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Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,349 ✭✭✭✭Foxtrol


    Unsurprising that you were very silent when posters were using a single match to strengthen POM's case but chirp up now.

    The single match today isn't a standalone, it is more evidence of concerns. For one, it looks like POM's body struggles to last a full 80 minutes at this point.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,940 ✭✭✭✭aloooof


    Like I said, one match last weekend is an incredibly small part of the case for him to be made captain. Nobody was suggesting otherwise.

    He has a decade or more of experience which is obviously a way bigger factor than anything that's happened in the last 2 weeks.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,349 ✭✭✭✭Foxtrol


    Yeah, like I said in my original post that you responded to - it was only part of the case

    POM was getting plenty of praise from posters here for his part in how Munster performed last week, using it as part of the case for him to be made Irish captain.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,940 ✭✭✭✭aloooof


    Agreed; an infintesimally small part of the case.

    So where's the problem.



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 36,480 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Can youse two please get a room.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,511 ✭✭✭Wegians89


    I think Prendergast should be called up if there is any doubts about POM. Don’t see why they have the smaller squad this season compared to usual anyways.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,790 ✭✭✭✭Burkie1203


    What's the doubt about POM? Was he taken off last night for injury, as it looked like he just cannot do more then 55-60 anymore



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,269 ✭✭✭Must love hardship


    Peter took a bang to the hip. Taken off 5 minutes later and munster fell apart like leprosy..

    Hopefully not too injured as you don't want to wish an injury on anyone but its just another question mark over the decision to make him captain.

    He's been out for 3 months. With a shoulder injury. He's just managed about 65 mins in 2 club games since he got back and now is straight into the 6 nations carrying a knock.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,088 ✭✭✭Clo-Clo


    Farrell is all about vibes etc, like did it make sense to have Earls at the wc? It was great to see earls finish his career at a WC but would any other coach have taken him?

    Having POM as captain etc goes in with all the good vibes etc. Something Jackman said SA went big into for last WC

    Does POM deserve it for his contribution to Ireland? Yes

    Is he a good captain at international level? Based on the few times I seen him with it I would say the verdict is out

    Could he move on at end of season and someone else come in? Yes

    Could Farrell have used this to get POM a central contract when the IRFU refused and Farrell can use to show he has the players backs and even more better vibes? Oh now that’s an interesting angle isn’t it 😂



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,258 ✭✭✭mun1


    You do realise that the head coach of the IRFU’s mens team and the IRFU are the same entity , don't you ?



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,088 ✭✭✭Clo-Clo


    But Farrell is not responsible for player contracts, you do understand that don't you? that's Nucifora and the IRFU

    If Farrell planned all along to give POM the captaincy then why would he not get offered a central contract? it been well reported that he so far has not been offered a central contract and left up to Munster to find the money.

    Now the IRFU are in a situation the Irish captain could be without a central contract, also would mean(I think) they have no image rights with him....bit of an issue for advertising



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 364 ✭✭letsbefair


    Think he might go 6-2 v France away if Frawley fit. It's the pivotal match



  • Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 33,790 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    I think Earls' off field presence was definitely a factor but it only became relevant cause it was an otherwise marginal decision. Had there been a standout back 3 player competing in good form it's a very different calculation.

    I wouldn't read too much into that decision.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 14,602 ✭✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    I don't see how you can leave McCarthy and Baird out of the 23. Been two of the best players in the country so far this season.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,269 ✭✭✭Must love hardship


    In a game of fine margins Ireland went Into the Nz Quarter finals with injury doubts hanging over both wingers.

    Hansen clearly wasn't right and had to go off injured after 55 minutes and Lowe didn't play for 3 months after the world cup.

    Earls could only manage 60 minutes in the whole world cup and was injured for the rest of it after being injured for half the previous season. He had minimal form to go on.

    Getting Earls to 100 caps was the right call. Bringing Earls to the world cup over Nash who had been in great form was the wrong option. Same goes for naming Kilkoyne in the original squad.



  • Subscribers, Paid Member Posts: 45,289 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Personally I do not think there is real 100% guarantee that POM, as team captain, actually has to start games. I think Farrell is pragmatic enough to play the best 15/23 to suit the game, and if POM isn't in that plan, so be it.

    That being said, I haven't seen anything from POM in the last 12 months to suggest he's not good enough to start against France.



  • Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 33,790 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    I don’t think Nash was even close. Be it that that may have been the wrong call. I think it was there for Stockdale to take the last place and he didn’t.

    I'd agree it was the wrong call for what it’s worth.



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 36,480 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    POM is good enough to start against France but there's a question mark over his ability to finish and if you have to dedicate a bench spot to his replacement it affects the whole squad.



  • Subscribers, Paid Member Posts: 45,289 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    We will always have a back row replacement on the bench.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,088 ✭✭✭Clo-Clo


    Ryan has been playing exceptional. Just people are so used to it



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,088 ✭✭✭Clo-Clo




  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 36,480 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Yeah, but if he's a dedicated BS replacement or VDF/Doris gets injured then we have to shuffle players about and POM has to go 80.



  • Subscribers, Paid Member Posts: 45,289 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    ??

    No matter who we have on the bench, they cover usually, 2 positions, it very frequently requires a back row rearrangement. Nothing at all new here.

    Hell if we have Henderson or Beirne on the field, or bench, we have decent six cover already.

    Playing POM absolutely does not mean we need dedicated blind side cover on the bench.

    I can't even think of any dedicated 6 we have in the squad as it is.



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 36,480 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    If POM can play 80 minutes, there's no issue. We've been managing the bench fine for years.

    If he can't then he needs a dedicated replacement (like the front rows, 9 and 10).

    He's played 2/10 full games this season and 6/24 last season and is coming back from injury.

    Back rows, second rows, centres and back 3 players are supposed to be able to play the full game, so don't have a like for like replacement. The 3 non-specific bench players can cover whichever lock, back row or centre/wing/FB gets injured or gassed.

    Covering a planned, fatigue-related replacement and I just cover for the back row needs an extra forward on the bench.



  • Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 33,790 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    It’s not exactly unusual POM would need to be replaced. He was normally the back row to make way wasn’t he?

    The only real impact is that it favours Conan over Baird on the bench.



  • Subscribers, Paid Member Posts: 45,289 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    And again, should we have Beirne or Henderson on the pitch already, it reduces the requirement to have any dedicated six in the bench, not that we ever had one on the bench anyway



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,349 ✭✭✭✭Foxtrol


    Earl's decision makes sense in hindsight now due AF's plan to basically disregard the idea of rotation and run the starters into the ground.

    It doesn't matter if Earls was at high risk to not be available if the plan was never to spread the workload across the squad.



  • Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 33,790 Mod ✭✭✭✭Podge_irl


    Ah I dunno. I suspect he was going to change things a bit more. I think Conan's injury/relapse really put him in a hole in the backrow.

    Ultimately stockdale wasn't much better than earls if at all.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,292 ✭✭✭TRC10


    Conan was injured when the squad was named. He shouldn't have brought an injured player to the World Cup.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,349 ✭✭✭✭Foxtrol


    Maybe you're right but I dont see any evidence of that.

    He'd plenty of opportunities to play others in the squad to rest the front line and he didn't. When you then look at the 'vibes' selection of Earls it ties into him not planning to use him heavily - surely he'd bring the more durable player in that scenario



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