Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

It’s unlikely given the update this morning but if Lowe, Hanson, Henshaw and Earls were all out they’d have to call someone up and start them. Otherwise you’d be moving Aki to 13 Ringrose to the wing and have Byrne and Crowley both on the bench.

awkward

Farrell said that he wanted to give the players a day off on Thursday, but it being the world cup they are required to do media at team announcements. So brought it forward a day. Also he said it does not matter as everyone knows more or less what the team is going to be.

Not going near the match thread because I'm sure it will just make me angry, but anyway...not much to say really...I'm absolutely gutted, but I'm sure the players feel whatever we do x 100.

The finer details can be looked at later but that Ireland squad stood up and did us proud. It wasn't to be, and yes getting knocked out again the QF is devastating, but that doesn't change the fact that this is a fantastic Irish team that have set the standard over the last 18 months.

Anyway batten down the hatches, as Venjur said in his match thread there will be plenty who will take glee from this.

In the meantime congrats to Yeah Right and the other Kiwis on this board. I genuinely hope you go the whole way now.

You're right, it's not the same. We weren't good enough before. We went to this as the genuine #1.

17 wins in a row, 28 wins out of 30.

This is by far our worst QF defeat.

I think this hurts more than any QF I've watched since '91. For the reasons you say. There was no hope in 2019, in 2015 we were beaten after 20 minutes, Wales we just never got into it and all other QFs we've been comfortably second best.

I think tonight was a game of big moments and more big moments went against us than for us. Jordan's try, the missed penalty, the ball held up over the line, the drop ball off the goal line drop out, those were the moments that stand out to me, there may be others.

Not sure who man of the match was but Savea and Cane were both terrific. Savea really turned up, he's their best player, Doris is ours (IMO) and Savea got the better of Caelen tonight (not singling out Doris in any way shape or form).

But this hurts tonight, I think more wine is required...

Relax

It has been 18 months since a team did such a number on us at the breakdown. That was France and funnily enough it was at the Stade De France too. Fair play to New Zealand. They were brilliant.

I am concerned by our lineout now though. It's been an issue for a while. Against South Africa it was understandable as they've the best defensive lineout in the game. But New Zealand's wasn't one I would have been as concerned about pre-match. They pilfered three or four and ruined our attacking platform.

Yep, the breakdown was ominous from the start. I think we maybe started commiting more numbers in the second half which meant better ball but the price you pay is fewer options.

Jonny has had an incredible career. He didn't deserve that tonight, bit you can't control it.

The thing about finishing up your career in a World Cup is that it can come to an end very suddenly. The biggest headline tonight isn't that Jonny's career is over, its that Ireland are out of the WC, it doesn't seem fair bit the same happened to Rory Best in 2019, Pauline in 2015 and Woodie all the way back in 2003. Same with Dan Biggar and Wales today.

Andy Farrell has confirmed that Keith Earls is now retired as well. Congrats to Johnny and he for incredible careers.

We've now open positions at 10 and in the wider squad for wing cover. JOB can potentially fill that squad spot. Did well in his 25 minutes on the pitch this evening. In the short term we'll have Lowe and Hansen remain as our 11 & 14, but the former is 31 and will need replacing eventually.

Flyhalf is a bigger issue. Sexton is not only our best ever 10, but also our best ever player. There's going to be so much pressure on whomever steps up. Crowley looks the man in front as immediate successor. But he needs a lot of development time at Munster as well to round his game. It's not ideal and I don't think he's ready, but the likes of Carbery, R Byrne, Burns and Carty just aren't cutting it.

I don't know what O'Mahony's plans are, but he'll need replacing as well. If not next season then in the next two. And that role will be just as hard to fill as Sexton's. He does so much work in the lineout and at the ruck. I don't know if there's a forward in Ireland that can do it as well. Could be that we need to rework our tactics to change the the role our blindside fulfills. Baird is a freakish athletic talent and could be the way forward.

Another World Cup, another bottle job. That NZ team we're there for the taking. So many chances to win that game and we wilted in the big moments. France or SA will do a job on them. That was the ONE game we had to peak for, and be at our best, and in typical Irish rugby fashion we bottled it.

All the hype, world no.1 blah blah blah, won a couple pool games, and they fell at the first hurdle. Another 4 years as the laughing stock of World Rugby.

The one game we had to peak for? That’s not actually true is it with the group we were in and how the fixtures fell? Laughing stock of world rugby? Why? Did you feel teams were laughing at us over the last 4 years? It’s it because we lost a close game against NZ who produced an excellent performance? Does that make you a laughing stock? Doesn’t take much does it?