Ireland get back into 6 Nations action on Saturday afternoon in Cardiff where they face Wales who are bottom of the table heading into Round 3. Matt Sherratt is the interim head coach taking over from Warren Gatland who was let go last week. Sherratt has brought in a number of players to prepare for the game this weekend.
Ireland have assembled a 40 man squad with another squad of 29 preparing for the A international in Bristol next Sunday where they face England A. Ireland have brought in the likes of Diarmuid Mangan, Gavin Coombes and John Hodnett to the main squad.
There are question marks over the availability of the likes of Caelan Doris, Ronan Kelleher with Ulster players Iain Henderson and Cormac Izuchukwu already ruled out through injury. Ireland will have replacements in mind where men like Gus Mc Carthy will step in to take the place of Ronan Kelleher is ruled out through injury.
The Emerging Ireland Tour of 2022 and late 2024 are now coming into focus which has given us another group of potential internationals to call upon. The A international will do similar even if it is only the one game this year.
The age profile of the Ireland squad has been a topic for discussion in recent weeks where a number of the current 23 is over 30. Ireland will have to develop that next group and the tour next summer will help that development continue.
We do have a number of players over 30 but it is surely the job of the next generation to push on and force the hand of the coaches at provincial and national level to pick them rather than those players aged over 30…
The lack of depth at scrum half has also been questioned but those few that spoke of that issue didn’t seem to see the likes of Craig Casey who is currently sidelined, Matthew Devine of Connacht, Ben Murphy of Connacht and Ulster’s Nathan Doak.
So the supposed lack of depth at scrum half doesn’t look as bad when you sit back and take note of the options. All of these men played recently with the Ireland Under 20s.
Amazing when you sit back and take actual note of the options you see there is plenty of choice to step in if Jamison Gibson Park, Conor Murray or Caolan Blade are ruled out through injury. Simon Easterby will know he will need to get another level of performance from Ireland and also make sure that his selected 23 won’t be complacent.
This game can’t and shouldn’t be taken lightly, yes Welsh rugby is at a low point at the moment but this weekend is ripe for an ambush if the level of the Welsh performance can go up a few notches from the two previous rounds.
Ireland have started strongly in the games vs England and Scotland and will want to do the same on Saturday. Training will be very competitive this week given you have the A squad in preparing for their own game against England A in Bristol.
As I mention, Ireland A under head coach Mike Prendergast will face England A on Sunday at 1pm which is live on RugbyPass. Plenty of guys in that 29 man squad will be looking to put their best foot forward to the senior coaches. Three good games to whet the appetite, the Under 20s will be looking for a second win of the when they face Wales. All roads lead to Wales this weekend with a pit stop in Bristol on Sunday….