Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Henshaw's a difference maker at #23, a guy who can step up with big plays and be prominent when the going gets tough.

I actually think Larmour will start at 14, with Nash fighting him for it. Stockdale won’t be near the 23

I was leaning that way too (possibly Prendergast instead of Conan), until I was reminded about Henshaw.

Baird is particularly well suited to playing the same role PTSD played for SA - getting up high in the line using his athleticism and looking to make big tackles. He might not look quite as good playing another coach's gameplan. Although there's no reason he can't keep getting up to steal lineouts.

Nor should he be

To your point, the name of the game for me will be the bodies that we can launch into rucks.

Last year in the Aviva France engineered at least two scores by using their own cleaners to trap tacklers in the ruck. Outside of that, their power was largely matched - we defended their maul and never really offered much purchase to ball-carriers in contact (recall Ramos resorting to a drop goal at one point). Their single try was that wonder score by Penaud.

I've never thought Crowley was a liability in defence. Plus Lowe is going to be back for a lot of our defensive kicking.

I wouldn't be concerned about him not being big enough (and I'm not sure he is particularly small for a 10?).

We've seen plenty of brilliant defensive involvements from him. Game in the tackle, he seems to rip the ball surprisingly frequently for a 10, regularly involved in choke tackle attempts and he's even showed up with the odd jackal, and indeed big ruck involvement. We also know he's well able to carry hard (thinking the sit-down on Harry Byrne).

I'd go as far as saying he's our best 10 from a defensive stand-point, his superior pace maybe edging him ahead of RB in that regard.

I can understand that someone who has only seen the Bayonne and Northampton games may think his kicking came is poor, but he's had some excellent kicking in plenty of other games. The Italy warm-up game iirc, and the URC final in particular come to mind.

Away in France is no easy task for what will only be his 3rd start? But I'm pretty excited to see how he goes.

Yeah, I think we're getting very down on our own prospects for this game. France are in a surprisingly similar position to us. Both are just off the back of a very good run of form and performances that lead to a disappointing world cup, and both are without a really pivotal half back.

The home/away aspect is obviously in their favour.

In a way it might be one of those nice "nothing to lose" games. If we win, amazing. If France come out on top, well It's france at home and we're without Sexton (and Hansen & JOB etc). Plus we then have Italy at home to bounce back against.