Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Hopefully it's just a precaution against relapse or late hamstring tweaks. Can't be in a situation where Crowley is starting and Lowry is wearing 22.

Conan's form hasn't been great. I don't think he's playing poorly, but rather just isn't at the level he was in 2021. He has a lot of credit in the bank provincially but with Ireland competition is even stiffer.

I could see a situation where he's out of Leinster's 23 entirely. Ryan Baird was starting to play very well at blindside flanker before his injury. If he recovers well I can see him taking that spot. He has a lot of attributes coaches love. Incredible athleticism in open play, strong at the lineout and good handling skills.

That leaves just the number 20 jersey available as VDF and Doris are undroppable in current form. On recent performances, Deegan is making a solid case as an impact sub as well. Conan could be squeezed out.

Coombes was "fine" against SA but he needed to make a statement and he didn't. He now finds himself behind not only POM, Doris and Conan but also Deegan and Prendergast, and if Baird is now considered a back-row, he might be even further down the list. That's a long way back when there are so few games left between now and the RWC.

I think what Farrell has consistently shown is that provincial pecking orders don't really matter to him; Jack Crowley and Ben Healy are the living proof of that.

Very surprised by Ross Byrne's call up. He's probably the out half who least suits the way Ireland are trying to play. I'd have Carty or Burns over him personally.

Also don't think having him in camp is good for Crowley. He's supposed to be quite a loud, dominant personality like Sexton. And if they're trying to bed Crowley in, grow his confidence, get him calling the shots etc, I don't think having Ross Byrne in camp is a good thing for him. It could undermine Crowley.

If Sexton is fit, I don't see why they needed to call up another out half. A Lowry or O'Brien may have to act as 3rd choice 10 at the RWC, so why not use this game week as a dry run for that?

Rewatched the Fiji match. It was dour, no doubt. We got the job done, that's the main thing.

I don't know why Conan is getting criticism on here, he was good again last week. It was a crap match and no Ireland player really excelled. Conan is probably comfortably in the plans. Deegan has a lotvof work to do.

That match was ideal for the new lads and those on the fringes.

That's all fair enough, I wouldn't write anyone off completely at this point, but assuming we go full strength this weekend and full strength in four of the 6n matches, that leaves only three games for fringe players to make an impression before the RWC squad is announced, otherwise they're relying on injuries.

A lot of players have already run out of road, Coombes needs a big season with Munster to get back in the frame IMO. Simply being first choice won't mean anything.

Henshaw is out AFAIK

I think we seriously need to calm it down on the Jack Crowley hype. Like, he's only started a handful of games at 10 for Munster, and hasn't really shone in any of them. He's never scored a try. He's 2nd choice (at best) at Munster. Granted he was good on the EI tour. But that was against Currie Cup B-Teams. He had a fairly mixed 30 minutes against NZ XV and an "ok" 30 minutes against Fiji. And people are now talking about him starting v Australia. Like, let's calm it down a bit. Maybe he will be great. He does seem to have the skills and athleticism, and he looks like a natural 10. The coaches seem to really rate him and I'd trust their judgement. But he's done nothing to warrant a start v Australia. Is he really ready to have Hooper, Valetini, Tupou, Samu, Arnold and Skelton running at him? I don't think so. I want to see him go and nail down the Munster 10 jersey and put an outstanding run of form together there before I get giddy about him.