Hope sexton gets the book thrown at him- what a **** wit to land himself in this situation when not on the pitch- and he’s being excused on here - seriously a bad look, maybe better off without him as he’s half crocked physically anyway and judging by the way he acted at the champions cup final the heads fucked too
You may be right. I expect a big fine for Leinster and a ban for Sexton which will keep him out of the warmup games and perhaps the first game.
in any event Jack Crowley is the form out half over the last two months of the season.
Conway should be no where near the squad. Either should earls, or kilcoyne.
Source on that? Just had a quick scour over the inpho training pics and couldn't spot him.
EDIT: Nevermind, see an Info article about it. Wouldn't be the first time Farrell has had long term injured guys in for a look (Addison a prime example - I think he was brought in for a gawk under Farrell's tenure despite playing basically zero rugby got Ulster) but will definitely make for an interesting discussion piece if he makes the final squad.
He's the from out half in the period Sexton wasn't playing is at the very least damning Crowley with faint praise.
I do think he's at least 50:50 with Byrne as the best starting option if Sexton is out.
I presume Conway and Ireland are just doing one another a mutual favour with training together.
Conway could just be filling a spot while Osborne is injured and presumably they want to test out his fitness.
But if he's brought into the squad, it will be yet more proof that what Farrell wants is guys who've shown they can do what he wants. That counts for infinitely more than "form".
A league winning out half with a massive ceiling vs an out half who has done very little in the big games. Sexton starts if fit but Crowley is a country mile ahead of Ross Byrne.
I don't think Farrell should have brought Conway in. As you say, he hasn't played in a year. We know his level is very high but it's a bit of a kick in the teeth to the players who have been performing and deserve to be called in.
He really isn't a country mile ahead of Byrne. This ridiculous.
He has serious potential alright.
If he is really part of the squad then he will have potentially 3 games to show he has form before the squad is picked. I still don’t understand why Kilcoyne is there although I can see why Earls is.
I'd definitely have Loughman ahead of Kilkoyne.
Good man! Outstanding
I'd have Phil Orr in ahead of him too.
Lol. Yep. You too?
I never thought Sexton would make the world cup, but he's made it because he is head and shoulders our best 10. Its not even remotely close. That would be why Sexton was nominated for world player of the year and Jack Crowley is Jack Crowley. His time will come, but its not now unless forced.
AFAIK the squad will be named after the second game, so realistically Conway will only get one match (if even) before the announcement.
If he gets the call, it'll be on proven history and training performance.
I feel like he's competing with Earls and both would be there on an experience and attitude benefit to the squad basis, but Conway has a higher playing ceiling to me.
True.
Ok, but just hoping and wishing that he'd be fit and available for the RWC is a bit of a risky strategy dontcha think
Having him play every minute he was fit in every meaningful game in the run up to the RWC was maybe a good strategy to win the autumn series and 6 nations, but not good prep for the world cup
Its good prep for the world cup if he is fit (which he is) and available. Winning cultures are important.
I would be curious to see another team that rested one of their best players "just in case" in a tournament?
It is a risk, but the chances of Ireland winning the World Cup with a team and strategy built around our best 10 is higher than one built around Ross Byrne of Jack Crowley.
Were there people suggesting England rest Martin Johnson more in the leadup to their world cup?
Also, if anyone wants to look, I 100% never believed Sexton would be our starting flyhalf for this world cup. But that is because I assumed both his game would tail off and someone else would overtake him. Neither (and particularly the latter) has happened.
Did we not rest Keith Wood in the lead up to his last RWC. Maybe, it was he only played for Ireland rather than a club but something in the back of mind says he was given every opportunity to be fit and available for that World Cup.
He had two shoulder surgeries and was out for 11 months in the run up to the RWC.
Johnny Sexton will be suspended for three matches by EPCR for his behaviour towards the match officials after the CC final
He will miss all of Ireland's warm-ups v Italy, England and Samoa but will be available for the Rugby World Cup opener v Romania
...
We'll take that.
Reasonable enough punishment tbh
I can’t remember the specifics, but didn’t McCaw and Carter take a sabbatical prior to one of the All Blacks wins?
More lenient that I thought they would be, good that he's available. Will he still be captain?
Say Sexton be off the bench for Romania and Tonga then hopefully start against Scotland and South Africa
He's going to be rusty
