Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Don't know what JSP has done so wrong. Just about 4 years younger than Aaron Smith. I wouldn't be against the idea of experimenting with Mack Hansen at out half. Crowley obviously still being next man up.

The future is bright. Lot's to look forward too. We've plenty of youngsters coming in. There are some area's that are suspect but, I think we'll be fine.

I don't think you understand how an asterisk next to a championship works. Losing in one competition doesn't put an asterisk next to a title or win in another competition. Can't believe this needs to be explained.

An understandable reluctance to remove Sexton when he was clearly gassed for last 15 - 20 minutes cost us. Farrell is clearly a players coach, they love him and the play with a freedom for him that on the whole is a huge positive. There are however downsides and either an element of sentimentality or fear stopped him making some hard decisions. Not hooking Sexton on 60 mins was one and I'd argue bringing Keith Earls to the WC is further evidence of this.

not replacing Henshaw has to be questioned as well - Healy could have been useful to bring on.

Honestly thought it was JGP's poorest performance for us in a long time, try not-withstanding. Obviously ruck protection is a big element of that, but even so, some of his decision making was pretty poor, imo.

Even if Earls was better, he has become far too injury prone to be selected in a WC squad and he proved that to be the case during the tournament, having to be subbed early in his one game rather than giving a starter a break and picking up an injury that ruled him out when he could have been needed.

In hindsight, discussions about Earls or any selection of the wider squad were pretty pointless, with AF simply refusing to use it.

Ireland were an outlier when it came to minutes of their starters during the tournament for those sides making the knockouts. I don't believe it is a coincidence that the backrow lacked punch on Saturday and the likes of Beirne were out on their feet towards the end of the match - coincidentally all seeing the upper end of minutes during the tournament.

I don't know how the IRFU can both put such focus on their player welfare policy, that takes account the importance of player rest, while at the same time then acting like player rest has zero impact during the WC, as they run their starters into the ground before the knockouts. With such fine margins in top end sport, rest can have a huge impact.

This

Yes, JSP I meant. I think if there are two better scrum halfs in the Ireland squad ahead of JGP in 4 years time, we would be in good stead. The pass to JVDF which gave away the penalty was the worse error. I don't think he was the problem at the breakdown but he has been instrumental in getting Ireland to a place where they can compete at the very highest level. Probably can't do it in 4 years time, but can't see any reason why he won't be the best option in 2 years time.

It wasn't just in the 80th minute, the backrow were quiet all match and looked to be missing something regarding their physicality.

Scotland was not a tough game but even if you deem it that way, there was no need to play so many of the starters in the other matches.

Thanks for putting a smile on my face on a grim Monday.

Do you think you'll ever get over him not making the squad?

Irelands next match is February v France in Marseille.

id say that cant come quick enough for both teams.

Ireland have France and England away this six nations. But it would be great to see some new faces v Wales, Scotland and Italy.

Depending on contract negotiations for the likes of Aki Ireland could lose the likes of Sexton, Earls, Murray, Pom, kilkoyne and aki for the 6 nations.

Favourite to replace them for me would be Frawley, Baloucoune, Doak, Coombes,Milne and Osbourne.

Then next summer Ireland travel to South Africa for a 2/3 game tour.. thats something to seriously look forward to.

I wonder will Ireland see an Emerging tour before the 2025 summer when a few Ireland players will hope to be on the lions.

This next year looks to be a big year for some players to try force their way back into the squad. The likes of Coombes, larmour, frawley, Tommy o brien, connors, Carberry, Stockdale, Deegan, balacoune, H Byrne and Daly are all beteren 24 -27 now so it's $hit or get off the pot time for them.

Then it's a potential break out year for the likes of Osborne, Milne, Boyle, Gunne, Quinn, crothers etc.

Lots to look forward to this season.

Only getting round to posting about the game now - congrats to our Kiwi posters on the deserved win. Whatever went on we didn't hit the ground running from the off and didn't deserve it. We had more possession, more territory, more metres, more passes, more runs.. they had two lads in the bin for 20 mins of the game... and we still lost. I always felt like they had more in them if needed also, they played smarter I felt.

