Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Leinster team

1 International Starter 2 International Starter 3 International Starter

4 Club player 5 International starter

6 International Starter Nominated for 6 nations POT 8 International Bench 7 International Starter and reigning WPOTY/EPOTY

9 International Starter 10 International Bench (3rd choice)

12 International Starter 13 International starter

14 International Bench 15 International Starter Nominated 6 nations for POT 11 International Starter

La Rochelle Team

1 International Bench 2 International Bench(3rd choice) 3 International Starter

4 Glorified Journeyman 5 International Captain

7 International Player 8 International Player EPOTY 6 International Bench(3rd/4th choice)

9 Club Player 10 International Bench(3rd choice)

12 International Starter 13 International Starter

11 Club Player 15 Club Player 14 Club Player

I don't think its particularly arrogant to say Leinster's squad is deeper when it's broken down in this manner. The fact is a coaches should be able to get more than the sum of it's parts. If Saracens from a few years ago were still around I wouldn't argue this point but they're not so it must be said.

I'm referring to what they currently are. Nothing stopping Dulin, Rhule, or Leyds from playing internationally at the moment.

Cullen gets plenty of criticism, here of all places. And fairly so.

They aren't the same things. You can have the best 23 in Europe whilst not having the best squad in Europe. I would wager that La Rochelle would struggle with 4-5 key absences more than Toulouse or Leinster simply because there's more of a drop off for them to their back ups (and the knock on of potentially bringing a third choice player onto the bench). They've managed their squad quite well and have done well on the injury front. But we can see this season the drop off for them when the test players are absent.

With that said, it's pointless comparing teams through the "international starter" etc. criteria. There is far more competition and depth in France than here. If the La Rochelle team played in Ireland instead of a province, every one of them would be capped and a lot of them would have been in the RWC squad.

This seems highly exaggerated.

It would be a terrible call.

4 years ago Ireland went to a world cup with a 36 year old captain about 2 years past his best. And hadn't enough depth in his position.

This year Ireland went to a world cup with a 38 year old Captain past his best and left him on in for 80 minutes.

Pom would be 38 by the next World Cup. He is past his best now let alone in 4 years time. It would be foolish to make the same mistake for the 3rd world cup in a row and expect a different result.

what is the point of having him in the squad, let alone captain. Give it to someone that will be a key player at the next WC. Let them grow into the role now.

POM is way past it. He couldn’t raise a gallop against NZ.

I dont see how any benefits for Ireland having a 'short term' captain outweigh the obvious negatives.

You just end up turning it into an ongoing controversy given his age and the strength we have in the backrow. As soon as his form drops or another player is outperforming him there'll either be a huge thing about the captain being dropped or that he is continuing to be picked due to his captaincy.

Ireland have just lost 2 of their most experienced players and will lose another couple in the next 12-18 months.

I'd be hugely surprised if POM isn't in the team for the 6N and SA tour; it would be self inflicted damage. Farrell will want those experienced guys there to have a calm word with guys like Crowley on the field. The more of them, the better.

Like it or not, he's going to be a really important player for the next 7 test matches.

Maybe it's just me but it would be a good idea to have a temporary captain.

We are replacing Sexton and that's massive leadership to lose. The new captain is going to have a lot of focus if they can step up. Make it O Mahony for a year and then give it to Ryan or Ringrose.