Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

No Prendergast is a strange decision, think he’s been excellent this season and making big plays regularly POM style. Hodnett is also unlucky not to be named.

Amazing to see Healy back in. It says a lot about our depth at LH that he’s still making the squad when Leinster are slow to play him off the bench in the biggest games (got 2 mins off the bench in 2023 HC final and 10 against LAR on last trip there). Obviously a lot of this is down to Porters engine but it’s still concerning.

POM is a logical choice as a squad captain if we’re looking to win this tournament but I think at least one of Baird and Prendergast should be getting starts. It will be an opportunity lost if POM starts all 5 games at 6. Maybe Farrell also sees POM starting at 7 freeing up the 6 jersey and springing VDF from the bench.

We know Farrell is a vibes man. Might also have been a factor behind giving POM the captaincy (deserves the honour of being an Irish captain) and getting Healy the cap record (especially after his pre World Cup injury).

You beat me to it, syd, but I'd imagine the "unless he retires" stipulation will get TRC off the hook...

Harsh on Prendergast but seems like the WC he’s unfortunately in a line behind the best depth we have had at 6

100% anything is possible but France have to be favorites for the grand slam, get have everything on paper.

congratulations to Peter O'Mahony , Ireland Captain. well deserved, a special player and a legend of the Irish game.

The garden will have to wait.

POM as Captain is a mistake.

I've all the respect in the World for him, but he isn't going to make the next WC. He won't be on the Lions in 2025, even with Farrell in the chair. Unless Farrell does end up bringing him to justify his Captaincy now in some fashion. Which would compound the mistake.

Peter is a Munster and Ireland great. But right now we are suffering the loss of a another player that stayed on too long, and was certainly kept on as Captain waaaaaay too long.

And while it is right that greats like O'Mahony and Healy are in this squad to set the example of what it is to be a Test player, the commitment and the work ethic and just everything about the culture, I suspect if you asked Healy if either of them should be Captain, he'd say no.

To my mind, the Captain shortlist should have been:

Furlong, Beirne, Ryan, Henderson, VdF, Henshaw, Ringrose and Keenan.

From that, I would have made Ringrose Captain, Beirne Vice-Captain and pack leader and Van Der Flier as Third, if needed on field and for leadership duties in Camp.

Shayne Bolton is another player that should be high up on the Radar.

He would benefit from being included on the Irish Summer tour

Hes 24 and has the speed of a winger and the frame of a 12. He could be an international level player.

France selected a panel of minnows. Nothing to worry about!

Hes from SA so kicking shouldnt be a massive problem, plus Lowe is prone to some wayward kicking from time to time.

I think this squad makes a lot of sense. We're losing a vital part of what made our team tick in Sexton, and are without Hansen, who is a very important part of our attack. Given that we'll have a very new 10 stepping into such a big hole, of course we want some stability around them.

The main thing this team needs is to regain some momentum and confidence. Throwing out everyone over 33 and hoping that the replacements gel immediately is madness. A couple of shaky performances and the public would be writing them off. And if that happened on the watch of a new less experienced captain, then their leadership will immediately be questioned. If it happens with POM, who cares, he's only going to be there for a year or so.

Personally I'd pick him as captain for the 6N and probably the Summer tour. Across those 8 games, I could see 3 where he either isn't involved, or is on the bench. Come November I'd move onto whoever captained those as the long term successor.

The squad is pretty consistent, but I expect to see some of the pecking order being rotated. Casey overtaking Murray, Loughman overtaking Healy (that one might need to be enforced a little bit) and McCarthy squeezing into the 23 more regularly etc. Then by next November the Murrays and Healys can be swapped out for the new blood

Farrell has built a very good team with an effective game plan. Our style has been developing steadily and I see no reason that'll stop now.