Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

50HX

He's gone so well now at lock I don't think he's for shifting tbh & he's now the pillar of the 2nd row

Maybe a shift to 6 during some game to trial out a diff lock combo

As stated earlier I too hope he doesn't go to SA, that's a tour for Joe mc, baird, Henderson, Ryan to go on

leakyboots

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121923518#Comment_121923518

The Damien Duff Effect. Looking knackered after ten minutes in a match. Coombes does it, Edogbo too. Heaslip a bit as well. "Lumbering" is another word to describe it!

phog

15 years ago today and some people are tired of Ireland winning 6Ns

https://twitter.com/JustinDeegan_/status/1770940829793726919?t=A05v__pWsjwhesTtWwuMAw&s=19

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121924206#Comment_121924206

Two significant advancements since 2009.

1) Irish Rugby.

2) Picture quality.

clsmooth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121923777#Comment_121923777

Henderson too. We have a few of them 😂

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121925432#Comment_121925432

Tadgh Furlong usually looks gassed by the time he's sang the two anthems

ionadnapokot

Some general musings of the future of Irish rugby going through my head head after the provinces performances over the weekend and read this article this morn.

When its put in black and white it hits home again.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2024/03/25/denis-walsh-what-happens-when-frisch-and-nankivell-break-up-back-to-the-market/

This is not a recent development. Munster’s consistent, inexplicable, long-term failure to produce international-class, home-grown centres has haunted their player pathways for decades. Before the concept of player pathways was invented. Before professionalism.

Ulster basically had zero input into the Championship win.

Connacht provided Aki, Bealham and no Hansen. But not home grown input. (Henshaw in relation to the articles point)

With the best talent pool in the country Leinster have not been able to produce a Int class scrum half. Its a position of real concern for Ireland, with Gibson-Park comfortably the best. And the galactically stupid decision to consider playing Doak at 10.

Humphreys is gong to be overseeing allot of change over the next few years.

Farrell at The Cubs, Ulster head coach and coaching positions, Connacht coaching position, Age profile/contracts of Irish squad.

Hope springs eternal with the U-20s - Personally I'd prefer Richie Murphy to continue there.

Still think Ireland can win a Grand Slam next year but it will be very interesting to see how the landscape of Irish rugby will look in 2026.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121936233#Comment_121936233

Connacht are the first season into a new coaching ticket, I think they will be given at least 3 years before that is up for discussion unless it is a total disaster

I think the Ulster job is now given to Richie, he will see out the season and then hire his own coaching ticket. He might take a Fogarty from Ireland and let Ireland bring in someone new to freshen up ideas. Depends on what Farrell wants now that Goodman is in

Next year I think POM, Murray, Healy etc will slowly be moved out of squad for replacements. With England/France at home a 6 nations title is a prospect, but no Farrell will be interesting

ionadnapokot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121936413#Comment_121936413

I keep hearing these stories out of Ulster on podcasts etc but they seem to be passing me by on the news!

1. Murphy has the Ulster job? - Why already?
2. Kitshoff is leaving Ulster - Sensible for all concerned. Is it true?
3. O'Toole is switching to Loose head - He played tight head at weekend?
4. Doak is playing out half - Total madness
5. McCloskey is leaving - Makes sense. For him.
6. McCloskey has another year on his contact - What? Since when?

Yea POM, Murray and Healy will all prob be out of the squad by the next 6N. Maybe not Healy? Which is damning indictment of the current LH situation (O'Toole to LH I suppose).

As for POM - Sounds like he's finished at end of season. In Ireland anyway. He will leave a huge void in the Irish team. Baird is ready but will the team/leadership be able to step up?

Murray - similar to POM (1 more year) but no ready made replacement (Doak to Out half??)

I think Farrell and Ireland could benefit from a break from each other next season. However, Post Traumatic Tour Syndrome is going to be real for at least 13 Irish players for the 2026 6N. It could be a write-off with fatigue and injuries.

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2023/03/14/tom-otoole-a-tight-heads-journey/

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121936801#Comment_121936801

McCloskey is staying put.

