 23 caps
James Ryan (UCD/Leinster) 23 caps
CJ Stander (Shannon/Munster) 38 caps
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 67 caps
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster) 23 caps
Backs (16):
Will Addison (Enniskillen/Ulster) 4 caps
Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht) 23 caps
Billy Burns (Ulster) 0 caps
Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster) 3 caps
Andrew Conway (Garryowen/Munster) 18 caps
John Cooney (Terenure College/Ulster) 8 caps
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster) 82 caps
Chris Farrell (Young Munster/Munster) 9 caps
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster) 40 caps
Dave Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster) 19 caps
Jordan Larmour (St Mary’s College/Leinster) 21 caps
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster) 19 caps
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 78 caps
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) 28 caps
Jonathan Sexton (St Marys College/Leinster) 88 caps CAPTAIN
Jacob Stockdale (Lurgan/Ulster) 25 caps
LikeLike
Points of interest (Dave Kearney aside):
Deegan and Doris in , Dillane returns, Ronan Kelleher in as hooker, Jack O’Donoghue in, Cooney in (natch), Toner returns….
Out – Niall Scannell, Jean Kleyn
LikeLike
Best proof I’ve had thus far that there is a God.
LikeLike
Sexton captain – fine, but what happens after he leaves the pitch?
LikeLike
Rodney Parade is like an Elephants Graveyard for handsome rugby players that Pivac dare not look in the eye. Players like TMHMIR™️, Basham, Griffiths.
Pivac obviously prefers to linger in the brighter and more simplistic fields of England to find players, presumably because the overnight hotel stay on expenses is more posh and agreeable.
Justice for The Valleys! And Newport Even!
LikeLike
I can jog alongside the benefit of the doubt for those English lads I never heard of.
But please spare me turning it all around again for Shingler, Williams and Holmes.
LikeLike
The Williams pick is to entice him back home. His contract is up at the end of the season and he’ll have to return if he wants a sniff of test rugby. Probably Holmes too, to a lesser extent.
Shingler, well, every coach needs a pet. Gatland spent long enough picking Jon Thomas (even at lock) and Scott Baldwin, so I’m not too upset about it.
LikeLike
3 week ban for Rhys Carre, which is the same as almost every ban these days.. Good biscuits by all accounts.
Misses only the Italy match.
LikeLike
Ireland Vs West Indies T20 international.
Ireland are 124-0 after 9 overs.
LikeLike
*Anxiously refreshes to make sure I don’t miss seeing the score*
Hmmm. No score for a while. Are they at tea?
LikeLike
Ireland got 208 from their 20 overs.
WI 33-0 after 3 overs
LikeLike
Phew!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Callum Gibbins got two weeks, I think he is fortunate in that, but equally it’s not right that the actions of the Exeter loosehead weren’t looked at.
LikeLike
The Tories have come out with a brilliant idea to cut delays at A&E – they are scrapping the targets.
Genius.
LikeLike
Ireland beat WI by 4 runs. Great game.
LikeLike
About to watch some RugbyX on YouTube…
LikeLike
For something that’s trying to sell itself as non-stop action, rugby without the boring bits, there are a lot of stoppages.
LikeLike
Yeah, but did Ireland beat the West Indies this time?
LikeLike
There is something wrong or odd when there is more snow in Vancouver than here;
LikeLike
Snowexit! Reminds of a trip to Nigeria about 10 years ago. I was sitting in a clients’ office chatting and he asked me how Joburg was doing. It was September, so beginning of spring. When i said it was snowing he burst out laughing. When I showed him the pictures he was incredulous. We get snow here in Joburg every 15 or so years, usually lasts for a day and disappears, but it’s always a fun spectacle. It’s a bit like Scotland and the Calcutta Cup, in retrospect.
LikeLike
It’s a bit like Scotland and the Calcutta Cup, in retrospect.
That was a bit below the belt for this time of the morning. Please don’t read it until later.
LikeLike
Deebee out!
LikeLike
Would rather it was Crawley and Sibley out, but htey’ve started calmly enough by the looks of it. England to win this Test by an Innings.
LikeLike
When did Billy Burns become Irish?
LikeLike
Morning all.
Whilst I’ve been away on shared parental leave I’ve turned 40, my eyes have packed up and now need glasses and have been toying with vegetarianism.
Totally not up to speed with the rugby having got pissed off with BT and cancelled my subscription.
Im guessing Saints are still shit and the Irish have things sewn up already in the eurocup and massive favourites for the 6N?
The baby survived by the way. Not a single injury and continuing to grow. I’m calling that success.
Im broken.
LikeLiked by 10 people
Good survival skillz Dova!
LikeLike
Saints second in the premiereship, Dov.
England (AKA world cup semi finalists and ball-sack conquerors) massive favourites for the 6N.
Things are looking up.
LikeLike
Babies are hard work. Seems a bit of a design flaw.
LikeLike
semi-finalists? Must be right as I dont remember there being a an actual final.
We’ve peaked. The premiership will have ruined all our players again and EJ doesn’t have the same time he had to get us right. Must be a poor standard domestically this year with Saints that high up the table. Sarries ‘troubles’ are definitely a massive negative. Idiots.
Cricket going well eh deebs?
LikeLiked by 1 person
In all honesty chimpie it was easier by a long way than going to work. And much more enjoyable., I’d have no hesitation at all in becoming a full time house husband if only we could afford it. It would have been lovely to do it during the summer months but we messed the timing up a bit there.
LikeLike
Good stuff Dov.
For what it’s worth, I recently renewed my Virgin subscription, their broadband is excellent and I get that and tv plus BT Sport and the Premier Sports add on for £55 a month. I have to play a game of chicken every year whereby I phone to cancel because it’s about to go up to ninety odd quid per month after the contract runs out, they offer me a better deal and I say no, it’s still too much, so I cancel.
They then phone a couple of days later and offer me a much better deal, ie the one above, it’s about the same as you’d get as a new subscriber.
It’s still quite a lot but I don’t really spend any money on anything else, apart from the kids of course, they are really expensive!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have to play a game of chicken every year whereby I phone to cancel because it’s about to go up to ninety odd quid per month after the contract runs out, they offer me a better deal and I say no, it’s still too much, so I cancel.
I don’t mind doing that. I enjoy a good haggle.
I also play the cancellation game with Premier Sports. I’ve never paid more than £3.99 a month for it.
LikeLike
Cheers Ticht. I do need to consolidate all those tech bills. Was on the list of stuff to do while I was off but never got round to it for some reason.
LikeLike
Dammit. Finalists.
LikeLike
I meant
LikeLike
Still can’t believe that final. We may well have lost anyway but there were serious selection and tactical errors.
I still have a text I sent to my dad the night before the game saying i was worried about our scrum and midfield defence given our selection. Stupid rugby.
LikeLike