Well I greatly look forward to the back-to-back-to-back Heineken Cups that will be won by a Munster side that's so good Gavin Coombes can't get into it!
The question I think is more would Stander of been picked at 8 if Heaslip was still available. They seemed to like him as the option at 7.
A back row of Heaslip/Leavy/Stander at the last WC with POM/JVDF/Conan as back up would have been some combinations
Josh is 30. Conan is 31. In reality if Gleeson progress continues they will find space for both.
Won't be a battle and more of a combination.
long term would Doris end up replacing JVDF is something I don't think anyone would of thought of prior to the Italy game
Coombes is world class 5 meters out but not much after that.
This is often said as if it’s all he has to his game.
It couldn’t be further from the truth, imo.
I personally think Coombes won’t even be starting for Munster in 2 or 3 years time, Gleeson and Quinn will be coming through at 8 and 6 most likely with Hodnett and Kendellen fighting it out at 7. Coombes is world class 5 meters out but not much after that. Really looking forward to the potential battle between Gleeson and Doris, that could be spectacular.
Plot twist. It's Sam Prendergast starting at 8
Prendergast deserves his chance on Saturday . Looking like a 19-14 split in the WC squad at this stage with Baird, prendergast, McCarthy travelling with the usual suspects.
hopefully a win but absolutely no injuries please.
Impress Farrell
Maybe Faz thinks Prendergast is the better player!
If Faz had Dupont in the squad, he'd likely have a permanent erection.
We have known for some time that Prendergast was ahead of Coombes in the pecking order. But I reckon Prendergast is being played at 8 this weekend to give him an opportunity to really convince the coaches that he genuinely offers 3-tool backrow cover. This was never to compare him to Coombes, it's probably more with a view to deciding between him and either Baird or McCarthy.
Edit: And the more I think about it, the more I reckon it's Prendergast vs McCarthy....
I think that the idea that Antoine Dupont couldn't do what JGP does, if he was asked to, is again, funny.
If Farrell had Antoine Dupont available for him to select in the morning, he would probably not play him,
If you've actually convinced yourself of this to help ease the pain of Coombes' omission, that's actually quite funny
Not that we will ever know, but I'm not convinced that Farrell would have been a big fan of Stander either.
Prendergast is a bench cover/emergency squad cover who can feasibly cover across the backrow. He is very much going to be 5th or 6th choice.
I doubt it tbh. Ultimately Coombes was in the squad while Deegan was not.
Flexibility to cover positions that are already covered, 5 guys ahead of him at 6 (POM, Conan, Doris, Baird & Beirne), 3 guys ahead of him at 7 (JvdF, POM & Doris), and 2 ahead of him as an 8 (Doris, Conan....and Coombes is much better as an 8 than him). I can see why you'd bring Joe McC, serious potential as a tight head lock. Another back would be preferable really
I wonder if he would get called up in the event of an injury to Doris or Conan. Given that he seems to not play the type of game Farrell desires, or isn't versatile enough position wise, perhaps Deegan would be looked at instead?
Just seems very odd to not even give Coombes a run out from the bench. Wouldn't be shocked either if one of Beirne or Baird beat out POM for the 6 jersey at some point.
Reading this decision points to a 19:14 split. I suppose the flexibility of Prendergast is key factor in Farrell's decision and I actually taught prendergast had been excellent last year. But as an international no. 8, he is not.
I'm a bit perplexed at the selection of Prendergast at 8 given that he only plays there the odd time for Connacht as injury cover. Honestly starting to believe Farrell has some sort of issues with the way Coombes plays his rugby, he's has consistently overlooked him for selection despite great club form. Coombes has been a fixture at 8 for Munster since Stander left, in fact we haven't missed Stander one bit. Which is saying a lot. I think Prendergast won't make the 33 either but it looks like he's first call up if one of our no.8s gets injured which to me is a weird call. There's definitely a top 4 back rows for Ireland, POM as a 6 only, Doris and Conan as a 6 and 8 and JvdF as a 7. We're stacked at 6 because Beirne and Baird are both good there and have played plenty of rugby there. So why choose Prendergast? It's 7 and 8 cover that we need and neither are his natural / best position.