I don't believe Murphy has the Ulster job permanently yet, but by most accounts it would take a disastrous 2 months for him not to get it....not a great start, but the reality is he can't be expected to changes things overnight.

As for Doak at 10, it's a nonsense, I still retain hope one of the Byrne's moves north.

Beyond Internet rumours I'm not sure about Kitshoff and O'Toole to LH makes sense for Ireland and may even make sense for Ulster in the long run if Kitshoff leaves, but more importantly Scott Wilson continues to develop at rhe rate he is at the moment. Still it's a risk for O'Toole and Ulster.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3

O'Toole confirmed he is learning to play loosehead.

Paul Smeenus

Just in terms of the Ulster questions

1) Richie Murphy is keen on taking the Ulster mantle long-term and has told the press he has been house-hunting up in Belfast. But officially he's still just filling in.

2) No idea about Kitshoff leaving. He has been disappointing so far. Just a rumour at this stage.

3) The need for O'Toole at LH is greater for the national team than Ulster, and that is what's driving the swap, should it happen. The only THs on the Ulster mini-tour to SA were O'Toole and 21 year old Wilson. So he was never going to play LH for Ulster on Saturday.

4) Agreed. But Flannery isn't the answer and Burns wasn't offered another contract as he is too expensive. We need a ten more than anything.

5) and 6) McCloskey always had another year on his contract. Bayonne would have been buying off the last year if he had gone there - but they have just signed Tuilagi, who presumably is wanted for the same role, and has now retired from the international game.

ionadnapokot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121937005#Comment_121937005

Im glad SMcC staying.

I didnt see the game against the Sharks and this clip below is not a pointed criticism of Murphy but of the players mindset.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJGmYKhSCJY

I'm not going to point all of them out individually but just look at the lack of effort to get back.

It epitomises that there is something rotten going on there.

This is easy for me to say: there is 26 minutes on the clock. Its Durban. it's not at altitude. Yes its warm but You are lucky to be there.

IF it was me!!!..... I'd be putting that up on a Monday review - You stopped. You walked. You shuffled. You puffed. You. You. You. You. You are all on notice. Next stop is out the door.

And that is why I'm not a head coach!!

But seriously. WTF. The talent that has been wasted with Stockdale and Baloucoune (presume both were dropped) and Hume. Even Lowry. They should all be pushing for Inclusion in the Ireland 23.

Really disheartening and I fear what's going to happen up in Connacht after an embarrassing display against the Lions (14 men).

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121936801#Comment_121936801

1. Murphy has the Ulster job? - Why already? I doubt the move by the IRFU to put him into the role was done at the drop of a hat, he is joining in the middle of the season with no pre-season etc so what can he change. His record at U20 level is incredible and Im sure other clubs are sniffing around him so my guess is give him a big job move at a province to hope he continues his growth
2. Kitshoff is leaving Ulster - Sensible for all concerned. Is it true? No idea on this, I doubt he will move mid contract and I dont know how long his contract os
3. O'Toole is switching to Loose head - He played tight head at weekend? Any number of players are been mentioned to move to loose head
4. Doak is playing out half - Total madness - If this happens it is stupid for Ulster and for Ireland
5. McCloskey is leaving - Makes sense. For him. - I heard that was shut down now, a French club was after him but he would sign, not sure who said this to me
6. McCloskey has another year on his contact - What? Since when? See above, its the rumours that he will resign....

If Baird comes in to replace POM he won't be coming in to replace his leadership, this will be coming from others on the team who are more experienced. That would be like trying to say Crowley should come in and be the leader Sexton was at end of his career. If Baird is in a backrow of Doris/Conan/JVDF etc they have plenty of leadership and experience

I think Ireland will make a call on one of the tighhead and move him to loosehead, Healy is a legend but really at this stage Ireland needs to look at alternatives, especially if Porter gets an injury

ersatz

6N in the bag is a great start but there are definitely cracks in the Irish team, front row and scrum half depth noted above but also we didn't improve the way I'd hoped during the competition. Great start against France and nilling Italy but performances from then on were marked by poor discipline (too many yellows) and a lack of control against Scotland and England that limited our attack. Now these are two good teams and England really came to play and were excellent, but they were excellent because we let them into the game. Much of this might well be down to some quite different tactics like a lot more kicking than last years 6N (Crowley kicked more ball in attacking positions in the first half against Scotland than Johny did throughout last years 6N). Maybe that's down to teams adjusting their tactics to counter Ireland's attack (and Scotland/Englands work rate was phenomenal in slowing our ruck speed) or maybe its a genuine tactical adjustment on our part to suit Jack's game over Johnny's, but whichever, there's definitely an evolution happening and in the lasts few games it looked more rusty than I'd like.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121938502#Comment_121938502

