Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Bundee aki showing today why his best days in green of ireland are behind him..

It was me yeah... I said his form badly dipped for the end of the season for connacht last year. He was very poor in the games v Leinster and looked like he had thrown in the towel for connacht after that.

I was proposing Frawley, Henshaw, Ringrose and Hume ahead of him for the world cup due to his form and lack of versatility.

He's now gotten at least 3 red cards against his name all for high hits..

he hasnt learned abd he is a liability at this stage.

He came on today and just stunk the place out. 3 penalties in 10 minutes and capped it off with a silly clean out costing his team a try and a chance in a game they in contention of winning.

He then remonstrates with the referee and linesmen. Chances are he will be banned for the November internationals anyway.

If you'd seriously rather have Frawley at 12 for a big world cup game ahead of Aki, you're mad. Frawley doesn't have the physicality or robustness to play 12 at that level. I'd have McCloskey ahead of him. Aki is Ireland's best 12 and has never let Ireland down.

The versatility argument is a weird one. Should we drop Sexton for the same reason? Or Henshaw? Or Lowe?

Nobody is denying he had a sh*t game today. But writing off one of Ireland's most reliable and consistent performers, because of one sh*t game, after outstanding performances in our historic series win a couple of months ago is just bizarre.

Mccloskey surely going to get a well deserved shot in November now, would have him as third choice centre

Not right now maybe. But that can change very quickly and the world cup is a year away. I just think leaving out one of your 3 best centres on the ground of versatility is a weird one. Remember the squad size has been increased to 33, making versatility less of a pre requisite. We have guys who can cover the back 3 like Carbery and Ringrose, but nobody I'd trust to cover centre.

If the world cup was tomorrow (assuming an 18/15 split) I'd go with

(3) JGP, Murray, Casey

(3) Sexton, Carbery, Frawley

(4) Aki, Henshaw, Ringrose, Hume

(5) Hansen, Lowe, Baloucoune, Conway, Keenan

with frawley able to cover 12, would the possibility of a Earls / Jimmy o brien type who could cover back three and 13 not be of more benefit than 4 centres?

What was the 4th red card. There was today, England, and Samoa.

The stats website misses a 4th one too.

I'll be honest and admit that I have concerns about his discipline. I'm not going to doubt his quality though. I suspect that he will be 3rd choice center going to the world cup.

Aki's distribution game for Ireland sets him apart from all other options at 12 bar Henshaw. It's a massive part of Farrells game plan. Aki will definitely travel if his form doesn't go out the window.

I went digging. He was cited for misconduct in 2017.

He also got a citing commisioner's warning (essentially an after game yellow) for mouthing off at a referree in early 2022.

You may have counted the citing as a red card mentally.

I wouldn't be comfortable with Frawley travelling as 2nd choice 12. Henshaw goes down in the warm up and all of a sudden Frawley is playing 12 v France in a 1/4 final. I think we need to bring two specialist 12s.

I'd trust Ringrose to cover wing, much more than I'd trust Earls to cover 13. I can't see Earls making the squad to be honest.

I believe that a break glass scenario, Ringrose could cover 12.

Wow, that changes the complexion. Terrible luck for Frawley. Ten is jinxed is you're not Ross Byrne.

Frawley is worryingly injury prone

Worth remembering that Aki also got a YC for a high shot against Leinster back in April.

And was extremely lucky that the TMO didn't look at that clear out on Tuungafasi during the summer, it was a definite yellow and probably more.

Edit: this one

https://mobile.twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1548647219775119361

There is a definite problem here.