Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118559106#Comment_118559106

I think we win, comfortably. There is something unpredictable about us now which will ask more questions of opponents

Think we get the TBP and win with a bit to spare

Former Former Former

If we play like we did in November, and they play like they did, we'll absolutely hammer them.

OneLungDavy

Why we will win on Saturday:

Wales missing many key players. Ireland missing only Henderson?

Ireland home advantage.

Ireland in flying form with momentum from the Autumn. The Welsh were shocking at times in the Autumn e.g. got thumped by NZ

Wales are notorious slow starters.

molloyjh

Hendo back training tomorrow along with Carbery, Ryan and Furlong. Seems to be a fully fit squad from the looks of it. Some may not make the game this weekend but at least Ryan and Furlong have recent game time.

leakyboots

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118559311#Comment_118559311

I'm inclined to agree. I'd love to see us put up a score on them, if we get that same high-tempo cohesion we saw in the AIs I think we will.

Clegg

The only big question we have for this weekend is who partners Beirne in the second row. Ryan has played more recently, but it's still 6 weeks since his last appearance. And Henderson has recent history of coming back from injury and having a big game. Thought he was very good in the 50 minutes he put in against New Zealand.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118560412#Comment_118560412

Think the centres and one wing spot are up for grabs as well.

Two from Aki, Henshaw and Ringrose.

And who plays left wing.

Luckycharm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118557777#Comment_118557777

There have been plenty of interviews with Carty himself who has said the reason he wasn't making the Irish squad was down to his play with Connacht. He said he was given a number of work ons which he has done. One of the main ones was squaring up when attacking as it was very obvious to defenders when he was going to pass the ball.

https://www.otbsports.com/rugby/carty-world-cup-farrell-1281641

Luckycharm

Wales in Dublin are a completely different team to when we play them in Cardiff. They haven't beat us in the 6ns in Dublin since 2012 even when we were crap in 2016 they still only drew with us in Dublin. They are completely different beast at home.

It would be shocking if we couldn't beat them on Saturday at home. No excuses.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118560412#Comment_118560412

Ryan has been training consistently the last few weeks and was very close to selection a few times (we was actually named in the side to play Montpellier). If Henderson is only returning to training tomorrow, it's very hard to see him being ready to start on Saturday.

Bigger question will be who lines out against France.

Dubinusa

I can't see us scoring 40! I think it's important to take any points on offer. Instead of going to the corner, take the points and keep the scoreboard moving. Puts the opposition under pressure!

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118561884#Comment_118561884

I think we will be happy to target the Welsh lineout early on. See what their maul defence is like. If we don’t get any change out of that, then maybe kick for points.

clsmooth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118561264#Comment_118561264

Good argument to start Beirne and Henderson ahead of Ryan with Hendo (the less match fit) to empty the tank for 45 mins before bringing Ryan on to get a bit of match time under his belt too. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the two of them then start against France with Beirne on the bench.

Or maybe Farrell wants both of them to get a start under their belt against Wales with one eye on France where we’ll need their heft. As well as Beirne is playing, I’d still prefer the other two lads starting ahead of him for that one.

Clegg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118560457#Comment_118560457

We have match fit, quality options for centre and wing though. I meant that the question mark over second row is that neither Ryan or Henderson have played in over a month. I imagine whomever is selected to start gets replaced after 50 minutes.

M_Mc_B

Ryan, Beirne and Henderson are not in the same position. Ryan is a TH lock, pretty much the only one we have in Ireland and is therefore a guaranteed starter anytime he isn't injured. Henderson and Beirne are competing for the number 4 jersey and I think a lot of people are going to be surprised by Beirne's place in the pecking order.

Beirne is great and elite but is probably behind Henderson in the pecking order due to his scrummaging, and no matter how well he plays in the loose will probably not change that, especially against France and England. He's essentially a particularly tall flanker.

I expect Ryan and Henderson to play all games their fitness will allow them to play.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118564564#Comment_118564564

Henderson is Ireland's TH lock when he plays.

Ryan isn't really a TH lock. He plays there occasionally because other than Henderson we don't have any specialist TH lock but his build and play style is more like that of a LH lock

AckwelFoley

I think we need to settle down a little with the expectations against Wales. We're not thumping them. What i would like to see is a solid performance and a a strong defence. Not sure what the bookies say, but a 14 point win would be a good win.

32 - 18

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118564840#Comment_118564840

A 14-15 point win at international level could really be considered a humping.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118564859#Comment_118564859

Agreed. Looking back to the 2020 6 Nations game against England, the 24-12 loss was one of the most comprehensive 12 point defeats I can remember.

