Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

I'm almost certain Farrell is going to go with Murray from the start!

Considering JGP hasn't played plus Murray is on 99 Irish caps and he has been in all the papers the last few days.

Based on what we know of Farrell I would say it will factor in his thinking from both a personal and squad morale mindset.

We've heard (ad nauseam) over the last three years from Murray, Sexton and Farrell about how this is a "Special Group". In fairness to Farrell he has maintained an excellent squad morale and belief ever since switching to Leinster light in Nov '21.

e.g. Earls and Murray still figuring in match days. The support that Farrell has given Earls is well documented and really admirable. I would have got rid of them both after the WC...and Sexton...and Healy!

We also heard how Farrell has introduced what Lancaster did with England. They get the family members in to present the jersey to debutants and mark important milestones.

I was a somewhat surprised when i read O'Gara's comments last Nov re: Sexton making his 100th cap and how bitter he felt about his experience in 2010. It clearly affected him (and goes someway to explaining his blitherings after the win v Aus at the WC). Im not suggesting Murray is such an egoist but i get the impression that Farrell is big on these type of things and will want to recognise the achievement of someone he clearly feels is integral to the WC squad.

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"There was a full seven years between my 100th cap for Ireland and the November morning in 2017 when I sat down in Christchurch with Kieran Read and Sam Whitelock for a first chat as a new Crusader coach.

As keen as I might have been to tap into their rugby and culture, Read was quicker off the mark, quizzing who was the Irish coach on the occasion of my 100th Irish cap off the bench against South Africa in 2010. Momentarily, I wasn’t sure where he and Whitelock were going but it was soon evident the store they placed in someone reaching 100 test appearances for their country. This was a huge honour, they said. How dare Ireland start you on the bench for that game.

It is a conversation that stayed with me for a few reasons. First off, the Crusaders leadership had done their due diligence on the new assistant coach, and also, they understood perfectly well what it took in terms of personal effort and sacrifice to get to that stage of an international rugby career. It also stirred up some unwelcome feelings of bitterness in me, emotions that have resurfaced a bit this week when I see how Ireland are doing right by Jonny Sexton on the occasion of his 100th cap against Japan tomorrow.

With your family in the crowd, and 99 international experiences in the rear-view mirror, Kieran Read’s — and dare I say the All Blacks’ — way of looking at these moments was: respect the achievement in the right way, it doesn’t happen very often."

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Note: The incredulousness of Kiearn Read -'leadership consultant'

He's going to the WC as the 21. and at this stage i dont really see the harm in starting him for this game.

Park didnt play many minutes after NZ win in Nov '21 and Farrell started Murray v Wales in opening 6N. JGP was on the bench. JGP started the next game v France and i thought he looked off the pace.

Prepare yourself for pages and pages when the team is announced!

Remember 2018?!? It's great but meaningless really.

France are the best side in the world anyway