Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

So Ireland are following Leinster down the South African path

I posted about him in the Champions Cup thread the other night... I discovered that stats site over the weekend. Coombes is carrying into contact... and if I am reading it right... on purpose, ideally committing tacklers, and with a view to offloading. And is hitting the gainline better than most, but as you say, not making huge metres per carry.

Here was my reading of it from that thread in relation to his carrying:

"He's top carrier of URC in Europe (I thought those stats were for Europe and not just leagues, think I'm wrong on that?) and 4th overall (when including players from English/French leagues). Only 7 of his carries weren't into contact... he's 55 carries ahead in that regard of URC players! Very clear what his role is. Of that Top 20 (carriers) he has the lowest dominant carry rate... but he's 8th for gainline success. He's consistently making some very hard yards is my reading of that?

In addition, of those Top 20 carriers he's 2nd for committing 2+ tacklers to his carries.

Can't find offloading stats for Europe here but he's well capable of an offload. At the very least he's freeing up space in the backline if we get quick ball, which if you look at Munster's linebreaks stats or the likes of Nankivell's stats alone... appears to be working, maybe? Also, he's Munster's second highest offloader for the season behind Frisch (Source: Munster website) so maybe that solves that one?"

As I said in that post, I guess it depends on what coaches want from their players/gameplan.

The France team has been named. Still very strong despite their injuries and absence of Dupont.

L'Equipe leaked it on Monday night, I believe. Think everyone was just copying and pasting from then.

Ireland team is as Thornley predicted. Ringrose is out, McCarthy starts and a 6-2 bench split.

That's a bizarre bench with the 6/2

JDV has to play full game - no replacement 7, POM wont play 80

Who's coverering wing even centre - You can do this with Ringrose

Presumably Keenan moves to the wing and Frawley goes to 15 if we need it.

And Frawley or Crowley to 12 if we need a centre.

And if it's a double injury then Gibson park ends up on the wing but that's the risk you take.

Doris covers 7. POM at a pinch. Baird and Conan will likely replace VDF and POM. JGP can cover wing.

Henshaw hasnt shown anything since his pre WC injury to have me confident he can do anything like the job Ringrose does at 13.

Great chance for him to get back where he was and he has the best help inside him.

Gotta say im less confident now due to the inexperienced 10, the rusty 13 and the debutant winger, but its france without dupont and thats a big difference, i dont think they will go unbeaten without him

In the words of @TRC10....

I can't wait for this. We're going to win and win well.

I love rugby

Not sure I’d want Casey and Frawley at 9/10 closing out a game with 10 to go at this stage of their careers. Murray is the horses for courses selection.