Former Ireland International Wants Lion To Be Dropped For Leinster Star In November

Joe Schmidt has some big decisions to make.

There’s absolutely no doubt Jack Conan is a phenomenal athlete and a future star. The back-row has been handed the Leinster number eight jersey in the absence of Jamie Heaslip, and has taken the opportunity with both hands.

Another man who took his chance in Heaslip’s absence was Peter O’Mahony with Ireland. The Munster forward shone against England, in a game that ultimately led to him being selected and asked to captain the Lions in the first Test against the All Blacks.

Former Ireland international Tony Ward however, reckons Conan should usurp Heaslip at international level as well as club level, at the expense of Peter O’Mahony. Writing in his regular column for the Independent, Ward wants to see Stander, O’Brien and Conan in Ireland’s back-row for the November series.

(Jack) Conan’s time is here and with the greatest of respect to Jamie Heaslip and CJ Stander, Conan should be packing down in the middle of the Irish back-row against the Springboks and Pumas come November.
Indeed in some ways picking the back-row at Leinster is going to be more difficult than doing so for Ireland. At this distance it would be Stander at No 6, Sean O’Brien 7 and Conan at 8 for me in green.

What do you think? What back-row should Schmidt field come November?

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