Westie wrote: Harry Byrne
back up 10 . . anyone ?

He has a far higher ceiling than his brother he will not be let go by Leinster.

Harry Byrne
back up 10 . . anyone ?

connachta wrote:

Accidentally Onside wrote: After last night I think we really need to improve our quality on the wing, Benneton were making serious ground whenever they got it wide. I think we have a solid core of back 3 players but we could do with a real standout, someone who could come in and make the sort of difference Bundee did to our midfield.

Exactly! that's why I listed a marquee NIQ signing. + our age profile goes this way on the wing.
Fitzgerald, Niyi, Healy Leader TOH are all good players, we need a talisman profile among them

The ground Benetton made on the wing was entirely as a result of our defensive shape. They got numbers ready out there each time but we stuck to our planned shape rather than reacting to their attacking strategy. We kept people in the back field in case of kicks into that space
Perhaps the forwards could have slid out to defend the fringes more quickly but this was not due to player errors rather weakness in the defensive system

Accidentally Onside wrote: After last night I think we really need to improve our quality on the wing, Benneton were making serious ground whenever they got it wide. I think we have a solid core of back 3 players but we could do with a real standout, someone who could come in and make the sort of difference Bundee did to our midfield.

Exactly! that's why I listed a marquee NIQ signing. + our age profile goes this way on the wing.
Fitzgerald, Niyi, Healy Leader TOH are all good players, we need a talisman profile among them

After last night I think we really need to improve our quality on the wing, Benneton were making serious ground whenever they got it wide. I think we have a solid core of back 3 players but we could do with a real standout, someone who could come in and make the sort of difference Bundee did to our midfield.

connachta wrote: So as it stands IMO, and with my own picking order

44-man squad if we play Champions Cup

Props (7)
Buckley, McAllister, Burke

Marquee NIQ TH, Bealham, Robertson-McCoy,

O'Donnell (covering both sides)

Hookers (4)
Delahunt, Heffernan, Donnellan/McGuigan, McCartney

Locks (6)
Thornbury, Dillane, Roux, IQ (Dave Foley/Jerry Sexton/Joe Joyce/Mick Kearney/Frank Bradshaw-Ryan), Gallagher, Maksymiew

Back-row (7)
Fainga’a, Boyle, Butler, O'Brien, McKeon, Copeland, Masterson

SH (4)
Marmion, Blade, NIQ or Charlie Mulchrone, Kerrins

OH (4)
Carty, Sheedy/Connon, C.Fitzgerald, Horwitz

Centres (5+Horwitz)
Aki, Farrell, Daly, Godwin, Newey

Back-3 (7)
Marquee NIQ, S.Fitzgerald, Leader, TOH, Niyi, Healy, IQ (A.Byrne/O'Meara/Scanlon/Lydon/Aaron O'Sullivan)

Still happy with my squad.
Seeing what Carty does and Sheedy under contract, I think we should target a short-term marquee NIQ 10 from the Austral part (à la Lealifano), during RWC.
But with Godwin and Horwitz, hard to see IRFU allowing it, except if the latter is released

The recovery from the chip through was a thing of beauty.

Must say after tonight's Treviso game, I think Jack Carty must be the most improved player in the Pro 14.
That 20 minute cameo tonight was something else.

salmson wrote: Thought Stephen Fitzgerald's loan was only 3 months but obviously I was wrong - he's been added to our Challenge Cup squad along with Tom Daly.

From what I read, it was 3 months initially, and has been extended

Thought Stephen Fitzgerald's loan was only 3 months but obviously I was wrong - he's been added to our Challenge Cup squad along with Tom Daly.

connachta wrote: overall i agree it's a possibility but he was guilty on the only Ospreys try, charged down so not that used to clear out...

I'll pick you up on that one - there were only two blockers in the line (should have been at least three) and none of them were showing any animation to receive the ball (and force the Ospreys players to consider/cover a possible carry). Carolan specifically called out the lack of an "escort" as the cause of the try when he was interviewed at half time.

I wouldn't be hugely excited to see him starting the big games at 10, but with Aki and Farrell in the centre it gives us a great option at 22 so we can have total coverage in the backs with a back 3 player at 23.

overall i agree it's a possibility but he was guilty on the only Ospreys try, charged down so not that used to clear out...

connachta wrote: That's been 10 years we're looking for backup 10...

Agreed. But hopefully that's solved with the display Godwin gave against Ospreys - I know you can't judge anyone on one game, but he has experience of the role at top level and to be honest he was excellent against Ospreys.
I'd have confidence in seeing him at 10

That's been 10 years we're looking for backup 10...

it's back 3 players and a back-up 10 we need not ex-Munster back row players who wouldn't improve us in a strong area.