McCloskey's Ireland RWC training squad omission branded 'absolute joke'
After Ireland coach Joe Schmidt announced his 44-man World Cup training squad today, fans cannot understand how Stuart McCloskey has not made the cut.
The Ulsterman had only recently made it into the Pro14 Dream Team, but failed to earn a place amongst Leinster’s Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose, Munster’s Chris Farrell and Rory Scannell and Connacht’s Bundee Aki.
Other notable names that have missed out are Ulster’s Will Addison and Connacht’s Quin Roux, but McCloskey’s exclusion seems to be causing the most uproar on social media.
The 6ft 4 centre has only three caps to his name, all under Schmidt, with his last appearance coming in the Autumn against the USA. The New Zealander has clearly not taken to the 26-year-old, preferring Aki and Henshaw ahead of him. The powerful centre plays a similar game to Aki, with Schmidt clearly feeling there is no role in the team for the Ulsterman.
This has been suspected by Ireland fans for a long time, but the fact that McCloskey has just finished a superb season with Ulster may have been persuasion enough to be included into the fairly sizeable squad. However, he still has not done enough, and many fans have been left baffled. This is what they have said:
No Stuart McCloskey ???
— Gav (@GavStew99) May 28, 2019
No McCloskey, fresh off inclusion in the pro14 dream team and had a great season. Madness when you look at some who have been included.
— Adam James (@atjames88) May 28, 2019
Where’s McCloskey!?
— Rory Henry (@rory_henry_) May 28, 2019
Mental that Stu McCloskey can be left out after another standout season for Ulster. ???
— Mark Best (@Besty06) May 28, 2019
Can’t believe no Stuart McCloskey !
— Gary Killen (@KillenGary) May 28, 2019
Rory Scannell picked ahead of Tom Farrell and Stu McCloskey. ? https://t.co/ULPQDUGbu2
— Mark Gordon (@thegord001) May 28, 2019
No Stuart McCloskey is odd..been in tremendous form for Ulster.
— Dylan Carleton (@dylancarleton84) May 28, 2019
Stuart McCloskey good enough for the PRO 14 team of the year not good enough for a 44 man Ireland training squad.
— Chris McCann (@canntoya) May 28, 2019
No Stuart mccloskey on the ireland wc training squad yet there is space for Dave Kearney is an absolute joke
— Connor Hart (@connorhart99) May 28, 2019
Laughable
— darkside lightside (@ds_ls) May 28, 2019
I could understand, but perhaps not agree, with him not making a squad of 31 but to not include him in a squad of 44 is laughable. His performances for Ulster this season have been brilliant and him, along with Coetzee, have been at the heart of Ulster’s improvement this year.
— Richard Tanswell (@richardt84) May 28, 2019
While McCloskey has been bitterly unlucky here, this is an indication of the strength in depth when it comes to Ireland’s centres. Aki, Henshaw and Ringrose in particular are three players that all deserve a starting berth in green, but one will inevitably miss out.
The reality is, as it is in all sport, some players simply do not fit a coach’s style of play or vision, and unfortunately for McCloskey, he looks like one player that cannot impress Schmidt. He will be looking forward to next season, where he will hope to curry favour with the incoming Andy Farrell.
A bad day appeared to get worse for the McCloskey, who tweeted about a lost wallet shortly after the squad announcement.
If people could retweet that would also be great ??
— stuart mccloskey (@Stuart_Mc12) May 28, 2019
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments