Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

pickarooney

I've a 100% losing record of watching my team in the Velodrome. Hope to break that streak on Friday!

aloooof

Pretty happy with that squad and some interesting selections in there.

Biggest changes are Ryan dropping to the bench, and the 6-2 split. Not just Frawley, but Crowley's versatility also facilitating that. (And JGP has shown he's solid wing cover in the past)

McCarthy, Crowley and Nash all with their first 6 Nations starts, I think. Away in France doesn't get much more difficult, but excited to see how they all go.

Tommybojangles

Ah lads it's the most wonderful time of the year. Fukc that ould world cup. 😆

Can't wait

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121703177#Comment_121703177

i dont think crowley being versatile matters here though, frawley covers the same positions (arguably to a better standard) so it doesnt help that much. if it were say, ross byrne, on the bench it would be an asset though

Happyhouse22

Everyone mentioning Ryan dropping the bench, is it not Henderson that drops out or am I misremembering?

ersatz

Hendo/Ringrose out and Ryan benched is major news. Nash and Joe starting with Crowley at ten and it’s quite a refreshed team for the opener and biggest match of the comp as far as Ireland are concerned. I’d say France are hurt more than Ireland by exiting the WC at the 1/4 given that they were hosting. That’s both a failure and a confidence knocker. For Ireland the loss to NZ wasn’t a terrible performance so confidence should not be a problem. A lot rests on Crowley’s shoulders but he seems to be playing with a lot of balls and boldness. If we get a good start I can see us dominating them and France wobbling badly. Our bench is savage. A good start for them and maybe they handle us.

irelandrover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121703675#Comment_121703675

VDF isnt benched?

ersatz

Right, I edited.

Brief_Lives

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121703294#Comment_121703294

this is the best phrase on the thread for a long while...

Brief_Lives

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121703425#Comment_121703425

for the first time, an angry face isn't worth a starting spot.

Pete_Cavan

Ever since I saw this fixture, I was resigned to us losing. Looking at the two teams, I have a bit more faith in us winning. They are rightfully favourites but now I think our starting XV plus bench could potentially beat them.

Win, lose or draw, I don't think it matters a whole lot. A win would be a big boost but a loss away to a top team doesn't really matter (look at how SA didn't dwell on their defeats over the year before the WC). We are bringing in new players and have plenty of high potential youngsters who will be pushing for national selection over the next couple of years. I'd be more bothered if we don't win comfortably in our other 6N games than if we lose this one.

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121703924#Comment_121703924

England and Scotland will be tough, England away in particular. They came at us very strongly and rattled our game last year and without the red card it might have been much closer. They will be much improved.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121703425#Comment_121703425

It's both; Henderson out of the 23 and Ryan dropping to the bench.

Tho it was a bit unclear in the Scotland game, as Ryan had shipped an injury but Farrell declared him fit and Henderson started.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121701446#Comment_121701446

I think your wrong, they are professionals and the ability to handle disappointments is something that players at this level have learned to deal with a long time ago, if they were a pack of whingy overpaid madonna soccer players that would be different.

Also there has been enough change with Nienaber coming to Leinster to freshen things up, a change in voices in the dressing room with sexton retiring. If anything for Leinster and Ireland its the gap at 10 that will be a problem on the biggest days

lawrencesummers

If we do beat France on Friday night and beat them by outplaying them as opposed to benefiting from a red card or lucky bounce then it will mean Crowley has one firm hand on the 10 jersey.

You dont come out of a game like that without having your 10 performing

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704119#Comment_121704119

I'd suggest right now he has two firm hands on the jersey. He's the only 10 currently who is starting consistently, and putting in decent performances.

Leinster have used four out halves already this season

Connacht and Ulster's starting tens are no where near the squad.

Crowley is very much the man out front in the race

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121703042#Comment_121703042

I know I take the piss out of you because of your tendencies to be a total mood hoover in here so I try and keep it light.

