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Six Nations Preview - Ireland

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posted on 25/1/12

SARS mate

This is inspired!
" Whilst I doubt O'Driscoll's absence will effect Ireland themselves it is possible Irish fans don't appear to understand the psychological effect on the other teams of perhaps their greatest tormentor - you could put a wig on Gareth Chilcott, whack him in the number 13 jersey and put "B O'Driscoll" on the team sheet and it would be worth 7 points on its own."

I have never thought about it that way before and to be fair its rather obvious, even without the ball the opposing defences are so often caught out watching what Brian is doing, covering him or at least attempting to do so.

For me its a toss up. Just yesterday Declan Kidney was quoted saying this after it was confirmed that Brian will not be playing any part in the team, not in the back room or carrying water like we so often see him do for Leinster and indeed Ireland in the past when injured.

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DK: “You don’t lose one of the best players in the world and it not have an effect on and off pitch.”

“He’s given everything to the team – and in future he’ll do so again. He knows someone has to come in and fill that 13 shirt, (and) sometimes by having him around that would make it harder.”
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Leinster have been used to dealing with his absence more often then not so they have coped well and kicked on but Ireland have never been without him for a 6 nations since he played his first in 1999. I dont know how we will cope. And if i go on previous times when he was missing for one game we usually lost.

I believe DK has got to choose Fergus McFadden at 13 or someone from leinster as its a unit that should not be a newly formed partnership but one which has had time to develop properly in leinster.

Earls on the left wing, bowe on the right and Kearney at FB. A young but experienced and talented back line.

We can't expect Sean O'Brian and Jamie Heaslip to do all our work for us, but if we lok at the players we have from 1 to 15 the team is not nearly as old as it would first appear. Looks like the old chestnut of ireland being old is a little over estimated: Our starting 15 are below. Most are mid 20's or below.
And a few are 30 give or take.

Healy
Cronin
Ross
DOC
POC
Ferris
O'Brian
Heaslip
Murray
Sexton
Earls
D'Arcy
McFadden
Bowe
Kearney

posted on 25/1/12

Actually take the youngster cronin out and insert Best.

I will take Experience and skill of Best over youth and exuberance

Also DOC is likly to be on the bench with another youngster coming in to replace him at Munster.

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