Here at Whiff of Cordite we’re monitoring the performance of Ireland’s multitude of nearly-good scrum halves with interest. Last weekend we had arguably Reddan’s worst performance of the season followed by a high class cameo from Isaac Boss.
It’s with some dismay that we noted the team selection for Munster’s game against Connacht this weekend. Banished from the 23 is Conor Murray, as old Slow Pass is recalled following recovery from a bizarre eye-injury. Now, worry not, Whiff of Cordite doesn’t buy into the mega-hype surrounding the latest Munster player to put two decent Magners League games together, but we were rather impressed with Murray’s mixture of physicality, wristy pass and skyscraping box kicks. And we’re still trying to work out exactly what it is that makes O’Leary so attractive to both his provincial and international manager. No doubt Uncle Deccie will be delighted – as the Grauniad observed, it will take a crane to get him out of the Ireland team.
The pity is that Murray isn’t even on the bench. It seems McGahan still sees Stringer as the man to launch for the final quarter, in spite of the fact that his game is looking frail these days: witness his awful pass to Rog in trying to set up a winning drop goal against the Ospreys recently.
We had Murray down as a World Cup bolter, but this is a setback for his chances. Our current forecast is O’Leary, Reddan and Stringer to travel to New Zealand. Our panel would be Reddan, Boss, Murray.
Whiff of Cordite 
Brendan
/ May 5, 2011Good points raised, I think the call to play TOL has come from Irish management. If TOL could get back his 2009 form he is Irelands number 1 scrum half. However I also think there is a trade off between dropping a young player in great form for a half fit scrum half who has been playing poorly for a year in the hope he gets his form back. Munster and Ireland have got this one horribly wrong I feel.On a side note interesting to know what WOC thinks about the Ireland fly half situation and in particular what role Paddy Wallace, if any, should play in regards to it.
Egg Chaser
/ May 5, 2011Paddy Wallace is an oft-lamented topic here at WoC.He is undoubtedly one of the best distributing 12s around, and he smoothly knits together the Ulster backline.However! This is the 3rd RWC where he will be going as a 10-but-not-really. He hasn't had a huge degree of luck in terms of getting a run in the Ireland team, and is perhaps suffering for appearing versatile. The reality is, that while he was shuffled between 10, 12 and 15 for the first few years of his career, he is an out-and-out 12. And a proper alternative to Dorce.What a pity that Deccie rates his half-time oranges better than his footballing ability.