Nobody on here thought England were good! We sucked against them and deservedly lost. We won the tournament but were bang average.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121938939#Comment_121938939

We lost by 1 point away and England put together their best performance for 5 years

This is the most ridiculous nonsense I have seen in a long time.

50HX

I think nobody on here thought England were any good until we played them...that was a good england performance regardless of us playing poor or not debate.

I had kinda brushed aside the fact they rattled SA at the world cup & got to a semi final.....I know we are not goin there....again 😀

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121939378#Comment_121939378

Your opinion. Mine is as I said. England outworked us and beat us. We didn't achieve a grand slam that most of us expected. We were quite poor in that game.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121939909#Comment_121939909

Actually bang away

Some people you are better off just ignoring

OldRio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121938939#Comment_121938939

Did you see England's 'performance' in the other early games? The bookies made Ireland favourites for a reason, they don't do sentiment.

If you can't enjoy a Championship reason is lost on you.

irelandrover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121938939#Comment_121938939

How were we average if we won the tournament? Maybe we weren't as good as we have been previously but saying we were average is just wrong.

We definitely underperformed against England but there are two teams in every game and England stepped it up a level against us compared to their earlier games.

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121939395#Comment_121939395

"I had kinda brushed aside the fact they rattled SA at the World Cup & got to a semi final"

Because they played Fiji in the QF...

ionadnapokot

Thats a big call by Kevin Potts. I'm not sure but did Philip Browne (IRFU CEO) remove a Province CEO before? Logan before Petrie?

Garrett Fitzgerald was Munster (Kidney, Gaffney, Kidney, McGahan, Penney, Foley, Erasmus, JvG). Flanagan is 5 years in the job, (JvG, Rowntree).

Dawson was at Leinster forever (Williams, Ella, Kidney, Chieka, Schmidt, O'Connor, Cullen/Lancaster). Haven't heard much of Shane Nolan in 2 years (Cullen/Nienaber)

Kelly fought the brave fight at Connacht for over 10 years (Nel, Bradley, Elwood). Tom Sears (Lam) Did he resign? Ruane is 10 years in the job (Lam, Keane, Friend, Wilkins)

Reid was the first CEO at Ulster (H.Williams, Solomans, McCall, S.Williams, M.Wiilams, McLaughlin). Logan (Anscombe, Kiss, Doak, Gibbes, McFarland). Petrie was 5 years into the job. The current demise isn't just all his fault.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/connacht-chief-executive-sears-moving-on-after-just-15-months-1.1522555

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro14/shane-logan-to-step-down-as-ulster-rugby-ceo-1.3524072

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121940085#Comment_121940085

Ignore all you want!

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121940190#Comment_121940190

Indeed!

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121940268#Comment_121940268

Compared to the previous 6nations and our performance v S.A and Scotland in the world cup, I think we took a step back. A good performance v France and Italy and then average v the triple crown nations. I'm happy to win the title and back to back is nice but, I feel there was a drop in performance.

I also think the teams in this 6nations were relatively poor. I am hopeful for next years quest for a 3rd on the trot. I'm not getting why some would be offended by my quotes?

irelandrover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121941254#Comment_121941254

I'm not offended. I just think you are wrong or else don't know what average means.

phog

I think it's fair to say that Ireland were not as sharp as we had been but some of that was to be expected, we had 3 players playing in their first 6Ns, we had an outhalf that was just taking over the reins for Ireland.

We also performed better than the other teams, England caught us at Twickenham but I'd find it difficult to say the tournament was a disappointment, we won it, we actually won it well.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121941269#Comment_121941269

Okay. I respect your opinion. Thanks