Pussyhands

Really wasn't a fan of Farrell when he took over and the style of rugby in his first year. But have to say, the rugby during the autumn was great. I think we will win the 6N if we perform the same. Not sure about GS, but France are so inconsistent.

These Welsh and English teams are nothing special.

My only doubt is if we really went all in on the Autumn while many teams don't care so much about it.

Actually, not my only doubt, because if Sexton gets injured we're in trouble.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118564883#Comment_118564883

Yeah that was one of the games I had in mind. We got absolutely humped that day. Then England took their foot off the gas a bit.

molloyjh

We beat Wales with room to spare both times they came to Dublin under Pivac (and with us under Farrell).

2020 6Ns:

24-14 to Ireland. Wales got a consolation try in extra time to put a gloss on the scoreboard.

2020 Autimn Nations:

32-9. Once we got past the first quarter they weren’t able to stay with us and we ultimately gave them a bit of a hiding.

We are playing a lot better now (now being November so admittedly subject to change) than we were back in either of those 2 tournaments. I’m not sure we can say that they’ve improved much at all. For all the “they did well against SA” there’s a “they really struggled against a Fiji team that had a red card in the first half and 2 yellows”. They can turn up for a one off it seems, but they are also traditionally slow starters. Give them a limited game plan and ask them to tackle all day and they will do that well, possibly why they held their own against SA in Nov (I remember us hammering away at their line in the 6Ns with one out runners not too long ago and they ate it up). If we throw a bit more variation into the mix and ask more questions then it’s hard to see anything hit a comfortable Irish win. We can start slow ourselves at times so I’m going with a 10-15 point win myself.

AckwelFoley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118564859#Comment_118564859

I don't agree at all, but of course it depends on the opposition...But it was mentioned in the context of the poster that thinks we should be disappointed if we don't beat them by 40 which is never going to happen

AckwelFoley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118564932#Comment_118564932

Fair enough point. I remember watching the game. We didn't get a look in

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118565057#Comment_118565057

One of the few times I do remember us starting well was the 2013 6 Nations in Cardiff. We came flying out of the blocks and were superb during the first half, but even then we tapered off, only winning by 8 in the end (it might've been the Zebo flick game?).

As an aside, feckin love this time of year. It's funny how different conversations can trigger different memories of previous 6N games.

AckwelFoley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118564904#Comment_118564904

I watched the New Zealand game on Sky New Zealand, there was no utterances of not caring about the game. They had a full team, and New Zealand don't play by halves. The stuffed 100 past the USA 2 weeks earlier.

M_Mc_B

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118564608#Comment_118564608

Henderson isn't Ireland's TH lock? Henderson played LH lock alongside O'Connell, then when POC retired Devin Toner moved to TH lock, and Henderson was still LH lock, then since Ryan came along Henderson has been his partner as LH lock. I agree James Ryan is built like a loosehead lock but he's the best TH lock Ireland have. Henderson can presumably cover TH lock but has rarely played there, so much so I even remember it being mentioned in the run up to the Lions how he would struggle to slot in for AWJ (TH lock) and play alongside Itoje (LH lock) as Henderson is a LH lock.

Some of the confusion on this comes because in Ireland for some weird reason the LH lock wears 4 and the TH lock wears 5 while in most countries it's the opposite (Botha wore 4 and Matfield wore 5). But it's pretty clear that Ryan, who practically never receives at the lineout, scrums down behind Furlong, hits the most rucks of the tight 5 and makes the most carries, is Ireland's TH lock. Anyway, even if Henderson could cover TH lock, it still makes the point that Beirne and Ryan are not playing the same position.

It's something that gets missed from any discussion on the Irish team but James Ryan is practically undroppable because his competition for the 5 jersey is Kieran Threadwell, Ultan Dillane and Josh Murphy. He's literally the only international standard 200cm+ player we have in the country.

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118565210#Comment_118565210

TV companies aren't going to downplay the games.

Dubinusa

If VDF doesn't prove fit, does POM come straight in? Would Timoney be a better fit v Wales? I would go with Timoney, with Pom on the bench. Although, having POM in the starting line up probably makes the line out better.

RichieRich_89

The thing about Wales is they are unpredictable. They could Slam or they could finish fifth. That's why I think statements that Ireland should be winning comfortably are a bit off. Of course Ireland can win. Of course they should be aiming to win. I think they probably will win, possibly quite handsomely. But Wales are defending Champions for a reason. They were unlucky in the France game last year not to pick up the Slam. They played some wonderful attacking rugby in the first half, and personally I thought the LRZ non-try should have been given. If they get a bit of luck and things start going their way they can be a bit irrepressible.