Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

The argument for the injury being the significant factor is a more likely assessment than claiming it's on form.

We'd just had a significant win against one of the favourites for the tournament, and Ryan played well in that game. His average player rating across 8 different entities who compiled player ratings on the game (Rugbypass, Irish Mirror, RTE, Irish Times, Ruck.co.uk, Planet Rugby, Extra.ie and Balls.ie) is 7.0/10.0, with 3 6/10s, 3 7/10s, 1 8/10 and 1 9/10 rating. I couldn't get the Independent or 42 player ratings as both are pay walled.

That's not exactly the profile of a guy who is going to be dropped on form IMO.

Yeah, I don't generally place any real stock in player ratings.

But equally, I don't think it's strong enough for me to just say I thought he played well against SA, and that it would be highly unlikely to me that Farrell would pick that moment to completely change up his thinking on second row composition and drop Ryan based on form.

I also didn't cite one or two player ratings, but 8 separate ratings, so the average across that is fairly indicative IMO.

Penalties and a relative neophyte in the lineout.

I don’t know if i would be comfortable with him and VdF in same back five. That puts a ton of pressure on other jumpers.

Because he doesn’t jump so there is one less jumper. Timoney does jump if you wanted to play him there. Doris can and he can play 7. POM can play 7 and he obviously jumps.

I’m not saying replace him but the fact he doesn’t jump would def be factored in when putting together the back 5 in the pack.

You aren’t really understanding my point. It doesn’t matter what the other options are if one of your back five doesn’t jump. It knocks on to choices elsewhere in the back 5. That’s just a fact of rugby. The lineout is the most important set piece. They care about stuff like that.

No, you missed my point - most teams don't have an openside flanker who jumps in the lineout. Opensides are usually the shortest member of the back five and typically have a squatter frame than blindsides, 8's and locks, and therefore aren't the most conducive to being effective lineout jumpers.

You're trying to claim here Ireland have some sort of special weakness by having JVDF as a non-jumping 7, but it's a common enough issue across the vast majority of teams.

I thought La Rochelle fairly regularly use Skelton as a lifter?

Yeah, I remember it being noteworthy when they lifted him in a game against Saracens, up at 2. I don't think he was even wearing lifting blocks, and Saracens never got anyone up as apparently they'd no expectation of him being lifted.

He was lifted at the front obviously quite a few times in the final in May as well against us.

Generally though - he acts as a lifter for them. Having someone of his size and power as a lifter (along with guys like Atonio) must give a huge edge to them.

You PERCEIVED that i was saying that ireland had some kind of special weakness, because VdF plays for Leinster and that activated the hyper dramatic defense mechanism you have going on there.

All, I actually meant was that if you have McCarthy and VdF in the same pack build you only have three proven lineout operators. Which is true and would be a real consideration for an international rugby coach.

That is my view. We can definitely agree to disagree on whether Joe McCarthy is a proven line-out option though.