Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Of course it's building towards the world cup! The older lads are there due to the others not being significantly better. Loose head is a problem. Out half is a problem, but what is he going to do?

Cian Healy most likely won't be around in 2 yrs. Just my opinion. He's just lost so much of what he used to be. But who will step up? Ed Byrne? Not nearly good enough! E.O.S? Still not good enough. Wycherly? Being Kilcoyne.

The out half situation has been argued. Sexton is still the best option! He can only select what he feels is his best squad!

But, there is still time for some players to make a move. The furniture could be different come spring!

Gerry Thornley with a great stat from last weekend; Keenan's 14th test, but first time playing in front of a crowd.

I doubt there would be too many additions to the world cup squad. Phasing out older layers maybe! The replacement players are probably lads in or around the squad

People need to realise that you don't need to throw out everyone over a certain age, to build for a RWC.

Dane Coles is 35 and still in the NZ squad.

Moody, Whitelock and Aaron Smith are 33.

South Africa still have Vermuelen who is 35. Frans Steyn is 34

AWJ is 36. Ken Owens is 34. Jonathan Davies is 33. I could go on.

You can still build while picking your best team. When there's better guys available, they'll be gone.

And anyway, all but one of those guys you named are on the bench and are clearly being phased out.

Our off-loading against Japan was unusually good and we put together some fluent attacks. Gibson-Park definitely added some zip to our back line. I’m not expecting a win against NZ, just another solid performance.

If you look at a lot of our team, the age profile is fantastic.

Porter (25), Kelleher (23), Furlong (29)

Henderson (29), Ryan (25)

Doris (23), VDF (28), Conan (29)

Nobody over 30 in that pack and only 3 will be in 2023 and 2 are our TH and a 2nd row (both 31) , which is basically prime years for both positions

JGP (29) but I can definitely see Casey or Doak overtaking him. But even still, 31 isn't old for a 9.

Sexton (36) is the obvious one, but he won't be there in 2023.

Aki (31) Ringrose (26) could both be at their best in 2 years. And if Aki is past it, Henshaw certainly won't be (he'll be 30 in 2023)

Wings are a bit of a concern. Lowe (29) and Conway (30)

But Baloucoune and Larmour (both 24) are both fine options and Stockdale is only 25

Keenan (25) is fine.

Add to that young lads like Sheehan, O'Toole, Ahern, Baird, Penny, Kendellan, Coombes, Hume, McIlroy, Osborne and we're fine

Nobody knows, but you can look at the past and suggest levels of likelihood.

I posted earlier in the week the stats about the oldest 10’s in Tier 1 RWC squads. ROG is the current oldest at 35y 6m. If Johnny makes it, he’ll be 38y 2m, the best part of 3 years older. That seems massive to me.

Who knows what way it’ll play out, just from the law of averages, that suggests it’s very much odds against.

The player who initially tested positive has since returned two negative PCR tests. The identified close contact has also tested negative. Ireland will line out as initially selected.

I chuckled...

Irish Times: Covid-19 False Alarm was just a precuationary step.

"Our medics put our replacement hooker into isolation due to concerns' about facial flushing, a known-Covid-19 symptom, but it transpires it was just a red Herring".

Philip Browne shouldn't be renewing any major contracts.

As good as he as been down the years, Browne is out the door, he should absolute not hand any fait accompli, concerning big appointments, to his successor.

3 wins over NZ in the last 5 years.

Every Irish girl and boy rugby fan under the age of 16 has a very different experience of Ireland v NZ than the rest of us!!