But hedging your enjoyment of a sport on one fixture that happens every 4 years is just incredibly and incomprehensibly sad.

It's like refusing to enjoy nature until you see the Northern Lights.

Sure they are spectacular to see - one of the most amazing phenomena that exists on this earth. But there are other amazing parts of nature. Sunsets, sunny days, clear frosty mornings etc. Nobody experiences these and goes "yeah well it's not the **** Aurora Borealis is it?? Why is everyone so obsessed with a sunset it doesn't have a patch on those and until I see it every sunset is a waste of time. Those of you enjoying this sunset are just people far to happy with being average and settling while I sit here on a higher plane of being aspiring to see the Northern Lights..."

Rugby is a fantastic sport. And has given me and many in here some of my fondest and most cherished memories. And some significant disappointments too.

durthacht

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121701811#Comment_121701811

McLoughlin himself said the pack didn't push him over the line, but he pulled them along with him!

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704166#Comment_121704166

He is the man in front by default as much as by performance. He was in the right place at the right time and took his chance but Friday is a chance to be there on form, and show that he is the one top of the pile even if everyone is available.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704478#Comment_121704478

i really hope he does, because personally i dont think any of the leinster boys, bar the unknown prendergast, is going to be our long term consistent 10.

lawrencesummers

Squidge has some interesting ideas about who is going to come out of sextons shadow.

https://youtu.be/SyNNgzDYWBE?si=4l5lvgXZkNKxsNL4

Le Bruise

'I know I take the piss out of you because of your tendencies to be a total mood hoover in here so I try and keep it light'

@arsebiscuits1 I prefer the term 'Craic Vacuum' or 'Craicuum' if you will!

(sorry, couldn't work out how to quote a particular sentence properly so C&V'd it)

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704186#Comment_121704186

Three bloody times I've been to Lapland in winter and not seen the bastarding thing.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121703675#Comment_121703675

Ryan benched is different, but not without precedent, and I think it might be something he has to get used to more over time. For a long time it was assumed that the Irish second row would be Ryan plus one. But McCarthy's sheer brute force is something that no other Irish lock can bring, I think he has a pretty high ceiling and I don't think it'll be long until the Irish second row is McCarthy plus one.

If he grabs this opportunity with both hands it could even start now, and the likes of Ryan, Beirne and Henderson will have to get used to riding the pine.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704705#Comment_121704705

When you have a player like Beirne who can cover into the backrow he is very hard to exclude, Mccarthy and Beirne could be in situ for a while.

Ryan might find it very hard to get his starting spot back, but he still has an experience advantage and Mccarthy who has had a weakness in his game before giving away penalties which you dont want with someone like Ramos punishing you.

AdamD

I don't think Irish Management care about Beirne's back row cover in the slightest, he's there on his second row ability and nothing else.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704804#Comment_121704804

Well I think the second spot will be horses for courses / injury driven a lot, but McCarthy brings something that you just can't coach. The likes of Ryan, Beirne and Henderson will never have his power.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121703982#Comment_121703982

England away won't be a walkover but I think we should be putting them to the sword. They will bring physicality but I don't think they have anything else to threaten us with. Scotland will be Scotland.

My point was more that the French game is a shot to nothing for us. A win would be great but there would be no shame in losing to this French team in France. It's the starting point on a new journey and will have no bearing on the eventual destination.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704897#Comment_121704897

He's absolutely there on merit, but he has featured at 6 a few times for Farrell too.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704897#Comment_121704897

Every team has players who can play in more than one position.

Hes a first choice lock if he never plays 6 again but in a choice between him and a player just as good who has never plays BR at this level its another string to him bow.

The same way Frawley is on the bench it helps that he can cover 10 & 12 & 15.

Due to the attritional nature of the game there is always a backup plan for every position. Baird is ahead of henderson because he can cover more. VDF wasnt throwing lineouts by accident last year. Murray can and has played on the wing.