We are spoilt for choice so there’s going to be a fight.
At present, Ireland is blessed with a heap of fit back-rows and are hitting top form in time for the November Series [and the super extra bonus Test against New Zealand, in Chicago].
Peter O’Mahony came roaring back for Munster after a 40-minute return against Leinster, Iain Henderson is doing a fine job for Ulster at blindside, Tommy O’Donnell and CJ Stander have well and truly hit their straps, the Connacht back row [McKeon-Heenan-Muldoon] are flying and Leinster have about 463 back-rows to choose from.
Joe Schmidt will assemble his Ireland squad in Carton House over the weekend before they fly out for Chicago and a week-long stay at Trump Towers.
We took a dart at predicting the Ireland team to face New Zealand at Soldier Field and our back-row looked like this: Peter O’Mahony, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip.
It may not be the back row we would select but it feels like the most likely. O’Mahony and Heaslip are shoe-ins so that leaves openside. Candidates for the No.7 jersey are O’Brien, O’Donnell, Stander, Josh van der Flier, Jordi Murphy and the newly qualified Jake Heenan.
By leaving Stander out of our predicted Ireland XV, we copped some almighty flak. Here’s a sample of our Facebook comments:
- ‘Can’t have a form XV without Stander in it.’
- ‘Stander has to be in.’
- ‘No stander don’t make me laugh!!!!!!’
Don’t get me wrong, I would love to accommodate Stander but how in God’s name do you do it?
O’Mahony, fitness allowing, is Ireland’s World Cup 2019 captain. He is a natural born leader and brings an un-matchable ferocity and drive to his role. Heaslip is one of Schmidt’s most trusted lieutenants and ticks just about every box on the Kiwi’s lengthy checklist of player attributes.
Schmidt, like most coaches since 2010 on, selects O’Brien to start when he is fit and firing. The Carlow native may need to prove that by giving an hour of his best against Connacht at the weekend but it is hard to see him missing out on this November 5 game. If he does, Murphy and van der Flier have proved they are ready to step up.
Where does that leave Stander? He could be an impact sub – and a wrecking ball version at that – but my feeling is he is better suited to starting games.
I would go Stander-O’Mahony-Heaslip to take on the All Blacks and have O’Brien as the back row replacement. The only issue here – and it is a big one – is that I would be shifting two players from their provincial positions to make it work.
Schmidt has his hands full but that what he is getting his equitable wage for.
Whoever he picks, God help the Canadians the following weekend. There are going to be a slew of fired up back rowers with points to prove.
Colm Parkinson chats to Kerry GAA legend, and author, Kieran Donaghy in a special edition of The GAA Hour. Listen below or subscribe on iTunes
