I would have probably moved on from him going forward, but i've no issue with him being in the squad. My issue is if he is being put into the starting team, over lads who are frankly playing better, due to him being made captain.
Wait a minute, your almost criticising sexton in that post. Such things are frowned upon.
It will happen that one day all the Peter-haters get exactly what they want, and what many have wanted for a few seasons.
But today isnt that day, and tomorrow doesn't look likely either.
Agreed. Part of the reason they are no uncapped players named in the squad-proper, is because Farrell has done a relatively good job of capping guys.
Certainly early in his tenure, and as we approached the RWC the team became more settled. Which sounds entirely logical to me.
And Cian Prendergast.
Our 3 outhalfs in the squad have a combined 12 caps between the three of them. I think some continuity around them is probably a good idea.
Only 2 recognised 10’s, looks like Farrell is still backing Frawley as a live option for cover at 10
I'm delighted. Concentrate on winning this years tournament. Forget this nonsense of planning for something four years away. We shpould always play our best team in the here and now.
agreed
we do not have either the overall number of players playing in the country, nor the depth at the top level, to be able to wipe the slate clean and work to 4 year cycles.
with jager, ahern and Prendergast included as essentially squad players (34 with 3 trainees = 37) plus the youth of harry byrne, baird, steward, crowley, casey and joe mc....... thats more than enough freshness and youth brought in
He's been injured. Hard to be out-playing someone week-in, week-out, when they're not playing.
And prior to this season, he was in the richest vein of form of his career for around 2 seasons or more. And you still wanted him dropped from the extended squad.
Cian Prendergast was robbed
It's a really poor look if POM is being put into the team ahead of lads who are outplaying him week in, week out. At least with Best and Sexton, they were still the best performing player.
Ya, sorry, I've edited my post to include the "scope" part. I think he'll be an excellent player for Ireland and have a quality career. I just don't see him getting to Sexton type generational levels.
haha
Farrell must be doing something right then :D
He has scope to be was my point. He is a freak athlete for a backrow and seems to be getting better very quickly.
At an absolute minimum, it strengthens his bargaining power. But you'd have to imagine it's close.
I can understand the calls for his inclusion, and he's a young player with loads of potential, but I think "scope to be a generational player" is overstating this.
Boring
He's made 2 appearances. Cos he's been injured.
Continuity squad, logical captain for the short term. Certainly doesn't seem to be any planning for the long term future there but that's not really a surprise.
Pretty underwhelming squad. No uncapped players in official 34. With 3 uncapped "development players". Why not just name them in a 37 man squad.
Pom captian.
Ireland are too sentimental and never ruthless enough to take the captaincy from established players and move on when they need to.
Pretty sure they did with Heaslip, who was a short-term appointment?
Forwards (19):
Ryan Baird (Leinster/Dublin University)(15)
Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Buccaneers)(36)
Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne)(46)
Jack Conan (Leinster/Old Belvedere)(41)
Caelan Doris (Leinster/St Mary’s College)(36)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster/Clontarf)(72)
Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf)(125)
Iain Henderson (Ulster/Academy)(79)
Ronan Kelleher (Leinster/Lansdowne)(26)
Jeremy Loughman (Munster/Garryowen)(4)
Joe McCarthy (Leinster/Dublin University)(5)
Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution)(101) (captain)
Tom O’Toole (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(12)
Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD)(59)
James Ryan (Leinster/UCD)(59)
Dan Sheehan (Leinster/Lansdowne)(21)
Tom Stewart (Ulster/Ballynahinch)(2)
Nick Timoney (Ulster/Banbridge)(3)
Josh van der Flier (Leinster/UCD)(57)
Backs (15):
Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians)(52)
Harry Byrne (Leinster/UCD)(2)
Craig Casey (Munster/Shannon)(13)
Jack Crowley (Munster/Cork Constitution)(9)
Ciaran Frawley (Leinster/UCD)(1)
Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(30)
Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers)
Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD)(36)
Jordan Larmour (Leinster/St Mary’s College)(30)
James Lowe (Leinster)(26)
Stuart McCloskey (Ulster/Bangor)(15)
Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen)(112)
Calvin Nash (Munster/Young Munster)(1)
Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD)(57)
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan)(37)
Training Panellists:
Oli Jager (Munster)*
Thomas Ahern (Shannon/Munster)*
Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)*
Baird's form deserves a shot, POM is 34 and has made 1 appearance this season. You could easily argue for Prendergast too.
You're a mainstay until your not.
Baird is playing at a very high level and has scope to be a generational level player. Why not blood him now? Feels like he's ready to me.
It’s really not
PoM is a mainstay in the Irish team and had proven time and time again how vital he is
he’s fit, he starts
We have but it still won’t stop you
I'd have both Baird and Abern ahead of him.
Am I wrong? Does POM being named captain not seem awfully familiar to Best and Sexton being made captain at the start of the last two World Cup cycles, and still being captain when the World Cup came around when they were 37 and 38 respectively?
We've got 3 outstanding young 6s in Baird, Ahern and Prendergast. Why not give them a go at the start of a new cycle like other nations would, instead of persisting with the tried, trusted and failed?
POM being captain means we won't see Baird start, for that alone I think its a bit questionable.
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