Mod: Welcome to the forum. In future, try to post more constructively, rather than posts like this which has more than a hint of provincial baiting.
Not get cut from the squad the week of the England game, for starters?
As a long-time lurker of the forum, I really hope Former Former Former is enjoying the last 24 hours or so. Any joy the Munster mafia had at seeing him lose his bet about Kleyn has long been displaced by the salty tears about Coombes being bullied by big mean Andy Farrell.
Do TRK, OTH Prop and all the other outrage Munster pundits post here much? I bet they do. I see the Munster thread is dead quiet the last few days though.
Roll on the World Cup, I say!
"Farrell wouldn't pick Dupont" is one of the more 'out there' takes this forum has ever had.
Farrell had done a hell of an amount of work to turn Ireland into a team that doesn't always attack from 10. Every piece of analysis on us over the last two years shows we are more and more less reliant on 10, and we play off 9, 10, 15 and our wings. Heck even our props are playmakers these days
Or just play Dupont at 10
Farrell has shown over and over again that he will pick the players that are best fitted to the leinster/Ireland gameplan.
Which makes sense!
If Farrell had Dupont available to him to select in the morning, he would probably not play him, because our team is built around a team that attacks off 10, not off 9
Don't think I'd agree with this though. He is a practical guy, if you have that kind of generational talent you adapt your gameplan to utilise them.
Coombes absolutely isn't "a level below most of the leinster/ireland backrow"
He is one of the best players in the country. He's just not the perfect fit for Farrell's particular game style.
Farrell has shown over and over again that he will pick the players that are best fitted to the leinster/Ireland gameplan. When all else is equal, the players with the most familiarity trump players from other provinces, but when everything isn't equal, ie, two players with different play styles and strengths, then he'll select the player who can slot into a role with the minimum disruption to the overall game plan.
If Farrell had Antoine Dupont available for him to select in the morning, he would probably not play him, because our team is built around a team that attacks off 10, not off 9
I’d agree with that, tbh. Maybe not as versatile, but Prendergast is in the Jordi Murphy mold of being able to cover more positions.
And while I think, say, Hodnett is a better 7, he’s only a 7, and VdF is pretty bulletproof. (Touch wood… hate these warm-up games).
The fact you’ve Beirne and Baird there as hybrid players for 6 leans it more towards picking the guy who can cover 7 too, which is why I think Prendergast got the nod.
Mod: If you have an issue with a post, report it.
If you have an issue with a mod action, take it to PM, do not post on-thread.
The benefit of that approach is that the chances of you eventually being right are 100%.
Unfortunately so are the chances of you being tedious and annoying.
Ireland have been vulnerable to literally every team they've played this year according to some on here, Ireland then went on to win comfortably each time.
england in 2016 maybe.....
Billy V is a one trick pony who plays a game suited to 10 years ago. Tuilagi is held together by gaffa tape, and prone to at least one serious gaff a game. Youngs and Ford will kick the leather off the ball meaning their biggest weapon, Marchant, will get SFA decent ball. Steward is a poor mans Keenan and Dalys best days are well behind him at this stage. England playing 3 fullbacks at 15, 11 and 14 is a clear indication in how they will play. ireland will eat up that kicking game.
up front im not at all convinced that they have the legs to go full 80 at irelands tempo with a high ball inplay ratio.
Plus, i have a feeling that there will be a certain element of "minding themselves" with England. Theyre already on the plane if they remain standing.
after viewing the teams im more confident of ireland by about 20
Mod Edit: Less of the name calling please
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://w6.vanillicon.com/v2/67e7302fc006a31a960e3cbd260b9731.svg)
