Ireland Team Talk XII: Farrell's First Fifteen

Look at the points difference, we scored 6 more tries than anyone else. We conceded 6 fewer. We are the best team in the N. Hemisphere. We used 32 players. Replaced Sexton. For me I don't get all the negativity.

My opinion of Crowley is clearer now than post France. Wasn't impressed then and certainly not now. Has massive work to do to threaten the line and actually add to our attack. He was totally ineffective at 10 yesterday and a large part in the failure of our attack yesterday. Maybe he will come good but jury is out for me as to whether he will be able to adapt. Harry was in for what 10 mins, and made a horlicks of a tackle so impossible to judge. Needs a run there and considering the way Crowley has been playing I think Farrell missed a trick not giving him a start.

Prendergast looks at the moment to have the ingredients of a natural modern international 10 and if he can get enough game-time and bulk a bit next years 6 nations may be time to try him out. He looks to have the highest ceiling of any of them at the moment. Think we have seen enough of Crowley this year to understand he has work to do so would like Harry to get a run v the Saffers and try and play a more Sexton esq flat to the line game. At least then we know where we sit before Prendergast gets a look in. Like Ross Bryne but he'a a different proposition.

Just don't rate him, nothing more than that and wondering how much of the support on here for him is just provincial nonsense as it clearly had little basis in actual rugby analysis. Not expecting Prendergast to get a run until at least the 6 nations next year if he has had decent exposure at Leinster in the meantime so I don't think he should have had a run now, clearly isn't ready.

We can all pretend otherwise but post Sexton we have trouble at 10 and no amount of wishful thinking about Crowley will fix that. He might turn it around and if so fantastic.

If you think otherwise great, genuinely hope he proves me wrong as then we don't have a problem at 10. Right now with Crowley at 10 I think we have a problem.

Define "natural modern international 10"

I appreciate the clarification.

But rather than citing Crowley's recorded stats, it would be more helpful to point out moments where he should have done as you describe, but didn't.

Scotland defended like animals, and have incredibly smart and dynamic back row forwards, who make fix-pass rugby very challenging and risky, the closer you get to the gain line.

Is Crowley's passing under pressure not one of his strengths or have I been watching a different 10 the past couple of seasons?

I suppose two things here that I'd come back with.

1. His run:pass ratio was actually higher against Scotland than it was against France. 6 runs to 33 passes (v Sco), vs 4 runs to 32 (v Fra). Each are comfortably within the sweet spot that you'd see under Sexton (not to open THAT can of worms again... IYKYK). So I'm not sure "Scotland watched him time and time again step sideways and pull a pass back" is fair or accurate.

2. Identifying one solitary instance of him offloading a player into space doesn't prove that he missed others. What if that was the only moment in the game such a move was the correct decision?

By the end of the tournament, opposition had increasing intel on how we play with Crowley at 10, so it's little surprise that he saw fewer and fewer moments to exploit with his existing arsenal of tricks.

But let's perhaps not lose the run of ourselves - he turned 24 in January.

The challenge for him and for Ireland going forward is to beat the analytics. Second album/season syndrome, so to speak.