Team for Irish

[Peej]

So what do we think? Does Oghre come in to give us a bit more breakdown presence? Will Youngs make it? Will Rowlands be released? I'd be tempted to stat Harris, but think we'll need Westy's better scrummaging with J T-A starting.

[Shugs]

Assuming Young doesn't make it I'd go with.

West
Cruse
JTA
Gaskell
Douglas
Shields
Morris
Vailanu
Wolstenholme (assuming fit)
Gopperth
Bassett
Le Bourgeois
Fekitoa
Kibirige
Miller

Harris
Taylor
Thomas
Cardall
Willis
Vellacott
Minozzi
Umaga

[HDAWG]

Assuming Young doesn't make it I'd go with.

West
Cruse
JTA
Gaskell
Douglas
Shields
Morris
Vailanu
Wolstenholme (assuming fit)
Gopperth
Bassett
Le Bourgeois
Fekitoa
Kibirige
Miller

Harris
Taylor
Thomas
Cardall
Willis
Vellacott
Minozzi
Umaga

Definitely apprehensive about Gopperth at 10. Combination of few rests + he's not really that good at fly half as of late.

[Horusthewasp]

Assuming Young doesn't make it I'd go with.

West
Cruse
JTA
Gaskell
Douglas
Shields
Morris
Vailanu
Wolstenholme (assuming fit)
Gopperth
Bassett
Le Bourgeois
Fekitoa
Kibirige
Miller

Harris
Taylor
Thomas
Cardall
Willis
Vellacott
Minozzi
Umaga

I’d start Harris over West. Atkinson worries me but so does moving Gopperth to fly half. Wolstenholme is out injured until mid-March so I expect Umaga to start and Vellacot on the bench (Porter is back training but it might be too early for him to be in contention). Poor Schwarz only got subbed on last week when the clock went red so difficult to judge.

I see you’ve gone for an ‘impact’ bench for our forwards but given how Irish punished Bristol last week when Lam pulled his key players too early, I do worry that Irish could penalise us early if we don’t start strong from the 1st whistle. Doesn’t help that we have a tendency to allow opposition to build big leads at the start.

[Shugs]

With Wolstenholme injured then I think it will be Vellacott at 9 with Schwarz on bench. Yes, was a bit nervous putting Jimmy at 10. I think we'll need the physicality of Le Bourgeois and Fekitoa in the centre so it may be a chance to give him a rest. I'd stick Umaga back in in that case with Atkinson to bench. For what it's worth I expect Blackett to stick with Atkinson.