Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I'm calling out anyone who thinks Henderson is a superior player to James Ryan in a straight head to head.

Lets be having you.

The Japan game really showed why Farrell is sticking with Lowe. He wasn't tested in defense and he made a couple of mistakes, didn't take a pass from JPG early on and threw another into touch, but he was ever present in midfield creating line breaks and bringing real pace and inventiveness into the game. Conway played very well, was very solid defensively, caught or controlled his high balls, chased grubbers and linked up very well, and he took his tries superbly, but Lowe's ability to show up and make big contributions in midfield is something Ireland have been crying out for. His quick passing and offloading really enhances our ability to change the point of attack. It gives our play an element of unpredictability that will unsettle an organized defense and can create space. With JPG's speed of ball, Lowe's skills and creativity are potential dynamite. JPG was very good and I'd say he is first choice at this point. Other than a nice grubber for Conway's third try Murray did nothing except give up penalties and slow Ireland's attack down.

Obviously Ireland had more time and space against Japan than we'll get against most top teams but it was nice to see players coming onto passes from rucks at pace instead of static one out stuff we are used to. I'm not sure what to say about Carbery but when he, POM and Murray came on Japan got their only sustained period of possession in the game. He had a couple of excellent kicks to touch but also a couple to nowhere downfield. He's not the answer on today's showing. Interesting to consider how the game might have played out had he started, Im sure we'd have won but not sure it would have been the exhibition we got.

Managed to watch this match finally. Outrageous off loading and runners taking the ball at pace! Who knew? Pack was very good. Fast, mobile and ruthless. We could have gone to the corners and probably mauled the ball over a couple of times!

JGP deserves to start next week. He was really good. Good, quick service during his appearance. He's just so much quicker than Murray. The tempi was insane during the 1st half.

Conway on form, is the best wing on the island. The total package. Savage yesterday!

Sexton is just..... considerably better than our other options. It's really mind boggling that he is this good at his age.

Conan is a complete player. Serious running lines and pace. Not bad in the line out either.

I thought VDF was fairly quiet, but he thrives defensively. He still did his job.

The team went into the abyss of fuqery when the subs arrived.

Aki and Ringrose both very sharp. Keenan is quietly becoming a star. Insane ability. That pass...

Lowe had a good day! Should get called upon next week! A good confidence builder for him.

I thought Sheehan was brilliant! Not sure if Kelleher will hold him off. Both of them are fine athletes. It will be a neck and neck battle going forward.

Porter is so much better in the loose than Healy. Age is a factor of course, but when the front row was changed, we lost some momentum.

Thought POM did well. He got stuck in and I think he gets the nod next week.

Henderson must be the strongest player we have. He held up a lad like he was a pound of butter, all the while looking at the ref.

We will test NZ next week. I think with a little luck... winning.

I dont think warren posts here.

Hard to believe he has been so successful without the knowledge freely available here so maybe he lurks.

Changes for New Zealand?

Hendo-san in, Beirne to 6, Doris to bench, with O'Mahony dropping out of the XXIII. Baird as bench lock for impact.

Kilcoyne for Healy on the bench, maybe?

Harry Byrne and Baloucoune on the bench instead of Carbery and Earls, respectively. I think Baloucoune has the defensive smarts to cover 13, like Bowe did.

Its one thing thinking a fella can play 13, its another actually trying him there against the best team in the world when he hasnt ever played that level internationally or played 13 for his club.

I would go as far as to say thats a terrible idea.

Earls isnt the best person for the job, hes probably the 3rd or 4th best for it after but he is the only one thats not injured.

Do people really think we’re going to see a bunch of changes for next week? Really? Coombes might come in for POM, although I doubt it. Larmour might come in for Earls, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the only change is Herring coming in for Sheehan. A few of the guys who came off the bench didn’t perform great yesterday but next week will be a very different game anyway.

What would have been the point in the selections yesterday if we started bringing in guys like Balacoune and Casey next week?

Stockdale isn't in the squad, he's injured.

So much of our creative play involved Lowe yesterday that dropping him would mean taking a very different game plan into the NZ match

The only conceivable change I could see happening in the starting XV is Henderson coming in, but as I said yesterday if it ain't broke don't fix it so I'd leave the starting XV as it was yesterday.

I'd probably bring Herring onto the bench ahead of Sheahen just for a bit more security at the lineout, although Sheahen was very impressive around the park.

We only beat England so convincingly because they were poor. We only beat Japan because they were poor. There seems to be an attitude that people just don’t want to accept a good performance for what it is. We have played incredibly poor teams and completely failed to perform. There has to be an element in there, that out performance makes these teams look poor.

obviously we need to start performing at that level consistently. Which is always going to be harder against bigger packs. Yet we know we are capable of it. I don’t think our current pack is going to get dominated by any team, the way we have been in the last few years. Next week will give us a much better idea of where we stand though. I would imagine if my some miracle we do beat NZ next week. There are plenty on here who will be saying it’s just because it’s a poor NZ side.