Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

If they took three 10s in 2015 and 2019 when it was a 31-man squad it'd be a bit strange to only take two now you're allowed 33 in the squad.

Maybe they'd do it if they had two players who could cover whose primary positions were elsewhere - like Doak at 9 and Frawley at 12. Probably only room for 4 centres, though, so Frawley at 12 would only happen if one of Henshaw and Aki was unavailable.

alot of people seem to think so. i dont see it personally but stranger things have happened. ngatai joining is seen as a reason but he does cover most of the backline

Regarding centre Aki, Ringrose and Henshaw are imo the top 3 centres in Ireland. I don't think there is necessarily a top pair. Injuries and form can separate them.

It's pretty clear that Farrell prefers Henshaw-Ringrose; when all three are fit, that is the first-choice pairing.

You can add the 2nd test v NZ to that list. Aki played most of that game at 12.

Edit: Apologies, you already included it.

One for the Munster thread but that’s an interesting point about Zebo largely playing 15 under Prendergast at Racing. Huge boot too which is an asset there.

Couldn't get past Mike Ala'alatoa in the Crusaders team.

Can't make the extended squad of a team we're currently better than and beat in their own backyard.

You'd have to think he's just not that good, and if he didn't happen to play in NZ, most people wouldn't even know his name.

He just had his first season as a Super Rugby starter.

I reckon he has a good chance of being capped but it might only be sneaking when there is a few injuries.

Being in a country with 4-5 professional teams means that if you hang around for long enough as top 1-2 in your province means you can sneak through and be capped. As a prop he probably has 7-10 years left as a first line professional.

https://www.itsrugby.co.uk/players/oliver-jager-38379.html

Ireland A vs New Zealand XV

Friday November 4th in the RDS

Great idea from the Union. More development for the second tier is a good thing and a game vs New Zealand definitely won't hurt.

Hopefully they are in talks for a possible game or two against A sides during the six nations too.

Emerging Ireland Squad to tour in South Africa to be named this week.

Injuries aside is Kelleher still 1st choice hooker? Sheehan didn't do much wrong in his absence.

The Ireland A fixture is good news. And hopefully Farrell takes performances in that game into consideration for the Fiji and Australia games.

But you can understand why a lot of people are annoyed about it being in The RDS. The Dublin people have hardly been deprived of matches over the last decade. Would seem a perfect opportunity to spread international (mens) rugby around the island to Limerick or Belfast for the first time in god knows how long. The IRFU really don't help themselves sometimes.

While generally I agree with you I would have a slight reservation.

If Ireland A are sharing a camp and coaches with the senior team dublin makes a degree of sense to save travel.

I do agree it's not ideal though.

Yeah. Seems like missed opportunity. They're contractually obliged to play Tests in Lansdowne Road, so a non-Test game is a rare opportunity to take it outside Dublin. With Munster hosting the Springboks XV the obvious option is Ravenhill.

What's the anthem protocol for games in Northern Ireland? Ireland's Call and the Londonderry Air? I've heard God Save the Queen/King mentioned sometimes, but it's never quite made sense to me that one jurisdiction of the Commonwealth when facing another would use the anthem of them all. I think it would make more sense for England to use Land of Hope and Glory or Jerusalem as their anthem - especially when they're playing Scotland or Wales.

'A' team might look something like:

1. Dooley
2. Scannell
3. Moore
4. McCarthy
5. Ahern
6. Baird
7. Connors
8. Coombes
9. Doak
10. H. Byrne
11. Larmour
12. McCloskey
13. Hume
14. Baloucoune
15. J. O'Brien

No!