I haven't watched it back nor have I any intention of... but some things that struck me:

*Poor decisions, poor decisions. Players running away from clearout support in particular drove me mad. Even JGP's try, if he was a fraction shorter he was getting turned over. Some poor choices by our half backs in particular. Silly kicks and passes that were uncharacteristic of them. Pressure I guess?

*Sexton left on too long. He was at literal walking pace at the end and just shovelling on ball. He actually only ran the ball once according to ESPN. Baffling that Crowley wasn't brought on.

*JGP had a poor day at the office, it wasn't a good world cup for him overall to be honest. So slow in the first 20 to get out the ball and I don't think he handles being under pressure well (he probably isn't under it a lot at club level to be honest). He also could have been protected a bit better at ruck time to be fair.

*Not a good tournament overall for Doris who has let the yips with the ball back into his game again and I don't think he hit the heights we know he can hit.

*POM tidied up a lot of lineout ball for us, should have gone shorter to him earlier, we missed James Ryan in the lineout too as an option I felt. The backrow as a unit were outplayed, Cane's defensive work is underrated and he hit everything in green HARD the whole game - top tackler on the day with 22. Savea was a class apart also. Backrow and the setpiece is where they did massive damage to us.

*Murray's penalty was braindead. Thought he was grand outside of that but that was really costly.

*Aki was superb, he was like a man possessed out there. Probably the player of the tournament to date. One of the few giving us go-forward at the death.

*Keenan is another who came out of this smelling of roses, he's a classy, classy player.

*Furlong looks to be a little bit on the wane from previous heights, going on 12 months since I first posted it here. Needs a Cian Healy renaissance. Porter is in trouble when refs ping him on not scrummaging straight... is an animal otherwise.

*I thought Jimmy O'Brien had a good cameo off the bench, which makes the case for more fresh legs like Crowley not being used all the more baffling. Conan had some nice carries and actually made more ground the JvdF in his time off the bench. Right call to take him off. I'm sure there'll be eyes rolled at this but we could have done with some of Coombes' power in a match this tight. Maybe his time will come down the line.

*For all of Clegg's constant overhyping of McCarthy (and I do think he is a talent but still incredibly raw), he still makes a raft of errors. Missed half his tackles, that poor clearout was costly too.

*Ringrose - I think he's fantastic in attack but I've mentioned about his tackling before on here and based on missed tackles the other night I was looking into his performances this year in defence. I think his tackling could be better for a 13, his technique can be poor at times (head on the wrong side) and well, look at these below, he misses 41% of his tackles. Not suggesting him being dropped but something I've been picking up on it the past while that I thought was interesting. In that 18 phase defence v Scotland he was the only one to miss one for e.g.

v NZ - Made 2, Missed 3

v Scotland - Made 5 Missed 7

v SA - Made 5 Missed 3

v Tonga Made 4 Missed 0

v Romania Made 1 Missed 1

v England Made 7 Missed 3

V Scotland (6N) Made 2 Missed 7

v France (6N) Made 10 Missed 4

v Wales (6N) Made 10 Missed 4

*I do wonder if we missed a trick in not having Rob Herring on the bench in retrospect, big admirer of him. Does the nuts and bolts well, good in the loose and an older calmer head. Sheahan was being well marshalled.

*A lot of change coming down the line for Ireland with the age profile - I'd be biting the bullet now and easing out the likes of POM, JGP, Lowe, Murray, Aki, Killer, Herring etc in the next 12 months or so. Sexton and Earls are already gone. Let's see what sort of a team Farrell can build on his own two feet, I hope he stays with us. I think there's a great pool of talent coming through, let's see what he can put together.

*Also, thanks Earlsy - been an absolute joy to watch you. Sexton too. Two all-time greats in their positions for us.

He is. He puts so much pressure on the offensive player.