Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I'm taking the positives from that. We need work ons. If we had nailed every team this past season when we had numerical advantage we'd be much smugger. Its good to have stuff to work on, ways to move the squad forward focusing on positive stuff, opportunities to improve.

There hasn't been much clamour for H.Byrne over the last year that I've seen. I think people realise he's way too injury prone.

The clamour around Frawley is down to him showing more promise in his two starts at 10 this summer than anyone else has in their chances in an Ireland jersey.

Not even looking at it from an Ireland POV, I think Leinster need to move towards Frawley as Sexton's successor rather than R.Byrne if they want to keep challenging for European cups.

Yep, Frawley has benefited from 3 specific things. Not playing much at 10 so not being in a position to be critiqued on his performances in that position, not being terrible against the Maori and not being terrible against the Maori recently. The regency thing is huge.

He wasn’t great in the mid week games though. He was just fine. It’s hard to judge because it was a bit of a scratch side in a position that he doesn’t play. I think he has the temperament and the personality we need there, ie he can be pretty commanding. But we need to see him get a run of games at 10 to determine if he has/can address the issues we saw from him previously in that position. There was a reason he moved to 12 at Leinster and didn’t push ahead of either Byrne brother, let alone both.

But yeah we are pretty desperate so I get why people are keen to see him.

There is a full 13 months to go before the world cup. Plenty of time for the likes of Frawley, H Byrne, Healy or even a Jack Crowley/flannery to stake a claim for the world cup.

While not the exact same position look at Conor Murray in 2011..

I don't think he had started a Heineken cup game for Munster before he broke onto the irish training squad for the world cup. Got a run of form and went from 3rd choice to starter before the end of the world cup.

Even for sexton himself he only really got going at Leinster when contopomi went down injured in may of 2009 and 5 or 6 months later he made his test debut and retained the Jersey v South africa.

For the SH position I would also hope someone like Doak might push into the equation and will push casey for a squad place in November or the 6 nations potentially. (Obviously only if in form next season)

I suppose the retort to that is that neither was Conor Murray in the lead up to the 2011 RWC until well into the 10/11 season either.

I’d be pretty sceptical too, tho. Murray is almost the exception that proves the rule here.

Healy may get more opportunities with the new coaching ticket.

Harry needs to be injury free. He also needs to get past Ross.

Frawley is in a situation where he's a very good 12. He was moved there by Leo and hasn't played oh for Leinster in yonks.

It's a tough situation. Sexton could decline and then we will be fecked.

genesis?

i dont think healy will get ahead of carbery unless injury/massive, massive, MASSIVE form drop is involved. it might be due to IRFU intervention but the mast has been firmly nailed to carbery at munster and i dont see that changing with the new coaching ticket. not that i think JC deserves to be an automatic starter, but it just seems to me that this is the way it is/is going to be

rubbish about healy. he generally played very well when given the opportunity but he has been jettisoned as soon as carbery is available without JC really deserving it, presumably due to IRFU intervention.

do agree that it will be '2 and a half' 10s so to speak in the squad, id personally prefer to see carbery as that 'half' seeing as he can cover 15 (and its his best position but thats a different argument) along with someone like ross byrne or ben healy

but it probably will be sexton/carbery/frawley

I agree with most of that. I wasn't suggesting that all the players I mentioned are going to make it.

I was just saying there is still time for any of them to stake a claim in the next 12 months.

Sexton won't play much for Leinster so there should be opportunities there.

The new coaching ticket at Munster might want to see carberry at 15 Which could open up reps at 10 for one of the others.

There is still plenty of Time for a world cup Bolter.

The proviences play 7 league games before November internationals (3 inter pros) and 17 in total between now and the 6 nations. That is plenty of time for someone to take the Jersey.

The third choice OH is very much up for grabs as in the last 18 months the position has been filled by; Ross Byrne, Harry byrne, Billy burns, Jack carty and Ciaran Frawley.

Id also agree with you that Frawley could travel as a 10/12 in the squad. Which might free up another spot on the WC squad elsewhere.

I'd actually think that carrying someone like Doak as a 9/10 and frawley as a 10/12 as your 3rd choice 9 and 10 would make much more sense than bringing Casey as a 9 and burns as a 10.

Healy had the exact same opportunity when Carbery was injured for so long, and he didn't remotely take it. (Crowley had the same chance btw and was even worse off).

Really harsh reading of Healy and Crowley during Carbery’s injury period, imo. They were both, what, 19 or 20 during the majority of that period?

Frawley has a lot of strengths and did very well in NZ considering his lack of game time. He’s big, very good defence and a running threat. Great place kicker too. He can only improve.