JARED FEELS MCCLOSKEY’S PAYNE
Ulster v Zebre Saturday, 7.35pm
JARED PAYNE says the fact Stuart Mccloskey isn’t part of Ireland’s Six Nations plans shows the “awesome” centre options at Joe Schmidt’s disposal.
Mccloskey has been a key performer for Ulster this season and dotted down for a try on his 100th club appearance in Friday’s 8-0 win at Ospreys.
But the 26-year-old, who won the last of his three caps against the USA in November, has found himself down the pecking order. Connacht’s Bundee Aki and classy Leinster ace Garry Ringrose started Ireland’s defeat to England, while Aki and Chris Farrell were paired at Murrayfield. With Ringrose ruled out of Sunday’s trip to Italy through injury, Schmidt can call upon the likes of Robbie Henshaw who yesterday signed a new threeyear deal with the IRFU.
With Connacht’s Tom Farrell, who has been named in Ireland’s latest 34-man squad, and Mccloskey’s Ulster team-mate Will Addison also in the frame, it’s a crowded field. Legendary former Irish centre Brian O’driscoll has declared his old position “in rude health” and Payne (left), who won 20 Ireland caps at centre before retiring last year, agrees.
“It’s awesome and it’s an area that’s pretty strong,” he said.
“You have big names in there and some guys in the provinces who are also bloody good. Thank God they weren’t there when I was playing or I wouldn’t have got playing too often.
“Where Ireland would have lost a couple of centres in the past and been struggling, now they have guys who step in and take the jersey away from the people in them.”