After Wales Online fired the first few shots with their combined Ireland/Wales team, we thought we'd fight back and have our own slightly biased view of the situation.
I'd probably pick 5 or 6 Irish in a combined Welsh Irish team.
— Andy Howell (@andyhowellsport) March 1, 2015
So, after getting out a coin for a few selections, here is the Balls.ie Ireland/Wales composite Team:
15. Rob Kearney
It is always going to be a close call between Kearney and Halfpenny. The main difference between the two players is Halfpenny's exceptional goalkicking. Both are very secure at fullback, but Kearney's added aerial ability gives him the nod.
14. Tommy Bowe
Instead of picking between two right wingers, I'm going to select the best two wingers between the two countries. Making this choice a lot easier. Bowe has consistently proven for the last six ish years that he is one of the best wingers in world rugby.
13. Brian O'Driscoll Robbie Henshaw
I still can't believe Gatland choose to select the over-rated Jonathan Davies instead of Brian O'Driscoll in the third Lions test.
We jest.
Robbie Henshaw is a better player that Davies. He may not be as strong, but has more pace, footwork and can pass a ball; and has demonstrated his defensive prowess this Six Nations.
12. Jamie Roberts
Can you imagine the partnership between Jamie Roberts and Robbie Henshaw? Roberts is given a lot of credit for his strength and ball carrying ability, but retains the potential to play a little ball aswell.
11. George North
Possibly one of the two best wingers in World Rugby, and at 22 years of age he has more caps than the World Record holder Brian O'Driscoll (141) and the highest capped active player Richie McCaw (134) combined when they were his age. How scary is that?
10. Johnny Sexton
No debate on this one. Dan Biggar is an adequate international out-half but Sexton is at another level.
9. Conor Murray
Conor Murray was perhaps a tad lucky to make the 2013 Lions squad, but ended the series extremely unlucky not to be the starting test scrumhalf. His improvement in the last two years has been remarkable to the extent that these sort of claims are being made by respected rugby folk.
1. Cian Healy
It's perhaps unfair to compare the improving Jack McGrath to two time Irish and British Lion Gethin Jenkins. McGrath may win that selection in coming years, but it's not one I'm willing to make at the moment. I am however, prepared to suggest that Cian Healy is in the conversation for one of the world's best loosehead, while I can't say the same about Jenkins. Therefore Church gets the spot.
2. Rory Best
Rory Best is unfairly treated by the UK media and isn't rated as highly by others as he is by those on this island. Which is strange given his scrummaging prowess, his outstanding workrate, and brilliant breakdown ability. Sure he suffers from the occasional lineout mistake, but he is head and shoulders above every other hooker in international Northern Hemisphere rugby.
3. Samson Lee
This may seem like a strange call given that Lee hasn't even played against Ireland yet. But this 22 year old tighthead is the real deal, and unfortunately for Ireland, will only get better over the next ten plus years. He has beasted the formidable South African and French scrums in the last six months, and Jack McGrath/Cian Healy will need to be on their best to achieve parity with him at scrumtime.
4. Alun Wyn Jones
The fantastic 29 year old Welsh lock seems to have been around for ages. He is currently in one of the best streaks of form of his career and will be a force for Toner and O'Connell to negate in nine days time.
5. Paul O'Connell
If I weren't to include Paul O'Connell, I wouldn't be welcome in Ireland. It's a no brainer.
6. Peter O'Mahony
It's easy to forget that O'Mahony is only 25. Think of how good he can get. I'd be frightened if he wasn't playing in green.
7. Sam Warburton
Choosing between Sam Warburton and Sean O'Brien is like choosing between a €12 million payout or 12 €1million installments. Therefore I made this choice...
8. Sean O'Brien
Jamie Heaslip is the unfortunate loser in this scenario, but Sean O'Brien needs to be in the squad somewhere. The Tullow Tank is something special, and both he and Warburton are contenders for World XVs.
So there we are, we started giving out when they only picked six Irish players. And now we've gone and picked ten. It was always going to be a bit biased but have we been overly harsh on anyone, Welsh or Irish?
